Would like to start off by thanking everyone for the prayers to get back to Houston safe after a very interesting vacation week.  If you follow me on Facebook you know that Bill and I went to visit Lani and TJ in Columbia, SC.  The week started with a beautiful flight in to Charlotte and then an Express jet down to Columbia.  We rented a car and headed to Lani’s house.  We visited that evening and the next day they took us to the Roof Top Bar in downtown Columbia.  There we watched the Texan game and preceded to drink every ounce of beer that was in Columbia.  Monday morning, with a little beer fog in the brain, we all drove to Cherokee, NC.  We had reservations on the reservation, and we started to donate to Harrah’s and the Cherokee Nation!  But proud of myself …I did win at roulette.  Then here comes hurricane Florence.  So, we had to cut our Cherokee trip short (I think it saved Bill lots of dough) and head back to Columbia to weather the storm.  Went to Kroger and bought $300. dollars of supplies and of course…..a jaunt to the liquor store.  The fridge was loaded with all the necessities.  Beer, wine, mixers,…..mixers, wine, beer,…oh… and water.  The storm hits and the adventure begins.  A drinking and game playing binge that lasted for days.  American Airlines cancelled our flight three times.  Finally got out on Sunday afternoon.  Hertz rent a car extended our extra days and did not charge us.  So thank you Hertz.  And I do have to say American Airlines customer service could not have been nicer.  Every agent we had was very eager to help.  We were routed from Columbia to Dallas, and then Dallas to Houston.

Going back to work was a challenge the first few days.  Had to get my brain cells geared up once more.  Yesterday after work, I was honored to speak at an Ovarian Cancer group at the beautiful Canopy room at Memorial Hermann Woodlands.  Met up with friend Gwennie and her amazing group of cancer fighters. We exchanged phone numbers and promised to call each other on days of “need of encouragement”.  I hope that no one ever feels alone.  A great evening with strong women.  Hugs to Linda A. , Linda M.(and her mom and sister), Barbara, and Glenneth and Gwennie!

Off today and then back to work tomorrow.  Just getting caught up on house cleaning and clothes washing after the vacation week.  Love to you all.

Ride,Baby,Ride!
Leilani

OK….finally sitting down for about a month catch up.  Time has gone by so fast and things have gotten so busy it’s hard to know if I’m coming or going.  Work has set the tempo of a mad woman.  So many things going on and of course the usual “work drama”.  Not like a “Peyton Place” drama but work related issues.  Kids not showing up for work and so on.  Sometimes I wonder how the work ethics of kids has gotten so out of hand.

Some mornings I have to get up extremely early and I try so hard not to wake up the house.  But Chico sleeps right next to my bed and if I so much as move he is at my heels to make sure he is not going to miss a meal.  Like you can forget to feed an 80 pound pit-bull!  I mean like lying across my feet while I’m using the toilet, lying across my feet when I’m brushing my teeth, and lying across my feet when I’m blow drying my hair.  Does he really think I’m going to forget about him?  The minute I hit the kitchen, Cleopatra knows that I’m up and I have to go into the study and do her morning ritual with her.  I finally get back to the kitchen to make my sacred first cup of coffee and I trip over Chico lying over my feet and wake up Bill …who flies around the corner to make sure I didn’t face plant on the kitchen floor…with Chico lying over my feet!!!!!

Speaking of getting up early, does anyone have the same dilemma I do?  When I have to get up super early…like not my normal 6-6:30, I set my alarm and stare at it all night thinking it’s not going to go off.  I get up to use the restroom, which I hardly ever do, depending on wine consumption, and lie there thinking of things I did in 1959.  Sometimes I do wonder about my brain.  Or…what’s left of it!  After getting up and getting my sacred first cup of coffee and dealing with the above morning drama, I head to the bathroom and shower.  And yes, Chico is standing guard right outside the shower door.  I get out and immediately pour Visine in my red eyes.  I mean…can’t have the world knowing I stared at the damn alarm clock all night and thought about my third grade boyfriend, (and for all of you that went to Memorial Drive Elementary School with me know that my boyfriend at that time was Sam Alford).  And as I’m pouring Visine in my eyes..Chico bumps me and now I have Visine in my scared first cup of coffee!  So now my whole digestive system “got the red out”!

Headed over to a friends house to watch the Texans play.  Hopefully we can make up for losing two of our key players last week.  It made me cry to watch JJ in such pain after all he did for our community during and after hurricane Harvey.  But before I go, I need all my prayer warriors to get to work.  I’m sure many of you have heard about the Mayor of League City, Texas on the news.  My good friend and old swimming buddy Mayor Pat Hallisey had a massive heart attack and needs urgent prayers.  His family is staying strong and needs us.  Pat’s brother Jim is keeping me up to date on surgeries, etc. Pat married my daughter Lani and her husband TJ in Galveston last March.  Pat helped his community to stay strong after the storm and was a constant pillar of support for everyone.  God bless you Pat Hallisey…we love you!

Love and Hugs!
Ride,Baby,Ride!
Leilani

What an interesting turn of events.  I am so blessed to have transferred to my new store.  Not only is it a lot closer to our house but it was a major boost in morale. The store had it’s Grand Opening…a beautiful Kroger Market Place.  Right after the grand opening we were challenged with Hurricane Harvey.  Then, because the schools could not open on schedule …we dealt with that chaos.  We only were closed one day, not due to damage of the store but because employees could not get there.  When we opened there were lines out of the rear end!  A very challenging time for our store team but very rewarding.  Customers were so appreciative of our time to make sure they had what they needed.  Our store manager and her team did an amazing job.  I am so proud to call them my teammates!

Finally getting a haircut today.  I was supposed to get one before Harvey.  I look like something kitty Cleopatra brought in from outside.  I am always excited to spend time with my pal Velma.  No lunch planned for today because of so many things to catch up on.  My days off are always filled with stuff that should have been done last week.  Oil and filter change for Jeep, picking up mail at Fulshear post office, going to the bank, and hopefully have enough time to pick up clothes at the cleaners.  I usually do not include Bill on my haircut day, it always puts a damper on the conversation that the girls can discuss, but we are so far behind on errands we decided on not doing two trips into town.

Everything else is good.  We were spared any damage from the storm.  40 inches of rain but no standing water.  Our property drained into the creek down the hill just as it was supposed to.  No doctors appointments, except a dermatology six month check up, until October.  Two big events coming up for the Big Brother Big Sister organization.  Always fun and always rewarding.  And then holidays right around the corner.  I saw on Facebook today that there were only 15 Sundays until Christmas Eve!  We need to find that place where time goes!!!!!

Stay safe.  God bless you all.  Prays out to all that have asked for help from the prayer warriors.  We are on it!  Prayers out to Irene, a co-worker, that lost her 14 year old Jack Russell terrier.  It is so hard to say good bye to our furry family.

Ride,Baby,Ride!
Love and Hugs!
Leilani

Hi everyone!  It’s been over a month and I apologize.  I was transferred to  a new store, that is much closer to my house, and I am enjoying the very short commute.  I am the wine consultant two days a week and the other three days I am in the nutrition department.  I feel emotionally and physically stronger with this “God send” move.  I want to thank some old friends who worked behind the scene to make this possible for me.  My gratitude is off the charts.

Bill and I have a new family in the hood.  Mom and dad raccoon have three little ones.  They made their grand appearance several days ago.  They are the cutest things.  While feeding the foxes and the raccoons, we noticed that one raccoon would grab food and go back into the woods.  Now we know why.  The foxes had done the same thing when they displayed their little ones as well several months back.  Meanwhile, the squirrels just keep getting fatter.  I think it’s time to build a squirrel workout facility.  The bushy tailed arboreal rodents will be able to workout at the “Hurles Corn and Nuts Gym”.  ( By the way, the word gymnasium comes from the Greek word “gymnos” which translates to naked).  Sounds like fun to me.

Have you ladies gotten to the point where none of your bras fit right?  I really didn’t notice it but now that I have been more active..it’s bothering me.  Straps fall down my arm, bottom of boobs hang out the bottom of the cups, cleavage has all but disappeared and the time of perky is gone!  Actually… going through ‘boob sag” denial.  I keep thinking that soon I’ll find the right equipment for these sixty six year old human udders.  I wonder if the lady critters have this problem?  At least I only have two.

All doctor appointments have gone well.  My CA 125 was outstanding and the physical with “the Bev” was excellent as well.  Bill’s dermatology appointment went without a new find which Bill was delighted with.  It seems lately each time we go he has some little spot somewhere that needs to be removed.  Kaden is doing so well.  He is growing so fast.  Doctor said on his one year check-up that he was in the top 96 percentile of the height chart and weight was perfect.  Walking like a little monkey and into everything.  Your average, healthy, gibber jabbering one year old.

Praying for all of you.  This world is a mess and it seems like people just become more unstable everyday.  Happy Birthday to all my August birthday relatives and friends.  Man…there are a lot of you.  We know what your parents were doing the December before.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

Love and Hugs!
Ride,Baby,Ride!
Leilani

Hello everyone.  So much has happened in the last couple of weeks…so let us get to it!

We took a nice trip to Las Vegas for a few days and had a really great get-away.  Sold some books and enjoyed the excitement of Sin City.  Bill was busy in the casinos while I was busy shopping.  Brought back some really cute things.

I took off from work on June 10TH so that Bill and I could go to the Preakness at Sam Houston Race Park.  Always a fun time and plenty of food.  Bill even got lucky and won a couple of trifectas.  I see more shopping in my future!

Had a wonderful day with my good friend Velma.  She cut my hair, we tried on clothes, and we went to lunch.  Our lunches usually last the entire day and the bartenders at Pappasito’s are always accommodating! Velma is my friend that owns the company called “Memory”.  If you love well made clothing…you have to check out her clothing line.  I have purchased tops, short dresses, and long dresses from her.  They are embroidered and I always get compliments on them.  You can E-mail her at memoryvelma@aol.com for more information.

I have put a transfer in at work.  I am moving to the new Marketplace store in Montgomery, TX.  I will miss all my friends in College Station but this store is much closer and I will be saving a ton in gas.  I’m hoping to get the wine consultant position which is what I used to do for the company years ago.  Please wish me luck.

In the meantime…there’s Bill!!!!!  The man never ceases to amaze me in some of his antics. June 20TH was our anniversary.  We had a nice dinner out and returned home and made us a cocktail.  So, Bill made himself a Crown on the rocks and made me a glass of wine.  He goes in the bathroom and does his usual routine which includes gargling with Listerine.  He puts his Listerine glass next to his Crown glass.  He picks up his Listerine glass…not paying attention…and drinks the Listerine.  Swallows down the Listerine.  Comes to me in panic mode and of course I’m saying…REALLY!!!!  So, Dr. Bevers was called…and after 10 minutes of full, blown out laughter, it was determined that Bill would make it.  What saved him was he swallowed it down and it wasn’t lodged in his throat where it could have burnt the hell out of him.  The fun part was in the middle of the night and the next morning when he couldn’t stay off the porcelain throne.  Talk about a probiotic!  And a rectal explosion worst than eating jalapenos…do they make butt fire extinguishers?   Anyway, Bill is alive and well to give me another heart attack today.

Love and hugs my friends.  Have a great weekend and BE SAFE!   Prayers out to those who have contacted me.  And please continue to pray for my teenage friend Mike.

Ride,Baby,Ride!
Leilani

It has been a busy couple of weeks.  After returning from Shreveport, book selling and pleasure combined, it was back to work and back to a hectic schedule.  Returned to town on Monday, went back to work Tuesday, got to spend some time with my grandson after work on Thursday, went to a Kentucky Derby party at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday, and church, along with Big Brother Big Sister function at Audi Central Houston on Sunday.  And it will be back to work today.  We will be busy with everyone getting ready for Mother’s Day this coming Sunday.

While in Shreveport, Bill and I were on the elevator and a lady gets on and her tee-shirt said ” fat people are harder to kidnap”.  It was so funny that I just burst out laughing.  Everyone in the elevator looked at me like I was nuts.  I had her turn around so all could read.  As we got off the elevator…everyone was laughing.  Then everyone in the foyer thought the entire elevator load was smoking something.  I need one of those shirts.  I think it was some kind of ice cream festival that she had attended.

Every morning I feed the birds and squirrels.  As I have said before…all our squirrels look like they are on steroids.  They literally would be hard to kidnap….or easier because they can’t run fast. They are so FAT!
Cleopatra was lying out by the porch door and Chip (all of our squirrels are named Chip) walks up to the screen and stares at her. Their noses were actually touching with only the screen between them.  It was so amazing.  This morning there were 10 squirrels, cardinals, doves, wrens, hummingbirds, and a pair of redheaded woodpeckers.  I love drinking my morning coffee and watching Mother Nature at her best.  God is always present.  A great time to communicate with the main MAN!

Hope everyone has a great week.  Special shot out to bartender Richard at The Horseshoe.  It was so enjoyable seeing you each morning and enjoying your delicious Bloody Marys!  And thank you to BBBS of Houston for the invite to The Taste Of Texas gathering.  As always… an honor and a pleasure to attend and help out such a wonderful organization.  Prayers going out to all that need them….Bill in Washington St. and Valerie in England, and friend Michael.

LOVE AND HUGS!
Ride, Baby, Ride!
Leilani

God said women will suffer in childbirth because of Adam and Eve’s deal with the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.  However, I think God left out one important point.  Women will suffer when taking their man to the doctor’s office.  And…Heaven forbid for some sort of surgery.  It’s an everyday suffering thing just maintaining a man!  I had the privilege of taking Bill in for his ear surgery last week.  He had another spot on his ear that the doctor said had to be removed.  You would have thought the world was coming to an end.  Why this? And why that?  It’s like… just shut up and let the man do the surgery.  Lani and I were laughing that this is one orifice that he doesn’t use anyway since he can’t hear …so what’s the big deal?  Dr. Adam told him that he wouldn’t come out looking like Vincent van Gogh!    Just happens it’s his left ear as well.  I don’t think Bill thought that it was as amusing as I did!

On the same note, I had two small places frozen on my right cheek.  Not butt cheek..face cheek.  Dr. Adam asked me after he froze them if I’d like to look in the mirror to see what he did.  It’s like what does it matter now, you’ve already done the damage.  Like after you poop.  When you stand up, you flush,because you don’t care what it looks like you’re just glad you did it and you got a load off.  Nothing as satisfying as a good poop.  And when you have had a blocked bowel at one time in your life…you know what I’m talking about.  Dr. Adam said “good comparison”!

Been working on my Ancestry and 23 And Me project.  Actually in touch with a lady who I have been matched with DNA wise as possible half sister.  Starting to get good.  I’ll keep you informed.  Boy, what modern science can produce.

Please send prayers for my friend Michael.  A sweet kiddo going through some rough times.  Love and hugs to you all.

Ride,Baby,Ride!
Leilani

I know…it’s about time.  Been a little busy lately.  But back to inform all on the happenings.  And believe me they go from the normal to the bazaar.  So here we go.

First, the update on the family.  Cleopatra, our black cat, is doing great.  Full of life and very entertaining to say the least.  Her ears are like the Morse Code.  I know exactly what she is thinking depending on what her ears are doing.  When they go straight forward she is either stalking something or she is doing some serious thinking.  If they twitch …she is making a final decision.  If they go back..I’m in trouble.  She is in attack mode and wants to play.  Wouldn’t it be nice if you could read people like that.  Especially the ones that you have concerns about.  Chico is Chico.  Never changes.  Steady and loyal.  The horses have found a new home in Dobbins, TX.  I pray that they are happy and doing well.

Lani and TJ were married and we had a few spiritual encounters along the way.  We believe my mom and Dusty’s wife, Michele, (Michele, was Dusty’s wife that we lost way to soon of congestive heart failure) were having some fun.  Before we left for Galveston, in one of the guest bathrooms, a hair dryer fell off of the shelf.  No, it flew off the shelf.  Did not fall right under where it was sitting but landed by the bathroom door.  A good four feet away.  No one was in the bathroom and no one had used the hair dryer.  We just heard the crash out of the blue.  Then after the wedding, Lani could not find her make-up bag anywhere.  She wasn’t sure if someone mistakenly took it home with them or the girls that did the hair and make-up for the bride and bridesmaids took it with their stuff accidentally.  After Lani and TJ got home..they looked everywhere with no avail.  The next night Lani had a dream.  She dreamed that the make-up bag was in the hanging bag with the bridal gown.  She woke up and went to the hanging bag and there it was.  I am glad that the spirits were there and I’m glad that they were nice enough to let us know they were there to help.

Bill and I met up with our first snakes of the spring.  Bill ran into one while on the mower out by the front fence.  And was it a doozy!  A six foot long black rat snake!  And as I went down the ramp to the back porch, about 9PM to feed the critters…lying on the handrail was a two foot long copperhead.  And if you know me…you know the snake is now missing it’s head.  So disgusting…can’t stand them.

Other than that…work is going well.  Only problem seems to be the problem we all have as we age.  I lose 3 things constantly….my glasses, my car keys, and my wine glass!  What’s weird about it is …I don’t seem to misplace anything else.  Like why can’t I misplace Bill every now and then.  Give me a little peace.  Oh well, the good news is I had blood work and physical exam on Wednesday and all came out great.  CA125 was a 3.3 and exam was clear.  So thank you for prayers and love.  January was seven years since the diagnoses, I am truly blessed!

Please pray for a family that is very special to me.  They are going through a very rough time right now and need your support.  Keep a teenager named Michael in your thoughts.  Go get’em  Pray Patrol!

Love and hugs my friends.
Ride,Baby,Ride!
Leilani