32 years

32 years ago, at 8:40am CST, I was born.

It took me becoming a mother for me to appreciate that it is also my mother's birthday, that at that moment she became a mother to a daughter.

Thank you Mom and Happy Birthday to you, too!

McCain: Bush-only Older

I'm not one for much politicking, other than to encourage EVERYONE I know to go and to vote, but these were just, well, they sum up how I feel perfectly. Americans, indeed the world, has had to deal with Dubya for 8 looooong years, add to that his father's term, and that is 12 years of Bush. I think we ALL have had enough of it.

In the brilliant and immortal words of Forest Gump, "My Momma always said, 'Stupid is as Stupid does.'" and "That's all I have to say about that."

Cold Wet Rainy Wonderful Stonehenge!!!

Here is the gratuitous picture post for your viewing enjoyment.

The above picture was taken just after "dawn",eh sun? what sun? we don't need no stinking sun, we are English!!! (the time was about 5 am, but in the summertime here, it starts to get light out around 4 am-Blimey!)

The above and below pictures were the ones taken by the free-lance newspaper photographer, I love love love them!

The above was a rain spattered self picture :)

I LOVE STONEHENGE!!!!!!

Summer Solstice at Stonehenge 2008

Just back from Stonehenge and England brought in summer in her stereotypical fashion-cold grey and rainy. However we did get several blessings

* Our 5 1/2 month old was very serene even in the cold and we had so many comments and complements about how sweet and calm he was and they loved that he was in a mei tai either on my back and on my husband's front.

*My husband got a lot of attention while he was caring our son, (granted it was after sunrise and people could see them better) and my husband gave the off handed comment to a man with a walking staff that he could use one of them as the grass and mud were very slippery and the umbrella that he was using as a cane wasn't cutting it. The man, who had walked all the way from Glastonbury with it, just up and handed it to my husband and said "Here ya go, you have it." He gladly used it the rest of the morning and has now stated numerous times that he's going to take it anywhere we move.

*We were by the Heel Stone and a man was admiring my husband and son and wanted a picture, and my husband obliged and posed. As a gift he gave our son a very clear and, according to the man, world travelled crystal. I was so pleased and grateful I asked and then hugged the man, and then in return he gave both my husband and myself a crystal each!!!

*As is usual there were reporters and photographers there, and one very respectfully asked us to pose with the stones in the back ground. We ended up with a nice family photo and one with just my husband and son artfully posed. He took our family email addy and sent us them almost right away.

*More people than I can remember wished blessings on us and our baby--mostly our baby, but that is fantastic for me!

...and the lightbulb goes on!

For years I have had a myriad of diagnosi for my wonky noggin. Depression, Depression with suicidal ideation (I can safely and honestly say that offing myself hasn't presented itself since the day I found out I was pregnant with my now 11 year old son--I have to live to bring forth this innocent's life and I want to live to see this child grow up), depression with Bipolar tendency, and then the most recent-Bipolar II disorder with rapid cycling. Whew! Well there may be a new one that makes me say, "well du-U-uh!" Hypothyroidism, my mother has it, my grandmother had it (she passed away 7 years ago), and so the family history is there but the big thing is all the symptoms I have and mental illness is one of the many many symptoms. So, in the morning I am going to the doc and telling him to have my blood drawn for a thyroid panel. This may sound silly, but I really really hope that I have hypothyroid (or slow/low functioning) and ONE little pill will take care of (inhale a dep breath here)
*excessive tiredness
*weight gain
*obesity
*cold extremities-also include my cold bum
*breathlessness
*dizziness
*palpitations
*lack of coordination
*loss of libido
*poor response to treatments
*muscle cramps
*loss of stamina
*cold intolerance
*exercise intolerance
*sweet/carb cravings
*3:00pm crash
*jumpiness
*unrefreshing sleep
*Swelling of hands, feet, shins, and ankles
*sensation of lump in throat-like trying to swallow a lump of phlegm
*dry mouth
*halitosis
*oversensitive hearing
*noises in ears-hissing ringing
*INNER EAR ITCH--OOO drives me batty!
*body hair loss
*head hair loss
*brittle hair
*eyelash loss
*Brittle, flaking, peeling nails
*dry, flaky, coarse skin
*Dark rings under the eyes
*numbness and tingling in feet and hands
*back and loin pain
*sore feet
*constipation
*hemorrhoids
*low blood pressure
*Irregular menstrual cycles (previous to pregnancy, one of the many perks of breastfeeding is no period right now)
*Poor focusing (vision)
*double and/or blurred vision
*dry, gritty eyes
*wandering eyes-mine go wall-eyed when I am tired
*panic attacks
*memory loss
*confusion
*mental sluggishness
*poor concentration
*phobias-I have a bridge phobia and sometimes darkness phobia
*loss of drive
*post partum depression
*nightmares
*easily upset
*wanting to be solitary
*mood swings
*depression
*nervousness/anxiety
*personality changes
*feelings of resentment
*lack of confidence
*exposure to fluoridated water
*use of products containing flouride (ahem-TOOTHPASTE)
*smoker present or past (past for me)
*use of products containing flourine (Prozac)
*certain anti-depressants (geez, you name it, I have more than likely been on it)
*Epilepsy drugs (Iam not epileptic, however many of the same drugs are used to treat Bipolar I and II)


...and breathe. There are more that don't apply to me, but you get the idea. Oh to feel normal again!