Knit 1, Read 2

School's out for...the remaining part of the spring....

2010-05-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

School's out! Yea! Nice to sleep in until 6:30!
So far, I've only done laundry and today, bought a new phone. I will be months learning how to use the thing. I thought a camera was a step up. The camera on this phone is 3 times what my first digital was capable of doing!
Going tomorrow to start with the finishing touches on selling Mother and Daddy's house. Excited to see the new floors, bathroom and roof. Wish they could have seen the improvements. Work starts tomorrow to get ready for the garage/estate sale. Wish I had the guts to take my antique furniture there to sell it as well, but I may try to get a broker to look at it. I think it might be fairly valuable, but I just DON'T HAVE ROOM! There are still 3 houses worth of furniture in this house right now. Couches are pushed up against other couches and tables. Beds lean against the walls. BOXES! Boxes are everywhere. Hopefully in the next few days I will pick carpet, have 3 rooms done, and sell off some stuff.
Teaching a knitting class Tuesday and again next week. Stranded knitting. These poor folks are intimidated by the process. They won't believe me that if you can knit and purl, you can do colorwork. Please! If you can talk while you knit, you can do colorwork. You just might not be able to talk to anyone but yourself while you count! Personal projects somewhat on hold while I ready an example or two for that class.
Later in the month I will be teaching a tatting class. Lacemaking for anyone out there in televisionland who may not be conversant with very obscure needlearts. Most of the participants in that class are retired. You'd have to be to have the time to tie several thousand knots in microscopic thread to make a piece of lace.
On to more interesting aspects of life. Scott has been working on the motorcycle. We hope to ride to Lynchburg for the annual Bike Fest later in the month. After that, we will see. He is sort of hankering for a newer bike (0ne in the 20 year old range) but the only one that has peaked my interest has been a brand new Triumph Scrambler. Looks just like they did in the 60s. It is beautiful! Plenty of room for two fat people, too!
Lyn is home. Well, she isn't living in Arkansas anymore. Graduation was lovely. The president from when I was in school was the speaker. Current president was Burkett's school mate, Scott's professor, and Scott's dad's student. Lyn is currently visiting a friend in Alabama. They don't get to see each other much, so this is a nice treat for her. She is looking for a teaching job, or an artist job, or a burger flipping job...anything really. She's threatening grad school if something doesn't show up soon.
Aaron is STILL looking for work. The economy is in sad shape everywhere in the US, but it is getting pretty dismal at the Rushton residence. He is gone this weekend as well though. Concert festival in Georgia. It was so sad yesterday. Since the flooding has caused so much trouble on the interstates, repair work is going on 24-7. A normal 3 hour drive took him (and buddies) 10 1/2 hours. They were exhausted by the time they got there. Don't know if they had to put up the tent in the rain, but it followed them.
Tree is off of Teresa's house, but she still hasn't had her roof done. Not because there are not people ready and able, she just can't make up her mind on whether or not she wants a new porch to go along with fixing the house! FEMA didn't give her anything and insurance didn't pay that much, but she has to have a new roof and some of the exterior walls repaired.
Did I post about my sister getting married? We all went for a party on the boat and my brother wound up performing the ceremony before we all left! Cruise and a wedding. And it only took 4 hours. That's my kind of destination wedding!
Let's see, last thing, what am I currently reading. I have a couple of David Baldacci's going. The Camel Club and The Hour Game. Just finished a Phillipa Gregory, The Other Queen. I intended to go see The Other Bolyen Girl and never did. This one is about Mary, Queen of Scotts. Makes you have a slightly altered opinion of her if you are openminded. Just knocked off several Sister Fidelmas. Can't wait to find more of those. We bought lots of movies yesterday at the Blockbuster that doing the warehouse liquidation. Got The Secret Life of Bees. They got that movie RIGHT. It was very true to the book, and the book was fantastic. We also got Franco Z's Romeo and Juliet! Can't wait to see that one again after nearly 40 years! That Shakespeare character can knock out a story, too.
Everyone have a wonderful June! May will be over with a bang tomorrow!

Flooding in Tennessee

2010-05-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm. Where to begin. The national news media seems to be ignoring Tennessee's plight. I just erased a sentence about us being considered hicks and rednecks, unworthy of attention from the media, but that is unfair. Keith Olberman mentioned us on MSNBC. Fox News momentarily had us on their top story, but we were quickly bumped by an arrest in NYC, you know THAT doesn't happen everyday. One of my favorite knitting blogs, Mason-Dixon Knitting mentioned us, but that really doesn't count since one of the writers lives right in town.

Aaron tells me I shouldn't be angry because to "those people" on either coast the world is NYC, Chicago, LA and "some stuff in between." That is just the way it is. It may be just the way it is, but it still ticks me off.

This is what I wrote this morning on a friend's facebook page when she reposted a plea for contributions to the Red Cross.
"Facebook may be the only way people are hearing about this. We, like Iowa, are being ignored by most everyone. Even the Weather Channel is paying more attention to the oil spill (granted, it is bad, but it wasn't weather related!) than to the massive flooding here. The rural areas are even more effected. Most of Hickman County still has no phones-landline or cell, electricity, water- if you do have it you're under a boiling order, MANY roads are still impassible because of actual road and bridge damage instead of blockages. Schools and churches which don't have damage are Red Cross shelters (THANK YOU RED CROSS!) and at the last count, there were over 2000 people just in Nashville proper who were in Red Cross shelters. That doesn't count the enormous numbers displaced to hotels, friends and family, their cars, campers nor does it count the 52 other counties hit by the flood. As of 11:00 this morning, I don't believe the president has visited or mentioned us or even yet declared us a federal disaster area, though our governor, Phil Bredesen-D, asked on Sunday for assistance.
Whew. Glad to get that off my chest. Feel free to repost"

Another friend posted KO's shout out to Tennessee and it just made me madder. Here's what I said about that before my son told me I "shouldn't be mad at Keith for being himself and he did say something." The previous quote isn't exact, but it is close to what he meant.

I said, "TN flooding was ignored because of 'bigger disasters' according to Keith Olberman. Bigger? Arizona passing a law? A bomb NOT going off in NYC? A oil spill from 2 weeks ago which is already being addressed? While I appreciate KO mentioning TN in the "Worse" report, truly, he engaged mouth before brain was in gear."

Look here for pictures from the air. Look here for video of "Flooding puts cars, trucks underwater" as well as a house that floats by said cars and trucks, from Saturday. I couldn't find the video I wanted of the people being rescued from their cars on Interstate 24 W by BOAT in the I-24 E lanes. Talk about dramatic. Here's a screen shot.
And here, we have pictures from our own experiences. Teresa's house has a tree on it and a subsequent leak. And, though the picture is blurry due to the falling rain, this is a picture from near the bottom of our driveway looking across the street at the 12 foot runoff ditch, which is full to about a 15-20 foot level at this point for fully a half mile from just out of the shot to below the springs toward Centerville. That brown streak is Old Hwy 46. The small creek on the right is the center of our driveway.

So, now I can sigh and go to knitting and get on with life for a few minutes because I've gotten that off my chest. But please do not mention the baseball fan getting tazered or the oil soaked seaweed in the Gulf. You may be surprised by the amount of ire I still harbor. I'm not mad about the flood. That is weather and beyond our control. However, we can let the media hear us from here in the South.

Gardening with Scott

2010-04-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

We put out the garden today, or at least most of it. We lack the asparagus (in a different patch) and possibly some more pole beans (not around the tomato cages.) We have 3 types of tomatoes, 2 heirlooms - Mountain Pride and Amelia, and then a hybrid tommy toe. Seven plants altogether. Around the big tomatoes, we have Kentucky Wonder beans. (Those are the beans Allen's Green Beans use.) Moving toward the house, we have onion, okra, parsley, Brussel sprouts, cayenne and banana peppers, cantaloupe, cucumber, and squash. Scott ran the tiller this year! He made 3 passes on each section (we do modified square foot) and managed really well. Last fall when we turned under to plant turnip greens, he couldn't really keep up with the tiller even on slow. He did fine this time. Of course tonight we are too pooped to pop! Aaron got home in time to help with planting peppers, putting in walkers, and cleaning up. As it was, I came in at 8:00 when it was too dark to see how much water I was putting on anything.

My birthday was Saturday. This year, besides the usual, garden plants, something to bloom or eat - grapes this year - I got something Scott has wanted ForEVER! We bought a table top popcorn popper. As much as he and Lyn enjoy popcorn, I know it will get lots of use here at home, but I am also sure I will use it at school. We've already tried it out and it is amazing how much better the popcorn pops. We had some we were really disappointed with popping it on the stovetop. In the popper, it is huge!

Knit 2 totally adorable jumpers for my great nieces. They were fairly plain until I dressed the dresses with some cute buttons. Can't wait to see my girls wearing them!

Lyn graduates in 3 weeks. This is the end of an era! Aaron should actually finish this summer as well. Exciting times!

This is titled "Knit 1" after all

2010-02-16T19:46:00.000-08:00

If any of my knitting friends are still reading this blog, I am almost finished with the Celtic Cardigan. I lack the neckband which will be tomorrow's project. I normally hate seaming up a sweater, but this was not too bad. Got the button bands right on the first pinning and that is the reason for the blog tonight.

I've tried lots of different methods for holding two pieces of a project together while you seam up. Hair clips, blocking pins, actual basting, hemming birds, all sorts of different things others swear by as the be all and end all. I have a different and inexpensive solution that is already in your knitting stash. DPNs! Amazing! You have a 5 - 8" pin in sets of 5. Nothing gets in your way, you can leave them there until all is finished or take them out as you seam. Nothing moves, nothing snags, nothing gets buried and pokes you unexpectedly.

Can't believe that after a good 35+ years of sweater knitting that this was the first time I thought of it. I was just trying to remember if I ever knit a sweater while I was still home with Mother. I don't think I did. I think my first sweater was at college when I got an unexpected invitation to a football game and knit a sweater in less than a week. Of course, I was already knitting without patterns, but this one was a real no-brainer. I held three yarns at once, using the only needles I took with me, Mother's ancient wooden 10s, knit 4 squares - 2 large and 2 just a bit smaller and sewed them together into a very stylish (for the time) short sleeved, warm, burgundy sweater! I wore that sweater for years before I unraveled it and knit someone an afghan with the yarn. That project wasn't nearly as impressive as making a skirt, blouse, and shawl one morning before an afternoon wedding! Not knitted!

Last bit for knitters. I'm reading a Cat Bhordi novel.

Snow

2010-02-14T04:37:00.000-08:00

I don't think I ever remember this happening. We have snow on snow on snow. There was snow left from the January snow when it snowed so much last week, and now it is snowing again. The weather service says another 2-3 inches tonight. Back when we had the big snow in the 80s, I think it snowed and then we had ice and the temperature didn't get high enough for much melting to occur. Then, I was just happy to get away from my high schoolers for a while. Staying home wasn't a problem. I just can't remember if we were at the farm or already in Judsonia.

We will have to make up school days after tomorrow. That's OK, too. Just so we don't miss so many that we run way into June. The powers that be have already started cutting our spring break down. It is later, shorter, and chopped up for the next 3 years. This doesn't sound like year round school to me!

A fun snow memory if you can believe it, and if you knew my dad, you'll believe it. The winter I was 14 we had a fairly big snow. It hadn't snowed for a couple of years to amount to anything as I remember. My dad told me to get up, get dressed, and put my coat on, I was learning how to drive. Yes. My first driving lesson (stick shift on the column) was in a big snow covered parking lot. He reasoned that as little snow as we get in Tennessee, this might be the only opportunity to teach me the fundamentals of driving in ice and snow. It paid off about 4 years later. On my way to Searcy after Christmas one year, first semester with a car no less, there was ice from the Memphis bridge to Searcy. It took 10 hours to drive that 88 mile stretch. The road from Gallatin to Memphis had been clear for 200 miles.

Actually, I've appreciated the snow this time. I've had a horrible kidney infection and I would have had to be out anyway. This way, it doesn't mess with my sick days. I've had perfect attendance this year. One more good year like that and I'll make up the days I missed with Scott last year. Not that I would do that differently, unless it was to take the full 9 weeks off and just not worry about it at all. Right.

Well, I'd best get my knitting together for the ride to church. I usually get a good solid 2 hours in there and back. It's nice not having to drive anymore!

January 2010

2010-01-24T16:38:00.001-08:00

I am having a hard time believing it has been a month since Christmas. Today is Scott's birthday. It has been pleasantly uneventful. Last year at this time we were still adjusting to the whole bedridden adventure. This year, we are actually looking at being able to ride the motorcycle again this spring. Amazing.

Aaron is looking hard for work. If you know of a church looking for a youth minister or even a pulpit guy, send him word. It is hard to understand places who turn away without even looking at him since he is single.

Lyn is 3 weeks from finishing classes at school before embarking on student teaching. I am so glad she enjoys it!

I still enjoy teaching every day. There just isn't more to say than that...except that our tiny elementary school ranks #5 academically in the state this year! That may change with the very next test, so it's nice celebrate for a day or ten!

No actual news to share. Just thought I should let folks know we are alive and kickin' here in downtown Bon Aqua!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T18:18:00.001-08:00

Aaron has written a new Christmas blog that I think is worthy of sharing. If you haven't read his blog before, this is a good introduction to his thinking and the feeling I believe his ministry will continue to take. I hope he is able to find a church some time soon.

Lyn is safely home and we will celebrate Christmas tomorrow afternoon and evening with the traditional Christmas burgers and avocado shrimp cocktail and then Christmas day we'll sit around and watch movies. The day after we will go to spend the day with my brother and his family, minus the four in Germany. We will be missing my sister - still in China, but her fiance will possibly be there. The day after we'll go to my oldest first cousin's home for a family reunion.

The knitting has gotten to the point where I need to be in the daylight to finish Scott's sweater, my sweater is coming along, other Christmas projects are finally finished. Lyn's secret Africa socks are finished and seem to fit her. Aaron's secret hat fits well enough that he wore it last night while he slept on the porch (the temp was in the 30's but he thought he'd sleep better with his sinus trouble.) He and Lyn went to the doctor today. Maybe they'll be a bit better by Christmas.

The two for reading: A First Class Murder from the Eleanor Roosevelt series written by her son Elliot. They are such fun reads. Another fun read right now is a collection of letters written by CS Lewis to his young fans. Some of his pen pals wrote him over 20 years! He felt the responsibility to answer all the letters written to him. What a remarkable man.

Have a very merry and a very happy Christmas. May your new year be happy and bright!

Long time

2009-11-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

Long time since my last post. Not too much going on. The name of the post is Knit one, Read two, so here's the latest.

Knit a sock for Lyn's trip to Africa. Notice, I said, a sock. I waited over 6 weeks to knit the next one. They are barely cousins - no where near twins, much less identical. But, since they are heavily patterned, tiny cables, and a solid color it isn't immediately apparent to the nonknitter. I don't feel too bad about it since I made up the pattern on the fly and then didn't write it down. There was only a ten stitch difference, but oh what a difference it made! As long as they keep her legs and feet warm during the African winter next summer, I will be a happy camper.

I'm currently reading about the Western Hemisphere pre Columbus. The name of the book is 1491 and if you like history, I can recommend it. It has enough humor and irony sprinkled amidst the dry factual stuff to keep it interesting and the revelations about the stuff we were taught in history class that just can't be true keep it a page turning eye-opener. 500 years from now there will be folks reading about global warming with the same shock.

I'm also reading Peter Tremayne's short story collection about the 7th century Irish nun/judge Sister Fidelma. I think I will have to pick up the full novels. She's a smart cookie and a strong woman. My kind of character.

More later if I can remember I have a post.

I remember now

2009-09-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

Ah, the joy of knitting.
Finished knitting an absolutely adorable bag to be felted with cute little black-faced white sheep grazing on verdant hills with a lovely blue sky. I took it to the washer to felt. 4 loads later - no felting. Also, lots of fade. Boiled it. That always works. No felting and green sheep and teal sky. phooey. don't know what I'll do with it now. Bought the suggested yarn, even in the suggested colors. Should have knit it from my stash!

I follow several blogs. Not all of the blogs I read are by people I know. Some are from people I know well, some are combination knitting-social commentary, a couple are religious-social commentary.

One blog I read is from a well known minister/author who traveled in some of the same circles I did at one time. We are not really friends, but have several mutual friends. Remember, I live in the Bible Belt! That isn't anything unusual here. It's like having a Kevin Bacon number of 1 with Johnny Cash or Wynonna. Around here, it just isn't that special.

So, anyway...I also read several different blogs by people who are atheist or agnostic. The really weird thing is, the preacher, who happens to be a cradle Democrat (his family is connected to influential circles)has been writing blogs recently which almost mirror the blogs of the atheist/agnostic blogs I follow. For some reason, this disturbs me on a deep level. Not that he is a Democrat; I came from a divided home and proudly wore the Big D myself for a long time into adulthood. No, what disturbs me is how closely he and the atheists align right now on who they are trashing, what they are supporting, how they are getting their message out, and how closely matched those messages are sounding. (I'd give you a couple of word by word comparisons, but I don't want these folks to be identifiable.)

After reading some of Ted Kennedy's memoirs which have been leaked in the last few days, I am glad he felt compelled to confess posthumously about Mary Jo, his drinking, and his other less than stellar activities. My estimation of him has risen and I hope his soul was cleansed. So many have refused to hear anything negative about him since his death, yet he was willing to bare it to all and bear it, too.

Well, it is tomorrow and I have lots to do today, so I must sleep.

OK, so it HAS been a while...

2009-09-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

Lyn said I needed to blog. I thought, didn't I just do that right before school started? Apparently not. Apparently, it has been a while. So, though I don't think I have any blog followers now that I facebook, here goes.

In July, Scott went back to work and back to sleeping on a regular bed. Both have taken some adjusting. Climbing stairs and going down hill are still scary, but he is making it pretty well.

Lyn was home for the summer. It was wonderful. She didn't work and we had some quality time together that we couldn't have had without the quantity.

She plans to go to Africa next summer to teach weaving and pottery. Yes, to Africans. No, they have never had the skill. Yes, I think that is strange, too. Yes, she could use a contribution to the cause, thank you!

Aaron was not home for the summer. He was in Alabama working as a youth minister for a church. I believe he has found or at least at last accepted his path. He is awaiting word from a church in DeQueen, Arkansas, but if someone out there has a different offer, he is open, willing and ready. He is also apparently pretty good at the job according to the elders, deacons, and kids at the church where he interned. Not just Mamabrag. Mama-brag is that he made chicken and dumplings tonight for our supper. They were not only edible, they were actually pretty good. Not bad for his first try and without his mama's help!

I am back at work. We have been in a month today. Last week, I had two Fridays and no Saturday, so I can have no Monday twice in two weeks. Got that? Well, it goes along with the possibaphyility of not having a paycheck in November if the county doesn't pass the budget. That would mean enforced time off which we would have to make up later, but I have knitting I can be doing, so, no worries unless it lasts a protracted period.

Deputy wants to help type now, so I am going to have to call it a paragraph...

June Report

2009-05-23T07:56:00.001-07:00

Since it is Memorial Day weekend, I’ll update a bit early. Does it seem strange to any of the rest of you that Memorial Day is so early in the month this year? I still have five days left of school after this! At least I have only five days with children. I will be the summer librarian at our school for the month of June. Besides having to continue to work two days a week during my six weeks off, I’m excited about it. Always wanted to do it, this will be a good taste.

I took off a half day Thursday to go to the doctor with Scott. We knew it was not the last visit, but Lyn and Aaron were home, so we took them with us to meet Dr. Dinkins. New office, nice building, still had to wait an hour.

Dr. Dinkins is a really nice guy. Think I’ve said that. But he really disappointed Scott this visit, even though he knew in his heart that this was coming…no work in June. Therapy is going really well. Scott is walking a mile in 40 minutes. He can ride in the van. He can sit on a bar stool for supper. We’ve even gotten him into the den since Aaron and Lyn have been home to sit in his favorite chair which we’ve built up with his extra cushions. But he is not up any where near ten hours yet, let alone being able to sit for a ten hour shift – even with the breaks the guys have promised him. So, we had to be brutally honest and admit he still has a long way to go. Doc said a pro athlete with all the stuff at their disposal would be out a full year with this kind of injury to one knee. Maybe it was good that this week was the first time we’d heard that. Scott might not have pushed so hard and have come so far already.

Stairs are okay to start working on again. Right now, he can manage 2-3” steps without a problem. A normal step is 6-8”, meaning we have a way to go. I’m trying to borrow a set of physical therapy stairs from my county school system for the summer. They’re huge (size of a couch) but they would be a big asset to have for a few weeks.

Lyn’s home for the summer this year, Aaron’s off to Alabama. I’ll be home a couple of weeks in July before having to go back to work. I’m looking forward to having Scott home with me for once in the summer. Maybe he will get to start back to work when I go back.

Did you ever think someone could have to relearn how to sit after they relearned how to walk??

May Report

2009-05-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

I’ve wanted to talk to both of my parents this week. Mother would be pleased that after 17 years of peonies trying to do something at my house, there are twice as many blooms as we’ve ever had at the same time. TWO!!! You can count all the blooms we’ve had on our eight plants on one hand. But this year, we have two at once! I feel like I’ve finally made it as a flower cultivator. Last year we had two buds but only one blossomed. I am certain we will get two blooms this year!

Daddy would be secretly pleased even though he would be fussing over the phone that I plowed our garden with the big tiller. The handles were up around my shoulders at times, but with Scott’s guidance and encouragement, I did get our garden broken up. We planted just before all the rain started. I hope our beans and okra have not washed into the woods. I’m sure most of the herbs and flowers have washed away. The deer and rabbits liked the cabbage and two of the heirloom tomato plants!

Scott went back to the doctor Last week. We had a big afternoon. First a trip to the police station to measure chair heights. Then therapy. Then the radiologist. Then the doctor’s office. There was no place for him to sit in the office. Nothing was high enough, so he had to stand while we waited (for an hour…that was rough.) But, finally they called us back. Everyone laughed and cheered when he walked in without his braces. He has not been released, but we had already figured out that wasn’t happening. He can bend to 90 degrees now on his own, but chairs and stairs are still out of reach. That requires more like 120 degrees because of the way you sit and the stress on the leading knee when climbing stairs. When he is warmed up and limber after therapy he can get to 110 degrees for a few seconds, so we are making vast improvements. We bought two PFDs (personal flotation devices) at Wal-Mart to use as chair cushions. They should raise a standard chair to about 24” which is the absolute minimum he can get to. There is a possibility that will be a permanent situation, but we are not giving up yet. The doctor isn’t making promises, but isn’t painting a black picture yet, either. We just don’t know how much flexibility his knees will ultimately wind up with. It doesn’t just depend on therapy and motivation and ignoring the pain. There is an issue of wires replacing tendons which can’t be predicted.

He walks without the braces most of the time now and his confidence is returning. He uses his canes when we are on any sort of unlevel or slightly precarious surfaces. He likes going to Lowe’s because of the big carts. We do the outside circuit a couple of times with him driving the buggy and so we get our walking in and sometimes some visiting, but always some shopping. Aaron and Lyn have former classmates working there who always chat with us and keep up with his progress. Wednesday he walked a half mile in 20 minutes. That is still a little under half speed.

The best part is listening to Dr. Dinkins and Scott negotiating when he will go back to work. Scott asked with broken heart, “I can’t go back to work yet, can I?” Dinkins’ response was, “No, I’ll see you in a month.” Scott’s instant reply was, “No, I’ll see you in three weeks.” The therapist and the doctor both have remarked that Scott is extremely motivated. They only see him when he is behaving. They’d be scandalized to see the stunts he pulls when they aren’t looking. You should have seen the smile Scott had when he was told he could lift up to 30 pounds now instead of being limited to a gallon of milk. Now I’ll have to keep him out of Tractor Supply. He’ll be carrying dog food and fertilizer bags on the sly.

Scott Gets Better Every Day

2009-04-09T19:58:00.001-07:00

We had a big day today. Before Scott is usually out of bed, we were in the physical therapist’s office. He had a good evaluation – due to his hard work he was ahead of where the therapist expected him to be and he was worked pretty hard for the first visit. Normal walking speed is about 2-3 miles per hour. Scott was walking at .7 mph at one point! Almost half speed! Granted, it was only for a few seconds, but that was a momentous few seconds.

Later in the day, we went in for x-rays and a doctor’s visit. The x-ray coordinator noticed we came without our usual entourage of ambulance drivers and the gurney. He walked in under his own power – albeit with braces and walker!

After the x-rays, it was upstairs for a visit with Dr. Dinkins. I like that man more all the time. He took lots of time with both of us today. I have been concerned that Scott has been discouraged and slipping closer to depression and mentioned it – OK, well, I stressed out about it – and Dr. D told me he empathized with Scott because of his own experience with hospitalization for 30 days. He told me to hang in there – Scott is just missing the battle of work. The two of them finally convinced me it is a man thing (I refrained from calling it testosterone poisoning) and I felt better.

Scott showed off before we left by walking out of the room without the walker and the doctor told him to get rid of the walker and move up to canes! So, first stop was CVS to buy a couple of black canes with pistol grips – no old men making good twisted ones on every corner around here- and away we went.

To celebrate a day where Scott said he experienced every emotion he’s ever known and our good news from the two main caregivers in his life right now, we went to Applebee’s to celebrate by eating out for the first time in over three months. We chose there simply because they have high stools and he could actually sit down to eat.

By the time we got home he was beyond tired. It is now 9:30 and he is out like a light. I’m pretty tired tonight, too. I’m looking forward to having the day off tomorrow. Weatherman promises storms. It will be a good time for me to do our taxes. Lyn’s and Aaron’s will take 15 minutes total and ours will take just a couple of hours. I don’t know why I put it off every year to the last minute. At least this year I had a bit of an excuse.

No more news unless you are interested in my knitting and felting projects…no? Well, then this will have to do till the next installment of “Scott Gets Better Every Day.” Thanks for all your support and prayers. We’ve needed every one of them!

April 2

2009-04-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

No pic. Can't figure out how to get it from phone to blogger.
Yesterday, April 1, 2009. Scott’s first foray into the wilds of Hickman County since January 14. He was shirtless because we thought the trip would be to the end of the driveway and back. Instead, he was feeling adventurous, so we rode about 10 miles - through the countryside and down the highway a bit (Hwy 7 and Brown Hollow for those in the know) for him to begin getting used to motion again. The ramp that made getting out possible was built by Gary, Kita, and me last weekend. I just had to finish the last part yesterday to get him from ramp to ground. He’s been outside three times now and it has been a big lift each time.

He will be released from home health tomorrow and we will start outpatient rehab as soon as we can get an appointment with Lyn’s hero, Steve. He has been able to sit on a stool and in the car (that took a bit of maneuvering, believe me!) Every day brings something new he is able to do or just does despite everything. He’s managed to put his braces on by himself several times now, though it is still easier with two people.

Pain is still an issue, but not nearly like it was, except occasionally at night. It is getting harder to convince him to take any of his medication, so I know he is on his way back to being himself.

I figure by the end of May he will be walking without the walker or without the braces – maybe without either! He can’t wait till he’s back on the track putting in his three miles a day. Guess I’ll have to go with him. Ick. I love him, but I hate to exercise.

Scott says he feels like he’s been hibernating in a cave all winter. He’s experiencing a sort of time warp, going to sleep when it was snowy and 11 degrees and waking to redbuds and 60s!

Day 64

2009-03-18T13:53:00.001-07:00

Day 64 and trying not to count!

Most of you don’t know that Aaron had a minor accident back in October when he, a passenger, and a four wheeler got into a discussion that the four wheeler won. Passenger was fine – had the sense and agility to jump to safety before impact. Just to be on the safe side, Aaron went to the ER and had x-rays done. He was fine. No problems. Other than he doesn’t carry his insurance card on him, which meant that today, I was still dealing with insurance companies and billing centers. It didn’t help that in November he had a much more serious argument with an antique door – no safety glass – and once again Aaron lost. Still no insurance card, but mom rode to the hospital in the ambulance with him and since we live out past Egypt, I had plenty of time to find his insurance information before they got here. Ya know what? Didn’t make any difference. I have had to make the same number of phone calls about that accident today as the first one! Today was insurance day.

Scott started off with a regular hospital bed, too short. New extensions, bed won’t work properly – new bed. Bariatric, since he’s tall. Insurance company thought we had two beds. That was a four call problem which still isn’t resolved, but it is no longer my problem! The medical equipment people will take care of the rest of the claim. Nice folks. I have to say, of the thirteen (may have been fifteen - I forgot to write down how many times I talked to White River Hospital) phone calls today to insurance companies, hospitals and billing companies, all were very nice and pleasant! It wasn’t a totally traumatizing experience at all!

The new braces have arrived. They had to be fit professionally. We had to do that part twice – but it was here at home. They are heavy and bulky, but they do allow him to walk a few steps unassisted. I’m beginning to be concerned about the pain he is still in. We knew his pain level would go up once he was released to start some therapy, but he’s back to the levels where he was just out of the hospital. Real therapy doesn’t even start until next week or the week after!

We are now in the process of getting ramps out of the house. If you’ve not visited here before, we have steps everywhere. There is not a way out that you are not confronted with at least three steps. Friends are researching aluminum ramps as a temporary fix. I think after this is all over we’ll probably put something in a bit more permanent for our later years.

I am going to try to go back to work full time next week. I am going to feel guilty no matter what I do, but I feel I at least need to try. This is the last nine weeks and I almost missed last nine weeks. In many ways it doesn’t seem like it has been that long, at least to me. I am sure it is more of an eternity to Scott.

Lyn, Aaron, Gene and Beckie came to visit last week. Aaron went to New Orleans after leaving here. He was not impressed. Lyn, Beckie and I had fun shoe shopping and going to pick up braces and our latest vehicle. We bought my dad’s van from the estate. We are fairly sure Scott will be able to get into it and reasonably sure he’ll be able to drive it eventually.

Just some pointers we’ve learned if you are ever in similar circumstances to ours.

1. Water chestnut cans under the back legs of a futon make it more comfortable for folks over 50 and under 5’5”.
2. Clorox wipes used on the hands several times a day will cause dryness. Use baby washcloths or wipes instead.
3. Corn bags heated for 3 minutes and applied to aching joints cause instant sleep when hydrocodone, aspirin, valium, and darvon have all failed for hours.
4. There may be 200 channels, but nothing is on TV on Wednesday night.
5. A loose leaf binder with page protectors lets you put the bill on the left side and the EOB on the right side to see who’s been paid and who’s still whining.
6. Get a big binder.
7. You don’t need to go to town nearly as often as you think you do.
8. The closest store will not have what you desperately need – so just go to the one all the way in town to begin with.
9. Twin sized T-shirt sheets fit hospital beds perfectly.
10. Flannel top sheets are comforting and warm without being heavy.
11. Cats will turn over glasses of water at 2:30 am on a regular basis. Both sets of sheets will get wet when this happens.
12. Hair dryers will overheat before sheets are dry.
13. When #’s 11 and 12 happen, there is a justifiable use for bottled water.
14. Friends and family visiting are better than presents at Christmas.

We’re glad you all keep up with us. Thanks for all the encouragement!

Cable Box Complaints

2009-03-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

I am a bit miffed. If Scott were not bedridden I would pull the Comcast box out of the house. These people put two poles in our yard to provide service for others, strung cable wires we have to dodge while mowing, were not going to run cable to our house from the poles THEY PUT IN OUR YARD because it was too farrr, and then charge US to get their service, and when it gets here it is unwatchable. Not just fuzzy. You cannot follow a conversation, much less plot lines. Most any channel above the fifties is interrupted by seconds of blank screen or up to several minutes of constant pixelation. ANYTHING local is digitized and interrupted. The On Demand service only works occasionally. I've called three times today and have only spoken to a native English speaker once. Her grammar wasn't perfect, but at least she was adept enough to schedule a tech to come three days from now. In the past if we had pulled the cable box we would have gotten two local channels with watchable clarity. Now, since our antenna is gone and antenna service is a thing of the past, we are over a barrel if we want to watch TV. If Scott could make it to the den and could watch from his movie library I wouldn't be overly frustrated, because I can watch my two shows after the fact via Bell South on the computer. But since he is tied to one room, he is tied to that TV by default and has no access to his DVD library. I just HOPE the tech is on time and semi-literate Saturday, else my Southern Belle persona may turn to the Joan Crawford-pitbull side and leave marks.

Insert around January 20

2009-03-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

Since some of you haven't heard, a little background...My dad, Donald Nelson, went into the hospital the day after Christmas and died on January 6. We buried him on January 9. It was a beautiful service, very simple like he would have wanted, and we were surrounded by friends and family. I was prepared, even if not ready.

This next part is long. Skip to the bottom paragraph for the Reader's Digest version!

Wednesday morning, after Daddy's funeral Friday and the kids had gone back to school in Arkansas, Scott and I were trying to get back into the work routine. He leaves at 3:30 in the morning, I sleep in until 5:30. Like she does every morning, the dog barked a few times when Scott left and I rolled over and went back to sleep. Almost immediately, the phone rang. It was Scott telling me to come outside. That isn't that unusual, but he did sound cold. I believe it was eleven degrees at the time. I grabbed my robe and slippers and headed outside to see whatever it was to see. What I found, was Scott in a heap at the bottom of our back steps, lying on the brick walk, phone in hand. He had stepped off the top step and gone to the bottom and could not move. By the time I ran in to get blankets and pillows, he had called the ambulance and work to say he didn't think he'd be in that day! Amazing.

Eleven hours in the ER, traditional x-rays, 1 1/2 hour MRIs, and a CT scan (which required a field trip across town via ambulance to another hospital) later, he was admitted to the hospital. This was after the doctor got so tickled at his Sherpa hat that she almost couldn't do the exam. This was also after they put him in knee immobilizers and tried to get him to stand to release him. That didn't work, which actually was what told them what all the tests didn't show. His quadraceps were completely detached from both knee caps. (That would actually show up later in surgery. More about that later.)

Neither Scott's usual orthopedist nor the one the hospital has practicing there could fit him in to surgery until Friday, so we spent the rest of Wednesday and Thursday and Friday until noon looking at the walls and eachother. Honestly, I did go to school on Thursday for most of the day. I had to get stuff ready for my second graders. He had company and lots of drugs, so he made it. I had intestinal distress due to stress.

Come Friday morning, we went from thinking his surgeries were at 4:00 to 10:00, and then 2:00. So, they came to get him at noon. Four hours later the doctor told me both surgeries had gone well, but that his injuries were much more severe than he originally thought. He removed lots of clotted blood and clumps of stuff that forms when you swell somewhere due to injury and said had that been the only thing he did, Scott would have felt better. But, since the damage was so complete, he was able to basically use God's parts and pattern and sew his muscles back to his knee caps with a miracle substance known as fiber wire. I must admit, as a former computer teacher, I thought he said fire wire. Thought I was going to get to plug Scott in somewhere in the system! According to Dr. Stacy Dinkins, local healer and self proclaimed "dumb bone guy," this fiber wire is stronger than rope, will not disolve and will support the muscles and knees the rest of Scott's life. The fact that the damage was complete actually made the repairs better.

He enjoyed being asleep under anesthesia a bit more than he should have so they had to wake him up with more drugs and some oxygen. When he finally got back to me, he was in a good mood, remembered asking the nurses if they would pray and then he remembered waking up. He had two femoral nerve blocks which lasted into Saturday. That was a blessing. The pain was different, but it was still severe. We were both flabergasted when his favorite nurse turned Nazi and made him stand up. She was sweet about it the next day and he was able to walk about 20 steps. Monday, he managed about forty feet. No walking Tuesday. We had to get ready to go home.

Arranging for home health, hospital beds and wheelchairs, checking out of the hospital, and ambulance rides with Frick the flirt and a one-armed Frack should not be attempted by the weak of heart. Home health was a breeze. Hospital bed is too short. Checking out of the hospital was a breeze. Frick and Frack were not only separate pieces of work for different reasons, they couldn't get him in the house. Did I mention it was snowing and 27 degrees and Scott had on a tee shirt and his drawers besides the immobilizers? (Oh, and the funny Sherpa hat.) Thank goodness for exceptional neighbors who are able to provide a fourth and fifth arm. (You thought I was kidding that the other guy only had one arm, didn't you?) Know what's funny? They knew how big Scott is before they got there.

He has to keep his knees perfectly straight for a month. Then, we will see if he gets a slight bend for another month. Then, we start rehab.

So now it is nearly nine pm and he is doped to the gills and we will make it till tomorrow. We are both glad to be home. It has been a long six days.

READER'S DIGEST VERSION

Scott had a really bad fall early Wednesday morning. Detached both knee caps. He wore a funny hat to the ER. Put him back together on Friday. Came home from hospital Tuesday. Eight weeks in a hospital bed. We are both pooped, but he gets drugs.

End of month two

2009-03-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, we got a call from the RN who is Scott’s case manager. She is in charge of getting us a ride to the hospital since Scott can’t bend. By the time we got off the phone, Scott and I were both freaking out. She had never seen injuries as bad as his before. She could not understand why Scott was not in a nursing home. She was sure it had had been terribly hard on me to provide all his care. She could not believe I left him home alone to go to work. She implied that she wasn’t entirely sure walking was going to be in the near future, much less by a month from now as we had been hoping. By the time I got to work, I was blubbering at lunch during our team meeting. The staff was very supportive and felt the case manager might be a bit pessimistic.

We went to the doctor Thursday. Getting there was even more interesting this time! The same company which doesn’t want to pay for an ambulance to take Scott to the doctor sent two, yes, that is 2 ambulances and four crew members. So, we got there without any terrible occurrences. This crew was as personable and capable as the last crew, although riding backward in an ambulance after being immobile for two months can induce some serious carsickness.

As hyped up as we were before getting to the doctor, the sense of relief once with Dr. D was amazing. The puffy redness on his right knee is just due to the body trying to reject some of the 200 or so internal stitches. Doc removed five or six while we were there. I almost got carsick on that one…ick. The knot and dent in his right leg is just due to muscle atrophy and the new exercise regimen should begin to take care of that in a matter of days. The healing process is “golden” according to Dinkins. We start physical therapy at home as soon as the PT can get here, then outpatient will start about two weeks after that, then Scott’s knees can get to a workable 45 degree bend. In five weeks or so, we will hopefully be close to the magical 90 degree point to be able to sit in a chair and stand without help! Walking with a walker and new braces will start next week; we have made it to the big goal!

Lyn will be here for a week. Gene and Beckie (Arkansas friends) are coming for a few days to help me buy a van, and Aaron will be home at least for the weekend. There is hope that the Christmas tree will be down before I go back to work full time! I do hope that by the end of the two weeks of spring break that Scott will be able to get about on his own (the braces will lock to not allow his knees to bend either backward or too far in the normal direction) at least enough to get him to the wheelchair point.

So many people have been so good to us. There are too many to mention individually. People have brought food, visited while I tried to work, stayed a week during the snow days just to give me a breather, bought him guitar to ease the boredom, made calls to Chattanooga to the insurance company, gave me money to survive the hospital, came to the rescue when we had less than capable ambulance drivers, replaced a too short hospital bed with a longer one, only to return with a new, larger bed, called on the phone just to pass the time, accepted phone calls at 3:00 a.m., bought and put in a jungle gym in the kitchen to make getting in and out of bed a possibility…the list goes on and on. We do have exceptional friends and family.

The emotional roller coaster of the last two and a half months have been demanding on both of us. Scott has been an exceptional patient and exceptionally patient. That play on words is not nearly as good as his saying he was not an invalid, but that he was in-valid. Even though we have at least five more weeks to go before we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we do at least know that the tunnel does actually end.

A link from Lyn

2009-02-19T18:18:00.000-08:00

This won't link directly and it was a bit difficult for me, a newbie to itunes, but I have confidence that YOU can do it.

open itunes
go to itunes store
search for harding university
go to harding's "itunesU"
find chapel 2009
go to programs
find concert choir
download (it's free)
i'm the second girl in on the second row- my hair is down and curly.
i'm also the girl singing the high note at the end. ; )

If you want to skip David Burkes chapel announcements, go to around the 20 minute mark. Nice shot of Lyn at about 28.25

Let's see, day 16

2009-01-30T17:02:00.000-08:00

We are in week 3, bed 4, including the one actually in the hospital, and we have officially finished one prescription. The first bed, as you may remember, was too short. When the extension finally came, the bed was long enough, but it no longer would correctly operate the head of the bed so that Scott could sit up, eat, or reach the nifty gym system put in place by Bill Moore with Burkett’s assistance. The bed he has now is for much larger people, but it is so much more comfortable that the other issues we are having with it are nominal for now.

I am sleeping on the futon Aaron and I bought while they were here last weekend. Yes, Lyn and Aaron, it is still comfortable and I am happy with it for this purpose. It is plenty long folded as a couch, so I don’t have to make it out every night, and the extra quilts and pillows make it good for daytime use.

Scott over-did a bit early in the week and has had to back off a bit for the last couple of days. He still is getting up, but the hour and a half Monday and Tuesday made for an uncomfortable Wednesday and Thursday. This morning, he woke up and said he thought he could just get out of bed and walk the way he felt, but we did hold off until the guys brought the new bed this afternoon. By the time they finished dismantling and “mantling” he was ready to go back to bed. We will be a bit more careful with the walking program next week.

Speaking of next week, the plan, if you can call it that, is for me to return to work Monday, Wednesday, and Friday next week. The following week, I will try to work 2 days and stay home 3. Hopefully, Scott’s sister will come check on him the days I’m at work during her lunch/plan time. If Monday and Wednesday do not work out or if we get scolded on Thursday by Dr. D, then I’ll probably just take some time off until spring break. We also have some really good neighbors and some great deputies (besides the cat) who will come by and check on him when I’m not home. He’s been waiting until afternoon to walk most days, so hopefully that will continue to work.

His spirits are generally good. Gene was here for the week and was a big help. Bea and Deputy stay close day and night, especially Deputy. They walk with him all the way to the bathroom and back almost every time. The home health nurse didn’t even have a stroke when she came and Dep was in the bed with him.

Speaking of home health, they don’t get to come anymore. Apparently, since I am able to bathe, change bedding and dressings, take vitals, and help him in and out of bed, there is no real reason for them to come. I was hoping for an hour or so a day…I didn’t even get 3 hours total. Scott was told he was too small for the big boy bed, I’ve been told now that I’m a big girl and don’t need help.

There isn’t much good TV on at 3 am just in case you were wondering.

I did something different today

2008-12-09T16:17:00.000-08:00

Today, I danced the "Chacha Slide" and did the "I Feel Brainwave" at the all school pep rally. For those non-locals, we won the Purity Dairy milk cap collection drive. The closest school to us had about 3000. We had 13,800. (Our school has 200 kids - the school that came in second has about 600.) So, the president of Purity dairies, various local yokels of the dignitary variety, and David Thornton of the Titans (along with two really skanky looking cheerleaders, well, one wasn't too bad, but the other one made up for it) came to our school for an hour. It was fun. Five of my students got to be in the top 20 collectors private session with Mr. Thornton. One of my student's drawings will be on the Wendy's tray liner for a couple of months. Watch for a kid named Wilson R.'s art work if you frequent Wendy's. Besides the dancing chocolate milk jug and the mascot from the Titan's mauling children, it was a fairly uneventful day, otherwise.

Classic Dames Test

2008-11-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

I took the test and signed up for who knows what, but my test showed I most closely matched Carole Lombard and that I should stay away from small planes. I always liked her movies and Clark Gable never got over her, did he? Romantic.

Aaron is better. He has laughed and put his glasses back on, though it has caused his nose to begin bleeding at the bridge again. His brain feels better with them on, so there you are.

Christmas tree is up! Hurray for kids and husband!

Very Thankful

2008-11-26T22:20:00.000-08:00

Aaron had another ER visit tonight. This time potentially very serious. He will remember this one every time he looks in the mirror. He fell into the glass of the French door on the porch. Lots of blood due to arterial bleeding, trip to Dickson in the ambulance, (they let me ride up front)9cm of repaired cuts, 24 stitches, but he still has two eyes thanks to some pretty awesome glasses, and God's totally amazing grace.
So, I'm thankful to be home with him in the den, relatively calm(me), relatively managed pain (him), thankful that most of the Thanksgiving cooking for tomorrow is finished, and thankful that Walgreens will be open in the morning for us to fill pain meds and get some neosporin.
Count your blessings.

Relief is in the air

2008-11-17T16:31:00.000-08:00

Aaron has successfully defended his senior thesis. I say successfully, because if they pass the other two and don't pass Aaron, it is beyond travesty. We were all entertained in the process of being informed while he spoke. The other two required no-doze in order to maintain a modicum of propriety.
The short subject Aaron wrote for the film festival starred his sister, among others, who was completely believable in the role of really bad date material. The film won Best Screenplay at the Exit 45 Film Festival. We were proud parents in the audience. Looked like we were the only ones there over 30!
Back at school. Completely exhausted. Don't know if it was because of the weekend's festivities or because of a low grade migraine on the way back. I was supposed to drive a while...anything to get out of that! I feel gypped. I didn't take anything for it and by the time we got home we just rested the remainder of the day but I still had a migraine hangover today.
Just before I left the county put in a projector and document camera in my classroom. I'm not sure if I'll use the document camera enough to make it worthwhile, but we put the projector to use today. The kids were not as impressed with the projection as they were with the pull down screen. That was a big deal.

getting to be a habit

2008-11-06T16:12:00.001-08:00

Sorry to go a month again. Tammie reminded me at the wedding to post. I'm sure if I had cute grandson pictures to post I would more often. (Lyn and Aaron, that was not a dig or a hint. I'm fairly happy with my 35 surrogates right now.)

I was so glad to see Jennifer at the wedding. Last time I actually saw her was probably at College Church during/after a "dinner on the grounds" when a couple of someone's had wet hair for some reason. I believe that caused a barrage of postcards for a few years. That is still a good chuckle.

The wedding of one of the wetheads was certainly beautiful. I especially liked the location and the music choices and everyone looked lovely. Even Nate looked nice in his kilt hose. That bagpiper was a pip!

Lyn and Aaron are under the tremendous stress that only occurs in college. Lyn has a demanding Bible prof - which she shares with Aaron - an equally demanding and apparently clueless graphics prof - and it just isn't gee-hawing with her unrelenting art schedule. I am excited to see the six foot wings next semester. Being the "only" in your major does have perks.

Aaron has had stress to the eyeballs, too. Wish someone who's reading this would ride to Dallas with him tomorrow. Jen, think your mom might want a ride for the weekend? He was supposed to speak at the Comicon, don't know if that is still happening since his registration was late. Next week is his symposium. This does determine whether he graduates, so please keep him in thoughts and though I hesitate to ask for prayers for grades, please pray for that, too. His personal life seems smoother this week, but I think it must be lonely when your best friends have started dating each other.

Second grade is still great. It is a bunch of work, but I'm enjoying it. However, I am pretty much too tired to read and even too tired to knit much. I find I am keeping my strength up enough to eat chocolate.

It is almost time to make the twice per winter hot chocolate "mix." If you've not had it, you muuusssst! Whip one pint whipping cream till very thick. While whipping, add a scant 1/2 tsp finely ground salt. Melt between 6 and 12 ounces of your favorite chocolate. I usually do semi-sweet chocolate chips because it is easy, but I also like to use Lindt's 85% cocoa bar. (That one is a bit on the bitter side for lots of folks.) Blend the two together and store in a tightly closed container (like a tupperware) in the fridge for up to a month. When you are ready for hot chocolate, heat a 1/2 cup of milk and then add about 3 heaping tablespoons of your chocolately goodness. Zap it again in the microwave for a minute to be really hot. The stuff is especially good right off a spoon - skip the milk and the heat.

How about the election? I have some good friends who are Democrats. One is especially over the moon. One however is afraid our governor is about to go to Washington as a cabinet appointee (the man has been lobbying for it for months) but that will mean that her husband will be out of a job. The republicans have taken over the house and senate in Tennessee - first time since reconstruction - and he is probably going to lose his political appointment. That will probably mean they will lose their house.

Another aspect of the election is that the price of ammo has already gone up. Suppliers are charging 125 to 500% more than they did a week ago to replace ammo in stores. Mr. Obama may claim to support the second amendment, but his campaign promise pre-debates was to just do the same to gun manufacturers as he wants to do to coal-fired plants. Just tax them all out of business.

A dear friend commented that she was frustrated living around a bunch of rednecks. My concern is that constitutionalists whether they be rednecks, blue collars, or professionals, will rise up and defend the constitution if it is abridged (I don't mean amended) and the rights of the people trampled in the process. The Supremes have sung on the 2nd Amendment just this year; we'd best not have to hear anything about the First being curtailed or some folks are going to get hot under the collar like they did in West Virginia during the miners' strikes when the term "redneck" got its start. End of history lesson, but look up early unionizing efforts if you are confused.

Almost 7:00. Ugly Betty time. I know...but that America just is the cutest! Scott has built a fire every night for nearly two weeks. I could ALMOST like cold weather. As long as I'm inside. And I don't have to walk the dog. Or go outside for wood. And it isn't raining. And I have chocolate. Or at least popcorn. And there is a good movie on. Oh well, spring is only 4 months away....

Watch this

2008-10-02T15:45:00.001-07:00

Please feel free to link.

I skipped a whole month?

2008-09-06T18:43:00.001-07:00

Update: Lyn's home. Had a great time.
Aaron's back in school, should finish school in May. (is there a emoticon for crossed fingers?)
I LOVE 2nd grade! (I am tired, though. Lots of extra work. And, I've been sick since the first week of school.)
Watch Legally Blonde 2, again. Listen closely whenever Elle is in the senate office. John McCain and Barack Obama are both mentioned. I may have missed other mentions, but theirs stood out. Both occur toward the last half, Obama's is fleeting and almost an allusion, but it is there.
This was in 2003. That is more than 19 months ago. So, Reese Witherspoon is either prescient, or, there is someone out there in Hollyweird influencing D.C. politics.

Here it is, Lyn

2008-07-29T21:16:00.001-07:00

Lyn wanted to see my 12th anniversary present in its new "format" since I've not been able to wear it since somewhere around my 25th anniversary. So, for 28, here's their new "house."

I know this picture is blurry...

2008-07-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, the picture is blurry and you really can't tell what you are looking at, so let me tell you. This is one of the WILD blackberries I've been picking from our yard. The one on the left is a quarter and on the right, a nickel. This isn't the biggest one I've picked, just a representative. I don't know what variety it is, but I wish we had more of it! We also have one that is really sweet but no bigger than your pinky nail.

I forgot!

2008-07-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

The BEST part of the Deal's Gap Dragon's Tail was not the curves or the other bikes, but the scenery was great in a few places. A dam and a lake at the top of a mountain is just about cool. Even cooler? We saw a bear! In the woods! No, it wasn't doing that.

684 miles or 6000 miles...

2008-07-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Scott and I just finished a 684 mile (approximate - speedometer broke 28 years ago) on the motorcycle. We rode through Chattanooga to the Cherohala Skyway across the TN/NC border and then back across via the Tail of the Dragon. 311 curves in 11 miles. The Skyway is spectacular. The Dragon was actually a disappointment. For all it's hype, there are two great views of the dams in the mountains, but other than that it was just tiring as a passenger and work for Scott. The danger was very significantly reduced for us since we went right at supper time for the rest of the neighborhood. We only met 34 motorcycles and 24 four wheeled vehicles, which apparently is incredible for that road on a weekend.
After the ride portion of the trip was about to wind down (we went with friends) Scott and I went to a family reunion in Crossville. I've not seen some of these cousins in a good while, especially for a happy occasion instead of a funeral - so it was good. Even Scott enjoyed himself!
Lyn is having a great time in Italy. She's taken over 1000 pictures so far and she's only been gone 11 days! I'm sure it is going by fast for her. If you Facebook, check her out.
Speaking of Facebook, I discovered Aaron's status change there. He is in an exclusive relationship with a young lady named Jessica. I'm a bit fuzzy on other details, so I'm waiting to hear more about her. We don't hear from Aaron as often and he doesn't update as regularly, so it must be pretty good!
Pictures of our trip should be on Facebook sometime tomorrow. I'm going to start the download tonight. I've got a few over 500 myself and we were only gone 3 days!

Life Change

2008-06-19T09:36:00.001-07:00

I have made a huge change in my life in the last 45 minutes. I am going to be teaching second grade this fall at The Discovery School in Dickson. Aaron and Lyn are particularly excited since I've promised to lay off about grandkids. This should help my baby fever a bit.

I had applied at this same school for what I thought was my dream job of elementary librarian - that may still be my dream job, it just will remain in my dreams - and the interview went so well they decided to offer me the only other available position - one I didn't even apply for. If you don't know how school interviews go anymore, you are usually interviewed by the principal plus a representative from all the different grade and subject levels in the school, so I had five other people there. One couldn't make it. Thank goodness, she may not have liked me!

It is a really small school. There are only about 16 teachers and less than 400 kids. They are close knit - more like family- in fact the principal said it was almost like having a second marriage. The fact that they invited me in is great, but now what? I'm scared to death. I haven't taught second grade in 28 years! I'll be teaching math, social studies and science and the other second grade teacher will teach the reading. I'm excited about teaching math, social studies and science, but jealous that she gets reading. How's that for logic? Twenty homeroom kids and twenty more of hers for 90 minutes a day while she has mine. Something new since I last taught elementary, a planning period!

Even though this is sort of out of the blue, I already have some ideas. Anything you may have heard about or seen with your own children or done at home with your kids - or any teachers reading this PLEASE comment with advice/information/ideas/projects. I feel like a first year teacher without the benefit of student teaching getting me ready!

I had more to tell you, but this is an epic so I'll quit. Everyone have a great summer. Some of you are off to Europe, Africa, Six Flags, and Bed Bath and Beyond. Me? I'm off to do die-cuts at the teacher center!

Garden Gnome

2008-05-15T18:26:00.001-07:00

Lyn is home for two more weeks. Aaron won't be home for about two weeks. There will be a slight overlap while I do the last week of school, then the two of them will go back to Searcy where Lyn will spend all her time learning Italian and Aaron will spend all of his time reading obscure literature. Lyn and I are meeting Aaron in Memphis Saturday while Gene and Scott have a playdate in some other place. Ah, life.

Scott and I have planted 3 small gardens. I want one more. All together they aren't any bigger than 3 parking spaces, but we have potatoes (red and Yukon), asparagus, lettuce, onion, scallions, 5 varieties of peppers, tomatoes (2 varieties and colors), okra, squash, green beans, red daisies, catnip, thyme, basil, oregano, and parsley. The gardens are in separate places because of all of our tree cover. There are only a few spots which will get enough light to grow much but moss on this hill, and most of those are covered with either rock or house. We have a stump from 2 tornadoes ago which we've been burning for years. That seemed to be a good place for a garden. So far, the burn smell seems to be keeping the deer and the bunnies and the squirrels and the raccoons off the new plants. Someone did snack on a squash seed. The last garden is for watermelon and birdhouse gourds, maybe assorted flowers...I wonder if I can operate that plow?

I just wrote and deleted a paragraph which made me feel better, but which should not be in print. I may not like my job, but I do like having one. To mix lots of metaphors and throughly muddy the waters here, flying chips will have to fall some time. (I'll explain to Gene - he can pass on the skinny.)

Weekend Update

2008-05-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

I understand two women do Weekend Update now. Is that a big deal? SNL used to be ahead of the curve. Guess that is partially why I stopped watching 20 years ago. They quit being relevant and just started following the political/social bandwagon. Twenty years ago, Baba Wawa on the desk was funny because Gilda was funny. It didn't matter who was on the desk with her. She could make you laugh about shoe polish. She didn't need to make fun of a social situation or a person, though she did both very well. Suddenly, say over the past ten years or so, if you can call that sudden, everyone has to make a political statement with all of their humor. Great comedy is in the everyday, not in the news. I miss Chevy, Steve, Bill, and Eddie. I miss Gilda and Jane. I miss Larry, Curly, and Moe. I miss Stan and Ollie. I miss the Keystone Kops. I didn't intentionally climb down the ladder of sophistication in humor as I wrote that list - I believe Gilda and Jane actually rank above Bill and Eddie - but as I wrote Larry, Curly and Moe, it occurred to me, I just miss simple, visual humor. There is commentary there that the Colbert Report will never reach. There is poignancy that is real - not contrived. Honesty that is apparent and not hidden with a smirk. I believe the slide might have actually started on its way to the current state of comedy on SNL. Church Lady, though funny and on point for the most part, opened the door to "We all know who the butt of the joke really is here, Christians just are so clueless about real issues." I enjoy smart humor; I get enough of smart alecks on a daily basis at work.

I did NOT sit down to write about that!

All you out there, stop right now and do a breast exam! Women, if you are at work, sneak off to the restroom, guys - no one will notice, believe me. You men are always rubbing or touching or scratching some part of your body. Men do get breast cancer. You aren't on the radar because yours don't have special underwear. The special underwear people have to keep ours healthy so we will buy more special underwear. Which, for the most part, we buy because of you. Either to keep you from staring or to make you stare. Depending on which side of 30 the special underwear was purchased. That can either be 30 years or 30 bucks. Take your pick.

Found a lump in Chicago. By the time I got into see all the folks with degrees, three of them said, "Wow, that's big!" or "No missing that, is there?" or my favorite "Do you feel that?" Duh, lady. Why do you think I'm letting you put this sensitive part of my body in that freezer door? So, here we are a week later after three mammograms (in the same day, within an hour of eachother - don't ever complain to me again about once a year) and an ultrasound where I'm watching the screen with her as the Black Hole in Space is measured and probed with depth charges. 5.1 cm. No one calls you with results - oops, just realized I didn't return a nurse's call! Have to do that Monday. But I did get two letters in the mail on the third day. First one I open says, "Thank you for visiting our office. We hope we were able to serve your needs. Your mammogram results show an area of concern, please follow up immediately with your doctor or this office." Good thing I was sitting down. Second letter starts out, this is above the folded part of the paper, "Ultrasound Reading by Premier Radiology." Nothing else but the date and my ssn and birthdate. I'm thinking, surely if this was bad, they wouldn't have waited on a letter to get to me. Someone would have called. I think they should call either way, because when the note said, "No noted signs of cancer associated with this abnormality. Please schedule again in six months," I still almost wet my pants.

Has it Really Been a Week?

2008-04-24T15:13:00.001-07:00

Just at the outset, I hate blogger for pictures. Having said that, this should be in reverse order. This is a Luke's Chicago Dog. Simply fabu.
This is the eatery where Nirvana is found.
This is the Rookery, a Frank Lloyd Wright renovated project. He did the inside.
But this should have been the first picture and the reason we went to Chicago. It was a great trip. Thanks, Lyn. Missed you, Aaron.

another post!

2008-04-15T17:20:00.001-07:00

This is the Palmer House where we will be staying this weekend.

The ice cream is tasty, but a bit too frozen. I made it before work and put it in the freezer to "cure." Next time, a three hour cure. Hmmm, that sounds like a song. "A three hour cure, a three hour cure."

My diamonds could be put in another mounting...if they still made them for marquis and if it could be reshaped for ovals. If you frequent pawn shops, BOLO. (Be on the lookout!)

Discovered reason for tingly feeling in fingers and "pulled muscle" pain was probably a broken rib. All that hacking in the winter. That reminds me of a Daddy story.
In Nashville, down church row, is one of the biggies. The church has some really steep steps. (Remember it? There is a Walgreens across the street. Or maybe its an Eckerds. anyway...) An elderly congregant was being laid to rest and his buddies were carrying the casket out to the hearse (of course, down those steep steps - why couldn't they have planned that one better?) Well, long story short, one of the old men missed a step and that set all the other old men off and they let the casket slip. As luck would continue to work, it slid all the way down the steps, gaining speed, sailed across the street and in to the front window of the drugstore. The casket burst with the impact! The old fellow popped up out of his box and said, "You got anything to stop this coffin?"

Aaron is going to be in Dallas while we're in Chicago. Somehow that doesn't seem fair, but I don't know if it isn't fair to Aaron or if it isn't fair to the rest of us! He will be "churched" when he gets back home tho. I think they're going to a synagogue, a mosque, an Eastern temple of some sort, Ba'hai worship center, and maybe RC mass. That's either all but one or one too many. I know my brain would be on overload. Its hard enough to have communion before the sermon!

Last thing, go to Aaron's facebook and read his notes about music. I've told him he needs to send something to Rolling Stone. If you agree, push. I'm trying not to go Jewish mother on him, but it is difficult! However, it could be I'm just blinded by the amazing abilities of my two stellar offspring and cannot see that I might be the slightest bit biased.

Eating Memories

2008-04-14T18:26:00.001-07:00

Scott and I went to church at West End again yesterday. It was good. We were running just a smidge late and it was raining slightly. It would have been nice to have the same thing the Anglican's have on Sunday mornings...valet parking. Even the Kroger in Belle Meade has valet parking. Wow.

We drove around looking for a diner Scott semi-remembered, we didn't find it, wound up someplace not memorable apparently, but afterward, the light was on! So, we bought a dozen and I made Krispy Kreme bread pudding for Scott's supper last night. But that left 5 in the box, 2 of which were just "memory eaten" by me. Mother would slowly warm day old Krispy Kremes in an iron skillet in just the least bit of butter until the bottom was crisp and the top was soft and starting to caramelize the sugar glaze. Took me back to being five years old in the kitchen at 419. Yum!

We also went to the jewelry store where Scott bought my ring wrap for our 12th anniversary. For my birthday, I wanted all the stones on one ring. After two trips, they told me they can't do it. They also can't stretch my ring since I've worn it until it is almost worn through and the way the diamonds are set they won't cut it to put in a piece. So, I either have a custom ring made, or let my diamonds live in the drawer where they've been for a year. Pooh.

To ease my disappointment, we bought the newest attachment to my favorite kitchen toy, my Kitchenaid. Got the ice cream maker. I'm excited. Made french vanilla custard tonight, but you have to freeze the bowl and chill the custard, so it will be tomorrow night before we taste to see if it is as good as Maggie Moo's - as if anything could be. Sigh.

He did OK

2008-04-10T19:49:00.001-07:00

Scott took me to Sportsman's Grille, it was yummy. Then we shopped for a bit at Tar-jay. Just movies. Got a watchband. I really liked a little gold bracelet, but he said I shouldn't be buying costume jewelry anymore. I should look for the good stuff to hand down. So, the little costume 10K gold bangle stayed there...I now have ebay up.

So, I'm Fifty and...

2008-04-10T14:06:00.001-07:00

I've told Aaron I will claim to be 42 now instead of 39 so I will at least have been 18 when he was born.

I had a nice day at school, just regular stuff, no one knew, so my students played freerice.com. For my birthday present to me, they fed 191 people. (We figure 2400 grains of rice is about a serving.) I cried. http://freerice.com

Scott is currently mowing, so I'm not sure he remembers, tho we did talk non specifically about eating out tonight. I'm practicing not being disappointed. He hasn't remembered my birthday for years. or our anniversary.

Lyn is using her ticket money which couldn't be used last year to bring Scott and me to Chicago while she is there next weekend. That should more than make up for a very normal day today. She's very sweet and I'm VERY excited. Haven't been to Chicago since I was a child.

BIGGEST birthday present though came 3 hours early. My great nephew, Devin Francisco Salas was born last night. Can't wait to pinch all four of his cheeks. He may be a big boy before I see him tho. He lives in Hawaii with his mommy and daddy.

Every one have a great weekend!

Nearly a Month?

2008-04-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

Can't believe I didn't post while I was off! Several things happened and have happened since.

Scott and I did lots of planting, garden stuff, flowers, trees, etc. We went to Searcy for Lyn's play, fabulous, of course. Got to spend some good time with Aaron and more time than we expected with Lyn. Spent good moments with the Weavers and I MET TAMMIE! That was fun, even though she didn't feel her best. Visited with Jack, Reagan and Nate, Dan and Kerry - and Ian!, and the in-law +1. I'm sure I did other things, but who can remember 3 weeks ago?

Last week, I treated myself to a full massage, and I'm having a follow-up Tuesday. For some reason, I've pinched a nerve in my back and my right arm is going to sleep. The massage has helped a great deal and it was very relaxing besides.

My knitting class is going well and I've "knit on demand" a couple of times lately. I have a baby sweater and hat I can whip out if I don't have any interruptions in a couple of days - about 9-10 hours of knitting - which are very cute. I'm more encouraged all the time to go ahead and take the plunge to become a certified master knitter. I'm not sure what that will prove to anyone, including yours truly!

Two biggies. We officially have gone to church at West End. It was nice. Scott even got over it looking like Downtown before services started. Preacher was in a vest, khakis, and hush puppies - that helped. So, we may not be too out of place there.

The other biggie is that I have an interview at an elementary school in a couple of weeks. I laughed and told Aaron that if I get the job, he and Lyn will be off the hook for grandkids a little while longer. Dream job would be 5th grade math and literature. We'll see if anything is in the cards.

I plan to post pictures right after this last word...they worked. One is of Lyn and the rest of the cast of "Little Shop of Horrors" which was cleaned up for a Harding audience. Lyn made bets with the cast about when I would cry. I'm not sure if she won real money, but I did cry at least twice.
The other pic is from Big Green Tom Lake. You may not recognize it since the part with the sign is usually not close to the water. Interesting trip to Memphis.

101st post, 3rd try on pics

2008-03-12T20:50:00.001-07:00

Aaron's pictures of Deputy in the snow.

Fifty Years of Trying

2008-03-08T19:02:00.000-08:00

As my birthday draws nearer and I begin to look back on the nearly half century of my life, there are some accomplishments I am truly proud to share.
I have a great husband, same one for nearly 28 years.
I have two bright, creative, Christian children.
I have completed several hours beyond my Master's degree.
Tonight, I have another goal I have finally attained.
I FINALLY WON AT MONOPOLY!!!!!

Wow, look at the calendar!

2008-03-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

Quick update:
Gained a pound this week. Weigh again tomorrow.
Hope it snows tomorrow so I won't have to weigh.

Lyn and Aaron are home for spring break. My break starts the day after they leave.
Lyn and Aaron are in Nashville with Harding friends.

Scott is working weird hours. Scott is at home.
Scott is asleep in the den.

Pulled a muscle in my back coughing three weeks ago. I'm no longer coughing.
Now I can't sleep because of the pulled muscle in my back.
Finally found "magic elixir" which will let me sleep.
This morning, I overslept and woke up 5 minutes after I was supposed to leave home.
I drove like a Meatloaf album and was only 5 minutes late to work.

I'm at the half-way point knitting the afghan for my nephew and his bride.
They get married in less than 6 weeks. I've been knitting steadily for 8.

My dad is about to have his 87th birthday. His youngest child is about to celebrate 50.
I'm the youngest child...

When life puts the squeeze on you, find some lemons and make lemonade.
If you can't laugh at your own life, turn on the election news and laugh at the politicians!

Everyone have a better week than you had yesterday...Did Monday last longer than usual or necessary for anyone else?
What do you mean, today isn't Monday?
Oh, I took off yesterday, didn't I? Well, OK then.
I'm happy tomorrow is Hump Day.

Biggest Loser? NOT!

2008-02-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

I did lose 2 pounds. My partner lost 5! But, the lady who's had breast cancer and now has MS lost 7! If I'd been through all that and survived with sanity intact, I'm not sure I'd worry over a few stray pounds.
We are out the rest of the week for illness in the schools. Our school is the second largest in the county. Last week we were running at about 180 absent a day; this week a much more normal 40 or so, but apparently the elementary schools and the city high school are being hit now. Takes 20% for the state to let you treat it like a snow day. We did that Wednesday. I'm just thrilled to be out a few days. I've been incredibly behind since the whole north and south bound distress week!
I'm not sure how I'm going to handle the Gerst Haus on a diet. German food doesn't lend itself to moderation in my experience. Ah well...

Biggest Loser?

2008-02-09T07:44:00.000-08:00

I've seen parts of the show, twice, maybe three times. Hard to remember what isn't commercials. But, I have a partner and I'm in a Biggest Loser competition. My partner and I are built fairly similarly, though she is quite a bit taller. On the slim chance (HA! GET THE PUN??) that we win, we will split $500. Nice incentive. I've not cheated yet, I'm back to the T-Factor, but I did have a head start - albeit before I weighed in the first time. Scott and I have been on the north and south bound distress this week. He thinks it was flu, I KNOW it was food poisoning. He doesn't want to admit that when you go to a friend's house for dinner and four of nine adults get sick that it might have been something you et. Especially when you all get sick within hours of each other. I've been over it now three full days, but I still haven't been hungry. I'm using that to my advantage to maybe get a grip on the gut.

For those of you who know where Bon Aqua is located, two of the tornado hits you are seeing on TV are just down the road in both directions. The third one skirted us and left other people's stuff in the yard. Not much though. Siding and marquee letters. I do have to tell on myself, if you read this in Tammie's comments, you can skip to the end now. When the storms were at their worst, I was just starting to get over the worst of the swivels. My mother's spirit rose up in me and I took a shower...and put on clean underwear...so I wouldn't stink if they found me dead in the wreckage! The same energy probably could have gotten me to the basement, but rational thought was just over the horizon at the time. Gotta love those maternal genes.

If I manage to lose any weight by next weigh in, I'll let you know - but so far I'm not feeling my inner Cindy Crawford.

How far would you drive to eat?

2008-01-28T16:50:00.000-08:00

How far would you drive to go eat in a restaurant?
Amend that to "How far would you drive to eat in a restaurant with your daughter?"
Amend that, "How far would you drive to eat in a restaurant with your daughter if you had to ride in Scott's truck?"
Scott and I left the house long enough for the dishwasher to do its whole "delay cycle" bit. 7.5 hours, apparently - exactly.
We went to Memphis Saturday just long enough to meet Lyn, eat, swap over care packages and a mattress, tour Jackson looking for Kroger, go to grocery in Dickson, and sit on I-40 for 20 minutes waiting on an accident to clear. Needless to say, it was a fast trip, but totally worth it.
It was well worth it to Aaron, who didn't get to come because he was busy. Studying. What can I say. I'm so proud. It was worth it to Aaron because he finally got to sleep on something besides a box spring. Poor kid hasn't had a mattress since Thanksgiving. I can't imagine it, but he says his 6'4", 360+lbs. frame slept like a rock on the twin bed box spring...must be all those years of sleeping on the ground camping.
The six hour drive wasn't too bad, considering. I knit the whole way. I couldn't drive...we were in the Bean!

What have I done?

2008-01-17T16:17:00.000-08:00

I'm on facebook. I know, the technology teacher being on facebook, what is the big deal? The deal is, I've avoided it. Blogging and reading blogs is cool. It isn't in your face so to speak. But, and maybe this is because I've been on for only 24 hours and lots of things have to happen, but...this facebook stuff is WAY too informative for me, I think. Do I really need to know my cousin has just left work? Do I need to know my daughter just got mail from someone I don't know? Do I need to know my cousin-in-law's son has added three more friends from the army? (Honestly, I doubt Michael remembers ever meeting me, if he remembers his cousin is even married would surprise me!)

I love reading blogs. I have about 20 I check regularly through my wonderful RSS feed. Some of you don't update often, but that is OK, when you do it is fresh and interesting - even if I did just talk to you on the phone! Some of the blogs I read are of the cult variety. I read 2 or 3 of the top 10 knitting blogs. One of them got way too personal recently - had to leave hers. Reading about someone's divorce is painful anytime, but this lady was sharing intimacies with hundreds of strangers. I came for the knitting - not the unknotting.

SO! Though I joined facebook to connect with the world at large so to speak, it is seeming to be much too small a place. I'll try to stay for a while so I'm not just a transient, but I think I might have taken the wrong bus. Don't take it personally if I'm suddenly not your friend anymore...it ain't really the way I feel!

faineant: Dictionary.com Word of the Day

2008-01-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

faineant \fay-nay-AWN\, adjective: Doing nothing or given to doing nothing; idle; lazy.
I do love my word of the day. I like it so much that I have two different subscriptions. The other WOD was syllabub \SILL-uh-bub\ noun: milk or cream that is curdled with an acid beverage (as wine or cider) and often sweetened and served as a drink or topping or thickened with gelatin and served as a dessert.
Syllabub is not nearly as good as boiled custard.

But, back to our program.

Tammy says she is putting off taking the tree down. Our tree is down. In the floor. Not in the box(es.) The ornaments have been sorted, but not put away. "After all, tomorrow is another day!"

What did I do this year?
January: got ready for surgery
January 31/February: near comatose for majority of the month. Watched lots of TV and read lots of books. Sweet.
March: Went back to school, was sent home, had two more weeks off, went back to school, came home and went to bed most days. Missed Lyn not coming home for break.
April: I believe I was knitting.
May: End of school, what can I say?
June: 8 tomatoes!
July: Bummin' at Perdido Key. Ummm.
August: SCHOOL! Aaron returns to HU. Lyn is a senior.
September: Motorcyclin'
October: Arkansas and firearms.
November: Thanksgiving and we are all together. Plenty to be thankful for right there. Began THE VEST.
December: Blurred vision? Is it gone? I'm sure December is over because I finished THE VEST. (It is now vacationing in Oregon with its owner)

So plans for this year? Not to have surgery, to knit less and clean more (like that is really going to happen - who AM I kidding here? I probably need rehab), continue to be happy in the place I am in (as long as the door is closed) while I continue to look for other employment, to actually continue to exercise this year, to visit Arkansas more often during the school year, and to be kind to other people's children. I also may try to lay off quite so much sugar, eventually. After we finish the King Cake. (I made one, it turned out really well - tho I only had sprinkles for faith - no gold for power or purple for justice...we'll just have to have the faith that the others will be taken care of!) Oh, and Lyn is making Amy Vawter's cheesecake tomorrow. We'll have to eat that. And Aaron comes home Sunday...Well, heck, it is already January 2, only 364 more days till I can try that sugar resolution again!

It's finally finished!

2007-12-28T09:48:00.000-08:00

Aaron's sweater is finished! It was made with the $10 sample of cashmere yarns from England. Can't remember the name of the town, but it is where Brother Cadfael is from. It was not knit by a pattern, but totally "organically" and on the fly. I actually measured Aaron with a piece of yarn and tied knots in important places to mark what I was doing.
He is leaving in an hour or so for points west. Searcy, Sacramento, Seattle, and Portland. He thinks it is his longest trip to date, plus he gets the whole Pacific experience too.
Christmas was good. Lyn and Aaron were both here. Teresa was here. We had a great time. Lots of loot under the tree.
Tree looked good. Only fell down once.
No snow, but we've finally had winter rains. Not complaining, we are still far behind and it may bring snow sometime in January. I'll take snow the first week - then none while Lyn and Aaron travel - then it can snow the rest of the month. We are due one!

Hope all are well!

You know you live in the RURAL South when...

2007-12-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

The Parade: about a dozen horses, 3 tractors, 2 bands, Santa in a convertible, and cheerleaders in a pickup. It had been delayed an hour because of a funeral, and I had to go around to get home. I was about 1000 yards from my turn, the parade is nine minutes from starting, and I have to go around 6 miles, one lane churt road (churt is one level below dirt) and had to cross the creek (No water inside the car this trip, thankfully.) But, it is a big deal to march in the parade in whatever little town you live in. Lyn twirled in the same parade about 10 years before we got a traffic light. Ya'll do realize we only live 3 miles from the traffic light? You should come see it. Only one in the whole county. Not even a traffic light in town.
Aaron's surprize cashmere vest is almost finished. (Aaron, I'm sure you'll be able to wear it to Portland, you just might want to be fashionable and just wear it with a tee shirt so you don't cook.) It is turning out to be very beautiful. I get lots of compliments on it everytime I knit in public. Every one wants to feel it of course. Maybe that will lead to hugs for Aaron! Incentive to wear it!

Still here

2007-12-01T17:36:00.000-08:00

Just letting everyone know I'm still here. Going through the twice yearly bronchitis/laryngitis. Looking forward to enjoying the week through steriods currently. Three weeks of not breathing is getting old!
Enjoyed Thanksgiving with my kids, husband, dad, sister, brother, 2 nieces, sister-in-law, nephew-in-law.
Enjoying knitting a cashmere sweater vest for Aaron. It was going to be a wrap for me...Lyn told me the colors were too masculine. I got all the yarn for $10 - you can't get picky with colors for $10 cashmere!
Enjoying my two knitting groups. The Hand Belles have just about decided to make their group an outreach thru their church, so starting in January I may be the club leader of the Knitting Circle at the St. John's Lutheran Church.
Enjoying Scott doing lots of cooking while I've been puny. One evening, I got home at 4:00, took a nap till 5:30, ate supper, didn't do dishes, went to bed at 7:00, and got up to a clean kitchen the next morning. How's that for pampering? Every cloud has its silver lining!
Enjoyed reading that Tammy will be a grandmother! Do we get to have a grandparent name contest? I vote for Double Dad and Honey. Anyone remember Charles Brewer from Lip-scum? He was Double Dad. I always loved him. His grandchildren were childhood friends. We all called him that. Honey comes from Scott's aunt Judy. She kept her grandson when he was first learning to associate names and talk. Husband John has always called Judy honey. Thus, the grandmother name was born. Isn't that the sweetest thing? My brother will be Daddy Burkett to honor our grandfather - Daddy Bob. Daddy Tim and Mama Tammy isn't bad...but I can see Ta-mammy sneaking in there!
Everyone have a great week!

This isn't chocolate, either

2007-11-08T19:54:00.001-08:00

I was tagged. I'm horrible at these...

MY ROCK STAR NAME (first pet and current car): Chicken Chevy
(I'm not going out in the 30 degree weather in my socks to find out what kind of chevy, it's red, OK? And, it was a Road Island Red Rooster if you must know.)
MY WANNABE NAME (favorite ice cream flavor and favorite cookie):
Jamoca Almond Fudge Shortbread (Sounds like a Hollie Hobbie doll)

MY "FLY GIRL" NAME (first initial of first name and first three letters of last name):
FRus. Maiden name was marginally less heinous: FNel- pronounced "fennel"

MY DETECTIVE NAME (favorite color and favorite animal):
Black Cat (It must be my favorite since it is my wardrobe staple - and it all has cat hair on it, so it fits)

MY SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name and the city where you were born):
Lynn Gallatin (say it with a lilt, please - LynnGalla-Tin)

MY STAR WARS NAME (first 3 letters of your last name and first 2 letters of your first name):.. Rusfr (it would be brown and hairy and bowling ball shaped)Once again, Nelfr doesn't get it either.

MY SUPERHERO NAME ("The" and second favorite color and favorite drink):
The Green Coke

MY -cough,cough- ENTERTAINER -cough,cough- NAME (name of your favorite perfume/cologne and favorite candy):
Halston Chocolate Altoid (Her costume would be layers of white and brown)

MY WITNESS PROTECTION NAME (mother's and father's middle names):
Evelyn Burkett
First names would be better, I could be Flo Don (Florence Donald)

Mine are singularly uninspiring and nothing like Reagan's or Beckie's. I tag Lyn and Aaron to come up with more creative pseudonyms!

It isn't chocolate, but it makes you feel good

2007-11-07T10:17:00.000-08:00

I'm usually not a fan of the UN, but this was creative and uplifting!

Just so you know...
1/2 t. of jasmine rice = 100 grains
3t. = 1 tablespoon = 600 grains
1/4 c. rice = 4T = 1 serving = 2400 grains of rice

It is slow, but spread the word and we will feed the world!

Read 2, the title says

2007-11-02T18:55:00.000-07:00

Wish Blogger had a feature like the old Xanga had where you could tell what you were currently reading or listening to. I'd tell you about the really good read a 13 year old girl recommended Wednesday. I read Jackaroo by Carolyn Voigt. If you see it around, it is worth the time. Written with the young adult/older adolescent in mind, so fairly quick read, but so in my time period.
Next time, CHOCOLATE.

Word of the Day "meme"

2007-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

Here are your 10 questions. I've left them unanswered for the moment to allow you to easily copy them to your own blogs as I am tagging any and all readers. You may answer here or in your own space if you leave a link.

I think these are going to require thought on my part...

1. Hardcover or paperback, and why?
2. If I were to own a book shop, I would call it...
3. My favorite quote from a book (mention the title)
4. The author (alive or deceased) I would love to have lunch with would be
5. If I was going to a deserted island and could only bring one book, except for the SAS survival guide, it would be…
6. I would love someone to invent a bookish gadget that…
7. The smell of an old book reminds me of...
8. If I could be the lead character in a book (mention the title), it would be…
9. The most overestimated book of all times is….
10. I hate it when a book…

1. I can't pick. Paperback for travel and b/c most fit my cute little leather holder with the bookmark. Hardback for reading while knitting since it will usually stay open with minimal help.

2. Either Yen for Yarns or Knit 1, Read 2 since I'd have to sell yarn and books (and chocolate) in the same store.

3. Maybe the one about the answer to life's question being "42" from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Nothing profound comes to mind.

4. I would like to eat with Agatha Christie. I think she'd be good company and fun.

5. Have to go with the cliche answer of the Bible because it really does have EVERYTHING, including scary Halloween type stories like the bones coming to life. Ick.

6. The perfect gizmo would hold my book at eye level for me, you know the right eye level for bifocals, and would turn the page when I nodded my head. It would also respond for the need for chocolate so I would not have to put down my knitting.

7. Old book smells take me back to vacuuming and dusting the rare book room in the Harding library.

8. I'd like to be Nancy Drew. She was perfect, had adventures, had boyfriends, had cool clothes and a car!

9. I'd have to say ANY book on the Oprah list. Except for the Secret Life of Bees. Wasn't that one of hers? It was wonderful.

10. I hate any book which trickles off with a boring ending after a thoroughly good read up to the last chapter. I hate it when the denouement and the climax are in the same sentence.

Tulip Baby Cardigan, Revised

2007-10-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

None of you readers care that this is a Tulip Baby Cardigan from Dream in Color yarns. None of you care that I knit it in Lion Brand Cotton Ease for my niece's first baby. But, I will care when I can't remember what the pattern was and what I knit it in next week when I want to knit another one! I do think this is a cute baby sweater, though.

OK April - here it is

2007-10-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

This is fun

2007-10-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

The Trip that Wasn't

2007-10-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

We left on our annual motorcycle trip about six hours ago. Stopping already? And with WiFi? Nope. We left the house just before 8:00 and luckily, had trouble with the bike before 9:00. Why luckily you ask? Well, it is somewhat like the three legged dog, not so good that we have to cancel our trip, but it is great that a) no screeching of tires was involved b) rescue was available from friend Jonathan c) it doesn't sound like it is a terminal problem - just one to put the trip out of time reach this time and d) that it happened one hour into a 900 mile trip instead of us being in Bristol, TN which was tomorrow's planned map marker. We also know that we like our new bike luggage, despite it being a bit contrary to initially strap on the luggage rack, and we know that the newly recovered old seat is better than the new seat- which with adjustments could be even closer to perfect. The trip is already being recast to spring break either before or after Lyn and Aaron come home. We still intend to take the same bike to Niagara for its and our 30th anniversaries in the next 18 months to 2 years.
Scott is off to nap - and I'm going to watch a movie and knit. Big surprise there, right? I'll post pics of this one. This baby sweater is just too cute for words.

My baby boy

2007-09-30T19:21:00.001-07:00

Aaron turned 24 today. He will always be my baby boy.

I have ruined him for life.

I have a flickr account!

2007-09-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

If I am doing this right, by clicking on the title you will go to my account. Then you can see the birthday pictures. Sorry, Jennifer, I talked to your mom and dad instead of taking their picture!Maybe Mary took one of them. Too bad he or Lyn were not the ones behind the camera. See picture 0283 for the only identifiable Beth picture. Beckie is there in that one, too. Also look for her (Beckie) over Dr. Carr's head. You can't tell I was excited to see the Carrs in the picture. They were so sweet to me when I was in school. They were special to Bob as well. Can't believe they even remembered who I dated! Could be because they knew him from Gainesville.
I have recovered from the walking coma I've been in since arriving back home early Monday morning, but I still can fall asleep at the drop of a TV remote.
Back to the party. Approximately 165 people signed in, several people brought children and did not write their names, several came in the back door and did not sign in. We guest-i-mate there were around 200 people. Had it not been for Beckie, Betty, and, yes, Sue, I'd have cried. Those three - especially of course - Beckie - were the glue that held the day together. He was truly surprised, Fay missed it, and it all wound up working out. There were some sweet moments. One of the guests - 0282 - knew G'pa when they were kids. Called him Billy all evening. Some secret someone made him a beautiful walking stick. Several guests came from afar, Florida/Texas/points not Searcy...His namesake Rushton was there - that's Bear's son for those in the gunbelt loop.
All in all it was worth the small effort I personally made. I truly appreciate all the work others put in on his behalf. I especially appreciate my children - including my adopted-step-half- daughter -letting us bring the dog/leave the dog/walk the dog/listen to the dog and mom/run countless errands and be supportive in the meantime.
If I didn't do the title right, go to www.flickr.com and look for rushtonmom in the people section!

Were you ever here?

2007-09-10T19:42:00.001-07:00

What can you say to that?

That long ago? What have I been doing?

2007-09-09T19:03:00.000-07:00

Knitting! In the last two weeks, I've knit a new afghan for the NICU at the hospital, a special secret project, and most of an afghan for a soon to be married couple at church. I wouldn't say I am a prolific knitter, nor am I a speedy knitter, but I am driven to complete projects in a timely manner. I usually have two on needles at the same time, but the reason I was able to complete these quickly was because of my mind staying on one track for once.

I've so enjoyed my knitters groups. We are up to about eight in our after school group; we just get together to knit and gab - we're the Stitchin' Witches. My group of learning ladies is up to four and they are all wonderful. Cathy, our muse, had her knee surgery Thursday, so we didn't meet, but she is hoping to be feeling well enough next week to have us all again. I'm not planning on converting anytime soon, but these Lutheran women are great!

One reason I've had so much time to knit is because Scott has worked the last 4 weeks with only 3 days off. He will have his regular four days off at the end of this week and we are both ready. Bless his heart, he is about frazzled. Besides just the regular stresses of work, he's had to be a patrolman this week and last week had to manage the range for all the officers requalifing practice. He'll have to do the requalifications for all of them in two weeks. I can't imagine being on a gun range with 15 - 20 people being less stressful, but he says it is. Besides that, politics continue to be very much the small town variety.

Not much to tell other than that. We finally got some rain this weekend. It started Friday and it rains in fits and starts, never more than a few minutes at best, but two or three times a day. We'd gone 3 1/2 months with no rain, so I guess this way is the best. Most of our driveway survived this time. The forecast promises rain somewhere in the area until Wednesday. I hope they know what they are talking about! We're very thankful for what we've gotten, but we wouldn't be opposed to a few more days of this! Over a month ago one of the local weathermen commented that all the rain they've gotten out west would barely get us back to normal. His opinion is, until we see Noah, bring it on!

For those of you in the know, I'll see you, you know where and you know when - or actually, probably Friday night - unless we are late and crash on an unsuspecting child's couch!

Planning Mice

2007-08-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

I've always wondered about the best laid plans of mice...
Our plan yesterday was to go with a group of riders to Wheeler Dam on the Tennessee River just at the Alabama boarder. Not too far. We left our house at 5:00am to meet the group which planned to be back in Centerville around 12:00 - 1:00. It takes 15 minutes to get to Centerville. We didn't meet the last person till 6:30. Still, it was just beginning to get light and it was still cool - not bad.
An hour down the road someone decided to stop at Shoney's for breakfast. Nice. Wrong jeans at this point - tight waist band - but still happy.
Wheeler Dam was eventually reached. It is not remote, but it is still isolated and in the country. The cottages built for the dam builders who were there on a more permanent basis are still there - including numbers 2 and 13 where my parents lived with Martha and Burkett in the early 40's. This is where Burkett says the primodial soup of the river entered his psyche at birth. It is still very beautiful.
Just down river is Muscle Shoals/Florence and home of Wilson Dam. My dad also worked there in the 40's. It is now in the middle of town - and what a town. Name a restaurant chain - it is there. From Krispy Kreme to Red Lobster - they had it on this one stretch of road. It was beginning to get warm. It is 11:30 by now - no way to get home by 1:00 since we're 120 miles from Centerville.
We stop once again about half way home for lunch. Finally we are getting into Centerville and the NEW story starts around 3:30. We'd been riding about 60 miles or so and the seat is getting really hot - I'm into some serious fanny fatigue and Scott decides to take the scenic route home! About 10 miles into the last 30 home I poke him and tell him to pick the next wide spot in the road - I've got to get off. Luckily, within a mile or so, we come upon the wildlife ranger's house and stop there. They aren't home. OK, we'll sit on the porch. In just a few minutes, I'm ready to ride again, we get all soaked up to go and gear back on and the bike won't start. I push Scott 5-6 times from the crown of the road into their 30' driveway - not nearly long enough to start it, before we give up and see if we can call someone to come out here in the absolute wilds of Hickman county to jump the bike. After umpty jillion phone calls - why do they have service out here and I don't at my house? - help arrives and we visit with them for nearly an hour while their truck is running and charging the battery. Great visit with friends we spend too little time with. Finally, 13 1/2 hours later, the planned six hour ride is complete and we are home. And I wonder why I never have any time to clean up around here...

OH! IMPORTANT!

2007-08-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

New discovery thanks to Aaron. Clarksville has a little diner called Johnny's. Normally I'd have never stopped. But after hearing they had FRIED HONEY BUNS, what could I do. OH MY GOODNESS! They offered it with ice cream on top. Are you kidding me? What would possess you to deface a honey bun that way. Especially one anointed with butter and fried until crispy and gooey on a hot grill. Nirvana. Or at least country gourmet.

In the last eleven days...

2007-08-23T17:41:00.001-07:00

One's life can certainly turn on a dime. Scott found out within that 11 days that the insurance due to stop covering Aaron at the end of September because of his 24th birthday could continue if he were back in school. Most of you who read this know of Aaron's struggles with depression for the last 2 years. Depression and school do not mix well. APSU and Aaron didn't mix well either. Harding doesn't like it when you try to come back without mentioning intervening school time. Academic review boards at state schools can be far more forgiving than you might expect. Sometimes Christian institutions can be much less forgiving than you might expect. Most of the time, it pays to keep on plugging. We'll see what the final outcome is, but Aaron as of 7:46pm, Thursday, August 23, is at Harding, in an apartment, reinstated as a student, but with no classes. We await the registrar's decree.

Lyn's friend, Nash, went to the doctor today to see if he may have skin cancer. He is a young man, Lyn to Aaron's age. Please pray for him, if you will.

Lyn is currently sitting between two Jareds in chapel, keeping company with Nash, and being pursued by Michael. She has a new job at a clothing boutique in Bald Knob. I think she also has some art classes.

I have a new friend. Kathy Cobb, who lives just up the road a bit, close for around here - just 5 miles - has hired me to teach her to knit. We got along so well and have so many things in common, I'm not sure the lessons will last long but it looks as if we have each found a fast friend already. I was open to a new one at last. It is very hard to admit this, but I don't easily let people in or make new friends easily. I make really good acquaintances fairly quickly - but few with whom I'll share as much as I share with you in this extraordinarily public forum. Not that I think more than the five of you who aren't my children are distributing my blogsite to the masses, it is just easily stumbled upon by strangers. Odd that I could have a lurker knowing more about my life than most of my relatives! (If you are a lurker, you are still welcome - I just wish you'd reciprocate with the sharing!)

I just finished an Oprah's book club selection. The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink was compelling, but I did not enjoy it. (Odd, I've never enjoyed an Oprah selection I've read.) It reminded me of the Stones by the River (I think that was it) about the dwarf girl who lived at the time of the holocaust. The Reader was set in the years after, but they paralleled in lots of ways. I did not like either book, but couldn't stand not to finish them. I kept hoping for more, for a resolution. Didn't get one. Neither of the protagonists could work the antagonist out of their psyches. I find that in some people - I tend to think of them as intrapersonally retarded. They don't know themselves even well enough to decide to have a goal. Very sad.

I've come to a point in my life that I can't wear sleeveless shirts. Just knit a really cute one and can't wear it. I feel naked. It will have to have sleeves. But it is a beautiful shell just because of the colors. Think late fall leaves after the yellows have turned brown and dark gold. Don't forget the reds. THAT's what color it is. Ribbon thread. Can't wait to wear it. Once it has sleeves to cover at least the top of the wings.

It was 100 degrees still when I was coming home from work at 4:00. It has been two weeks of this with no end in sight according to Leland on channel 5 tonight. I'm just glad it isn't comparably cold.
And people said the Internet would destroy letter writing...

Motorcyclists for the Messiah

2007-08-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

OK, the name is really corny, but I didn't help come up with it! Tomorrow is motorcycle Sunday at our church, everybody with a bike is supposed to ride to church, eat afterwards, and then ride. Scott originally wasn't going to participate, because he didn't want to take part in something that was going to cause bad blood. We've got him ready to go, though. I'm ready. I decided I can't wear my "Harley Riders: The Kind of People Your Mother Warned You About" t-shirt. It has a really big hole at the belly button. I may wear my cousin's bike shop shirt, despite it being named Iron Horse, which I'm sure was named for the trashy magazine instead of the "iron" horse connotation. No matter what shirt I wear, I'll have my blue jean jacket on in the 100 degree heat. I'll soak it in water right before we eat and let it drip a while. Then, while it is still wet, but no longer dripping, I'll put it on and ride in air-conditioned comfort while all the newbie rough riders are miserable and sunburned in their sleeveless shirts. Maybe I'll "convert" someone at church tomorrow! I know we'll have several there who don't go to any church. Hopefully, they'll see we have fun even while trying to live as Christians. I'll say this for our current preacher; we weren't thrilled about his oratorical skills at first, but he'll say what others shy away from. Last week, his sermon included big rocks he handed out to the congregation as he was speaking. His point was, let's not throw stones at our visitors next week. Not bad.

Is it hot in this handbag, or is it just me?

2007-08-06T20:03:00.001-07:00

Yes, folks, the dew point is in the upper 70's, the shade temp is 98, and Lyn and I have run the kiln the last two nights. I don't think Nashville has broken 100 degrees yet, but it is in the forecast. Tennessee isn't supposed to do triple digits, even in Memphis where hot was invented!
Everybody have a nice iced tea and fan a minute.

Great Things about Living in the South

2007-08-01T19:45:00.000-07:00

Being a southern girl, I have iced tea spoons in my silverware drawer. Some of them are even actually at least silver plate instead of stainless. This is important because the one quart Starbucks Coffee Almond Fudge is a little too deep for a regular spoon and ice cream tastes better off of silver than stainless or plastic.

I really didn't NEED the ice cream after today's first day at school experience, but since I wore new shoes (stupid) it did help. And, I only finished the bottom of the quart. I didn't eat it all tonight. I promise...

Aaron is at a ZZTop concert tonight. And Stray Cats. Scott and I are jealous. I am a fan of both and can sing real lyrics instead of the ones I make up in my head to most songs. My family occasionally has to tell me I probably don't need to sing along with a song since I don't REALLY know the lyrics and nice girls wouldn't admit liking "that" song. Well, OK, but Velcro Fly is just really a cool song. Who knew it was about pants?

Hair Dyeing Murderer

2007-07-30T17:21:00.000-07:00

When I was younger, our preacher made the comment that a woman who would dye her hair would just as soon commit murder. Well...I wouldn't go that far, but I am helping Lyn do the whole tri-color business that I claim to not like. It has grown on me, though.
At the same time as the above preacher made that statement, his son, who later found fame and fortune in Hollywood and the environs, where according to his dad before this, everyone was going you know where in a really big handbag, got into trouble teaching my brother a song in the parking lot during VBS. Did that run on sentence run the right direction? The song my brother learned which had nothing to do with VBS was sung to "At the Cross." The words however were "At the bar, at the bar, where I smoked my first cigar, and the nickels and the dimes rolled away. It was there by chance that I split my Sunday pants, and now I have to wear my everydays."
I'm being paged to the salon...

Exit 143

2007-07-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

If you have any reason to drive on I-40 between Memphis and Nashville, you must stop at Exit 143 and have cinnamon buns. I personally like the ones which have been sliced and then rebaked until they are cinnamon crutons, but hey, that's just me. Scott and I rode the bike out this morning while it was still only in the 90's for buns and coffee. We'd ridden about 100 miles and were still back by lunch time. That's the way I like to do it unless we are going to actually do something on the other end before we come home. Lunch in Lynchburg maybe. Or a museum in Alabama.

I bought a new phone today. It is pretty plain Jane, but in a couple of weeks we are updating our service so we can IM on the phone. How cool is that? Lyn and I are excited and will probably be the only ones to use it, but since we can't IM at school, it will be a big help when we are trying to do banking or doctor stuff long distance. Lyn and Aaron's phones can play music, arrange your schedule, and wash and fold your laundry. I wanted a speaker phone. I'm such a cheap date.

I just made one of my once a year's. Mannicoti is in the oven. I will usually make lasagna once every six months or so, and buy it once a month - but once in a great while I'll fill the little tubes or the big shells with cheese-y yumminess and we will all eat until we are cross-eyed. I should have made it last night, because Aaron has to work tonight, snoreville. Just 35 more minutes to wait!!

Went to the half price books store the other day (well, twice.) Lyn and I bought about $40 worth of $0.99 books. I threw in a couple of Janet Evanovich's (not of the numbered ones) on CD so I'd have something to read while knitting. I made a couple of spur of the moment purchases which have turned out to be surprisingly good. I read Easier to Kill by Valerie Wilson Wesley and I have Where Evil Sleeps left to read. They are about Tamara Hayle, a young black private detective in Newark. She's smart like our gal in Janet's books, but a little more level headed. Not enough to make the book boring though!

Lyn just informed me we only have 14 minutes left on the timer. That means time to slice sourdough bread and make tea. Don't you wish you were having supper with us?

Brylcream Trip

2007-07-22T18:52:00.000-07:00

You know how a little dab'll do ya? Well that is the type trip we had. A little dab, but it was worth the drive. Scott had a little of his usual travel anxiety, but it was minimal enough not to really get to anyone. He made it down to the beach with his bum ankle once and enjoyed the surf. He sat and watched us from the pavilion the second time and had a bonus watching for the Blue Angels.

Aaron and Lyn really enjoyed the ocean. Lyn and my brother must have more of the primordial soup in them than I do, because it seems that they are never so truly relaxed as they are in or near the water. I believe Aaron has a healthy dose, too. The weather was cooperative right up to the last minute in Mobile where we watched a cool lightning show over the USS Alabama as we drove into town.

The town of Flomaton will forever be linked to jokes about the origin of its name and uses of a flomaton or whether or not aliens brought flomatons from space. The general consensus is that it cannot possibly be a real town, but some product from the 1950's to regulate water flow.

Lyn took some spectacular pictures and she and Aaron will fully chronicle the trip at some point in the future. I'll reproduce it here as soon as they cough it up.

Anyone else finished Harry Potter yet? I know you haven't gotten it yet, Reagan. I will say I thought it ended the way it should end; I shed copious tears; don't believe everything you hear from the rumor mill; and none of us would want all our secrets out in the open.

Back to school tomorrow. I find coming in "a really close second" in job interviews is not as comforting as some would hope it would be. I have come in second to a couple of people that knowing I was second to THEM was very disturbing. I only hope it is because I know them much better than the interviewers after working with them for several years. I also hope I don't lapse into bitterness and give up. I finally have figured out why I've been so unhappy in a job I enjoy. I was incredibly busy with meaningful work until the decision was made to hire the politic person for the position I'd been groomed for over five years. Since then, I've not been given jobs with meat or meaning any more, and I find that very disheartening. I hate not having meaningful work every minute I'm at work. So, this fall, I intend to make something up to do to benefit someone every week. Call it Not So Random Acts of Kindness. But, hopefully, I'll be able to do it in such a way as not to be recognized as doing so deliberately. I'm open to ideas from the panel. The one person who reads this from my school is not permitted to comment about this to anyone but me. You may come up with ideas to suggest, but you may not repeat this to anyone. Besides, you should be on your way back to school or something else significant, anyway!

Everyone have a good week. Nothing happens to us which does not eventually have positive meaning for us if we will let it. I intend to let it happen.

Sleep is Elusive

2007-07-14T19:06:00.000-07:00

Did I use that right? Meaning sleep gets away from me easily? I'm so sleepy right now I feel like I could crash for a week. By the time I get up, wash my face and brush my teeth - I'll be wide awake. Then I'll turn on the TV to lull me slowly unconscious, but since I have become addicted to Scrubs, I'll get involved in the story and stay awake until the last 5 minutes when I promptly fall asleep and miss the ending. I didn't see the end of Burn Notice Thursday night - asleep on the couch. They say the longer you are married the more like your spouse you become. I was sort of hoping for being able to read people better instead of falling asleep during the movies. When I do get to sleep it is no guarantee I'll stay there. Usually one or two nights a week I'm awake at least an hour or so in the middle of the night. There is some strange TV going on at 3AM.
Speaking of movies, we went to HPOOP last night. Aaron said he felt it was probably the best Potter movie so far. He had heard the adaptation was not as close - and that was borne out. They didn't mention Uxbridge banning Harry from Quidditch forever, and I missed the moat the Weasley twins created leaving Hogwarts. In all, I don't think we hated dear Delores enough. I also thought the kids were slighted in the Ministry scenes. They fought much harder than was portrayed. I do think not meeting Neville's parents in the hospital was covered adequately if not too imaginatively. Scott, Gene and Lyn were pleased. Now, we only have to wait 6 more days to find out who gets what in the end. Like LOTR and Star Wars, I'll be sad to see it end. I think Jan Karon is getting us ready for a parting as well and I just can't stand it.
Gene is here, we've had fun so far. I have to tell a funny on him. At the movie last night, Lyn and Scott had already gone in, Gene and I were getting drinks, Aaron had yet to arrive. As Gene and I got to the ticket takers, one of them said to me, "I know you, don't I?" Based on who he was with, I said I was Lyn's mom, he responded that Lyn was awesome, and the other ticket taker said much the same about Aaron. I thanked them and said something mom-like, and Gene pops up and says, "I'm their uncle!" We just laughed and walked on in the theater, leaving them in the dark!
Getting down to the wire now. School starts in 8 days. We are going to try to squeeze a trip in to the Gulf next week. If anyone knows of a hotel which might have vacancies...please advise! We just cooked this up Wednesday after church. Any good places to eat from the Ladies of the Club?
I lack 3 chapters of The Hobbit. I've read it at least 5 or 6 times. It is such a great yarn. I love picture of Tolkien on the back of the $.99 paperback I picked up at either Great Escape or Goodwill. He's laughing and crinkly eyed and it just makes you want to pinch his cheeks. No wonder CSLewis couldn't resist him!

Who's Your Daddy

2007-07-09T04:43:00.000-07:00

Burkett, my brother, and I were talking the other day about ancestors. I'd taken Daddy to Decatur, AL to meet Burkett and my nephew at Burkett's new boat. While we were there, we took a trip around Decatur to look at a few family homes and cemetary monuments. We started talking about how hard it had been (and will continue to be for at least another generation) for our family to EVER have had a five generation picture.
My grandfather was born in 1865 and died when my mother was 15 in 1935. He was one of the few people in the county who could read. Mother remembered the KKK coming to the farm and trying to burn the barn because her family had "Aunt Sally" living with them. Aunt Sally was a former slave, (not of theirs! - Mother was mortified to find out a great grandparent had been given a slave as a dowery) - but to Mother, she was just another family member.
My dad's father was born in 1880 and fought in WWI. He was injured in France by AIRCRAFT fire. My mother's brother served on a ship which brought several soldiers back from France arriving in the US on Armistice Day in 1917, which may have included my grandfather who spent a year in a French hospital. My uncle was already in his 30's. My grandfather came home and around 1918 began working as a brake repair man on the L&N Railroad despite being paralzyed on his left side.
When you start talking about my great grandparents, we're looking at the 1830's - 1850's. In our family, you only have to go back 5 generations removed from me to get to relatives who fought in the Revolutionary War!
Lyn and Aaron were lucky enough to know all four grandparents and one great grandparent. I had one grandmother who didn't like me much and a grandfather who died when I was two. I was always jealous of my friends who had grandparents, but it didn't occur to me it was because they were still making out and making babies into their late 40's for the women and their 60's for the men. Can you IMAGINE a baby or even a 5 year old at this point in your life with no washing machine or indoor plumbing or a refrigerator? I am a spoiled weakling.

To celebrate the 4th...

2007-07-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

I forgot to use my inhaler this morning. I've relied on that little gizmo for the past few weeks to breathe without sounding like an old fashioned screen door opening and closing. It is 5:30 and not only am I breathing, I am doing so without rasping, wheezing, coughing, or sputtering. Truly a day to celebrate!
As for Independence Day, we will celebrate that Sunday when everyone is off at the same time. Hope you have a wonderful 4th!

Proud Farmer?

2007-06-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

Here it is! First one ready to pick! Probably this afternoon after I get back from my knitting circle. It's our first meeting, too. I missed the one yesterday, but I'd have been a visitor instead of a charter member. The excitement builds!
When the light is a little better, I'll post a pic of the new colors on the walls.
Everyone have a good day.

It Made Me Snort

2007-06-26T06:57:00.001-07:00

Were you watching Fox News this morning about 6:45? Marie Osmond was doing the weather. She pointed to the 89 degree graphic on one city and called it "98" and then said - "Oh, I'm dyslexic." Then, she did it again on another city...maybe for a laugh. But what got me going was when she pointed to El Paso where the predicted high today is 102. Marie said, "Oh, it's just summer. I have my own personal summers all the time at my age." The "friends" cracked up. So did I. I can relate. I can also relate to the fact that despite being just as cute as she was 30 years ago, she has like me, packed on a couple of pounds. To further illustrate how much like me she must be physically, the back of her really cute green skirt was about 4" shorter in the back than in the front when she got up to do the weather. That's my kinda gal!

Hello, again

2007-06-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize how long it had been since I had posted. At the end of the school year, things are always very hectic and this year was no exception. Thursday before Memorial Day and the weekend before my last week of school, I got hit with allergies. I was hit worse than I ever had been, so I went to the FNP. I didn't get my usual nurse, but the newbie just out of school 6 months or so and apparently someone told her the patient never really knows what is going on. She gave me some Carter's Little Pills apparently, for they do nothing for my allergies and I continued to sound like Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge or Val Kilmer in Tombstone. Apparently I looked like Doc Holliday, too. I finally went back to the clinic after a month of coughing (I actually was keeping Scott awake at night, if you can believe it,) and was diagnosed this time with bacterial bronchitis. That hasn't slowed me down much, except with sleeping - and that is overrated. I'm down to just an inhaler for about another month - no biggie - except the remembering part.
Lyn didn't go to Europe, a choice she made - but we are making good use of that choice. (I must admit to being secretly glad she is home - and Scott has not been secretive at all about being just really happy to not have to get in that "cigar tube" for 10 hours.) She and I have painted the dining room, living room and hall way a lovely shade of baby poop, which she insists on calling a warm gold and the foyer is a deep red. It has made a huge difference. A little rearranging of furniture for the first time in 10 years, new patio chairs, and I'm almost in a new house. The sofit and facia get the next treatment, then the kitchen ceiling and then new carpet/flooring sometime this fall, maybe. I wish I'd done it all last year right after the tornado, but after I'd waited a week and then Mother died - I just didn't particularly care.
Meantime - I was in Lowe's...I spy out of the corner of my eye, a clearance of rugs rolled up on this rack. I just glanced at one and see that it is marked 6'x3'. No way that rug is that small - so I look a little closer just out of curiosity. I like the colors - deep chocolate and dark red. I'm about to turn away and another woman is walking up to the rugs...and I notice the price. $38! Well, I want to look at this rug a little bit closer, but that lady has a look in her eye of definite rug avarice. So, I scoop up the little so called 6'x 3'rug and lurch in the direction of a cart. I still don't think I'm buying this rug, but I'm willing to look to make sure that doesn't say $138 on the plastic shrink wrap binding this rug into a carpet mummy. I finally find a salesperson to guard the rug long enough for me to find a cart and wrestle the thing into it. You know, just so I can look at it leisurely without being clocked in the head with a paint sprayer by the lady with the evil rug eye. I roll the rug around while I get my wood filler and door sweep and window glass to fix the kitchen door for the second time in a week. (The dog ran her head into the glass and broke it the first time, and the second time, I'd fixed the threshold and the sweep and couldn't get the door open again - so I nudged it - just nudged it with my hip and it broke out another pane.) But back to the rug. I got it home - it was $38! I couldn't leave it there. Evil eye would not have a cat to shed on this rug while he gazes at himself in the mirror. Evil eye would have it neatly under the coffee table surrounded by chintz chairs and a quitely plaid sofa and matching endtables. Yes, it would fit...the thing is an oversized 5'x 8'. Again, out of curiosity, I looked up the name on the big sticker on the back and the cheapest I could find the rug I have ANYWHERE on line was $168 on sale. Lowe's claims not to even carry it. I really like it with the other four in the room with it! Though I may look into overdying the real Oriental rug someday.
Aaron spent a few hours at the ER last night. He describes it fully and funnily on MySpace or whatever it is that he and Lyn subscribe to. "Man pains" was all I got out of him until I overheard him calling in to work to get the night off. I wound up driving him to the ER and staying in the lobby until Lyn got there after her date. She stayed with me till midnight and then 10 minutes after she left, he was released - of course. I'm hoping the ultrasound tech doesn't sue him for sexual harrassment. Although, since he was the one naked and she was the one in the position of "power" it may not stick. Your imagination may wander freely about the building, but you still wouldn't be able to top him. Sufice it to say, I may yet get to be a grandmother if the fairy godmother will produce a girl out of a pumpkin someday.
My big news besides working on the house is that I've birthed 8 tomatoes! I'm so proud. We've tried growing things on these rocks ever since we moved in and have never had any luck. My dad's tomatoes are 6' tall and tree like - planted a week before mine. He had his first ripe tomato on June 1. I had a tomato on June 1, it still isn't ripe. But I'm still proud. I have 10 plants and 7 of them are over 7" tall. I may have a red one on the 4th. If not, we'll have 8 fried green tomatoes and burn the rest with the fireworks!
Hope everyone is having fun.
Freda Lynn

Contentment

2007-04-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

I just had a wonderful evening...and now we all know what a mundane life I lead.
I fixed dirty rice for supper with all the fresh veggies to go on top. My dirty rice NEVER turns out well. It was perfect and we all ate until we were stuffed full of good food. For dessert I had a cup of Frangelico coffee with cream, mmmmm.
Already feeling mellow, Aaron popped in a movie, Scott immediately went to sleep, and I watched a very nice movie, no action, few laughs, just a gentle movie, while I watched I had a revelation about a knitting project and unraveled about 200 yards and started that part over. Usually unraveling is a despised act. Tonight it was right. I seldom knit from an established pattern anymore, and the "pattern" I was making up finally came together.
My dad called, he's made it a year as of the second and he is doing OK. We talk every day, I love the fact that we are closer than we've ever been. Thank you, Mother and God.
My 62 year old brother is starting a new business and running in the Music City Marathon Saturday. Can you imagine? Believe me, not if you knew him 4 years ago. Amazing.
Aaron is going to pick Lyn up tomorrow for a weekender at home before her big trip. Very little time at home this year, but that's OK, too. I'll make cheese cake tomorrow afternoon. That is a fun activity usually. Very soothing, almost like baking bread.
The dog is being funny. She goes into her room, brings out a piece of food, eats it in the hall, and runs back and forth between the window and the kitchen door watching the night life outside. Lather, rinse, repeat. I don't know what she sees, but a red fox family has returned to the cave on our property. The last fox was friendly with our last outdoor cat. She shared her food with the foxes, actually sitting a couple of feet away and watching them eat from her bowl. Our current cat sneaks dog food when he thinks no one is looking. Buth then, he also likes strawberries in his cream and used to eat banana chips.
Birds made a nest on the light fixture on the front porch. Wrens, I think. Four little beaks showed up earlier in the week. Mom and Pop are very busy and don't settle down until way past dark. Sounds like a typical family.
Work is hectic these last few weeks, but it is stressful in a way that makes me more productive and I think that is partially why I'm feeling so serene.
We've had three bomb threats this week. All hoaxes. Anyone out there remember the real bomb that went off outside my classroom in Bald Knob about 22 years ago this month? For some reason I want to find the newspaper article from that day. Can't do it. I wasn't as serene that week.
Bonus points for anyone figuring out why I feel so content. Be sure to tell me.

Teasing Beckie

2007-04-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

Saw this on someone else's blog. The caption was "Breakfast of Champions."

News alert. My house is clean. Everyone come visit NOW.

Gettin' Knitty Wid It

2007-04-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

I am such a knit-nerd. I just taught myself how to knit 2 different fabrics simultaneously. I am so psyched. I can now knit 2 socks at the same time like the grandma did to impress the kids in "War and Peace." I'd take a picture, but who'd high five their monitor when they saw the blue and red wings on my needle? Hmm?
Next travel question. Should we lock ourselves into reservations for hotels or play it by ear? Can we travel the way we do here and expect to find a bed? A bed is all we really want, well, besides toilet privileges. And a sink would be nice.
What about travel wardrobe? Are jeans ubiquitous in England? How about in a cathedral? Got to go look at "Pillars of Stone" inspirations.
Thinking I have Scott talked into this. Who is going to lie and pretend to be Scott if he backs out after I've bought tickets?

Questions for the panel

2007-04-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

OK world travelers, ALERT! Scott has said to assume he is going for now. He did think we were going to Rome while Lyn was in her free travel period when he said that, but I am going to hold him to it now that it looks like we will be traveling in June/July and going to England/Scotland and not Italy.
Questions:
Weather/clothes in England in summer. I'm still cold natured, movies always depict rain; are the English offended by men in shorts and women in jeans? Do I need more than one skirt? Do I need a skirt? If we go into Westminster am I in a neck/knees/sleeves environment? Are my crocs suitable for anything other than the shower? Do I need some sort of rain attire?
Air travel: 2 big men. Why should I pay for 2 first class seats when I can buy an extra coach seat on the bulkhead or exit for the non person between them and give them even more space than they would have in 1st class? AND, that way we could all sit together and Scott wouldn't be wigging out. (However, if I fly non-res with my sister's ticket, he'll just have to get over not being on the same plane.) Is there a GOOD reason not to just buy an extra ticket for the guys?
Have you seen people knitting on planes with "porcupines" otherwise known as sock-needles? Usually about 5 knitting needles about 6" long and made of bamboo. The NTSB site says most of the time you are OK, but to travel with a self-addressed stamped mailer just in case. I don't want to lose my good needles, folks...this is a huge concern! ESPECIALLY if I buy neat needles and or yarn in Scotland!
Has anyone ever been to, heard of, Rushton Northampton? Rushton Hall is a triangular building from the 1500s. Might have to see that if it is possible and on the way from London to Liverpool via the train.
Speaking of trains - which I think may be my preference...One person says rent a car here to drive there. Others say buy train tickets there, don't buy Eurail. Another says Eurail tickets are still transferable so whatever we don't use we can give to Lyn and friends. Advice? Heckles from the audience?

Big News to the Third Power

2007-04-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, Aaron shared that he had answered an ad for a writer for a new comic book company. Today, he announced pending negotiations, he has been asked to submit 2, that is TWO, MINI-SERIES, or for us uninformed folk, that is 6 - 12 issues per series. For MONEY. Currently, the company is looking for an artist to illustrate.
Lyn IM'd just an hour or so later with equally big news. After deciding not to go to Europe while her Pseudo-aunt Beckie was there to hold her hand, she has decided to go on the Cityscapes/Landscapes art tour to Paris, London, Scotland and Italy for the summer. AND, the art department will help defray some of her expenses since it looks like her sophomore review tomorrow will be a shoe-in, especially since she's decided to change her major from ArtEd to BFA.
SO...That means, I may finally go to Europe this summer. Aaron would probably come with, slight possibility of Scott coming if I can find a big enough tranquilizer gun and a motorcycle sitter.
Last bit o' news. I have systemic poison ivy. Went to the FNP today, not in my lungs yet, but I've been inside since I got it with no contact with the clothes I was wearing when I was pollinated (yes, I got it without touching it either) so I'm on the happy juice known as prednisone. I'm up way past my bedtime even after watching Bill O'Reilly talk about Rosie being a doofus, watching Deputy chase something in his sleep, listening to Scott talk in his sleep about something being "a fallacy, there is no sense in starting that argument...murmur, mumble, something else" while he is pointing at the ceiling and parts sundry. He uses real vocabulary when he talks in his sleep. A month or two ago, he said "biscuits and gravy" and just went back to snoring.
Lyn and Aaron have been preapproving their bits, and I've been scratching and typing. I have PI under my hair. You know the creepy crawly feeling you get when someone says "L-CE" in school? That is the way my scalp feels with poison ivy. Its in my ear. and between my toes. I look like two vampire bats couldn't quite get their act together on one side of my neck, too. The very picture of a lovely lady leper.
Off to eat a brownie and try to go to sleep again. Hope Magnum is on.

Hello, All of you out there in TV land

2007-03-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

What show was that from? Arthur Godfrey? Art Linkletter? Red Skelton?
Several little thoughts which actually may be BIG QUESTIONS in disguise.
Why is my dad still trying to mow all the yard in one day? Or even all the yard? He has a terrible time getting to the mower and then has to recuperate for hours with legs that do not want to support him. I want him to do all he can do for as long as he can and fully support and understand that need, but we've already had one family member a bit obsessed with the whole mowing business. (Mowed off 3 toes, finished the yard, drove herself 4 miles to the hospital with a sock in the toe of her shoe so she could operate the pedals correctly.)
Why do I procrastinate so long doing the taxes when I know I'm not having to pay, I have a program which practically does it for me, and I need to get the kids fafsa forms filled out asap, besides?
Why, nearly 8 weeks after surgery, does my body still not indicate hunger or fullness? I eat for pleasure until it is no longer pleasurable at all. Most everything else is working really well now.
Why does every family get one of "those" relatives? (Which means when you marry you have at least 2.) Couldn't they all just be related to eachother and be dysfunctional somewhere else?
Why am I so obsessed with knitting? I went to a fiber show yesterday. Now I want to go to an alpaca farm and buy yarn straight from "Pewter" or "Binkie" or"Tawny." (Although the cool thing is, those yarns will never fade because they grew that way instead of being dyed. Also, alpaca is way softer than sheep's wool.)
But, on a more serious note, WHY DO ANY OF YOU CARE? All your blogs are so interesting and filled with such cool stuff, and you still come by here to read about the mundane cares of my life. That must be why I chose you all to be my friends. You're just all wonderful.

Thought I'd knit Scott some hair

2007-03-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

Helps to catch 'em when they are asleep - you know, spring it on them.

confessions

2007-03-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

I am sorry to report that my TV habits have completely denigrated into the unseemly. I am hooked on America's Next Top Model marathons and Charmed. My nighttime TV habits haven't really changed. I watch The Closer, Monk, House, and Numbers. Do you see a descrepancy? Non-thinking versus brainiac. Oh, I really like that show, too. Brianiac is the British version of Bill Nye. Sort of Monty Python meets Mythbusters. I need to get back to work.

Finished Naughty

2007-03-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

As we speak (OK, type and read) the brother captain is piloting his new ship through the Gulf to the Tombigbee to come home to TN. If you are going to be in Nashville and want a pleasure cruise, dinner cruise, mystery cruise, family reunion, business meeting in a very private atmosphere, he's ready to go. You can have 12 guests and he is fully capable of performing marriages, too! He will also do overnights or weekends for couples wanting to have a private cruise for their honeymoon.

I started this project while he was aboard the original Vagabum and then heard he was selling her (still for sale, 51' trawler comparable to a nice motorcoach both in amenities and price, sleeps 6 in comfort, more if you're short) so it stopped me in my tracks. Then, about 2 weeks ago, he said the name had been reserved for the new ship as well. (He's moved up to ship level.) That spurred me on to finish. I usually don't post stuff I've knit, but I thought this was pretty cool. All the flags actually mean something, except the one with my initials. It was a flub on my part, so I put my initials in it. It is on a king sized bed and almost covers the entire top. Aaron's afghan at Christmas was larger, but not as complex.

First time posting with the new camera, so I hope this works without undue stress and aggravation!

What a difference a day makes

2007-03-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

I've been fairly good. I've stayed home and not ventured out because I'd been excused from work. I've read another novel or two, The Secret Life of Bees is a wonderful story, you don't even have to squint hard to overlook the universal mother theme, it is just a good read. Kleenex alert.
I would recommend not walking down stairs wearing bifocals, slightly large wool socks, and carrying a glass of iced tea and a camera, however. I did take a slide down the last four steps from the bedroom last night. Broke my little toe, bruised my ego, my elbow, and my fanny, but didn't spill the tea or drop the camera as I landed flat on my back! I do have hidden talents. Called the FNP today, she said not much could be done for a broken toe and as long as nothing else came loose, just to hit the ibuprofen and the couch. So, even though it is over 60 degrees outside, I've built a fire and watched TV and an Indiana Jones movie. I've also knit about a foot on the final section of my brother's nautical afghan. I only lack about 3 1/2 feet! (This section is only a foot wide, so that isn't so much.) Aaron's home due to spring break, and since it is his break, he is naturally sick as a dog. That KO'd his camping trip to parts north. Lyn, who is going on tour next week, is also sick. Anyone around Sweetwater, Borger, or Duncanville next week, give my little girl a hug, though you might not want to drink after her.
I have also figured out how to shoot video withthe new camera, though not how to post to YouTube. That and figuring out how to sell something on Ebay is next week's project list.
Tammie says to update everyday while I'm recouping. At this rate, you'll see something everyday till 2008.

well, i tried

2007-03-06T15:38:00.000-08:00

Lyn and friends came home for the weekend. I had a sore throat Thursday, but I was so excited about seeing Lyn, I didn't worry about it. Hmm, maybe I should have taken the advice I give Lyn and "take it easy at the first sign of being sick when your resistance is down" - but, who knew?
So, by Sunday afternoon, I'm feeling really crappy (not a nice word, I know, but very descriptive of my state of mind and health.) I called school to let them know that instead of a full day back, I was going to wimp out and do a 1/2 day both Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon. Well, Tuesday morning got here and I went to see the FNP before going to school at noon - she promptly sent me home...for the remainder of the week. Since Friday is the last day before spring break, that means I have another 2 1/2 weeks to rest and recover.
If you've never been to a family nurse practitioner, I highly recommend it. They ask questions, don't settle for non-answers as a rule, and try to look at the whole person rather than just the current problem. The FNP I saw today was a stand-in for my regular nurse, but she was still able to worm out several things I might not have admitted to someone less, OK, nosy.
The first FNP I knew was also one of the first in the state of Tennessee, Sandy Gates Oster of Memphis, brother Bob's squeeze during the pivotal Memphis years. She's a tough act to follow when you are looking for a FNP, believe me. Pretty tough act to follow looking for a girlfriend for the other brother, too!
So, back to me...since I'll be off another forever, I intend to actually get something accomplished. Finishing the nautical afghan is one, getting back to being able to walk for 30 minutes is another, doing the taxes and getting the computer reformatted are the really heinous tasks. Don't you love that word? Heinous. Sounds really bad and is such a stress reliever to say it! I promise, I am not on pain relievers right now, supposed to be taking an antihistimine, but I'm not even doing that - I just really like the word!
Got a new camera to replace the one that didn't make it home from the AR shooting trip. Scott's bible didn't make it home either, so I hope the two of them are happy somewhere and not waterlogged and forlorn. I'd much rather someone be actually using them, even if it ain't me. I will try to do as I teach my students, "Just push a button and see what happens!" and see if I can post a short clip of the grandcritters playing.
Scott should be off duty in about an hour, just enough time for a good nap!

On Purpose?

2007-02-23T11:04:00.000-08:00

BTW 10:11PM I just put my jeans on for the first time just to see. They not only button, but they fit comfortably. I may not be going back to school naked after all!
Well, I just got through crying for 119 minutes and I did it to myself on purpose. I just watched An Affair to Remember and I suppose it was worth it. Good thing about being off during the day is that you are by yourself when you make those puzzling decisions about what to knit to: What Not to Wear or An Affair to Remember... I almost didn't let Scott buy it when we found it in the cheap movie bin. I knew I'd just sit and squall.
On to brighter things. It's 1:05 and I'm still in my gown. What are you doing?

I Hate Being Forced

2007-02-15T10:04:00.000-08:00

Of course, you've all done it by now. You've moved your blog to the New and Improved blogger. I read a comment months ago from someone who'd had the slightest bit of trouble, so I didn't want to move. I'm still using version 5 of Instant Messenger and who knows how old my version of Internet Explorer might be? I do not like change for the sake of change. I'm not at all opposed to change for the better or changing in mid-stream or change for children. All of those are acceptable. But as I've said before, the furniture in the house stayed where it landed 17 years before until we bought new couches. So this new version better be what it promises.

After all that, I don't want to post anymore.

Busy Day

2007-02-08T15:41:00.000-08:00

First day in real clothes.
Got my staples out. Only 4 ouchies. Much better.
Ate at the Greek place to celebrate.
Went to the big and tall shop.
Went to Dillards. bought more big and tall, and a food processor attachment for my Kitchenaide that I've coveted for years.
Went to Sonic!
Went to the pharmacy. :(
Went to the post office (I sat in the car)
But the BIGGIE was....I finally got my chairs back from the upholsterers! They didn't take long, I was the one who didn't get them to the shop. My parents bought a used overstuffed chair in 1941 for $5. I remember it in 2 different fabrics at their house, my older brother remembers 3, my dad, 4. I've had it recovered twice. It is the chair from heaven now. It sits like it did 30 years ago again and the leather is just exactly right for it. I'm very pleased with the newer one (maybe 60's overstuffed- squarish) and the way it complements without looking like I tried to match styles and couldn't. Scott and Aaron have decided we have to watch a Star Wars movie tonight for them to render their final opinions! If the dump wasn't closing in a few minutes, I'd have never gotten them out of them just sitting in the middle of the dining room!
I'm worn out, which is good. I'll probably sleep better tonight. The new meds are making me feel better already (I've had a slight complication - I went to the doctor and you know what that means for me, UTI!)
G and B are coming to spend the night tomorrow. I'm so excited, I can't stand it! It is so wonderful to have friends who you're so comfortable with that a week after surgery with two men in charge of everything that I'm not concerned in the least about the whole "how the house looks" issues. I'd be stricken if certain members of my family showed up!
The ample use of !'s has shown me that it might be time for me to sign off. Medications might be working better than I thought~

13 hours from one week later...

2007-02-06T15:15:00.000-08:00

I highly recommend the site hystersisters for anyone contemplating what I just did. I knew what to expect and I still didn't know what to expect! It was a great comfort to have read through much of the material they have gathered.
Details: I have one ovary left, or right, actually. The left one was webbed, had a cyst, and was shriveled. Everything else is gone. Tumors were exactly the size expected, see your cell phone for a reference as to size. So, not really big, not enough to make a major difference in weight or clothing unfortunately. Since being home, I've slept lots, read 2 books, knit 2 dishcloths, and watched way too much TV. I'm tellin' you, I did not know about some of this stuff on the tube. Unbelieveable! BUT, I'm feeling better. I stayed by myself today and went up and down the stairs without more than a minor crisis this morning. Get my 18 Craftsman staples out Thursday morning! Too cold to stay here at the computer though. Deputy won't lay on my feet, but he does let me know when we have company. He's such a good watch cat. Bea is psychotic, so normal. Aaron has been in my class twice, we've been out due to snow and sickness - but he has already revised my lesson plans to fit what he is teaching and is leaving alternate plans for the Tuesday Thursday sub. I don't know if I'll be able to go back and follow him!
Big Gene's mom died and I won't be able to go to the funeral. Got to go now. sat too long!

I still like her, but...

2007-01-30T16:58:00.000-08:00

Aaron just got home. Unusually early. I am refraining from thinking not nice things about the now ex-girlfriend who decided she doesn't feel romantically toward my wonderful son. Amazingly enough, he is more angry than hurt. I just think she's clueless.

No school, no party!

2007-01-30T16:15:00.000-08:00

School has been cancelled here for two days due to a horrendous multi county outbreak of strep and flu. A friend took her child to the nearby walkin pediatrian's office early last week. The staff told her when her child's tests came back positive for BOTH that they had 92 confirmed by test cases of flu in something like 18 hours of the clinic being open that week. That's just in the pediatric office!
So, since we didn't have school I didn't have a party. I currently have the drinks for punch, cookies and about 35 goodie bags all at school, ready to go, maybe for tomorrow when Aaron is subbing for me! HA! I won't be caring about that about 12 hours from now, will I? School was cancelled about the time I'd decided how I could make a "panty" cake since Lyn didn't want me to make the jelly roll. (Round pan, cut almost in half, cut outs for "legs", ice all in white with white piping for seams and elastic. I'm a granny panty girl. Sexy.)
I did get the house cleaned, well, to my specifications anyway. It is amazing how much better the vacuum cleaner works with a Kirby belt instead of the Kenmore belt the last guy sold me. My carpet just looks sad and worn now instead of dirty, sad and worn!
I'm in a study group for two things at the hospital. I can only remember one. I'm supposed to drink half of a 7up in the morning about 4:30 before my 7:30 surgery. The study is determining if women do better before going under general anesthesia if their blood sugar doesn't fall. Nausea, blood pressure, and something else are being monitored for changes. I'm just glad I got to be in the drink something group rather than the old "Don't brush your teeth" group!
The weather is not supposed to cooperate with visitors while I'm in there. Snow and 14 degrees by sometime tomorrow. Am I a horrible person for being glad? I just had surgery. Thank you for thinking of me, but I don't feel like entertaining you. Go away! Exceptions to this would be those who would clean my house before anyone showed up if I became incapacitated, the immediates, and my dad and Pauline. Maybe my cousin, the nurse.
That sweet Gene offered to come stay with me while I recouperate at home. I can think of very , very few I'd rather have. (Less than one hand, Gene - and Beckie is one.) I don't think, based on experience - (I know myself, I really don't think.) Based on previous surgeries of the same type where somewhat larger things were removed than I'm expecting tomorrow, I think I'll be OK. At least this time, I don't have to feed it and diaper it. Plus, I don't have to get out of a waterbed anymore. Just those things alone should take care of the 20 years older thing.
I'll be back in a couple of days to let you know how Scott and I did!

T minus 13 days

2007-01-17T14:14:00.000-08:00

Heard from the doctor yesterday - or at least the person who schedules the surgeries. She said I'll be having an abdominal hysterectomy (abominable hysterical-ectomy) at 7:30 on the 31st. Hopefully I'll get the same scar pattern I had with Lyn and Aaron - otherwise I'll have to go back to teaching math since I'll have a giant plus sign on my belly. I can keep my ovaries if I want. I believe I want. Mother was still trying to do menopause at 55 or so I probably have that long before mine conk out.
I don't do well with epidurals, so I don't want any company other than Scott when I wake up. He's been there twice and knows how anxious and teary I am until I can feel my legs and sit up again.
I am having a celebration party at school on the 29th - cookies and punch - to give away my leftover supplies. Sort of a reverse shower. Lyn would not let me make a jelly roll cake. She said it was in bad taste. Me? Bad taste? Why, I NEVER! I was only going to use white icing and maybe a little blue string...

Lyn's first wall

2007-01-15T18:30:00.000-08:00

My People Perish

2007-01-15T05:28:00.000-08:00

Aaron asked a question yesterday which we've all asked in the last several years, but I'm beginning to think the answer is not, "We'll accomplish more by being silent." I believe we might accomplish more by leaving and letting a few key people know why.
Lack of leadership is a big reason, imho, small town churches tend to get more and more insular and hidebound - conservative is not the right description - hidebound suggests, to me anyway, the constricting ties of tradition, which can be present just as easily in a place where folks view themselves as "forward" thinking as anywhere else.
Lack of leadership at our church home caused Lyn and our family some heartache a few years ago. Lyn had painted a classroom wall in the style of the "And He Shall Be Called" poster with all the names of Jesus. Since she started it as a senior in high school, it took her about four months to finish, and I believe that is where the leadership began to fail. Someone complained about the color and the time factor and instead of either, A) talking to Lyn about color change or about speeding up if possible, or B) telling the complainer to be grateful a teen was giving instead of taking, our leadership chose C) do nothing and maybe it will all go away.
Of course it didn't go away, and the complainer recruited others to complain about the color while the wall was still just a blank brown and tan bunch of blotches. Lyn really got into gear about this time, mid winter things slowed for a minute at school, and finished the wall with names of Jesus used throughout the Bible. All were in different scripts and fonts, all hand lettered, all with scripture references. And then the complainer really got going saying it was offensive because it was a reminder of personal abuse associated with those colors. And, of course, the leadership did nothing until the foment spread to people taking sides. Keep in mind, we were telling Lyn not to say ANYTHING, but especially nothing negative. She had gotten permission to paint, she had gotten approval of her subject, it was out of her hands.
When the leadership was forced to finally do something, it was to come to Lyn to ask if she would mind if the wall was painted over. Lyn asked if the complainer could just switch classrooms. What a revelation! No one had really thought of that! So, the one elder who "ran into Lyn" asked if that would work...you already know the answer. "No! That is MY classroom and I am ..." and then there was an identifying statement which I'll not use here. And again, instead of option B, there was now a curtain hung over Lyn's artwork. That was the "compromise" someone suddenly came up with.
Fast forward 2 years. Our church participated in an area wide open house at Christmas to showcase the twelve classrooms which have been painted with murals, three of which are solely Lyn's work. A comment is made to an elder, not by anyone in this family nor did we know about it until after the fact, that the curtain will either come down, or an elder will be present in the room to explain its presence while we have visitors. The curtain came down. Many postive comments were made about all the rooms. (We happen to know that several preachers from more than just cofC's have asked to come to just sit and meditate in the "Jesus" room. I don't know if that is still going on.)
In the mean time, Scott resigned as deacon - he'd been trying to for a couple of years, and we finally left the church cleaning job. We were starting the new year off with trying to recommit to this church family, get involved again in a meaningful way without the nametag or limitations of deacon.
All this boils down to what happened yesterday and Aaron's question. The complainer came forward. We were surprised and I at least felt hopeful. The prewritten letter was read by the preacher, and all hope was dashed. This person's letter was chastising the fellowship for attacks made against them, that the attacks had escalated to death threats, a hangman's noose had been hung in the classroom doorway, and the removal of the object needed for their classtime (curtain) had resulted in a "breach of the compromise." I thought the preacher handled it well, he thanked this person for the courage it took to come forward and he prayed for this person.
So, there we are. More will now realize the problem is a mental unbalance. However, the leadership has been aware of this illness since well before this whole incident and has allowed this person to not only teach two classes, but has allowed this person to proclaim to be an instrumental leader of the congregation in very public venues where the nature of the illness is not known. This person has talked negatively about my child and my husband and now by the nature of this letter read in front of 287 people - thankfully no names were read - the whole mess will start up again.
I want advice. Do we leave quietly? Do we leave with an explanation by letter to the elders/minister? Do we stay and "suffer slings and arrows?" Do we do something else? Ideas, people. This has been my church home for 17 years. We used to laugh about being missionaries here, and things have changed for the better in some ways. Scott did lead negotiations which avoided a split in the congregation about ten years ago, so we have strong emotional ties. But it may be time to cut our losses and go.

Computer Cleanup Time

2006-12-27T09:10:00.000-08:00

Found this I wrote about 2 years ago. Thought a couple of you might get a kick out of it and recognize a few people you may have known.

Southern Hair

I’m a woman in the midst of an identity crisis. I have a New Jersey native cutting my Southern hair. It isn’t that she doesn’t do a wonderful job, if and when I leave her to her own devices, it’s the communication barrier. She doesn’t understand the full range of hairism of the South.

First, there is Basic Southern Hair. This style has been adopted and refined by the LSU, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, and Bama girls. It stretches across racial and economic cultures as easily as cornbread and biscuits. These women have “dos” that defy convertibles, damp football stadiums, early morning grocery shopping at the Hills, and children. These women always have perfect hair. It adapts itself to the circumstance to look lovely and dew kissed in pouring rain; it will look sexy and smart in the hot summer humidity; and best of all, it never looks styled. This style is the most expensive and most time consuming to maintain of all the Southern hair groups. BSH (Basic Southern Hair) comes with an obligatory set of heels and manicured nails. Pearls optional.

Then there is Full Gospel Hair. Full Gospel is not confined to religious groups who set a great store by a woman’s crown of glory. Neither is FGH always long and teased, or ratted to Heaven, as we like to say in the South. FGH has only one real qualification. Hair spray. For a while during the misguided 90’s, an economy can of Final Net was difficult to find at the local Wal-Mart. Droves of women took to shopping for hair products exclusively at beauty supplies and flea markets. Retailers finally got the message: We all weren’t longing to be Earth Mothers with stringy unkempt locks pulled back in a tacky scrunchy that matched our tee shirts. Hair spray is a necessary commodity to keep the crown and bangs at fresh-from-the-salon levels for days at a time. (Since the reintroduction of large cans of hair spray Wal-Mart stock has split twice.) Full Gospel hair always looks styled for any occasion. However, depending on the socio-economic upbringing of the wearer of FGH, you may catch her in curlers mowing the yard or just sort of flinging it all on the top of her head and holding it there with a coated rubber band to go to the Little League game or to drop the kids off at school. FGH can be maintained with ease by visiting a salon twice per decade or alternate presidential terms in the case of two term incumbents. Usually, whatever hairstyle was popular during the senior year of high school will serve well for thirty plus years. FGH comes complete with a range of clothing styles that make teenaged daughters groan whenever Mom goes out in public.

Finally, we come to Country Star Hair. CSH has been noticed, noted, and documented by several celebrity infochat shows. Often they interview stars’ stylists, who are major contributors to the Southern economy. Country Star Hair is made up of several elements, normally. First, there is the demi-wig or more recently, extensions. Then, we have products to create volume or lift. These gadgets look much like floral oasis. I don’t think you add water, though. Of course, the obligatory sprays, gels, mousses, clays, and mortar are all used to the extent that the ozone is thinning around certain tour venues. Finally, if the star insists and only if they’ve come to the music scene lately, some stylists will even incorporate the star’s own hair. Many Southern women strive to emulate CSH. Many Southern men succeed. Case in point, the mullet. The CSH must change with every new album cover or new spouse, whichever is the more frequent occasion. CSH comes with a navy or white ball cap to wear everywhere but church and of course on the new album cover.

CSH and FGH should not be confused with the subgroup, Texas Hair. Texas Hair is the subgroup into which almost all beauty contestants fall. Some contestants are moving toward the more natural look of Basic Southern Hair which is making identification of true Texans with Texas Hair easier to spot. My husband was recently at a convention in Denver when two women entered the conference hall. My husband turned to his companion and remarked, “Those women are from Texas.” Of course, his friend didn’t believe him. As the ladies came nearer, my husband commented their dress and hair declared the women were from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. When the two women happened to sit at the adjoining table, the friend couldn’t help but start a conversation to test the theory. He was utterly flabbergasted when the women introduced themselves and mentioned they were from Plano, TX, a suburb of…Dallas. Texas Hair comes with clothing that is tastefully and expensively embroidered or spangled.

Where my stylist and I can’t seem to find common ground is where my hair needs to fall. Most often, her choice is on the salon floor. I lean a bit more to FGH and CSH. She is trying to convert me to BSH, which is strange. She always has what looks like CSH to me, but as she has explained, it is not Southern hair at all. What she has is Atlantic City Hair. Ahhh. Maybe I need a trip to the Boardwalk for a little foreign exchange work. I wonder if ACH comes with skinny jeans and little designer tee shirts?

First time surgery

2006-12-26T16:22:00.000-08:00

Been through hearing specialists forever, Aaron had shingles at age eight, Lyn has been in the ER more times than I can remember, but today was the first time I did surgery with a child. I did OK, I think. Oh, how did Lyn do? Well, apart from a minor do-over the doctor called after about an hour and a half into recovery, she seemed to do pretty well, too. She was really miserable for the first hour or so, until we figured out she was bleeding in her throat. Doc came in with some apperati, cauterized her throat, ick and ow, and after a good dose of pain meds and several popsicles later, Lyn was feeling much better. We were only there for six hours! Out patient is the way to go. The ride home wore her out, so we watched my Christmas present from Aaron, The Bishop's Wife, had another dose of pain meds, another popsicle, some ice cream, and she seems to be doing better again. Worst part? No pizza for three weeks! I'm not sure that is going to be in the realm of comfort. While I waited, instead of worrying, I watched two of the Back to the Future movies on TV learned how to knit a short row toe for the first pair of socks I'm going to knit for myself. I've only knit a couple of Christmas stockings before; this will be interesting. Thanks for the prayers everyone, I'm better now...oh, yeah, Lyn's fine, too.