Last day at the Conference

Mike took this picture of me on the last day at the conference. if you look at my eyes you can tell they've taken a beating with my allergies.
The conference was hosted by the Hilton, as you can see it's very nice and elegant. We had to stay at the Hyatt (which was also very nice) since the rooms sold out rather quickly.
Thanks for looking!
MJ

Home Sweet Home

Despite severely bad weather and eye allergies, we made it home safely. God Bless my husband for chauffeuring me around on these long, but necessary trips! He usually doesn't accompany me unless it’s a very long trip and I really insist on him taking me, however most of the time someone from my staff will join me instead. There are changes to our department every year and we need to be able to implement the changes according to State law. Additionally, I need to complete 20 continuing education credit hours per year. This particular seminar was very educational, we learned how to do redactions for the safety of our community. We also learned how to “spot” a fraudulent driver’s license. There was also a session on Commissioners’ Court Minutes among other things.

College Station

I made it safe and sound to College Station for my clerk's seminar. Now I just hope I get back home the same way. I'm starting to get an anxiety attack just thinking that I have travel another 8 hours to get back home! I hate these trips... so far from home and so much traffic!!! Hate it, hate it, hate it!!! I'd rather go to the valley or San Antonio... anything farther than Austin is not good for my nerves!

Nikon-DSLR (Old Challenge)

I participated in the "Old" Challenge with the Nikon-DSLR Yahoo Group and these were the two best pictures I took.

The "Old House" is the house that came from Old Zapata in '53 right before the flood. It's now falling apart and will soon be demolished. This is the house where my mom grew up in and I was seven years old myself when we moved out of there to live in the house that mom lives in today.

The "Old Buddy L" truck was a gift from my dad when I was about four. There was a time when we thought we had lost it. Imagine the joy when I found it. It's very dear to me and it's one of the few childhood toys that I cherish. I won't have any one to pass it down to, nonetheless it's a wonderful memory.

Rowdy... Posing for me!

Here's Rowdy posing for me as I take my first pictures with my new Nikon L15! He likes to tilt his head when I'm talking to him!!! I wonder if he understands what I'm telling him??

Cameras... Chapter Two

Then along came the digital cameras... our first one was a Kodak DC260, A 1.6 megapixel, my Samsung Black Jack cell phone has more than that! A few years later we got the Minotla Dimage A1, 8.2 megapixel, I got that one loaded with lots of extras. Two years ago Mike got a Sony DSC -W1 at a pawn shop for about $100. Then last year right before my swearing in I decided to get the 10 megapixel Nikon D80 DSLR with interchangeable lenses and an external flash. We also added othe extras to it. As much as I love my D80 it's too heavy for me to carry around all the time; a purse, a conference bag and a camera bag are just too many and to heavy for me to carry. So Santa (DH) got me the 8 megapixel Nikon L15 for me to carry in my purse! Great little camera! I love it already!

Cameras... Chapter One

My very first camera was a old 110. I still have it, but it's somewhere at moms house. I'll try to find it so I can take a picture of it. My next one was "The Handle" I don't really remember who makes it, but I think it's a Kodak, it came in a Yellow or Orange box and it's still put away in it. After that we (mom and I) were given by one of my great aunts, an old 35mm, but I can't remember just what it was, again it's somewhere at moms. Then I purchased a Minolta 7000 from Myrna's mom. I loved my old camera, I took more pictures with it than with anything else. Mike at that time also upgraded to a Minolta 9xi, that baby was rigged up and expensive for its kind, again did lots of freelancing and it eventually paid for itself. Next came the Digital Cams....

Collector of Cameras??

Mom's Front Door

This is my Mom's front door! I just love the country feel and hominess of her house. The cowbell is an antique from the olden times when we still ranched and my grandpa was a cowboy!

Off to Austin!

I'll be spending the next four days in Austin at a Texas Vital Statistics Conference. There are upcoming changes to laws that apply to my office in September 2008. I'm looking forward to bringing back as much information as I can. I'm sure the conference will be very informative!

BEWARE OF DOG!

I hadn't posted a picture of Rowdy in a long long time. The right leg is the one that was fractured after Mike ran over him last May.... my poor poor puppy! He was worth the $1,000 I paid to save him! He's such a good dog... I'm a loner and Mike is usullay working--Rowdy watches over me and the house while Mike is gone. We usually keep him tied up on the deck... only problem is the poop area!!! Even Myrna and her DD's are afraid of him. He barks and growls at everything and anything. He loves chasing cars... that's why he's tied up. He loves to play with his toys... Mom recently gave him a rubber crab that she brought from South Padre Island and he just loves it. He takes it in his mouth and just shakes it, he jumps and then he tosses it in the air and starts all over again. I love my dog!!

Alcohol Ink Ornaments

These are my first Christmas Tree Ornaments I colored using alcohol inks. I need improvement, but they are still okay. I'm making more tonight.

Mike's New Car

This is a picture of Mike's new car. Economy is the way to go. I know that at almost $3.00 per gallon and after filling up with $70 of gasoline in my 2006 Envoy it has me thinking of changing vehicles.

He got a great bargain on this one. It's a brand new 2006 Kia Spectra EX.

Tumbled Tile Coasters

Tumbled Tile Coasters

Supplies:Unglazed Tumbled tiles (Lowes)
Alcohol Ink, Blending Solution and Ink Applicator Tool
Rubber Stamp(s) of your choice, I prefer solid stamps such as Bronc Buster by Stampin’ Up
Stazon Ink
Self Adhesive Cork shelf liner or felt backing
Krylon Workable Fixative
Krylon Triple Thick Clear Glaze or Krylon Matte Finish

1. Wash off tiles to remove dust, let dry.
2. Spray with Krylon Workable Fixative, let dry; should be ready in about an hour..
3. Ink edges of tile with alcohol ink using applicator, if it gets too dark add a few drops of the blending solution. (I ink edges and center then thin out or lighten the color by adding the blending solution.) Heat set by baking at 325 deg. oven for about 15 min.
4. Use Stazon Ink to rubberstamp image or images on tile. Heat set by baking at 325 deg. oven for about 15 min.
5. Spray with either Glaze or Matte Finish, let it dry for about 24 hours before handling. 6. Cut out cork or felt approximately 3 ¾ by 3 ¾ and attach to the back of each coaster.

To clean wipe with damp cloth, do not place in dishwasher.

Note: The music coaster set is one I made for Myrna's teacher and the Bronc Busters set was a door prize for our clerk's conference.

Lee came home to visit

Yay... I'm happy today... Lee came home to visit from San Antonio. I know he came to see our cousin Marcos who just came home from the Persian Gulf, he's in the Navy! Anyway, even if he didn't come home to see me... I'm still glad he came home and got here safely!

My dad and my uncle always loved to hunt. Here they are with one of their kills... No it's not a trophy buck... but I'm sure it was tasty nonetheless!

My Dad is the one on the left and my uncle is the one holding the rifle on the right!

Paternal Grandparents

These are my Dad's parents... rumor has it that I look alot like her! What do you think?

Ancestors - My Polish and Mexican Roots

These are my great-grandparents on Dad's side of the family. He was from Mexico and she was 1/2 Polish. They died way before I was born.

MIA

If anyone's been wondering where I'm at... well... I have a bad UTI, plus other issues. Haven't felt like doing much. I went to my MD on Monday and he gave me an antibiotic, just now started feeling a bit better. As always he got after me about losing weight... he gave me 1 year to lose 33 pounds and that's the way we're going to do it until I lose the whole 150 I need to lose!!! (Since BC/BS will not cover my lapband!)
I have an appointment with my OBGYN... to handle my "other issues" I've needed a hysterectomy for over a year now, and this will be my second opinion. I'm hoping that there is some sort of "miracle cure" for fibroids, but I know that there isn't. This surgery is specially hard for me to decide on because I don't have children and this would bring complete closure to this part of my life. Being "childless" is something I never thought I'd be, but it wasn't by choice, life just turned out that way and I've always felt that I was delt a bad card. Unforfunately, there are some things in life that one cannot change and this is one of them for me.
Another thing is that "my baby" brother is going away to college and I'm completely heartbroke, I don't say much about it because it makes things harder for my mom. For the last month I've been living with a knot in my throat, just ready to burst into sobs. I am totally devastated... I am going to miss him so much. I know he has to go away to finish his education and I know that he is only a phone call away, but still it's not the same. I'm hoping that he will be home as often as possible... maybe we can plan to go see George Lopez in October for his birthday!
I'll be gone through this coming weekend because we're going to leave him in San Antonio.
Thanks for listening!

This is our Courthouse, the buidling where I work... it's a brand new building. This picture was taken about a day after the Grand Opening! We've been told that it's one of the most beautiful courthouses in Texas!