My woobie-my world.

Can you keep up with my brain?

I cannot.

So, I must type it all out on my blog today so that my other thoughts, ideas, words, and images have more room to play inside my head.

So here goes.....

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Our neighbor passed away Friday and we already miss him so much. He was 73, funny, a lifer in our little village, and his name was Wayne.

He actually referred to himself in the hospital to one of his nurses as

"Wayne the Pain"

 I was told this, by several of his family members, which I found hysterical!

It was just like him, with his funny personality, to say something like this in the hospital.

It made all us laugh, because he was just funny like that and that story was told after he passed away and I think it was a sweet story for his family to share with everyone.

It put a smile on everyones faces.

He is already, noticeably missed, in the neighborhood.

He would always sit out on his front porch, keep an eye on things, and enjoy the outside and the people passing by.

He and his wife had purchased a golf cart awhile ago and they would haul gardening items from the back of the yard to the front of the yard and he would drive while she held on tight.

It was sweet to see.

No matter how many trips they made in one morning, one afternoon, or even one day they would wave, smile, or yell out something to us as if it were the first time they saw us.

That's small town life.

That's small town people.

That's small town neighbors.

His absence, in our daily life, is already quite evident and it's only been a few days.

We'll miss you, Wayne.

Love, your neighbors,

The Pugh's

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It's still freezing outside and yesterday I realized I was wearing a long sleeved shirt with a sweater and also a coat.

People, do you realize it is May and is freezing cold.

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Speaking of freezing cold, last April, I was put on blood pressure medicine.

I spoke with my grandparents and they told me that they also had high blood pressure in their thirties and that's just how it goes sometimes.

I was not a happy camper about any of this.

So my Dr. put me on a small dose of blood pressure medicine and it sure made a difference.

I didn't realize how crappy I had been feeling until my medicine kicked in.

But, of course, their was one little problem.......

If you knew me in real life instead of via the computer, internet, blogosphere, you would know that I always got hot.

I was the girl that could go outside in the winter without a coat, generally in t-shirts, no socks, and if I thought about getting hot I was already on dying of heat exhaustion.

This is NOT the case anymore.

My hands freeze.

I mean they freeze.

I always get chilled like I am a skinny chick or something-which is not the case, at all.

I turn my thermostat up like a little old lady, when no one is home, so that I can be comfortable and warm.

I shiver.

My teethe chatter.

Warm weather is not even near warm enough.

When it's cold outside I feel like I am going to become an ice sculpture, because I feel like my fingers and feet cannot function at even attempting  the most basic tasks such as walking to my van and driving.

I cannot handle the cold.

So I started wearing this brown & tan quilted flannel that I had bought for Charlie at Christmas the year before I started taking my medicine.

I put it on one day and now can't seem to take it off.

I can be all dressed up, wearing really pretty clothes, makeup on, jewelry in place and I have to throw on this flannel to keep myself warm.

I try, when I am in public, to remember to discard it so I don't look like a hobo.

When I take it off in public I can't wait to return to my van to put it back on and warm up.

It, for some reason, does a really good job.

So several months ago, I thought to myself, that I kind of use it as a child would use it's blankie, but not in the emotional way that a child clings to their blankie, but in the same aspect.

 I need it.

This made me laugh.

I often have to sleep with it on, because my arms get so cold, especially, at night.

I can function so much better when I have it on and I'm not shivering. I also keep a really cute pair of hot pink gloves in it so my fingers can function and yes I can type with these gloves on.

I'm talented like that.

I almost panic when I have to throw it into the washing machine and then wait for it to dry, but I love how it smells and how warm it is when it comes out of the dryer.

Amongst all of this crazy neediness I have for my Charlie's  quilted raggedy ripped flannel I actually ended up unintentionally naming it-

"My Woobie"

It just happened.

Yes, I named my flannel.

I call it by name.

Charlie calls it by name.

Our kids call it by name.

My name is Nikki Pugh, I am 36 years old, and I have a very warm, soft, security woobie that I am confessing to all of you today.

I can't keep this secret any longer.

I wish it was more colorful, form fitting, and more feminine.

I wish the first time I grabbed it out of Charlies closet, when I was first realizing that my life was going to be freezing cold because of the medication I am on, I would have gone to a department store instead and picked something out for the long haul.

I didn't do that.

So, instead of having to always pass over pics that I'd like to show you of myself , but can't because I am always wearing my woobie, I now and proud to show it off.

It just is what it is.

I am who I am..

So here goes......

So ridiculous, right?

No color.

So not me.

I cannot live without it, now.

It's tattered, worn and loved.

It's becoming holey-not Holy, as in the religious aspect, but holey because it's exhausted from being with me 24/7.

Many days I wear really cute clothes and jewelry (we all know my love for both of these two things) but you'd never know it, because my woobie covers up any and everything pretty that I wear.

See, if you look real closely........

......you can see my pretty purple top and necklace.

See, see, see........

I used to believe I'd do anything to look and feel my best-

It was who I was.

You know the old expression, "it takes pain to be beautiful"

I used to practice this to a "T"

This theory was all compromised when "this chick" got high blood pressure and had to be put on meds.

Now, I feel like a 36 year old in a cold 86 year old body.

Ladies, I have compromised style, fashion, and youth for a mans quilted disintegrating flannel and I cover up my pretty clothes with it because I can't find, in the stores, anything that is even comparable to it in thickness, mobility, and comfort.

So, I guess all I can say is that, I am ready for the sun and heat to arrive, but dreading the central air conditioning coming on in my house ( I will freeze again), because of being tied down to my woobie, for yet another season.

What a vicious cycle this is and it doesn't look so hot either.

What's a freezing cold fashionista supposed to do?

I don't have the answers, but I am warm and dressed very well underneath it all.

"Woob" I be right or "woob" I be wrong?

(I just came up with that all by myself)

Giggle-giggle-giggle!

I cannot believe I have made the choice of comfort and warmth over fashion and style"

Oh, what is my world coming to?

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Random Gibberish-

I  want so see the movies "Hangover 2" and "Bridesmaids"

Charlie and the boys found some great mushrooms to eat from the timber and they were delish.

I took a nap from noon to four on Sunday and, not once, did I feel guilty.

I, for some reason, am positive that we will win the lottery.

I wish I could be more disciplined to blog everyday, but I am not disciplined enough. Does just the thought count?

I am going to attempt to make a bunting or pennant banner (whatever you choose to call them) out of a fabulous vinyl table cloth I found at a discount store and string it on my secret porch, as well, as my kitchen porch.

I bit the inside of my cheek Saturday and then re-bit it this morning.

A sparrow, taking care of it's little family of baby birds in the ceiling of my secret porch flew at me without fear because it thought I was apparently a threat to the nest it's baby birds were in. I respect anything that defends it's family. Even in nature, it's a built in response, to secure and take care of you family. That's awesome! So I avoid that area of my porch, now. Lesson learned.

We go through alot of groceries in this house. Prices are totally ridiculous in the stores and it's not looking good anywhere in the near future. I like to state the obvious.

I need to sew.

I love my post office. The postmaster is also my therapist on some days.

(I wonder if she is aware of this or not?)

Weddings always make me cry.

Some weddings more than others.

I am making spaghetti for dinner tonight with salad and garlic bread.

Just in case you were wondering.........

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh