Happy Birthday Jimmy!

Today "little" Jimmy (to distinguish him from his father) is 27! Happy Birthday, Jim! I can't upload any older photos right now, so here's a newer one that I borrowed from you and Bethany. I hope you have a great day!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! This is a Russian Christmas card, sent to us by our friend Nikolai.

The Sultan's Elephant

My new favorite blog, London Daily Photo, put me on to this. It's the Sultan's Elephant, street theater from London. The fully articulated, mechanical elephant walks, blows steam & water!

The video actually comes to you via LDP (from back in May), via Londonist.com, via YouTube. (There, now I've credited everyone who needs to be credited!) If you don't believe it's London, you can see the Eye behind the Elephant in the beginning.

London Daily Photo

I found this really interesting blog while doing a search for London. I think I'll add it to my links -- I hope there's nothing nasty hiding in the depths of it. What could be better than an new photo from London every day??? Jim, you should look at the photo for November 18. Don, look at October 26.

I've learned that there's a webring of Daily Photos from cities all around the world. What a great idea! If I were a photographer, I'd add Brighton to the mix.

Another Favorite Musical

Godspell!

Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins was on tv tonight -- this is classic!

Listen to this!

You have to listen to Sufjan Stevens' "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". Here's an easy link to hear it on npr.org. It's on his Christmas boxed set.

While you're there, "Hanuka Gelt" by the Klezmatiks is fun, too!

Happy Birthday Jim!

Happy Birthday, Jim (not Number 5, but Jim the Wiser)!
I love you!

(Don't miss the Thanksgiving post below)

Thanksgiving

This is my first Thanksgiving as a blogger & I've seen that it's customary for many bloggers to list what they're thankful for. On Thanksgiving (last week) I was in a computer-challenged home and couldn't post. Working on the philisophy that one can (and should) be thankful at any time, here's my list. I'm thankful for:
* My husband -- To be married to the same man for 29 years and still love him is a real accomplishment these days!
* My sons -- They're pleasant, intelligent, have integrity and have the character trait I most desired for each of them: a love for and a close walk with the Lord.
* My extended family -- I have a family I'm close to, as well as in-laws I love. I know so many people who dislike, resent and/or war with their inlaws; what a blessing to get an extra family!
* My salvation & the Lord's steadfast love, support & forgiveness.
* My friends -- the church ladies, stitchers, antiquers and gardeners.
* Unimportant things that add a sparkle to life (in no particular order):
Skyline Chili
Books
Chickens (especially my girls)
Turner the dog
Vegetable plants & Perennials
Antique Malls
Music
NPR
London (in fact, the entire UK!)
Art
History
Fountain Coke & brewed Iced Tea
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Beautiful sunny days

If you feel like it, comment with your own list!

Christmas

Christmas is only 39 days away. I know, that seems like alot -- but it's not.

I have always loved Christmas -- from the time I was little all the way into adulthood -- both for spiritual and sentimental reasons. I am so moved by the knowledge that God became flesh and took on all the vulnerability of man. I also really like all things Christmas, and the older (translate: the cheesier), the better.

Cheesy

Today I was showing some people at work a pair of new (old) Paramount electric candles I'd just gotten and one of the Pastors (the youngest one, by the way) walked by and said "cheesy". Yes, they're cheese, but they're great!!

I have boxes and boxes of old 30s, 40s & 50s decorations and always put up 2 trees, though I actually have 4. I usually start decorating on Thanksgiving weekend (it takes a few days) and used to even start my baking in October.

All that is leading up to this: I'm not looking forward to Christmas this year. For the first time I can ever remember, I barely feel like decorating, baking or even (gasp!) listening to a Christmas carol. I don't even care about hearing the King's College Choir "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" -- and it's never Christmas season until I hear "Once in Royal David's City"!

This year, my extended family won't all be together at the holidays, even once, for the first time ever. Also, Charlie's moving to Florida a week before Christmas and we'll officially become empty-nesters. Danny's already told us he doubts that he'll come back home this summer. Jim is vague about his Christmas plans, but sounds like he might not be with us on Christmas Eve (a first) and that translates to probably not Christmas morning. It also sounds like he'll be leaving Michigan at about the time the Ohio family gets here. They're coming up, as usual, but in smaller numbers and only staying 2 days. We haven't had a "normal" Columbus family Christmas in a few years, either -- due to freak ice storms and family illness. I feel like this is a watershed year and the holidays (and life) will look different from now on.

Anyway, I'm not looking forward to any of it with enthusiasm. I'm hopeful that as the holidays get closer I will become more excited. I'll probably do all the things and bake the cookies and send the cards, but I have to admit, my heart's not in it. I'm cheerful, aren't I?

Thoughts, anyone? I'd love to hear them. . .

Family Gathering

All of our guys were home last weekend. With our little family scattered across the country (and due to scatter even more in December), having all five of us in the same house for the weekend was is something that I'll never take for granted.

Jim came into town with his new girlfriend, Bethany, to go to game 6 with his dad. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, but it actually gave us more time together. Saturday night's dinner was so enjoyable -- we didn't even have any fights (though there was the occasional discussion)! In a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit after dinner, Bethany and I routed the men -- we even got the final sports question right! The Jims and Charlie couldn't handle defeat and had to switch to Trivial Pursuit 20th Anniversary edition in order to win.

Here's a preview of our Christmas picture:

TIGERS LOSE. . .

The Tigers lost tonight and I'm sad.

But, consider this: they had NO World Series experience and played the team with the second-most World Series wins.

AND they had a record-breaking losing season 3 years ago and are now the second-best team in the country. This has been quite a season!

I'm still proud of them!

Election Day Challenge

I heard on the news that polling places across the country are short of poll workers. Because many poll workers tend to be elderly, many poll workers are frightened by the ever-increasing technological demands of computerized voting machines. I know it sounds like age-bigotry, but it's just the truth.

I have a challenge to offer to all the Young Republicans (notice -- Jim the Wiser --that, in the interest of impartiality, I placed them first), Young Democrats, Young Libertarians, Young Centrists (if such people exist) and readers of MoveOn.org. If you truly value the freedoms our country offers and care about fair elections, please take a day off of school or work to become a poll worker! You won't make much, but you'll be aiding your country. You are much more capable of managing the voting machines than a technotard septuagenarian or octogenarian.

I also have a challenge to employers nationwide: give your employees the day off, with pay, if they choose to be poll workers!

I know it's fashionable to be cynical about our country and its freedoms and that patriotism seems to be the cloak of old people with magnetic ribbons on their car trunks and plastic American flags flapping from their back windows, but there are still some great things about America and one of them is the peaceful transfer of power every 2-4 years.

Voting is not only a right, it's a privilege -- and we should all (individuals and employers alike) be willing invest in it. Stop complaining about the system and start being part of the solution!

Happy Mole Day!

Today is (or was, until 6:02 pm) National Mole Day -- how did you celebrate? While not as much fun as National Talk Like a Pirate Day, National Mole Day recognizes the importance of moles, which provide better life through chemistry.

Not being scientifically minded, I was previously unaware of moles' existence (until today) and am still unable to comprehend their importance now. I am, however, relieved to know that someone understands moles. (Jim, maybe you can explain them to me sometime).

TIGERS!

I haven't posted in a LONG time -- I just haven't had anything to say. I've been in what has become an annual state, the autumnal doldrums. I used to like autumn more than any time of year -- the crisp chill, clear blue skies and great leaf colors. Now, though, I just associate it with things dying, cold weather and the ever-faster passage of time. But, here's the good news. . .

Last night, I got to be at a really great game. The Tigers shut out the stinking New York Yankees! Yes, I know that the Tigers clinched the division title today and, yes, I know that this was the day to be at Comerica, but last night was awesome! The atmosphere at the ballpark was electric -- one of the players said that, even though there were 43,000+ fans there, it felt like 100,000 to them on the field. Kenny Rogers pitched one his best games ever and it was just a great game to watch. AND there was a fight right in front of us and 4 NY fans had to be escorted out (one of them in a headlock). Ah, baseball at its finest!

I could have gone today, too, but I couldn't take the tension two days in a row. Hopefully, I'll get to go to one of the ALCS games. It's wonderful to be a Tigers fan right now. From Opening Day (which I was fortunate enough to attend), when we couldn't believe they had won, to the clincher today, this season has been quite an adventure! No one is laughing at the Tigers now!

I know there have been lots of exclamation points in this post, but that's how I feel -- I LOVE BASEBALL!

News Stories

I heard two interesting stories on the news this morning.

A Russian mathematician, Grigory Perelman, has won the Fields award for solving a mathematical problem that has baffled great minds for over 100 years. The award carries a $1,000,000 prize, but Perelman didn't go to Canada to receive it. He's reclusive and apparently was tracked down by the press in St. Petersburg, where he lives with his mother and declined an interview, saying that nothing he had to say would be of interest to anyone.

The math problem, the Poincare Conjecture, was raised in 1904 and deals with the theoretical shifting of lines to a point on non-spherical shapes (like one with a hole, such as a doughnut) -- fourth dimension stuff. The mathematician I heard interviewed said that only about 20 people in the world understands Perelman's solution and he and his team had written an explanation of it that was over 400 pages long! He raised the point that the solution shows how much is to be gained by long periods of quiet thought.

The next story I heard was about the Pakistan's forfeited test match against England in cricket. The honor of the Indian sub-continent is at stake here, as the Pakistanis were accused of tampering with the ball (a great offense) by the Australian umpire. As a result of the furor over this, India and Pakistan -- long-time enemies -- are now united against what they believe is prejudice against the Asian world on the part of the umpire, who has the unfortunate name of Hair. Though Americans won't even notice it, this is a major scandal in the cricket world and will matter to a lot of people around the world.

With the world seemingly on the brink of blowing up (reminding me of the "Eve of Destruction" of my younger days), I really enjoy these stories. I often get so disturbed by the wars and rumors of wars, that I don't want to hear, see or read the news. Stories like these, though remind me that the Lord has given us an interesting and complex world, and I need to see that some people are putting their minds and energy toward something other than figuring out how to kill the 'other guy' -- even if that something else is conflict on the cricket crease.

Cleaning the Attic

Yesterday, the weather was cool and rainy, so we decided to clean out the attic. We're planning to have our first-ever barn sale (a rural garage sale) and want to get rid of as much as possible. We've lived here in Michigan 12 years -- longer than we've ever lived anywhere as a family -- and have accumulated alot of stuff, since some of us are packrats. In amongst the trophies, baseball cards, bowling balls, baby furniture, legos and action figures, there were many boxes labeled "Jim's Room" which he packed down to the walls the week before he went to college.

No, Jim, we didn't find your glove, but we did find this!

While it feels quite virtuous to throw things out, give things away and generally lighten our load, it also is a little sad to realize that so much of this is family history that, quite possibly, no one cares about but me.

Thanks for visiting!

Jim tagged me...

Jim tagged me with this meme about books, so here goes. . .

1. One book that changed your life: Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey, because it started my years of reading mysteries, which allow me to escape reality and in which good always triumphs over evil. It also turned me into a lifelong (in spirit) member of the Fellowship of the White Boar (those who believe in the innocence of Richard III) and love of British history. For a serious book, I’d have to choose the book of Job and, in correlation, the semester I spent studying it under Rabbi Victor Reichert, who was an amazing man. It opened up the world of the mystery of God to me and helped me understand that I don’t understand.

2. One book you have read more than once: Lord of the Rings -- (does that actually count as 3 books (it shouldn’t)? There are many books I’ve read multiple times, but that one and Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers are the ones I’ve read the most.

3. One book you would want on a desert island: I can’t choose just one. I’d want Lord of the Rings, The Complete Dorothy L. Sayers (including her non-fiction offerings), and the Bible. Unlike Jim, I haven’t memorized most of the Bible, so I’d need to have the real thing.

4. One book that made you laugh: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. This book also made me cry, answering number 7.

5. One book you wish you had written: That’s a hard question, since I’ve never thought about writing a book. I think To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It always amazes me that she so eloquently evokes the sweetness of childhood summers and the evil of bigotry at the same time.

6. One book you wish had never had been written: I can’t answer this one. I suppose, like Jim, I feel I should say Mein Kampf or The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, but I agree with him that the concepts hateful books don’t begin the hate and silencing them wouldn’t stop it. Besides, if Hitler had been silenced, then who would Simon look like?

7. One book that made you cry: I cry at everything! The first book I cried at was Charlotte’s Web (in third grade), when Charlotte died alone. The last book I cried at was Delights and Shadows.

8. One book you are currently reading: Actually, there are 2: The Saddlemaker’s Wife by Earlene Fowler and Delights and Shadows by Ted Kooser.

9. One book you have been meaning to read: I've been meaning to read a few theology books that Jim has given me, but the one on top of the pile is Kingdom Ethics. I also have Flu (about the influenza pandemic of 1918) by Gina Kolata, which I’m about 2/3 through, but keep putting down. I find that we talk theology so much at work that when I get to read at home, I always pick up fiction.

10. One book you wish everyone would read, and why: Again, I can’t name just one – there are SO MANY. I think everyone should read Leaves of Grass, because it's complex and beautifully written and the Bible, because it could change the readers' lives and is also complex and beautifully written.

I can't tag 5 people with blogs, because I don't know 5 people with blogs who haven't already been tagged.
I will tag Christy, though, Tom (through her blog), Jim the Wiser, Don and Cindy (also through Christy's blog or mine -- Don, email your answers and Cindy's to Christy or me and we'll post them).

Happy Birthday Charlie!

24 years ago today!!

AND Happy 103rd birthday, Aunt Norma!!!!!!!!!

Auction!

I went to my first auction today and I can't wait to go to another one -- it was so much fun!! I got a $5 box of baby stuff for Christy's business (The Vintage Stork), an old child's tea set in its original box, 2 50s aqua-painted metal lawn chairs and 2 outdoor umbrellas (for $2 -- can you believe it?). The hardest part was remembering which specific box lot I wanted to bid on and then being in the right place at the right time. Since they had 3 auctioneers working at once, choices had to be made. My favorite part was a big barn full of junk -- old wicker, lots of old sleds & garden stuff and old tools. Unfortunately, I'd run out of money by then and I just kept hearing Jim's voice in my head saying, "What are you going to do with that?" or even worse, "You crossed the line with this one!"

Now I see where all the antique dealers get their stuff, though -- I wish I could just go to auctions all the time and start my own business. But since we can't afford the lean times of being an antique dealer, I'll just have to be content with eBay. And, speaking of "crossing the line", does anyone want to buy a 10' by 9' cemetery gate? It's going cheap!!!

Charlie's Second 15 Minutes of Fame

So, Andy Warhol said, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." Charlie has achieved his twice!

He was featured in a newspaper article at Calvin two years ago and now, he's made the cover of the Livingston Press & Argus.

It all started when he wrote a letter to the editor asking the citizens of our area to petition White Castle to open a restaurant here. The editor, immediately recognizing Charlie's interesting personality and witty writing style, had one of the reporters do an interview with him, which was published today. Front page, good picture -- way to go Charlie!!!

I wish he'd asked for a Skyline, though. That's something I could really get into!!! Sliders are fine, but coneys and 3-ways are the perfect food!

Happy Birthday Christy!

Happy Birthday to the daughter of my heart!

I remember:
ET's grave in our backyard in New Jersey
Bigmouth Singers

Green hair dye & yellow Docs

"You'll always have music!"

Being the keeper of the toupe tape
Lots of long talks

I love being your auntie!

Another Way to Waste Time

As if I didn't have enough ways to waste time on the computer -- Snood, Solitaire & surfing -- I've now gotten hooked on Sudoku! Hmmm - they all begin with S... There could be a pattern there, but I don't have time to look for it. I've got to get back to Sudoku.

Thanks for visiting!

Chimney Swifts

We have a nest of Chimney Swifts in our chimney. It's surprising how loud the babies are -- I guess the sound is amplified by the chimney. 2 weeks ago, 2 of the babies fell down into the fireplace, along with most of the nest and a dead Mourning Dove. I haven't yet figured out how the dove enters into it all, since I don't think they're aggressive birds. We were having a storm, though, and I wonder if the dove got blown into the chimney, got killed and took out the nest on its way down. At any rate, we put the babies in a box overnight and Danny took them to the nature center's infirmary the next day, where they joined MANY other baby swifts in a cage -- all being fed and watered until they fledged.

One baby is still in the nest and and still making plenty of noise! If you want to see what the nest and babies look like, this is a good site. One family of swifts can eat 12,000 insects A DAY, so if I can figure out how to keep the chimney and fireplace from being covered in bird poo, I'll let them nest there every year. Now I have to figure out how to get Jim to go along with THAT scheme!

To Go Boldly

In October, the remains of Jimmy Doohan (Star Trek's Scotty) will be sent into space -- with those of 100 other people (how weird is that!) -- for a brief trip. Then later in the year, his ashes will join Gene Rodenberry's as more space junk -- which ultimately will fall back to earth. Just think, you could be lucky enough to have what's left of Scotty land in your back yard (or slam through your roof) -- assuming the capsule doesn't disintegrate on re-entry)! It makes me think of the days when my sister wouldn't let my nephew play outside because she was sure Skylab was going to land on him.

Have a safe trip, Scotty!

Happy Birthday Danny!

Twenty years ago today . . .

The Garden

I haven't updated in a long time because I've been so busy working at the church and working outside. So I've decided that I'd write about what's been taking all my time -- the garden!

I doubt that anyone cares about this, but to my mind, it's just as interesting as the political points of view posted on thousands of other blogs. Here it is:

We moved into this house 12 years ago (this Labor Day) and the only color outside came from 5 geranium plants the previous owners put in because they were having a wedding at their house! We added a 50 x 50 garden the next summer and only figured out how to deer-proof it last year (hence, the 8 foot fence). This year, it's probably the best it's ever been.

In the foreground is one of the two strawberry pyramids. Also, on the right are 2 gates with pickling cucumbers on them. To the left are peppers (red, green and yellow bells) and behind the ladder are broccoli. The ladder is there on purpose -- soon the "Baby Boo" (tiny white pumpkins) and "Jack Be Little" (tiny orange pumpkins) will be climbing on it. The airy plants at the back left are asparagus (which we're now finished cutting and are letting grow to put strength back to the plants) and the tomatoes -- romas, cherry and slicing tomatoes -- are next to those.

Here you can see the "Sugar Baby" watermelons and "Blue Lake" bush beans. All along the back are raspberries -- which are REALLY coming in right now.

Raspberries on the canes

Raspberries in the bucket -- we've picked at least
10 times this much already

Turner eating Raspberries off the bushes.
Who knew he'd have a sweet tooth -- he "picks"
from the outside while we pick from
the inside!!

A "Sugar Baby" pumpkin, still small

Growing things and playing in the dirt is one of the great pleasures of life. It's also very therapeutic -- whether listening to the weekend shows on NPR or working in silence and thinking things through. I often think about the nature of sin as I weed -- the little bit of weed shows above ground, but there's usually a big root system under ground where it spreads. You never can get rid of all of it, either.

Then, when the work is done, I like to just sit and look at the fruits (literally) of my labors! It's one of the few places where I put aside restlessness and follow the command to "Be Still"!

Thanks for visiting the garden!

Graduation

We went to Jim's graduation from Fuller Seminary this weekend & had a great time! Here are some of the obligatory graduate pictures~


We also went to Chinatown (had a great dinner and bought junk), Santa Monica (just a large, open-air upscale mall), the Rose Bowl Flea Market, Tribe and the Reagan Presidential Library. The Flea Market was great fun, both for buying junk and watching people.

I really enjoyed meeting Jim's friends and worshipping at Tribe -- I was surprised to find how much I liked the drum circle (I guess it was the aging hippie in me coming out).

The Reagan Library was interesting and impressive -- I don't think I enjoyed it as much as James the Wiser did, though, since he liked President Reagan so much. I especially liked seeing his love letters to Nancy Reagan and the glimpses into the close relationship they had. The mock-up of the Oval Office was interesting, too.

We also had dinner with my Uncle Lloyd, cousins (minus Laurie) and their wives and assorted children. I always enjoy seeing them so much -- I wish we lived closer together now and also that we had known them growing up. Lloyd is as interesting and sharp as ever -- doing great for 88! Seeing him is like seeing my dad or my grandma again, which is a real treat.

Thanks for visiting!

Turner - Week One

Turner's been with us one week and I must say, it's been interesting! He's eaten 3 throw pillows, 4 eggs (including the shells) and one squeaky toy. The cats won't come out of the laundry room (Leo won't even come back in the house -- he has to be dragged in!) The obedience trainer really liked Turner, though, and he won't be a puppy forever, so I guess there's hope!

On another positive note, it finally stopped raining! We still can't plant anything tender, though, there are frost warnings for tonight -- and it's almost Memorial Day (isn't Michigan great?)

West Wing is over and I'm very sad. I think the last year was as good as any of the years were; so good, in fact, we were all wondering if they'd change their minds and continue. All of the characters have become so real to me that I almost wonder what's going to happen to them all while we aren't watching anymore. We didn't get the retrospective, either -- we'll all have to wait for the boxed set to come out to see that -- what a disappointment.

Thanks for visiting!

Turner

We have a new dog! He's a 10-month old Border Collie/Lab mix. He's housebroken and (until we undo all his good training) obedience trained. He likes everyone and seems to be a really happy guy. The cats and the chickens don't like him much, though...

Thanks for visiting!

My Mom

This is my favorite picture of my mom and me! She looks so young and happy and it brings back wonderful memories of a very happy childhood, with endless summers of play, swimming and fun. Of course, she'd be an old lady if she were still alive and would have deteriorating health, a desire to keep her independence in spite of her ever-shrinking world and -- probably -- a great amount of CRABBINESS! If Libby was nothing else, she was outspoken!

But today I'm thinking about all the good things. My mom always told us to "stay with the happy people" -- good advise, since discontent is contagious. She was highly competent and organized, two qualities I really admire. She taught me to sew and, later, I taught her to quilt. She could type faster than anyone I've ever known and helped me work my way through many an English paper. She had a great reserve of faith and used it to get through a childhood of poverty & neglect and my dad's terminal illness. She didn't, however, have a reserve of "joy" to keep her from getting angry at those tough things and I've always been sad about that for her.


I think I've got alot of Libby in me. I've got an opinion about everything and seldom back down from an argument (though I DO hope I've learned a little more tact & sensitivity)! I like to organize things and accomplish tasks -- very Libby traits. I enjoy making things and keeping my hands busy. I hope that I have some of her personal strength and ability to get through things. I also hope she'd be proud of some of the things I've done and the way I've dealt with my own blows in life.


I've also been thinking about my grandmother, Ningle. My sister said this weekend that Ning was my "true mom" and in most ways, I think that's true. Ningle taught me to bake and to sew, to iron and play cards. Since she moved in with us when I was just a few weeks old, Ningle was my caregiver and my companion most of the time I was growing up. Her cool, dry hands are the ones I remember on my forehead when I had migraines and she's the one I'd talk to when I was upset. I remember stealing just-made homemade noodles while they dried, licking the beaters when we baked, and sharing many evenings of 500 Rummy, Perry Mason and M&Ms. I also remember Cindy and I writing pretend love-notes from Ningle to Buck, the egg man and to the milk man (very funny!) Ning never minded when we teased her, seeing that it was just another expression of love.

So, this Mother's Day brings a tribute to the two women who helped make me who I am today.

Anyway, thanks for reading to the end of this long post (Charlie says he never finishes them!) -- and... thanks for visiting!

Stupid Person Day

Today was "stupid person day" in our town! I'm sure that local stores were giving a discount to every stupid person who walked through their doors (just like senior citizen discount day) because all the stupid people were here!

I was almost hit twice! One woman in a huge diesel truck backed out of a parking place to within 1 foot of me as I walked past her. She didn't stop until I yelled to her and then she got mad at me -- as though it was obviously my fault! My friend told me she probably couldn't see me. If she hadn't been driving an oversized gas-guzzling truck, she would have been able to see pedestrians.

Then, I almost had the front of my car taken out by an oversized load truck turning left next to me that took up two lanes. If I hadn't swerved out of the way and slammed on the brakes, I'd have been smashed. He couldn't see me either, I guess.

Then, a co-worker (who will NEVER get this web address) called me to help her with her computer because her screen was upside down and she didn't know how she had done it! I'm the "help desk" at my work and that was a new one for me! It turns out that she does it about once a month, NEVER knows how she does it, and always calls another co-worker to fix it. The "helper" had written instructions for fixing it, which my co-worker couldn't find and couldn't remember and couldn't follow anyway because, once the screen is upside down the mouse had to be upside down, too, and she can't figure it out!!!!! After I rotated it back to normal I disabled rotation for her forever.

Stupid person day is fun... I'm glad to be home.

Thanks for visiting!

Kent State

Today is the 36th anniversary of the Kent State shootings. I was telling a co-worker about them (she's 37 and had never heard of them) and have been thinking about them ever since. Now that I have a 19 year old myself, I find I'm even more affected by the 4 deaths there than I was when I was 16. I can't imagine how it would feel to have my son killed by our own troops for protesting. It's like something from fiction or a third world country.

I remember the shootings and all the universities closing down early. I was dating a guy from UC and all my friends were in college and it was a very big deal. There was so much turmoil, even then without around-the-clock meaningless and information-less news coverage! It was about a year after we all marched out of class for Moratorium Day in October, 1969 (either to protest the war or to get out of class -- depending on how you felt). I walked out to get outside! Check out this site to learn about Moratorium Day and other interesting things.

We just had a protest here in a middle school (which started the conversation in the first place) over teachers' contracts -- what a contrast, illustrating how petty and self-absorbed we've become. The funny thing is that the 6th graders were punished and the 7th graders were not...

Nothing else to say about any of that -- just wanted to remind everybody of the anniversary.

Thanks for visiting!

Project Runway -- the winner

So Chloe won... which was fine, because her collection was beautiful! I realized, though, that I really have come to like both Daniel V and especially Santino -- I was so sad that they couldn't all win. Santino was outrageous and sometimes abrasive, but something about his attitudes reminded me of my oldest son. He was so brutally honest! If you get a chance, go to bravo.com and check out the beautiful garments they created.

Thanks for visiting.

Meetings

I had a meeting tonight that lasted until 10:15! That's just too long after working all day and not getting home until 5:30, then having to be out again by 7:00. So now it's 11:15 and I should go to bed because I have to get up and go to work tomorrow morning, but I feel like I haven't had any down time today (because I haven't)! Meetings should never be more than 2 or 2 1/2 hours long. I just wanted to whine about it!!!

Thanks for visiting.

Project Runway

Well, what I thought would never happen has finally come to pass – I’m hooked on a reality show. Next week is the last of this year’s Project Runway, and I find that I really care who wins! I can never again scoff at a blog about American Idol or Amazing Race.

So here’s my take on Project Runway:
All along, I’ve though Daniel V had the nicest designs. He seemed to capture the essence of the weekly assignment with well-constructed, classy garments. Chloe’s, though well-made, often were unimaginative. And Santino’s . . . well, Santino’s designs had too much imagination. They reminded me of the dresses I used to make for my Barbie and Ginny dolls – I just had to use one more piece of fringe or one more bead! Santino’s clothes were so over-the-top they almost were laughable.

I’ve been hoping that Danny V would win, but now I’m not so sure. The garments that they showed last night – which were the result of months of thought and effort -- were so different from what the three had done before. Danny’s were unimpressive, Chloe’s were some sort of bizarre, blown up construction (they looked like Japanese animé costumes) and Santino’s were beautiful! Who would have thought!?!

So, I guess anything can happen and we’ll just have to wait to see their collections on the models. I can hardly wait!! I’d like to hear what other people think, but never will because NO ONE KNOWS THIS BLOG ADDRESS!!!!

So, if you happen by, share your thoughts and . . .

Thanks for visiting!

Estate Sales

My friend and I went to an estate sale today and as we walked through the house and picked through the clothes, purses, linens and the stuff of this person's life, we wondered about her. Then I saw a name and my friend realized it wasn't from the death of an elderly person, as most estate sales are, but rather a husband and wife who were a murder/suicide from the past year. We left immediately, not wanting to be there any longer.

Estate sales are ALWAYS sad -- to think of pawing, as a stranger, through the leftovers of someone's life -- all the things that the family didn't want. With old people, sometimes it's an art project or handmade item that one knows they spent hours on, just to have it have no value to their children or grandchildren. At my first estate sale, I bought a handmade apron I didn't even want just because I wanted SOMEONE to value the legacy of the little old lady who left it behind.

In today's case, though, it was somehow surreal. There were shiny, sparkley blouses and dresses, lipsticks, dishes, tools and collanders and all the things we all use in everyday life -- just collected there, abandoned in mid-life. The thought that this couple had lived there until the moment of their end and that their end was so sudden and violent left a pall over the entire house. Had I found a "treasure" there, I wouldn't have bought it for any price! It was too much like blood money -- like a vulture feeding on carrion.

What drives people to such acts of desperation and hopelessness? How do their families carry on afterward, or their friends? One can only pray that they find peace and an eventual silencing of their unanswered questions!

Thanks for visiting.

Number One

This is the first entry...a day that will live in infamy! Do middle aged moms have blogs or is blogging the private territory of preteens and twenty-somethings?

If you happen across this (I'm not ready to tell anyone I know about it), you'll get the ramblings of a mom in Michigan, who has no kids at home (except those who boomeranged back) and several chickens.

I'll have to work up to sharing my inner-most thoughts. check in again to find them!

Thanks for visiting.