Day 132 of 365, Self Defense Tip for up to 25 feet!

Yesterday, Mom and I went to the State Capital Area of Downtown Baton Rouge. We didn't leave home until after 5pm. So, we knew we would be there well after dark. As we were driving, Mama questioned our safety. She was feeling vulnerable because we were going to be two women alone. I reached into my bag and came out with the Real Kill. That is a Wasp and Hornet Spray that I picked up at Walmart for 3 or 4 bucks.  It was the cheapest one probably.  I figure all brands work the same. 

Here is the tip:  A while back, I heard that Wasp & Hornet Killer is a great self defense tool. Some people keep it close to their backdoor in case they ever get a dangerous caller. It blasts a powerful stream of poison 25 feet. I know that if you bombed someone directly into the eyes and nose with this, it would surely knock them for a loop.

Trust me, I had my "Real Kill" in my shoulder bag. I sure hoped I would not have to use it. Feel free to share this tip with your friends and family. I think it is a good one to remember for self-defense. Don't get Paranoid, but, Be Alert and Stay Safe!

Baton Rouge Capital Area

Baton Rouge Capital Area, originally uploaded by michelle*sibley.
90 sec clip (with sound file, pause playlist) of photos that I had taken on the evening of May 20, 2010. The lady photographer that you see in the slideshow is my mom with her new camera. It arrived this day so she and I went to the State Captial area for practice.


Most of the images are different views of the state capital grounds as the light changed from day to night. We had a great time and enjoyed the adventure.

Day 131 of 365, Fire Hydrant

Today's Photo Challenge was Fire Hydrant.  I picked up my camera and scouted around my town for fire hydrants.  The first one that I came to was opposite the Fire Station.  Can you see the fire trucks across the street? 

I traveled on the same road and notice this fire hydrant behind all the weeds.  I pulled off the road.  This was at a corner of two highways.  When I bent down to get the image that I wanted in the viewfinder, I noticed the water tower way off in the distance behind the trees.From the same fire hydrant, I turned to capture a sign that is obscured by the weeds.  To me, this speaks to me in a picture metaphor ...."The signs can be read if you are open to SEE." 

What does the fire hydrant and the church have in common? 

Day 130 of 365, Five Foot Two

Our Photo Challenge Subject was "Something As Tall As You Are".   I was not getting any ideas and even thought about skipping this one.  When I mentioned it to Mom, she said to just find something you can see eye to eye.  We hung up the phone and I started cooking supper.  (By the way, Mama had called to talk about a review that she had read about her new camera.  She is anxiously waiting for her new Nikon just like mine.  I know she is gonna love it.)  Anyway, I was in the middle of cooking and realized I needed a few things from the grocery store.  I picked up my keys and shot out on that quick errand.  When I returned home, I saw the caution sign above and wondered about it's height.  I parked my car and walked down to the sign and Yep...we are the same height. It stands all of 5'2 just like me!  

I didn't have my camera at the time of the measure up.  Plus, I needed to hurry up and finish supper.  I got the meal almost prepared when I heard the rumblings.  Thunder was rolling in and the clouds started moving pretty fast.  I knew we were going to get a much needed rain shower.  So, I picked up the point and shoot and ran down the little street to try to take a picture for the challenge.

As I was taking the pic, I saw a couple of little guys wheelin' around. They were probably trying to hustle home before they got rained on.  I know they have to be soooo happy because this was the last day of school for them I think.  I remember that last day of school when I was a kid.  FREEDOM!  All I wanted to do was...everything that I wanted to do!  Do you know what I am talking about?  I wanted to jump on my bike and peddle like crazy, then go to the next fun thing I could think of and do that.  I remember that last day of school feeling alright.  So, enjoy the summer kids.  Be safe and play, play, play to your hearts content!  

Day 129 of 365, Karmyn got her golden scissors, Yay!

Yay! Here is Karmyn on her last day of Beauty School.  She is waiting for her last minutes to tick off.  She has officially put in the amount of hours necessary to graduate with a Cosmetology Degree.  She tried traditional college but decided that she wanted to pursue a more creative career path.  Karmyn has an eye for fashion, beauty, and design.  So, it makes good sense to me now that she chose a career in the beauty industry.  I know that she really enjoyed her experience in Beauty School.  She has always been a 'people' person.  Her genuinely warm personality draws you in.   I remember one of her old coaches would often call her the Golden Child.  He called her that, not necessarily because she had long golden blonde hair, (now Kardashian black!) but, because she was good at everything she tried.  If something did not come naturally, Karmyn never gave up.  She commits with her whole heart and will not stop practicing until she accomplishes her goals.  

With her drive and determination, I am confident that she will soon be an up and coming cutting edge sensation!  You have become my Golden Child with Golden Scissors! 

Live Karmyn! Live Life to the Fullest! Grow and Become Your Best You! Go and Make a Wonderful Life for Yourself! I love you with all of my heart.

Love, Mom

Life is Fragile, Handle with Care

Recently, I heard about a girl (now forever 18) who was killed in a car wreck.  Her name was Jessica and she played on Karmyn's softball team.  They played together when she and Karmyn were in the u-14 class.  That would be the age group of 13-14 year olds.  When Jessica passed away, she was attending college on a softball scholarship I think.  I have to admit that Karmyn played with so many wonderful girls but after we all moved on, I lost touch.  So, I do not know what is going in their lives anymore.  I wanted to share with you something that, perhaps, only 3 people in the world ever knew about until now. 

I remember during Softball Nationals in Owensboro, KY, the girls wanted to hold a bible study.  The leader of this idea was a wonderful, well rounded girl named Brittany G.  She had asked permission from the Drury Inn help desk if they could occupy the conference room.  The hotel did, indeed, have a conference room available and Brittany led the bible study for the night.  I sat in the room as strictly an observer without a peep.  My heart could not have been prouder of these girls.  On their own, they took such a mature and outstanding initiative. 

After the study, they went along their way.  I remember that somehow Jessica had wanted to talk to me about 'spiritual' things.   She thought it was curious that numerous times people were talking to her about the subject recently.  Also, there were some doubts and questions that she had swirling in her mind.  I really do not know how she and I came together to talk about it.  But, somehow,  as it happened, I found myself, Jessica and Karmyn sitting in the empty stairwell of the hotel discussing faith and religion.  To date, I am not sure how the rest of Jessica's spiritual life unfolded.  What I am sure of though is this, Jessica's heart and soul were open to communicating with God that night as we prayed.  Just the three of us were physically praying together on the bottom metal step of the hotel stairwell.   But, I do have faith to believe that we were not only 3 in attendance.  I know that God was with us there as our tears and prayers were lifted up.  I hope that Jessica is with Him today in heaven.

Day 128 of 365, A good Steam Cleaning

Well, well, well!  Happy Monday Yall!  Ok, so can I vent a little?  See that Shark Steam Mop?  Oh my gosh!  Remember, a couple posts ago I shared our new bambino with you?  Yeah, Bellie Belle is her name.  Poopin' and Peepin' is her game.  Uh, huh...you got it! 

She is just about to drive me out of my ever lovin' mind with all the BIZ!  Also, remember how my youngest daughter bought her from SPCA at Petco and smuggled her in and hid her away until the next morning because she didn't know how I would react.  Then, when I did meet her the next morning all warm and sweet and baby puppyish....how could I deny?  She was such an itsy bitsy, preshy, cuddly wuddly, iddle baby puppy?  How could I deny?  I couldn't and I didn't.  So, she became part of the family.  We goo goo'd and ga ga'd over her and instantly fell in love.  Why do baby puppies make you talk (or type)  funny?  Flash forward to today.  She is around 10 weeks old and just about to wear me out!  

I have never been able to tolerate the thought of my having a dog in the house.  Don't get me wrong, I can go to other people's house with dogs and that is perfectly fine.  I think nothing of it.  But, for myself, I have always been dead set against having dogs inside.  Then, Kayla asked me a couple years ago if she could buy a dog.  I think mostly she liked the idea of carrying it around in the doggy purse like Legally Blonde or Paris Hilton.  Goodness, gracious I could picture it too....At any rate, my resistance was starting to wain.  A few weeks went by and she found one for sale on the internet that she immediately knew was 'her' puppy.   She put the deposit down and had to wait until it was old enough to come home.  During that time, I had a running list of 'what it better not do's'.  Such as, "It better not stink up my house.  It better not be all yappy!  It better not cost me one thin dime.  It better not change my lifestyle one IOTA!  It better not lick on me."  And here is the one that I kept inside, "It better not make me like it."  So, there!  I didn't want to hear it, smell it, or know that it was around.  Hummmph!

If you have been following my earlier posts, you will see a little dog named Mia.  She is Kayla's dog and  the very one that I didn't want to change my lifestyle!  What I didn't know then?  I didn't know that when Mia got a stomach ache, I would be the one to rush her to the animal hospital like she was a sick child.  I didn't know that when I came home, I was going to be greeted by 10,000 toe licks and be able to tolerate it.  I didn't know that I was going to be making her a doggy coat because we had her shedding hair shaved and she couldn't stop shivering.  I didn't know that I would ever actually call her to come take a nap with me.  I didn't know that she would become a constant companion.  For goodness sakes, I didn't know that it would end up this way.   Treachourous, I say!  Now, here comes number two! 

Bella aka Bellie Belle

This is her face when she thinks she is in trouble.  Seriously!

As I type this, I am waiting for the floors to dry because I used both the traditional mop and the steam mop.  Here we go again!  I am going to have to tolerate another one of those little monsters being forced on me!   Why didn't I learn with the first one?  I guess I need to be even more specific next time when I say,  "It better not...".  A few mornings ago, I had fallen back asleep in the big chair in the living room.  I could feel someone standing near.  I opened my eyes and Karmyn was standing there with her head bent around the side of the chair watching me wake up.  I realized that I had been  napping with Mia in her usual hemmed in position between my hip and side of the chair.  Then, there was Bellie Belle.  She had gradually made her way up to perch herself around my neck somehow.  Karmyn laughed at this scenario.  She said, "Mama, you look like a dog lady."  grrrrrrr....That is exactly what I always never wanted to be.....