We Now Return To Our Regularly Scheduled Program

Hello my friends.....have you missed me? A few posts ago I informed everyone that I had to go out and find another means of supporting my family. Well I got very lucky and signed on to help a friend and his partners out with their landscaping company (which was headed belly up due to poor accounting) and now just a short month later I have been given a percentage of partnership due to my dedication and of course my above average ability to control assholes!

So hopefully this means I will be well on my way to returning to a much more regular schedule of blogging again.

Thanks for all the support.

~Darlin~

Trick or Treat

Here are the Halloween pictures that I promised. The one of me (yes in a skirt) is with my best friend's boyfriend. The other's are of my critters of course. A flesh eating zombie, a bound for the jailhouse Miss Behavin and of course, Black Spiderman (yes I yelled at him for climbing on my car but not until after I got this picture)

I hope everyone enjoys the pics...we enjoyed the day!

~Darlin~

Excuse the Interruption

Some of you may have noticed that I have not written in a while. My apologies for that. I recently found out that as of the end of the year (yes right after the holidays) I will no longer have a job. I work in the construction industry and unfortunately new home sales are at their lowest point in 14 years so I will have to be let go. My boss is a wonderful lady, who at least showed me the courtesy of giving me two and a half months notice.

Because of this I have been working on a new income idea via the World Wide Web. Learning how to create websites and such is taking up the majority of my time now so I have been neglecting my blog. Again my apologies.

I will try and post more often but I ask for your understanding with my dilemma right now with needing to find a new source of income before my current one expires.

~Darlin~

A New Face on an Old Place

Previously in my blog I have talked about my local watering hole. Due to the new "anti-smoking" legislation many smaller bars have suffered and some have even had to close their doors.

But my watering hole fought to beat the system and have come out victorious. The pictures here are of the new and improved Wendy Jack's Hidaway. They have created what I can only say is a wonderful outdoor smoking area that is almost completely enclosed except for one wall that is solar screened in. These screens will hold in the A/C and heat but allows the smoke out.

A pool table, jukebox, 3 plasma TV's and karoake at night makes this a sure bet for a new hot spot on the westside of town. So pull up a bar stool, order a drink and light a smoke. Everything is as it should be again.

~Darlin~

Keith's Gifts

I think the final Helium gift has arrived and Sophie could not be more tickled about it. This one came in a big brown envelope with "Air Mail" stamped on it. She had tears in her eyes as she realized, once again, that Mama's friends on Helium were thinking of her.

She loves the book Keith. She refuses to use the pen because she doesn't want to use it up and the post cards are proudly displayed on her bedroom wall where she shows everyone that comes over.

Again I am humbled to my friends at Helium. You have all surprised me with your support and encouragement to a friend and her young daughter that you have never met. I have to be honest...Sophie did not receive a lot from our immediate family, but our family at Helium made her feel so cared for and she wanted to make you all proud with her quick recovery. She is doing very well now, she actually wants to go back to school. She should finally be able to take her brace off for the first time on the 28th of September. I will make sure and post pictures of that.

Thank you again all my friends who sent gifts and well wishes. You are greatly appreciated.

The Sunshine After the Rain

Just wanted to share with everyone a bit of why I love Arizona. I know it can be terrible hot during the summer (110 degrees +) but it is also a dry heat and very beautiful. This is a picture I took right after a really hard downpour. The colors here are like none I have seen anywhere else and I have lived/been to a lot of places. Enjoy.

~Darlin~

The Gifts Keep On Comin"

"It's here....IT'S HERE!" The words rang through the house like a bomb going off. We didn't even see it tucked behind the pillar next to our front door at first but as I returned to the car for the second load of groceries today there is was. The Helium gift.

My younger two clamored to be the one to deliver it to Sophie. They had been told it was coming and not to tell her. They amazingly did not. But soon Sophie was roused from her room by all the ruckus. "Whats here'" she asked spying the package I had wrestled away from my son.

I held it out to her and asked her if she remembered all the friends I talked about on Helium, the ones who's stories we read and who's blogs we visited. Her eyes lit up as she shook her head vigorously up and down. "This is from them," I said setting it on the counter for her to examine. I grabbed a knife and carefully (yes carefully CD) cut through the tape and held back the flaps as she pushed through the styrofoam peanuts to retrieve her present. She tried her hardest to pull the box out and finally looked at me with a lack of patience.

I pulled it out to a squeal of delight.
I think dogs started to go crazy for at
least a mile around. "Oh mama...LOOK! Its perfect. It's my
first music thing for my music room!"


Really and truly my friends you could not have done a better job on selecting a gift. It is truly something that will stay with her always....perhaps now she will even take up the drums.

Wait a minute....YOU GUYS DID THIS ON PURPOSE DIDN'T YOU?!?!?

Thanks to all who put in for this. I don't know what else I can say except you all made us feel very special and loved.

~Darlin & Sophie~

What Are You Passionate About?

I recently asked this question to a friend of mine. His response....

"I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before."

He was unable to give me an answer. This distressed me even more because this person is amazing and even I could think of some answers for him, but I did not provide them because I want him to hopefully really ponder this question. Maybe in doing so he will discover a little more about himself than he knew.

So I pose this question to all who visit my blog....

What are you passionate about?

I think that the answer to this question can tell you so much about a person and I want to know as much as I can about the people who are thoughtful enough to take time out of their day and visit me here.

My answer:
My children....making sure they receive the upbringing they deserve and that they are able to choose who they become.

Pit Bulls....Most who know me know who Butter is and the "issues" I have had to face since having her. I am determined to try and convince as many people as possible that it is the deed you blame, not this wonderful, loving breed.

Illegal immigration....I live in a state where I have to deal daily with illegals. I have personally felt the results of having someone steal you identity (actually it was my 11 year old daughter's) and I believe strongly that they have no right to be here if they did not go through the right channels. I don't care how difficult those channels may be.

Those would be my top three. I can't wait to hear all of yours.

~Darlin~

Thanks to Jadey Girl and her family.....

The first of the Helium gifts has arrived at our house and as you can see by the smile on her face, Sophie is absolutely overjoyed. Jadey Girl and her family made cards for Sophie, her favorites are the ones from the baby Jadey girl. They also included some cosmetics and of course a teen magazine which she has not put down since it arrived. Her walls are plastered with everything she could tear out of it.

Thanks again to everyone for their well wishes, thoughts and prayers. Jadey Girl I really can't thank you enough. This made her week, in a week where getting a smile outta her was proving damn near impossible.

~Darlin~

It's Coming!!!!!!!!!

Yes it is that time of year again! Time for my favorite holiday EVER!!!

HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every year I morph into a child once again (a child with a bank account) and go mad in the stores buying the creepiest, scariest, grossest decorations I can find and I then spend days, if not a week, setting up the perfect display.


I will definataly be posting pictures of our decorations once we get them up......

Is the beginnig of September too early to start?

BOO to you all!!!!!!!!

~Darlin~

An Update and Pictures of Daughter's Surgery

Ok so here are the pictures that I promised. The first two are of the brace that she will have to wear for the next six weeks....The next two were taken minutes before she and Carter (the bear she has had since birth) went back to surgery and the last one is of the scar on the back of her shoulder. She also has two small scars on the front but I couldn't get a clear picture.

A little background here....when my daughter was born she was 9 1/2 lbs., much bigger than was expected, and it ended up being a very difficult birth. She essentially got "stuck" and in order for her to be delivered they had to use every available tool to get her out. This resulted in her right shoulder being dislocated and all of the nerves and mucsles on the right side of her neck, torso and arm to be stretched and torn. She was completely unable to move her head to the right and had no movementin her right arm until she was about 6 months old and then it was very minimal. It remained that way for the last 12 years and it took that long for me to convince the doctor's that my daughter's condition was not going to "fix itself" as they kept telling me it would.

So for 12 years her shoulder has been dislocted. When they finally did ex-rays and found this they said she needed the surgery she had on the 22nd to repair it. The had to carve out her shoulder socket because bone had grown into it to the arm bone could not go into the socket. They also had to lengthen muscles and nerves in the back of her shouler and shorten ones in the front. They now say that she should have 80-90% mobility.

She is doing much better now....down to only a few pain pills a day. A new problem has developed though....we now have to deal with bed sores that are developing under her brace....I am going to call the doctor today and see if we can take the brace off long enough to put a shirt on underneath the brace to help prevent them.

A big thanks to everyone for their support and thoughts.

~Darlin~

Update on My Daughter

I know that everyone was waiting for pictures of my daughter but you will have to wait just a few days longer. For some reason the computer that the pics are on will not let me connect to the internet even though it says I have a connection.....grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

I know it is probably something simple but I will have more time to spend on it Monday morning....until then ya'll will just have to wait.

CD....I am still planning on posting part three of Bubble Baths and Handguns.....just been a little busy lately. Perhaps Monday also....

Love to all

~Darlin~

I Need A Drink

I haven't updated my blogs for almost a week so I figured I had better write something before CD comes after me. Life has been pretty chaotic lately, with the kids starting back at school and moving into the new house I have had little time for anything other than homework and unpacking.

The good news is that the kids are falling back into their homework routine quickly and I only have 3-5 boxes left to unpack and a ton of family pictures to hang, but then I am done. I will hopefully get back into the swing of writing daily again.

I did delete my pit bull blog because I don't have time to keep up with the other two and that one required a lot of research and factual writing.

Right now I am thinking about how badly I would love to go have a drink after work and sit in the corner observing the other patrons and making notes on their little quirks. They way they hold their drink, or what they do with their hands when they are not holding a drink. The body language between them, they way they speak or how they just sit there staring at nothing.

I have had the pleasure of finally speaking to a friend I made online and hearing this person's voice was such a joy. You always wonder if people will sound like you think they do and fortunately this person and I agreed that each sounded just as the other thought they would. There are many people I have met online who I would love to just call up and chat with. I have grown to depend on their support and encouragement.

So I think I have rambled enough for now. I will try and get down to some serious writing in the very near future. Perhaps working more on some stories.

Till then ya'll

~Darlin~

Mute Monday....unzipped

Wordless Wednesday

WINDING DOWN @ WENDY JACK'S ON WEDNESDAYS

My Interview with Jadey Girl

Interview rules: Leave me a comment saying “Interview me next" or "Hit me with your best shot" or something along those lines letting me know you're down to be questioned. :DI’ll respond by commenting back on your blog with your five questions. I get to pick the questions.You will then update your blog with a post containing your the answers to the questions.You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.So, who wants to give it a go? Leave a comment and let me know if you're down to let me do you next. At least one of you has to let me do an interview with ya. It'll be easy, fun, virtually painless and you'll enjoy it. :DAnyone else up for an interview? See my blog and leave a comment!





1. If you could be a famous landmark not person in history what would you be and why?
A. Famous landmark...Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It is something that has always inspired so many emotions in me. Fear..of it happening again, Anger...at the way our veterans were treated then, Sorrow...for all of those that were lost and Admiration...for every name on there and what they sacrificed for this country.

2. What has been the most influential thing that you have done in your life that you consider a major accomplishment for you?
A. My children....I often think that if I hadn't had them I never would have turned my life away from the dark path I was headed down with drugs and crime. They made me want to be a better person and because of them I am.



3. Most embarassing time in your life that you can remember and please include the details?
A. The day I had to tell my children I was going to jail for a DUI. A lot of people critizied me for even telling them that I got a DUI, muchless telling them that I was going to jail that morning because of it. But I do not hide my flaws from my children. They need to know that no one is unfallable, even their parents, and I want them to learn from my mistakes. But having to look them in the eyes, hug them and tell them that I was going to jail was heartbreaking. It was embarrassing to have them have to see that and know that mom had made such a stupid mistake.

4. If you could hold a high ranking job title such as President, or vice president, or any other high titled job what would you choose and why do you think you would be a good candidate? A.I don't think I would want any of those jobs. My ideal "power" jobwould be being in charge of a charity that helps single moms and dads get back on their feet.

5. Who is the one person you would love to meet and how would you spend your day with that person details?

Hmmm.....this is a tough one. I would love to meet David Mech the wolf researcher. I would spend the day with him in the wild, observing the world's most beautiful and loing creatures.

~Darlin~

Mute Monday....

Butter....Butter....Butter...PARKAY!!!

More Than You Care To Know

Okay, here's the deal: you've been hand picked by someone who likes you to fill out this survey. It's a great boredom buster and at the end you get to pick your own 5 people to fill it out. If you don't fill it out, the person that sent this to you will hunt you down and kill you -- not really, but it's fun so keep it going! Once you post your answers, pick 5 people of your own to do it. Have fun!

1. What is your middle name: Jo

2. Color pants are you wearing? Blue jeans

3. What are you listening to now? My boss talk to her husband

4. What was the last thing you had to drink? coffee

5. Do you wish on stars? Yes....

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Burnt orange

7. How is the weather right now? clear skies, 100 degrees and muggy

8. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My boss before she got to work

9. Do you like the person who sent this to you? He's alright

10. Favorite drink? Jack Daniels

11. Favorite sport? Boxing

12. Hair color? Brown

13. Siblings? 4 sisters, 3 brothers (I am the baby girl)

14. Favorite month: October....that's when Halloween is!!!

15. Favorite food? Pizza

16. What was the last movie you saw? Theatre-Transformers Home-The Zodiac

17. Favorite day of the year: HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

18. What do you do to vent anger? drive fast or drink....NEVER the two combined!

19. What was your favorite toy as a child? My G.I. Joes

20. Summer or winter? SUMMER baby

21. Hugs or kisses? Kisses....soft ones, hard ones, short ones, long ones, sweet innocent ones, or naughty naughty NAUGHTY ones

22. Car or motorcycle? Motorcycle

23. Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla

24. Do you want your friends to do this? Most of them already have

25. Who is most likely to do this self-survey? Not sure...most have already done it

26. Who is least likely to respond? Hera...I think she was abducted by the Helium police

27. When was the last time you cried? Friday when I signed the papers for my house

28. What is under your bed? My dog

29. Who is the friend you have had the longest? My step-mom....27 years and counting

30. What did you do last night? Went to the movies and rented a movie.....

31. What are you afraid of? Dying slowly....spiders

32. Plain or buttered or salted popcorn? Butter, butter up to the sky

33. Favorite car?

34. Favorite flower? sunflowers and daisies

35. How many keys on your key ring? 6

36. How many years at your current job? 9 months

37. What did you do on your last birthday? Cried and drank...my grandmother passed on my birthday so I don't really like to do anything

38. How many states have you lived in? 6- Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Georgia

39. Did you have fun with this? Sure

40. Who are you going to send this to? Man...everyone I know has done it....let's try Hera, Mark, Patt, toadee and Mutters

~Darlin~

Whiskey Fires....Part 1

Ember stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes didn’t seem that blue anymore, she could spot gray hairs amidst the brown without even leaning towards the mirror and the bags under her eyes aged her well beyond her 33 years. She sighed deeply and walked into the kitchen. She opened the cabinet above the stove and took down the fifth of Jack she kept stashed behind the bags of sugar. She grabbed a shot glass from her large collection that lined the top of her stove. This particular tall, skinny one was her favorite. She had found it while browsing the local Goodwill store. The wolf etched into the side of the glass looked very much like the one she had tattooed on her left shoulder. Too much of a coincidence and she had had to buy it.

The smell of stout whiskey drifted up to her nose as she opened the bottle and poured the first shot. She hesitated, staring at the tiny glass in her hand, almost afraid of the warming relief it would bring. But in the end the need to relax and go numb for a while won out and she downed the shot. Shaking her head she made that slight growl in the back of her throat as the whiskey seared its way down. She couldn’t remember when she had stopped drinking beer and the fruity drinks she and her girlfriends used to enjoy creating, but nowadays she was a straight whiskey girl. She didn’t even really like the taste but she loved the way it lit a trail down her throat to her warm her belly and liked that its effect’s were quick.

She poured another shot while standing at the kitchen counter, not hesitating this time to drink it down. Another shake and growl. She walked over to the fridge, noting that she needed a manicure as she grabbed the handle and pulled it open. She snagged a Pepsi and made a mental note to clean the fridge out at her earliest convenience. Some of the food was on the verge of talking it had been there so long.

She abandoned the shot glass at the sink, grabbed the bottle of whiskey off the counter and plopped down on the couch. She sat cross-legged with the bottle nestled in her lap and lit a cigarette, enjoying the fact that there was no one there to complain about her smoking in the house. As she leaned over to set the Pepsi on the coffee table her hair fell across the end of her cigarette that dangled from her lips sending the smell of smoldering hair into the air. She hardly noticed, swept her hair back over her shoulder and sat back. She took a long draw of the bottle, chasing it this time with a little Pepsi to soften the burn.

Ember thought long and hard about what she would do this evening. She was already feeling a pretty good buzz and she wondered if it was a good idea to drive. But as she took another pull off the bottle she noted that it was already emptied below the halfway point and would not last the night.

Let the tagging continue...

1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.

2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits aboutthemselves.

3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eightthings and post these rules.

4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.


Eight random things about Jo:

1-I love to cook (and I'm good at it)
2- In high school I weighed 200 lbs.
3- I have a fear of deep, open water
4- I am a very crafty person
5- I can fix just about anything
6- I am a clean freak
7- I am horrible with finances
8- I am a soft person at heart

I am tagging CD,Jayne, KB, Mark, Toadee, Mutters, Patti and Hera.

~Darlin~

Explanations.....

...Ok so a few people are actually feeling bad for ole Tomcat. And I think someone even made that comment that I have issues with men. Well please don't fell bad for Tomcat. I am not naive when it comes to the ways of man, nor am I foolish enough to believe that just because a guy says his intentions are true does not mean he is telling the truth. Men, like any other animal, haVE learned to adapt to their environment. If blowing smoke up some girl's ass about how he has searched endlessly for "the one" to no avail and how he is ready to give up on love, gets him laid, then more power to him. I put the fault on the woman for falling for it. I really do not believe that anyone, male or female can claim to be ignorant when it comes to the ways of the opposite sex and their mating rituals.

Dr. Ruth, Dr. Phil, Oprah, MTV, Bravo and the E Network have provided more than enough educational shows on these practices. We are living in a world filled with programs that show us the true side of dating. Women have known for years how men really are. That a man's main concern is sex and that just because he sleeps with you the first night you meet does not mean he wants a damn relationship. But for some reason women continue to delude themselves into thinking that because they are so gosh darn unique that he will see this and realize he can't get you out of his head. ITS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!! If you went home with him the first night you are most likely never going to hear from him again UNLESS he wants to get laid. And even then it will probably only be because he couldn't get it from a new piece.

Now don't get me wrong. I have a lot of respect for men and their prowess. As educated as women are these days these guys continue to get you into bed and then break your hearts. That is a pretty impressive thing to me that they can keep fooling women. And I am not saying that every man is like this. There are good guys out there, but if he is trying to get you in bed the first time he meets you, its a pretty safe bet that he is not one of the good guys.

My explanation is this. I love men. I love playing the flirting game with them. I love seeing the high they get off of thinking they have netted another one. And I love knowing that I know the truth and that I am not falling for it. Men are incredibly fun to be around if you can relax and stop trying to size up whether they are marriage material or not. I knew what Tomcat was up to.

However, if you are going to play their game ladies you better be able to play rough and hard. No soft hearts allowed. We get tired of picking up the pieces and drying the tears!

The Fun of a Good Flirt....Part 3

…”Standard Eight then”, he asks as he begins the pointless search for a good house cue.

“Sure. You can use my cue if ya want. None of those are worth a damn.” I hand tomcat my cue and drop three quarters into the table’s coin slots. “I’ll rack you break?”

Tomcat is still standing behind me as I bend over to retrieve the balls from the drop box and begin to set them into the frame. I can feel his eyes coveting my body as I repeatedly bend over. I look behind me under my right arm. “Whatcha lookin at?”

“Just making sure you know what you’re doin. Nice rack by the way.”

I smile and pull the frame away. “Your break Tomcat.”

“Why do you keep calling me that? My name is…”

“Don’t really care what your name is.” I smile sweetly so as not to offend him by my disinterest.

“Can I ask yours at least?”

“You can ask but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna tell ya.”

“It Jo,” a voice rings out from my group of friends. Betrayed by my own. Damn it! I scowl openly at the group. They must have some serious money riding on Tomcat.

“Jo huh? Well nice to meet you I’m Scott”, he offers me his hand. I shake it looking into his eyes, smiling.

“Your break Tomcat,” I repeat and he grins. He walks around the table and bends over to break as I stand at the opposite end of the table, hands on the rail, leaning over just enough to where he can see slightly down my shirt and the devilish little smile playing on my lips.

“JO,” Sheri yells on her way over to the table. “What are you doing girl? You know league starts in 5 minutes. Come on I’ll give ya your money back.” I shrug at Tomcat and follow Sheri back to the bar where she hands me my seventy five cents and a shot of Jack.

Tomcat sets my cue down and starts to make his way over to me but is cut off by Youngblood who is returning from the bathroom. “So you gonna tell me your name yet,” he asks.

“Her name is Jo,” says a voice from behind him. Tomcat is not stepping back this time and sidesteps his friend to stand beside me.

“Hey Scott,” Youngblood sighs. “I saw you two settin up for a game. Is it over already?”

I glance up at Tomcat. “Not quite yet Youngblood.” A puzzled look crosses his face.

“What’d you call me?”

“Youngblood,” I state simply.

Tomcat waves a dismissive hand at his young friend. “Don’t ask.”

“So can I buy you another drink,” Youngblood asks as he moves just a bit closer. I am starting to feel a little claustrophobic trapped between these two. He places his hand on my arm as he attempts to turn me back towards the bar.

“No thanks. Switched to coffee a little while ago. Why don’t ya buy one for Tomcat here,” I ask as I signal back over my shoulder.

“He can buy his own,” he scowls. I shrug and head back over to my table. Tomcat and Youngblood seem to be having a rather heated discussion back at the bar and I smile sinfully at my girls. It will be time to go soon so I must make my final play shortly.

“Tomcat,” I yell across the room as I wave him over. I step away from the group as he walks up to me.

“You called,” he says with a playful smile.

“I have to get going soon so I just wanted to say thanks for hangin out.”

“So should we hang out again sometime,” he asks hopefully.

“Well obviously I am here a lot. So you know where to find me.”

“Can I get your number? Maybe we could go out sometime?”

“I don’t think so.” My coldness is coming through now and he starts to get curious.

“Come on. I think we would have a great time. I am really into you.”

I laugh. “Yeah cause you know so much about me right?”

“That’s the point of getting your number.” He walks over to the bar and asks Sheri for a pen as he grabs a napkin. He hands them to me. “You know you want to give it to me.”

And that my friends were the words that lost him the game. “Ok sure.” I take the napkin and write down my number. “Call me later tonight k?” I give him a brief hug and return one last time to my table to say my farewells.

LATER THAT NIGHT:

Tomcat dials: 623-555-1234

In deep announcer voice:

You have reached the rejection line. Obviously the person who gave you this number did not want you to have their real number. This does not in any way mean that you should try to contact this person again. THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED!! If you see them, walk away. Do not try and talk to them, do not bring up this message and for christ’s sake stop buying them drinks.

Thank you for calling….have a nice day.

~click~

The Fun of a Good Flirt....Part 2

For a moment I am stunned but then I look at my girlfriends and we erupt in laughter and high-fives. The men in our group roll their eyes and throw back their heads. We all grab our drinks and yell a thank you to the newbie table as we raise our glasses in salute. I watch to see Tomcat's reaction to his alley mates generosity. He looks puzzled for a moment until his blonde comrade raises his drink in return. A wave of clarity rushes over him as he realizes that his friend is vying for my attention.

The game is truly on now as a man thrives on competition. I grin at my girlfriends, grab my drink and a smoke and head back over to see my old friend the jukebox.

“What would ya like to hear,” Tomcat asks as he slides up beside me.

“I am in to just about anything”, I tease. I slide my dollar bill into the slot and scan through the various artists. “What are you fond of?”

“Right now I would have to say that is you.” I look at him out of the corner of my eye a slight smile crossing my lips.

“Like I haven’t heard THAT before.” I make my selection, AC/DC Hells Bells and turn to resume my game of pool. Tomcat is not quite ready to let me escape again. He grabs my hand gently pulling me back.

“You come here often”, he asks sarcastically.

“I pull my hand from his slowly, “Nope. Never been here before in my life. I don’t even know those people”, I say pointing to my group of friends who are unabashedly watching us. “They just looked like a fun group to hang out with.”

He waves at the spectators and smiles down at me, “You could always sit with me.”

“Or your friend,” I tease.

He glances over at his younger pal. “Yeah well he likes to try and impress with his bank account since he doesn’t have any real charm to offer.”

“Ouch! Is someone a little bitter”, I ask.

“Uh that would be a no”, he says chuckling. “I have plenty. I just don’t need to flaunt it.”

Bouncing on the balls of my feet I make a quick dash back to my table. “Gotta get back to my game.”

As Tomcat makes his way back to the newbie table I note that his blonde friend is at the bar. He turns holding a shot of Jack up in my direction and throws his head back slightly to silently call me over. I take my shot, missed, grab a smoke and head to the bar. I sidle up next to Youngblood and take my drink. “Thanks. Cheers’, as I clink my glass against his beer.

“So what’s your name”, he asks taking a sip of beer and eyeing my tits.

I laugh to myself. “I don’t think that is really what you want to know is it.”

Raising his eyes from my tits he looks at me confused. “What’d ya mean?”

“Well I think your real question is “Are you gonna sleep with me tonight?”. That’s what you really want to know isn’t it?” He sputters a little of his beer down his chin wiping at it with is hand.

“Um…no. I mean don’t get me wrong. You’re hot but maybe I want to get to know you too.”

This time I can’t keep my laughter silent. “Right and I was born yesterday and I’m still a virgin at the age of 32. Thanks for the drink…again.” I walk back over to my table, smiling at Tomcat as I pass. My friends are rolling with laughter. They get a kick out of watching me work. This is a favorite pastime of mine and they have come to view it as a spectator sport.

I have a pretty good buzz at this point. Time to switch up what I am drinking. “Sheri! Can I get a coffee sweets?” Sheri nods and delivers a fresh cup of coffee to me. Tomcat’s courage seems to have been found in the bottom of his last bottle. He walks over, smack dab in the middle of my group of friends and grabs my cue.

“How about a game”, he asks staring directly into my eyes.

I am a little intrigued by his bravery. No one has ever ventured into my territory when it is inhabited by so many of my friends. I look around and notice the looks on my friend’s faces. A few are shocked but most are trying not to laugh. They know I have been caught off guard. I quickly regain my composure and pull my cue back towards me. “What’d ya have in mind,” I purr.

“Well we could play doubles with some of your friends or we could go head to head…mano e mano. If you think you could handle it.”

I glance over at my friends who shrug and wave me off to battle on my own. “Guess its just you and me Tomcat. Let the games begin.”

The Fun of a Good Flirt....Part 1

...I sit at the local waterin hole, perched on a bar stool, lazily stirring my whiskey sour. Barely lifting my head from admiring the way the dark brown whiskey blends perfectly with the mellow yellow of the sour mixer, my eyes scan the room. The ususals are here...the dead heads as we call the old cronies who inhabit this spot. Always complaining that the music is too loud or the drinks are too strong, they set a tone that if not raged against would kill any fun at all. My hopeful eyes make a full 360 of the room with nothing to appreciate for it. I return to my drink hoping for some excitement before the time to return home arrives.

As I near the bottom of my glass and contemplate whether or not to order another the distinct sound of the upstairs door opening visits my ears. I hear voices I don't recognize and I anxiously turn to see who will bound down the stairs. To my delight it is a group of men and women who look as if they are in desperate need of post work refreshment. The bartender barks a demand for ID's as I discreetly observe the group. They're not in couples. There are two girls and four guys. Hands around the waist and soft kisses tell me who is with whom and who is left to play with.

I appears I have two options. The first looks to be in his mid twenties. His soft blue eyes are already staring intently at the tattoo on my lower back that peaks out when I lean over to take a pull off of my drink. I turn my head slightly. He bashfully smiles and runs his fingers through his short blonde hair. I turn back to my drink. I'm not big on blondes.

The newbies seat themselves in the corner closest to the bar, much to the dismay of the dead heads, and begin to boisterously recount their workday. I did not get a good look at my second choice yet so I wave the bartender over and request $5 in ones for the jukebox. As I walk over I glance over at the table. The second option is much more to my taste. Late thirties, dark hair, nice build. I can’t see his face fully yet so I walk over to the jukebox returning a smile from one of the young ladies with the group. This is odd behavior to me. Usually the girls are givin me the stink eye. I cozy up to the jukebox, an old friend of mine, and begin my selections. Some Hinder, Aerosmith, Carrie Underwood and Rob Zombie should do the trick.

As I turn to head back to my seat I bump squarely into option number two, who has decided that he wants to make some selections. I raise my eyes from his chest to his face, admiring his deep brown eyes and smile slightly, placing a hand softly against his chest as I move past.

“Excuse me”, I mutter as I move away and return to my seat. He is very handsome and none of the “Aw shucks” bullshit that the younger one has. I glance back once in route to my barstool and he smiles directly into my eyes. He is confident. That is a major turn on. I smile back, sit down and order another drink.

The bar begins to fill up slowly. My usual group of friends arrives and we begin our slow descent into licentiousness. The drinks flow freely and are consumed just as quickly. We have moved from the bar to a table conveniently located directly across from option number two’s line of sight.

The coyness of sobriety is wearing off as the drinks are settling in and my actions are filled with a little more bravado. I bravely examine the occupants of the newbie’s table hoping to catch the eye of option number two. My friends have noticed the object of my attention and the men in our group start with their jibes about the fate of this poor guy. Our uproarious laughter draws the attention of the newbie table and I am allowed a brief moment of enticing eye contact with option number two. In that brief tick where our eyes meet my coquettish facade is replaced by a more brazen, are you man enough demeanor.

He reacts exactly as I predict he will. A challenge has been set before him and like any man he cannot resist a battle he is sure he will win. Little does he know that the female he is now viewing as prey has taken down men wiser, stronger and more confident than he. Like a sassy little kitty cat I walk by him on the way to the pool table, swishing my back end to get the Tomcat’s attention.

Keeping my awareness strictly on the game at hand I avoid any further glances in his direction for the time being. He however cannot take his eyes off of my form that is now fully bent over the pool table in an attempt to make a very long shot. Nine ball, corner pocket! I walk over to my table to light a smoke and slam down some Jack before I plan my next move both in the pool game and in the game between Tomcat and I.

I step up to the bar to order another drink. I feel his presence before I see him, standing behind me, calculating his next move. The bartender’s eyes confirm my gut feeling as she glances over my head and then into my eyes with that “You got him” smile.

“Ya gonna buy me a drink or what”, I say without turning. The bartender, Sheri, receives her nod of approval from him but I spin abruptly, leaning against the bar on my elbows. “No I think I changed my mind. This one is on me Sheri,” I tell her. “Whatch ya drinkin Tomcat?”

He smiles and shakes his head in resignation. “I’ll have a Bud, but I’d like to buy these.”

“I can appreciate that fact Tomcat but I don’t like feelin like I owe anybody, especially someone I don’t know. So this ones on me”, I nod to Sheri “and you can perhaps get the next one”. I hand him his Bud, grab my drink, smile and walk back to the pool tables.

Out of the corner of my eye I see him walk back to the newbie table where his friends instantly lean in to get the news of his adventure into my territory. Pleasantly I notice that he is not full of the usual swagger and boasting that most guys would be. He shrugs, shows the beer and they all look in my direction. I smile as he holds up his beer in toast to me and I silently raise my own drink.

Several more strategically planned shots into my game Sheri the bartender comes over with drinks for me and my friends. I smile knowingly and Sheri corrects my incorrect assumption. “They’re from the blonde guy.”

To be continued....

No More Nice Girl!!

I have spent a lot of time on the blogs lately and I realized something...I have not been very true to myself here. I have written about things that I feel others will find interesting and I have always tried to keep it civil. Now anyone who really knows me knows that I am loud, obscene, opinionated and often so truthful it can be mistaken for rudeness. But for some reason here I have tried to be a good girl and where the hell is the fun in that?

So from here on out I pledge to be a more realistic version of myself. No more watching my words and hoping I don't offend too many people. I will be what everyone who matters to me loves....ME!

Can you go home again?

For Father's Day this year I flew back home to Oregon to surprise my father. I have not missed Oregon in the 15 years since I moved to Arizona. I love AZ. But being home and being with my family, those people who 15 years ago I did not get along with so well, really made me consider packin it up and movin back home.

There was a feeling of safety that I have not felt in years. Like I could let my children outside and they wouldn't disappear. All the neighbors that were there when I grew up are still there! 15 years I had been gone and I still knew almost everyone.

I miss being able to walk into my backyard and plant something without it having to be a cactus that will hurt like hell when the kids run into it. The cherry tree in my dad's backyard that I used to climb as a kid was still there and as I climbed it at the age of 32, sat in the branches enjoying cherries so fresh they melted in my mouth and spat the pits at whomever dared walk under my domain, I realized that this was something that my own children would never experience. All of the memories I have of growing up are things that my own children may very well never know.

I can't explain it but things just felt simpler there. More relaxed and definately cleaner. Taking in a deep breath of that wonderfully clean air was so refreshing. Looking out across the horizon and seeing beautiful skies and clear mountains, nothing obscured by hazy brown clouds. I wonder if these feelings were supported by the fact that Oregon represents the innocence of my childhood. Did it feel safer and cleaner because that is how I saw it as a child or is it really that way compared to the dirty, dangerous place I live now?

How do you move back home after 15 years? Where do you live? How do you support your family? How do you leave your family here in exchange for the family there? And what if after you give up everything here you get there and realize it was all an illusion?

~Darlin~

DUI's & Traffic School

February 2006 I received a DUI (Driving Under the Influence). I was shocked and horrified. What would my friends and family say? I have to be honest and say that up until this point I had no idea what the real repercussions would be from this. I mean I knew it would be on my driving record for 5 years (now 7), that my insurance would increase and that I would have to pay a lot of money in fines. What I did not know was how it effects EVERY aspect of your life. My total punishment:

• DUI on my record for 7 years
• 24 hours in jail ($386)
• 90 day license suspension ($45 reinstatement fee)
• Alcohol evaluation class ($75)
• Alcohol awareness class ($125)
• Defensive Driving class ($65)
• Traffic Survival class ($55)
• Approximately $1900.00 in fines
• License on probation for 2 years

I was pulled over last Friday night for making an improper right hand turn and speeding and to my dismay the officer informed me that my license was suspended. I did argue because I had paid to have my license reinstated after my 90 suspension because of my DUI. Unfortunately I found out (after pulling out every piece of paperwork I have ever received for tickets) that I had not attended one of the required classes. I had mistakenly thought that defensive driving and traffic survival were the same thing. Believing this I only attended the first. So yes, my license was indeed suspended. The officer assumed that it was suspended for my DUI and under Sheriff Joe's new laws they had to impound my car for a minimum of 30 days.

I called around Saturday morning and luckily found a lady who was willing to allow me into her Sunday class (you are supposed to sign up a week in advance). I took the class Sunday from 7:30am to 5pm. It was taught by a very charismatic young lady named Kristen (pictured above). She was entertaining and kept the class involved and awake. I did learn quite a bit in the class about the new DUI laws that passed only last month.

If in the next 2 years I get pulled over for ANYTHING I go back to jail for 9 days, my fines triple and my license is then suspended for 180 days. If I get pulled over for a DUI in the next 7 years then I go to jail for 90 days, license is suspended for a year, fines from $5,000-$10,000 and pretty much my life is ruined. Not worth it!!

So I took the class Sunday, went and got my license back Monday morning but unfortunately I cannot get my car back until I have an impound hearing which they have 5 days to schedule. What upset me was that they impounded it falsely yet I still cannot get it back. So now I am driving around in a like 1982 Corsica that my boss loaned me until I get my car back. It sucks but hey it gets me to work and back so I can't complain. Its better than riding the bus or walking.

The really ironic thing about this....when I got pulled over last Friday....I was the designated driver! Figures!

~Darlin~

Daddy's Girl

For those of you who know me it may come as a big shock that I am a Daddy's girl through and through. In the picture here that is (from left to right) my sister Teresa, my Daddy and me when I went back home for Father's Day. My father was very strict on us growing up. My mother and he divorced when I was 6 and I had two extremes when it came to parents. Mom was very relaxed, let me pretty much do what I wanted. Dad on the other hand ruled us with an iron fist. He only had to spank me twice in my life. Both when I was very young. But to hear my father raise his voice at me, to this day can bring me to tears.

My fondest memories of my father:

• Going to the city dump and then Dairy Queen for an ice cream every Saturday


• Dancin in the garage to the oldies when he would work on his cars


• Camping (duh)


• Flying in his plane


• Going to the lumber mill he worked at everyday with mom for lunch and riding the forklift


• Flannel shirts and Levi jeans (enough said)


• Coffee and toast in the morning before he went to work


• Bedtime games (Tickatoos, Round Moon, Johnny Fireman)

I can still remember climbing out of bed at 3am in the morning to walk into the kitchen and see my big, strong Daddy standing there in his flannel shirt with a white t-shirt underneath and his Levi jeans. My little bare feet were always cold as I crawled into his lap to eat our toast and drink coffee. I would pull his over sized t-shirt that I always wore to bed over my knees and he would wrap his arms around me to warm me. Before he left for work he would carry me back to my room and tuck me back into bed.

I am blessed to have a father as wonderful as mine. He was the ideal man, strong, brave (the great spider slayer), smart, handsome (this became a problem with my friends in high school) and very funny! I measure every man that enters my life against my father. I have yet to meet one who measures up. I love you Daddy. Love your Peachy Fry

The Old Waterin Hole....With A New Age Attitude

I can remember when I was a child and my Uncle would take me up to his favorite little bar with him. I loved the smell of stale beer and cigarettes, peanuts on the floor and every old timer in there wanted to hand me a dollar or two. It was a tiny place where everybody knew everyone else by name and you felt safe.

Nowadays these little gems are few and far between. In a world overrun by large, corporate owed bars that are the size of football stadiums, finding a hole in the wall waterin hole is considered a real accomplishment. These are not for the meat-seekers, that is, those who are out looking to get laid. These are not for the men who want to act like cavemen and fight to prove their prowess. And they are not for the women looking to have drinks bought for them all night long.

An old waterin hole is where you go to talk to friends, shoot pool, relax and avoid the social interactions forced upon you at the larger bars. Do we have a good time...yes. Do we get a little crazy on a Friday night...hell yes! The difference being that we know everyone we are with, we know that no one will try to take advantage of us and that someone will drive us home at the end of the night if we need. Fights almost never happen unless an outsider enters and is rude or inconsiderate.

The days of old have shifted slightly though in the case of women in the bars. When my Uncle would take me you would rarely see a woman there, muchless a group of women unless there were men there with them. But times have changed and women have invaded man's secret hiding place and in some cases even taken them over (although we are always willing to share).

In the end I will take my little home away from home and keep it safe from the invasion of the meat-seekers and cavemen of the corporate bars. It's mine I say and you can't have it. I just hope there are still some left when my children are old enough to enjoy them.

~Darlin~

Children and Porn

This weekend when I was sittin at the pool with the kids my daughter's boyfriend's mom came down and we started talking. She asked me not judge her and revealed to me that since her son has been very curious about sex lately and is apparently bombarding her with questions she decided to let him watch a porn video. HE IS 12!!!

Forget not judging her...IS SHE CRAZY?? Am I being judgemental to say that her son is no longer allowed to date my daughter? Because that was the first thing I did say. I have had two daughters asking me about sex since they were about 8 years old and never once did I think, "I'll just slap in a porno and hope that explains it."

I consider myself a pretty open minded mom, but to allow a 12 year-old child to view porn to me is lunacy. What happened to parents actually talking to their children? I continually talk to my daughters, and now my son about sex, dating and everything else they get shoved in their faces on a daily basis. But we talk...they are allowed to ask any question they want and I am proud to day that they feel comfortable enough to ask some pretty...um... shall we say "adult" questions. Here are some examples:

"What is a donkey show?"

"Mom why would a girl want to suck on a boy's d*ck?"

"How come if boobies are for babies to eat boys always go crazy over them?"

"What is masturbation?"

"Why would someone masturbate?"

"Why do people have sex like dogs?" (after hearing something about doggie-style)

These are just a few but I hope it shows how comfortable my children are with talking to me about these types of things. I just cannot comprehend answering these questions by handing my child a porn tape, lotion and a towel (in a boy's case).

If I am being closed minded here I would love to hear it but I will stick by my opinion that this is just bad, lazy parenting.

~Darlin~

A Child's First "Break-Up"

My twelve year-old had her first boyfriend this year. This is a boy she goes to school with, in the same grade and he lives very close to us. I am friends with his mother and after several lectures and threats the guidelines to this infant relationship were set.

Two short months later my daughter and I start to hear from other children that her boyfriend is telling them that he is going to break-up with her. The next time I saw the boy I asked him if this was true. He smiled a cocky little smile and said, "Yes".

"When were you going to tell her?". I asked

"When I get to it.", he replied.

"Consider it gotten to!", I barked.

So I talk to my daughter thinking (like an idiot) that this will not phase her but the second the words left my mouth I could see her beautiful little heart sink. I could see her fighting to keep the tears back and it ripped my heart out. I put my arms around her and told her how sorry I was. I also told her that it was not my place to end her relationship and that perhaps she should talk to him and find out what was happening.

She did and he apologized to her and to me. He said that the other kids were giving him a hard time and he just wanted to shut them up. I again told my daughter that what she did was up to her and to my dismay (which I kept to myself) she gave him a second chance.

My heart swelled with pride and I realized just how much my daughter listened to me when , while having my ear plastered to the other side of the front door, I heard her tell him, "If you ever disrespect me like that again I'll replace you with someone bigger, stronger and way better looking!"

So in the end I guess things worked out but I will never forget the rage and helplessness I felt when I saw the hurt in my little girl's eyes and for the first time I truly realized that I can't fix all the problems and I can't keep them safe from all the pain. All I can do is be there to listen and give them my lap to cry in while I plan the torture and dismemberment of whomever caused it (secretly of course). ;-)

Two Wheels and the Women On Them

Draggin a brush through your hair after a two hour ride that you forgot to tie your hair up for, bugs in your teeth, layers of road grime on your skin and a horrid sunburn because you forgot your sunscreen...AGAIN! Why would I put myself through this? FREEDOM!

The feeling of freedom that one can only achieve through straddling 700+ pounds of chrome and steel and racing headlong into a sunset. The freedom of never having to wrap my arms around someone and hoping that they don't kill me before we get where we are going. And especially the freedom of knowing that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.

The next time you are stopped at a red light and you hear the deep growl of a motorcycle engine close by, stop, take a look around and don't be surprised to discover that the person controlling that mean machine is a woman. The number of women riders is on the rise and rising quickly. Women have discovered the joy of no restraints, no boundaries and no one telling them motorcycles are for men. They are stealing their boyfriend's/husband's or buying their own that makes their significant other's look like last year's tricycle.

There is an element of pure joy that comes from knowing you can control that beast between your legs and probably better than most men. Women are naturally more cautious and therefore safer riders. Being a female riders makes you feel strong, empowered and unique. I always encourage women to take up riding. The comment I hear the most is, "I could never ride a motorcycle. I wouldn't know what to do and they are so big!" My response, "Can you ride a bicycle?"

Riding a motorcycle is intimidating to most women because they are large and loud. I will not tell you that weight is not an issue. It definitely is. My first bike weighed over 750 pounds with a full tank of gas and if it wanted to fall you can bet I was not going to be able to stop it. There are more lightweight bikes available though and you do have to consider your own size versus the size of the bike you are riding.

Be smart. Take a riders safety course. They are offered all over the nation and most offer classes just for women. They start you out assuming you have never even sat on a motorcycle, much less ridden one. They teach you everything you need to know about the bike and yourself when you are on that bike.

I hope that I have at least tempted a few of you females out there to consider this. If you do and you end up riding PLEASE contact me. Tell me your story and send me your pics. I would love to hear from anyone.

~Darlin~