OTTERSBACH

Having the last name of Ottersbach gives you a connection to otters. In high school, David sometimes called me Little Otter. My cousin Richard Ottersbach has otter pictures, a water fountain with otters on it and other things with otters that he has collected over the years.

When I got an email with this video that was posted on YouTube I just had to post it.

YES, IT'S TIME TO UPDATE THE BLOG

I have been very busy since I lost my job. No more long days playing on the computer from 9 to 5.

Today is Todd's 35th birthday and since I didn't talk to him I thought I would just say Happy Birthday here.

Part of the reason I didn't blog for so long was because I was busy with these two girls. We had such a fun time with them.

This photo was taken after we went to have their hair styled and shopping at Target.

Sand Sculptures on Sanibel

Our head designer was Maggie. Seen here as "Maggie the Mermaid".

This is "Paul The Shark".

and "Mike The Pencil"

Brian was our head sand mover but many of our workers had to do more than one job.

ONLY 3 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

Many of my friends and family members are having a white Christmas but I am happy to not be one of them. The photos are pretty and I am sure it feels more like the Christmas of my childhood but I will just settle for the pictures and movies that show the snow and cold weather.

December is a big month for birthdays for my family. Mom's birthday was the 5th. Bryce and Anna where the 13th. Carol is today. Maison's will will be the 24th and Josh Robinson (ours by adoption) will be the 27th. Happy Birthday to all of you. I love you very much and celebrate your life and the joy you have brought to mine.

ANOTHER WEEK WINDING DOWN

In fact the month and the year are also winding down. This has been a good week. I have so much to be thankful for. I love living here. It has that hometown feeling.
I spent the week (after going to the gym everyday) visiting with friends, taking neighbors to the airport, delivering cookies, going out for lunch and even made it to the pool.
The only bad thing is my asthma is acting up. I went to see my doctor. He had surgery last month to remove a tumor from his thyroid but is doing fine and back to work. When I told him that I was praying for him and had called the office to check up on him he hugged me and kissed me on the cheek and thanked me. He probably isn't the best doctor in the town but I love that personal touch.
More answered prayer is that we now have a new pastor at our church. I have met him and his wife several times. They are moving from Colorado and he is going to start preaching the second Sunday of January. The new year looks like it is going to start off good!
I have been giving my tile hearts to many of the people that have added so much love to my life.

Every time I get one ready to give I realized how truly blessed I have been my whole life. I wouldn't say I am the emotional type but when I think about each of these ladies and the place they hold in my heart I can't help but wipe a tear from my eyes. It is true joy!
Merry Christmas and God Bless you!

I LOVE THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

Last year about the only thing I did for Christmas was bake cookies with Cheryl. My kitchen was torn up and it had been a hard year so this year it is fun to be back to normal.

It was nice to have time to bake and not rush through it. Since Cheryl took off on me it did take a lot more time but it is such a good feeling after all the tray are decorated and ready to be delivered.

TGIF

You didn't expect that from me since this is the first week I have been unemployed, did you?

Well, as many of you know the job on the street corner didn't come through for me and last Friday, mom's birthday, was my last day at Lifestyle.

I am exhausted and very happy that today is Friday. I didn't have to work this had at my job. They let me sit at my desk, answer the phone mark the sales orders when we received shipments, place an order, update the catalogs and fabric and mostly play my games on the computer.

Well it hasn't been like that this week. "The General" as she has been referred to by people close to her has had me going to the gym for an hour everyday (which is very hard for a 55 yr old overweight woman) baking Christmas cookies (6 different kinds so far), putting up Christmas decorations, going to talk to the mortgage people, shopping for Christmas, going to dinner with friends, entertaining friends at our house (which meant HOUSE CLEANING), signing up for unemployment, making calls to the investment office, delivering payment to doctor's office, taking care of the church finances, meeting with people about church expenses,washing ironing,
cooking dinner and packing Dave's lunch, standing in line at post office for 50 minutes (but I did make a few new friends while I was there),...the list goes on and on. I am taking the weekend off but it isn't 5:00 yet so I better see how much more I can get done.

MY NEW JOB

I didn't even update my resume and I found a new job. Tell me what you think about it?

PART 2 OF THE PINK SLIP

Well, just as expected the second half arrived today and Friday will be my last day. I have never left a job, when it wasn't my ideal before this but I am fine. For some reason it was much more traumatic when it was Dave losing a job. The only 2 times it happened to him the companies went under. This company is going to try to hang on but it doesn't look good.
I will once again be an unemployed bum so if you hear an unexpected knock on your door it just might be me coming for a free meal.

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving Day was nice. Dave had to work so we had our meal in the evening. Rolf and Rikki joined us. Rolf had his first Thanksgiving Dinner with us two years ago and this was Rikki's first.
We told them that we had decided to visit them in Germany this September so they succeeded in getting us very excited about our vacation. We have nine months to plan and we are hoping for a stronger US dollar.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Two of my favorite people have a birthday today. Carolyn, my sister-in-law and Vicki, my friend. I love them both and hope that it is a very happy birthday and a wonderful year.

I AM WEARING MY TAP SHOES :)

David has always had a saying that if he just makes it through his work week past Thursday everything will be fine because he can tap dance through Friday.

Well I am wearing my tap shoes today.

This has been a great week. I have enjoyed the beautiful Florida weather. When I get off of work at 1:00 the sun has been shinning bright and the temperature has been in the high 7o's everyday.

I must admit I am a little sore from going to the gym 4 days straight. I also should admit that my "Boot Camp" is specifically designed for old ladies but I don't want any injuries to keep me from going. I already feel less like a slug and planning to increase the difficulty of my exercises every day.

Yesterday's task was a visit with our financial planner. Her prediction is that the market has bottomed out. I hope and pray she is right or David will have to tap dance on Friday's until he is 85 years old. (Maybe I will get him a dancing costume for Christmas - something masculine)

GOOD MORNING

My computer and I work together much better after a good nights rest. I tried for almost an hour last night to blog about my 1st day's accomplishment and post a photo of my organized desk and just couldn't get it. This morning the photo popped up like magic. I guess I owe Snapfish an apology.

DAY 1 IN THE BRIAR PATCH

Today was the first day I had since they cut my hours back to 20 per week. I went to work at 9am as usual (well usually I would get there at 8:30 to get ready for my day at 9 but today it was almost 9 when I arrived). I used the extra time this morning to put my supper in the crock pot.

I left at 1:00pm. I stopped by church on my way home to pick up the papers I needed to record and pay the bills. I came home did the accounting for church and then got started on my task for my first day. It was to clean my desk and work area at home. I had filing piled up for the entire month and I had all kinds of things just poked in every opening in my desk. I tried to post a photo of my finished product but for some reason Snapfish refused to share the photo with me this time. I didn't even take one of the mess because I didn't want anyone to see it.

At 4:00pm I went to the gym to meet Dave and to start my first day of "Boot Camp" . Dave is my helper but he was very easy on me today. He just made sure I showed up and worked on my own while I was there. I am planning on walking in the 50 mile walk for Breast Cancer next year so I thought I should get rid of the extra pounds and get back in shape so I don't end up in the hospital myself. My friend Jeannell did it this year in Georgia and she convinced me to do it with her next year in Tampa, FL. I don't mind the walk as much as sleeping in tents for two nights but if she can do it so can I.

After the gym we came home and had supper and I have been fighting with this computer ever since. Tonight it wins...no photo.

I like these half days :)

1/2 OF A PINK SLIP

I have never received a pink slip before but today I did get the first half of one and I figure the other half is on it's way.

At the end of the day today I was given the news. My hours have been cut to 20 hours a week and all of my benefits will remain the same but since it doesn't look like my company is going to make it much longer...that is only good for as long as the company last. It is amazing how OK I am with all of this. I am so glad that they are paying my insurance for as long as I am still employed. (I do have more seniority than any of the other employees)

If I only looked as good as the girl in the photo I would fell terrific. Well, maybe I will just spend some of my extra time at the gym that I am paying for and never visiting.

Yes, I do know that is not the right pink slip but it was the first one I found .

NOVEMBER 2008

I love the fall colors but when I was in Kentucky last month the trees were not very colorful yet. Carol did have orange place mats that were shaped like leaves and I loved them. She told me I could take them but I didn't think that would be right so I just bought some when I got home and copied her idea. I got two different colors to give me more of the feeling of autumn up north.

David sent me these beautiful flowers for our 36th anniversary yesterday and tonight we went out to a new restaurant and the food was delicious.

happy halloween

HE IS ON HIS WAY TO THE BIG HOUSE

Well, he is finally getting what he deserves. David is on his way to the big house. It started a couple of weeks ago when I sent him to Virginia alone. I should have known better than to let him get around those people without me there to watch out for him.

When I went to the airport to pick him up after his trip there was a man standing on the curb. As I slowed down this man, with tattoos up and down both arms, tried to get in my car. I was not about to allow this to happen. I had to take action and the rest is history. He now has a new address...with limited visitors.

COOL MORNING AND FEELING GOOD!!!

When we got up this morning the house was closed up but it was still cool. I drug out the fleece robe and snuggled in under a quilt while I drank my morning coffee.
It was in the 40's outside so I pulled down the plastic container to choose a nice warm sweater and I found the famous "Jack Garner" sweatshirt. I hadn't seen it in a few years and checked my blog to see if I had ever mentioned it. I had back in Feb of 2006 but that was before I knew how to post photos so I thought I would let you see how it is holding up after 41 years.


I tried it on but put on my red cotton sweater instead. It is now in the 50's going up to the 70's but the skies are blue and we have the front door propped open.
Do you think I could sell this on Ebay when it turns 50 years old? Probably not, Nik is the only one that would bid.