Vikki

Occasionally I need to promote this site. They have excellent jewelry and the quality is outstanding.

http://stelladot.com/sites/vikki89/productcatalog/

Click here to view this photo book larger

It's not a mystery that I like music. Of that the words from songs can inspire me. One of my FABULOUS Friends wrote a blog and I ran with it.
Take a read!
http://fabulously40.com/blog/id/inspired-by-eva-playlist-20962

So we bought a new Sealy mattress set less than 2 yrs ago. We didn't buy the most expensive. But we also didn't buy the cheapest. Well the mattress started to sag and when you look at it it has 2 valleys and 3 hills. And lordy help you if you get stuck in one of the valleys. Trying to roll over one of those hills to get out is a chore. Yes a CHORE! So instead of waking up refreshed, repaired and ready for another day we were waking up cranky, sore and tired.
So we decided to file a claim with Sealy. Apparently 1 1/4 inch sag is not enough for them to honor their warranty. Nope! It has to be 1.5 inches of sag. And of course you have to strip your bed, use a lightweight level and take pictures. You also have to take the mattress off the box springs and take some more pictures. Once you  have done that then of course you have to take the box springs off and take a picture of the bed frame.
Well we did all this and then waited. Waited. Waiting.... and waited some more. So after a month of waiting I contacted them to find out if they had reached a decision.
"Oh we are sorry we didn't contact you Mrs Hall" was their response "but NO we are not going to consider this a valid claim". What???? Not valid!!!! WTH!!!!
So we bought a new set. Suppose to help our backs since they were out of whack from the invalid claim.

We bought a Temperpedic. We get 100 nights to decide if we love it. And if not they will help us find a suitable solution. We are only into our first week of sleeping. I am hoping.....

I love listening to music. And sometimes the words themselves are so much more enjoyable than the tunes. But when they both come together it can be inspiring in so many ways. I typically like lyrics that are positive and uplifting but sometimes I love the ones that wake up memories good and bad. Right now I have this song from Tesla stuck in my head. Thankfully it's a good song with a positive message. However I always think of little Justin Biebers song "Baby Baby" whenever I have a song or thought stuck in my head. Don't need little Bieber with this one tho.


 First Time by Tesla

Another night, Another day
Another minute slips away
and wonder why you're here at all
Ambitions fade, times get tough
you tried so hard but its not enough
and now your backs against the wall
just remember who you are, you can be a lucky star

be everything you wanna be, you're extraordinary
dont waste your time with memories, you're extraordinary
take your chances while you can
take your own life in your hands
and you can start it all again
like its the first time

you reminisce, static haze
you're thinking back to better days
its time to put it all behind
the futures now, forget the past
your life is rushing by to fast
its time to open up your mind
just remember who you are
you can be a lucky star

be everything you wanna be, you're extraordinary
dont waste your time with memories, you're extraordinary
take your chances while you can
take your own life in your hands
and you can start it all again

be everything you wanna be, you're extraordinary
dont waste your time with memories, you're extraordinary
take your chances while you can
take your own life in your hands
and you can start it all again

be everything you wanna be, you're extraordinary
dont waste your time with memories, you're extraordinary
take your chances while you can
take your own life in your hands
and you can start it all again
you're extraordinary

I hope you have a safe and happy Memorial Weekend. Don't forget to honor all of those that have and still are fighting and defending our freedoms.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

 We have been planning on taking a little getaway. Our original plan was to jump in the car and drive to the coast. Well as you know the Gulf coast is under a little distress now so we had to rethink. Then we were going to run off to Hot Springs, Arkansas. So instead of just running off and heading in that direction we decided to check the weather. Well storms were scheduled!
ARGH!!!!!!!
So I started looking thru a vacation get away guide that is in the weekend paper. I had been hanging onto a few of them just in case. As I was checking out the places listed I seen an ad for Vicksburg, Mississippi. Well living in Memphis and seeing what little bit of MS that I had I didn't have high hopes. But hey I have been to places that were supposed to be great and they were not so what the heck. Let's go and check out a piece of history.
So I googled Vicksburg and came up with this link http://www.vicksburgcvb.org/ . Well of course that link was very helpful and informative. After checking out the site I then clicked on the link for B&B's. We have never stayed at one before so I was really excited to get the opportunity. As I read thru them all they sounded wonderful. I ended up chosing this one http://www.anchuca.com/ because of it's proximity to the downtown. When I called to check prices and availability I was informed that while I could afford the price they didn't have accommodations for 2 nights. Not their fault as I was calling very last minute! Thanks to technology and caller ID they called me back as I was getting ready to look at other B&B's. They did have an opening for the 2 nights....YEAH!!!!!! We took it and started to get ready to leave.
According to Ms British Garmin and her intelligence she suggested (rather pushy too) we take Hwy 61 from Memphis all the way to Vicksburg. Ok fine Ms Pushy Garmin we will follow your lead!
So if you seen my Twitter of FB status then you know there is absolutely nothing to see on Hwy 61 southbound. We ran into a lot of dust as we passed thru Tunica. Kind of reminded me of the sand storms in Vegas. However in Tunica the casino's are spaced out and not close together like Vegas.
As we continued south on Hwy 61 we kept seeing the little markers that said Mississippi Blues Trail site. We had no idea what they were and we tried to find one but had no luck. Well as soon as I got home I googled it and it led me to this site http://www.msbluestrail.org/. Apparently there are tons all over MS with events happening at them.  And of course while traveling thru we talked about looking for "The Crossroads". You know the ones where Robert Johnson traded his soul? Well we found it and was not super impressed since city living took over. I'm not sure what I was expecting but oh well I can say I went and I saw! Here's the story on that http://www.houstonculture.org/terra/delta.html
Ok enough about Hwy 61.....
We made our way into town and let me tell you it's pretty cute and quaint! You can tell there is major attempts to keep the town clean and current while preserving the past. It sits up on a hill overlooking the Yazoo and Mississippi Rivers. Very cool looking and picturesque!
We made our way to the B&B we were staying at..... VERY IMMPRESSIVE! We went in to check in and was given a very warm and friendly greeting. They were just beginning the dinner hour there so we went and checked out our room in the carriage house. CUTE CUTE CUTE! Well we were starving so we decided to eat there and then check out the house and gardens afterwards. We had the most wonderful meal that night. I am still having flashbacks to that meal. It was called Black and Bleu Salad. It was a salad with the most tender tenderloins, a rice pasta pilaf server over a bed of lettuce and fruit with an island vinagerette and homemade croutons. AMAZING and DELISH! The house itself was pretty cool and the host/co owner made us feel very welcomed to look around. I probably could have spent hours looking at every detail. The grounds itself was pretty nice too and gave me some ideas for my own backyard. My poor hubz..... We also took a walk thru the surrounding neighborhood and enjoyed the brick pavered streets as we looked at all the homes
Saturday we started out with breakfast served at the B&B....not your usual continental breakfast for sure. But one that was so good and so filling it was hours before I could eat again. We also went to the downtown area and walked the streets checking out all the stores. We did go into the Coco Cola museum ( had to since I'm a coke fan). Very interesting stuff in there and how it began. We also checked out another B&B called Cedar Grove Mansion http://www.cedargroveinn.com/. Very cool and beautiful house. The grounds and the history was pretty interesting too.
We were going to go to the National Cemetary there but decided to take a drive out in the area instead. We found a few places off the beaten path. Rosswood Plantation http://www.rosswood.net/history.html, the site of a fort on the river, Windsor Plantation ruins http://www.yoyita.com/Windsor_Ruins_Mississippi.php, nuclear plant, homes on stilts, natchez trail parkway, and just some beautiful landscape.
We then headed back to the B&B to freshen up and decide our next move. We decided to have dinner again at Anchuca which was once again very impressive. Then we were going to go hang out in a sports bar to watch the Red Wings vs Sharks. They lost sadly but enjoyed listening to the band that played while we watched the game.
Sunday morning came and we went in for breakfast..... did I mention how good their coffee is? I think I could have sat there forever drinking coffee and just enjoying the gardens. I did buy their cookbook. It is loaded with the rich history of the house and recipes. And it is sitting on my ottoman in the living room since I am constantly looking through it.
We strolled thru the house and gardens one more time before taking off. My stay here has made me decide that B&B's are the only way to go. I just hope they all live up to the standard that Anchuca has set for us. And we are thinking of going back for our anniversary on New Years Eve.

We decided to take I-55 back home hoping there would be markers along the way for us to check out. Nothing! Oh well...  we still had the best weekend and really enjoyed ourselves.

Regina Brett's 45 life lessons and 5 to grow on
By Regina Brett, The Plain Dealer
September 20, 2007, 2:03PM

Originally published in The Plain Dealer on Sunday, May 28, 2006

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.

It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolls over to 50 this week, so here's an update:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.