Well, soon the first of the next forty will come to a close. I have to say, in reflection, it has been a good one. I said, when I turned 40, that I would make the next 40 SO much better. I felt I had squandered my life away. I  made some really dumb decisions. The only good things to come out of those years were my two children, a few very close friends, a college education and a marriage of 13 years. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful for everything. I have overcome some huge obstacles to get where I am and I am VERY blessed. But during those years, I lost so much time. In a two year span, I lost my step-mother exactly twelve hours after I lost my grandmother. A month to the day that we buried my grandmother, my grandfather died. Two years later, my mother died. I never got the chance to tell them what they meant to me. I took all those years for granted. Wasted them. So, when I turned 40, it was a real milestone for me; like turning over a new page.

This first year, I have completed a book that I'll never have published. LOL. I entertained the thought of pilot lessons and scuba diving. Those who know me, know that was a "mid age crisis" idea! :) I'm terrified of heights and claustrophobic!!! I've overcome some shyness, branched myself out, and entered the world of auctions. That has been a blast. I have sold a few things here on ebay and met a few wonderful people. But as this year comes to an end, so does some good things. I'm going to still buy, but I'm not going to sell as much. I'm going to sit back and make my first quilt..... my grandmother made them her entire life. I'm going to travel out to see my son and daughter-in-law who are stationed in Tx. and enjoy my grandson. I'm going to enjoy my granddaughters and my daughter. I'm going to find something else new I enjoy to start the second year of my next forty. I don't want to waste anymore time.

Be thankful for what you have been given, don't waste another minute.

I just don't understand. I don't know if it's Ebay or if it is the buyer. I posted 7 items with FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING. Yet, my "shipping rate feedback" never went up. It is still 4.8 out of 5. And if I didn't do FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING, why would a buyer hit a seller with less than 4 or 5 stars? I do my level best to ship my items well wrapped. This includes "popcorn", bubblewrap, tape, and box. (Not postal boxes) That is money out of my own pocket that I do not charge for! If I charge a "flat rate box" charge it is because the item needed the extra space for wrapping due to it being fragile, or it was a large/irregular sized item. I, like most, also combine shipping. When I buy something, I don't expect to pay outrageous S/H charges, and I don't. I pass the item up. I don't charge outrageous S/H charges. HOWEVER, when I leave my feedback, I rate them 5 stars.
That leads me to another thing. LEAVE FEEDBACK! When you buy something, that seller takes a few minutes of their time to leave feedback. When the items arrives, it only takes you a  minute to return the favor! Thanks! Have a great day! :)

(I realize these statements do not apply to ALL sellers/buyers)

As the granddaughter of 2 WWII veterans, the daughter and husband of Vietnam veterans, and an Army mother, I want to say,"HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!" Shake the hand or hug a Veteran today! Give them your thanks, and remember those we have lost so we could be here today......living in a free republic. I know things aren't looking exactly great right now, but everyone can find something good if they want it, just as they can find something bad. Count your blessings. This is a day of thanksgiving and rememberance.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

I talked with my daughter today. Some of what I sells goes to buy stuff for her 3 daughters...1 of which is due June 12th. The things I sell gives me the xtra money to do these things. Get things for the girls and for her, for my grandson, son, and daughter-in-law. With the economy being what it is, we are selling alot of things we have had around the house. Some are things friends have given us. Just another mother blessed and trying to pass on those blessings to her children and grandchildren. What do you sell on ebay? Do you do it for your family or for a business? (I guess that could be both, but you know what I mean) Do you and your daughter/sons  and or granddaughters/sons" ebay together?