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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.
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.
(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.
Head on over to Linda’s place and answer these for yourself. . .
1. Which is worse: a long, boring meeting or standing in a return/exchange line after Christmas?
a long boring meeting. . .you are expected to pay attention, whereas in the line after Christmas, you can people watch or chat on the phone or totally zone out
2. Except for maybe Rosie O’Donnell or Ann Coulter, nobody likes confrontation, yet we all have to deal with it. When you feel cornered and defensive, do you “bite back” or become passive aggressive?
I tend to use humor to try to deflect the confrontation. If that doesn’t work, and I get mad, then I cry. I don’t cry to make the confrontation go away. I cry because God in His infinite wisdom made sure I would. It is a LOUD, NASTY SOUNDING, GASPING cry if I open my yap, so I keep it closed, thereby also keeping my foot out of said yap.
3. Do you know anything about your genealogical background? (What country, culture, ties to prominent historical figures, or other stuff.)
American Indian, German, Southern, go figure
4. What is the quickest way a person can endear him/herself to you?
Laugh with me
5. Cake, pie, cookies, or ice cream? (Note there is no “all of the above” option. You must choose one. Feel free to elaborate on flavor or memories tied to this dessert.) If you’d like, you can share a recipe, but you certainly don’t have to.
Cake. My Granny’s homemade yellow cake with homemade cooked fudge frosting. I’d give you the recipe, but it died with her. She always made it from memory, and no one ever thought to have her write it down.
6. Females: Do you regularly change your handbag to coordinate with your outfit?
No, but my Granny up there did, and I LOVED it. She had some that were my favorites, and I could play with them when she wasn’t using them. I won all the way around. They all smelled like Merle Norman face powder. She also changed her bathroom curtains (white with different colored balled fringe) and towels with the seasons. No lie.
7. Are you task-oriented or relationship-oriented?
relationship
8. IHOP, Bob Evans or Cracker Barrel?
Cracker Barrel but hardly ever get to go
9. Have you ever left a movie in progress in a theater? Why?
“Pet Sematary.” I went to see it in college to make a boy happy and to be with him, and I wish. . .to this day. . . that I’d not even stayed as long as I did. (Which was to the part after the funeral when the dad goes back to sit in the cemetery.) I also wish I’d been wise enough to know that I would NEVER be able to make that boy happy. At least I learned my lesson.
10. What is one area of life in which you would like to develop more discipline or organization?
WEIGHT
11. Was middle school fun or painful?
Fun, fun, fun. . .except, of course, for the parts that were painful.
12. What is your favorite Fall beverage?
Wassail
My friend over at 2nd Cup of Coffee has the following meme challenge. Although “challenge” may be a bit too strong of a word as I don’t particularly like to challenge myself to anything or take on any challenges that anyone gives to me. . .so it’s a meme.
1. When you go to Walmart, what one thing do you get every single time, besides a funky-wheeled squeaking cart full of frustration?
something that is not on my list
2. What is something that people are currently “into” that you just don’t get or appreciate?
Twitter. I certainly “get” why people do it. . .and I “appreciate” their efforts to keep me more informed. . .but it took me a sweet forever to even dip my toe into blogging or facebook, and I just don’t see me twittering. Although my singing voice IS lovely.
3. What is something that really hoists your sail that other people might feel “ho-hum” about?
brand new school supplies, pretty paper and envelopes, pens
4. Favorite song to sing in the shower or car?
anything with harmony. . .of course, one can’t harmonize by one’s self in the shower, but I don’t sing in the shower
5. A really great salad must have this ingredient:
homemade ranch dressing
6. Advice in a nutshell to new bloggers (one or two sentences):
don’t take yourself too seriously
7. What was the alternate name that your parents almost named you? Do you wish they had chosen it instead of the one they gave you?
Sheila–at the suggestion of my paternal grandmother. No–not really.
8. What in your life are you waiting for?
I anticipate the return of Jesus to take me Home, but other than that, I’m not really waiting on one thing–just enjoying my days.
9. You get a package in the mail. What is it, and who is it from?
My friend Carolyn–an array of clothing, books, and linens
10. Today–what song represents you?
“I’m Happy Today”
11. What is one thing that blogging has taught you about yourself?
I have gotten too lazy to keep a journal, so I blog about it here instead.
12. How are you going to (or how did you) choose the clothes you’re wearing today? What do they say about you in general or specifically how you’re feeling today?
I wore some knit pants and a knit top and my tennis shoes because it was all comfortable and clean. It’s an indulgence, I know, but I’m worth it.
1. My nose is only marginally stopped up. Hallelujah!!!!
2. My ankle is only marginally swollen. Hallelujah!!!
3. I am friends with the Goddess of How to Teach Dyslexia class, and she allowed my germy self into her home today–AND fed me lunch–AND gave me A BOATLOAD of stuff to use in my class and told me how to use it all. Can I get an AMEN????
4. I found some awesome red vase type items for my mantle for CHEAP each, and some mixed color eucalyptus for CHEAP and they passed Tony’s inspection. WHEW!!!!
5. I am going to try to get my classroom put together tomorrow at BREAK NECK SPEED. It’s sort of the same room that I had two years ago, just one door down, so it should be easy. (Hope I didn’t just jinx the entire thing.)
6. I had an incredibly unhealthy meal of fishsticks and french fries for supper, but it was EXACTLY what I wanted. So there. Sometimes, we just have to take a walk–or cook–on the dark side.
7. My mother is coming to take care of the kids next week while we are in inservice–well Tony already is but I’m not–so I get to see her SOON!!!
8. My teammates from two years ago already had lesson plans for the first six weeks laid out for my non-dyslexia classes, so at our meeting today, all I had to do was nod a lot and say “Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Is that what we did before? Good.” THANK YOU MICHELE AND MELINDA!!!!
In about 6 weeks I will turn 40. It is one of my dearest hopes that I will have, at the very least, another 40 years on this planet to enjoy my wonderful marriage and my incredible children and my glorious life. I am well aware that I don’t know SQUAT about a lot of things, but, as my mother has told me before, I pay attention. I’m not really into rebellion, disobedience, pain, or the consequences that come from such. I was not–and am not–one to cave into peer pressure. If I find myself in a learning situation that is painful, I’ll bite the bullet and feel the pain every time so I can learn and be better prepared for it to happen again OR learn not to make the same mistake twice. If you have been through a life lesson and are willing to share what you’ve learned with me, then I am more than happy to listen AND take notes so I don’t have to learn that very same lesson completely on my own from scratch or, better yet, at all. I’m more than happy to take your word for it. I am also, for the most part, a people pleaser. I want to be all things to all people on all occasions and there we have
Lesson #1. . .that is impossible. I can barely please all three of the people who live in my house on a daily basis–two of whom walk around carrying half of my DNA in their molecular structure, so the rest of the planet will just have to take a number. And I’ve had to get over the fact that I can’t always make everyone happy (even though I still try to).
Lesson #2. . .if every fiber of your being screams that you shouldn’t do something, then it’s very likely that you SHOULD NOT do it.
Lesson #3. . .intuition is a gift from God–it should not be relied on completely in all situations, but it is a gift that should be honed and a counselor that should be consulted when it starts knocking at your door.
Lesson #4. . .people will ALWAYS suprise you. Sometimes it’s a good surprise, and sometimes it’s a bad one.
Lesson #5. . .(I tell my students this EVERY year) 10% of the people cause 90% of the problems.
Lesson #6. . .everyone looks at life through their own lense, and it is shaped by their own experiences and how they perceive the world to be.
Lesson #7. . .(from Mike Cope when he was the preacher at College church in Searcy) many things are like eating fish. You need to eat the meat and throw away the bones.
Lesson #8 (from my mother–some of the last words she spoke to me before leaving me in the dorm my freshman year). . .people find what they are looking for. If they are looking for the bad, that is what they will find. If they are looking for the good, that is what they will find.
Lesson #9. . .(also from my mother and one I am ignoring spectacularly at this moment) sometimes you just need to use your good, common sense and go to sleep.
Lesson #10. . .as much as people DON’T want to believe it, Harry was right. Men and women CANNOT be friends. I have men whom I call “friend” and with whom I am on friendly terms, but I cannot truly have, nor do I NEED to have, a close friendship with them. Nor should I have a close friendship with any man that does not include AT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY IN ALL SITUATIONS my husband’s full knowledge of the relationship and all of its terms.
I am FINE. We are all FINE. Nothing is wrong, but if you care to know WHY I felt it necessary to write such a list then feel free to leave a comment. I’ll e-mail you the somewhat cryptic yet explanatory details. I have just been reminded recently of when and where and how I learned those lessons in one, fell swoop. I’m not so much writing them for your benefit as I am for Victoria and Thad’s and to be reminded–again–that what others intend for harm, God uses for good.
1. Thank you for all of your very kind e-mails regarding R____o’s success. He was, indeed, NOT suspended today and left my 8th period class with his note to his mother. He was also good. At least for today. That is all to which any of us can aspire really.
2. I have misplaced not one but TWO–count ‘em–TWO credit cards today. I had my Mastercard this morning when I stopped to get a $.99 Diet Coke at Sonic on my way to school. And the gal at the drive thru window even made sure I did not leave without it. Alas, it is nowhere to be found. So I used my Discover card to distraction this afternoon thereby receiving a call from the Discover Fraud Management system–we normally only use it for gas–yet when I went to get my Discover card to enter the last four digits of my account number *POOF* gone. I need to discover the whereabouts of my Discover. . .and it’s Mastercard companion.
3. I just called someone to leave a message because they forgot to put Victoria’s Powder Puff Derby car on their front porch for me this afternoon, and while I was waiting for their machine to give me the beep, I was multi-tasking so that I let it record about 10 seconds of silence before I remembered that I was, indeed, on the phone. That’s right–I forgot to talk. That is a TOTALLY new phenomenon ’round here.
4. My very own child made a perfect score on HER TAKS test as well. We celebrated by going to Chik Fil A, and Hobby Lobby, and buying gas, and losing my Discover card.
5. I got the cutest pink flamingo serving plate at Hobby Lobby for 1/2 price. I MUST show you. But not now, ’cause I’m one minute past time to go to bed. ‘Night.
Tony does not like surveys or questions of any sort that do not have a definite answer. He does not care for the color gray–ESPECIALLY when it comes to things you are asking him. Have I ever mentioned that our children are JUST LIKE THEIR DADDY???
So, when I stole this straight from Joshilyn Jackson’s blog, I should have known it would not end well.
What it told me is that I shouldn’t pull my kids away from playing with their stuffed animal tents in the living room floor to ask them questions about me.
And that I drink a lot of Diet Coke. And that we are big on food around here.
What makes mom happy?
Thad: Diet Coke
Victoria: Diet Coke
What does your mom always say to you?
T: “I love you.”
V: “Love you.”
What makes mom sad?
T: When we do something bad.
V: Dumb students at school that you have to send down to the office a whole bunch. A student that you have to get in trouble a lot.
What does your mom do that makes you laugh?
T: *Uh. . .uh. . .* Crickets. (He once told his teacher that I wasn’t very funny.)V: When you blow raspberries on my stomach. (At this point Victoria began to cry real tears. She is VERY serious about anything she considers to be a test and REALLY wants to get the answers right ALL of the time. Her imagination is boundless, but not when it comes to tests–which this wasn’t, but she thought it was.)
What was your mom like as a child?
T: She was a country kid.
V: You liked dolls.
How old is your mom?
T: Uh. . .39.
V: 39
How tall is your mom?
T: Uh. . .20 inches.
V: 5’ 6”
What is her favorite thing to do?
T: Drink coke.
V: Arts and crafts
What does your mom do when you’re not around?
T: She’s sad.
V: Take a nap
If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
T: Shrugs shoulders
V: I’m not answering that question. (She was in my lap while I typed at this point and considered this a very, very gray question indeed.)
What is your mom really good at?
T: Loving me and Victoria.
V: Cooking
What is your mom NOT very good at?
T: Calling out different Lego names. Like you said armored MINER instead of armored DRILLER.
V: You’re not very good at math.
What does your mom do for her job?
T: Teach
V: Teach
What is your mom’s favorite food?
T: mashed potatoes
V: Lemon Cake
What makes you proud of your mom?
T: She’s nice.
V: You make good food.
If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
T: Granny from Tweety
V: Susan from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
What do you and your mom like to do together?
T: Shop (He has recently been on several shopping trips with me.)
V: Work on arts and crafts things
How are you and your mom the same?
T: We both love each other.
V: We both like pink.
How are you and your mom different?
T: I’m a boy and you’re a girl.
V: She’s older than I am.
How do you know your mom loves you?
T: Because she keeps on saying “I love you” like everytime I hug and kiss you.
V: Cause it’s natural instinct.
Where is your mom’s favorite place to go?
T: Sonic to get a Diet Coke.
V: Sonic, Sonic, SONIC, SONIC!!!!!!!
Where is your mom’s LEAST favorite place to go?
T: McDonald’s
V: Pancho’s
It’s Spring Break!!!!!! And 42 degrees, and rainy.
I am probably a FREAK of nature, but that is just fine with me, because now I don’t feel guilty for telling the children we are not going to Galveston. We would not be going to Galveston even if it were 78 and sunny, ’cause MY goal for the week is to get this house unpacked. But seeing as how it’s 42 and rainy, there is a lot less whining going on from the kiddos.
It has been another week of extremes ’round here–and not just in the weather. Mid-week I was so sick (again) that I actually left work in the MIDDLE of the day. As I was driving home, I thought, “You know, you probably could have stuck it out for a just a few more hours. I mean, if you can drive, you can sit in a chair and control a room full of 30 8th graders.” Then I thought, “Whoa! You are nearly 40 years old and you know when you need to go home and get on the couch.” Later in the day I was talking to a friend and said, “You know, women are just brutal to themselves. If we are sick we think, ‘No, no. I can still walk. I just need to sit down every few steps, but I can make it. I’ll be fine.’”
This time I came home and got on the couch thereby avoiding a much longer illness.
Tony and 7 fellas from church are on their way to our old house right now to get 55 cross ties out of our back yard. Don’t ask. I have pondered how those men feel about doing that in the cold, drizzle, but then I thought about how women will cook and clean and do laundry and hold babies when other women need help, so I guess this is the same thing.
That being said, I am about to go make a couple of chocolate cakes then grill some burgers later so I can fill their cold, hungry stomachs when they arrive around lunch time.
It’s a good day.
