Potpourri.12

Wildflowers are blooming here in Texas: bluebonnets, winecups, buttercups, Indian paintbrush, Indian blanket, blue-eyed grass, coreopsis, meadow pink, phlox. . .you just want to have a dozen eyes so you can see it all at once. I DID stop and pick some blue-eyed grass today, but just like buttercups and other wild flowers, they close within 30 minutes of me picking them and bringing them home. They can be blown by a strong south-eastern Texas wind and not bat a petal, but pick ‘em and you break their spirit. They are, after all, wild.

I took the children shopping after church today. Thad needed shoes and Victoria needed shoes and they both needed clothing for church. What Thad did NOT need was another t-shirt, but he got two. This one is hilarious–take the 30 seconds to roll over the image at the Kohls website to see what issues super heroes have, and this one is too.

There is either a penny or a dime that is in the lining of the coin section of my wallet, but I can’t find the HOLE through which it slipped. So there it remains–mocking me. I’m not even sure as to its denomination, BUT as my PawPaw used to say, “If you never spend it, you’ll never be broke.” Maybe it’s just him watching over me.

Tony has acute bronchitis. This is an old ailment for me, but a new ailment for him. We now have matchign inhalers. I am hopeful that he doesn’t decide to pass it along.

It is time for bed. Past time really.

A day late: Resolutions for an odd year

I don’t really CARE for odd numbers. . .and 2011 is ODD, people. Although I SHOULD have taken full advantage of the auspiciousness of yesterday in it’s even oddness. 1/1/11. All odd numbers, but an even amount of them.

Yes. I am weird. So are you. Remember–I KNOW you people and your particular oddities, and I love you anyway. Even if you were born in an odd month on an odd day in an odd year. . .for INSTANCE, 9/17/1969. That was a WONDERFUL day. . .but it’s all odd. I’m only partially odd. 8/2/1969.

Why, why, why all the useless drivel regarding numerology? Well, I am setting myself some resolutions, and I’m already a day late. That being said, my resolutions include the following. Mind that this is more of a BRAINSTORMING list than a TO DO list as I am RESOLVED to making a list of resolutions, but only INTEND to TRY to keep the resolutions.

Yoda would be giving me an earful right about now.

1. Read SOMETHING from my Bible every day. Even if it’s just one verse.

2. Write SOMETHING every day: blog post, letter, quotation, thought, etc.

3. Move every day. This does NOT include school teaching. This DOES include grocery shopping. That is quite a workout, let me TELL you. I’d rather do yoga or walk, however, moving is moving. So. Move I will. Even if it’s just once up and down the road.

4. Be kind to people every day. This includes being kind to ME.

So far today, I’m ¾. Oddly even. (And I have NO IDEA why my list is hyperlinked to Yoda, except that he is using The Force. I am going to be kind to myself, and quite trying to fix it. I will LET IT BE.)

Happy New Year from me to you.

My little family at my in-laws 50th anniversary dinner.

Summer Fun

At the end of summer, 2004 I was headed back to the classroom after three years at home, so Tony declared it the “Summer ‘O Fun.” It was anything BUT fun. MAJOR church trauma drama. . .rained for literally two months. . .it was so NOT fun. So each summer since, we have said with much hope (and a trace of sarcasm), “Maybe THIS will be the Summer ‘O Fun.”

Last summer, I decided to take the bull by the horns summer by the swingset, and MAKE it the Summer ‘O Fun. And it WAS. We did only ONE THING differently than we normally do.

We kept a list.

Victoria LOVES lists and charts and sorting and ordering (if you’ve not noticed), so I had her make a chart entitled “Summer Fun.” Everytime we did a “fun” activity we added it to the chart, then each additional time we put a tally mark.

We had things like:
snowcones (buy a snowcone maker from WalMart or Target AND some snowcone syrup. . .you will be THE mom-diggity.)
watching movies at home (we have a subscription to Netflix–but no cable)
play board games
play computer games
play in sprinklers
go swimming
ride bikes
build with Legos (this is a non-stop activity for Thad, obviously)
Coloring
popping popcorn
sleep overs with friends
Church camp
Camping in the house
going out to eat
going to see a movie at the theater
go to the library
Sleepovers at grandparents’ house
Sleepovers at Aunt and Uncle’s house
Birthday parties (we ALL have summer birthdays)
going to the beach

We even put church potlucks and VBS on the list. . .why not? None of them were out of the ordinary, but I was determined that when summer came to an end, we would not look back and think there was no FUN or that we hadn’t done “anything.” We have LOADS of fun every single, stinkin’ day. And a chart to prove it!

(click photo to make is UBER huge)

Happy

Things making me happy at the moment:

-writing letters
-friends who have known me a long time and love me ANYWAY
-chocolate covered raisins
-yoga
-a BRAND NEW BOX of all 120 colors of Crayola crayons to share with my daughter in anticipation of a summer chock full ‘o coloring
-my boy telling me that I’m 99% nice and only 1% cranky
-clean sheets
-giving the kids who actually did a PROJECT AS ASSIGNED a surprise 110 for their “hard work, diligence, and effort”
-breakfast for supper
-pretty flowers
-harmonizing with music I really love
-an entire day laid before me ripe with possibility (even if I end up not accomplishing much by the end of it)
-hearing the voices of people I love

Guest Blogging

My friend Jennifer has been counting down the Twelve Days of Christmas, but she miscounted, and started on day eleven. Anyway. . .she was traveling today, so she asked me to do day four. Go see my attempt at matching her other posts. . .and read her lists while you’re at it.

Linda’s Random Dozen Revisited

Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee does a “Random Dozen” each week. I WAS doing them. . .then I kind of fell off the planet. . .but here I am again. I loved her title: Let’s All Link Hands Like the Whos in Whoville and Share Our Random Dozen

1. Gingerbread: For or against? Discuss.
For. . .I especially like gingerbread that is bread. I think gingerbread is great.

2. Is it important to you to always stay (live) close to family?
No. I lived across the pasture from my Dad’s parents and 5 miles from my mom’s parents. I loved it. I was, however, raised to go live where my husband wanted to live. And that is what I did. We live near all of his family, and we get to see mine. I was the child that no one thought WOULD leave, and I’m the only one that DID leave–but during/after college, I had no big desire to go to Louisiana to settle–though that would have been good too. I do wish that my children had lived closer to my mom and dad, but family is in the heart–plus I DO live close to my “family”–we live in the same house together.

3. Which holiday pretend character do you wish really existed? Well, I’ve always wanted to pick up Cindy Loo Who and give her a big hug.

4. Which holiday movie best represents how you feel about Christmas or life? “It’s a Wonderful Life” LOVE THAT MOVIE–though I always fast forward over the part where Uncle Billy loses the money and Mr. Potter steals it. There was an ’80′s remake with Marlo Thomas–that’s the first time I saw any version of it at all. But once I found the real thing, there was no going back.

Joseph: I want you to take a good look at that face.
Clarence: Who is it?
Joseph: George Bailey.
Clarence: Uh-huh. It’s a good face. I like it. I like George Bailey.

5. Is there a particular Christmas song that you’re enjoying now? Any that you’re tired of? Love “We Need a Little Christmas” and “All I Want for Christmas is You.” I pull up my own songs, so anything I’m tired of gets left out of the list. . .

6. What is your favorite way to remember those less fortunate at Christmastime? Toy Drives and food drives

7. Does it upset you to see “Xmas” instead of Christmas? How about “Happy Holidays” etc., instead of “Merry Christmas?” Doesn’t bother me–I know why we celebrate, and I think “Happy Holidays” includes all the holidays around this time.

8. How many Christmas programs are you attending this month? This year: ZERO. Amazing. I know.

9. Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Any chance of that dream becoming a reality? I live in Texas–and not the Panhandle–so the chances of it are slim to none. . .HOWEVER. . .it DID snow on Christmas Eve a few years back, and it STUCK for most of the night. It was great.

10. Tell me about a Christmas present you received as a child. Pics are always nice. I had many wonderful Christmases, but the photo shows the year I got some of my most beloved things–my Baby Tender Love, my white Go-Go boots, and my Barbie Quick Curl. That was the ’70′s Christmas. I still have my doll and the clothes and blankets Momma made to go with her. Victoria got to play wiht that doll too.

11. How many Christmas parties are you attending this month? ONE–son’s at school

12. How do you keep yourself centered on the significance of Christmas? To me, Christmas is about people, joy, remembering, and making new memories too.

Little Things

*It snowed in Houston last Thursday. I snowed a lot–like for HOURS it snowed. As in most of the morning and all afternoon. This is remarkable. It did not stick (THAT is NOT remarkable), but had it been about 5 degrees colder for a little bit longer, it would have. Again, I say, this is remarkable. RE-markable.

* On the way to school Thursday, the sky was a color I’ve never seen the sky be before. I’ve seen snow clouds–we had them in Louisiana some–and I’ve seen LOTS of storm clouds, but the sky was a really, really unique blue color. Sort of angry periwinkle–very much like it is in the summer when there are bad storms, but it looked odd. Rather than having the green leaves of trees, the leaves were gold and red and orange–and there were bare branches. So it changed the color to one that I’ve never quite noticed the sky be. Cool.

*I just read the “Bulldog Banner” which is the school paper for the Jr. High where Tony now teaches. On the back page one of the reporters had interviewed an 8th grade volleyball player: “8th grader Kaitlin S. shared, ‘This was the year we really bonded and ound two common purposes for our team next year. . .beat Bear Branch into a pulp and glorify God doing it.’” Love it–that is Jr. high in a conservative Christian town right there. . .we’re gonna be competitive, but do it with the love of Jesus.

*Saturday night we had friends over. There was a LOT of laughter, but one of the funniest things was that Thad was wearing his Tiki shirt. He Loves HIS Tiki shirt. . .it’s just a blue shirt with a HUGE tiki head on it–bought it from Oriental Trading for next to nothing. Anyway, at one point I reached over to tickle him for some reason and he exclaimed VERY LOUDLY, “NO ONE IS GOING TO TOUCH MY TIKI!!!” There were 7 adults who all laughed so hard we could barely breathe.

*It is cold here. At least it’s cold in our house. We are keeping the propane cost DOWN this year and turn the heater off during the day and set it on 65 at night. It’s cold. I bet it’s warmer outside, but I could be wrong. . .and I was. It’s 55 and cloudy. (Just checked.)

Here are some random photos that made me smile today–don’t think I’ve posted them before.

This was taken after we told the children we were moving to the country. We’d come to plant wild flower seeds.

Tony and his friends dearly LOVE a game of RISK, and so does his girl.

LUV

Victoria has spent MUCH time in this basket over the course of her life. This was spring of 2008.

Have I shown you my very LARGE rooster? No? Well, here he is. I wanted a solid white one, but none were to be found. So I bought this handsome fellow, brought him home, and named him Jean Luc. Extra points if you know who “Jean Luc” is.

I accidentally included this one, but it makes me smile too.

Hilarious.

List-ish

I love a good list. In fact, lists are just good all the way around. Here is a Monday list.

1.) Embraced the day warmly.
2.) Had the day bite me in the tires. Sort of. Two of mine were low, and so my fancy tire monitor indicator light came on while I was too far away from a gas station. Eventually stopped, aired up said tires a bit but had no gauge with which to check air pressure. Went to Wal-Mart with NO LINE, and got tires checked FOR FREE. I DID tip the helpful attendant. So glad nothing was entirely flat. I CAN change I tire. I just don’t WANT to.
3.) Taught school.
4.) Graded a lot of papers.
5.) Went to Hobby Lobby on my lunch to buy blue ribbon.
6.) Taught more school.
7.) Went BACK to Hobby Lobby for MORE blue ribbon.
8.) Went to Victoria’s volleyball practice to deliver blue ribbons–cut into separate lengths while sitting at stop lights along the way.
9.) Brought daughter home.
10.) Foraged in pantry for enough ingredients to cook an entire meal. Penne Pasta, spaghetti sauce, hamburger (in FREEZER, NOT pantry).
11.) Cooked
12.) Walked
13.) Sat down. Big mistake.
14.) Talked to a couple of friends on the phone, one being Sarah who is having a bloggy celebration. Go here to win free stuff.

A Dozen

Hey, Antique Mommy, Sean’s tally marks of 6 would come in handy for this meme.

RANDOM DOZEN PREVIEW:

1. Please share one middle school memory. It can be good, bad, ugly, funny. Pictures or words, I don’t care, just share.
Fall night, Jr. High football game, in the stands with MaryLinda and Clay. Clay wanted to know who I liked. I wouldn’t tell him. Mary Linda said, “He’s on the side lines wearing a pink shirt.” There was only ONE person on the side lines wearing a pink shirt. I dumped my Sprite on her head. She threw her Coke in my face. We were still in each others’ weddings. . .we are still friends today.

2. What’s your favorite Beatles song? “Yesterday”

3. If I asked you to describe your most comfortable outfit, what would it be? my cotton night gowns. . .for home only

4. Would you rather host a party or be a guest?
Host. The end.

5. Do you think we will move completely from traditional books to digital ones, and if we do, are you OK with that?
I do not think we will EVER move completely away from traditional books OR the need to learn to write by hand. Despite what anyone may say, these are part of how humans express themselves. . .there has always been some form of written/drawn communication and always someone to read it. Technology is faster, but not infallible. There are things you can do with a book and a pen and a piece of paper that cannot be done on a computer screen. We are already losing more than a generation’s worth of correspondence by using e-mail. . .faster. . .reaches more. . .but gone with the touch of a button. And I still have ALL the letters that MaryLinda up there sent to me in Jr. High, High School, and College.

6. Do you learn best by reading, listening or experiencing? All three. I am multi-sensory. I guess I lean more toward visual. . .which includes reading.

7. If you are (or when you were) single, what is the kiss of death for you concerning the opposite sex? (That is, what is one trait or behavior or habit or anything at all that immediately turns you off from considering that person a potential match for you?)

no sense of humor. . .or didn’t get MY sense of humor

8. Snacks. Salty or sweet?

Salty

9. Look around you in a four foot radius. What object is around you that you didn’t realize was there or forgot was there? How long has it been there?

Pair of dirty socks (mine). . .no idea–but I will take them to the laundry room if I don’t forget.

10. What is your favorite Tom Cruise movie?

Top Gun I guess. I THINK I watched some of Risky Business on HBO back in the day, but I don’t remember much of it. I also saw Far and Away–but Top Gun is the one I remember from college.

11. You buy a bottle of shampoo and discover that you don’t like what it does to your hair at all. What do you do with that full bottle?

Move it back and forth and forth and back in my cabinet until I throw it away in a fit of frustration one day. . .although it sometimes doubles as body wash. I’ve HEARD the hair conditioner you don’t like is GREAT for shaving your legs.

12. Your favorite Fall comfort food? (Last week it was beverage.)

Corn chowder. No doubt.

*40* Things about Sarah (and some about me too)

(Forgive the whacked out spacing of the pictures. . .they were all there this morning, then I sent them into cyberspace. . .and they were my bane the rest of the day. Enjoy ‘em anyway.)

Sarah and I have been friends for a long time. This is not the first blog entry to start with those words. But it’s true. It’s 34 years worth of true, and today Sarah turns 40.

Sarah's wedding: How we looked.

Sarah's wedding: How we felt.

Sitting atop my 1976 Lincoln Contiental in front of Sarah's house with Michelle

Now, I turned 40 about 6 weeks ago, so this is not a casting of the proverbial stone–or icing flower as the case may be. But I thought I would give you 40 things about Sarah. I may not know her BETTER than anyone else, because there are large chunks of the past 22 years that I’ve not been physically around to see, but I certainly have known her LONGER than any of the people she is in regular contact with other than her parents and brother (hey Kevin). I now give you. . . Sarah. . .

1. loves words. . .all words. . .big ones, little ones, unusual ones, quirky ones, funny ones. Loves ‘em.

2. ate enough banana Laffy Taffy to keep her orthodontist (I ALSO know him. . .and his wife and kids) in business for several years.

3. and I got into REALLY big trouble by staying out until after midnight when we were in high school. We were, actually, sitting in the pitch black parking lot of our high school campus talking about some boys. That makes it no better. It’s just where we were.

4. and I did NOT get into big trouble for jumping the railroad tracks on Finks Hideaway Rd. in her brother’s CRX (sorry Kevin), because God sent his angels to keep us from wrecking it (sorry Mike) so we never got caught.

5. managed to drive said CRX while I changed clothes in the passengers seat (a feat in and of itself mind you) which leads me to

6. is a very, very good driver.

7. can sign (that is S-I-G-N. . .as in “sign language”) entire songs WHILE holding the gear shift of a manual transmission car–such as a Honda (name your model).

8. is also very, very smart. Very. Very.

9. spent several summers working with handicapped kids at a Lion’s camp.

10. climbed a mountain in Colorado MORE than once on Wilderness Trek.

11. is a lifeguard and could save you if you were drowning.

12. spent many hours with me in Mrs. Rosie’s swimming pool in Bastrop getting a tan and talking about those same boys–and others–up in #3.

13. sat by me in band–we both played the clarinet–on occasion when Christy Barker and I would duke it out over who was first chair. NORMALLY it was Christy.

14. served as my “matron” of honor. (I beat her to 40, but she beat me to the altar.) I got to be her “maid.”

15. watched in amazement as I managed to hit myself in the face with the passenger seat of my car.

16. spent a lot of time laughing at me–but not nearly as much as I laughed at myself.

17. was in chorus and wore a “Super Pickle” dress (me too).

18. never played a sport but was manager for the Lady Eagles basketball team.

19. took dance for a really long time.

20. had a cute dog named Rocky who used to clickety-clickety on his clackety toes across the floor.

21. is NOT a morning person despite the fact that she now gets up at the crack of dawn.

22. has lots of really great ideas. (See #8).

23. breaks into spontaneous song–and dance–for no apparent reason.

24. endured/listened to/commiserated with my teenaged/college aged angst.

25. thinks I always look the same–no matter the weight gain or loss, hair cut, clothing items, new wrinkles, or gray hair. This is a sign of true friendship.

26. came with my mother and sister to get me after I had been in Montana for a summer my Jr. year in college. When Momma asked what I wanted her to bring when she came to Searcy to get me I said, “My birthday cake and Sarah.” (I turned 21 the next day.)

27. and I would have REALLY benefited–rather our PARENTS would have benefited–from all of the snazzy calling plans now available. (We DID get in trouble more than once for long distance phone bills.)

28. wrote lots and lots and lots of letters and notes to me–and I wrote back. Still have ‘em–and the ones from Mary Linda too.

29. was the first non-family member I called the night my Daddy died.

30. introduced me to her future husband for the first time when I came to visit her in Abilene. (Hi Troy).

31. let me hold and feed and change and dress her brand new baby girl when she was just a few days old. (Hi Ashley).

32. “accidentally” told me she was expecting her second baby when she one day casually asked me what I thought of the name “Riley.” (Hi Riley).

33. and she did not get mad at me when I told her how jealous I was that she was pregnant and not me.

34. can cut through the garbage of a situation and get to the heart of the matter like no one else I know.

35. attended Ouachita Christian School–all the way from elementary to graduation–and was voted Miss O.C.S. by the student body her senior year.

36. has a thing for baskets. . .and shoes. . .and nail polish. . .and bows.

37. probably developed a twitch when I misspelled several words and called Kevin’s CRX a CRV (we own a CRV NOW) in the first, first post, but would NEVER tell me in a million years and will laugh at me for trying to make this post perfect all stinkin’ day long.

38. loves her family.

39. loves her friends–one of which I am blessed to be.

40. loves her God.

There is much more that the confidentialty contract we sealed long ago with some Diet Coke and a few secrets won’t let me say, but we will get to see each other in two weeks (!!! First time in a year and a half–last time we got to spend all of about one hour together.) and have some Johnny’s pizza and laugh until we’re exhausted. Until then–Happy Birthday, Sayruh. You know I love ya more ‘n my luggage. (And I AM pleasant. . .) And forgive me for some of these pictures. Most of them are WONDERMOUS, but some were necessary for illustration don’t ya know.

We had been pretending to be the leaping reindeer that Sarah's mom had on the wall in the dining room. . .one can only assume Sarah wasn't through being a reindeer.

Same night as the reindeer incident--New Years Eve, 1987. Don't remember what was up with the Post its.

As God would have it, we sat next to each other for our first grade class picture. Peep Sarah's knee socks. I had INSISTED on wearing panty hose that day.

Rerun of us with Timms, May, 1987

Not Sarah BUT Sarah's grandmother, Maxine--my dear, dear friend.

We went on a trip to Pensacola after I graduated from College--Five Flag Motel Cheapest Rates Gulf Side.

We were enamored with the tiki-faced palm tree--the hotel was destroyed in hurricane Ivan.

With our duplex mate Julie in Abilene, 1991

February, 1990 with our friend Brandon

Christmas, 1987 sitting in my Momma's rocking chair in our house at the annual Christmas party.

Bad picture--but there is Sarah to my right, and Christy in 1st chair, and me in the middle.

Jr. year in high school--probably spring?

Graduation night with our (very tall) friend Mark

Sarah and Christy giving me The Look on the way either to or from Nashville.