If you didn't already know, I am a child abuse investigator. Family members, community members, teachers, medical professionals, and countless other people report via a hotline when they suspect a child is being abused or neglected. My job is to follow up on those reports, visit the children, the caregivers, other people familiar with the family, collect medical records, speak with teachers, and gather any other information which can help me determine if a child is a victim of abuse or neglect. By far the most frequent form of child abuse is neglect. Dirty homes, lack of food, caregiver/paren ..read more

It is no secret I have long coveted the MacBook Pro. Actually, pretty much any Apple product makes me salivate. However, when I checked the prices to buy myself one, I found the cost too prohibitive. Several of my friends and coworkers own a MacBook Pro which they have had since their college days, so I got a chance to play around on a couple to help me decide whether or not I thought the cost was worth the investment. I also did some research on the different models to see which one might best fit my needs. Things I considered while doing my research: I am planning on using the MacBook pri ..read more

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Last summer I went to visit my folks who reside in Arizona. Notice the word summer. Ugh, it was hot! Ok, that was to be expected. Anyway, knowing we would be indoors for most of my visit, my mother came up with this fun project to keep us occupied. Her idea came from this pattern she found on Amazon: Cut N Stitch Wreath Pattern  She then found these easy, pre cut squares of foam. Sold in a pack of 12 6x6 inch squares, one side already had iron on interfacing which makes creating this wreath so easy:  Bosal In-R-Foam 6x6 One Sided Fusable Squares Now, she had o ..read more

Lately I have been taking a breather in the morning before I leave for work. Instead of rushing around, I sit with a cup of coffee and try to read a little, then I start my day. I really enjoy reading blogs of a wide variety written by folks who are living their experiences. Something I have noticed it how difficult is is to just find new blogs to read. There is no real directory and most of the time I stumble upon them by accident. Keep in mind I am not talking about the popular blogs that are boosted by advertising on social media and email your inbox endlessly about offers and past posts ..read more

Day at Sea December 15th The best part of cruising is the sleep. I know, ya'll are thinking it is traveling and sight seeing, however as an insomniac, good sleep is worth its weight in gold. I actually slept in until 9:30 am!! The motion of the ship was gentle and the seas calm, so I felt absolutely no seasickness. Professor and I discussed whether we wanted a cabin with a balcony, stateroom, or just an inside cabin. I voted for an inside cabin because they are pitch black when the lights are out. I also felt for the $200 difference a day, the balcony was not really a worthwhile investment ..read more

December presented me with an unprecedented opportunity - a 9 day Western Caribbean Cruise!! Let me fill you in since it has been a bit since I have updated the blog. I started dating a very nice man in the autumn of 2017. Of course the topic of Tiny House Homestead came up which inevitably led to the topic of my bucket list. Intrigued, my boyfriend who I shall call Professor to keep his identity private, asked what else was on my bucket list. Of course I rattled off a list a mile long, but on that list was travel to other countries which would require me to use a Passport, taking a cruise, a ..read more

Life continues to be A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Check out this episode ..read more

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Well, for me at least. I adore Autumn. I love the sun setting earlier, the cool nights, the changing of the leaves, and most of all, as an Okie, I am grateful all the summer bugs die off or disappear. Here in Oklahoma we still have 80+ degree days, but the nights are cooler and temperature swings are common. For example, this upcoming week we are forecast to have a high of 88 degrees and a low of 47 degrees. It as if Mother Nature cannot make up her mind. But I still embrace the idea that soon I will not be hitting the wall of steamy humidity Summer o ..read more