You know, it's funny. They always tell a woman to "just get out" but lemme tell you from personal experience, if you don't stick around and document, document, document, you will continue to be violated looooong after you've left.

Here are three easy ways to protect yourself:

1. Don't get into a relationship with someone you aren't totally sure about or if you have even a little twinge of unease.
2. If you do wind up in a bad situation, seek out professional assistance, document everything you can and - once you've got your support system in place - get the heck out of there.

3. Remember, you can't do anything about the other person but you sure as heck can own yourself and your life.

As Em says, "don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful, they can all get f'd just stay true to you". Yeah, it's hard but trust me, the rewards are well worth it!

To all the nice guys who've been part of my life and who have encouraged me to go out, stand up and be me: thanks.

Wishing you much peace, happiness and success,

Penny (CJsMonnie)

I received the following message in an email from a friend today. While I may not believe that it will bring me good luck as it claims to, I really believe in the message.

To realize the value of a sister/brother
Ask someone who doesn't have one.

To realize the value of ten years:
Ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize the value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize the value of one year:
Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize the value of one month:
Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of one minute:
Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one-second:
Ask a person who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:
LOSE ONE.

Remember to hold on tight to the ones you love!

Wishing you much peace, happiness and success,

Penny (CJsMonnie)

Wow. It's been a very long time since I last posted here and a lot has happened since then.

"The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense." -Tom Clancy

My son is now 7, I'm 31, my uncle has been gone for almost 4 years, my RV dreams are still on hold, I almost became a Jew, I left Texas for New York and then came back again.

So much to catch up on, so much to unpack!

Wishing you much peace, happiness and success,

Penny (CJsMonnie)

I received the following message in an email from a friend today. While I may not believe that it will bring me good luck as it claims to, I really believe in the message.

To realize the value of a sister/brother Ask someone who doesn't have one.

To realize the value of ten years: Ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize the value of four years: Ask a graduate.

To realize the value of one year: Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of nine months: Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize the value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of one minute: Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one-second: Ask a person who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member: LOSE ONE.

Remember to hold on tight to the ones you love!

Wishing you much peace, happiness, and success,

Unknown

After our original 4th of July plans fell through, CJ and I did what I grew up doing in South Texas: drive around looking for the fireworks (especially if you didn’t have your own or ran out too soon ;). What we saw here on this side of Long Island may not have been as snazzy as those in NYC but we had fun anyway! =)

Want to see a short video? Press play .. if you dare. Bwah ha ha ha!



We were trying to stay up later but alas, our sleep heavy eyelids betray us. Goodnight everyone!

Wishing you much peace, happiness and success,

Penny (CJsMonnie)

How do you stop a habitual mail snoop? In my case, I know that our neighbors - the undisputed gossip king and queen of the area - have always snooped through our mail and I've always HATED it!

• We've asked them to stop and they will for a while, but then start right back up again.

• I reported them to the local postmaster and she said, "That's always happened out here." As if that's any excuse!
  

There's even a local joke that if we are wondering what happened, we should ask them. I do not consider that even remotely funny. If I wanted everyone to know I had a student loan or my car loan was with so-and-so bank, I would tell them!

How would she feel if someone snooped through her stuff and then reported to all and sundry?

Now, I'm seriously considering a stake-out to get the evidence I need to assure them my warnings to cease-and-desist are NOT a joke. If they continue to snoop, I am determined to prosecute them to the full extent of the law.

Wishing you much peace, happiness and success,

Penny (CJsMonnie)

We are pretty rural (45 mins. to town) and anyone with any unwanted animal or plant knows where to come knock. I now officially have:

• 4 dogs (no where near as many as our record) 

• 9 cats [including 6 kittens] (also not near our record) 

• 1 frog 

• 1 lizard 

• Several greedy little wild birds who tap on the windows when they run out of food (inherited with this homestead) 

• 1 "pet" black snake who comes and goes as she pleases (outside; she's the "rattlesnake shield"; also inherited) 

• 1 good-sized group of javalinas that also come and go as they please (through holes they dug the chain link fence and re-dig if we cover up)

That's not counting the skittish cats that come and go (at least 4 by our counts).

As for the plants, well, let's just say it's a good thing we have so much space. LOL

We bought a dozen crickets for my son's "new" (they'd been my son's outside buddies for a few months before we got them habitats) frog and lizard last night. I got one of those cool little "Critter Keeper" things so I wouldn't have to actually touch/grab them but then ... I couldn't get the crickets to come out the way they were supposed to. I upended the container to shake a few into the lizard's tank and bamo!

Two crickets ran away and three landed on the lizard (she only ate one and let the others bask on her). I grabbed the closest kitten and tossed it at the crickets. Soon, the other cats and kittens had gathered too. "Hmm, what are these things? I'm scared." or "Hmm, what are these things? They look interesting, so I think I'll just watch them." I guess that's what happens when they've got tummies full of cat food! LOL

When it was the frog's turn, I did a little better. The crickets cooperated and three plopped into the tank .. once again, on top of the frog (he/she is a piglet!).

You should have seen me trying to transfer the frog and lizard from their temporary habitats into their new ones. I almost screamed (um, well, I did scream) when he/she jumped. Nevermind it was trying to get away from me, not come at me. LOL

My son is still pestering me for a corn snake even though he couldn't stand to hold one (we were both a little freaked out) because it felt "weird". "It's okay, mom, you can take care of it."

Uhhh ... about that ...

My best friend is 7 months pregnant. When she called asking for help with "re-doing" her 4 year old daughter's room to make space for the newest little girl, I said "sure! I'll do anything I can to help you." I figured we'd rearrange furniture, spruce up a bit, and maybe add a few baby furniture type items.

Then she told me what she had in mind: since she was pregnant and couldn't be around the fumes .. would I mind "helping" to removed the old wallpaper, put some new one up, repaint, and add a border? Oooh, boy. I'd just started a cleanse and so ...  *sigh* I'll tolerate those fumes if you can tolerate mine.

The things we do for friendship! LOL

Wishing you much peace, happiness and success,

Penny (CJsMonnie)