Trick or Treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat!
Ok, not tricks. I'm going to share a treat...or two. Might just be a treat for me to write and more of a trick for you to read, but buckle up and let's go.
Today, Mr. Enthusiastic was there in all his glory. He really had a pretty good day today. My whole class dressed up and we went trick or treating to the 4th and 5th grade classes this morning. What was Mr. Enthusiastic's costume? Wait till you hear this...errrr, read this. It's so appropriate. He was a volcano. No joke. It was an extraordinary costume. His dad made it and it was the best homemade costume I've seen...ever. Just wow. And little Mt. Vesuvius does erupt from time to time, but not today.
In fact, my entire class was just really good today. And I was so glad. I had no volunteers in my room and it just worked out fine. I kept things fairly low key, calm, but still Halloweenie and a break from regular school work and all the "festivities" were really pretty modest. But I did not get one gripe, one whine, one complaint about any of it. Every other year I've had whine-fests and people saying "this is all the candy we get?" when they walk away with a BUNCH. This year was 15 stops which equaled somewhere between 15 and 20 pieces of candy and they were as happy as larks. It was the best school halloween EVER.
Change of subject.... Last week, here in KindieLand, my kids were sitting on the floor around my chair and we were TRYING to read a book. Emphasis on TRYING. It was a little difficult because in the midst of the TRYING, a bit of a kafuffle broke out.
Boy A said, "Ms. B, he said I stink!!!"
Boy B said, "Nooo, I said you STANK!"
Boy A said, "He said I stink AGAIN!"
Boy B said, "NO! I said you STAAAANK!"
Boy A said, "He said I stink A G A I N!!"
Boy B said, "NOO! I said you STAAAANK!"
So I intervened and instead of making sense of it for them, said, "He didn't say you stiiink, he said you staaank." (laughing on the inside all the while)
Meanwhile B is saying again, "I said you STAANK!"
And A is going on with his, "He said I stink!"
Sometimes it's like talking to a wall in KindieLand.
Another change of subject.... Halloween is one of those holidays that I would just as soon skip, as an adult....except for one thing. When I was a kid, I liked Halloween like every other kid. I got over my first trick or treat outing resulting in a busted lip at the first house. I got over the "razor blade" scares although that always freaks me out. I even got over the sugar highs. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh the sugar highs.
You see, in 2nd grade my family moved to a very small town in southwest Missouri. One of my best friends, Nancy, and I began a tradition that year of me spending the night on Halloween and going trick or treating with her family. From that year forward, every year on Halloween, even if it was a school night, my parents let me go spend the night at her house for Halloween. Rarely did either of us know what we were going to be for Halloween. We'd just head to Nancy's house after school and start scheming. Now I have trouble remembering what we were. I think one year we were clowns. And the most memorable for me was the year we were ballerinas. I found two tutus in our attic, from the family who lived there before us. I brought them to her house and she and I were thrilled. We were going to be the loveliest ballerinas EVER. Then her mom saw us, dug out some long underwear and made us put those on, too, so we wouldn't freeze. We were so disappointed, but she was right. Halloween was freezing! I'll never forget knocking on the Lutheran pastor's door. He opened it. We yelled "Trick or Treat!" and he said, "I'll take a treat please." And then he asked us to dance. We stood there and stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. He said something about us being ballerinas and that we needed to dance. More staring. He finally dished out the candy and we thanked him and took off. Lesson: Ballerinas who ALSO wear long underwear do NOT dance for candy.
I also remember the first year that I spent the night with Nancy for Halloween. It was a school night. We stayed up talking and talking and giggling, like little girls do on sleep-overs. Then, suddenly we noticed that the yard lights were shutting off....which meant one thing. There was enough sunlight to shut off the sensors. Whoops. We had stayed awake all night. We felt like pretty big stuff. I imagine we didn't feel that "big" by the end of the day, but I'll never forget seeing the lights shut off at dawn, lol. (As most giggling young girls, I developed a habit of staying up all night or most of it on sleepovers. Kind of makes the name sound ridiculous, huh? And the day after was usually a puke-a-palooza...which made my mom more and more reluctant to let me go. Imagine that.)
Anyway, fond memories make me appreciate Halloween as an adult. Take the costumes. Take the candy. But leave me my memories..............and ok, don't touch the chocolate. It's mine.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
My Favorite Photos of Alli
This is my blog for tomorrow. Tomorrow is FRIDAY! Which means it's time for Friday's Foto Finish Fiesta with CandidCarrie. Carrie hosts it every Friday. (And I'm not sure why I'm saying that because most of you were here before me and hobknobbing with Carrie long before I typed a single keystroke...but just in case!)
Some of you have seen these before...like on facebook this week, but they are some of my favorite photos of Alli. Normally for FX4 I'd only post 1 photo, but these belong together so I'll share all 4.
Alli was such a shy thing when these were taken. She was only a year and a half old and rarely came out of her shell for anyone besides me within the confines of home with NO visitors. I mean a tough little nut to crack. One day my friend Elizabeth was watching her and Meg for me and they played dressup. Elizabeth snapped some photos of Allison and probably to my dying day they'll be my favorites of her. They are adorable (I get to brag: it's MY blog, lol.) And they amaze me because she looks like the little show off and I can hardly believe she came out of her shell for that. But Elizabeth was wonderful. She and her husband and their kids. They were the best friends ever and I miss them sorely. They live in Mozambique now, doing mission work.
Ok, here are the photos.
My ALL-TIME Favorite!
Some of you have seen these before...like on facebook this week, but they are some of my favorite photos of Alli. Normally for FX4 I'd only post 1 photo, but these belong together so I'll share all 4.
Alli was such a shy thing when these were taken. She was only a year and a half old and rarely came out of her shell for anyone besides me within the confines of home with NO visitors. I mean a tough little nut to crack. One day my friend Elizabeth was watching her and Meg for me and they played dressup. Elizabeth snapped some photos of Allison and probably to my dying day they'll be my favorites of her. They are adorable (I get to brag: it's MY blog, lol.) And they amaze me because she looks like the little show off and I can hardly believe she came out of her shell for that. But Elizabeth was wonderful. She and her husband and their kids. They were the best friends ever and I miss them sorely. They live in Mozambique now, doing mission work.
Ok, here are the photos.
TA-DA!
My ALL-TIME Favorite!Thoughtful...Pensive Even...
Tonight I'm blogging to get the jumbled thoughts and emotions out of my head. The past several days have been pretty cool (other than the fire alarm scares.) An old friend found me on facebook. So I made her my facebook friend and through her I found, or was found by, two more friends from the same time. My family moved away from this small town we lived in right after 7th grade and I haven't seen these girls since. Unless I saw them at their graduation and I can't remember how many I made it around to say "hi" to. But you get the idea. It's been a while.
And as I look at their photos I look to see if I can see the babies I remember. I mean, let's face it: 7th graders are babies. Although I wouldn't recommend telling your own kids that when they're in 7th grade because they might choke to death at the preposterous statement you've made...or they might choke YOU to death. A lose/lose situation we'd like to try to avoid.
All three girls look SO much like they did back then...only...grown up. The eyes are the same. The smiles are the same. They're just...grown up.
But as I look at their photos again, a thought starts seeping in. "They're like normal housewifey people." Even if they work, they're normal housewifey mommy people. I know that in writing this conveys NOTHING of what that means in my head and I'm sorry because I don't really know another way of putting it.
But with that "normal" thought and thinking of my other friends (like you ladies), I'm reminded of a feeling I had so many times growing up and frankly I hadn't thought of it in a while. It's that "why aren't *I* normal?" thought. I used to sit and tick off ways or phases of my life that just proved further that I didn't fit or was different. I was never overly emotional about it and I'm still not. But it makes me feel a little sad. Like I'm missing out on something.
I think the thing that strikes the strongest chord is looking at pictures of families doing things. I KNOW that my girls and I are a family but no matter how many times I tell myself that, it just doesn't feel complete. And once again, I'm abnormal.
I didn't say this for a pity party. I just need to sort out that feeling and get it out in front of me. Or at least out of my head where it's on a slow annoying simmer.
And I know that each and every one of my friends, including you ladies, would tell tales of how you've felt "different" or this sort of thing. At least a great many would. But that doesn't do anything for my head. The feeling is still there...and the longing to belong. To not be the oddball. (Well that one I could work on but it sure would be dull, lol.)
Anyway, I don't know that I've come to any resolution by writing this out. I don't think that was my goal. I just needed to process. So sorry to take your time with it, but thanks for reading. ;)
Oh, and ... say a little prayer for me. I have to take 16 kids trick or treating through the school tomorrow. I have to dress them all up. Take them to about 15 different places. Get them back into regular clothes and do "fun" stuff alllllllllllllllllllllll day long. And let's count the parent volunteers. Ready. Ok, stop counting. That's all there are. ZERO. Yippee. Come over tomorrow night and we can count my gray hair!
And as I look at their photos I look to see if I can see the babies I remember. I mean, let's face it: 7th graders are babies. Although I wouldn't recommend telling your own kids that when they're in 7th grade because they might choke to death at the preposterous statement you've made...or they might choke YOU to death. A lose/lose situation we'd like to try to avoid.
All three girls look SO much like they did back then...only...grown up. The eyes are the same. The smiles are the same. They're just...grown up.
But as I look at their photos again, a thought starts seeping in. "They're like normal housewifey people." Even if they work, they're normal housewifey mommy people. I know that in writing this conveys NOTHING of what that means in my head and I'm sorry because I don't really know another way of putting it.
But with that "normal" thought and thinking of my other friends (like you ladies), I'm reminded of a feeling I had so many times growing up and frankly I hadn't thought of it in a while. It's that "why aren't *I* normal?" thought. I used to sit and tick off ways or phases of my life that just proved further that I didn't fit or was different. I was never overly emotional about it and I'm still not. But it makes me feel a little sad. Like I'm missing out on something.
I think the thing that strikes the strongest chord is looking at pictures of families doing things. I KNOW that my girls and I are a family but no matter how many times I tell myself that, it just doesn't feel complete. And once again, I'm abnormal.
I didn't say this for a pity party. I just need to sort out that feeling and get it out in front of me. Or at least out of my head where it's on a slow annoying simmer.
And I know that each and every one of my friends, including you ladies, would tell tales of how you've felt "different" or this sort of thing. At least a great many would. But that doesn't do anything for my head. The feeling is still there...and the longing to belong. To not be the oddball. (Well that one I could work on but it sure would be dull, lol.)
Anyway, I don't know that I've come to any resolution by writing this out. I don't think that was my goal. I just needed to process. So sorry to take your time with it, but thanks for reading. ;)
Oh, and ... say a little prayer for me. I have to take 16 kids trick or treating through the school tomorrow. I have to dress them all up. Take them to about 15 different places. Get them back into regular clothes and do "fun" stuff alllllllllllllllllllllll day long. And let's count the parent volunteers. Ready. Ok, stop counting. That's all there are. ZERO. Yippee. Come over tomorrow night and we can count my gray hair!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
FIRE FIRE FIRE!!!!
Remember how God was smiling on me yesterday? How my two most "enthusiastic" students were absent? And what an easy cheesy day it was? Well, I'm sure God was smiling on me today, too. In fact, I think He might have been laughing. Hard.
One of my two "enthusiasts" returned today. Full force. Only that wasn't the part to amuse God. He came in the door yelling and slamming it as hard as a five year old could...and laughing a laugh one should only hear on Halloween. Only that wasn't the part to amuse Him either. He laid on his tummy and slid all over his table for fun. That wasn't the funny part. And it wasn't funny when he took someone else's snack and ate it. No one laughed when he scratched another little boy who found a feather outside because he was upset he didn't find one, too. And I certainly didn't so much as snicker when he knocked the game chips flying or nearly broke the game board in half. I doubt any of that gave God a good belly laugh. No. But it got better. It got...ground-breaking...write-Grandma-good...call the newspaper's because someone's picture is going to be on the cover-good. We're talking poke-me-in-the-eye, spit-on-my-neck fantastic!
We were coming in from P.E., Art, and Music, and the precious lad began to take special notice of the little red box on the wall. The one marked, "FIRE ALARM - PULL DOWN." Quite fortunately for me another teacher saw his curious little hand reaching out for it and called out to him. I went and pulled him away from it and explained the whole "we don't do that or we go to jail" idea.
About two hours later we were coming in from the playground, Mr. Enthusiastic at the end because he wasn't too enthusiastic about leaving the playground. We got inside, I turned back to make sure I had everyone and there goes Mr. Enthusiastic's hand, only this time he's actually got the handle of the "FIRE ALARM - PULL DOWN" pulled down halfway. That's when my scream shook the roof of the school. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Mr. Enthusiastic froze momentarily...................then released the handle.
And those two little savory incidents are what made God look down and not only smile but downright guffaw in my direction. And I'm okay with that. I appreciate a good sense of humor.
Tune in tomorrow for "What a Wild Fire Drill THAT Was!" aka Mr. Enthusiastic Succeeded in Setting Off the Alarm.
Guess who's going to be my BFF tomorrow and hold my hand wherEVER we go. :)
One of my two "enthusiasts" returned today. Full force. Only that wasn't the part to amuse God. He came in the door yelling and slamming it as hard as a five year old could...and laughing a laugh one should only hear on Halloween. Only that wasn't the part to amuse Him either. He laid on his tummy and slid all over his table for fun. That wasn't the funny part. And it wasn't funny when he took someone else's snack and ate it. No one laughed when he scratched another little boy who found a feather outside because he was upset he didn't find one, too. And I certainly didn't so much as snicker when he knocked the game chips flying or nearly broke the game board in half. I doubt any of that gave God a good belly laugh. No. But it got better. It got...ground-breaking...write-Grandma-good...call the newspaper's because someone's picture is going to be on the cover-good. We're talking poke-me-in-the-eye, spit-on-my-neck fantastic!
We were coming in from P.E., Art, and Music, and the precious lad began to take special notice of the little red box on the wall. The one marked, "FIRE ALARM - PULL DOWN." Quite fortunately for me another teacher saw his curious little hand reaching out for it and called out to him. I went and pulled him away from it and explained the whole "we don't do that or we go to jail" idea.
About two hours later we were coming in from the playground, Mr. Enthusiastic at the end because he wasn't too enthusiastic about leaving the playground. We got inside, I turned back to make sure I had everyone and there goes Mr. Enthusiastic's hand, only this time he's actually got the handle of the "FIRE ALARM - PULL DOWN" pulled down halfway. That's when my scream shook the roof of the school. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Mr. Enthusiastic froze momentarily...................then released the handle.
And those two little savory incidents are what made God look down and not only smile but downright guffaw in my direction. And I'm okay with that. I appreciate a good sense of humor.
Tune in tomorrow for "What a Wild Fire Drill THAT Was!" aka Mr. Enthusiastic Succeeded in Setting Off the Alarm.
Guess who's going to be my BFF tomorrow and hold my hand wherEVER we go. :)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
So....How Was Your Day???
::sigh:: Today was a good day. My two "loudest" children were not in attendance today, which made it an easy day. No raising of the voice. No battle of the wills. Just 14 kids trying their best to earn my praise. This is how kindergarten is supposed to be. :D That's not to say I don't love my two "loudest" children. They have endearing traits, too. They just exhaust me, that's all. So today was quiet. SO quiet that one little girl asked me, "Why's everyone so quiet??" I refrained from saying, "Because God is smiling on me, today." But He was. Oh yes, He WAS. Not that He doesn't smile on me every day, but I LOVE how He did it today.
So I should have had my act together. I shouldn't have been frazzled. I didn't THINK I WAS. And then I got home, messed a few minutes...like a half hour or so...on my computer. Then I wrote out my car payment, stuck it in my purse and took off. I made a stop at the post office to run the payment in (hoping it will get there in two days because for WHATEVER reason, I canNOT make myself write the thing out on the 20th...but wait until drop dead time...which is the 30th. I should work on that.) Then I hopped back in the car and headed to the salon where I used to get my nails done. (Did you catch that? "USED TO" ::sniff:: I miss pretty hands. I really do. Stupid budget.) ANYWAY, I stopped there because the lady who USED TO do my nails has the tiniest children on the planet so I take my girls' old uniforms to her, and I'd gathered another bag full and wanted to get them to her.) So I hopped out, ran the bag in. Then I headed back to the car again. I dug in my purse for my keys and couldn't find them. (Not a shocker; The Grand Canyon is more shallow.) Then I started feeling pockets for them and that's when I discovered it. Not the keys. But I felt something hard and metal. Wha??? I raised my sweat jacket a teensy bit so I could see below it and well-whaddaya-know-'bout-that? It was my belt...undone...just flapping around while I walked. That's nice. That's the look I've been going for.
So I hop in the car and fasten everything back up. ::rolling eyes:: Before I'd left home I had it in my brain that I MUST go to Arby's for a French Dip Sub. It is my current craving. For no good reason, but mmmmmmmmm, it tastes soooo good. So I pull into the drive through because there's no way I'm going in. They try to freeze you in fast food places in Florida. One MUST drive through and keep the food fast and the body warm. So I do. I pull in. I order. I start to advance to the window to pay and that's when I discovered it. No wallet. No money. Nothing. Seriously?? I mean, SERIOUSLY??? I NEVER leave my wallet out of my purse. I forget a LOT of things, but my wallet is NOT one of those things. And of course I've already placed the order so I can't be "THAT GIRL" and just floor it past the window in hopes that they don't recognize me when I come back fifteen minutes later, because YOU KNOW I'm coming back. There's the French Dip, the au jus to be thinking of. So I wait my turn, inch up to the window and before that guy can blurt out his, "That'll be $6.26," I say, "Forgot my wallet; I'll be back!" The dude cracks up. I say "TEN MINUTES!" and take off.
I went back and the guy didn't even act like he remembered me. I'm hurt. I'm more memorable than that. After all, I'm not groovy. I'm not cool. I must be pretty unique! lol
::siiiiiiiiiiiiigh:: Yeah, that was my afternoon. BOY was that French Dip good. So were the loaded potato bites...and the mozerella sticks. Ok, ok, I pigged out and my stomach feels heavier than when I was nine months pregnant with Alli. And that was three hours ago...or more..the pigging out, not the nine months pregnant scenario.
Tomorrow: NO BELT.
So I should have had my act together. I shouldn't have been frazzled. I didn't THINK I WAS. And then I got home, messed a few minutes...like a half hour or so...on my computer. Then I wrote out my car payment, stuck it in my purse and took off. I made a stop at the post office to run the payment in (hoping it will get there in two days because for WHATEVER reason, I canNOT make myself write the thing out on the 20th...but wait until drop dead time...which is the 30th. I should work on that.) Then I hopped back in the car and headed to the salon where I used to get my nails done. (Did you catch that? "USED TO" ::sniff:: I miss pretty hands. I really do. Stupid budget.) ANYWAY, I stopped there because the lady who USED TO do my nails has the tiniest children on the planet so I take my girls' old uniforms to her, and I'd gathered another bag full and wanted to get them to her.) So I hopped out, ran the bag in. Then I headed back to the car again. I dug in my purse for my keys and couldn't find them. (Not a shocker; The Grand Canyon is more shallow.) Then I started feeling pockets for them and that's when I discovered it. Not the keys. But I felt something hard and metal. Wha??? I raised my sweat jacket a teensy bit so I could see below it and well-whaddaya-know-'bout-that? It was my belt...undone...just flapping around while I walked. That's nice. That's the look I've been going for.
So I hop in the car and fasten everything back up. ::rolling eyes:: Before I'd left home I had it in my brain that I MUST go to Arby's for a French Dip Sub. It is my current craving. For no good reason, but mmmmmmmmm, it tastes soooo good. So I pull into the drive through because there's no way I'm going in. They try to freeze you in fast food places in Florida. One MUST drive through and keep the food fast and the body warm. So I do. I pull in. I order. I start to advance to the window to pay and that's when I discovered it. No wallet. No money. Nothing. Seriously?? I mean, SERIOUSLY??? I NEVER leave my wallet out of my purse. I forget a LOT of things, but my wallet is NOT one of those things. And of course I've already placed the order so I can't be "THAT GIRL" and just floor it past the window in hopes that they don't recognize me when I come back fifteen minutes later, because YOU KNOW I'm coming back. There's the French Dip, the au jus to be thinking of. So I wait my turn, inch up to the window and before that guy can blurt out his, "That'll be $6.26," I say, "Forgot my wallet; I'll be back!" The dude cracks up. I say "TEN MINUTES!" and take off.
I went back and the guy didn't even act like he remembered me. I'm hurt. I'm more memorable than that. After all, I'm not groovy. I'm not cool. I must be pretty unique! lol
::siiiiiiiiiiiiigh:: Yeah, that was my afternoon. BOY was that French Dip good. So were the loaded potato bites...and the mozerella sticks. Ok, ok, I pigged out and my stomach feels heavier than when I was nine months pregnant with Alli. And that was three hours ago...or more..the pigging out, not the nine months pregnant scenario.
Tomorrow: NO BELT.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Calling a Spade a Spade
Kids are honest, you know? I mean, brutally honest. Sure there are some who go through a phase of "creating stories" to get out of trouble, but well...their dads come along with a very large tennis shoe and smack their behind and their cured for life. Not that that ever happened to me, nooooooooooo. I've always been honest. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH DAD PUT THE SHOE DOWN!!! Ok, I went through a phase. But Dad had a big shoe and zero tolerance for "creative license." Lesson learned.
I got off track. Sorry. Kids ARE honest. They just say what comes to mind and let the chips fall where they may. They don't mean to be cruel. Ok, SOME do SOMEtimes. But most don't mean to be cruel; they just think a thought and out it comes.
I know. I've heard it from my kids and have the bruises to prove it! ;)
A yearish ago, on one particular day, a few different instances came up and I warned Alli if such and such happened then such and such would be the result. I don't remember what it was now, but they were all very logical things. Things that work consistently. I wasn't telling the future...just spoke from experience. Like..."at the end of the day, the sun will go down" sorts of things, lol. Seriously...THAT consistent and THAT logical.
As I tucked Alli in that night, she said, "Mom, you are ALWAYS right! You said ______ and you were right! And then you said _________ and you were right about that too! What NEXT???" Her voice was full of amazement.
Seeing the opportunity for what it was, I said, "Mom's groooooooovy!"
The amazement left her face and her voice and as deadpan as could be, she said, "Mom...ain't gonna happen." And then she rolled onto her back ready to sleep.
Thanks, kid.
So I'm never going to be groovy. It hurts but I'll just have to live with it. After all I've got other qualities that are good. I won't share the list with you, since humility is one of my biggies. ;)
Today, Alli sat by me while I was at the computer, on facebook, looking at Parking Wars. I was reparking my cars. (What IS it about that game? Why am I drawn to it? It's POINTLESS.) As we sat there we came across someone's VERY fancy sportscar and Alli was oooo-ing and ahhhh-ing over it. She declared it to be "cool." I agreed with her and said that I was never offered any cool cars when I was buying or earning them in the game.
The All-Knowing Alli knew why this was so. "Maybe that's because YOU'RE not cool, Mom."
"I'm not cool?"
"No, you're not cool................ No offense, Mom."
::blink.......................blink........................blink::
Wait here. I've got to go mark another one of my "good qualities" off my list. ::sniff::
I got off track. Sorry. Kids ARE honest. They just say what comes to mind and let the chips fall where they may. They don't mean to be cruel. Ok, SOME do SOMEtimes. But most don't mean to be cruel; they just think a thought and out it comes.
I know. I've heard it from my kids and have the bruises to prove it! ;)
A yearish ago, on one particular day, a few different instances came up and I warned Alli if such and such happened then such and such would be the result. I don't remember what it was now, but they were all very logical things. Things that work consistently. I wasn't telling the future...just spoke from experience. Like..."at the end of the day, the sun will go down" sorts of things, lol. Seriously...THAT consistent and THAT logical.
As I tucked Alli in that night, she said, "Mom, you are ALWAYS right! You said ______ and you were right! And then you said _________ and you were right about that too! What NEXT???" Her voice was full of amazement.
Seeing the opportunity for what it was, I said, "Mom's groooooooovy!"
The amazement left her face and her voice and as deadpan as could be, she said, "Mom...ain't gonna happen." And then she rolled onto her back ready to sleep.
Thanks, kid.
So I'm never going to be groovy. It hurts but I'll just have to live with it. After all I've got other qualities that are good. I won't share the list with you, since humility is one of my biggies. ;)
Today, Alli sat by me while I was at the computer, on facebook, looking at Parking Wars. I was reparking my cars. (What IS it about that game? Why am I drawn to it? It's POINTLESS.) As we sat there we came across someone's VERY fancy sportscar and Alli was oooo-ing and ahhhh-ing over it. She declared it to be "cool." I agreed with her and said that I was never offered any cool cars when I was buying or earning them in the game.
The All-Knowing Alli knew why this was so. "Maybe that's because YOU'RE not cool, Mom."
"I'm not cool?"
"No, you're not cool................ No offense, Mom."
::blink.......................blink........................blink::
Wait here. I've got to go mark another one of my "good qualities" off my list. ::sniff::
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A Tale of Two Cages
This is my Friday Foto Finish Fiesta. I'm just posting it a few hours early. :)
If you haven't been to the big Fiesta, you can find it on Carrie's blog every Friday.
Earlier this year, my friend Ginny went away for a few days and I went over to her house a couple times a day to feed her dogs and to let them out for a bit. While I had my back turned, getting Charlie (not pictured) into his cage, something was going on behind me.... I THOUGHT my girls were putting Chase into his cage. Well, I wasn't totally wrong.....
So now I've got one of these little cages for our house, too.
ONLY kidding. Although, they look so happy...and so confined.... :D
If you haven't been to the big Fiesta, you can find it on Carrie's blog every Friday.
Earlier this year, my friend Ginny went away for a few days and I went over to her house a couple times a day to feed her dogs and to let them out for a bit. While I had my back turned, getting Charlie (not pictured) into his cage, something was going on behind me.... I THOUGHT my girls were putting Chase into his cage. Well, I wasn't totally wrong.....
So now I've got one of these little cages for our house, too.ONLY kidding. Although, they look so happy...and so confined.... :D
A Child's Testament to Her Mother's Cleaning Prowess
Ok, usually this blog is my chance to write write write. But yesterday and today I was thinking about a story that Megan wrote last year in fourth grade. I didn't see it until the year was over and she brought home a portfolio of her writing. When I found it, I laughed myself silly. I cringed at the thought of my colleagues at school reading her story and wondering how much of it was based on reality. However, I was taking a class with two of the fourth grade teachers at the time that I found it, so I took it to class and shared it with them. (Yeah, that's me. Worry what someone may think about the writing then take it to them and show them. Illogical, but transparency makes me feel more secure.)
Anyway, I thought I'd share it here on my blog. I absolutely love it.
THE MISSING SOCKS
"OH NO!" My sister herd me say those words and ran as fast as a herd of cattle. When she got there she sputtered, "What's rong." I shouted, "All the socks are gone!" I bolted into the living room and sat on the couch that was millions of dolars. When Allison my sister came she sat down with me. We sat there for an hour or two before Allison suggested, "look in the dryer." I hurried to the dryer. bang, I opened dryer. Then I mumbled, "Nothing not even a speck of dust is hear." We ran to are mom's bedroom and yelled, "We have no socks." My mom leaped out of bed like a frog and groaned, "I have not washed socks in 11 or 10 weeks." We gasped as bad as a sparow. After a tiring long week we finaly found fresh, clean, and nonstinkey socks. My sister had 3 pares of difrent colored socks in her drawrs but not mine. The socks were green with ivory, blue with spots, and white. I grabed a pare of clean emarold green socks out of the royal blue clean basket. I yelled, "yes, victory, I found my socks." My mom screemed, "Finally you found your socks." From that day on tiered, old, but roudy mom checked our londry basket for any socks and then washed the socks.
Anyway, I thought I'd share it here on my blog. I absolutely love it.
THE MISSING SOCKS
"OH NO!" My sister herd me say those words and ran as fast as a herd of cattle. When she got there she sputtered, "What's rong." I shouted, "All the socks are gone!" I bolted into the living room and sat on the couch that was millions of dolars. When Allison my sister came she sat down with me. We sat there for an hour or two before Allison suggested, "look in the dryer." I hurried to the dryer. bang, I opened dryer. Then I mumbled, "Nothing not even a speck of dust is hear." We ran to are mom's bedroom and yelled, "We have no socks." My mom leaped out of bed like a frog and groaned, "I have not washed socks in 11 or 10 weeks." We gasped as bad as a sparow. After a tiring long week we finaly found fresh, clean, and nonstinkey socks. My sister had 3 pares of difrent colored socks in her drawrs but not mine. The socks were green with ivory, blue with spots, and white. I grabed a pare of clean emarold green socks out of the royal blue clean basket. I yelled, "yes, victory, I found my socks." My mom screemed, "Finally you found your socks." From that day on tiered, old, but roudy mom checked our londry basket for any socks and then washed the socks.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
So What's Big on YOUR Big Day?
I got an email today referring me to a site with Flashback Charts that will tell you what the top song was on any certain day in history. Well, not the BC ones or anything that extreme. It has to be since the charts were kept. :-P
So I went on over there and started looking up birthdates of folks I know. My sister, my brother, GP (you already knew that was coming), my mom, my kids. You get the idea. Sometimes I looked at the songs that were big on their birthdays in different years and they really had some good songs. Let's take a look...
My sister and brother shared songs because their birthdays are less than a week apart. They had some good ones, like Penny lane, Bridge Over Troubled Water, My Eyes Adored You, Killing Me Softly With His Song (ohhhhhhhhhhhh the number of times I've sung that to myself, lol), Lost In Your Eyes, and everyone's favorite: Gettin' Jiggy Wit It. (Bahaha, couldn't resist.)
And let's see...Mom had Kokomo, I Can See Clearly Now, You Needed Me, You Light Up My Life, I'll Be There, Islands In The Stream, Last Train to Clarksville, Love Me Tender, Jailhouse Rock, Mack the Knife, and White Christmas.
And let's look at GP's. He got some good ones, too. I Will Always Love You, How Am I Supposed To Live Without You, I Write the Songs, You're So Vain, Mandy, I Heard it Through the Gravevine, The Twist, I'm a Believer, The Sound of Silence, Go Away Little Girl, and American Pie. Of course several of them were hits on his birthday...BEFORE it was his birthday, but still...nice list.
Now take a look, if you will...at my birthday. On the day I was born, the big hit was Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Indian Reservation). On other years it was Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Hanky Panky, Hard-Headed Woman, Auf Weiderseh'n Sweetheart, and Baby Got Back. What is UP with those??? LOL, ok, there were a few songs that saved it. Teddy Bear, Rock Around the Clock, (They Long To Be) Close to You, The One That You Love, Eye of the Tiger (Woo!!, lol), and Lean on Me. But the song that REALLY saved it?? Annie's Song. ::siiiiiiigh::
Well, I suppose it's not a real insightful blog...not a lot of deep thought, but I love love love music, so I decided it would be blog fodder tonight. :) If you haven't looked before, take a look. What was big on your big day?
So I went on over there and started looking up birthdates of folks I know. My sister, my brother, GP (you already knew that was coming), my mom, my kids. You get the idea. Sometimes I looked at the songs that were big on their birthdays in different years and they really had some good songs. Let's take a look...
My sister and brother shared songs because their birthdays are less than a week apart. They had some good ones, like Penny lane, Bridge Over Troubled Water, My Eyes Adored You, Killing Me Softly With His Song (ohhhhhhhhhhhh the number of times I've sung that to myself, lol), Lost In Your Eyes, and everyone's favorite: Gettin' Jiggy Wit It. (Bahaha, couldn't resist.)
And let's see...Mom had Kokomo, I Can See Clearly Now, You Needed Me, You Light Up My Life, I'll Be There, Islands In The Stream, Last Train to Clarksville, Love Me Tender, Jailhouse Rock, Mack the Knife, and White Christmas.
And let's look at GP's. He got some good ones, too. I Will Always Love You, How Am I Supposed To Live Without You, I Write the Songs, You're So Vain, Mandy, I Heard it Through the Gravevine, The Twist, I'm a Believer, The Sound of Silence, Go Away Little Girl, and American Pie. Of course several of them were hits on his birthday...BEFORE it was his birthday, but still...nice list.
Now take a look, if you will...at my birthday. On the day I was born, the big hit was Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Indian Reservation). On other years it was Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Hanky Panky, Hard-Headed Woman, Auf Weiderseh'n Sweetheart, and Baby Got Back. What is UP with those??? LOL, ok, there were a few songs that saved it. Teddy Bear, Rock Around the Clock, (They Long To Be) Close to You, The One That You Love, Eye of the Tiger (Woo!!, lol), and Lean on Me. But the song that REALLY saved it?? Annie's Song. ::siiiiiiigh::
Well, I suppose it's not a real insightful blog...not a lot of deep thought, but I love love love music, so I decided it would be blog fodder tonight. :) If you haven't looked before, take a look. What was big on your big day?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Kids Can Be So Cruel!
Ok, folks, I know you didn't ask for it, but tonight you're getting a double dose. The thoughts come and I have to put them SOMEwhere, lol. So I'll put them here where only the bravest souls come.
Kids can be so cruel. I know. I work with them allllllll day long. You know. You've been one or you know some. It's just plain and simple. Kids can be cruel. Of course, largely that's because kids are so egocentric by nature. It's hard for them to see beyond "me." But I don't care about that tonight. This isn't a philosophical blog-fest. Tonight is story time.
So come on in and get comfy. Bring a cup of your favorite. I'll make mine Butterfinger Hot Cocoa. Rich, buttery, chocolatey, and smoooooooooooth. If only it weren't so hot.
Anyway, come on in. Let's share childhood traumas. I'll start.
Tonight, I was reminded of a childhood "trauma." I won't take you down the rabbit trail that reminded me of it, but will cut back to somewhere around 1980. Old enough to care, but young enough and small enough to not do a darn thing about it.
My family and I lived on a farm. You remember if you read those childhood diary entries. (I need to go through some more and see if there's any that would be worth the keystrokes, lol.) We lived on a farm that was, I think, eight miles out of town. And so, we were doomed to ride the schoolbus. Kids, for some reason, WANT to ride on a school bus. My own do. My kindies that don't get to ride the bus talk about it. I don't get it, but they want to. Obviously they haven't had my experiences.
There was a boy who rode our school bus. His name was Ricky. Ricky always earned a "place of honor" on the first day of every school year. It was the front row seat to the right of the driver. Right where he could be kept in check. That right there tells you something.
I must say that as kids, we all usually thought Ricky was a hoot. Even us rule followers did. Because frankly he was just plain funny. So outrageously "bad" that it was hilarious. We had a bus driver that my brother and I called Bat-Max. He was not our favorite human but an authority to be endured. We had to write a few too many "lines" for him. "I talk too much and make too much noise." Front and back, every line, 2 pages. Sheesh. I have better things to do than that, Bat-Max.
One boy would write a bunch of Max's standard lines (like "I talk too much and make too much noise.") over the summer and he'd stash them in his wallet. Then when Max told him he had to write them, he'd whip them out of his wallet and hand them over. That......well.........angered Max. lol
Anyway, Bat-Max is one of the reasons that the rest of us adored Ricky. Ricky lived to be the bane of Bat-Max's existence. Ricky would get off the bus and we'd drive on down the road, then turn around and have to drive back past Ricky's house. That was a mistake. Why the driver didn't wait and drop him off on his way past the second time, I'll never know. But Max would drop Ricky off, go down the road, turn around, and come back. During those few minutes, Ricky wasted no time. He did things like go and get his bow and arrow and wait in hiding for Max to drive by and he'd see if he could shoot through the driver's window. (If I recall they were just the suction cup arrows, but they ticked Max off.) Or he'd go find his football and the tee. Stand back in hiding and try to time it out just right to punt that ball into the drivers' side window. A startling effect. Max fumed. We laughed hysterically....at least inwardly. We feared "lines."
But really, Ricky was a bit of a pest. If he finds this blog and reads it, I think he'd be the first to admit it...unless he's suffered serious amnesia.
And this pestiness leads to my little story of trauma.
Now I know you'll find it hard to believe but I was a very scrawny young girl. Imagine that. Skin and bones. I got more "the wind could blow you away" lines than you could imagine. And I wasn't really tall either. Almost ALWAYS on the front row of the class picture. It was life, though. For the most part I didn't care. That said, like many kids I was pretty self-conscious.
Well somewhere around 1980, Ricky got it in his head that I was the new victim. No arrows shot at me. No footballs punted at me. No. He pulled out all the stops. .................................................................... He called me names!
Not Skinny. Not Bones. Not ... not ... Bitty Pants. (No, we can thank my relatives for that one, though.) No, Ricky was too creative for that. No simple name calling would do for Ricky.
One day I got on the bus, completely unexpectant of Ricky abuse. But it was my day. My turn. Ricky was looking for new prey and he found it. His name for me? Ig of I, The Wicked Cambodian.
Lovely name, isn't it? I know you're all terribly jealous. Talk about taking a person by surprise. It took me a while to even process the name. But it wouldn't be all that bad if he stopped with naming me "Ig of I, The Wicked Cambodian." Oh well. Who cares, right?
No no. Name calling was not enough. Every day when I got on the bus, if Ricky was paying attention, he would let out this horrendous shriek of "Ig-uh-ig-uh-iiiiiiiiiiiii!"(all pronounced with short i, like you hear in "inch.") He somehow thought that was my battle cry or something. It was the sound, according to Ricky, that the Wicked Cambodian made.
Now that would really be enough, wouldn't it? But it didn't stop there. Ok, it did for Ricky, but it didn't for me. No sir. We could leave that gem in the past, if it were left to Ricky. But it wasn't.
My sweet, protective, big sister decided she liked the name "Iggie." Pardon me. Make that "Ig of I," again with the short i. (Like it matters.) And she didn't just call me that for a while. To this day she calls me "Ig." I've quit fighting it. She taught her four children to call me "Aunt Ig." lol I call her house. They answer the phone and yell, "MOM! It's IG!" I roll my eyes and give her grief when she gets to the phone. She even went so far a few years ago to demand that I open an email account with "Ig_of_I" in the address, because she insisted it was the only place she'd write me.
Yeah, sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will drive you nuts!!
So...go ahead...unload your childhood traumas. I'm listening.
P.S. - I totally don't care about "Ig" anymore. It's just her name for me. And she doesn't shriek it like a battle cry, so it's easier on the ears. :D
Kids can be so cruel. I know. I work with them allllllll day long. You know. You've been one or you know some. It's just plain and simple. Kids can be cruel. Of course, largely that's because kids are so egocentric by nature. It's hard for them to see beyond "me." But I don't care about that tonight. This isn't a philosophical blog-fest. Tonight is story time.
So come on in and get comfy. Bring a cup of your favorite. I'll make mine Butterfinger Hot Cocoa. Rich, buttery, chocolatey, and smoooooooooooth. If only it weren't so hot.
Anyway, come on in. Let's share childhood traumas. I'll start.
Tonight, I was reminded of a childhood "trauma." I won't take you down the rabbit trail that reminded me of it, but will cut back to somewhere around 1980. Old enough to care, but young enough and small enough to not do a darn thing about it.
My family and I lived on a farm. You remember if you read those childhood diary entries. (I need to go through some more and see if there's any that would be worth the keystrokes, lol.) We lived on a farm that was, I think, eight miles out of town. And so, we were doomed to ride the schoolbus. Kids, for some reason, WANT to ride on a school bus. My own do. My kindies that don't get to ride the bus talk about it. I don't get it, but they want to. Obviously they haven't had my experiences.
There was a boy who rode our school bus. His name was Ricky. Ricky always earned a "place of honor" on the first day of every school year. It was the front row seat to the right of the driver. Right where he could be kept in check. That right there tells you something.
I must say that as kids, we all usually thought Ricky was a hoot. Even us rule followers did. Because frankly he was just plain funny. So outrageously "bad" that it was hilarious. We had a bus driver that my brother and I called Bat-Max. He was not our favorite human but an authority to be endured. We had to write a few too many "lines" for him. "I talk too much and make too much noise." Front and back, every line, 2 pages. Sheesh. I have better things to do than that, Bat-Max.
One boy would write a bunch of Max's standard lines (like "I talk too much and make too much noise.") over the summer and he'd stash them in his wallet. Then when Max told him he had to write them, he'd whip them out of his wallet and hand them over. That......well.........angered Max. lol
Anyway, Bat-Max is one of the reasons that the rest of us adored Ricky. Ricky lived to be the bane of Bat-Max's existence. Ricky would get off the bus and we'd drive on down the road, then turn around and have to drive back past Ricky's house. That was a mistake. Why the driver didn't wait and drop him off on his way past the second time, I'll never know. But Max would drop Ricky off, go down the road, turn around, and come back. During those few minutes, Ricky wasted no time. He did things like go and get his bow and arrow and wait in hiding for Max to drive by and he'd see if he could shoot through the driver's window. (If I recall they were just the suction cup arrows, but they ticked Max off.) Or he'd go find his football and the tee. Stand back in hiding and try to time it out just right to punt that ball into the drivers' side window. A startling effect. Max fumed. We laughed hysterically....at least inwardly. We feared "lines."
But really, Ricky was a bit of a pest. If he finds this blog and reads it, I think he'd be the first to admit it...unless he's suffered serious amnesia.
And this pestiness leads to my little story of trauma.
Now I know you'll find it hard to believe but I was a very scrawny young girl. Imagine that. Skin and bones. I got more "the wind could blow you away" lines than you could imagine. And I wasn't really tall either. Almost ALWAYS on the front row of the class picture. It was life, though. For the most part I didn't care. That said, like many kids I was pretty self-conscious.
Well somewhere around 1980, Ricky got it in his head that I was the new victim. No arrows shot at me. No footballs punted at me. No. He pulled out all the stops. .................................................................... He called me names!
Not Skinny. Not Bones. Not ... not ... Bitty Pants. (No, we can thank my relatives for that one, though.) No, Ricky was too creative for that. No simple name calling would do for Ricky.
One day I got on the bus, completely unexpectant of Ricky abuse. But it was my day. My turn. Ricky was looking for new prey and he found it. His name for me? Ig of I, The Wicked Cambodian.
Lovely name, isn't it? I know you're all terribly jealous. Talk about taking a person by surprise. It took me a while to even process the name. But it wouldn't be all that bad if he stopped with naming me "Ig of I, The Wicked Cambodian." Oh well. Who cares, right?
No no. Name calling was not enough. Every day when I got on the bus, if Ricky was paying attention, he would let out this horrendous shriek of "Ig-uh-ig-uh-iiiiiiiiiiiii!"(all pronounced with short i, like you hear in "inch.") He somehow thought that was my battle cry or something. It was the sound, according to Ricky, that the Wicked Cambodian made.
Now that would really be enough, wouldn't it? But it didn't stop there. Ok, it did for Ricky, but it didn't for me. No sir. We could leave that gem in the past, if it were left to Ricky. But it wasn't.
My sweet, protective, big sister decided she liked the name "Iggie." Pardon me. Make that "Ig of I," again with the short i. (Like it matters.) And she didn't just call me that for a while. To this day she calls me "Ig." I've quit fighting it. She taught her four children to call me "Aunt Ig." lol I call her house. They answer the phone and yell, "MOM! It's IG!" I roll my eyes and give her grief when she gets to the phone. She even went so far a few years ago to demand that I open an email account with "Ig_of_I" in the address, because she insisted it was the only place she'd write me.
Yeah, sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will drive you nuts!!
So...go ahead...unload your childhood traumas. I'm listening.
P.S. - I totally don't care about "Ig" anymore. It's just her name for me. And she doesn't shriek it like a battle cry, so it's easier on the ears. :D
Indiana Greg!
I'm sitting outside with the laptop, enjoying what Florida thinks is Autumn. My girls are laying on grass mats doing their homework.
And a moment ago, my child cracked me up and I decided it's time to blog.
Background: I like Indiana Jones. It's not like "I like GP," or "I like Mamma Mia." I don't even own the movies. Maybe someday, though. But I think they're good movies and well, Harrison is just well...you know...Harrison. (No Kristen I'm not referring to certain men who THINK they're Harrison. I'm talking about the real McCoy.)
So, liking Indiana Jones and all, I went to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull when it was in the theater. I loved it. It was fun. I laughed. And I laughed out loud. Like LITERAL LOL. My friend Ginny decided that I was the only one laughing in the theater, but that's okay. I was the only one singing at the Mamma Mia Sing-Along, so???
Now anytime my girls see Indiana Jones, they say, "Hey Mom, HERE's something you'll like." Even the Papa John Pizza ad. Great, thanks, girls. Mmhmm. Ok. And on goes life.
So we're sitting out in this pseudo-autumn and Megan says, "Hey Mom! Do you want the whip?" (I can't remember exactly what she said to clue me in to the fact that she was talking about Indiana Jones now, but she was.) "Do you want the whip? It's out in theaters now." (She meant to say "stores".)
I said I didn't.
She said, "How about an action figure?" Again, referring to IJ.
I said I didn't want that either.
So she told me they used GP as Indiana one time. (She always plays the GP card when she tries to make a sale.)
I just laughed.
So she said, "Hey! He HAS a hairy chest!" (I believe referring to both men in question.)
I laughed good and hard. What is it with these girls and "hairy chests." They think the whole concept is the highest form of comedy out there.
If they bring home a hairy boyfriend, they are sooooooooooo getting teased. If not I'm recommending testosterone therapy, but well...we'll deal with that later.
And a moment ago, my child cracked me up and I decided it's time to blog.
Background: I like Indiana Jones. It's not like "I like GP," or "I like Mamma Mia." I don't even own the movies. Maybe someday, though. But I think they're good movies and well, Harrison is just well...you know...Harrison. (No Kristen I'm not referring to certain men who THINK they're Harrison. I'm talking about the real McCoy.)
So, liking Indiana Jones and all, I went to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull when it was in the theater. I loved it. It was fun. I laughed. And I laughed out loud. Like LITERAL LOL. My friend Ginny decided that I was the only one laughing in the theater, but that's okay. I was the only one singing at the Mamma Mia Sing-Along, so???
Now anytime my girls see Indiana Jones, they say, "Hey Mom, HERE's something you'll like." Even the Papa John Pizza ad. Great, thanks, girls. Mmhmm. Ok. And on goes life.
So we're sitting out in this pseudo-autumn and Megan says, "Hey Mom! Do you want the whip?" (I can't remember exactly what she said to clue me in to the fact that she was talking about Indiana Jones now, but she was.) "Do you want the whip? It's out in theaters now." (She meant to say "stores".)
I said I didn't.
She said, "How about an action figure?" Again, referring to IJ.
I said I didn't want that either.
So she told me they used GP as Indiana one time. (She always plays the GP card when she tries to make a sale.)
I just laughed.
So she said, "Hey! He HAS a hairy chest!" (I believe referring to both men in question.)
I laughed good and hard. What is it with these girls and "hairy chests." They think the whole concept is the highest form of comedy out there.
If they bring home a hairy boyfriend, they are sooooooooooo getting teased. If not I'm recommending testosterone therapy, but well...we'll deal with that later.
Monday, October 20, 2008
I Don't Want to Go to School, I Don't Want to Go to School!
You'll have to excuse the mood...again. Man, you guys must think my moods swing as much as...well...something that swings a lot. If a man lived with me, he'd go bonkers. Of course I think that's part of the deal...my estrogen is free to ebb and flow all over the place so I can let the emotions go where they will. Lots of time to myself. Too much thinking time, maybe???
Anyway...to the subject, "I Don't Want To Go To School!" These weren't my words, although I don't feel a whole lot differently, ha ha. These are my baby girl's words. My Alli. My little one who finds school so easy and just goes with the flow...apart from some issues last year where she didn't want to be away from me at all. But we got through that and she'd been doing so well this year. Now the past several days, she hasn't wanted to go too badly. I usually hear about it when I tuck her in at night. Tonight's when she issued the proclamation, "I don't want to go to school!" repeatedly. And her reason?? "I miss Odyssey. School's not school without her."
Odyssey. Alli's best friend. The only place she ever saw the child was at school. Then one day last week, Alli came rushing into my classroom, sobbing. She ran into my arms and said, "Odyssey's going to a different school!" Alli didn't even get to say goodbye. Odyssey's last day had been the day before and no one had known.
Just like that. No warning. Nothing. Just here one day and gone the next and my little girl is heartbroken. Alli's fairly outgoing and can make friends pretty easily, but she and Odyssey had grown to be good friends throughout last year and the beginning of this year and now she's gone and Alli's so sad. And what do you do? ::sigh::
I can relate though. It's not the same, but I get that sad feeling sometimes too...where I miss someone so badly and there's nothing I can do about it. I feel that way tonight...and have for a few weeks. Just missing a friend and unable to do diddlysquat about it.
I was feeling a bit stir-crazy about it all afternoon and this evening. I should have found something else to occupy my thoughts. I was heavy hearted. I was craving some sort of food, but couldn't put my finger on it. Craving affection (other than tiny-kid affection, although that's precious too), but whaddayado about that either? The only adult I saw was my ex and ... not to be rude or anything but I'd rather run needles under my fingernails than hug him. Ya know...break my heart and you'll never touch me again syndrome. Between emotional and physical craving I was feeling a bit lulu. Maybe I still am. Ok, I am.
But back to Alli and Odyssey. The whole situation really kind of frustrated me. Why on earth does a parent send their child to school without telling them it's their last day and giving them a chance to say goodbye to friends? It's not fair to the child and it's not fair to their friends to at least say goodbye...exchange addresses or phone numbers, maybe? It just stinks.
So I guess I just pray for Alli. When you're seven, new friends can come fairly quickly, right? And maybe we can still get in contact with Odyssey. A play date would be good for them both.
...and now I'm going to just quit writing. I've tried to wrap this up a few different ways and keep deleting, so I'm just going to stop. :) Back tomorrow with something a bit more "up."...like a long lost photo of an MC or something, ha.
Anyway...to the subject, "I Don't Want To Go To School!" These weren't my words, although I don't feel a whole lot differently, ha ha. These are my baby girl's words. My Alli. My little one who finds school so easy and just goes with the flow...apart from some issues last year where she didn't want to be away from me at all. But we got through that and she'd been doing so well this year. Now the past several days, she hasn't wanted to go too badly. I usually hear about it when I tuck her in at night. Tonight's when she issued the proclamation, "I don't want to go to school!" repeatedly. And her reason?? "I miss Odyssey. School's not school without her."
Odyssey. Alli's best friend. The only place she ever saw the child was at school. Then one day last week, Alli came rushing into my classroom, sobbing. She ran into my arms and said, "Odyssey's going to a different school!" Alli didn't even get to say goodbye. Odyssey's last day had been the day before and no one had known.
Just like that. No warning. Nothing. Just here one day and gone the next and my little girl is heartbroken. Alli's fairly outgoing and can make friends pretty easily, but she and Odyssey had grown to be good friends throughout last year and the beginning of this year and now she's gone and Alli's so sad. And what do you do? ::sigh::
I can relate though. It's not the same, but I get that sad feeling sometimes too...where I miss someone so badly and there's nothing I can do about it. I feel that way tonight...and have for a few weeks. Just missing a friend and unable to do diddlysquat about it.
I was feeling a bit stir-crazy about it all afternoon and this evening. I should have found something else to occupy my thoughts. I was heavy hearted. I was craving some sort of food, but couldn't put my finger on it. Craving affection (other than tiny-kid affection, although that's precious too), but whaddayado about that either? The only adult I saw was my ex and ... not to be rude or anything but I'd rather run needles under my fingernails than hug him. Ya know...break my heart and you'll never touch me again syndrome. Between emotional and physical craving I was feeling a bit lulu. Maybe I still am. Ok, I am.
But back to Alli and Odyssey. The whole situation really kind of frustrated me. Why on earth does a parent send their child to school without telling them it's their last day and giving them a chance to say goodbye to friends? It's not fair to the child and it's not fair to their friends to at least say goodbye...exchange addresses or phone numbers, maybe? It just stinks.
So I guess I just pray for Alli. When you're seven, new friends can come fairly quickly, right? And maybe we can still get in contact with Odyssey. A play date would be good for them both.
...and now I'm going to just quit writing. I've tried to wrap this up a few different ways and keep deleting, so I'm just going to stop. :) Back tomorrow with something a bit more "up."...like a long lost photo of an MC or something, ha.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Come Again??? as opposed to Come Again!!
Ok, so I said I'd be back with some serious business...way bigger than Mamma Mia. I said it two days ago, so I'm a little slow getting back, but I'm here now. And frankly I wasn't in the mood to share my "steamed up" opinion, because, well, I was moody. And I don't want this steam to be tooooooooooooooooo serious. I know...makes no sense. So what's new about that?
Months ago, Greg the Great and Magnificent Magician of Yore, MC'd the Australian Inland Tourism Awards. (I might have left a word out somewhere in that title, because it was quite long, but anyway...). After the awards were over I started watching their website, waiting for photos of the event to be posted. There was a little blurb on their site saying to "watch this space" because photos were coming soon. So I watched that space. Weeks passed and I was beginning to wonder about their definition of soon, so I ever-so-politely wrote to inquire about the posting of these photos. I explained that I'm a huge fan of Greg who MC'd their event. I received a very kind reply from a lady saying that she was just waiting for the photos to come from the photographer. I figured that was the last I'd hear from her. She'd answered my question and that was that. So I thanked her and continued to watch the space.
More weeks passed. And some more. And some more. I kept watching that space. And that space wasn't changing.
Then this past Thursday, I received another email from the same lady. Now before I really go into all this, let me first clarify that I thought it was EXTREMELY gracious of the lady to send me another email. She'd already answered my inquiry and was under no obligation to tell me anything more. She was incredibly nice. (And I must say that any Aussies I've written businessy inquiries to have been extremely gracious, too. I've had some go way out of their way...on real goose chases...just to satisfy an inquiry I've had...that was for NO profit for them. They were just being extremely kind.)
But the message the lady had to convey...it sent me reeling. Are you ready for this? ::deeeep breath:: I'm not. No wait, I am. No, I'm not. Yes, I am. Ok, I'm not but I'll do it anyway.
I CAN do this, painful as it may be. She said that she had been waiting for photos from one more board member and that "regretfully" there were...... I can't say it.
Cover your eyes.
Grab some tissues.
She said there were none of Greg. ::sob:: NONE!! Of GREG!!! NONE OF GREG????!!!
Dee, honey, look away. CRUEL, CRUEL, AUSTRALIANS!! How can you be in the same room as Greg Page, have a camera, and NOT take his picture??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU FOLKS???? He was the M.C., for crying out loud! How can he NOT be in the photos?? HOW CAN YOU NOT TAKE PHOTOS OF GREG???!!
It's like having the Hope Diamond and never looking at it.
It's like having chocolate and not even tasting it!!!
It's like...It's like seeing Greg and not taking his photo!!! (Incredibly similar, that one.)
It's...it's....well...It's wrong, that's what it is. I demand a re-do. I beg. I weep. Pleeeeeeeeeeease. Get out your cameras and try again. I mean, shoot! he did an impromptu Wiggly song at the request of the audience and NO ONE TOOK A PHOTO????
I shall never get over this one. I recommend a load of psychiatrists visit your island/continent/country and begin some intense psychotherapy. This can't continue.
Wait. I volunteer to be one of those psychiatrists. Never mind I have no degree. I'm up for this.
And I'm bringing my camera!
Months ago, Greg the Great and Magnificent Magician of Yore, MC'd the Australian Inland Tourism Awards. (I might have left a word out somewhere in that title, because it was quite long, but anyway...). After the awards were over I started watching their website, waiting for photos of the event to be posted. There was a little blurb on their site saying to "watch this space" because photos were coming soon. So I watched that space. Weeks passed and I was beginning to wonder about their definition of soon, so I ever-so-politely wrote to inquire about the posting of these photos. I explained that I'm a huge fan of Greg who MC'd their event. I received a very kind reply from a lady saying that she was just waiting for the photos to come from the photographer. I figured that was the last I'd hear from her. She'd answered my question and that was that. So I thanked her and continued to watch the space.
More weeks passed. And some more. And some more. I kept watching that space. And that space wasn't changing.
Then this past Thursday, I received another email from the same lady. Now before I really go into all this, let me first clarify that I thought it was EXTREMELY gracious of the lady to send me another email. She'd already answered my inquiry and was under no obligation to tell me anything more. She was incredibly nice. (And I must say that any Aussies I've written businessy inquiries to have been extremely gracious, too. I've had some go way out of their way...on real goose chases...just to satisfy an inquiry I've had...that was for NO profit for them. They were just being extremely kind.)
But the message the lady had to convey...it sent me reeling. Are you ready for this? ::deeeep breath:: I'm not. No wait, I am. No, I'm not. Yes, I am. Ok, I'm not but I'll do it anyway.
I CAN do this, painful as it may be. She said that she had been waiting for photos from one more board member and that "regretfully" there were...... I can't say it.
Cover your eyes.
Grab some tissues.
She said there were none of Greg. ::sob:: NONE!! Of GREG!!! NONE OF GREG????!!!
Dee, honey, look away. CRUEL, CRUEL, AUSTRALIANS!! How can you be in the same room as Greg Page, have a camera, and NOT take his picture??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU FOLKS???? He was the M.C., for crying out loud! How can he NOT be in the photos?? HOW CAN YOU NOT TAKE PHOTOS OF GREG???!!
It's like having the Hope Diamond and never looking at it.
It's like having chocolate and not even tasting it!!!
It's like...It's like seeing Greg and not taking his photo!!! (Incredibly similar, that one.)
It's...it's....well...It's wrong, that's what it is. I demand a re-do. I beg. I weep. Pleeeeeeeeeeease. Get out your cameras and try again. I mean, shoot! he did an impromptu Wiggly song at the request of the audience and NO ONE TOOK A PHOTO????
I shall never get over this one. I recommend a load of psychiatrists visit your island/continent/country and begin some intense psychotherapy. This can't continue.
Wait. I volunteer to be one of those psychiatrists. Never mind I have no degree. I'm up for this.
And I'm bringing my camera!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
A Note and 4 Things
Ok, before I get to 4 Things, I will be back this evening with some serious business. I'm talking serious. Way bigger than Mamma Mia, people. I mean...if you thought I was all rialed (sp?) up about that, y'ain't heard nuthin yet! Ok, I'll save my steam for that blog. (Gotta get the kids tucked in and watch a bit o' Grey's first. But this is way more important. It needs my undivided attention.)
Dee blogged about "4 Things" and I thought it was a cool idea, so I jumped on the 4 Things survey and am giving my answers here...and now.
Four Places I Go Over and Over:
1. Greg's website - Shocked?
2. School - Where else can I earn a living and lose my sanity all at the same time?
3. Wal-Mart - Got to feed and clothe the family.
4. Church - Got to feed the soul, too.
Four People Who E-Mail Me Regularly:
1. My Momma
2. Max Lucado - Ok, actually that's one that I signed up for and get automatically, but it's my favorite non-personal email.
3. Myself - I'm using my email until I get that memory-replacing surgery.
4. Hmmmmmm.....wish I could say I was more loved, but that's the regulars...although I get the occasional from Kristen and the occasional from Sunshine (but she keeps in touch here and on facebook, so really she counts, too!)
Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:
1. Sydney
2. At a Greg Page concert
3. At an original Wiggles concert
4. At a Greg's-Playing-Cricket Cricket Match/Game thingie
Four TV Shows I Watch:
1. The Bonnie Hunt Show
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Private Practice
4. Friends
Four Things I Have for Breakfast:
1. Nausea
2. Bagels with cream cheese and butter
3. Carnation Instant Breakfast, chocolate please
4. The occasional sausage in a pancake blankie on a stick. (Wow that doesn't sound good.)
Four Animals I Like Best:
1. Dogs - have a mix we rescued - waiting and "saving" for a teacup Yorkie.
2. Polar Bears - don't have one and not saving for one.
3. Baby Seals
4. Men - I don't mean that in a racey way (or am not admitting it, ha ha...no really I don't mean it that way)...but face it...men are a step closer to the animal world than we lovelies are. lol
Four Beaches I've Been to:
1. Bowman's Beach on Sanibel Island (Florida)
2. Fort Myers Beach
3. The beach at Stockton Lake in Missouri. (Hey we counted it back then...and I liked it better than the ocean.)
4. Some nameless beach in Maryland where my family and I (I was in 4th grade, 8 years old)...we snuck in to someone's private beach because we all wanted to see the ocean and touch it and wade in the edge of it and we couldn't find a stinkin' public place. So we tiptoed past that "Keep Out" sign and well....... (This comment will spontaneously combust in five seconds...)
Four People I'm Tagging to Do The Four Things:
Greg...but he just won't know he's tagged so don't like...keep looking for his post.
Sunshine...unless she did it when I wasn't paying enough attention...which sometimes happens.
Mummy...unless she did it too...
Anyone else who happens upon this blog and wants to...
Dee blogged about "4 Things" and I thought it was a cool idea, so I jumped on the 4 Things survey and am giving my answers here...and now.
Four Places I Go Over and Over:
1. Greg's website - Shocked?
2. School - Where else can I earn a living and lose my sanity all at the same time?
3. Wal-Mart - Got to feed and clothe the family.
4. Church - Got to feed the soul, too.
Four People Who E-Mail Me Regularly:
1. My Momma
2. Max Lucado - Ok, actually that's one that I signed up for and get automatically, but it's my favorite non-personal email.
3. Myself - I'm using my email until I get that memory-replacing surgery.
4. Hmmmmmm.....wish I could say I was more loved, but that's the regulars...although I get the occasional from Kristen and the occasional from Sunshine (but she keeps in touch here and on facebook, so really she counts, too!)
Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:
1. Sydney
2. At a Greg Page concert
3. At an original Wiggles concert
4. At a Greg's-Playing-Cricket Cricket Match/Game thingie
Four TV Shows I Watch:
1. The Bonnie Hunt Show
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Private Practice
4. Friends
Four Things I Have for Breakfast:
1. Nausea
2. Bagels with cream cheese and butter
3. Carnation Instant Breakfast, chocolate please
4. The occasional sausage in a pancake blankie on a stick. (Wow that doesn't sound good.)
Four Animals I Like Best:
1. Dogs - have a mix we rescued - waiting and "saving" for a teacup Yorkie.
2. Polar Bears - don't have one and not saving for one.
3. Baby Seals
4. Men - I don't mean that in a racey way (or am not admitting it, ha ha...no really I don't mean it that way)...but face it...men are a step closer to the animal world than we lovelies are. lol
Four Beaches I've Been to:
1. Bowman's Beach on Sanibel Island (Florida)
2. Fort Myers Beach
3. The beach at Stockton Lake in Missouri. (Hey we counted it back then...and I liked it better than the ocean.)
4. Some nameless beach in Maryland where my family and I (I was in 4th grade, 8 years old)...we snuck in to someone's private beach because we all wanted to see the ocean and touch it and wade in the edge of it and we couldn't find a stinkin' public place. So we tiptoed past that "Keep Out" sign and well....... (This comment will spontaneously combust in five seconds...)
Four People I'm Tagging to Do The Four Things:
Greg...but he just won't know he's tagged so don't like...keep looking for his post.
Sunshine...unless she did it when I wasn't paying enough attention...which sometimes happens.
Mummy...unless she did it too...
Anyone else who happens upon this blog and wants to...
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Unreal
Seriously. This is unreal. Like NOT real. Not like WOW, unbelievable. Just not real...un-real.
I'm just trying to figure out the hyperlink. Let's take a test spin.
Manly Lips
Please work.
I'm just trying to figure out the hyperlink. Let's take a test spin.
Manly Lips
Please work.
Oooo a Bloggie Awardie That Doesn't Require Censoring! YESS!!
My gal-pal girlie friend who helped me take the plunge into this lovely addictive world of blogging, Sunshine, has passed along a lovely bloggie awardie thingie to me. I am flattered, Sunshine, and thrilled that it doesn't require censoring, lol. You can find her wonderful blog at http://sowhatwasisaying.blogspot.com/ (I'm sorry but I still haven't figured out how to put a link with different words in here, so you'll all just have to live with the url's instead....unless someone takes pity on me and tells me how to do it. ::batting eyelashes::)
Apparently the way this thingie works is that I get to answer these questions with one word answers.
And uh-1, and uh-2, and uh-1-2-3!
1. Where is your cell phone? here
2. Where is your significant other? Australia??? lol
3. Your hair color? Black
4. Your mother? Freda
5. Your father? Heaven
6. Your favorite thing? Love
7. Your dream last night? vomit
8. Your dream/goal? published
9. The room you're in? messy
10. Your hobby? reading
11. Your fear? loss
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Somewhere
13. Where were you last night? mall
14. What you're not? tidy
15. One of your wish-list items? babies
16. Where you grew up? Missouri
17. The last thing you did? lunch
18. What are you wearing? jewelry
19. Your TV? Jetsons
20. Your pets? Outside
21. Your computer? working
22. Your mood? Mellow
23. Missing someone? yes
24. Your car? silver
25. Something you're not wearing? Speedo
26. Favorite store? Target (Hey! It worked for Sunshine, lol.)
27. Your summer? vacation
28. Love someone? absolutely
29. Your favorite color? yellow
30. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
31. Last time you cried? Sunday
And now I get to pass on the bloggie award to 5 others I personally love. And ladies, sorry, but you're getting the award back because I love your blogs.
Here are the winners and their url's:
1) So, what was I saying? http://sowhatwasisaying.blogspot.com/
2) A Mummy's Meanderings http://mummysmeanderings.blogspot.com/
3) My Aussie Antics http://myaussieantics.blogspot.com/
4) Candid Carrie http://carriestuckmann.blogspot.com/
5) GP http://www.gregpage.com/ Ok, so his isn't a blog. You knew it would come up somewhere.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Fight Insomnia with The Hill Diaries, Part 3
Ok, now for the next diary. I'm now 13. I'm sorry, but I tried to tell you I wasn't a very interesting kid. :)
Boring fact: this diary is all written in hot pink pen.
Saturday, Feb. 18, 1984
Today my family and I came to Grandma's. When we got here Aunt Laura and Chrissy, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Greg, Grams and Gramps, and of course Kim and Lora were here. We ate lunch after we opened presents that we got from Kim & Lora (my stepsisters). A little later we left (Kim, Lora, Angie and I) and went cruising. Aunt Laura left for St. Louis for a visit. I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest of my visit at Gram's.
Sun., Feb. 19, 1984
Today I'm still at Grandma's. I got woken up at I think 7:00am and ate eggs and bacon. We didn't go to Sunday School so we didn't leave for church till 20 till 11. I got dressed twice. We visited the Nazarene Church in Lebanan. (That's the town in Missouri, not the country.) It was voting Sunday there. Dad and Mom, Angie, Kim, Lora, Cliff and I, Uncle Greg and Aunt Kathy went. We got home and ate and it was way past noon when I discovered I had left Gram's Bible there (at church). At 8:00pm Dad took me to the church to get it but the church was shut up.
Mon., Feb., 20, 1984
I called to get Gram's Bible back.
Today we came home from Grandma's. The hills we went over were bad on us all (but Dad). I've got something on my mind right now. My mom went to the hospital for a D and C. It's just a minor thing but I'm still worried. I have to practice my pantomime. It's called the bashful flower. David Compton is the farmer. I don't like David, (sorry David) but I guess that's the breaks. Well, I guess I'll just relax and watch Superman II.
Tues., Feb. 21, 1984
Today I got up, got cleaned up and ready for school. Dad took us to school. I had a good day. It wasn't bad. I still haven't memorized my pantomime! I wish I could get it down pat. In my 3rd hour class (Band) I challenged Andrea Obert. I don't know what the results will be. I played "Academic Festival Overture" measure 35-49 (I think) and "Denbridge Way" measure 135-154 (I think). It is a nervous thing. Dad helped me do my homework. Well, I'm getting tired so I'll go to bed.
P.S. - Mom came home from the hospital.
Wed., Feb. 22, 1984
Today I went to school. I lost my challenges.
Today was nice.
I haven't got much to say. (As opposed to these other power-packed entries) So,...................................Goodnight. P.S. my favorite news person is Bryant Gumble.
Feb., 23, 1984 Thurs.
Today I went to school. not much happened. I found out I get to go to my friend's birthday party. We'll go skating, too. I get to get my hair cut first, though. I'm excited about both. I almost finished my American History Worksheet and I just started it today. This is how my schedule goes:
1st Lang. Arts
2nd Gym/Study Hall
3rd Band
4th Speech/creative drama
5th Am. History
6th Science
7th Math
This evening Mom and I went to this goat lady's house.
Fri., Feb. 24, 1984
One more day till the party and my hair cut. The goat lady I talked about's name is Renee Pope. Her goats have alot of babys. My friend who's having the party is Staci Brous. My friend Nancy Epple likes this guy but he doesn't know her. She writes him notes and signs them "Your secret admirer." She gives him clues each time. I like to read the notes she writes. She asked him to write back and told them to put it in a friends locker. I can't wait to hear what he writes!
Ok, I'm going to have mercy on you unsuspecting souls. You gave me the benefit of the doubt that this might be interesting. But alas, you were wrong. So rather than continue, I'll tell you in brief: I mentioned a boy here or there...that I liked them...that they didn't like me...that I was in sports...how I did...etc. But it was all with the same bored-out-of-my-brain style you've already waded through. So as my initial entries said................signing off!
Boring fact: this diary is all written in hot pink pen.
Saturday, Feb. 18, 1984
Today my family and I came to Grandma's. When we got here Aunt Laura and Chrissy, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Greg, Grams and Gramps, and of course Kim and Lora were here. We ate lunch after we opened presents that we got from Kim & Lora (my stepsisters). A little later we left (Kim, Lora, Angie and I) and went cruising. Aunt Laura left for St. Louis for a visit. I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest of my visit at Gram's.
Sun., Feb. 19, 1984
Today I'm still at Grandma's. I got woken up at I think 7:00am and ate eggs and bacon. We didn't go to Sunday School so we didn't leave for church till 20 till 11. I got dressed twice. We visited the Nazarene Church in Lebanan. (That's the town in Missouri, not the country.) It was voting Sunday there. Dad and Mom, Angie, Kim, Lora, Cliff and I, Uncle Greg and Aunt Kathy went. We got home and ate and it was way past noon when I discovered I had left Gram's Bible there (at church). At 8:00pm Dad took me to the church to get it but the church was shut up.
Mon., Feb., 20, 1984
I called to get Gram's Bible back.
Today we came home from Grandma's. The hills we went over were bad on us all (but Dad). I've got something on my mind right now. My mom went to the hospital for a D and C. It's just a minor thing but I'm still worried. I have to practice my pantomime. It's called the bashful flower. David Compton is the farmer. I don't like David, (sorry David) but I guess that's the breaks. Well, I guess I'll just relax and watch Superman II.
Tues., Feb. 21, 1984
Today I got up, got cleaned up and ready for school. Dad took us to school. I had a good day. It wasn't bad. I still haven't memorized my pantomime! I wish I could get it down pat. In my 3rd hour class (Band) I challenged Andrea Obert. I don't know what the results will be. I played "Academic Festival Overture" measure 35-49 (I think) and "Denbridge Way" measure 135-154 (I think). It is a nervous thing. Dad helped me do my homework. Well, I'm getting tired so I'll go to bed.
P.S. - Mom came home from the hospital.
Wed., Feb. 22, 1984
Today I went to school. I lost my challenges.
Today was nice.
I haven't got much to say. (As opposed to these other power-packed entries) So,...................................Goodnight. P.S. my favorite news person is Bryant Gumble.
Feb., 23, 1984 Thurs.
Today I went to school. not much happened. I found out I get to go to my friend's birthday party. We'll go skating, too. I get to get my hair cut first, though. I'm excited about both. I almost finished my American History Worksheet and I just started it today. This is how my schedule goes:
1st Lang. Arts
2nd Gym/Study Hall
3rd Band
4th Speech/creative drama
5th Am. History
6th Science
7th Math
This evening Mom and I went to this goat lady's house.
Fri., Feb. 24, 1984
One more day till the party and my hair cut. The goat lady I talked about's name is Renee Pope. Her goats have alot of babys. My friend who's having the party is Staci Brous. My friend Nancy Epple likes this guy but he doesn't know her. She writes him notes and signs them "Your secret admirer." She gives him clues each time. I like to read the notes she writes. She asked him to write back and told them to put it in a friends locker. I can't wait to hear what he writes!
Ok, I'm going to have mercy on you unsuspecting souls. You gave me the benefit of the doubt that this might be interesting. But alas, you were wrong. So rather than continue, I'll tell you in brief: I mentioned a boy here or there...that I liked them...that they didn't like me...that I was in sports...how I did...etc. But it was all with the same bored-out-of-my-brain style you've already waded through. So as my initial entries said................signing off!
The Hill Diaries...continued...
Again...my comments "nowadays" are in regular type. The old diary is in italics.
Friday, 3-27-81
Tonight something wonderful happened! A premature baby goat was born and I get to keep it (her). I feed It every two hours out of a real baby bottle.
3-28
Well, I'm still working on her (baby goat), and she is improving.
Sunday 3-29-81
Well, another good, wonderful thing has happened! The goat tryed standing up by itself, and it almost did. I am so proud of the goat.
Mon., 3-30-81
Something bad happened, the goat died.
Friday 5-8-81
We just arrived back from our vacation. We went to the Capitol, Wash. D.C. We went in to the capitol Bldg. It was beautiful, all the chandeliers. We went to Yorkstown. We went thro Il., Kent., W.Va., Va., Maryland. We went to Chesepeake bay, also. We went to the Gateway Arch, and they closed when we got there.
Time passes and on the next page we find...
Monday, July 2, 1984
Sorry Diary. I'm not gonna use ya till I get in college or get married.
Friday, 3-27-81
Tonight something wonderful happened! A premature baby goat was born and I get to keep it (her). I feed It every two hours out of a real baby bottle.
3-28
Well, I'm still working on her (baby goat), and she is improving.
Sunday 3-29-81
Well, another good, wonderful thing has happened! The goat tryed standing up by itself, and it almost did. I am so proud of the goat.
Mon., 3-30-81
Something bad happened, the goat died.
Friday 5-8-81
We just arrived back from our vacation. We went to the Capitol, Wash. D.C. We went in to the capitol Bldg. It was beautiful, all the chandeliers. We went to Yorkstown. We went thro Il., Kent., W.Va., Va., Maryland. We went to Chesepeake bay, also. We went to the Gateway Arch, and they closed when we got there.
Time passes and on the next page we find...
Monday, July 2, 1984
Sorry Diary. I'm not gonna use ya till I get in college or get married.
So I Dug Out My Old Diaries
Ok, I got out the diaries tonight and since a couple of you think they might be interesting to look at, I'm going to type some in. I don't have a LOT but I'll share what I found. Not sure how many blogs this will be, but I'll go ahead and share what I can for now, then come back and add more later... (Stuff written in the diary is in italics. Anything else is just my...editorial comments, lol.)
First of all, inside cover of the first diary I found is written:
Owned by Hillary Purcell
Recieved Dec. 25 Christmas
Given by: Santa Claus
This starts when I was eight and a half...
Thurs., Dec. 25, 1980
Dear Diary,
This morning my dad got me up. I went in to open my gifts. I saw some right off the bat. I got 3 presents from Santa Claus. I got six from Mom and Dad. I got one from my great Aunt Dorothy. We are going to Grandma's and Gramp's for Christmas, today. Christmas is fun.
(signing off)
Friday, Dec. 26, 1980
Dear Diary,
Today I went shopping. I got an exchange gift. Today we are going home from Gram's and Gramp's. I got a new barbie doll. My sisters are learning to play backgammon. I like my new desk set.
(signing off)
Saturday, Dec. 27, 1980
Dear Diary,
Today I learned how to play backgammon! I even learned to play Uno. We picked up our goats today. We stayed at the folks house a while, then we came home & played some games we got at Christmas.
(signing off)
Sun., Dec. 28, 1980
We went to church in the morning and evening.
We also played some games.
(signing off)
Mon., Dec. 29, 1980
Some of our friends came down for the day. We really had fun. We played hide-n-seek. The men went to town to chop wood.
(signing off)
Tues., Dec. 30, 1980
Today I got sick. I had to go to the doctor (Piedra). Then I got a shot on my back side. And the family thought I had scarlet fever. But I didn't. I was lucky. Now my shot is sore. It should be sorer tomorrow.
(signing off)
Anybody falling asleep yet? No? Ok, here's some more...
Wed., Dec. 31, 1980
Today I mostly sat around because my shot made my leg hurt so much. Now I can't get around so well.
(signing off)
Don't I sound pathetic? I remember it, though. I had an adult dose of penicillin in the tush. I literally limped. So mom put a heating pad under me and I sat there most of the day. It happened every time I got those shots...which was yearly. I won't tell you the doctor's solution to that. It hurts too much to retell, lol.
Thurs., Jan. 1, 1981
Today I'm getting around a lot better. I baked Choc. Crinkle cookies today, so I'm tired.
(signing off)
Fri., Jan. 2, 1981
Today we went to town. We got a milk pail, and a hay hook. I was going to get a ring but they didn't have my size. I got my finger stuck in one but we got it out.
(signing off)
Tues., Jan.20, 1981
Today was the anauguration. The teacher let us watch it. I wasn't thrilled, I'm a Democrat. Ronald Poe was because he's a Republican and his first name is Ronald, also. (reference to Ronald Reagan and btw, I'm not still a democrat.) Well it was exciting, even if I'm not a republican.
(signing off)
Fri., March 13, 1981
Today was Angie's birthday. She's 14. She got an NIV, Holy Bible. We had chocolate cake. Choc. icing, with frogs.
(signing off)
Angie is my sister.
Sat., March 17, 1981 Ok, that Sat. should have been Tues.
St. Patrick's day is today. I didn't get pinched, but I wore a paper shamrock all day. Evreyone wore green, so I didn't pinch anyone
(signing off)
Wed., March 18, 1981
Today's Cliff's Birthday, he got a wallet.
(signing off)
Cliff is my brother.
To be continued...
First of all, inside cover of the first diary I found is written:
Owned by Hillary Purcell
Recieved Dec. 25 Christmas
Given by: Santa Claus
This starts when I was eight and a half...
Thurs., Dec. 25, 1980
Dear Diary,
This morning my dad got me up. I went in to open my gifts. I saw some right off the bat. I got 3 presents from Santa Claus. I got six from Mom and Dad. I got one from my great Aunt Dorothy. We are going to Grandma's and Gramp's for Christmas, today. Christmas is fun.
(signing off)
Friday, Dec. 26, 1980
Dear Diary,
Today I went shopping. I got an exchange gift. Today we are going home from Gram's and Gramp's. I got a new barbie doll. My sisters are learning to play backgammon. I like my new desk set.
(signing off)
Saturday, Dec. 27, 1980
Dear Diary,
Today I learned how to play backgammon! I even learned to play Uno. We picked up our goats today. We stayed at the folks house a while, then we came home & played some games we got at Christmas.
(signing off)
Sun., Dec. 28, 1980
We went to church in the morning and evening.
We also played some games.
(signing off)
Mon., Dec. 29, 1980
Some of our friends came down for the day. We really had fun. We played hide-n-seek. The men went to town to chop wood.
(signing off)
Tues., Dec. 30, 1980
Today I got sick. I had to go to the doctor (Piedra). Then I got a shot on my back side. And the family thought I had scarlet fever. But I didn't. I was lucky. Now my shot is sore. It should be sorer tomorrow.
(signing off)
Anybody falling asleep yet? No? Ok, here's some more...
Wed., Dec. 31, 1980
Today I mostly sat around because my shot made my leg hurt so much. Now I can't get around so well.
(signing off)
Don't I sound pathetic? I remember it, though. I had an adult dose of penicillin in the tush. I literally limped. So mom put a heating pad under me and I sat there most of the day. It happened every time I got those shots...which was yearly. I won't tell you the doctor's solution to that. It hurts too much to retell, lol.
Thurs., Jan. 1, 1981
Today I'm getting around a lot better. I baked Choc. Crinkle cookies today, so I'm tired.
(signing off)
Fri., Jan. 2, 1981
Today we went to town. We got a milk pail, and a hay hook. I was going to get a ring but they didn't have my size. I got my finger stuck in one but we got it out.
(signing off)
Tues., Jan.20, 1981
Today was the anauguration. The teacher let us watch it. I wasn't thrilled, I'm a Democrat. Ronald Poe was because he's a Republican and his first name is Ronald, also. (reference to Ronald Reagan and btw, I'm not still a democrat.) Well it was exciting, even if I'm not a republican.
(signing off)
Fri., March 13, 1981
Today was Angie's birthday. She's 14. She got an NIV, Holy Bible. We had chocolate cake. Choc. icing, with frogs.
(signing off)
Angie is my sister.
Sat., March 17, 1981 Ok, that Sat. should have been Tues.
St. Patrick's day is today. I didn't get pinched, but I wore a paper shamrock all day. Evreyone wore green, so I didn't pinch anyone
(signing off)
Wed., March 18, 1981
Today's Cliff's Birthday, he got a wallet.
(signing off)
Cliff is my brother.
To be continued...
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Manly Lips Theory
I know, I know...I'm not supposed to be here. But sometimes you've just GOT to blog about stuff.
A few minutes ago we were in the car, coming home from a couple quick errands. Megan has been in super-creative mode all weekend. She was talking about "someday." Someday she's going to design dolls when she works in a doll factory and she's going to decide what they're made of and what they wear and she'll paint them herself and on and on she went. So I interjected a question to tease her. I asked if she'd make me a GP doll.
She said, "Sure! I'll make it really realistic if you give me a picture of him. I'll paint his teeth. I won't paint lips though, just a mouth."
Then Alli joins the coversation with, "Yeah, boys don't have lips."
Megan agreed.
So I wondered aloud, "Should I let him know he doesn't have lips?"
Meg said, "He has a special kind of lips. They're called 'maaaanly lips.'"
Alli pipes up sounding very incredulous, "WHAT?!! He's not MANLY!...........He sings."
Hmmmmmm...let's see.
Sorry, Alli. I'm going to have to agree with Megan and her "manly lips" theory.
A few minutes ago we were in the car, coming home from a couple quick errands. Megan has been in super-creative mode all weekend. She was talking about "someday." Someday she's going to design dolls when she works in a doll factory and she's going to decide what they're made of and what they wear and she'll paint them herself and on and on she went. So I interjected a question to tease her. I asked if she'd make me a GP doll.
She said, "Sure! I'll make it really realistic if you give me a picture of him. I'll paint his teeth. I won't paint lips though, just a mouth."
Then Alli joins the coversation with, "Yeah, boys don't have lips."
Megan agreed.
So I wondered aloud, "Should I let him know he doesn't have lips?"
Meg said, "He has a special kind of lips. They're called 'maaaanly lips.'"
Alli pipes up sounding very incredulous, "WHAT?!! He's not MANLY!...........He sings."
Hmmmmmm...let's see.
Sorry, Alli. I'm going to have to agree with Megan and her "manly lips" theory.
A Little This and a Little That
Prepare yourselves for a bunch of mixed and match thoughts. And I'm thinking that barring something really interesting this week, it might be the last you hear of me this week. Back to the "sabbatical" idea. (I apparently really like the word "sabbatical" these days.)
It's Sunday morning and we're skipping church today. Allison has been barking like a seal, that nasty croupy cough. Meg's never been the croupy sort, but Alli? That girl knows how to bark. She's been doing it of a morning for about a week. I have been having her sleep with a humidifier and it had been working. But this morning she got up after a whole night with the vaporizer and bark bark bark. So I called into church to cover my responsibilities and we're staying home and resting. I don't know how much it will help but she was miserable. She starts barking and then she cries which makes her bark worse and it sounds like she's going to hyperventilate, so I opted for staying home.
I'm supposed to sing a solo at my church in about a month, so I pulled out a couple songs to try to work on. When I said I was going to do that, the girls retreated to their rooms, ha ha. They began playing. Alli was a pet store owner and Megan ran a "special kind of McDonald's that sells McDonald's food and Sweetbay food." (Sweetbay is a grocery store here.) Alli made out the best, I think. She said she was making 2 million dollars a week running her pet store. Not bad. Not bad at all.
Then I sat here just relaxing and checking things out around the net, when suddenly a box popped up. It's part of my AOL toolbar. There is the option of a counter on the toolbar that keeps track of how many webpages you've surfed to: a surfometer. When I first got the computer (last March) I didn't really pay any attention to it. But when I hit the 1,000 point, a box popped up announcing the milestone and asking me if I have a job??!! Nice. A smart-aleck computer. However, the machine isn't nearly as cocky now. This morning when the box popped up it announced that I hit the 40,000-pages-surfed point and there was the sound of great applause. That's more like it. A little respect.
This is not a pout or a woe-is-me, but I just have to say that this is my least favorite time of year here in Florida. It's scorching and muggy (though the temps should have broken by now) but then it's scorching and muggy a large part of the year. The thing that makes it so unfavorable is the fact that I know so much of the country/world is or has been enjoying autumn. Leaves changing colors, eventually falling and crunching under your feet. Starting to layer clothes...getting the turtlenecks ready. Hot cocoa, weinie roasts, and hayrides. The smell in the air and the feeling in the air that takes my mind back to being a student all excited to be heading back for the first day of the school year. I loved that day and there are scents and feelings in the air that take me back without a thought. I love it. And I miss it. So it's not so much that this is my unfavorite time of the year here. It's just that I miss experiencing my favorite season. So those of you who are experiencing it, live it up, would ya? :)
One more thing. I'm contemplating pursuing a masters in Computer Science or Info Tech...some such. I guess it depends on if I can get financial aid more than anything. Hmmm...
Now if you'll excuse me, my children asked me to model some formal wear from my closet, so I'm off to the ball.
Ta ta.
P.S. - I'm debating doing something here on my blog. Kristen, the MM-Enabler, was talking to me on the phone yesterday when I came across my childhood diaries. She begged me to send them to her. I told her I MIGHT just type them up and email them. I assured her they were as boring as could be...and very few and far between...but she still wants them, so... I'm thinking of maybe putting them on here...a little here, a little there. Not sure, though. I'll have to read them and see how lame or if they could offer any amusement or prompt any good memories or stories.
It's Sunday morning and we're skipping church today. Allison has been barking like a seal, that nasty croupy cough. Meg's never been the croupy sort, but Alli? That girl knows how to bark. She's been doing it of a morning for about a week. I have been having her sleep with a humidifier and it had been working. But this morning she got up after a whole night with the vaporizer and bark bark bark. So I called into church to cover my responsibilities and we're staying home and resting. I don't know how much it will help but she was miserable. She starts barking and then she cries which makes her bark worse and it sounds like she's going to hyperventilate, so I opted for staying home.
I'm supposed to sing a solo at my church in about a month, so I pulled out a couple songs to try to work on. When I said I was going to do that, the girls retreated to their rooms, ha ha. They began playing. Alli was a pet store owner and Megan ran a "special kind of McDonald's that sells McDonald's food and Sweetbay food." (Sweetbay is a grocery store here.) Alli made out the best, I think. She said she was making 2 million dollars a week running her pet store. Not bad. Not bad at all.
Then I sat here just relaxing and checking things out around the net, when suddenly a box popped up. It's part of my AOL toolbar. There is the option of a counter on the toolbar that keeps track of how many webpages you've surfed to: a surfometer. When I first got the computer (last March) I didn't really pay any attention to it. But when I hit the 1,000 point, a box popped up announcing the milestone and asking me if I have a job??!! Nice. A smart-aleck computer. However, the machine isn't nearly as cocky now. This morning when the box popped up it announced that I hit the 40,000-pages-surfed point and there was the sound of great applause. That's more like it. A little respect.
This is not a pout or a woe-is-me, but I just have to say that this is my least favorite time of year here in Florida. It's scorching and muggy (though the temps should have broken by now) but then it's scorching and muggy a large part of the year. The thing that makes it so unfavorable is the fact that I know so much of the country/world is or has been enjoying autumn. Leaves changing colors, eventually falling and crunching under your feet. Starting to layer clothes...getting the turtlenecks ready. Hot cocoa, weinie roasts, and hayrides. The smell in the air and the feeling in the air that takes my mind back to being a student all excited to be heading back for the first day of the school year. I loved that day and there are scents and feelings in the air that take me back without a thought. I love it. And I miss it. So it's not so much that this is my unfavorite time of the year here. It's just that I miss experiencing my favorite season. So those of you who are experiencing it, live it up, would ya? :)
One more thing. I'm contemplating pursuing a masters in Computer Science or Info Tech...some such. I guess it depends on if I can get financial aid more than anything. Hmmm...
Now if you'll excuse me, my children asked me to model some formal wear from my closet, so I'm off to the ball.
Ta ta.
P.S. - I'm debating doing something here on my blog. Kristen, the MM-Enabler, was talking to me on the phone yesterday when I came across my childhood diaries. She begged me to send them to her. I told her I MIGHT just type them up and email them. I assured her they were as boring as could be...and very few and far between...but she still wants them, so... I'm thinking of maybe putting them on here...a little here, a little there. Not sure, though. I'll have to read them and see how lame or if they could offer any amusement or prompt any good memories or stories.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Priorities, Energy, and Having No Words
::siiiiiiiiiiiiigh:: I've missed this place. And I've missed you all. And I've missed your comments. :D
My little techno-sabbatical must continue because I just need it to. I love sitting here and writing. I love sitting here and reading. And I just let too much time fly out into cyberspace.
This week has been much better in that regard and I've gotten more rest than normal. So I'm wondering why I feel so completely exhausted. I SHOULD feel at least a bit more human, right?? I haven't accomplished a whole lot more than usual, but hopefully this weekend I will wow the world, lol. I have to. My house needs to be a home and my classroom is needing some real attention in the way of some lesson plans and some center activities so it'll be an action-packed weekend with girlies here workin' and chillin' with me. They'll be chillin' and I'll be workin', but we'll all be hangin' and that's the good part. Our last weekend together was party weekend. Let's all say it together: Chuck....E....Cheese. He's freaky and the kids want to run the other way, but he has a lot of games and that's apparently what it's all about. So anyway, yada...yada...yada.
So I won't be around much this weekend. Tonight was my come on here and play night. The rest of the weekend I'm supposed to embrace responsibilities. You can cry for me, because if I cry, I won't work. If I could get some energy to help with the embracing, that would be good. If you're a praying person, you might even pray to that effect for me, if you think of it. I'll be ever indebted.
And now...the sad part.
What do you say when a friend finds out they have Hodgkins Disease? I found out just hours ago that a friend who gave birth less than a month ago to her fifth child found out this week that she has Hodgkins Disease. Another friend looked it up and shared with the rest of us what she found out...that Hodgkins is basically a cancer of the lymph nodes. I know there's a whole lot more to it, but that sounds harsh enough, doesn't it?
I really do NOT know what to say. I have a totally different belief system than she does. And I know I can still extend love to her, but I don't know how to comfort her, because the comfort I get...the comfort I rely on...and I'm talking SERIOUS comfort when life is really rocking the boat...comes from the safety of my relationship with Christ. God doesn't spare us the pain, but He's there with us every step of the way...giving us strength to take those steps...and hope and peace for our futures.
So I don't know what to say to her? She's crushed...completely crushed. I would be, too, if I were facing the same disease. Every mama wants to be there forever for her children, and anything that threatens that can be devastating. But I don't know what to say to her.
I wish I could impart faith to her. I wish I could share my Jesus with her in a way that she can see how real He is. In a way that she can feel His presence and His love. In a way that she can know His comfort, too.
So I don't know what to say to her. But I pray for her. In situations like this I pray for a person's physical healing, but I also feel led to pray for their relationship with God, too. I don't mean that in a judgemental way, either, but feel that it is an important thing to pray for a person.
I remember visiting my dad just a couple months before he passed away. He was in bad shape. While I was there, my aunt had an embolism in her brain. She was, of course, rushed to the hospital and was in intensive care. My dad, weak as he was physically, showed his strong spiritual strength and wisdom and I will never forget his prayer. He prayed and told God that we were praying for her relationship with Him, but at the moment, of most pressing need, we were praying for her physical healing, so she'd have more time here with us and time to deal with her own relationship with God.
I've always felt like it was so important (and it I'm not saying it's NOT important) to pray for someone's spiritual condition when they're facing something life-threatening. But at times I've almost felt bad praying for physical healing as a priority because the spiritual is...well...eternal. I guess I didn't feel actually bad about it, but I felt conflicted. But when my dad led us in that prayer, his voice weak, but his spirit strong, I learned even more from him.
Anyway, I'm rambling a bit away. So I guess in my loss of what to say to my friend, I'd just ask that anyone who reads this thread would pray for her. Pray for her mind and heart right now as she comes to terms with this illness. Pray for her doctors as they develop a treatment plan for her. Pray for her family as they deal with it all, too. Pray for her healing from this dreadful disease. And pray for her strength for each moment.
My little techno-sabbatical must continue because I just need it to. I love sitting here and writing. I love sitting here and reading. And I just let too much time fly out into cyberspace.
This week has been much better in that regard and I've gotten more rest than normal. So I'm wondering why I feel so completely exhausted. I SHOULD feel at least a bit more human, right?? I haven't accomplished a whole lot more than usual, but hopefully this weekend I will wow the world, lol. I have to. My house needs to be a home and my classroom is needing some real attention in the way of some lesson plans and some center activities so it'll be an action-packed weekend with girlies here workin' and chillin' with me. They'll be chillin' and I'll be workin', but we'll all be hangin' and that's the good part. Our last weekend together was party weekend. Let's all say it together: Chuck....E....Cheese. He's freaky and the kids want to run the other way, but he has a lot of games and that's apparently what it's all about. So anyway, yada...yada...yada.
So I won't be around much this weekend. Tonight was my come on here and play night. The rest of the weekend I'm supposed to embrace responsibilities. You can cry for me, because if I cry, I won't work. If I could get some energy to help with the embracing, that would be good. If you're a praying person, you might even pray to that effect for me, if you think of it. I'll be ever indebted.
And now...the sad part.
What do you say when a friend finds out they have Hodgkins Disease? I found out just hours ago that a friend who gave birth less than a month ago to her fifth child found out this week that she has Hodgkins Disease. Another friend looked it up and shared with the rest of us what she found out...that Hodgkins is basically a cancer of the lymph nodes. I know there's a whole lot more to it, but that sounds harsh enough, doesn't it?
I really do NOT know what to say. I have a totally different belief system than she does. And I know I can still extend love to her, but I don't know how to comfort her, because the comfort I get...the comfort I rely on...and I'm talking SERIOUS comfort when life is really rocking the boat...comes from the safety of my relationship with Christ. God doesn't spare us the pain, but He's there with us every step of the way...giving us strength to take those steps...and hope and peace for our futures.
So I don't know what to say to her? She's crushed...completely crushed. I would be, too, if I were facing the same disease. Every mama wants to be there forever for her children, and anything that threatens that can be devastating. But I don't know what to say to her.
I wish I could impart faith to her. I wish I could share my Jesus with her in a way that she can see how real He is. In a way that she can feel His presence and His love. In a way that she can know His comfort, too.
So I don't know what to say to her. But I pray for her. In situations like this I pray for a person's physical healing, but I also feel led to pray for their relationship with God, too. I don't mean that in a judgemental way, either, but feel that it is an important thing to pray for a person.
I remember visiting my dad just a couple months before he passed away. He was in bad shape. While I was there, my aunt had an embolism in her brain. She was, of course, rushed to the hospital and was in intensive care. My dad, weak as he was physically, showed his strong spiritual strength and wisdom and I will never forget his prayer. He prayed and told God that we were praying for her relationship with Him, but at the moment, of most pressing need, we were praying for her physical healing, so she'd have more time here with us and time to deal with her own relationship with God.
I've always felt like it was so important (and it I'm not saying it's NOT important) to pray for someone's spiritual condition when they're facing something life-threatening. But at times I've almost felt bad praying for physical healing as a priority because the spiritual is...well...eternal. I guess I didn't feel actually bad about it, but I felt conflicted. But when my dad led us in that prayer, his voice weak, but his spirit strong, I learned even more from him.
Anyway, I'm rambling a bit away. So I guess in my loss of what to say to my friend, I'd just ask that anyone who reads this thread would pray for her. Pray for her mind and heart right now as she comes to terms with this illness. Pray for her doctors as they develop a treatment plan for her. Pray for her family as they deal with it all, too. Pray for her healing from this dreadful disease. And pray for her strength for each moment.
Monday, October 6, 2008
A Bloggy Sabbatical
Hello, my bloggy friends.
Just a quick note this evening...which is technically really early morning, but since I haven't hit the hay yet, we'll stick with evening.
I don't know how much I'll be around this next week...maybe two. Of course, if something comes to mind that I just NEED to blog about, I'll log on. But my goal is to turn my computer off and leave it off as much as possible for at least a week...maybe two. My life has revolved around it way too much and my habit of sitting here is a portion of my problem. It's like a bad habit that I don't show self-control about.
I have an overwhelming amount of things I should tend to, things that I'm just flat-out ashamed that I let slide ... and slide ... and slide ... and slide. And then I think I don't have time to do anything about it. Well I know one place that will free hours of my life and my fingers are tapping away on it right now.
So I'm powering down. I'll take peeks at my email, but for the most part, I'm going offline for a bit. I need to.
And I'll catch back up with your blogs in a couple weeks.
See ya!
Just a quick note this evening...which is technically really early morning, but since I haven't hit the hay yet, we'll stick with evening.
I don't know how much I'll be around this next week...maybe two. Of course, if something comes to mind that I just NEED to blog about, I'll log on. But my goal is to turn my computer off and leave it off as much as possible for at least a week...maybe two. My life has revolved around it way too much and my habit of sitting here is a portion of my problem. It's like a bad habit that I don't show self-control about.
I have an overwhelming amount of things I should tend to, things that I'm just flat-out ashamed that I let slide ... and slide ... and slide ... and slide. And then I think I don't have time to do anything about it. Well I know one place that will free hours of my life and my fingers are tapping away on it right now.
So I'm powering down. I'll take peeks at my email, but for the most part, I'm going offline for a bit. I need to.
And I'll catch back up with your blogs in a couple weeks.
See ya!
Friday, October 3, 2008
The Great Love of My Life
Sound interesting? Well, *I* think it is...but it's not what you're thinking. At least I doubt it is, but then I'm not a mind-reader, so what do I know?
Nope, not a mind-reader, but I AM a book reader. A lover of books, if you will. Hence my title, "The Great LOVE of My Life." And THIS time the love is reciprocal. I know my books love me. They love to be taken off the shelf and held. They love all the attention. Not a cursory glance, but pouring over the details.
You can't just grab a book and plunge in. You have to read the thingie on the back...which I KNEW the name of until I went to write this sentence. (I can say that and you'll never know for sure, will you????) You have to read the dedication, any prefaces, any forwards, any character maps or explanations, any acknowledgements. It all matters. Really the only things that don't HAVE to HAVE to HAVE to be read are the title page with all the copyright dates and ::yaaaaaaaaaaawn:: publishing's details AND... the chapter titles. Some call this the "table of contents" when the word occurs when they're ready to type it. Yeah, you can skip the "Table of Contents" ... but only if it's fiction ... because some authors just don't think of us obsessive readers who are going to look at the chapter titles and figure out the story before we read it. Then we feel cranky. So you can skip the Table of Contents. (See how I remembered in time?)
I also love my computer ... using the word "love" rather carelessly, but you know what I mean. I enjoy it. It's my greatest past-time ... or is that pass-time??? Anyway lots of time goes bye-bye right here. But that's because I have friends in here AND because I love to write. I do. And in my less humble moments I like to read what I wrote. How's that for a humble spirit?
But I'm sorry to say that this computer has put the squeeze on my favorite hobby. I don't get near as much reading (or cleaning or working or...or...or) done because of this. I used to read every spare minute. And before reading was the thing ... which was a LOOOOOOOONG time ago ... tv was the thing. I was a little couch potato.
And now? Yeah, not a lot of tv ... although I DO have a few shows I like to see. And of course there's movies. Have I ever mentioned Mamma Mia? No? Remind me. I'll fill you in. har har
Man, I'm just a rambling rambling rambling rambling woman tonight.
This is about my great love of reading. Tonight (thanks to Mummy's link on her blog) I found Library Thing and I joined and added my favorite books and voila! in my side column is now a widget with random titles I love reading.
I'm a re-reader too. If I've read it and I liked it, I'll re-read it. Must not just borrow, but OWN good books. Hence a very full bookshelf ... or two ... in my living room.
Top 5 (ok, 6, but one of them is a team, so it kind of only makes 5) favorite authors? Lori Wick (::the crowd goes wild::roaring applause:: ... she KNOWS how people are REALLY and truly supposed to live ... at the heart and soul level ... and relate to each other), Francine Rivers (I stand amazed at the way she weaves so many stories into one), Gilbert Morris (a little history with your romance, folks?), Brock & Bodie Thoene (more great history, especially around WWII...love how the characters in one series show up in other serieses) and Max Lucado (let's hear it for a NON-fiction guy ... although he does some kid's fiction, too ... GREAT writer of inspirational literature ... and a favorite author I shared with my dad.)
Ok, when I started writing, I had no idea where I was going other than sharing that I love reading. And now I'm not sure where I've gone. But I'm tired and don't think I'll bother sprucing this one up. And it MIGHT not be one of my favorite re-reads, lol.
Oh wait ... one last thing. FAVORITE of ALL books (aside from my Bible): The Last Sin-Eater, Francine Rivers. It's a favorite for a couple reasons. First and foremost because it's just jaw-dropping good. And secondly, the first time ... hmmmm ... maybe the second time I read the book, I was on the road with my parents. It was during the month after I'd separated from my ex-husband. The girls were tiny and we did a lot of road trips that month. During one long drive to visit my sister for Christmas, my Dad asked me to read the book out loud. So I read the whole book (not all at once) to my mom and dad. When we'd be driving along quietly, Dad would suddenly say, "Let's see what's happening with the Kai." So I'd take out the book and we'd read some more. I like to read out loud, and for whatever reason I really enjoyed the fact that my dad wanted me to read it to him. I've loaned this book out so many times. I never get it back either, so it must be good. So I re-buy it ... and loan it again. Not a quick learner, lol.
And now that I've gone on THIS long, I hope YOU like reading, too. :D
Nope, not a mind-reader, but I AM a book reader. A lover of books, if you will. Hence my title, "The Great LOVE of My Life." And THIS time the love is reciprocal. I know my books love me. They love to be taken off the shelf and held. They love all the attention. Not a cursory glance, but pouring over the details.
You can't just grab a book and plunge in. You have to read the thingie on the back...which I KNEW the name of until I went to write this sentence. (I can say that and you'll never know for sure, will you????) You have to read the dedication, any prefaces, any forwards, any character maps or explanations, any acknowledgements. It all matters. Really the only things that don't HAVE to HAVE to HAVE to be read are the title page with all the copyright dates and ::yaaaaaaaaaaawn:: publishing's details AND... the chapter titles. Some call this the "table of contents" when the word occurs when they're ready to type it. Yeah, you can skip the "Table of Contents" ... but only if it's fiction ... because some authors just don't think of us obsessive readers who are going to look at the chapter titles and figure out the story before we read it. Then we feel cranky. So you can skip the Table of Contents. (See how I remembered in time?)
I also love my computer ... using the word "love" rather carelessly, but you know what I mean. I enjoy it. It's my greatest past-time ... or is that pass-time??? Anyway lots of time goes bye-bye right here. But that's because I have friends in here AND because I love to write. I do. And in my less humble moments I like to read what I wrote. How's that for a humble spirit?
But I'm sorry to say that this computer has put the squeeze on my favorite hobby. I don't get near as much reading (or cleaning or working or...or...or) done because of this. I used to read every spare minute. And before reading was the thing ... which was a LOOOOOOOONG time ago ... tv was the thing. I was a little couch potato.
And now? Yeah, not a lot of tv ... although I DO have a few shows I like to see. And of course there's movies. Have I ever mentioned Mamma Mia? No? Remind me. I'll fill you in. har har
Man, I'm just a rambling rambling rambling rambling woman tonight.
This is about my great love of reading. Tonight (thanks to Mummy's link on her blog) I found Library Thing and I joined and added my favorite books and voila! in my side column is now a widget with random titles I love reading.
I'm a re-reader too. If I've read it and I liked it, I'll re-read it. Must not just borrow, but OWN good books. Hence a very full bookshelf ... or two ... in my living room.
Top 5 (ok, 6, but one of them is a team, so it kind of only makes 5) favorite authors? Lori Wick (::the crowd goes wild::roaring applause:: ... she KNOWS how people are REALLY and truly supposed to live ... at the heart and soul level ... and relate to each other), Francine Rivers (I stand amazed at the way she weaves so many stories into one), Gilbert Morris (a little history with your romance, folks?), Brock & Bodie Thoene (more great history, especially around WWII...love how the characters in one series show up in other serieses) and Max Lucado (let's hear it for a NON-fiction guy ... although he does some kid's fiction, too ... GREAT writer of inspirational literature ... and a favorite author I shared with my dad.)
Ok, when I started writing, I had no idea where I was going other than sharing that I love reading. And now I'm not sure where I've gone. But I'm tired and don't think I'll bother sprucing this one up. And it MIGHT not be one of my favorite re-reads, lol.
Oh wait ... one last thing. FAVORITE of ALL books (aside from my Bible): The Last Sin-Eater, Francine Rivers. It's a favorite for a couple reasons. First and foremost because it's just jaw-dropping good. And secondly, the first time ... hmmmm ... maybe the second time I read the book, I was on the road with my parents. It was during the month after I'd separated from my ex-husband. The girls were tiny and we did a lot of road trips that month. During one long drive to visit my sister for Christmas, my Dad asked me to read the book out loud. So I read the whole book (not all at once) to my mom and dad. When we'd be driving along quietly, Dad would suddenly say, "Let's see what's happening with the Kai." So I'd take out the book and we'd read some more. I like to read out loud, and for whatever reason I really enjoyed the fact that my dad wanted me to read it to him. I've loaned this book out so many times. I never get it back either, so it must be good. So I re-buy it ... and loan it again. Not a quick learner, lol.
And now that I've gone on THIS long, I hope YOU like reading, too. :D
What a Ride!
Well, it's been about, mmmmmm....FOREVER since I've put up a Friday Foto Finish Fiesta, so here we go.... And if you haven't seen or been part of Friday Foto Finish Fiesta, you MUST visit Candid Carrie, the gracious host at http://carriestuckmann.blogspot.com/2008/10/friday-foto-finish-finesta-100308.html.
I guess this photo doesn't need a lot of explanation. It was taken last February at the County Fair. You'd think they were going on a fast-paced roller coaster, but this...I THINK...was the ferris wheel. Brave souls. LOL. Ok, maybe it was something more...spinny...like the Sizzler, or somesuch, but...no...I think it was the Ferris Wheel. Anyway, that's Alli withOUT caffeine and Megan? Well, let's say she likes blues sno-cones just a wee bit.
Gotta love it.
I guess this photo doesn't need a lot of explanation. It was taken last February at the County Fair. You'd think they were going on a fast-paced roller coaster, but this...I THINK...was the ferris wheel. Brave souls. LOL. Ok, maybe it was something more...spinny...like the Sizzler, or somesuch, but...no...I think it was the Ferris Wheel. Anyway, that's Alli withOUT caffeine and Megan? Well, let's say she likes blues sno-cones just a wee bit.Gotta love it.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Things Kids Take Pride In
Come into my house. Only don't look at anything in it except this cute little girl and something she taught herself to do and now takes great pride in. Don't look at that counter to the right because when I moved in I put a bunch of stuff that I didn't want to deal with right away on top of it ... and eight months later I still am not really interested in dealing with. (But it's bugging me, so one of these days....) And don't look at that horrid table to the left and eventually right behind the cute little girl at the end of the clip because ... well ... I let another cute little girl get every craft pain in creation out and every single one is on that table...along with a grand variety of items that girl felt necessary to create some "craft" of her own design, including but not limited to 2 backs of 500-ct cotton swabs and a bottle of leave-in conditioner. Ok, the conditioner isn't part of the craft and neither are the nail polish bottles and the polish remover, but.... I'm not going to bother to say WHEN I let her get that all out, but ... well ... that will have to be dealt with soon, too.
But check out this cute lil girl o' mine. She came to me just yesterday and told me to watch her. So I watched as she demonstrated (with GREAT pride, I might add) how to fold a sweatshirt. It amused me enough that I asked if she'd do it again while I video'd. Now granted, it's just one of those things that mommies are amused by/take pride in, but it's something I want to remember years from now ... her character traits and how proud she was, moreso than the art of folding.
And be glad for this blog, because before I remembered this video I was going to share ... buh-buh-BUH (that was supposed to sound ominous) ... SECRETS YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT HILL. (Except for my mom, aka Grandma, and she'd rather watch this video anyway.) (Hi Mom!)
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books
But check out this cute lil girl o' mine. She came to me just yesterday and told me to watch her. So I watched as she demonstrated (with GREAT pride, I might add) how to fold a sweatshirt. It amused me enough that I asked if she'd do it again while I video'd. Now granted, it's just one of those things that mommies are amused by/take pride in, but it's something I want to remember years from now ... her character traits and how proud she was, moreso than the art of folding.
And be glad for this blog, because before I remembered this video I was going to share ... buh-buh-BUH (that was supposed to sound ominous) ... SECRETS YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT HILL. (Except for my mom, aka Grandma, and she'd rather watch this video anyway.) (Hi Mom!)
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books
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