Headed Home

The Holidays are not going to be too festive this year.  My Grandma was moved to a hospice facility this week.  I'm headed back home this weekend to be by her side.  You are never prepared for situations like this.  She's almost 95 and hasn't been doing well the last couple of years, but it still comes as a shock.  It's amazing how naive we are in thinking the people we love will be around forever.  I guess that is just human nature.  I'm honestly not sure what we will do without her.  She's the matriarch of our family, our rock, our touchstone.  She's the glue that holds us all together.  Will we all just break apart when she's gone?  I hope not.  I will try to make sure that we honor her strength and love by keeping together.  We owe her that.

Goodbye My Friend

My Umbra

Yesterday I lost the most loyal companion anyone could ever ask for.  My sweet angel dog Umbra suddenly passed away from spleen cancer.  She had been at my side for well over 10 years…not nearly long enough.  She was as playful as a puppy her entire life.  The house is already too quiet without her.  I’ll never forget the day she chose me.  I went to see puppies that my cousin’s dog had just given birth to.  I was considering a dog, but wasn’t sure if I was ready for one.  I walked into the barn where the pups were and seeing all the adorable babies made me smile.  I picked them up one by one and each one squirmed in my arms or playfully nipped at my fingers.  None of them really felt like my dog though.  Then I picked up the small lone black puppy.  She looked entirely different from the rest of the litter.  Once I had her in my arms she looked up at me with her big brown eyes and crawled up to nuzzle under my chin.  My heart melted and I, obviously, had my dog.   From that moment on Umbra and I were inseparable.  She greeted me when I came home, snuggled against my legs at night, and licked my tears when I was upset.   She got me through a lot of difficult times.  Moving to St. Louis alone was much easier with her to keep me company.  I don’t know if I would have made it that first year without her.  There is now a gaping hole in my heart.  Some people who read this will be thinking “Come on, it’s just a dog.”  To them I say that Umbra was way more than just a dog.  She was my best friend, my companion, my shoulder to cry on, my child, and my heart.  I will forever be changed because that beautiful creature was in my life.  All I have now are images of her doing “crazy dog” in the snow, tapping her feet begging for French fries, and giving me a hug with her paws.  I will never forget all you did for me Umbra and I will miss you forever.  I love you.

Beware of Facebook Scams

Today I had my first experience with a Facebook scam.  The scammer used a friend's account to start a chat with me.  They asked how I was doing and when I asked them the same they said they weren't doing to well "as of late".  They proceeded  to tell me they had gone to the UK for a short vacation and were robbed at gunpoint.  All cash and credit cards were stolen.  When I asked if their passports were stolen as well they said no.  They then proceeded to ask me for $ to help get home.  I was very suspicious for several reasons:

1. A short vacation in the UK?   This time of year tickets to the UK are over $1000...not very likely you would spend that for a "short" vacation...especially when you have 3 kids.
2. My friend wouldn't have used the term "as of late" in a Facebook chat...a bit too formal in my opinion.
3. The passport thing bothered me.  I am a seasoned world traveler and I know that you only carry a copy of your passport around with you while out an about abroad.  The actual passport should be kept in a secure place like the hotel safe.  Unfortunately most tourists don't realize this and they carry their passports with them at all times.  A thief who is robbing tourists would most certainly have taken the passports too.
4. This particular friend wouldn't come to me for money because we are (a) not that close and (b) they know I'm not rolling in the dough.

I ended the chat and immediately tried to post on my friends wall, but the person was blocking wall posts.  I sent her an email and let her know what was going on and advised her to change her password and update her privacy settings.

The world is a much smaller and more interesting place thanks to the world of social media, but it as a result these criminals have even more ways to manipulate people.  Everyone should be on alert for these types of scams.  Don't fall for it!  Facebook Security has information on their security page: http://www.facebook.com/teyaking/posts/181716915178050#!/security 
Stay safe out there in cyberspace my friends.

Yawn...

My sleep was yet again disturbed the other night by a guy riding up and down the street on his annoyingly loud mini scooter.  Instead of going on a page long rant about how rude and inconsiderate this guy is I have decided to let out my frustrations in a more entertaining way.  I have written an ode to my tormentor in the style of the Bud Light Real Men of Genius commercials.  The words in parenthesis are to be sung by a fabulous backup singer of course.  ;)

Ode to Mr. Late Night Mini Scooter Rider

by (a sleep deprived) Kelley Davis

Today we salute you, Mr. Late Night Mini Scooter Rider (Mr. Late Night Mini Scooter Rider)

Waking your neighbors up at all hours, you cruise the neighborhood sounding like a dying hummingbird. (dear God it’s annoying)

You proudly hop on your tiny gas fired chariot to grab a snack and a six pack. (gotta have that beef jerky)

Are little scooters manly?  Heck yeah they are; you can balance an entire bag of groceries while skillfully keeping your knees from dragging the pavement. (watch out for road-rash)

 So crack open an ice cold Bud Light O’ Outlaw of the Mini Hog, because it’s probably not the only tiny thing between your legs.  (Mr. Late Night Mini Scooter Rider)

Scary Mall Experience

I have been trying to find a dress to wear to a wedding this weekend, so yesterday around 6 PM I decided to hit the St. Louis Galleria. I parked my car in the garage close to the entrance I wanted to go in. I know that it's best to park as close to the door as you can for safety reasons. My cell phone rang as I got out of the car so I answered it and kept walking. I passed a girl in the hallway on my way in who seemed to be arguing with a boy. They looked to be in their late teens or early twenties. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that they both looked at me and stopped at the door. I didn't hear what they said to eachother, but the boy turned around and started walking behind me. He was walking right on my heels and it made me very uncomfortable. I got off of the phone so that I could pay more attention to my new shadow. I sped up my walking pace, but so did he. At one point I looked over my shoulder and he was maybe 10 paces behind me. I met his gaze so that he would know I saw him. He stared a hole through me and my heart jumped. Now I sped up to almost a jog. He was still there. I realized I should go into a store and ask for help if he followed me in. I darted into H&M and quickly got into the racks of clothing. I stood where I could see the windows and saw him stop and look around. He was looking for me! When he didn't see me he slowly walked on...all the time looking around for me. I stayed in the store for at least 45 minutes. After I left H&M I stopped at a few more places and thankfully did not see him anywhere. I was scared he might be waiting at the entrance for me since he knew where I came in. I was planning to find a security guard to walk me to my car, but luckily I saw a group to walk out with. I am so glad I was alert enough to notice this guy. I shudder thinking what he was planning to do. I could have been robbed or even assaulted.

Ladies please be careful when out shopping by yourself no matter what city you live in. Be aware of your surroundings and note any behavior you think is suspicious. If you think someone might be following you, find a security guard or ask a store to call one for you. I'm not saying you need to be paranoid everywhere you go...just be street smart. Don't talk on your cell while walking through a parking lot or garage. The boy following me thought I was distracted and didn't notice him...luckily I did. I easily could have been engrossed in my conversation and dropped my guard. Let's all stay safe out there.

Recipe Blast from the Past

I came across a recipe today that really took me back. The recipe was for an authentic Orange Julius. It brought back memories of the days when going to the mall was a special treat. My friends and I would get so excited about going to Spenser's and then getting an Orange Julius. Nowadays the mall is used as a form of daycare it seems. I kind of miss the days of mall innocence. Orange Julius can be found attached to a few DQs. If you are not lucky enough to find one this recipe is the next best thing. Maybe it will spark some good memories for you too.

Homemade Julius
(2-16 ounce drinks)

1-1/4 cups orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp egg whites or egg substitute
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups ice

Place all but ice in blender and blend until sugar dissolves (10-30 seconds). Add ice and blend until ice is crushed but still course (10-15 seconds). Enjoy!

Online Coupons

We are all pinching pennies these days. I look for ways to save money everywhere. In my search I came across a website where you can print coupons according to your zip code. I used to think that coupons were such a hassle for the little savings you actually got...now I will take any savings I can get! Here is the link: http://print.coupons.com/CouponWeb Enjoy. I will continue to share anything I come across that might help ease your financial woes.

I'm back.

I've kind of been on a hiatus from my postings for a bit. After my trip to Hawaii (which was fantastic BTW) I just haven't had time to do much. Work has been super busy and I had house guests last weekend for Mardi Gras. It has been one thing after another. This just made me realize how busy and crazy my life gets sometimes. I wonder why we often feel like we must go full speed 24/7? It's okay to relax now and take time for yourself. It isn't healthy to always be rushing all the time. I personally have felt extremely run down for quite a while. Even a 10 day vacation didn't recharge me. I am going to try and relax more. It will do me some good to quit worrying all the time and dial things down. I have certainly earned the break. :)

Another Trivia Night

I am attending another trivia night at Vianney High School this evening. It is to benefit their Alumni Scholarship Fund. Trivia nights are fun and relatively inexpensive events. For $25 you get all the beer and sodas you can drink. Everyone at the table usually brings snacks to share. This is much cheaper than going out. With the struggling economy trivia nights are even more popular. You get out of the house and have a good time with your friends for less money and hassle. I attended the Mizzou Alumni event last weekend and had a blast. I'm sure tonight will be a great time as well. So if you have never attended a trivia night, I highly recommend trying one. Give those little gray cells a workout!

This Week

This has been an exciting week. Tuesday we ushered in a promising new era of American History. I am so proud of America for electing change. I believe we are going to get this country back on track. All of us need to put our political biases aside and come together for the challenges ahead. The strength of the American people will carry us through. I know we can do it. This renewed hope has made any bad situations around me seem more manageable. The last few months have been difficult, but I am strong and I will be okay.

Baby It's COLD Outside!

With the recent weather I find myself getting more and more anxious for my trip to Hawaii. This morning when I took the dog out the temperature was one tenth of a degree above zero. How that tenth even registered I don't know. The thermometer probably felt sorry for me so it threw me a mercy tenth. The stuffy sinus', constant cough, chapped lips, and extra dry skin are giving me the winter blues. If I am this miserable, I can only imagine how those less fortunate than myself feel. I at least have a cozy place to come home to. There are people out there without heat, winter coats, and many don't have a home at all. Let's try and use this unbearable weather as inspiration to help those in need this winter. Why not grab an old coat and donate it, give canned goods to your local shelter, check that donation box on your gas bill, or even volunteer somewhere? So go forth and do something wonderful. If we all did even one tiny thing, just imagine what the impact would be!

Getting Some "Z's"

My doctor just prescribed Ambien to help me sleep. I woke up over two hours ago and I'm still zombie-like drowsy. New med hangovers are never fun. I have read that there can be some other much worse side effects while on the drug though. These side effects have made me afraid to try it, but my doctor feels it might help. My sister took it a while back and slept till almost noon on a weekday. They almost sent someone over to her house to make sure she was okay. There have even been reports of some people driving or making phone calls while asleep. That being said, if anyone sees me driving down the street with my eyes closed please call my cell to wake me. Wait, I might just answer in my sleep...darn. Now that I think about it, I just might be asleep right now!

Ugly Sweaters

I am possibly going to an "Ugly Sweater" party tonight. Going through my closets and boxes of old clothes I realized that I do not own any really ugly sweaters. That would normally be a good thing. I probably gave all those old ugly items to the Salvation Army years ago. I couldn't even find a single Christmas sweater or sweatshirt. I thought for sure I had kept that old puffy-paint Santa Claus one for sentimental value, but alas I did not. With the growing popularity of these types of parties, it just might be a good idea to keep that old nasty sweater you were going to throw out...

Puppies

I added the Daily Puppy gadget to give everyone a smile when they visit. I've never seen a puppy I didn't like. :) Enjoy!

Support

When you are going through a rough time like I am at the moment, you realize how important your friends and family are. I went over and hung out with a few friends last night for some girl time. We didn't do anything but eat some dinner and chat, but it really helped me a lot. Just being around them made me feel some happiness...something I haven't been very familiar with lately. It's nice to have that support. Sometimes you need the strength of others to find your own strength during rough times. The old saying is that "there is safety in numbers", and I believe that applies to more than just surviving a walk down a dark alley. Surrounding yourself with caring, positive, and strong people will help you survive every aspect of life. I am lucky to have a wonderful family and circle of friends. They are my support system, safety net, and can of mace for the bad times in my life. Thanks for being there and I love you all.