I have never heard anyone complain that their life is getting less and less busy. Ever. That is because if a person's life becomes less busy, they cherish the fact. They revel in a second cup of tea and embrace an evening with nothing more strenuous on the agenda than a good book and an early night.
There are those who have learned to say "no". These people know their limitations and aren't embarrassed to stick to them. I, on the other hand, tend to see a block of time as an opportunity to wedge yet another thing in.
Take last week, for instance~
Monday was so far in the past that I can't remember what I did. I know I didn't go to Boy Scouts that night but I don't know what I did do.
Tuesday was Lego Robotics after which I went straight to a friend's house to help prepare for a Girl Scout outing that weekend. We got back home around 10pm.
Wednesday, our GS troop made about 90 dozen cookies for a local fund-raising effort to help pay for summer camp for children with cancer. We raced back home in time to go to Bible study.
Thursday was my Ladies' Tea. I had invited a number of ladies to my home for tea that afternoon. We had a wonderful time nibbling goodies, sipping tea, and visiting. No, we did not gossip! This day was made complicated the day before when Mike told me that whatever I had scheduled to do Thursday morning, I'd better get it done Wednesday (as if I had time!) because he needed me up on the tractor cutting a ditch for the water lines he had to get in before going to work. The short version of the story is that he'd cut the line inadvertently while trying to locate it for the new water line and the house was waterless until he fixed it. And ladies coming for tea!!
Friday the GS troop went on a Leadership Training weekend. We camped indoors so that made things a little easier but we had the girls cook Saturday supper using the Dutch oven (lasagna), the box oven (crescent rolls), and foil (brownies cooked in an orange peel).
To top everything off, my glasses broke Sunday morning right after we got up. I reached up to adjust them and the ear piece came away in my fingers. I did some swift thinking and asked the girls if anyone had some fingernail polish. One of them had some glow-in-the-dark polish that she let me use to sort of glue the fishing line stuff to the lens to hold it in place. I then reinforced it with a thin strip of Duct tape and got home in one piece. I was able to see the eye doctor Monday but I won't get my new glasses for ten days to two weeks. Richelle dug out my old pair from about six years ago and they suffice for now.
A cup of tea, a good book, and an early night sound wonderful!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Cameron and I got to reminiscing this evening and there were a couple of stories in particular that I enjoyed telling.
My oldest brother got married in June of 1988 in the great state of Texas. My dear, sweet, kind, loving, thoughtful husband suggested that since I was already over halfway there, I might as well go on to Florida and take Melissa and Nick to Disney World. Dutiful wife that I am, I didn't argue.
We flew to Texas accompanied by my youngest brother (who had a massive growth spurt those two weeks as only a teenager can and I could have set my watch by his four-hour eating schedule but that's another story) and was met by a sister who lived between Dallas and Fort Worth. I rented a car and the five of us drove to Orlando.
We were traveling east against the time zones so each day we drove longer into the night. The second night I think it was, we stopped just outside of Mobile, Alabama to gas up the car. The kids and I wandered around, stretching our legs at the edge of the lights and someone, I don't remember who but probably Nick since at age three he was closest to the ground, found a very interesting bug. I can't describe it because I don't really remember other than that it was about a couple of inches long but it looked quite odd and unlike anything we have here. Melissa, Nick, and I circled around it, trying to figure out what it could be without being able to see it very well. Steve saw us crowded around and sauntered over and then Rhonda came to see what was holding us up. Finally, the attendant arrived to see what the problem was.
"This bug." we ask him, "What is it?"
"That?" he points. "Oh, that's a moe cricket." (You have to imagine a thick Southern accent.)
Steve, Rhonda, and I look at each other thinking, "A Moe cricket? As in Larry, Curly, and -?"
"A Moe cricket?" I verify.
"Yeah, a moe cricket." He looks at our confused expressions. "You know. They call it a moe cricket 'cause it digs in the ground like a moe." (Remember the accent).
"Oh, a mole cricket!" we exclaim in unison.
"That's whut Ah said." It was his turn to look confused. "A moe cricket."
"Yes. Yes, you did say that." I assured him.
Somewhere in Louisiana we were in a McDonalds having lunch. I will admit right here and now that I eavesdrop when people are talking in an ordinary voice. It drives Mike nuts but I do it. If they're speaking low or whispering, I ignore it but if they're in a public place and speaking normally, I'll often listen. This conversation was between the woman taking a drive-up order and the woman in the car giving the order.
I didn't pay attention to the exchange until a note of confused exasperation crept into the employee's voice. I'm going to type the words spelled properly; you have to translate it into Louisiana Southern.
"Ma'am, could you repeat that again?"
"Blah, blah-blah, blah-blah."
"I still didn't understand you. Could you please speak up?"
"Blah, blah-blah, blah-blah."
"Uh, how about if you speak a little more slowly."
"Blaah, blaah-blaah, blaah-blaah."
"Thighs? Ma'am we don't carry thi-"
"Blah, blah-blah, blah-blah!"
"Ma'am, this is a McDonalds. We don't carry thighs. There's a Kentucky Fried Chicken just down the road a pi-"
"Blah, blah-blah, blah-blah!"
"Ma'am, how 'bout you come on down to the window here and tell me what you want?"
Small pause.
"All right, ma'am. Now what was it you wanted?"
Other woman replies...
"Oh, a small fry!! Yes, ma'am! I can get you a small fry!"
I almost spit soda across the table I'm laughing so hard and turning red from trying to hold it in. Rhonda's looking at me oddly. Steve's hungrily eyeing the kids' hamburgers, wondering if they're going to eat all their lunch.
"Didn't you hear them?" I wheezed. "They can't even understand each other!"
"I don't listen to private conversations." Rhonda said primly.
"Well, your missing a lot of fun," I retorted, "and it wasn't private!"
My oldest brother got married in June of 1988 in the great state of Texas. My dear, sweet, kind, loving, thoughtful husband suggested that since I was already over halfway there, I might as well go on to Florida and take Melissa and Nick to Disney World. Dutiful wife that I am, I didn't argue.
We flew to Texas accompanied by my youngest brother (who had a massive growth spurt those two weeks as only a teenager can and I could have set my watch by his four-hour eating schedule but that's another story) and was met by a sister who lived between Dallas and Fort Worth. I rented a car and the five of us drove to Orlando.
We were traveling east against the time zones so each day we drove longer into the night. The second night I think it was, we stopped just outside of Mobile, Alabama to gas up the car. The kids and I wandered around, stretching our legs at the edge of the lights and someone, I don't remember who but probably Nick since at age three he was closest to the ground, found a very interesting bug. I can't describe it because I don't really remember other than that it was about a couple of inches long but it looked quite odd and unlike anything we have here. Melissa, Nick, and I circled around it, trying to figure out what it could be without being able to see it very well. Steve saw us crowded around and sauntered over and then Rhonda came to see what was holding us up. Finally, the attendant arrived to see what the problem was.
"This bug." we ask him, "What is it?"
"That?" he points. "Oh, that's a moe cricket." (You have to imagine a thick Southern accent.)
Steve, Rhonda, and I look at each other thinking, "A Moe cricket? As in Larry, Curly, and -?"
"A Moe cricket?" I verify.
"Yeah, a moe cricket." He looks at our confused expressions. "You know. They call it a moe cricket 'cause it digs in the ground like a moe." (Remember the accent).
"Oh, a mole cricket!" we exclaim in unison.
"That's whut Ah said." It was his turn to look confused. "A moe cricket."
"Yes. Yes, you did say that." I assured him.
Somewhere in Louisiana we were in a McDonalds having lunch. I will admit right here and now that I eavesdrop when people are talking in an ordinary voice. It drives Mike nuts but I do it. If they're speaking low or whispering, I ignore it but if they're in a public place and speaking normally, I'll often listen. This conversation was between the woman taking a drive-up order and the woman in the car giving the order.
I didn't pay attention to the exchange until a note of confused exasperation crept into the employee's voice. I'm going to type the words spelled properly; you have to translate it into Louisiana Southern.
"Ma'am, could you repeat that again?"
"Blah, blah-blah, blah-blah."
"I still didn't understand you. Could you please speak up?"
"Blah, blah-blah, blah-blah."
"Uh, how about if you speak a little more slowly."
"Blaah, blaah-blaah, blaah-blaah."
"Thighs? Ma'am we don't carry thi-"
"Blah, blah-blah, blah-blah!"
"Ma'am, this is a McDonalds. We don't carry thighs. There's a Kentucky Fried Chicken just down the road a pi-"
"Blah, blah-blah, blah-blah!"
"Ma'am, how 'bout you come on down to the window here and tell me what you want?"
Small pause.
"All right, ma'am. Now what was it you wanted?"
Other woman replies...
"Oh, a small fry!! Yes, ma'am! I can get you a small fry!"
I almost spit soda across the table I'm laughing so hard and turning red from trying to hold it in. Rhonda's looking at me oddly. Steve's hungrily eyeing the kids' hamburgers, wondering if they're going to eat all their lunch.
"Didn't you hear them?" I wheezed. "They can't even understand each other!"
"I don't listen to private conversations." Rhonda said primly.
"Well, your missing a lot of fun," I retorted, "and it wasn't private!"
Friday, September 26, 2008
That bird
I think it's a Red-Breasted Nuthatch. The information says that it lives in this area year-round but it's just now appeared in my front yard. It's a pretty little thing.
Birds
This is the second year I've had bird feeders and I thoroughly enjoy watching the exuberance of finches that they attract. By far, the most common bird is the goldfinch (they call them wild canaries here) but I also have purple finches, black-headed grosbeaks, evening grosbeaks, Oregon junkos, towhees, mourning doves, and every once in a while we see a bluebird.
Here is a new bird I can't identify. He showed up here just a few days ago. Maybe migrating? I've made the mistake before of trying to identify a juvenile on a website that only describes adult males and I wonder if that's what I have here. He's awfully clear of color for him to be a juvenile, though. The streaks on his head are either a very dark blue or black, his back and wings are a blue or slate-blue, and his beak is a little longer than the all-purpose beak of the robin. More like a woodpecker. Anyone have a clue? I'm surprised I got a picture of him because he doesn't stay in one place long. He just flits down, pecks on the ground a bit and darts away. I've not seen him eat from the feeder, just on the ground under it. It's quietly driving me nuts!
This picture is a common sight. These goldfinches are waiting for me to leave so they can swarm the feeders.
The finches wait on the power line and in these trees next to our house. I count about twenty in the picture and six or seven had just flown away as I snapped. That makes about thirty-five finches impatiently waiting for me to leave.
Check out the clouds in the pictures. They were the reason I was outside with the camera in the first place and they covered the sky. The new heading picture was taken at the same time.
Here is a new bird I can't identify. He showed up here just a few days ago. Maybe migrating? I've made the mistake before of trying to identify a juvenile on a website that only describes adult males and I wonder if that's what I have here. He's awfully clear of color for him to be a juvenile, though. The streaks on his head are either a very dark blue or black, his back and wings are a blue or slate-blue, and his beak is a little longer than the all-purpose beak of the robin. More like a woodpecker. Anyone have a clue? I'm surprised I got a picture of him because he doesn't stay in one place long. He just flits down, pecks on the ground a bit and darts away. I've not seen him eat from the feeder, just on the ground under it. It's quietly driving me nuts!
This picture is a common sight. These goldfinches are waiting for me to leave so they can swarm the feeders.
The finches wait on the power line and in these trees next to our house. I count about twenty in the picture and six or seven had just flown away as I snapped. That makes about thirty-five finches impatiently waiting for me to leave.Check out the clouds in the pictures. They were the reason I was outside with the camera in the first place and they covered the sky. The new heading picture was taken at the same time.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
*Shriek*
So I'm not the sort of loving, caring wife who gets up with her husband at 4:45am and keeps him company over a plate of breakfast before he goes to work. I'm also not the sort of loving, caring wife who packs her husband's lunch for him and haven't done so since about six months into our marriage when he alternately whined about not having enough to eat ("Are you trying to tell me I need to diet?") or complained I'd packed too much (How in the world did you expect me to eat all this?")
Instead, I doze while he gets himself breakfast (cold cereal) and rouse enough for the good-bye peck. I can't see but a shadow in the dimness of the bedroom and couldn't see him in full light without my glasses, anyway. He could go to work dressed in a kilt and turban with a sword at his side and I wouldn't be the wiser.
It's how he comes home that I see.
He came home today without his mustache.
When I exclaimed, he said he'd had it for thirty years and he was tired of it. I told him that it's only been a little better than twenty-six years. When he disagreed, I reminded him that early on in our dating days he'd shaved his mustache and I'd told him that I liked his mustache, ordered him to grow it back, and threatened to shave my head if he shaved it off again.
"No," he chuckled, "you said if I shaved it off again, you'd leave. Now you need to live up to your end of the bargain!"
Bargain, hah! It was supposed to be a threat!
His naked upper lip unnerves me in two ways. One, I really liked his mustache. Two, I can now see that his lip is identical to his younger brother's and I have the uncomfortable feeling that I'm kissing the wrong guy. Yikes!
Instead, I doze while he gets himself breakfast (cold cereal) and rouse enough for the good-bye peck. I can't see but a shadow in the dimness of the bedroom and couldn't see him in full light without my glasses, anyway. He could go to work dressed in a kilt and turban with a sword at his side and I wouldn't be the wiser.
It's how he comes home that I see.
He came home today without his mustache.
~Shriek~
When I exclaimed, he said he'd had it for thirty years and he was tired of it. I told him that it's only been a little better than twenty-six years. When he disagreed, I reminded him that early on in our dating days he'd shaved his mustache and I'd told him that I liked his mustache, ordered him to grow it back, and threatened to shave my head if he shaved it off again.
"No," he chuckled, "you said if I shaved it off again, you'd leave. Now you need to live up to your end of the bargain!"
Bargain, hah! It was supposed to be a threat!
His naked upper lip unnerves me in two ways. One, I really liked his mustache. Two, I can now see that his lip is identical to his younger brother's and I have the uncomfortable feeling that I'm kissing the wrong guy. Yikes!
Monday, September 15, 2008
New Experiences
Richelle and I spent last weekend with a niece and her family in central Oregon. We got there Friday afternoon and came home Sunday afternoon. I spent the bulk of Saturday in a training seminar but Richelle had great fun with her cousins.
I did remember to bring my camera but as I was four hours from home when I remembered, it did little good. I was so bummed! I even had opportunity to get a stunning shot of a full moon rising and framed by juniper trees. Then there was the cute opportunity of the three girls waking up on their couch-cushion beds in the front room. And there's when they put on their swimsuits, filled the horse trough, and went "swimming". Let's not forget the "fashion show" two of them put on. Of course, even a camera can't capture the giggles and quips they passed back and forth or the uncouth sounds of the "squashoons".
Richelle learned how to change irrigation pipe, water the garden, make and play the "squashoon" and tend to the chickens. She helped her cousins with a labor-intensive fund-raiser, picked strawberries, and we had a particularly toothsome fresh strawberry milkshake.
I love going east of the Cascades. I love the high desert, the smell of junipers, the straight roads, being able to see the horizon, the mesas, the lack of blackberry or poison oak underbrush..or much of any underbrush for that matter.....
The good times and laughter with family made it extra special.
I did remember to bring my camera but as I was four hours from home when I remembered, it did little good. I was so bummed! I even had opportunity to get a stunning shot of a full moon rising and framed by juniper trees. Then there was the cute opportunity of the three girls waking up on their couch-cushion beds in the front room. And there's when they put on their swimsuits, filled the horse trough, and went "swimming". Let's not forget the "fashion show" two of them put on. Of course, even a camera can't capture the giggles and quips they passed back and forth or the uncouth sounds of the "squashoons".
Richelle learned how to change irrigation pipe, water the garden, make and play the "squashoon" and tend to the chickens. She helped her cousins with a labor-intensive fund-raiser, picked strawberries, and we had a particularly toothsome fresh strawberry milkshake.
I love going east of the Cascades. I love the high desert, the smell of junipers, the straight roads, being able to see the horizon, the mesas, the lack of blackberry or poison oak underbrush..or much of any underbrush for that matter.....
The good times and laughter with family made it extra special.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Long time
It's been weeks since I last posted and much has happened but of little earth-shaking magnitude.
Richelle and I went to Saginaw convention August 20-24. We went the week before, also, but I'm glad we were able to attend both. They were very good for the soul. Kimberly with her girls and Andrea with her family also attended the second week. The funniest things were whispered in the dark after the lights went out in the dorms:
Me: "What?"
Niece #1: "Huh?"
Me: "I thought I heard my name called but I can't hear because I don't have my glasses on."
Niece #1: "SNORT! Giggle, giggle, giggle"
(Those who are hampered in vision as badly as I am can't hear the person next to them without our glasses on. We can hear the person in the next room just fine.)
Me: "Don't tell me you've never heard your mom say the same thing!
Kimberly from four mattresses away: "What?"
Me: "Huh?"
Kimberly: "I thought I heard someone call me."
Niece #1 and Richelle giggling away.
Me: "I was telling your daughter that I'm sure she's heard you say that you can't hear because you weren't wearing your glasses."
Kimberly: "Snort! I just said the same thing not five minutes ago!"
Niece #1 and Richelle laughing hysterically into their pillows.
And...
It's dark. Perhaps ten minutes after the lights have been turned out, maybe fifteen. The girls have stopped whispering three minutes ago...
Niece #3 quietly whispering: "Is anyone still awake?"
Richelle, softly: "I am."
Niece #1, quietly: "I am, too."
Me, just as softly: "I'm not."
Silence.
Niece #1 slightly louder: "You are, too!" Muffled explosions from three pillows.
And....
Lights have just been turned off but there are three or four girls who come into the dorms making a small bit of noise.
Richelle whispers: "I know of a good way to block out the noise."
Niece #1 snapping upright and on the edge of laughter: "So do I! Like this!" She jams her fingers in her ears and then falls backwards giggling uncontrollably.
Schooling ~
We started school this week because I got Richelle's books ordered late and didn't get them until last Thursday. Instead, last week we deep-cleaned the family room, dining room, and computer room (formerly known as the school area). She's enjoying full days of school instead of full days of washing walls, oiling woodwork, dusting everything, moving furniture, washing windows, etc.
My new hat ~
Richelle's newly involved in a Lego Robotics team that meets just three miles away. Each team needs a Mentor and at least one Coach. The lady helping the mentor start the team up knows me from Boy and Girl Scouts so approached me to be a coach. As if I can say "no" to something like that. Perhaps I ought to take lessons from Kimberly! So now I'm a Coach for our team and am traveling to Bend this weekend for training. The team competes in December at UCC. Instead of me repeating what's already been written, go to ortop.org or firstlegoleague.org if you want to know more.
Warm days, cool nights, shorter daylight hours....must be autumn.
Richelle and I went to Saginaw convention August 20-24. We went the week before, also, but I'm glad we were able to attend both. They were very good for the soul. Kimberly with her girls and Andrea with her family also attended the second week. The funniest things were whispered in the dark after the lights went out in the dorms:
Me: "What?"
Niece #1: "Huh?"
Me: "I thought I heard my name called but I can't hear because I don't have my glasses on."
Niece #1: "SNORT! Giggle, giggle, giggle"
(Those who are hampered in vision as badly as I am can't hear the person next to them without our glasses on. We can hear the person in the next room just fine.)
Me: "Don't tell me you've never heard your mom say the same thing!
Kimberly from four mattresses away: "What?"
Me: "Huh?"
Kimberly: "I thought I heard someone call me."
Niece #1 and Richelle giggling away.
Me: "I was telling your daughter that I'm sure she's heard you say that you can't hear because you weren't wearing your glasses."
Kimberly: "Snort! I just said the same thing not five minutes ago!"
Niece #1 and Richelle laughing hysterically into their pillows.
And...
It's dark. Perhaps ten minutes after the lights have been turned out, maybe fifteen. The girls have stopped whispering three minutes ago...
Niece #3 quietly whispering: "Is anyone still awake?"
Richelle, softly: "I am."
Niece #1, quietly: "I am, too."
Me, just as softly: "I'm not."
Silence.
Niece #1 slightly louder: "You are, too!" Muffled explosions from three pillows.
And....
Lights have just been turned off but there are three or four girls who come into the dorms making a small bit of noise.
Richelle whispers: "I know of a good way to block out the noise."
Niece #1 snapping upright and on the edge of laughter: "So do I! Like this!" She jams her fingers in her ears and then falls backwards giggling uncontrollably.
Schooling ~
We started school this week because I got Richelle's books ordered late and didn't get them until last Thursday. Instead, last week we deep-cleaned the family room, dining room, and computer room (formerly known as the school area). She's enjoying full days of school instead of full days of washing walls, oiling woodwork, dusting everything, moving furniture, washing windows, etc.
My new hat ~
Richelle's newly involved in a Lego Robotics team that meets just three miles away. Each team needs a Mentor and at least one Coach. The lady helping the mentor start the team up knows me from Boy and Girl Scouts so approached me to be a coach. As if I can say "no" to something like that. Perhaps I ought to take lessons from Kimberly! So now I'm a Coach for our team and am traveling to Bend this weekend for training. The team competes in December at UCC. Instead of me repeating what's already been written, go to ortop.org or firstlegoleague.org if you want to know more.
Warm days, cool nights, shorter daylight hours....must be autumn.
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