Memorial Pink

Have you been to the Twitter Slumber Party? Friday nights at 11 p.m. EST. It lasts for an hour, but usually gets going a little before 11 and continues after 1200am. We have so much fun. The lovely @DabneyPorte hosts the evening with help from others. Last Friday was sponsored by Udderly Smooth (Big Cow - @UdderlySmooth on Twitter). There were five games with prizes.  We had so much fun. I am not good at the games and if you want to play them, you need to read @DabneyPorte's FaceBook Page Twitter Slumber Party. The rules for #Slumberparty are there and you play on Twitter. Or, even if you don't play the games, come and do the virtual chat, where you have virtual drinks, popcorn, chips, cake, cookies, etc...... Good News is Virtual doesn't stick to your thighs, and you meet some awesome Tweets. Thanks again to UdderlySmooth for sponsoring last Friday. Wonderful cream!

Udderly Smooth® can be used on Dry Skin, Cracked Skin,

 for Diabetes Foot Care, as a Facial Moisturizer, as a 

General Moisturizing Lotion and many other uses.

Owen-Jamie-Mother-Wyatt-Jeremy

Bryan & Jeremy Bates

Something wonderful happened this week, my mother, Bertha, turned 81 years young. She is an amazing woman and I love her very much. She is pictured on the left with Jamie, Owen, Wyatt, and Uncle Jeremy. Bryan, the Dad, is taking the picture. I wish we could have been there but it just wasn't possible this year. We were there for the 80th though, even though we missed the big party. Mother is an artist who was a Interior Designer during most of her working life. She had a shop in Plano Texas that was amazing. She did some design work for the Design Center in Dallas and was featured in a Southern Living at least once. She worked with other designers to service the customers in Plano. She had the best upholstery shop in town. People didn't mind it being more expensive because they knew that the work and materials used by "Mrs. Burns" was the best. She sold her business about 11 years ago and moved to Lexington KY.

She loves Lexington and my brother, Sonny Bates, who owns Bates Security Facebook (Sonitrol and ADR Security) lives there and Jeremy and Bryan are his sons who work in the business. Jeremy is the General Manager now and Bryan is the Sales Manager, since Sonny is semi-retired. If you go to the link above, and "Like" the FB. . . .

LIONS PINK

Went to the Lions of Virginia MD-24 State Convention. It was at the Radison Plaza in Richmond VA. It is a huge hotel and easy to get lost in. If you are handicapped, tell them so you don't have to walk all over God's creation to find your room. Ray will just have to remember when he makes reservations from now on that his poor arthritic wife has bad knees and hips. This morning is quite painful but I took a Vicadin, so it will be better soon, I hope. As for the Lions, what a weekend. We had three  people running for the opportunity to be selected as International Director. Our District election could have been nicer, but the people selected by the Lions of District won. It seems there are politics that I was not even aware of for years. I really hate to think of Lions Clubs being involved in politics, but they are. All this is over-ridden by the fact that all money donated for Charity, goes to Charity. We do so much good work that you can put up with little petty things like politics. Our club is not political. We have the most wonderful group of people who are giving, loving, and feel blessed to be able to help their fellow men and women.

Ray and I went to Tropical Smoothie on Friday night. It was great. I just love the low-fat pineapple orange smoothie. Ray shared with me because he wasn't sure that he would like it. I ordered a wrap and he got a sandwich and they were awesome. Saturday we went to Olive Garden with . . . .

BRAIN IN THE PINK!

Virginia Beach Sunrise!

Good News, my brain scan was good - I still have one! They did not find any problems. The memory problems are probably due to the medications that I am taking. I am so relieved. I think I said yesterday that would be the worst thing that could happen to me. No matter what shape your body is in, as long as your brain is working, you still have hope, love, compassion, faith, etc. Thank you Lord for your blessings.


I see Dr. Wilson today. He is my Rheumatologist. I have had a lot of pain lately and cannot even get going in the morning without. . .

#SlumberParty PINK

My friend @DabneyPorte had a #slumberparty on Twitter last night. What fun! She had a sponsor. The title to this blog will take you to the #SlumberParty Facebook Page

#SlumberParty Trending number 6 #hashtag for 3 hour trend and @DabneyPorte was number 2@mention #3 hour

@DabneyPorte is the Queen of Parties. She makes sure we have wonderful sponsors. 

I heard that there was 499,991 impressions. That is only nine away from half a million. That is awesome. I did try to tweet more. I realize that my tweets might count more because of how many followers I have. I think.

Last night our sponsor was Devine Shimmers. There were five prizes and if you sign up on line, there will be something in the mail for you. Devine Shimmers are sold online and at Walgreen's. @1devinegal  is the owner and she was so nice. I just love the thought of lip shimmers made of things that are actually good for you, instead of petroleum products.  DeVine Lip Shimmers feature the finest quality 100% natural ingredients available, for a truly natural balm for beautiful and healthy lips.

We all seem to have a good time. There was virtual martini, popcorn, jelly bellys, chocolate chip cookies, line-dancing, karoke, movies, etc. The music was led by @WayneHurlbert. He kept the music going while we played Twister, cards, etc. Virtual parties are exhausting but lots of fun. This happens every Friday night at 11 p.m. EST. Join us for the #slumber party next week.

Want the Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe? Check out my blog today. Someone asked me about it yesterday and I looked it up. One of my first emails had the recipe in it. I made them and they were the best cookies I have ever had. Although, they are not now and never were sold at Neiman Marcus. That was a complete fallacy. I tried adding some powdered chocolate once, but I don’t remember how much. Anyway, Great Cookies!

Got to go get ready for the Centennial Celebration for the GFWC Newport News Women’s Club at 2 p.m. today. Can you believe it? One hundred years of service to the community. I haven’t been in a while because I have been ill. Now is the time to get back in and see if I can be of help.

Our quilting group is going well. That woman didn’t come last time and I am praying that she does not show up again. Benita is well and home for the weekend. Love to all, God is Good, All the time.

BATES PINK

I am so excited, my mother just called to tell me that my brother's business is no longer "Sonitrol Security", it is now "BATES SECURITY." Owned by William D. (Sonny) Bates.  The new General Manager is my nephew, Jeremy Bates, and the Sales Manager is his brother, Bryan Bates. Mother said that they had a ceremony this morning for the change over. I am not sure how that works but I do know that they have other products besides Sonitrol products. I just cannot tell you how proud I am of them all. I feel like my brother is the perfect example of a person that was given little but worked hard to increase his territory. His wife, Pat has been instrumental in the building of the business. She was always there keeping the books and holding down the fort while Sonny carried the ball. Their sons both graduated from the University of Kentucky and went into the business. They started out in normal positions and proved themselves worthy of leadership. If they hadn't, they would not be in charge now. Sonny and Pat will be taking a 5 week trip throughout the West with a 5th Wheeler. They deserve the break. What a family!



Benita and I are getting along well. I can tell you that no matter what illness I ever get, I can only pray that I don't get Alzheimers (dementia). I have been reading a lot about it since Benita has been staying with me during the days. I never really understood how the disease works. It actually destroys brain cells in one part of the brain and then moves to another part of the brain. A lot of times the patient is more aware of what is going on than most people think, they just cannot express it in words. She is such a sweet person, I really love having her here with me. 


I am fixing to go to the Cancer Center for my check-up. I will write tomorrow and let you know what is going on. They did a mammogram and brain scan a couple of weeks ago. I know the mammogram is alright. 
Love to all.

VSAP Pink

It has been a busy couple of weeks. Ray and I have been busy. Benita stayed with me last week. We did our usual pick-up at the Chesapeake on Wednesday evening for church. We had a great dinner, Prayer time, and then we went to see the children's program which was awesome.



We had our NAP Peninsula Unit Meeting at the Hampton Library. We had our election for officers for next year. I am going to be the new President. We had a very nice meeting with about 9 people there. I am going to work on trying to increase our membership over the next year by blogging, Twitter, Facebook and any other Social Media I can get my hands on. If you know someone in an organization that you belong to that would like to be a parliamentarian, contact me.  Even if they are not in my area, I can lead them in the right direction of how to find a unit near them. Every organization/club needs a parliamentarian to have orderly meetings, unless your president is in complete control with no parliamentary authority.

Ron, Michael, Mary, Ray ,     ,Barbara

Ron pinning Pres Pin on Michael

 Afterwards, we stopped in Williamsburg and picked up Mary Swain on our way to Richmond. We had a lovely room at the Marriott and Mary was just two doors down. The staff was excellent and the food was scrumptious. We were so impressed that we are booking it for our convention next year. Michael Wagner-Diggs PRP is our new State President, Mary Swain PRP is 1st Vice President, Ray Duke PRP is 2nd Vice President, Barbara Duke is the Secretary, and                     is the Treasurer. (I forgot Treasurer's name, will enter later.) Ron Stinson PRP is our President of the National Association of Parliamentarians and was visiting us from Texas.

Sunday was Mother's Day and I want to know what this world is coming to. I have 2 children and received 2 text messages. That is it. At least my stepdaughter said it on Facebook. I never heard anything from Kevin at all. I know I am not that bad of a person. What has this world come to when children text their mother for Mother's Day? In the future, maybe we will just text them at Christmas.  What do you think?

I am back in sitter mode. Benita was with me for 11 hours yesterday and will be probably 12 hours today. Bless her heart. I just took her in the bedroom to lay down. She wants to do something and gets frustrated which gives her a headache. She ate a good breakfast today and she loved my tuna salad sandwich for lunch. We had some potato chips with it. We bought them yesterday when we went shopping. She really doesn't like to go our much. I think we may take her to COSTCO this evening and get a hot dog for dinner. I need a few things and the hot dogs are wonderful there. I am not really a hot dog fan, but I do like their Nathan's Beef Dogs.

I have an appointment at the Cancer Center tomorrow. Maybe Benita can stay with Ray for a while or he can go with us to sit with her while I go in to see the Nurse. I have been reading some really good articles and books on Alzheimers so I will know what to expect..

I have an appointment with Dr Wilson on Thursday. This RA is not a fun illness. It is painful and you get strange lumps everywhere. I went to a hand doctor at the Peninsula Orthopedic Clinic in Hampton. He excised a anular cyst and shot it full of cortisone so it would not come back. Well, guess what, it is back and hurts even worse. I don't really want to go see him again. I know I don't have to pay to go because my insurance picks up everything, but I really hate to see them overcharging my health insureance. That 30 minute visit cost over $800 and it didn't even work. I wonder if there is a waranty! I do know that if it was coming out of my pocket, I would be really upset. No wonder health insurance costs so much.