I enjoy Facebook. There are so many people to connect to. Friends from such a distant past, I have almost forgotten. Most people don't realize that I have a pretty good memory for names and faces. More specially for those who made an impact on my life. Apparently, I have made those kinds of impacts on the lives of others, when I was unaware.
I am finding people that I knew in High School (and before), but I thought they didn't like me. It was not like we were ever best buds. I kept up with the best buds. It occurred to me at my 10 year reunion, and I shared with my husband, that it hadn't yet been long enough. Some of the people I didn't like during High School were still the same, and that was immature. I said maybe they would really grow up by the 20th. Here we are just past 17, and the people I am connecting with (not all of these were unlikeable in the past, mind you) are more mature, more friendly and more sure of themselves.
Maybe that was the problem. We didn't like ourselves, so we projected that hate onto others, to give ourselves someone to blame. I know I did some of that. I know also that I can't be friends with everyone... but I can be a better friend to the ones who allow me into their circles.
People are surprising. This is why I watch them so much. Age, experience and having children gives one a new sense of self. When you stretch to let another person into your sphere, you can't help but grow. I have grown (physically, too...ugh) since I was young. I thought I knew it all.... now I know simply that I can never know it all.
I can't fathom why I thought people didn't like me. I never gave them a chance to speak for or against me. I still don't understand all of why I didn't like some others. I am amazed at the good memories that my friends-again have kept of me. I hope that I never take the olive branch of friendship for granted again. I beg myself to offer that same olive branch to another... and another... and another... without fear.
If you are my Blogger friend, or my Facebook friend, please know that I appreciate every one of you. You keep my world interesting and refreshing. I may do what my friend Jon did... Thanks-giving notes... to each and every friend. I can't do the video posts like he did, but I can try to see things from another perspective. I see that I need to focus on others for a change, not on me Me ME all the time.
Again I see that I complain so much. Why? God has provided a roof over my head, two and half years of allowing me to not work for "the MAN", and given me the biggest blessings, many of which I didn't know I needed! I need to focus on the happy, uplifting and joyful things in life.
This weekend, I get to spend our Nation's Independence Day with family, friends, food and fireworks. What could be better?
Happy Birthday, AMERICA!!!
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Dream Is Still Alive
I was ignoring the television, playing on the computer a moment ago... and heard something that made me blink. Because of the news coverage at noon, I have had a few small epiphanies in the past few minutes.
1. Today is the Observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day. (DH doesn't have the day off, and since I don't work, I no longer keep up with such things.)
2. The famous "I Have A Dream" speech was made 45 years ago.
3. Tomorrow, we are inaugurating the first black President.
4. The "Dream" is realized, in part.
~~~~~~~~~~
Also on the news today at noon, Heinz is removing the pickle from its label, replacing it with a tomato. The anchor said she thought this change made sense. I think, Why? The idea of ketchup is a tomato, pickled in vinegar... right?
~~~~~~~~~~
I think too much about nothing worth dwelling on.
Have a good day!
1. Today is the Observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day. (DH doesn't have the day off, and since I don't work, I no longer keep up with such things.)
2. The famous "I Have A Dream" speech was made 45 years ago.
3. Tomorrow, we are inaugurating the first black President.
4. The "Dream" is realized, in part.
~~~~~~~~~~
Also on the news today at noon, Heinz is removing the pickle from its label, replacing it with a tomato. The anchor said she thought this change made sense. I think, Why? The idea of ketchup is a tomato, pickled in vinegar... right?
~~~~~~~~~~
I think too much about nothing worth dwelling on.
Have a good day!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
More Ways To Cook A Pumpkin
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Today, I am baking a Pumpkin Dump Cake for our family Thanksgiving Dinner dessert. I will give you the recipe later.
While watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I was disturbed by the thought that Christmas starts earlier every year. Hallmark stores put out the ornaments to collect in JUNE. The trees in our local shopping center are lit the day after Halloween. And, THIS song starts on Thanksgiving Day, or Black Friday.
Christmas has officially begun for me.
Have a Blessed Day!
Today, I am baking a Pumpkin Dump Cake for our family Thanksgiving Dinner dessert. I will give you the recipe later.
While watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I was disturbed by the thought that Christmas starts earlier every year. Hallmark stores put out the ornaments to collect in JUNE. The trees in our local shopping center are lit the day after Halloween. And, THIS song starts on Thanksgiving Day, or Black Friday.
Christmas has officially begun for me.
Have a Blessed Day!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Freedom Day Celebrations
Friday morning, we packed all the necessities and a few "just in case" items into the car, and set off for our short trip to Aunt Sharon's house, near Parsons, KS. I am used to the drive taking more time. Did I drive slower when I was single? I must have stopped more often, or there was construction that I have forgotten. Whatever the reason, it took almost an hour less than I thought to get there, and that was including the 1/2 hour or so we spent in a restaurant in Tulsa on the way through. Aunt's house has been Grand Central Station at Fourth of July for as long as I can remember. This year was no different. Actually, this year was a little different. Aunt Marilyn usually stays at a hotel, but her kids stay at the house. This year, DH and I stayed at the same hotel as Aunt Marilyn and Uncle John for the first night. Since some of the cousins left on Saturday, we all stayed at the house on Saturday night, as there were more rooms free. This is Aunt Sharon and Uncle Roy, sorting change for Hope Harbor Children's Home. We joked that they were so poor after the 4th, that they were scrounging for pennies to fill the Food Fund.
Usually, if everyone were to show up, there would be no less than 29 people. We also have close family friends who might as well be related, as many as 12 more from their family, who will come to our party to watch the fireworks. This year, we had 22 all together. My parents couldn't come from so far away, a few cousins couldn't come because of work or distance; they were greatly missed. This is Beka, her hubby Kyle, and the newest cousin, Kaylynn.
"The Girls" are all about 16 to 23, and there are 7 of them. These girls are mostly my 2nd cousins, but there are two 1st cousins. (Kaylynn is the only 3rd cousin, so far.) They all pile in and do fun things. Friday afternoon, there were two different games of Taboo; Saturday, the game of the hours was Rummicube; I tried to teach Andrea to play Cribbage, but we never got to finish the game. Now that several are old enough to drive, and have cars, they go to the swimming pool in Oswego, KS by themselves. That is the pool where I learned to swim at age 14. It is so neat to know that The Girls have turned out so well. Good kids, all. I remember when Jess was barely old enough to try walking, and now she is a college graduate, with a good job, and a bright future. Yep, part of that feeling old coming back up. This is the whole batch, watching the fireworks.
I have always been in the middle. Stuck at the kiddie table, and desperate to be at the adult table. The older than me cousins are around 10 years older. The younger group is at least 10 years younger than me. The younger cousins and the second cousins are not so far apart in age. I used to get shuffled with the younger kids, I suppose because there just wasn't room where I wanted to be. Honestly, if there is a disconnect in our family, it is your own fault. There are plenty of things to do, people to hang out with, and everyone is friendly. But... there are times when The Girls make me crazy. They are all so pretty, thin, tanned and tall. I only got one of those traits (pretty is the one I am selfishly and vainly claiming). This is Grams, with DH and Me. See where I got all that beauty? I only hope that I have that much hair when I am 88. Kinda tough, since I don't think I have that much hair now.
With Kaylynn, we now have five living generations. Somewhere, there are generational pictures. I don't have any of them, and I didn't get one of my own, but I did get this picture of the top and bottom of the list. This is Grams, holding Kaylynn... her only (there will be others, so first!) Great Great Grandchild.
I wish that we could get together more than once a year, but we are all so spread out, and getting more so with every cousin that marries and moves great distances due to jobs. When I moved to Oklahoma, I was moving closer. Top to bottom and left to right: DH, Me, Kyle holding Kaylynn, Alysia, Rebekah, Morgan, Laura, Andrea, Colby, Jessica and Chelsea. Photo on my camera, courtesy of cousin Kelley.
I have seriously considered starting a Facebook page. Not because I just want another blog to bore you with, but because I have friends who have invited me to join. Now, I find that several of the cousins have a Facebook. Much like the blogs, I want to do it to keep in touch, since none of us seem to use a telephone anymore. A letter? What is that? This is Crazy Faces.
We found we have talents as pyrotechnical engineers. Did you know that a Black Cat will still blow up if you drop it in a bucket of water? It does, and it does not destroy the bucket. There was the game of Fireworks Ball. A lit Black Cat pitched from the deck to the batter on the ground who is holding a splintered 2 x 4 or a fireplace shovel. Then, there were the rogue fireworks that tried to chase Jayson. Seriously, it was kinda scary. One of the roman candles fell over and off the table after the first shot. It got turned a little more clockwise with each shot, and that was the direction that Jayson ran. We were laughing so hard, once we knew that he was not burned, and the trees had not caught fire. He didn't know why it was following him, and I reminded him that "smoke follows beauty". This is the dusk view of the firestarters. How many cousins can one deck hold? (I have the tune of Ariel's song in the cavern from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" playing in my head now. Don't you?)
We went to church with Grams on Sunday, and we are happy to stand while singing. The little building has the hardest, oddest angled, close-set wooden benches with no padding at all. Back in 2003 (the last time DH and I went to the 4th), cousin Kevin was leading the singing, and asked, "Would you please stand?" and DH said (not realizing how out loud...), "GLADLY!" Oddly, they sang two songs that I didn't know. That is rare. I love it! We had lunch on Sunday at a Chinese buffet, which was pretty good. We drove home Sunday afternoon, in the same easy, lazy way we came back from NM. We took our time, enjoyed the view. OK, I slept while DH drove. Don't laugh. It is our way. We came home sunburned, and tired, but it was a wonderfully fun holiday. The Fourth has been the big annual holiday since I was a little kid. I hope to share that with my family for many years to come.
Usually, if everyone were to show up, there would be no less than 29 people. We also have close family friends who might as well be related, as many as 12 more from their family, who will come to our party to watch the fireworks. This year, we had 22 all together. My parents couldn't come from so far away, a few cousins couldn't come because of work or distance; they were greatly missed. This is Beka, her hubby Kyle, and the newest cousin, Kaylynn.
"The Girls" are all about 16 to 23, and there are 7 of them. These girls are mostly my 2nd cousins, but there are two 1st cousins. (Kaylynn is the only 3rd cousin, so far.) They all pile in and do fun things. Friday afternoon, there were two different games of Taboo; Saturday, the game of the hours was Rummicube; I tried to teach Andrea to play Cribbage, but we never got to finish the game. Now that several are old enough to drive, and have cars, they go to the swimming pool in Oswego, KS by themselves. That is the pool where I learned to swim at age 14. It is so neat to know that The Girls have turned out so well. Good kids, all. I remember when Jess was barely old enough to try walking, and now she is a college graduate, with a good job, and a bright future. Yep, part of that feeling old coming back up. This is the whole batch, watching the fireworks.
I have always been in the middle. Stuck at the kiddie table, and desperate to be at the adult table. The older than me cousins are around 10 years older. The younger group is at least 10 years younger than me. The younger cousins and the second cousins are not so far apart in age. I used to get shuffled with the younger kids, I suppose because there just wasn't room where I wanted to be. Honestly, if there is a disconnect in our family, it is your own fault. There are plenty of things to do, people to hang out with, and everyone is friendly. But... there are times when The Girls make me crazy. They are all so pretty, thin, tanned and tall. I only got one of those traits (pretty is the one I am selfishly and vainly claiming). This is Grams, with DH and Me. See where I got all that beauty? I only hope that I have that much hair when I am 88. Kinda tough, since I don't think I have that much hair now.
With Kaylynn, we now have five living generations. Somewhere, there are generational pictures. I don't have any of them, and I didn't get one of my own, but I did get this picture of the top and bottom of the list. This is Grams, holding Kaylynn... her only (there will be others, so first!) Great Great Grandchild.
I wish that we could get together more than once a year, but we are all so spread out, and getting more so with every cousin that marries and moves great distances due to jobs. When I moved to Oklahoma, I was moving closer. Top to bottom and left to right: DH, Me, Kyle holding Kaylynn, Alysia, Rebekah, Morgan, Laura, Andrea, Colby, Jessica and Chelsea. Photo on my camera, courtesy of cousin Kelley.
I have seriously considered starting a Facebook page. Not because I just want another blog to bore you with, but because I have friends who have invited me to join. Now, I find that several of the cousins have a Facebook. Much like the blogs, I want to do it to keep in touch, since none of us seem to use a telephone anymore. A letter? What is that? This is Crazy Faces.
We found we have talents as pyrotechnical engineers. Did you know that a Black Cat will still blow up if you drop it in a bucket of water? It does, and it does not destroy the bucket. There was the game of Fireworks Ball. A lit Black Cat pitched from the deck to the batter on the ground who is holding a splintered 2 x 4 or a fireplace shovel. Then, there were the rogue fireworks that tried to chase Jayson. Seriously, it was kinda scary. One of the roman candles fell over and off the table after the first shot. It got turned a little more clockwise with each shot, and that was the direction that Jayson ran. We were laughing so hard, once we knew that he was not burned, and the trees had not caught fire. He didn't know why it was following him, and I reminded him that "smoke follows beauty". This is the dusk view of the firestarters. How many cousins can one deck hold? (I have the tune of Ariel's song in the cavern from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" playing in my head now. Don't you?)
We went to church with Grams on Sunday, and we are happy to stand while singing. The little building has the hardest, oddest angled, close-set wooden benches with no padding at all. Back in 2003 (the last time DH and I went to the 4th), cousin Kevin was leading the singing, and asked, "Would you please stand?" and DH said (not realizing how out loud...), "GLADLY!" Oddly, they sang two songs that I didn't know. That is rare. I love it! We had lunch on Sunday at a Chinese buffet, which was pretty good. We drove home Sunday afternoon, in the same easy, lazy way we came back from NM. We took our time, enjoyed the view. OK, I slept while DH drove. Don't laugh. It is our way. We came home sunburned, and tired, but it was a wonderfully fun holiday. The Fourth has been the big annual holiday since I was a little kid. I hope to share that with my family for many years to come.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Happy...
Graphic from free website: http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/
I hope that everyone has a happy, loud and full day!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
1 Lit Black Cat Explosive+ 1 Empty Tuna Can = Fun With Fireworks!
Thursday Thirteen
I don't usually get into these weekly features, but today I thought I might. Guess it is my newly found tolerance for memes. I am not certain. Then I had to find something to make a 13 list about.
Thirteen things that make me feel old.
I also have many reasons to feel young. That may be next week's list. No promises, though.
I am making Bread Pizza tonight for dinner, to use up the spaghetti sauce that is patiently waiting in the fridge. I didn't use the whole jar the other day on another modification of Sloppy Joe. We have pepperoni, onions, bell pepper, cheese, and Texas Toast to build it all upon.
Then we are going to our favorite coffee shop for their Movie Night. We get free Popcorn, and a Corny Movie. The movie is different every week. Tonight, they are showing the original Mystery Science Theater 3000. Bad movies with funny comments. {Edit: The movie was not played, but there were two other customers there, which is good.} If we don't want to pay attention to the movie, we can play card games or Scrabble. We are also taking the laptop, so I can blog or email or surf the web. DH designed a new flavor mix of Smooffee. It is a smoothie-coffee. They also make drinks without the espresso. We refer to those as a Smoo. He wants to make one that is chocolate and marshmallow flavored, with graham cracker bits mixed in. He called it a S'moreffee. The owner thought it sounded good, and the idea got at least one other person interested in coming to the shop. Not only are we faithful customers, we bring in more people. Can't pay for loyalty like that! I like what the owner once said. He doesn't have to boycott Starbucks. He owns his shop, and it helps that he thinks his coffee is better than Starbucks. I just like supporting my friend in his business. DH doesn't even like coffee, but he can find drinks that he likes. It is so neat to have our own version of Central Perk (Friends) or Cafe Nervosa (Frasier). "It's my Chez away from Chez." ~ Frasier
I hope to have pictures and stories after this weekend's festivities. I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July!
(Photos of fireworks from a free site online: http://www.cepolina.com/freephoto/)
I don't usually get into these weekly features, but today I thought I might. Guess it is my newly found tolerance for memes. I am not certain. Then I had to find something to make a 13 list about.
Thirteen things that make me feel old.
1. Kids I saw born are now adults.
2. Kids I babysat getting married.
3. Kids I babysat having kids.
4. Second Cousins having kids. Yes, I have one little Third Cousin.
5. Chasing the Candy Kids.
6. Lifting a baby in a car carrier.
7. Finding that first gray (white!) hair.
8. Getting out of my bed while making those grunting sounds.
9. Cars made the year I graduated High School would be driving teens by now.
10. Kids know how to be careful with CDs. I had 8 track tapes, cassette tapes, and LPs.
11. A car built the year I was born would easily be "antique" by now. (They hit that at 25 yrs, right? 30? I still have it beat.)
12. The cost of postage stamps has gone up an average of one penny every year I have been alive.
13. I remember when Maria on Sesame Street was YOUNG.
2. Kids I babysat getting married.
3. Kids I babysat having kids.
4. Second Cousins having kids. Yes, I have one little Third Cousin.
5. Chasing the Candy Kids.
6. Lifting a baby in a car carrier.
7. Finding that first gray (white!) hair.
8. Getting out of my bed while making those grunting sounds.
9. Cars made the year I graduated High School would be driving teens by now.
10. Kids know how to be careful with CDs. I had 8 track tapes, cassette tapes, and LPs.
11. A car built the year I was born would easily be "antique" by now. (They hit that at 25 yrs, right? 30? I still have it beat.)
12. The cost of postage stamps has gone up an average of one penny every year I have been alive.
13. I remember when Maria on Sesame Street was YOUNG.
I also have many reasons to feel young. That may be next week's list. No promises, though.
I am making Bread Pizza tonight for dinner, to use up the spaghetti sauce that is patiently waiting in the fridge. I didn't use the whole jar the other day on another modification of Sloppy Joe. We have pepperoni, onions, bell pepper, cheese, and Texas Toast to build it all upon.
Then we are going to our favorite coffee shop for their Movie Night. We get free Popcorn, and a Corny Movie. The movie is different every week. Tonight, they are showing the original Mystery Science Theater 3000. Bad movies with funny comments. {Edit: The movie was not played, but there were two other customers there, which is good.} If we don't want to pay attention to the movie, we can play card games or Scrabble. We are also taking the laptop, so I can blog or email or surf the web. DH designed a new flavor mix of Smooffee. It is a smoothie-coffee. They also make drinks without the espresso. We refer to those as a Smoo. He wants to make one that is chocolate and marshmallow flavored, with graham cracker bits mixed in. He called it a S'moreffee. The owner thought it sounded good, and the idea got at least one other person interested in coming to the shop. Not only are we faithful customers, we bring in more people. Can't pay for loyalty like that! I like what the owner once said. He doesn't have to boycott Starbucks. He owns his shop, and it helps that he thinks his coffee is better than Starbucks. I just like supporting my friend in his business. DH doesn't even like coffee, but he can find drinks that he likes. It is so neat to have our own version of Central Perk (Friends) or Cafe Nervosa (Frasier). "It's my Chez away from Chez." ~ Frasier
I hope to have pictures and stories after this weekend's festivities. I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July!
(Photos of fireworks from a free site online: http://www.cepolina.com/freephoto/)
Monday, May 26, 2008
Memorial Day Thanks And Thoughts
Memory is a newly hurt part of my anatomy today. The old wounds and new are blending to become a scar that I will boast as making me stronger, if only because it didn't kill me.
I am taking a pause today to remember many who are no longer with me, and those who have served and who are currently serving for Old Glory. Some of their actions have been small, but the effects have been ripples on the lake, impacting many areas of my life in small and large ways.
I pray that God blesses those who have served our Country in the past. I pray that God stands beside those serving our Country today. I ask compassion on the families of those of us left to mourn death. I pray that you have some measure of peace today.
IN MEMORY OF:
Phillip Thomas Sanders
Ervin Chee
Gary and Kim Whitlow
Charles and Violet Clarke
Bob Yarbrough
Jimmy Elijah Chaffin
Dean Garrison
Russ Lewis
Jim Moore
John Clark
Adam Langford
HONORING VETERANS:
Franklin Clarke
Roger Gaddie
D. C. "Mac" Macdonald
D. "Grumpy Old Veteran" Rich
HONORING SOLDIERS CURRENTLY SERVING:
Jonathan Hannan
Please do not think that this is a definitive list. If I have forgotten you or your loved ones, please excuse my lack of memory. This is the list that came to mind today.
~~~~~~~~~~
May your BBQ not burn, may your corn not pop (unless you wish it to!) and may your watermelon seeds spit the farthest!
I am taking a pause today to remember many who are no longer with me, and those who have served and who are currently serving for Old Glory. Some of their actions have been small, but the effects have been ripples on the lake, impacting many areas of my life in small and large ways.
I pray that God blesses those who have served our Country in the past. I pray that God stands beside those serving our Country today. I ask compassion on the families of those of us left to mourn death. I pray that you have some measure of peace today.
IN MEMORY OF:Phillip Thomas Sanders
Ervin Chee
Gary and Kim Whitlow
Charles and Violet Clarke
Bob Yarbrough
Jimmy Elijah Chaffin
Dean Garrison
Russ Lewis
Jim Moore
John Clark
Adam Langford
HONORING VETERANS:
Franklin Clarke
Roger Gaddie
D. C. "Mac" Macdonald
D. "Grumpy Old Veteran" Rich
HONORING SOLDIERS CURRENTLY SERVING:
Jonathan Hannan
Please do not think that this is a definitive list. If I have forgotten you or your loved ones, please excuse my lack of memory. This is the list that came to mind today.
~~~~~~~~~~
May your BBQ not burn, may your corn not pop (unless you wish it to!) and may your watermelon seeds spit the farthest!
Monday, May 5, 2008
I Have Now Been 17 Twice
Today, I woke up feeling... tired.
We stayed up last night watching Hockey. The Dallas Stars vs. the San Jose Sharks. Turned out that they played into FOUR (count 'em...4! That is two whole games plus another overtime!) overtime periods, and it went into the record books as the 8th longest game in NHL history. It wasn't over until almost 1:30 am.
I awoke around 9 am, and got my first Happy Birthday phone call by 9:30 am. My mom was the first call. I got lots of emails, and many more phone calls, as well as a text or two. Brightened the day quite nicely.
Roadrunner took me to lunch at Olive Garden. Soup, Salad and Bread Sticks. Yum. DH took me to dinner at Carrabba's. I had the Mezzaluna. It is a cheese and spinach ravioli in a tomato sauce. I got my favorite dessert tonight, the Sonya Chocolate Dream. It is a Kahlua Brownie in a layered stack with creamy fluff, and topped with a Chocolate Kahlua sauce. Are you hungry yet?
I have been living my boring little life to the fullest today. I bought a few new shirts tonight. I got to watch my two favorite shows on TV (DH recorded them while we were out to dinner and shopping).
Tomorrow, I will be going with Roadrunner and her kids to the OKC Zoo. Their school takes an annual trip, and they need all the adults they can find to help supervise. We will have her older son and two of his friends, and the younger son and one of his friends. We may get one or two more kids, depending on need. I hope to take a few pictures, and I hope seriously that I do not get a sunburn.
On a more serious note, I would like to request prayers from all of you for my friend's father. Pop had a heart attack 10 years ago, and it resulted in a bypass surgery that he barely survived. He has been living well, and even though his body is 10 years older and 10 years weaker, it isn't all bad news. There have already been tests during this stay in the hospital, and there will be more discussion with the doctors on Tuesday. I guess putting a stint in is out of the question, and they don't want to try another bypass, for the fear that he won't live through it this time.
My friend is almost a sister, and these might as well have been my parents for a few years. Pop is very special to me. While he is mentally and willfully strong, his body is getting old and failing him. Please pray that Pop gets the proper treatment for his heart, and that the family can have strength.
Thank you. I will keep you updated as I get word on what is happening. I love that I can come to my Family for my heart-aches. You all do me good.
All in all, it has been a good birthday. I don't mind yet telling people that I am 34. It is funny to me how people think I will be offended when they guess that I am 26. Ha! Thank you, clueless people. I LOVE being thought to be younger.... as long as I am still in the 20's, that is. I have also been thought to be older ("But I thought you were closer to MY age...!"), and that is OK too. I am thoroughly an adult now. I like being mature enough to pull off being 37. I am not mistaken for being 16 at Youth functions anymore. That is nice, in it's own way.
For the math geek inside me (who isn't really all that great at math, but enjoys looking at the pretty numbers), I am now on my fourth turn at being 8 and a half! (You know how that half is so very important to children.)
I share my birthday with Uda (Japanese Emperor - 867... this is the reason today is a Japanese Children's Day), Tammy Wynette (Country Singer - 1942), Michael Palin (Monty Python Actor - 1943), Shawn Drover (Drummer for Megadeth - 1966), Tina Yothers (Actress - 1973), and Seji Ara (Japanese Racing Driver - 1974... I picked this one because it was the only one who actually shared my year, too.).
Wikipedia (I know) lists that four Kings have died on this day. Notably, an inventor died last year on my Birthday. Sad day for some.
Today is a Mexican holiday, though not celebrated Nationally by obligatory federal law. It is to commemorate the Battle of Puebla, where the Mexicans defeated the French. It was a significant battle leading to the Mexican Independence, which is really celebrated in November. {Edit: First Nicki Friend corrected me. November is wrong, the correct answer is September 16. Sorry. I was typing too fast, and not thinking. That is all.} Oh, I think I want to make a dress (this is a link to the permissions for this picture) for next year! These are so colorful!
A very merry UN-Birthday to you!
We stayed up last night watching Hockey. The Dallas Stars vs. the San Jose Sharks. Turned out that they played into FOUR (count 'em...4! That is two whole games plus another overtime!) overtime periods, and it went into the record books as the 8th longest game in NHL history. It wasn't over until almost 1:30 am.
I awoke around 9 am, and got my first Happy Birthday phone call by 9:30 am. My mom was the first call. I got lots of emails, and many more phone calls, as well as a text or two. Brightened the day quite nicely.
Roadrunner took me to lunch at Olive Garden. Soup, Salad and Bread Sticks. Yum. DH took me to dinner at Carrabba's. I had the Mezzaluna. It is a cheese and spinach ravioli in a tomato sauce. I got my favorite dessert tonight, the Sonya Chocolate Dream. It is a Kahlua Brownie in a layered stack with creamy fluff, and topped with a Chocolate Kahlua sauce. Are you hungry yet?
I have been living my boring little life to the fullest today. I bought a few new shirts tonight. I got to watch my two favorite shows on TV (DH recorded them while we were out to dinner and shopping).
Tomorrow, I will be going with Roadrunner and her kids to the OKC Zoo. Their school takes an annual trip, and they need all the adults they can find to help supervise. We will have her older son and two of his friends, and the younger son and one of his friends. We may get one or two more kids, depending on need. I hope to take a few pictures, and I hope seriously that I do not get a sunburn.
On a more serious note, I would like to request prayers from all of you for my friend's father. Pop had a heart attack 10 years ago, and it resulted in a bypass surgery that he barely survived. He has been living well, and even though his body is 10 years older and 10 years weaker, it isn't all bad news. There have already been tests during this stay in the hospital, and there will be more discussion with the doctors on Tuesday. I guess putting a stint in is out of the question, and they don't want to try another bypass, for the fear that he won't live through it this time.
My friend is almost a sister, and these might as well have been my parents for a few years. Pop is very special to me. While he is mentally and willfully strong, his body is getting old and failing him. Please pray that Pop gets the proper treatment for his heart, and that the family can have strength.
Thank you. I will keep you updated as I get word on what is happening. I love that I can come to my Family for my heart-aches. You all do me good.
All in all, it has been a good birthday. I don't mind yet telling people that I am 34. It is funny to me how people think I will be offended when they guess that I am 26. Ha! Thank you, clueless people. I LOVE being thought to be younger.... as long as I am still in the 20's, that is. I have also been thought to be older ("But I thought you were closer to MY age...!"), and that is OK too. I am thoroughly an adult now. I like being mature enough to pull off being 37. I am not mistaken for being 16 at Youth functions anymore. That is nice, in it's own way.
For the math geek inside me (who isn't really all that great at math, but enjoys looking at the pretty numbers), I am now on my fourth turn at being 8 and a half! (You know how that half is so very important to children.)
I share my birthday with Uda (Japanese Emperor - 867... this is the reason today is a Japanese Children's Day), Tammy Wynette (Country Singer - 1942), Michael Palin (Monty Python Actor - 1943), Shawn Drover (Drummer for Megadeth - 1966), Tina Yothers (Actress - 1973), and Seji Ara (Japanese Racing Driver - 1974... I picked this one because it was the only one who actually shared my year, too.).
Wikipedia (I know) lists that four Kings have died on this day. Notably, an inventor died last year on my Birthday. Sad day for some.
Today is a Mexican holiday, though not celebrated Nationally by obligatory federal law. It is to commemorate the Battle of Puebla, where the Mexicans defeated the French. It was a significant battle leading to the Mexican Independence, which is really celebrated in November. {Edit: First Nicki Friend corrected me. November is wrong, the correct answer is September 16. Sorry. I was typing too fast, and not thinking. That is all.} Oh, I think I want to make a dress (this is a link to the permissions for this picture) for next year! These are so colorful!
A very merry UN-Birthday to you!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Hop, Skip, Leap
Word of the Post
Today's word is: bissextile
/by*sex"til/ or /bis*sex"til/
noun - Leap Year
adjective - Pertaining to Leap Year; containing or noting the extra day of Leap Year.
From the Latin: "bis" meaning twice, and "sextus" meaning sixth (get your head out of the gutter!). The sixth day before the Calends of March (February 24) occurred twice every fourth year. This year, 2008, is a bissextile year.
To make this plain as mud, Leap Day is technically the second occurrence of Feb. 24, and ends up adding an extra day numbered Feb. 29, every four years. This is to make the Calendar equal to the actual orbit of the Earth around the Sun. If we did not add the extra day every four years, we would be off by 1/4 of a day (5 hours, 48 minutes, 46 seconds) every year, and Winter would come in July in about 10,000 years. BUT, one day added every four years is equivalent to 6 hours every year, which is too much time (11 minutes 14 seconds) to add. Therefore, it is necessary to NOT add the day at the end of every century which is NOT divisible by 400, but it is still added at the end of centuries that ARE divisible by 400. The year 1900, while being a fourth year, did not have a leap day added, because 1900 is not equally divisible by 400.
Has your head exploded yet? This is WAY too much math so early in the year. We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
~~~~~~~~~~
I had to look at Wikipedia. I know, I know, it is not a true reference for anything. It is a user defined mishmash of questionable facts. However, it can be a useful resource to find other sources, and that will lead you to facts. I looked up February 29, just to see if there were any truly interesting births or events for today.
I found this sentence: "There are many instances in children's literature where a person's claim to be only a quarter of their actual age turns out to be based on counting their leap-year birthdays. A similar device is used in the plot of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance. Frederic, born on February 29, was apprenticed to a band of pirates until his 21st birthday, which would not arrive until he was eighty-eight years old."
Turns out, legally in some countries, those with a Leap Year birthday are officially allowed their celebrations on February 28 in non-Leap years. They are referred to as "leaplings", and could also celebrate their birth on March 1. The death list for today is relatively short. Which is fitting, seeing as there is such a low chance to actually die on that day.
I know personally only one leapling. I remember that she is a leapling because I remember the jokes that she was eagerly awaiting to be a teenager, and she would never again be older than her children. I don't recall which year she was born (1944, 1948, or 1952), but if it was 1952 as I suspect, then she would be 14 today.
I enjoyed the weather yesterday, it was sunny, warm and not too windy. Of course, I was not the one up on my roof in the strong gusts we had. The landlord came yesterday and removed tree limbs from the trees that were tearing up the roof, and repaired a HOLE in my roof (I told him there was a hole a year ago, and you see how well he listens to me) He also repaired a little hole in the eaves of the house. Oh, for a pellet gun. I would have been able to hunt the nasty little squirrel that poked his head out of that hole. Anyway, the holes are patched, and I have not heard any rustling of critters in the ceiling anymore. This is a good thing. I am looking forward to more peaceful evenings; no cats calling to the critters to come down to play, no more scratching in the insulation next to the air vents.
I am being stared at by a cat. Usually, it is her way to ignore me. I wonder what it is I have done or not done that makes me the victim of The Stare? She won't want me to pet her, or she would come over here and demand it. She has been fed, there is water in the dish... Oh! I bet it is that I haven't yet unlocked the cat door into the garage. I wanted to make sure that we didn't have any crazy rabid squirrels in the ceiling trying to escape.
Today is a gift. More than other days, this day is an extra day we have been given to do something special. Make it great!
Today's word is: bissextile
/by*sex"til/ or /bis*sex"til/
noun - Leap Year
adjective - Pertaining to Leap Year; containing or noting the extra day of Leap Year.
From the Latin: "bis" meaning twice, and "sextus" meaning sixth (get your head out of the gutter!). The sixth day before the Calends of March (February 24) occurred twice every fourth year. This year, 2008, is a bissextile year.
To make this plain as mud, Leap Day is technically the second occurrence of Feb. 24, and ends up adding an extra day numbered Feb. 29, every four years. This is to make the Calendar equal to the actual orbit of the Earth around the Sun. If we did not add the extra day every four years, we would be off by 1/4 of a day (5 hours, 48 minutes, 46 seconds) every year, and Winter would come in July in about 10,000 years. BUT, one day added every four years is equivalent to 6 hours every year, which is too much time (11 minutes 14 seconds) to add. Therefore, it is necessary to NOT add the day at the end of every century which is NOT divisible by 400, but it is still added at the end of centuries that ARE divisible by 400. The year 1900, while being a fourth year, did not have a leap day added, because 1900 is not equally divisible by 400.
Has your head exploded yet? This is WAY too much math so early in the year. We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
~~~~~~~~~~
I had to look at Wikipedia. I know, I know, it is not a true reference for anything. It is a user defined mishmash of questionable facts. However, it can be a useful resource to find other sources, and that will lead you to facts. I looked up February 29, just to see if there were any truly interesting births or events for today.
I found this sentence: "There are many instances in children's literature where a person's claim to be only a quarter of their actual age turns out to be based on counting their leap-year birthdays. A similar device is used in the plot of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance. Frederic, born on February 29, was apprenticed to a band of pirates until his 21st birthday, which would not arrive until he was eighty-eight years old."
Turns out, legally in some countries, those with a Leap Year birthday are officially allowed their celebrations on February 28 in non-Leap years. They are referred to as "leaplings", and could also celebrate their birth on March 1. The death list for today is relatively short. Which is fitting, seeing as there is such a low chance to actually die on that day.
I know personally only one leapling. I remember that she is a leapling because I remember the jokes that she was eagerly awaiting to be a teenager, and she would never again be older than her children. I don't recall which year she was born (1944, 1948, or 1952), but if it was 1952 as I suspect, then she would be 14 today.
I enjoyed the weather yesterday, it was sunny, warm and not too windy. Of course, I was not the one up on my roof in the strong gusts we had. The landlord came yesterday and removed tree limbs from the trees that were tearing up the roof, and repaired a HOLE in my roof (I told him there was a hole a year ago, and you see how well he listens to me) He also repaired a little hole in the eaves of the house. Oh, for a pellet gun. I would have been able to hunt the nasty little squirrel that poked his head out of that hole. Anyway, the holes are patched, and I have not heard any rustling of critters in the ceiling anymore. This is a good thing. I am looking forward to more peaceful evenings; no cats calling to the critters to come down to play, no more scratching in the insulation next to the air vents.
I am being stared at by a cat. Usually, it is her way to ignore me. I wonder what it is I have done or not done that makes me the victim of The Stare? She won't want me to pet her, or she would come over here and demand it. She has been fed, there is water in the dish... Oh! I bet it is that I haven't yet unlocked the cat door into the garage. I wanted to make sure that we didn't have any crazy rabid squirrels in the ceiling trying to escape.
Today is a gift. More than other days, this day is an extra day we have been given to do something special. Make it great!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Sing It Like You Mean It!
I have a special fondness in my heart for a cappella music. I found this on one of the blogs I frequent. I have not yet added her to my list, but after this, I think I shall. She is a busy mom, and has uniquely interesting tales to tell.
Classically, I don't like counting songs, or really repetitive ends to songs I would otherwise like. This version, however, is awesome. Enjoy!
The 12 Days Of Christmas
Classically, I don't like counting songs, or really repetitive ends to songs I would otherwise like. This version, however, is awesome. Enjoy!
The 12 Days Of Christmas
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Hot Cocoa With A Peppermint Stick To Warm The Soul
Word of the Post
Today's word is: loquacious
/lo*qua"cious/ adjective
To speak continually; talkative; expressive; apt to blab and disclose secrets.
I am talkative, but I am NOT loquacious. The secrets I hold are so dear, I have forgotten most of them.
~~~~~~~~~~
Any time I decide I have it all figured out, I am surprised by something small that brings me back to reality. I have always been a generous person. If I can help, I will. I offer to drive people all over the place, I pick up kids, I would give you the last bit of food in my fridge, I would empty my closet to keep you warm. It is humbling when others are willing to reciprocate.
I have a wonderful pair of new friends. They would also bend over backwards to make sure that you are taken care of, that you see Jesus in every small thing in your life. They invited us to have dinner with their family on Christmas Eve. We have gladly accepted, and plan to bring a little bit of dessert, and a few presents. I will not go empty-handed.
Growing up in a family who did not celebrate Christmas, I feel now a lot like a child window shopping at a candy or toy store. My face pressed against the glass, my breath steaming up the view, dreamy look on my face, wishing I could join in. I always saw everyone having fun trying to guess what Santa was bringing. They had huge family gatherings, and long funny stories after the New Year. Maybe it was the influence of Currier and Ives artwork, I don't know. I always assumed that happy family Christmases were picture-perfect, snow-covered, and heart-warming. Christmas was never not happy at my house, but it was not the fantasy I had created in my head.
This year, I have been allowed to go inside the store, and it is overwhelming. I don't know what to make of it all. The smells, the warmth, the love, the excellent cooking (by a man, even!) all keep me dumbfounded. I never knew this was for Christmas. These things were all for Thanksgiving in my family. I have a hard time not picking a piece of each and every kind of candy, one of every toy.
There is a storm that has dumped snow on many around us. It has given us a dusting of snow, but has also blessed us with ice... again. This time, it is not building on the trees, it is blowing in the wind. This time, we do not have the danger of losing power so much as the danger of stupid drivers trying to kill us on the roads. I wonder what it is about Oklahoma that brings out the "weather idiots". They seem to think, and drive as if, they have big SUV's that can stop on a dime.... on maybe a dry runway with no traffic. Then, they decide to try it on ice, behind me.
I have long enjoyed watching automatic transmissions sitting idle at a stoplight, knowing which axle is their drive because their wheels are spinning. Do people not know that an automatic can be put into Neutral, and will not keep uselessly trying to push the car? I learned to drive in crazy conditions in New Mexico and Colorado. I had months at a time to practice, and drunk drivers to avoid. I guess it is too much to expect Oklahomans to know how to react to snow and ice. They only see it three or four days a year. I need to get a bumper sticker that says "no spelunking". It should go next to the one we already have (not on the car yet, however) that says, "hang up and drive!"
To sum up:
1. J and L are my cool new friends.
2. I like my new Christmas experiences.
3. I need to dig up the recipe for Maple Syrup Snow Candy from the Little House books.
4. I would love to turn donuts in a big empty parking lot this weekend.
Have a good one, everybody!
Today's word is: loquacious
/lo*qua"cious/ adjective
To speak continually; talkative; expressive; apt to blab and disclose secrets.
I am talkative, but I am NOT loquacious. The secrets I hold are so dear, I have forgotten most of them.
~~~~~~~~~~
Any time I decide I have it all figured out, I am surprised by something small that brings me back to reality. I have always been a generous person. If I can help, I will. I offer to drive people all over the place, I pick up kids, I would give you the last bit of food in my fridge, I would empty my closet to keep you warm. It is humbling when others are willing to reciprocate.
I have a wonderful pair of new friends. They would also bend over backwards to make sure that you are taken care of, that you see Jesus in every small thing in your life. They invited us to have dinner with their family on Christmas Eve. We have gladly accepted, and plan to bring a little bit of dessert, and a few presents. I will not go empty-handed.
Growing up in a family who did not celebrate Christmas, I feel now a lot like a child window shopping at a candy or toy store. My face pressed against the glass, my breath steaming up the view, dreamy look on my face, wishing I could join in. I always saw everyone having fun trying to guess what Santa was bringing. They had huge family gatherings, and long funny stories after the New Year. Maybe it was the influence of Currier and Ives artwork, I don't know. I always assumed that happy family Christmases were picture-perfect, snow-covered, and heart-warming. Christmas was never not happy at my house, but it was not the fantasy I had created in my head.
This year, I have been allowed to go inside the store, and it is overwhelming. I don't know what to make of it all. The smells, the warmth, the love, the excellent cooking (by a man, even!) all keep me dumbfounded. I never knew this was for Christmas. These things were all for Thanksgiving in my family. I have a hard time not picking a piece of each and every kind of candy, one of every toy.
There is a storm that has dumped snow on many around us. It has given us a dusting of snow, but has also blessed us with ice... again. This time, it is not building on the trees, it is blowing in the wind. This time, we do not have the danger of losing power so much as the danger of stupid drivers trying to kill us on the roads. I wonder what it is about Oklahoma that brings out the "weather idiots". They seem to think, and drive as if, they have big SUV's that can stop on a dime.... on maybe a dry runway with no traffic. Then, they decide to try it on ice, behind me.
I have long enjoyed watching automatic transmissions sitting idle at a stoplight, knowing which axle is their drive because their wheels are spinning. Do people not know that an automatic can be put into Neutral, and will not keep uselessly trying to push the car? I learned to drive in crazy conditions in New Mexico and Colorado. I had months at a time to practice, and drunk drivers to avoid. I guess it is too much to expect Oklahomans to know how to react to snow and ice. They only see it three or four days a year. I need to get a bumper sticker that says "no spelunking". It should go next to the one we already have (not on the car yet, however) that says, "hang up and drive!"
To sum up:
1. J and L are my cool new friends.
2. I like my new Christmas experiences.
3. I need to dig up the recipe for Maple Syrup Snow Candy from the Little House books.
4. I would love to turn donuts in a big empty parking lot this weekend.
Have a good one, everybody!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Here Comes "Samma Claus"
I was in the middle of blogging last Monday evening, when our house went dark. I copied the entry into my word processor program on my laptop, and saved it for later. Now, you get to see what I was thinking about Jack Frost just before he got a fuller revenge on us.
Jack Frost can have a bad temper sometimes. He has hit Oklahoma with a vengeance. I am not terribly certain what we have done to anger him, but he has made a mess of our streets, cars and electric companies. Our house has had two days of freezing rain, sleet, and bitter temperatures. I helped DH scrape almost half an inch of the stuff off his car last night, and helped him again this morning with more. The bright side? The wind has not been bad, so the cold doesn't bite at your bones.
The trouble this morning was getting into the car, to retrieve the scraper. Mind, the door was iced over. Good thing we had scrapers from another car and a key fob that unlocks the doors, without need of the exterior locking mechanism to be defrosted.
DH was told not to come in just yet.... after we had scraped 80% of the windows clean. So, we finished, and came back inside to warm up. Hot Cocoa is a wonderful invention. He ended up going in around 11, and was home by 2:30. His supervisor was there, working on stuff with a generator, because the office power was out. It has been fun trying to talk to people on our cell phones, because they keep cutting out, and telling us the network is busy. It took three actual phone calls, and several other tries on both ends, for his supervisor to ask him to come to work. My phone cut off my mom, in the middle of the conversation. So mean. That is what we get for relying so much on electricity.
Jelly Bean got to sit on Santa's lap while she was with Grandma and Grandpa over last weekend. (Her phrasing of his name inspired the title of this post, BTW) She told him she wanted a bow. He asked if it was a bow for her hair? She said, "No. A big red bow on top of my present!" The whole family is planning to put red bows on her presents. I am actually trying to make a pillow in the shape of a bow, so she can have a memento of this year for future reference. I am glad that she does not yet know how to read, and that she doesn't yet read my blog. :-) I won't be able to tell you all her presents in a few years. She will be sneaky and try to find out, and I shall have to be sneakier and not say. I just hope that the actual present doesn't look horrible. My sewing talents are limited, and my patience even more so.
We have visitors upstairs. Definitely mice, probably birds, and I wonder if maybe a squirrel (?), live in our ceiling. I don't really have any access to the area, since the only entrance is a hole in the ceiling of the garage, and we don't have a ladder. Today, they have been making all sorts of noise in or on the roof, and the poor cats are distraught at the fact that prey plays out of their reach. I have seriously been contemplating buying a ladder and some poison in a box, and planting it up there. Noisy critters. More reason to bug the landlord about fixing the roof. I think there are holes up there, and he could stand to get it inspected, at the very least.
It has been getting dark since I started writing this entry. It got very cold just in the past five minutes. Brr! Santa needs to bring me a blanket this year! I am in a sweater and shivering. I hesitate to turn up the heater, because of the skyrocketing price of natural gas. However, that is why we have the service, so I should probably use it. I am a miser, I suppose. Bah!
We have several parties this year, all expecting a present valued from $10 to $20 each. Is it just me, or is the "Dirty Santa" the new
I don't know where my brain was headed here. I don't remember what I was going to compare the "Dirty Santa" gift exchange to. I am sorry for this, because I was interested too.
I have been having a tough time coming up with a Christmas wish list for my mother-in-law. I do not need anything. There is not much I want. I can buy anything I feel I have a desire for, and I don't have that many desires right now. I think relying on others has put my wishes on hold. It hasn't yet "felt like Christmas" to me. I have done no decorating, and I don't intend to now. It is too late. It will only have to come down in the next two weeks anyway.
On my chat group, we decided I should ask her to contribute to the cost of replacing my engine, or that I should ask that she contribute to Niki's Sevens ministry. Being in the cold on the road prompted me to buy more blankets for Sevens than I was planning originally. I am thinking that might be the best option. Help others, don't spoil me. MIL says that Christmas is for "wants" and I think many of those are frivolous. I can ask for Wii games, but there are people freezing to death, and I know how to help them.
I have seen the goodness of God through my good friends, I have lacked for nothing (except for electricity) in the past week, and many months previous. I could use a new laundry detergent, a new digital camera with video, a package of thank you cards.... but I really can't think of anything that I don't already have. I can't ask for the jeans I would like, because I have to try them on. I don't like getting clothes, because clothes are so very varied in what fits my body. Money for clothes, maybe?
I think the couple gift of date is the best idea. That way, I don't have to think. She has given us this one in the past. An envelope for each part: a gift card for dinner, cash for a movie of our choice, and a little cash toward gas to drive there for an evening. One year, we bought a DVD we were waiting for, but still spent the money on "a movie".
I have tried this year to improve my spiritual life, our financial responsibility, and my housekeeping patterns. I have no intention of being selfish with this request. Celebrating with family is going to be enough. More than I deserve. I could not ask for more.
Maybe I can get Sara Evans' album with that song on it.
Humbug!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The Holiday Grouse
Every time someone asks how our holiday went, I have to hesitate. My first inclination is to get all sad, and say, "Oh, it was fine, I guess." The truth is, it was full of things to be thankful for. I am ashamed that I can find so much to complain about first.
Not to say that it went all roses. The car did break down. I did not get to see Mom, which was the whole point of trying to go home. We did get stuck on the side of the road in a car that was supposed to be fixed. However, God still shows us compassion.
I wanted to buy a blanket to send to Niki. I was able to buy five. Spending two hours in our dead car on the side of the road made us cold enough to appreciate the needs of the homeless in Colorado in winter. I have friends who are every bit as good as family. We didn't have to walk to Clines Corners four miles away, and we didn't have to hitchhike into Albuquerque.
We got picked up by our friends. Conveniently, they were able to come an hour outside of town to get us, without much delay. They took us into town and shared their lunch leftovers with us for one of the best Thanksgiving dinners I have ever had. We were able to stay the weekend at another house, in "Mom's room" (Mom and Dad have their own room at this friend's house. She is their hotel in ABQ).
Dad made two trips down to ABQ to see us. One trip to bring us a vehicle to take us home, just in case he could not come again to get our car. I got to see Dad and my Bro on that trip, on Friday. We had a late lunch, and sent them on their way. The second trip, Dad came alone with a truck and trailer to tow my car to his mechanic. DH and I helped get the car onto the trailer. My car made the trip home on Saturday, without me.
I got to play Scrabble with our friend. I don't get to play very much with our friends here. There is only one who loves to play as much as I, and he beats me all the time. Our friend in ABQ is a librarian, and has an extensive vocabulary, so it was a GAME. I won one of them (EQUIP ending on a triple word square for 78 points doubled my score and, I think, sealed that one.), and she won the second and the third. Speaking of Scrabble, DH just handed me a page off his Classic Dave Barry page-a-day calendar. This is the page from Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22.
On Sunday, we had a safe drive home in Dad's 1985 Dodge Caravan (it has 212,800+ miles on it!). I don't know what I want to do. The trick is to see if it is worth it to repair the car, or just junk it for scrap metal. If it truly needs a new engine, Dad will have to tow it to me, or at least to ABQ, to get to a shop that has the tools to do the heavy lifting of an engine swap. We should know more next week, after the mechanic has a chance to look at it. It could just need a new intake manifold (a mere $900 by all accounts). A new engine will cost less than replacing the car... but at what value? A replacement engine will be a rebuilt, and it was the flaw in the engine that started this circus. I am considering buying Dad's van. He said I could borrow it as long as necessary. He was just glad that, since they replaced it this summer with a newer van, they had not let the insurance lapse on it. The tag is good until May.
Mom has many friends and church members who come over to visit her. There are two in particular who stayed with her during Dad's trips to help me. I am grateful for their kindness.
All in all, the trip was good. It was nothing like we expected, and not at all what we wanted, but that is not to say it wasn't good at all. God showed us how He cares for us, and will not let us down or abandon us. I know people who had more stressful trips than we had, even though I don't want to be complaining or comparing. We saw God on this trip, and He safely brought us home to the job that DH loves, in plenty of time to go to work as scheduled on Monday.
Mom went into the hospital on Monday, and remained there all day Tuesday as well. I can't help but feel a bit of guilt. Mom can't handle stress in the same way she used to. When I was young, stress gave her cold sores. Now, stress gives her shortness of breath, anemia and tremors. She went to the hospital after stressing over me and my "adventure". I know better than to blame myself for her failing health, but I can't help it. Would she have gone to the hospital if I had not tried to come home? Probably. Can I do anything to make it better? Or worse? No. Absolutely not. When I talked to Dad on Monday night, he sounded so very tired. He does so much for her. I think it wears him down.
So please don't ask me how my Holiday was. Don't ask me how I am. Box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.
Ask me what blessings I have received today. Ask me whom I have helped to see God today.
Ask me which new car I like (this minute).
Not to say that it went all roses. The car did break down. I did not get to see Mom, which was the whole point of trying to go home. We did get stuck on the side of the road in a car that was supposed to be fixed. However, God still shows us compassion.
I wanted to buy a blanket to send to Niki. I was able to buy five. Spending two hours in our dead car on the side of the road made us cold enough to appreciate the needs of the homeless in Colorado in winter. I have friends who are every bit as good as family. We didn't have to walk to Clines Corners four miles away, and we didn't have to hitchhike into Albuquerque.
We got picked up by our friends. Conveniently, they were able to come an hour outside of town to get us, without much delay. They took us into town and shared their lunch leftovers with us for one of the best Thanksgiving dinners I have ever had. We were able to stay the weekend at another house, in "Mom's room" (Mom and Dad have their own room at this friend's house. She is their hotel in ABQ).
Dad made two trips down to ABQ to see us. One trip to bring us a vehicle to take us home, just in case he could not come again to get our car. I got to see Dad and my Bro on that trip, on Friday. We had a late lunch, and sent them on their way. The second trip, Dad came alone with a truck and trailer to tow my car to his mechanic. DH and I helped get the car onto the trailer. My car made the trip home on Saturday, without me.
I got to play Scrabble with our friend. I don't get to play very much with our friends here. There is only one who loves to play as much as I, and he beats me all the time. Our friend in ABQ is a librarian, and has an extensive vocabulary, so it was a GAME. I won one of them (EQUIP ending on a triple word square for 78 points doubled my score and, I think, sealed that one.), and she won the second and the third. Speaking of Scrabble, DH just handed me a page off his Classic Dave Barry page-a-day calendar. This is the page from Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22.
The one board game that I still play is Scrabble. I like it because unlike most other games, which basically are pointless time-consumers, in Scrabble you can do something mentally stimulating and worthwhile: make naughty words. There is nothing quite like the sense of intellectual accomplishment that comes from spelling out, say, "b-o-s-o-m", knowing that it will be sitting there on the board for hours, staring up at your opponents.I personally try to avoid the dirty words. I don't like using them, I don't want to stare at them for hours. Scrabble usually takes at least two hours. The last hour is usually spent trying to figure out where to play that I that you didn't use on the last word you played, while your opponent is trying to dispose of a Z, W and J with no vowels.
On Sunday, we had a safe drive home in Dad's 1985 Dodge Caravan (it has 212,800+ miles on it!). I don't know what I want to do. The trick is to see if it is worth it to repair the car, or just junk it for scrap metal. If it truly needs a new engine, Dad will have to tow it to me, or at least to ABQ, to get to a shop that has the tools to do the heavy lifting of an engine swap. We should know more next week, after the mechanic has a chance to look at it. It could just need a new intake manifold (a mere $900 by all accounts). A new engine will cost less than replacing the car... but at what value? A replacement engine will be a rebuilt, and it was the flaw in the engine that started this circus. I am considering buying Dad's van. He said I could borrow it as long as necessary. He was just glad that, since they replaced it this summer with a newer van, they had not let the insurance lapse on it. The tag is good until May.
Mom has many friends and church members who come over to visit her. There are two in particular who stayed with her during Dad's trips to help me. I am grateful for their kindness.
All in all, the trip was good. It was nothing like we expected, and not at all what we wanted, but that is not to say it wasn't good at all. God showed us how He cares for us, and will not let us down or abandon us. I know people who had more stressful trips than we had, even though I don't want to be complaining or comparing. We saw God on this trip, and He safely brought us home to the job that DH loves, in plenty of time to go to work as scheduled on Monday.
Mom went into the hospital on Monday, and remained there all day Tuesday as well. I can't help but feel a bit of guilt. Mom can't handle stress in the same way she used to. When I was young, stress gave her cold sores. Now, stress gives her shortness of breath, anemia and tremors. She went to the hospital after stressing over me and my "adventure". I know better than to blame myself for her failing health, but I can't help it. Would she have gone to the hospital if I had not tried to come home? Probably. Can I do anything to make it better? Or worse? No. Absolutely not. When I talked to Dad on Monday night, he sounded so very tired. He does so much for her. I think it wears him down.
So please don't ask me how my Holiday was. Don't ask me how I am. Box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.
Ask me what blessings I have received today. Ask me whom I have helped to see God today.
Ask me which new car I like (this minute).
Thankfully
Since my previous journey into starting a conversation flopped, I am just going to say that I hope everyone had a good Holiday. I would love to hear what each of you is thankful for.
Things I Learned On My Trip
(in pretty much the order I thought of them)
1. Pack an extra change of clothes, just in case.
2. Mexican Blankets are cheaper in the middle of nowhere.
3. Chevy cars don't like the long hills on I40 between Milagro and Moriarty.
4. Moriarty and Mortality sound a lot alike.
5. Things are never so bad as they seem.
6. A layer of snow protects your car from getting ticketed for towing.
7. Daddies never lose their magic to fix stuff.
8. Mom's landlady's niece's sister's husband suddenly counts as family, even if you've never met him before. (sounds more dramatic than my friend's brother-in-law)
9. "Good Holiday" and "Good Trip" are two VERY different things.
10. Dry heat is OK. Dry cold.... not so much.
11. Bedlam is still important. (Go O.U.!)
More details to come. Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
Things I Learned On My Trip
(in pretty much the order I thought of them)
1. Pack an extra change of clothes, just in case.
2. Mexican Blankets are cheaper in the middle of nowhere.
3. Chevy cars don't like the long hills on I40 between Milagro and Moriarty.
4. Moriarty and Mortality sound a lot alike.
5. Things are never so bad as they seem.
6. A layer of snow protects your car from getting ticketed for towing.
7. Daddies never lose their magic to fix stuff.
8. Mom's landlady's niece's sister's husband suddenly counts as family, even if you've never met him before. (sounds more dramatic than my friend's brother-in-law)
9. "Good Holiday" and "Good Trip" are two VERY different things.
10. Dry heat is OK. Dry cold.... not so much.
11. Bedlam is still important. (Go O.U.!)
More details to come. Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Yip Eye Oh Eeee Aye!
Oklahoma.
46th State in the Union.
Its quarter will be the first issued in 2008.
100 years strong today.
Oklahoma,
OK!
46th State in the Union.
Its quarter will be the first issued in 2008.
100 years strong today.
Oklahoma,
OK!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Overlooking The Bad
Word of the Post
Today's word is: condone
/con*done"/ verb
To regard or treat (usually action that is bad or blameworthy) as acceptable, forgivable or harmless. To overlook an offense; to pardon; make allowances for, or be lenient with.
When a child is caught doing something bad, many parents today condone their actions instead of punishing and educating.
~~~~~~~~~~
I got the car back, and things seem to be operating properly. I now have to settle up with the shop. I don't like giving up my money. I didn't even have to work for this money, but it just seems wrong to pay so much for installing such tiny parts. Dread fills my being. Unfortunately, I am also an honorable person, and must pay my debt. I want the guys to make the money for their labor. Just not so much of it. I have told the guys in the office more than once: I appreciate the work you do for me, but I am really getting tired of looking at you.
I think the cats are trying to break the door between the living room and the garage. They run throughout the house, at break-neck speeds, and hit the cat door at full tilt. One of these days, the door is going to pop out of its place, or just break in half from the force.
Of all the things that can go wrong, I have to deal today with the most painful. I have been having horrible back spasms. It hurts to walk, hurts to sit, hurts to move. I have iced my back, rubbed it with Tiger Balm, massaged, taken Tylenol, heat packed, and stretched. I have no idea what is pinched or what is out of place, but my muscles are crying. I wonder how much of this comes from all the walking I did over the weekend, going to the craft fair and a Blazers hockey game. You might question why going to a hockey game should make my back hurt, and I have the answers. I spent all day Friday at the State Fairgrounds at An Affair of the Heart, a twice annual craft fair. My legs and feet hurt for two days after that. On Saturday, we went to the hockey game at the Ford Center. We park about three blocks away, and walk to the arena. Then we have to hike up and down the stairs to get to our seats. The seats are not built for babies who have back like I have. I have to sit in the seats at a bit of an angle, and I am sure that is the actual culprit.
Thankfully, none of these will last forever. I have the money in hand to give to the shop for my car. I know the pain will go away soon enough. I should not complain. It brings everyone else down, and doesn't make me feel any better. Just know that I am doing all I can (for free) to help myself.
I wish for all my readers, loyal or new, to have a fun and safe and Happy Halloween!
Today's word is: condone
/con*done"/ verb
To regard or treat (usually action that is bad or blameworthy) as acceptable, forgivable or harmless. To overlook an offense; to pardon; make allowances for, or be lenient with.
When a child is caught doing something bad, many parents today condone their actions instead of punishing and educating.
~~~~~~~~~~
I got the car back, and things seem to be operating properly. I now have to settle up with the shop. I don't like giving up my money. I didn't even have to work for this money, but it just seems wrong to pay so much for installing such tiny parts. Dread fills my being. Unfortunately, I am also an honorable person, and must pay my debt. I want the guys to make the money for their labor. Just not so much of it. I have told the guys in the office more than once: I appreciate the work you do for me, but I am really getting tired of looking at you.
I think the cats are trying to break the door between the living room and the garage. They run throughout the house, at break-neck speeds, and hit the cat door at full tilt. One of these days, the door is going to pop out of its place, or just break in half from the force.
Of all the things that can go wrong, I have to deal today with the most painful. I have been having horrible back spasms. It hurts to walk, hurts to sit, hurts to move. I have iced my back, rubbed it with Tiger Balm, massaged, taken Tylenol, heat packed, and stretched. I have no idea what is pinched or what is out of place, but my muscles are crying. I wonder how much of this comes from all the walking I did over the weekend, going to the craft fair and a Blazers hockey game. You might question why going to a hockey game should make my back hurt, and I have the answers. I spent all day Friday at the State Fairgrounds at An Affair of the Heart, a twice annual craft fair. My legs and feet hurt for two days after that. On Saturday, we went to the hockey game at the Ford Center. We park about three blocks away, and walk to the arena. Then we have to hike up and down the stairs to get to our seats. The seats are not built for babies who have back like I have. I have to sit in the seats at a bit of an angle, and I am sure that is the actual culprit.
Thankfully, none of these will last forever. I have the money in hand to give to the shop for my car. I know the pain will go away soon enough. I should not complain. It brings everyone else down, and doesn't make me feel any better. Just know that I am doing all I can (for free) to help myself.
I wish for all my readers, loyal or new, to have a fun and safe and Happy Halloween!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Soda Or Pop? Name That Fizz!
Word of the Post
Today's word is: ecclesia
/ec*cle"si*a/ noun
Public legislative assembly of Athenians; a church, either as a body or a building. When the early Christians were finally called something, the Greek word used to describe them referred to being "called out", or a special group. Iglesia is a transliteration into Spanish.
~~~~~~~~~~
I found this wonderful answer to the same basic question I had. Should we or should we not now use oil and anoint the sick? Go check it out for yourself. I have come to a similar conclusion. I just did a lot of reading on the subject, because it landed in my brain. Being a medicinal instruction, we are not required to smear olive oil on our sick friends. Which is, most likely, a good thing. But, if you feel you must try, I have also found the perfect (local to me) outlet for purchasing such oils. They seem to have the Lord at heart. I still think that it might be a good thing to add back, to focus the attention of the people doing the praying, or to help the faith of the sick person. It would require touch, which requires a little bit of intimacy, and that is good for intercessory prayers.
The Oklahoma State Fair opens tomorrow, and in honor of the Centennial of our fine state, the admission for opening day is 100 cents. Yep, for one small dollar, you can get into the fairgrounds and enjoy all the craziness that the State has to offer. I am sorely tempted to go and take it in two rolls of pennies. Opened, in a Ziplock baggie. Make them count it, and make the people behind me mad. But, oh, such fun!
I bet many Oklahomans don't even know what I am about to tell you. Did you know that Watermelon is a Vegetable? It was announced on April 26th of this year that Watermelon is now the official State Vegetable. I want to know some answers. Seriously. Who thought we needed a State Vegetable? Who decided that it needed to be a Watermelon? And why, Why, WHY did it need to be decided in April of our 100th year as a State? We got along just fine for over nine decades, without a dome on our Capitol Building and without a State Vegetable. Someone was really wasting time and money, and they really need to cut it out.
Imagine the new State Seal, with the fancy cut Watermelon, full of little melon balls, next to a Peace Pipe , a Horse and an Oil Rig. What's next? The State Slouch? The State Shoe? The State Tattoo? A note for you non-Okies... Oklahoma was the last State in the Union to legalize tattooing, and that also happened in our 100th year. Go to Texas for a few years more if you want a good one. Give these guys a little time to practice. You want experience when you get a tattoo. Otherwise, you get a junky tattoo or a disease.
Speaking of disease, this looks like Magenta has chicken pox. No, really we just painted her (Magenta is a girl, right?) with strawberry marshmallows stuck on by using strawberry icing. This was a variation on Pin-the-Tail-on-a-Something. Jelly Bean's 2nd Birthday Friends Party was a Blues Clues party, and it was the cutest thing! The kids got their own Handy Dandy Notebook, and followed BIL all around the building, and find the Clues that had been planted. They found a tattoo/sticker, a package of Fruit Snacks, and an empty goody bag. Then, they came back where they started, and sat in their chairs to Think, Think, Think. Then Jelly Bean gave everyone a goody bag. This was really a clever way to do a party! One of Jelly Bean's gifts was an inflatable red Thinking Chair, like the one pictured below on the Handy Dandy Notebook. I even got DH to wear a striped shirt to the party.
This is me, holding the Gum Drop, at Jelly Bean's party. That little foot is only as long as my index finger.
On Labor Day, we went to Stillwater to have lunch with some friends. Ferret's daughter Ani would turn 5 on the 5th, so we had a party for her. We ate at Eskimo Joe's. We got our drinks in the famous cups (this time we got yellow cups that turned green when they get cold) and had a grand time. They even announced her (twice, because we missed the first one). On the way back to town, we ended up taking the Mother Road less traveled. We came back by way of Route 66. We passed the Big Round Red Barn, and then we came to a nifty little attraction that I didn't even know about.
This is a Soda Shoppe of the old fashioned variety. They have rare, odd and popular sodas of all shapes and colors. The biggest one is... this.
This is the Pops Soda Shoppe bottle. {Edit: I found out that the bottle has a name. It is "Bubbles". Isn't it cute?} It is (you could guess) 66 feet high. The cool thing about it for me was that it lights up at night.
Each of those rings lights up individually. They have it in motion, looking like the bottle is filled and then emptied for each color of soda the thing has. I saw Green, Red, Orange, Yellow, and Purple, as well as the basic White. I got this picture because of the "perfect" filled height. This was close to the example we saw when we went to see the Dr. Pepper factory in Dublin, TX. I hope Fuzzy looks at this page, because they carry more than one variety of soda from the same company that makes the Black Lemonade he so loved. They also had a Cherry Bomb Jolt (pretty good, better than the Black Cherry Soda we also tried) and lots of other amazing and long-lost soda favorites. If you ever get a chance to come see me, I can take you there. It is fun. This is a link to show you the "raising of the bottle". Here is the link to their official website.
Note for today's post: All photos by me or my Dear Hubby, on our digital camera. Designs of products pictured are property of individual copyright or trademark owners. I took my own pictures in a public forum, and gave credit to the official site. This way, Pops can thank me for the free ads instead of persecuting me for plagirism or something else just as ugly and not intended.
Have a great weekend. Think deep thoughts, and blog them for the world to see!
Today's word is: ecclesia
/ec*cle"si*a/ noun
Public legislative assembly of Athenians; a church, either as a body or a building. When the early Christians were finally called something, the Greek word used to describe them referred to being "called out", or a special group. Iglesia is a transliteration into Spanish.
~~~~~~~~~~
I found this wonderful answer to the same basic question I had. Should we or should we not now use oil and anoint the sick? Go check it out for yourself. I have come to a similar conclusion. I just did a lot of reading on the subject, because it landed in my brain. Being a medicinal instruction, we are not required to smear olive oil on our sick friends. Which is, most likely, a good thing. But, if you feel you must try, I have also found the perfect (local to me) outlet for purchasing such oils. They seem to have the Lord at heart. I still think that it might be a good thing to add back, to focus the attention of the people doing the praying, or to help the faith of the sick person. It would require touch, which requires a little bit of intimacy, and that is good for intercessory prayers.
The Oklahoma State Fair opens tomorrow, and in honor of the Centennial of our fine state, the admission for opening day is 100 cents. Yep, for one small dollar, you can get into the fairgrounds and enjoy all the craziness that the State has to offer. I am sorely tempted to go and take it in two rolls of pennies. Opened, in a Ziplock baggie. Make them count it, and make the people behind me mad. But, oh, such fun!
I bet many Oklahomans don't even know what I am about to tell you. Did you know that Watermelon is a Vegetable? It was announced on April 26th of this year that Watermelon is now the official State Vegetable. I want to know some answers. Seriously. Who thought we needed a State Vegetable? Who decided that it needed to be a Watermelon? And why, Why, WHY did it need to be decided in April of our 100th year as a State? We got along just fine for over nine decades, without a dome on our Capitol Building and without a State Vegetable. Someone was really wasting time and money, and they really need to cut it out.
Imagine the new State Seal, with the fancy cut Watermelon, full of little melon balls, next to a Peace Pipe , a Horse and an Oil Rig. What's next? The State Slouch? The State Shoe? The State Tattoo? A note for you non-Okies... Oklahoma was the last State in the Union to legalize tattooing, and that also happened in our 100th year. Go to Texas for a few years more if you want a good one. Give these guys a little time to practice. You want experience when you get a tattoo. Otherwise, you get a junky tattoo or a disease.
Speaking of disease, this looks like Magenta has chicken pox. No, really we just painted her (Magenta is a girl, right?) with strawberry marshmallows stuck on by using strawberry icing. This was a variation on Pin-the-Tail-on-a-Something. Jelly Bean's 2nd Birthday Friends Party was a Blues Clues party, and it was the cutest thing! The kids got their own Handy Dandy Notebook, and followed BIL all around the building, and find the Clues that had been planted. They found a tattoo/sticker, a package of Fruit Snacks, and an empty goody bag. Then, they came back where they started, and sat in their chairs to Think, Think, Think. Then Jelly Bean gave everyone a goody bag. This was really a clever way to do a party! One of Jelly Bean's gifts was an inflatable red Thinking Chair, like the one pictured below on the Handy Dandy Notebook. I even got DH to wear a striped shirt to the party.
This is me, holding the Gum Drop, at Jelly Bean's party. That little foot is only as long as my index finger.
On Labor Day, we went to Stillwater to have lunch with some friends. Ferret's daughter Ani would turn 5 on the 5th, so we had a party for her. We ate at Eskimo Joe's. We got our drinks in the famous cups (this time we got yellow cups that turned green when they get cold) and had a grand time. They even announced her (twice, because we missed the first one). On the way back to town, we ended up taking the Mother Road less traveled. We came back by way of Route 66. We passed the Big Round Red Barn, and then we came to a nifty little attraction that I didn't even know about.
This is a Soda Shoppe of the old fashioned variety. They have rare, odd and popular sodas of all shapes and colors. The biggest one is... this.
This is the Pops Soda Shoppe bottle. {Edit: I found out that the bottle has a name. It is "Bubbles". Isn't it cute?} It is (you could guess) 66 feet high. The cool thing about it for me was that it lights up at night.
Each of those rings lights up individually. They have it in motion, looking like the bottle is filled and then emptied for each color of soda the thing has. I saw Green, Red, Orange, Yellow, and Purple, as well as the basic White. I got this picture because of the "perfect" filled height. This was close to the example we saw when we went to see the Dr. Pepper factory in Dublin, TX. I hope Fuzzy looks at this page, because they carry more than one variety of soda from the same company that makes the Black Lemonade he so loved. They also had a Cherry Bomb Jolt (pretty good, better than the Black Cherry Soda we also tried) and lots of other amazing and long-lost soda favorites. If you ever get a chance to come see me, I can take you there. It is fun. This is a link to show you the "raising of the bottle". Here is the link to their official website.
Note for today's post: All photos by me or my Dear Hubby, on our digital camera. Designs of products pictured are property of individual copyright or trademark owners. I took my own pictures in a public forum, and gave credit to the official site. This way, Pops can thank me for the free ads instead of persecuting me for plagirism or something else just as ugly and not intended.
Have a great weekend. Think deep thoughts, and blog them for the world to see!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Lucky Me
Word of the Post
Today's word is: Friggatriskaidekaphobia
Morbid fear of Friday the 13th.
Can also use Paraskavedekatriaphobia, or Paraskevidekatriaphobia.
I will not bother to try to help anyone say these, because they are too technical and clinical. I suppose it is a noun, being a name of an idea. I will just say that I will probably never use any of these in a sentence, but I can pronounce them. You have to take my word for that. :-)
~~~~~~~~~~
I don't know why people are so superstitious. I remember working in a print shop, and being open on Good Friday. That year, it was also the 13th. So, with my very intelligent boss, I pondered why we were the only shop open in the whole of the town. He observed that people could be religious (Good Friday) or superstitious (Friday the 13th). I wonder still how many people closed up shop, for fear that the Universe would get them from both sides if they were working.
I don't go out of my way to avoid things like stepping on cracks and stuff, but I don't go out of my way to pursue them, either. I will pick up any penny on the ground, because I am now a penny richer than I was a minute ago. I don't care where the face was facing. Does one face up and one face down cancel out the bad luck of the face down? I don't go running under ladders at every chance. I found out that you are supposed to spit if a black cat crosses your path. I never knew this. I know that the black cat is bad in America, but good in other places. I know that Rachael Ray throws some salt over her left shoulder for luck when she cooks.
I figure that I am a Christian, and my life is no place for superstition. I don't need the gods of Chance, Luck or Doom when I have the God of the Universe. I am not saying that Coincidence is lost. There are times when God speaks in still, small whispers. SQuire Rushnell calls them "godwinks". A little wink from across the table from a God who notices YOU and shows you He loves you. And since I have experienced many, almost countless, of these "godwinks", I can tell you that coincidence is God-engineered to steer you in the right direction, or just to love on you. If you prefer to think of it as Chance, Luck, or Doom, that is your choice. I choose joy over doubt.
I also have to share that good things happen on Friday the 13th. DH got a Bonus today. So I don't have to worry about where the money will come from to pay for the new lawnmower we are considering. And we still have money left to buy a Wii (if I could ever find one available!!!) and still help out on a few needs we know of. The wonderful part of this is that I don't have to work. I could, if I get bored, or if we needed me to. But, we are living quite well on DH's income. That is the truly miraculous part. I can live well, prepare for emergencies, save for the distant retirement and help others, all without having to work an 8 to 5 slave job. DH loves his work, which is an added bonus. I am blessed beyond dollars.
Happy Friday!
Today's word is: Friggatriskaidekaphobia
Morbid fear of Friday the 13th.
Can also use Paraskavedekatriaphobia, or Paraskevidekatriaphobia.
I will not bother to try to help anyone say these, because they are too technical and clinical. I suppose it is a noun, being a name of an idea. I will just say that I will probably never use any of these in a sentence, but I can pronounce them. You have to take my word for that. :-)
~~~~~~~~~~
I don't know why people are so superstitious. I remember working in a print shop, and being open on Good Friday. That year, it was also the 13th. So, with my very intelligent boss, I pondered why we were the only shop open in the whole of the town. He observed that people could be religious (Good Friday) or superstitious (Friday the 13th). I wonder still how many people closed up shop, for fear that the Universe would get them from both sides if they were working.
I don't go out of my way to avoid things like stepping on cracks and stuff, but I don't go out of my way to pursue them, either. I will pick up any penny on the ground, because I am now a penny richer than I was a minute ago. I don't care where the face was facing. Does one face up and one face down cancel out the bad luck of the face down? I don't go running under ladders at every chance. I found out that you are supposed to spit if a black cat crosses your path. I never knew this. I know that the black cat is bad in America, but good in other places. I know that Rachael Ray throws some salt over her left shoulder for luck when she cooks.
I figure that I am a Christian, and my life is no place for superstition. I don't need the gods of Chance, Luck or Doom when I have the God of the Universe. I am not saying that Coincidence is lost. There are times when God speaks in still, small whispers. SQuire Rushnell calls them "godwinks". A little wink from across the table from a God who notices YOU and shows you He loves you. And since I have experienced many, almost countless, of these "godwinks", I can tell you that coincidence is God-engineered to steer you in the right direction, or just to love on you. If you prefer to think of it as Chance, Luck, or Doom, that is your choice. I choose joy over doubt.
I also have to share that good things happen on Friday the 13th. DH got a Bonus today. So I don't have to worry about where the money will come from to pay for the new lawnmower we are considering. And we still have money left to buy a Wii (if I could ever find one available!!!) and still help out on a few needs we know of. The wonderful part of this is that I don't have to work. I could, if I get bored, or if we needed me to. But, we are living quite well on DH's income. That is the truly miraculous part. I can live well, prepare for emergencies, save for the distant retirement and help others, all without having to work an 8 to 5 slave job. DH loves his work, which is an added bonus. I am blessed beyond dollars.
Happy Friday!
Monday, May 28, 2007
The Dallas Vacation, Or There And Back Again
Word of the Post
Today's word is: peregrination
/per'e*gri*na"tion/ noun
Travel, especially by foot, from one country to another; wandering, sojourn, pilgrimage.
We went to Texas on our vacation, I think that can count as a peregrination. Texas is "a whole other country", after all.
~~~~~~~~~~
I got back from St. Louis, and had two days to do laundry and sleep in my own bed before taking off again for Dallas. We spent our time going to various destinations. We determined that we could spend a whole week (twice the time we had) and still not do all the things that we wanted to do in and around Dallas. This "whole other country" has a lot of things to do.
We first went to see the Body Worlds exhibit, on its last weekend at the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science. This is the same kind of display featured in the newest James Bond film, Casino Royale. I first heard about Body Worlds on another blog, where the girl's hubby went to see it in Chicago, and she wanted to know if anyone else was grossed out or offended by the displays. I have to admit I wanted to go for the simple reason of morbid curiosity. I wanted so very much to ogle the inner workings of the human body. I would be happy to show you pictures, but they wouldn't let me take any. I did buy a book, and I can send you to their site and you can look at the displays for yourself. If you get a chance, definitely check it out. They are actual bodies, and they are not clothed, many even do not have skin. The muscles in the genitals are not hidden, nor are they vulgar...but it may not be something you want children to see. It may not be something you want to see, either.
We next went to the Dublin Dr. Pepper Bottling Co. in Dublin, Texas. This is the only company that uses Pure Cane Sugar, instead of Corn Syrup to sweeten the drink. We took a tour, and learned all about the history of Dr. Pepper.
This is a can that is on the property of the Bottling Co. It is at least 13 ft. high, and if you click on it, you can see that can hold, by their estimations, around 3,306 gallons of Dr. Pepper. Talk about a caffeine addiction!
This is the light test, to see which bottle is properly filled and mixed. They test about one out of every 100 bottles this way. The one on the left is without much syrup at all, and mostly soda water. Way salty, and no flavor... not a good drink. The one on the right has way too much syrup in it... I can imagine that it would taste pretty good, but if a bug or something was hiding in there, you would get that, too. Obviously, not a good drink, either. The two in the middle are the proper color range, but the right of these two is filled too high in the bottle, and won't have the proper fizz when opened. The second from the left is the proper proportions, the right color, and a near-perfect mix. These large bottles are actually refills. They are older bottles that are accepted for cleaning. The machinery that you see in the left of the picture is where the full and properly mixed bottles come out of the machine, and get picked up and put in crates, like the one below the light box.
The main reason to visit Dallas is friends. We have many friends and a few family members who live in the MetroPlex. We stopped at Reaper, and bought a few miniatures. We tried to lynch the Ded King, but he was on the clock, so we let him live. (That joke was for Teh Club, and if you get it, good. If not... sorry. Take too long to 'splain.) We did get a mini tour of his workspace, and met the resident shop kitty. If you don't know what Reaper is.... you must not play D&D. I don't play, either. I only know about it because I know a guy who works there. But hey, you can go and take a tour sometime. You will probably meet our friend.
We spent our nights with friends who used to live here in OKC. They now live near Dallas. Sandman, his wife, Monkey's Momma, and three Sugar babies. The first kiddo (11) is Sugar Bear, my buddy. He was very small when we all met, and he has grown up to be quite a special little man. The second kiddo (8) is DH's girlfriend, Sugar Bunny. For some reason, my hubby attracts the attentions of little girls at church under 2. They think he is fun to play with, and they flirt like crazy with him. This one we met when she was born (the Black Hole of Babydom sucked him in!). Their third kiddo (2), Sugar Monkey, is the miracle child.
Sugar Monkey has cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and other issues. Sandman and Monkey's Mamma were told that he would be nothing more than a vegetable. Those doctors were wrong. Totally wrong. This little boy is learning. He needed help to get on his knees and hands, but he did the pushing up, he held his head up, and he balanced this way long enough for Sandman and me to get several pictures.
I called this picture "Concentration". He was tired of being up on all fours, but he pushed back up on his elbows. He was listening to that little toy train with very concentrated enthusiasm. Clarity in those little eyes, can you see it?
This tired boy had been up on all fours for roughly five minutes, and was resting. He put his head down, and rested for a bit, and then picked up and turned his head and looked again at the train. Twice, at least. This kid is strong, and getting stronger every day.
Finally, we see why he is Sugar Monkey. This is Monkey's Momma tickling and smooching the Sugar Monkey. He was smiling a bit before, but this is a picture of a full-on giggle. He has such a sweet spirit. He can say Hi, and DaDa, and he gives verbal and touch cues to show that he is understanding things like singing and clapping. He is legally blind, but that doesn't stop him from showing me the face of God.
Today's word is: peregrination
/per'e*gri*na"tion/ noun
Travel, especially by foot, from one country to another; wandering, sojourn, pilgrimage.
We went to Texas on our vacation, I think that can count as a peregrination. Texas is "a whole other country", after all.
~~~~~~~~~~
I got back from St. Louis, and had two days to do laundry and sleep in my own bed before taking off again for Dallas. We spent our time going to various destinations. We determined that we could spend a whole week (twice the time we had) and still not do all the things that we wanted to do in and around Dallas. This "whole other country" has a lot of things to do.
We first went to see the Body Worlds exhibit, on its last weekend at the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science. This is the same kind of display featured in the newest James Bond film, Casino Royale. I first heard about Body Worlds on another blog, where the girl's hubby went to see it in Chicago, and she wanted to know if anyone else was grossed out or offended by the displays. I have to admit I wanted to go for the simple reason of morbid curiosity. I wanted so very much to ogle the inner workings of the human body. I would be happy to show you pictures, but they wouldn't let me take any. I did buy a book, and I can send you to their site and you can look at the displays for yourself. If you get a chance, definitely check it out. They are actual bodies, and they are not clothed, many even do not have skin. The muscles in the genitals are not hidden, nor are they vulgar...but it may not be something you want children to see. It may not be something you want to see, either.
We next went to the Dublin Dr. Pepper Bottling Co. in Dublin, Texas. This is the only company that uses Pure Cane Sugar, instead of Corn Syrup to sweeten the drink. We took a tour, and learned all about the history of Dr. Pepper.
This is a can that is on the property of the Bottling Co. It is at least 13 ft. high, and if you click on it, you can see that can hold, by their estimations, around 3,306 gallons of Dr. Pepper. Talk about a caffeine addiction!
This is the light test, to see which bottle is properly filled and mixed. They test about one out of every 100 bottles this way. The one on the left is without much syrup at all, and mostly soda water. Way salty, and no flavor... not a good drink. The one on the right has way too much syrup in it... I can imagine that it would taste pretty good, but if a bug or something was hiding in there, you would get that, too. Obviously, not a good drink, either. The two in the middle are the proper color range, but the right of these two is filled too high in the bottle, and won't have the proper fizz when opened. The second from the left is the proper proportions, the right color, and a near-perfect mix. These large bottles are actually refills. They are older bottles that are accepted for cleaning. The machinery that you see in the left of the picture is where the full and properly mixed bottles come out of the machine, and get picked up and put in crates, like the one below the light box.The main reason to visit Dallas is friends. We have many friends and a few family members who live in the MetroPlex. We stopped at Reaper, and bought a few miniatures. We tried to lynch the Ded King, but he was on the clock, so we let him live. (That joke was for Teh Club, and if you get it, good. If not... sorry. Take too long to 'splain.) We did get a mini tour of his workspace, and met the resident shop kitty. If you don't know what Reaper is.... you must not play D&D. I don't play, either. I only know about it because I know a guy who works there. But hey, you can go and take a tour sometime. You will probably meet our friend.
We spent our nights with friends who used to live here in OKC. They now live near Dallas. Sandman, his wife, Monkey's Momma, and three Sugar babies. The first kiddo (11) is Sugar Bear, my buddy. He was very small when we all met, and he has grown up to be quite a special little man. The second kiddo (8) is DH's girlfriend, Sugar Bunny. For some reason, my hubby attracts the attentions of little girls at church under 2. They think he is fun to play with, and they flirt like crazy with him. This one we met when she was born (the Black Hole of Babydom sucked him in!). Their third kiddo (2), Sugar Monkey, is the miracle child.
Sugar Monkey has cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and other issues. Sandman and Monkey's Mamma were told that he would be nothing more than a vegetable. Those doctors were wrong. Totally wrong. This little boy is learning. He needed help to get on his knees and hands, but he did the pushing up, he held his head up, and he balanced this way long enough for Sandman and me to get several pictures.
I called this picture "Concentration". He was tired of being up on all fours, but he pushed back up on his elbows. He was listening to that little toy train with very concentrated enthusiasm. Clarity in those little eyes, can you see it?
This tired boy had been up on all fours for roughly five minutes, and was resting. He put his head down, and rested for a bit, and then picked up and turned his head and looked again at the train. Twice, at least. This kid is strong, and getting stronger every day.
Finally, we see why he is Sugar Monkey. This is Monkey's Momma tickling and smooching the Sugar Monkey. He was smiling a bit before, but this is a picture of a full-on giggle. He has such a sweet spirit. He can say Hi, and DaDa, and he gives verbal and touch cues to show that he is understanding things like singing and clapping. He is legally blind, but that doesn't stop him from showing me the face of God.Saturday, May 5, 2007
On The Chelf, Aging
Word of the Post
Today's word is: birthday
/birth"day/ noun
Day of origin or commencement; the day in which any person is born; the day of the month in which a person was born, in whatever succeeding year it may recur; the anniversary of one's birth; the celebration surrounding any such day.
~~~~~~~~~~
I need a party, it's my birthday!
Famous Holidays: Cinco de Mayo (Mexico); Children's Day (Japan, aka Boy's Day); Martyr's Day (Albania).
Famous Births: 867-Uda, Emperor of Japan; 1813-Soren Kierkegaard, Danish Philosopher; 1926-Ann B. Davis, Actress (Alice on Brady Bunch); 1943-Michael Palin, Actor (Monty Python); 1974-ME!
Famous Deaths: 1821-Napoleon I of France; 1971-Violet Jessop, Titanic Survivor (amazing story, go look it up!).
~~~~~~~~~~
This is the 33rd anniversary of the day that the world was graced with my presence. I am now 21, with 12 years of experience. This is also my 33rd post. I saved it, just for today. Tradition has it that Jesus was 33 when he was crucified. Tradition also has done some math, and every few years, Ascension Day happens on May 5. It happened last year, and will happen again in 2016 (If we survive past the newest End-of-the-Earth prediction of Dec 21, 2012, of course). I have said for years that the birth of Christ was most likely in the Spring, because the shepherds were out with their sheep; this usually happened only in lambing season (Spring), and so... why couldn't I guess that He was born on May 5? It was every bit as likely as Dec 25, and in fact, a closer guess. Now I have found that He ascended back to the Father, probably near May 5. Ha! That is great. (Hail, Princess Delusion of Grandeur, long may I reign!)
My best friend and her daughters call me on or near my birthday each year... they sing to me over the phone. I have grown fond of the "Happy Cinco de Mayo to you!" It is a joke that has existed between us since before we were as old as her daughters are now. Her younger daughter asked one year WHY they did this. She answered that we just do, because we love Auntie Chelf. Little one still doesn't get it. Oh, well, at least we still get a kick out of it.
This leads me to think of a friend in college, who played "My Michelle" by Guns'N'Roses for me, instead of playing (or worse, singing) "Michelle" by the Beatles. I think I am the only Michelle I know who was NOT named for that song. Every person who meets me tries to sing it. I have a rule about that. If you wish to sing it, you must know more than the first three words, and the French part is extra credit if you pronounce it correctly. My DH and his first roommate from college are the only two people who would have been qualified to sing it, because they are the biggest Beatles fans I have ever met. And, thankfully, they are the only two who have never tried. DH is such a sweetie, he even skips it on his CD sometimes, just so I don't have to hear it. Which is funny to me, because I actually like the song... but only when sung by the Beatles.
I love these guys, and their crazy computer geek workplace antics. (click on it to make it bigger... that tiny type is hard to read, especially for us old fogies...) Makes me wish sometimes that I had tried harder in those computer classes at school. But, I am more of a post-production testing sort of geek, not the sysadmin sort of geek. If you know anything about computer programming, this is your joke source. If you don't, well... the finer jokes may go over your head, but the gist of it is still funny.
I have "My Next 30 Years" by Tim McGraw running through my head. I could really use a lot more Jesus in my next 30 years. I have done so much that was nothing but selfish. I have done some good, too. I have helped friends in need, I have sacrificed time and talent to show Jesus in many ways. But I know that simply being a "good person" is not enough. I have to strive to be better than "good". I have to BE Jesus to the lost and dying world, because they won't listen to His Word. But they SEE.... they see ME, and I am in no shape to be seen yet. "Eat a few more salads..." Yep, My next 30 years will be better; but I have to work, and I certainly don't relish that.
I am off to see a chick flick with the DH, and I have a wedding to attend this evening. All in all, today is going to be a great day. I have presents, people who care about me, time to have fun doing what I want to do... The only thing that could make it better would be to have no worries to come back to. Reality will still be here when I get back, but, for now, I can ignore it. Mental vacation, here I come!
"Happy to me, happy to me!" ~~ Best friend's daughter on the occasion of her 2nd birthday.
Today's word is: birthday
/birth"day/ noun
Day of origin or commencement; the day in which any person is born; the day of the month in which a person was born, in whatever succeeding year it may recur; the anniversary of one's birth; the celebration surrounding any such day.
~~~~~~~~~~
I need a party, it's my birthday!
Famous Holidays: Cinco de Mayo (Mexico); Children's Day (Japan, aka Boy's Day); Martyr's Day (Albania).
Famous Births: 867-Uda, Emperor of Japan; 1813-Soren Kierkegaard, Danish Philosopher; 1926-Ann B. Davis, Actress (Alice on Brady Bunch); 1943-Michael Palin, Actor (Monty Python); 1974-ME!
Famous Deaths: 1821-Napoleon I of France; 1971-Violet Jessop, Titanic Survivor (amazing story, go look it up!).
~~~~~~~~~~
This is the 33rd anniversary of the day that the world was graced with my presence. I am now 21, with 12 years of experience. This is also my 33rd post. I saved it, just for today. Tradition has it that Jesus was 33 when he was crucified. Tradition also has done some math, and every few years, Ascension Day happens on May 5. It happened last year, and will happen again in 2016 (If we survive past the newest End-of-the-Earth prediction of Dec 21, 2012, of course). I have said for years that the birth of Christ was most likely in the Spring, because the shepherds were out with their sheep; this usually happened only in lambing season (Spring), and so... why couldn't I guess that He was born on May 5? It was every bit as likely as Dec 25, and in fact, a closer guess. Now I have found that He ascended back to the Father, probably near May 5. Ha! That is great. (Hail, Princess Delusion of Grandeur, long may I reign!)
My best friend and her daughters call me on or near my birthday each year... they sing to me over the phone. I have grown fond of the "Happy Cinco de Mayo to you!" It is a joke that has existed between us since before we were as old as her daughters are now. Her younger daughter asked one year WHY they did this. She answered that we just do, because we love Auntie Chelf. Little one still doesn't get it. Oh, well, at least we still get a kick out of it.
This leads me to think of a friend in college, who played "My Michelle" by Guns'N'Roses for me, instead of playing (or worse, singing) "Michelle" by the Beatles. I think I am the only Michelle I know who was NOT named for that song. Every person who meets me tries to sing it. I have a rule about that. If you wish to sing it, you must know more than the first three words, and the French part is extra credit if you pronounce it correctly. My DH and his first roommate from college are the only two people who would have been qualified to sing it, because they are the biggest Beatles fans I have ever met. And, thankfully, they are the only two who have never tried. DH is such a sweetie, he even skips it on his CD sometimes, just so I don't have to hear it. Which is funny to me, because I actually like the song... but only when sung by the Beatles.
I love these guys, and their crazy computer geek workplace antics. (click on it to make it bigger... that tiny type is hard to read, especially for us old fogies...) Makes me wish sometimes that I had tried harder in those computer classes at school. But, I am more of a post-production testing sort of geek, not the sysadmin sort of geek. If you know anything about computer programming, this is your joke source. If you don't, well... the finer jokes may go over your head, but the gist of it is still funny.I have "My Next 30 Years" by Tim McGraw running through my head. I could really use a lot more Jesus in my next 30 years. I have done so much that was nothing but selfish. I have done some good, too. I have helped friends in need, I have sacrificed time and talent to show Jesus in many ways. But I know that simply being a "good person" is not enough. I have to strive to be better than "good". I have to BE Jesus to the lost and dying world, because they won't listen to His Word. But they SEE.... they see ME, and I am in no shape to be seen yet. "Eat a few more salads..." Yep, My next 30 years will be better; but I have to work, and I certainly don't relish that.
I am off to see a chick flick with the DH, and I have a wedding to attend this evening. All in all, today is going to be a great day. I have presents, people who care about me, time to have fun doing what I want to do... The only thing that could make it better would be to have no worries to come back to. Reality will still be here when I get back, but, for now, I can ignore it. Mental vacation, here I come!
"Happy to me, happy to me!" ~~ Best friend's daughter on the occasion of her 2nd birthday.
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