I'm constantly shuffling papers on my kitchen counter. The mail ends up there, telephone messages, church bulletins, cash register receipts, medication instructions, coupons. I'm just so sick of paper everything. I'm for saving a few trees. The most frustrating thing during my latest sweep was a product registration form - let's call it a prf - that gives no clue what the product was. Evidently we bought something that could be registered. That sounds quasi important doesn't it? Well, I wonder what it was. I'm so glad that failure to register it doesn't affect it's warranty rights. How can I send it in when it quits working if I don't know what it is? What if it goes rogue and starts killing people and they won't be able to notify me of the recall because I haven't registered my whatever-it-is? Spanish speaking people buy a lot of these too because it's a bilingual registration card. How handy. They're covering all their bases, well, except for telling you what it is you're registering. Hmm... in the trash. I'm just sayin'...Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Cleaning the Counter
I'm constantly shuffling papers on my kitchen counter. The mail ends up there, telephone messages, church bulletins, cash register receipts, medication instructions, coupons. I'm just so sick of paper everything. I'm for saving a few trees. The most frustrating thing during my latest sweep was a product registration form - let's call it a prf - that gives no clue what the product was. Evidently we bought something that could be registered. That sounds quasi important doesn't it? Well, I wonder what it was. I'm so glad that failure to register it doesn't affect it's warranty rights. How can I send it in when it quits working if I don't know what it is? What if it goes rogue and starts killing people and they won't be able to notify me of the recall because I haven't registered my whatever-it-is? Spanish speaking people buy a lot of these too because it's a bilingual registration card. How handy. They're covering all their bases, well, except for telling you what it is you're registering. Hmm... in the trash. I'm just sayin'...
Saturday, October 27, 2012
I'm an Artist, kind of...
I tried a new thing today. Trying new things is good in that it gives me exercise in facing fear and helps me know that I am not yet an old dog, because old dogs cannot learn new tricks. Today I face painted.
This was a volunteer job - I could have chosen other activities to oversee but there is just something in me that never quits wanting to be artistic. So I volunteered to do a shift at the face painting table and gave myself a week to figure out how to do it. Thank God for the internet. There is a nice lady who has done quite a few videos on face painting and I spent an hour watching her talk about it. It helped even though I would rather have watched her DO it on faces. There are people who make their living painting on people, which is really kind of unbelievable when you consider that the paint always gets washed off relatively soon.
It's kind of a big deal when you know you're going to hold someone's face in your hand and attempt to paint a picture on it. You have to get really close to this person (this is where the phrase "in your face" actually has some meaning). No one likes to sit still for very long so it's got to look like whatever it's supposed to be on the first try. And you must deal with the person as well as deal with the paint. Both can be challenging. Often I was able to talk children into the picture I knew I could paint - say a star, or a flower.
The boys were the hardest since not many of them ask for stars or flowers. "I want to be Spider Man" he said. I looked at him for a long, awkward time and then referred him to a book of faces on the table. I have to confess I do not know what Spider Man's face looks like - at all. He found a picture of a red face with web-like lines and evil eyes that really looked more like a devil than a spider but I decided if he liked it I could do some modifications. I'm not one for making small children into devils. He ended up being very red and webby and evidently it bore some resemblance to the arachnid hero because he was quite pleased. Boys like dolphins too. I was also asked to do a snake on an arm which I did in a beautiful periwinkle blue with black stripes. Boys will be boys.
Mommies get their faces painted too. They sometimes have to show their children that it doesn't hurt and that it is cool. One Dad had his bald head painted. It was a pumpkin. I couldn't help thinking what a wonderful canvas he made. I'm not sure this would be my choice for a profession, but I did get an inquiry as to whether I could do a birthday party next week. That at least makes face painting an easier job than selling Mary Kay. I'm just sayin' maybe I will order some paints of my own....
This was a volunteer job - I could have chosen other activities to oversee but there is just something in me that never quits wanting to be artistic. So I volunteered to do a shift at the face painting table and gave myself a week to figure out how to do it. Thank God for the internet. There is a nice lady who has done quite a few videos on face painting and I spent an hour watching her talk about it. It helped even though I would rather have watched her DO it on faces. There are people who make their living painting on people, which is really kind of unbelievable when you consider that the paint always gets washed off relatively soon.
It's kind of a big deal when you know you're going to hold someone's face in your hand and attempt to paint a picture on it. You have to get really close to this person (this is where the phrase "in your face" actually has some meaning). No one likes to sit still for very long so it's got to look like whatever it's supposed to be on the first try. And you must deal with the person as well as deal with the paint. Both can be challenging. Often I was able to talk children into the picture I knew I could paint - say a star, or a flower.
The boys were the hardest since not many of them ask for stars or flowers. "I want to be Spider Man" he said. I looked at him for a long, awkward time and then referred him to a book of faces on the table. I have to confess I do not know what Spider Man's face looks like - at all. He found a picture of a red face with web-like lines and evil eyes that really looked more like a devil than a spider but I decided if he liked it I could do some modifications. I'm not one for making small children into devils. He ended up being very red and webby and evidently it bore some resemblance to the arachnid hero because he was quite pleased. Boys like dolphins too. I was also asked to do a snake on an arm which I did in a beautiful periwinkle blue with black stripes. Boys will be boys.
Mommies get their faces painted too. They sometimes have to show their children that it doesn't hurt and that it is cool. One Dad had his bald head painted. It was a pumpkin. I couldn't help thinking what a wonderful canvas he made. I'm not sure this would be my choice for a profession, but I did get an inquiry as to whether I could do a birthday party next week. That at least makes face painting an easier job than selling Mary Kay. I'm just sayin' maybe I will order some paints of my own....
Friday, October 26, 2012
November Plans
Since our staff turnover seems to be continuous, I thought it would be good to clarify my request for time off during Thanksgiving week when Jonathan and Esther plan to visit Florida. I usually get the weekend off but had asked for Friday as well. I planned to work on Thanksgiving itself, get off as early as possible and have a quick turkey meal before heading to the airport to pick up the visitors. I am excited to say my plans have changed.
Today, I heard that there is a Bluegrass Festival in Myrtle Beach, S.C. over Thanksgiving week and if all goes well my employer intends to be there. I, on the other hand, will be in Bradenton and off work from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving until the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Imagine my surprise and delight. I had to keep from doing a dance in her presence. Instead I calmly remarked that the schedule would work well with me and I would do whatever I could to assist her and the new nurse to get ready for the trip. It does sound like a fun trip for her and I'm glad that she may get to go - for my reasons as well as hers.
Today, I heard that there is a Bluegrass Festival in Myrtle Beach, S.C. over Thanksgiving week and if all goes well my employer intends to be there. I, on the other hand, will be in Bradenton and off work from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving until the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Imagine my surprise and delight. I had to keep from doing a dance in her presence. Instead I calmly remarked that the schedule would work well with me and I would do whatever I could to assist her and the new nurse to get ready for the trip. It does sound like a fun trip for her and I'm glad that she may get to go - for my reasons as well as hers.
This Beautiful Place
This picture of a setting sun over a lake and wooded horizon is from my summer visit to Wisconsin. One of our last days there the family went up to a resort on Lake Owen called Garmisch. It's very German and the main lodge, high on a bank overlooking the lake, definitely shows the European style. The restaurant there has always been one of our favorites and I would say that I've probably gone there every time I've visited home in the last twenty years. Every year I say I'm going to get a room and stay there sometime. Every year I dream of taking a kayak around the lake. It's such a beautiful place and I just wanted to give it credit. And here are a couple more of my best pics of Garmisch.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
A Strange Day
Really it was a good day - I don't regret anything about it. I did start out with a prayer that it would be time well spent so I'm going on faith here and feeling free to enjoy it as it was. But it was strange.
My thinking was that I would change what was happening in the lanai (closed in screen room, for you northerners). It has become a storage room of sorts which would be okay if it didn't have glass walls that leave all my stuff in view from outside and from the living room. Typically people sit in their lanai and have morning coffee, looking out at palm trees and outdoor critters and birds and enjoying nature. When it's cool enough, you open the sliding glass doors and let the breeze blow in. This is typical of most everyone except me, because my windows are so dirty and water spotted from my irrigation system that I can't see out of them. And I don't often open my glass doors because my screens fall off. The project was going to be washing those windows and storing stuff elsewhere and having a beautiful, inviting room at the end of the day.
I moved all my outdoor plants away from the windows to begin washing. I had to get the leaf blower out to clean off the sidewalk. I had to rearrange the shelf to find a cord for the leaf blower. Actually I spent about an hour in the garage cleaning off several shelves and boxing up my canning jars. A reality check revealed that I was not out washing windows like I was supposed to be so after a second cup of coffee I re-focused. All my plants that I had pulled out on the yard looked so bedraggled and in need of care that it overwhelmed me. I went inside to work from the other direction. I took a few things off the lanai floor to store in the garage. One of the things reminded me of an email that I needed to answer so I did that for an hour and kind of forgot about the lanai. Then I remembered and went out once again with my third cup of coffee to decide what I could do. My pantry is in the lanai so I decided to clean, consolidate and weed out old food products. I made an overwhelming mess taking things off the shelves. Some of the items needed to go into the kitchen storage so I went there and ended up cleaning several cupboards in the kitchen. I found two huge, opened containers of Hershey's cocoa and couldn't get it all into one so I had to make brownies and use up the leftover cocoa. I found lots of stuff I didn't know I had. And evidently I had it for a long time because there were lots of "best used by 2007" and similar messages on the cans and boxes. I got overwhelmed and decided to play the piano and regain my sanity.
This was basically the pattern of my day and in case you're wondering how I got from washing windows to baking brownies - well, you had to be there. It was a perfectly clear progression. Fortunately it ended with an up-to-date pantry, a new sense of organization, and a list of new "to dos". I still didn't get the windows washed.
My thinking was that I would change what was happening in the lanai (closed in screen room, for you northerners). It has become a storage room of sorts which would be okay if it didn't have glass walls that leave all my stuff in view from outside and from the living room. Typically people sit in their lanai and have morning coffee, looking out at palm trees and outdoor critters and birds and enjoying nature. When it's cool enough, you open the sliding glass doors and let the breeze blow in. This is typical of most everyone except me, because my windows are so dirty and water spotted from my irrigation system that I can't see out of them. And I don't often open my glass doors because my screens fall off. The project was going to be washing those windows and storing stuff elsewhere and having a beautiful, inviting room at the end of the day.
I moved all my outdoor plants away from the windows to begin washing. I had to get the leaf blower out to clean off the sidewalk. I had to rearrange the shelf to find a cord for the leaf blower. Actually I spent about an hour in the garage cleaning off several shelves and boxing up my canning jars. A reality check revealed that I was not out washing windows like I was supposed to be so after a second cup of coffee I re-focused. All my plants that I had pulled out on the yard looked so bedraggled and in need of care that it overwhelmed me. I went inside to work from the other direction. I took a few things off the lanai floor to store in the garage. One of the things reminded me of an email that I needed to answer so I did that for an hour and kind of forgot about the lanai. Then I remembered and went out once again with my third cup of coffee to decide what I could do. My pantry is in the lanai so I decided to clean, consolidate and weed out old food products. I made an overwhelming mess taking things off the shelves. Some of the items needed to go into the kitchen storage so I went there and ended up cleaning several cupboards in the kitchen. I found two huge, opened containers of Hershey's cocoa and couldn't get it all into one so I had to make brownies and use up the leftover cocoa. I found lots of stuff I didn't know I had. And evidently I had it for a long time because there were lots of "best used by 2007" and similar messages on the cans and boxes. I got overwhelmed and decided to play the piano and regain my sanity.
This was basically the pattern of my day and in case you're wondering how I got from washing windows to baking brownies - well, you had to be there. It was a perfectly clear progression. Fortunately it ended with an up-to-date pantry, a new sense of organization, and a list of new "to dos". I still didn't get the windows washed.
Storage Wars
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I watched (once) one of those reality shows recently that follows several groups of people who bid on storage rooms that are up for auction due to nonpayment. It was sort of interesting to see them sizing up the contents without actually being able to paw through. It made me think of our own storage room that was mistakenly put up for auction back in 1987 and how painful it was to discover half of our earthly belongings suddenly gone - an empty room. Somebody got a real deal there with all my wedding china and flatware, quite a few family antiques, furniture... I'm getting sick thinking about it.
Lately, with an art project in mind, I've been looking for old window panes. I've been going to a couple of the places on my route to and from work - after three years of passing them by and thinking how interesting their junk looked. They are little shops, usually old houses, with collections of odd things, old things, used things, and thrift store stuff. Honestly, they kind of suck you right in with charm and mystery. I did find some window panes that were slightly rotted, paint curling, glazing half gone and glass partly broken out but I decided that $45 was a bit much for what I was getting. (So if you're getting old wooden windows replaced - do not throw them in the garbage because you can practically pay for your new windows by selling the old ones!!!) My biggest problem, besides the price of the windows, is that I almost always find something else in the store that I can't pass up.
This week I stopped in at the Hard Times Trading Post for a look and was greeted with "hi-welcome to our new shop-we're working like the storage wars show-there's something new here every week" and then she took a breath. I thought to myself that maybe it was high time I got on the good end of the storage war process. There had to be something that I really wanted here if I looked it over very meticulously. And I mean meticulously, because if you just walk around looking, it will all seem like junk. You have to look at each item as if it were the only thing on the shelf, or in the bin. My first good find was a great 4 person tent. It is so new that some of the guy lines were still factory wrapped. It had been put up at least once because there was an empty plastic water bottle in it but it's in perfect shape. Ten bucks. I grabbed it.
Another item that caught my interest was a motorcycle helmet sitting on top of a bookcase all by itself. Julie has been wanting us to go for a ride on her bike but she has only one helmet. I took a picture of it and sent it to her. Phone cameras are so convenient for times like this when you need an expert opinion on something. Unfortunately, the expert didn't respond until later that night when she told me that brand of helmet often costs over $200 and I should get it. I had to work the next morning but a friend stopped in and got it for me. Twelve bucks. I checked online and saw the same model going for $269.00 new.
Stopping there just might be my new weekly treat.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Thoughts on Usefulness
I screw up fairly regularly, and it happened again today. It's a hazard that comes along with being kind of good at a lot of things but not really good at anything in particular. I'm often useful and most always dependable but a bit dangerous if a flawless product is needed. I do what I enjoy, even when it's something simple, because I don't need perfection and am too busy most of the time to attain perfection. The truth is, I probably need a certain degree of imperfection. All these little "let downs" remind me that very little of anything that goes on is about me.
Recovery is kind of important. I've gotten a lot of practice in not falling apart when something goes wrong. Today, I didn't recover as fast as I would have liked, but I ended fairly well. Endings are important. I often sit in the audience, noticing when something is amiss and finding myself more concerned about how the performer is taking it than the mistake itself. I'm always relieved when I can tell that they are shedding the stress and feeling okay. I don't really care that they've made a mistake, I just don't want them to be devastated by it. I hope people feel that way when they're listening to me.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Blogging from a phone
I don't know why I did this (and even worse, I don't know HOW I did it) but now I can post from my phone. I read the instructions over and over, entered text messages, registered my device, and still couldn't fInd an icon that would magically take me to my existing blog and not a new one. But fortunately there is a store that I finally went to where I just accepted all kinds of rules that I didn't read and the free app is mine, a picture icon, right where I want it. Will I like it? I don't know. I'm developing a bad case of phone dependency... just sayin'.
AAAAaaaaggghh!!!! It set my pageviews back to 0. I was almost up to 3000. I do not have this figured out at all.
AAAAaaaaggghh!!!! It set my pageviews back to 0. I was almost up to 3000. I do not have this figured out at all.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
$$$ = headache
We have been given an assignment to make ourselves a budget. I'm working on it and I'm getting a bit sick. I recognize the feeling as being the same one I get at income tax time, even when it's not my job to file. Just the thought of having to come up with any given figure, or produce pieces of paper that prove I've earned something, or spent something starts a nervous reaction in my whole person. Headache, anxious stomach, inability to concentrate, irritability and dread hit me with a vengeance.
To make a budget I have to figure out how much we earned and how much we spent over a period of time (I chose the last six months). I spent the last six hours going through bank statements, credit card statements, and pay stubs. I put it all on a nice little spreadsheet. Unfortunately it shows that we spent more each month than we earned. How can this be? It's very interesting. It's very confusing. It's very alarming. My head hurts.
To make a budget I have to figure out how much we earned and how much we spent over a period of time (I chose the last six months). I spent the last six hours going through bank statements, credit card statements, and pay stubs. I put it all on a nice little spreadsheet. Unfortunately it shows that we spent more each month than we earned. How can this be? It's very interesting. It's very confusing. It's very alarming. My head hurts.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Queen for a Day
Once again I am sitting in front of my computer with my 22 oz. of Kozy Shack gluten free Original Rice Pudding wondering where the week went. Last weekend was so busy with music that there was harldy time for anything else. We had OneConcert again which took all Sunday afternoon and evening. It was so much fun and to me it was energizing. I got the husband involved this time with his trumpet and he got all kinds of kudos and gushing compliments.
This weekend is looking good too, but with things of a different nature. First of all (except for my rice pudding which was treat #1) I got to come home to a cleaner house today. My sweet friend Zenaida came to dust and clean floors while I was gone and it smelled so good when I walked in - the Murphy's Oil Soap, I think. I thought I was hiring her but she didn't want the money (which planet is she from!?) As I said, she is so good to me. Next, I get to go out for supper tonight! No cooking for this lady. It's our almost monthly night out with Jack and we are going up to a restaurant on the river to relax and have dinner. He is paying this month. Jack is one of those guys who always wants to offer a cocktail, appetizers, wine, coffee and dessert as well as the meal so I end up feeling like a queen or something. Oh, he even picks us up. How wild is that? For my next treat I am getting up at 7:30 in the morning and going for a massage. I know it's kind of an unusual hour but I'll feel good all day because of it. I hope to accomplish at least five or six important things with the rest of my Saturday, and with my Sunday too. I absolutely love weekends!
This weekend is looking good too, but with things of a different nature. First of all (except for my rice pudding which was treat #1) I got to come home to a cleaner house today. My sweet friend Zenaida came to dust and clean floors while I was gone and it smelled so good when I walked in - the Murphy's Oil Soap, I think. I thought I was hiring her but she didn't want the money (which planet is she from!?) As I said, she is so good to me. Next, I get to go out for supper tonight! No cooking for this lady. It's our almost monthly night out with Jack and we are going up to a restaurant on the river to relax and have dinner. He is paying this month. Jack is one of those guys who always wants to offer a cocktail, appetizers, wine, coffee and dessert as well as the meal so I end up feeling like a queen or something. Oh, he even picks us up. How wild is that? For my next treat I am getting up at 7:30 in the morning and going for a massage. I know it's kind of an unusual hour but I'll feel good all day because of it. I hope to accomplish at least five or six important things with the rest of my Saturday, and with my Sunday too. I absolutely love weekends!
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| Would you please be amazed at my clean, shiny floor! |
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Walmart - this is not what you think
Background to story: ( Monday afternoon) On the way home from work I stopped at the west Bradenton Walmart to get some supplies for my employer. I waited in line at the checkout forever, finally paid and headed to the parking lot with my bags, keys, register slip, etc... in hand. Unlocking the door, I heard something hit the pavement so I set things down inside the car and looked for what had fallen. My bright red aluminum credit card case was lying slightly under the car and I picked it up and put it in my purse. Drove home.
The Dillema: (Tuesday evening) The husband and I are on our way to a meeting, planning to carpool with someone. We find out at the last minute that we are not carpooling but driving ourselves there - but since we started out early, we suddenly have nearly an hour before the meeting. What to do with the time? Suddenly I am thinking of a Wendy's Frostee and how I would really like to get one and just sit and enjoy it for a few minutes. We are passing a Wendy's so pull in and I go in to order. I pull out my credit card case for the first time since Walmart and ... what?! there is nothing in it. It is empty, cleaned out. I still am able to get the Frostee but am inwardly freaking out and trying to imagine what could have happened to those nine or ten important pieces of plastic (driver's license, credit cards, etc...) I go out to the car and confess my discovery to the husband. He also freaks.
The Plot Evolves: I start to think when I might have left my purse unattended for even a moment... can't think of anyplace I've been except at home or at work. The husband starts calling credit card companies to check on balances and our loss protection plan. I try to remember exactly what was in the case but I'm a little foggy on some of it. I suddenly remember when I last used the credit card and being at Walmart. I know I didn't leave it in the store because I remember dropping it in the parking lot. DROPPING IT IN THE PARKING LOT!!!!! Aaaagghh! I call Walmart and am routed to the service desk. After an interminable length of time someone actually asks me what my name is and I tell them. After another interminable length of time someone says they have some things with my name on them in a plastic bag. Oh joy, I can hardly believe it. Husband stops making calls and we begin to breathe normally.
The Plot Resolves: We decide not to press our luck and set out to get the cards immediately. It is in the opposite direction from our meeting and will make us about an hour late but is clearly the right thing to do. We make the drive and I go in and ask at the service desk. Walmart is fairly careful with some things and it requires a manager to unlock the room where lost and found valuables are kept so I wait an interminable length of time for a manager to appear. The manager is a 5 foot 1, 95 lb. slip of a girl who looks to be about 14 years old, but has a definite aloof, authoritative air. She disappears into the locked room while talking on the phone, but eventually comes out with a small baggy containing all my credit cards and my license.
Postscript: What must have happened is that when my case hit the pavement, it popped open and ejected my cards forcefully under the car where they weren't visible - who would have thought? In it's resting state, on it's side, it was closed and appeared not to have opened so I didn't check it. In hindsight, I should have. And in leaving the parking lot I was looking where I was backing, and where I was going, not where I had been. There was an employee collecting carts in the close vicinity and in all likelihood, it was he who found the cards moments after I had left. The manager said that they often find things and are very good about turning them in. Obviously this could have ended in a very different manner. I am grateful for every honest person involved, and for every prompting that led me to discover the loss and remember where to look. And we still made it to the meeting for all the vital parts.
The Dillema: (Tuesday evening) The husband and I are on our way to a meeting, planning to carpool with someone. We find out at the last minute that we are not carpooling but driving ourselves there - but since we started out early, we suddenly have nearly an hour before the meeting. What to do with the time? Suddenly I am thinking of a Wendy's Frostee and how I would really like to get one and just sit and enjoy it for a few minutes. We are passing a Wendy's so pull in and I go in to order. I pull out my credit card case for the first time since Walmart and ... what?! there is nothing in it. It is empty, cleaned out. I still am able to get the Frostee but am inwardly freaking out and trying to imagine what could have happened to those nine or ten important pieces of plastic (driver's license, credit cards, etc...) I go out to the car and confess my discovery to the husband. He also freaks.
The Plot Evolves: I start to think when I might have left my purse unattended for even a moment... can't think of anyplace I've been except at home or at work. The husband starts calling credit card companies to check on balances and our loss protection plan. I try to remember exactly what was in the case but I'm a little foggy on some of it. I suddenly remember when I last used the credit card and being at Walmart. I know I didn't leave it in the store because I remember dropping it in the parking lot. DROPPING IT IN THE PARKING LOT!!!!! Aaaagghh! I call Walmart and am routed to the service desk. After an interminable length of time someone actually asks me what my name is and I tell them. After another interminable length of time someone says they have some things with my name on them in a plastic bag. Oh joy, I can hardly believe it. Husband stops making calls and we begin to breathe normally.
The Plot Resolves: We decide not to press our luck and set out to get the cards immediately. It is in the opposite direction from our meeting and will make us about an hour late but is clearly the right thing to do. We make the drive and I go in and ask at the service desk. Walmart is fairly careful with some things and it requires a manager to unlock the room where lost and found valuables are kept so I wait an interminable length of time for a manager to appear. The manager is a 5 foot 1, 95 lb. slip of a girl who looks to be about 14 years old, but has a definite aloof, authoritative air. She disappears into the locked room while talking on the phone, but eventually comes out with a small baggy containing all my credit cards and my license.
Postscript: What must have happened is that when my case hit the pavement, it popped open and ejected my cards forcefully under the car where they weren't visible - who would have thought? In it's resting state, on it's side, it was closed and appeared not to have opened so I didn't check it. In hindsight, I should have. And in leaving the parking lot I was looking where I was backing, and where I was going, not where I had been. There was an employee collecting carts in the close vicinity and in all likelihood, it was he who found the cards moments after I had left. The manager said that they often find things and are very good about turning them in. Obviously this could have ended in a very different manner. I am grateful for every honest person involved, and for every prompting that led me to discover the loss and remember where to look. And we still made it to the meeting for all the vital parts.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
On Becoming More Unique
The Oneacrewoods is a unique property. I've thought that since my first glance down the drive back in the old days - that's when I fell in love with it and my feelings have not changed a bit! To find such a sizeable lot with a double house and so many unusual trees within a 1/2 mile of a business district is not a common thing. And now, a new landmark, our own lion guarding the entry. We needed this.
It belongs to the person next door, and the drive is one that we share. I guess since it is really his property and we just have access rights he can put anything there that he wants, so bear in mind (or lion in mind) that I did not go out and buy this lion. It just appeared yesterday while I was at work. He's got a rather friendly face, for a lion, and he is about the size of a real lion... none of those trailer park yard ornament varieties. Kind of a red sandstone color.
My first thought was that he was a little ostentatious for the Oneacrewoods. I can see him fitting in at Buckingham Palace or some large gated estate maybe. The truth is I think lions are a little ostentatious in front of gated estates too. I mean, who are they kidding? We're to think they have lions guarding their gate? Is this Africa? I even queried Facebook to see what my friends thought of this lion and got mixed reviews. Paint it, cover it, name it, cool, stately, needs a lamb - clearly there are many kinds of people in the world with different tastes. Thank you all for your opinions, but as I read them I was often thinking "really?"
So there he is. I asked the husband what he thought of the lion and he said "where is he?" This is after he had driven past, within four feet of this life-size object. Reminder to self: do not take this man on your next lion hunting safari. Yes, so there he is and it looks like he's staying a while. I can use him as a landmark, telling my friends to turn in by the red lion and not having to worry about them saying "which red lion?" That's the beauty of being a bit odd and more unique. I'm just sayin'...
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| Hello, welcome to the Oneacrewoods! Roar! |
My first thought was that he was a little ostentatious for the Oneacrewoods. I can see him fitting in at Buckingham Palace or some large gated estate maybe. The truth is I think lions are a little ostentatious in front of gated estates too. I mean, who are they kidding? We're to think they have lions guarding their gate? Is this Africa? I even queried Facebook to see what my friends thought of this lion and got mixed reviews. Paint it, cover it, name it, cool, stately, needs a lamb - clearly there are many kinds of people in the world with different tastes. Thank you all for your opinions, but as I read them I was often thinking "really?"
So there he is. I asked the husband what he thought of the lion and he said "where is he?" This is after he had driven past, within four feet of this life-size object. Reminder to self: do not take this man on your next lion hunting safari. Yes, so there he is and it looks like he's staying a while. I can use him as a landmark, telling my friends to turn in by the red lion and not having to worry about them saying "which red lion?" That's the beauty of being a bit odd and more unique. I'm just sayin'...
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| Is that a little smile I see? |
Saturday, October 6, 2012
The Answer
...another verse, same as the first, bow to your partner. Probably third or fourth grade, physical education class. PE or Phy Ed as we called it in Wisconsin, was divided into sections over the school year. We almost always started with calisthenics, played the sports in their seasons, had times when we were tested and measured according to the President's physical fitness standards. I hated that part. There was so much competition to do the shuttle run faster than the next person and so much shame if you couldn't do the minimum number of sit ups or pull ups. I say shame but it wasn't like a long lasting shame - maybe till class was over. But a part of Phy Ed that I always liked, and never thought there was enough of, was the square dancing. (Can you imagine how square dancing would go over in today's schools?) The songs and calls were played on a record player. We were forced to find partners, boy/girl if we could pull it off, otherwise girl/girl. And the squares that really learned it well were chosen to be in the program at the end of the year. Parents came to watch. You got to wear costumes, skirts with puffy slips under them, and new tennis shoes. It wasn't hard and it was just fun. Dancing is fun today too, but as much as I like line dancing which is probably the modern day equivalent, there is more camaraderie in square dancing. You get to dance with everybody's partners and you don't always know what the next call will be.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Another verse, same as the first...
Lots of rain again! I'm going to do something outside tomorrow even if I have to wear my boots and rain gear. Reminder to self: check for spiders living in boots before putting on.
Who remembers where they might have heard the quote in the title of this post? I remember. Quote the next line if you do.
Answer in next post.
Who remembers where they might have heard the quote in the title of this post? I remember. Quote the next line if you do.
Answer in next post.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Wet
It's raining again. It's not like a summer rain either. It's odd, like a sad, crying, dripping rain with gray, subdued light that will just keep fading away until it's night. It's already dark in the house and I should put on a light or maybe some moody candlelight would be good. It hadn't stopped being wet yet from yesterday so everything outdoors is very, very soggy, soaked even. Moss in the trees is getting heavy with water and falling down on the ground. I seem to be stuck here looking out the window, not enough energy to move away and do something. As time goes on, I think rain is going to be my new excuse for contemplation, cancelling appointments and taking it easy.
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| Rain barrels are full - water just runs off the top |
In, Out, Onward
So, did you ever join a cult? I did, although I wouldn't have called it that then. Even now, I like to think of it more as a stage of learning that had some pretty positive points to it. I guess for others it was a real nightmare and kind of wrecked their life. Today I had occasion to read some of the history of the church written by people who had different takes on it. It has been a bit upsetting and I don't think I can be sure who the bad guys were and who the good guys were - just that there were obviously some of both. I'm also thinking that whenever you put people and power together, you are probably going to get some corruption along with the package.
What is interesting to me is that, having joined the "cult" I really became quite busy applying it's teachings to my own life and didn't notice a lot of the disturbing stuff that was probably going on. It wasn't like we were being prepped to drink kool-aid, or shave our heads and wear robes in the airport - but we did do some things that were considered pretty odd to others. But odd in a normal sort of way.
I grew up going to a evangelical, protestant church where my family and most extended family had gone for years. I knew about youth groups, church camp, VBS, and could find scripture references as fast as anyone could and it was okay I guess. But other than the arguments at school between the Lutherans and the Catholics and us, I never had my thinking challenged in the areas of faith and personal philosophy of life. Then along came the cult. After my initial objections, which were more social than anything else, I found it very exciting that I could study the Bible and discover stuff I hadn't heard about or thought about before. It felt dangerous, but good, that God could lead me to be different for reasons I really believed in. I think it was a good thing that I got excited about God at all and for that I'm thankful.
I'm not in the cult anymore. I'm not saying it was easy to break away from 20 plus years of thinking and doing certain things. There was pain involved. I changed but I don't really see that God did. I appreciate his constancy more each time I survive another upset. The beliefs I hold about him keep getting more real, more central and more important to me. I believe God has led me into, through and past a lot of different situations and has made something beneficial for me out of all of them. I have no regrets and frankly, can't thing of anyone I'd like to trade lives with. I also believe that God does this for anyone who decides to trust him to do it.
What is interesting to me is that, having joined the "cult" I really became quite busy applying it's teachings to my own life and didn't notice a lot of the disturbing stuff that was probably going on. It wasn't like we were being prepped to drink kool-aid, or shave our heads and wear robes in the airport - but we did do some things that were considered pretty odd to others. But odd in a normal sort of way.
I grew up going to a evangelical, protestant church where my family and most extended family had gone for years. I knew about youth groups, church camp, VBS, and could find scripture references as fast as anyone could and it was okay I guess. But other than the arguments at school between the Lutherans and the Catholics and us, I never had my thinking challenged in the areas of faith and personal philosophy of life. Then along came the cult. After my initial objections, which were more social than anything else, I found it very exciting that I could study the Bible and discover stuff I hadn't heard about or thought about before. It felt dangerous, but good, that God could lead me to be different for reasons I really believed in. I think it was a good thing that I got excited about God at all and for that I'm thankful.
I'm not in the cult anymore. I'm not saying it was easy to break away from 20 plus years of thinking and doing certain things. There was pain involved. I changed but I don't really see that God did. I appreciate his constancy more each time I survive another upset. The beliefs I hold about him keep getting more real, more central and more important to me. I believe God has led me into, through and past a lot of different situations and has made something beneficial for me out of all of them. I have no regrets and frankly, can't thing of anyone I'd like to trade lives with. I also believe that God does this for anyone who decides to trust him to do it.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Bug Soup
I have been disappointed. On the scale from 1 being least to 10 being greatest, this is only about a 2 but it is the most recent disappointment I've had so here it is... (It's also slightly disgusting)
I'm making soup with my home canned tomatoes, a whole chopped onion, a bunch of celery, some white beans and as the final ingredient other than spices I'm preparing to cook some brown rice. Thankfully I decided to cook it separately and add it later. After rinsing it under running water as per instructions and putting it into the pan to boil, what do I see but a horde of little black guys floating to the surface, taking their last breaths I suppose. This is long grain organic rice and I guess having used no pesticides, the bugs come with the rice, for the same price. What a deal.
Well, they're floating, so I thought maybe I could fish them out with a spoon. That worked pretty good but everytime I stirred the rice a few more came to the surface. Evidently, not all of them are bouyant - the more muscular ones are heavier? I don't know. What to do? I mean how dangerous could they be? They've been eating organic rice all their lives in this bag where they probably were born. Couldn't we just eat them?
Now for all of you who have ever eaten at my house - rest easy. I did throw them out. I checked the bag and threw it out too. I'm just sayin' I hate to waste things so this was disappointing.
I'm making soup with my home canned tomatoes, a whole chopped onion, a bunch of celery, some white beans and as the final ingredient other than spices I'm preparing to cook some brown rice. Thankfully I decided to cook it separately and add it later. After rinsing it under running water as per instructions and putting it into the pan to boil, what do I see but a horde of little black guys floating to the surface, taking their last breaths I suppose. This is long grain organic rice and I guess having used no pesticides, the bugs come with the rice, for the same price. What a deal.
Well, they're floating, so I thought maybe I could fish them out with a spoon. That worked pretty good but everytime I stirred the rice a few more came to the surface. Evidently, not all of them are bouyant - the more muscular ones are heavier? I don't know. What to do? I mean how dangerous could they be? They've been eating organic rice all their lives in this bag where they probably were born. Couldn't we just eat them?
Now for all of you who have ever eaten at my house - rest easy. I did throw them out. I checked the bag and threw it out too. I'm just sayin' I hate to waste things so this was disappointing.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Deprivation
I went in search of comfort food in my kitchen (shortly after reading about fudge in someone's blog) and there wasn't any, unless you count grapes or metamucil cookies, and I don't. There was nothing that fit my craving. What a different life I lead than in the past! Where are the cookie bakers, the hot chocolate drinkers, the brownie fiends? Instead I am left with the "disappearing husband" who can't eat any of that stuff and doesn't even dare have it around anymore. Every once in a while - like this last weekend - one of my young, healthy family members comes home and blows the fat restricted cardiac diet out of the water. We went out for pizza - Dennis asked if there were any low fat pizzas on the menu and the waiter looked at him like he was from another planet. We ate macaroni and cheese - I had to have something for dinner for the aged guest who can't chew very well. (excuses?) There were cookies after church - I left before visiting the snack table but my daughter who stayed brought a cookie home for me. We went to a birthday party and had ambrosia salad and cake from Publix, decorated in bright indelible colors. Twice I opened a can of soda, well, and drank it, of course. It's been months since I did that. I was even inspired to post my love of butter on my facebook page. Crazy things happen to people who restrict themselves over much.
But now the weekend is past. I'm back to eating cereal in the car on the way to work, in the dark, mostly at stoplights. I feed the cat better than I feed myself. I let the refrigerator get almost empty of everything before I grocery shop. I don't want to cook so we have a salad almost every night. I am imaginative as I throw it together but it still gets a little tedious. And no matter how hard I try to use it up, there is always some form of salad green rotting or turning yellow in the fridge.
All this is to report that the husband is indeed, still disappearing, losing weight and exercising. Still motivated. Still in a good mood about it all. He's going for another check up on the blood pressure tomorrow, but lately it is often too low rather than too high. My day off tomorrow will have to include vegetable procurement which is our biggest grocery expense anymore. Vegetables are good. Fruit is good... hmm.... There are two bananas left and I'm thinking they are just right for some banana bread. Oh yeah.
But now the weekend is past. I'm back to eating cereal in the car on the way to work, in the dark, mostly at stoplights. I feed the cat better than I feed myself. I let the refrigerator get almost empty of everything before I grocery shop. I don't want to cook so we have a salad almost every night. I am imaginative as I throw it together but it still gets a little tedious. And no matter how hard I try to use it up, there is always some form of salad green rotting or turning yellow in the fridge.
All this is to report that the husband is indeed, still disappearing, losing weight and exercising. Still motivated. Still in a good mood about it all. He's going for another check up on the blood pressure tomorrow, but lately it is often too low rather than too high. My day off tomorrow will have to include vegetable procurement which is our biggest grocery expense anymore. Vegetables are good. Fruit is good... hmm.... There are two bananas left and I'm thinking they are just right for some banana bread. Oh yeah.
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