In which my geekiness shines through once again.

Today is warm but rainy. Perfect day for roofing (not), which is what Ben and the boys are doing. They're replacing the roof on a house that our church owns. Ben and Elijah spent yesterday tearing off the back half and replacing some rotten wood, and then covered it with tar paper (or felt paper, whatever you happen to call that black stuff that goes on under the shingles). In the middle of the night I could hear it raining, and it's rained on and off all day.

They were actually supposed to do this job last weekend, but cancelled it when the Weather Channel insisted it was going to rain all weekend.

Yeah. Not a drop.

This weekend was supposed to be overcast but dry until tonight. So the Weather Channel is 0-for-2. See if we ever listen to them again.

This morning, Leah and I went out to do some errands, which might have included this lunch. It's among my favorite places to eat lunch. See if you can guess where it is:

But as we were driving out of our subdivision, we came around a corner and saw this huge bird with long legs and a long beak fly up and land on  top of a house. We're such geeks, we stopped in the middle of the street and whipped out our cell phones (Do I EVER have a camera with me when I need one? NO. Maybe because SOMEONE keeps stealing my camera chip. But that's another post.), and took a picture. The whole time I was fumbling with my phone, I was muttering under my breath, "Don't you dare fly off, bird. Stay right there," like he or she would actually be intimidated by my commanding voice and STAY RIGHT THERE. Unfortunately, I am not well-versed enough with my phone to be able to zoom, so you have to look closely, but let me tell you, that is one BIG heron.

And it's not like I've never seen a heron before. It's just the first time I've seen one in my subdivision, sitting on top of a house.

So now we're home, and Leah is making us some cinnamon bread. That girl can bake some incredible bread. I'm going to have a cup of tea and enjoy not working for a while. And I get the whole day tomorrow off! What could be better?

Be thankful ~

Karen

She should have more fistfights.

I like house plants, within reason. They don't always like me, but that may be because I tend to forget about them until they are gasping and screaming out for water. When we moved here, the previous owners left a couple of them. One was a giant palm tree thing that loved the sunroom. It died. No idea why. Don't palm trees like hot, dry conditions? The other one was odd looking. It was sort of spiky and had leaves that grew from one another in long strands. And the new ones were sort of red. I had no idea what it was, so I stuck it on a plant shelf with the others and watered it occasionally. While other plants withered and died, this one seemed very happy. Then one day, I noticed buds on the ends of the leaves. I thought they were just new leaves. But a few days later, this is what it looked like:

My mother informed me it was a Christmas cactus, and that if I followed the pattern of light/dark/light/dark, it would bloom at Christmas.

But I thought I'd experiment a bit (actually, I couldn't be bothered moving it to a closet, and really, do you think there's any empty space in a closet in my house?) and left it in front of the dining room window. And do you know that cactus blooms faithfully every late October? And again in November or December. And usually in the spring too. And who am I to stand in the way of this plant asserting its little non-traditional will? I'll take flowers whenever I can get them.

In other news, (World's laziest transition. My literary genius amazes even me.) Lovely, bless her heart, had a bit of a rough day. She began it by oversleeping 45 minutes, and then had the pleasure of breaking up not one but two fistfights in her music classes today. Middle school—where the hormones rage and even music doesn't calm the savage beasts. One of Lovely's co-workers refers to the children as "pre-people."

So in celebration of a truly awful day, here's how she's finishing up:

Edy's Loaded Butterfinger ice cream, straight out of the tub. My kinda girl.

Be thankful ~

Karen

ps. In case you're wondering, Wylie has a broken back (no paralysis) and bleeding on the brain. For the last few days he has seemed awake, but has been very combative and didn't know much of anything. Today he snapped out of it,  recognized his wife, and asked where he was and what had happened. Things are looking up. Thanks for the prayers.

Serves me right for making fun of them.

Remember when I posted this picture and made fun of it by saying:

"And this made me laugh. A glove that lets you have two fingers free? Is that for counting your money in the cold? Or picking up cheerios?"

WELL. You're not going to believe this, but there is a very good reason for making a glove that lets you bare your thumb and index fingers. It is yet another invention of our increasingly technology-savvy day.

These gloves are designed to enable you to use your blackberry

or iPhone

while you have gloves on. Isn't that amazing? I mean, really, who thinks of these things?

Probably some teenager in Norway.

They also make Dots Gloves,

 

which have metal dots on the fingertips so you can use them on touchscreen devices.

And I'm still having trouble transferring pictures from the camera to the computer. I live under a technological rock.

Be thankful ~

Karen

Praying for Wylie.

Friends of ours were driving home from a wedding on Sunday and were rear-ended on the interstate around Memphis. This is why you always wear a seat belt:

People keep looking at this picture of their car and saying things like "God is so good" because Kelly and Wylie lived through it. I don't think that's the appropriate sentiment here. God is good no matter what happens. I think we should be reminded to be thankful for God's mercy when we see it.

Kelly is banged up, but she's already out of the hospital. Wylie is in critical condition. Would you pray for them?

Be thankful ~

Karen

My daydream was short-lived.

I was just looking through the old files of pictures on my computer, which was at one time the family computer, so there are photos from everyone. In addition to at least 40 pictures of the dog with the same dumb expression on his face, there are hundreds of photos from the kids' trip to Romania two years ago, some from Sunday school outings, high school reunions, and scads (what's a scad?) of silly pictures that Abbie took. She's the queen of silly. Here she is with Debbie, with massively huge spoons in their mouths:

Anyway, when I saw this next one, I stopped and sighed. It's where I'd like to be right now if it were the middle of summer—Bay Head, New Jersey:

I am SO a beach person. Can't you just smell the salty air? Feel the warm wind blowing? Hear the surf pounding? If I ever win the PowerBall jackpot whatever-you-call-it, the first thing I'll do is buy a house on the beach. No fancy cars. No closet full of new clothes. Just a house on the beach where I can keep the windows open and listen to the ocean all night.

Then I was jolted back to reality by this one:

Judging by the size of the man-boy, I'd say this was taken two years ago. He's standing on our deck railing, looking out over the back yard. If you knew how far down it was, you'd be hyperventilating, which is what jolted me out of my beach-y stupor. It's not a fall he or the guitar could survive intact.

Where would you rather be?

Strange but true.

I have no good pictures. No funny stories. Nothing earth-shaking or even remotely out of the ordinary to share. It's like Alexander and his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Only it's not such a bad day, just a little on the boring side.

Okay, a lot on the boring side. But I've made myself promise I won't work on Sundays unless there's a dire emergency. Which there actually might be, since I have to edit 84 recipes and the deadline is tomorrow, but somehow in my mind that's not quite dire enough to make me work today. So here I am wasting my time and yours (thanks for stopping by!)on the computer.

The most noteworthy thing in my life right this minute is that my eyes are burning, and have been since yesterday morning. I woke up yesterday feeling like I was allergic to make-up or something. I only know how that feels because I am, officially, allergic to almost all make-up. There is one powder blush I can use, and blistex. That's it. I've tried all the "hypoallergenic" ones, all the expensive stuff, Mary Kay, etc., etc. They all make my eyes burn. And that's what this feels like, except that I haven't used anything different, so I have no idea what the problem is. Make-up can have some weird ingredients, and if you don't believe me, read this.

So there you have it. The sum total of my Sunday afternoon. I'm looking forward to Monday and those 84 recipes.

Be thankful ~

Karen

The disturbing stat counter, and is soccer season over yet?

Stat counters are not necessarily good. Sometimes you find out information that would be better left un-found. Like these:

1. Someone from Hanoi (that's Vietnam) found my blog by Googling "my party college blogspot." Well, yes, because everyone knows the wild parties are at my house. Just make sure you're gone by 9 pm, because that's when the party animals go to bed.

2. Two people have found my blog by Googling "nothing wrong with me that ice cream can't fix." Now that's more like it. I bet they go to bed early too.

One Googled "cast on her" (sounds like a hex), one tried "barefoot bride photo," and one used (in all caps) "I'M TIRED OF THINKING." I don't even know how to respond to that, except with a hearty AMEN!.

In other riveting news, Man-boy  is preparing to play in a soccer tournament near Chattanooga in a few weeks. He's traveling down with a family in our church, and that seems to be all he thinks about. Here's an example from yesterday's chemistry lesson:

Me: Tell me whether the following compounds are ionic or covalent.

Man-boy: (interrupting) Ok, but first, are we leaving on the 3rd, or does the tournament start on the 3rd?

Me: I don't know. Sodium Chloride.

M/B: Ionic. But haven't you talked to Mrs. L. about it yet?

Me: No. Phosphorus trihydride.

M/B: Covalent. Do you remember I need shin guards?

Me: Yes. Aluminum oxide.

M/B: Ionic. Is Pastor W. sending my jersey here or do I get it there?

Me: I didn't ask. Nitrogen trihydride.

M/B: (impatient) Covalent! What if it doesn't get here in time?!

It's a battle of wills, a war between two sets of tunnel vision. Who will win? The chemistry or the soccer? I refuse to give in and start throwing compounds out there faster than he can answer.

Me: Barium oxide! Sulfur trioxide! Potassium chloride! Hydrogen monochloride!

Man-boy cries uncle and the phone rings. It's his friend, JJ, who wants to get together to practice. Man-boy gives me a pleading look (anything but chemistry!). I agree to meet JJ and his family at the park for the much-needed PT.  Read the outcome of their practice here. I'm confident chemistry will win in the end,even if it takes a few years.

Be thankful ~

Karen

More from Sticky Bean, and Man-boy makes a decision.

Sticky Bean has learned that if he squeals, he gets even more attention. I can't tell if this is a happy squeal or a mad squeal:

It looks almost panicky. So often when I see these pictures of him, I wonder if this is the way God views us. Is he the patient Grandfather sitting up in heaven laughing at how silly we are? Does He laugh at our intolerance? Does He shake his head at our demanding squeals? Does He think we're just little children, and hope that someday we'll learn not to act like that?

I am pretty swamped with work these days, so in the name of increasing my productivity, Elijah and I went to the park today. It was a perfect fall day—sunny and 75°. The leaves are starting to change and there was a little breeze. Just lovely. We met a family from our church there; Elijah and their sons, JJ and Jesse, play soccer together. The dad, Juan, is a Marine who recently came home after many months in Iraq. An older son is still over there.

Elijah thought the boys would just have a fun time kicking the ball around, but Juan had other ideas (always the Marine). While Niriel and I went for a three-mile walk and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful day, Juan became the training instructor. The boys are playing in a tournament in Chattanooga in two weeks, and he decided they needed to get in good shape and do some drills. They ran. They did sprints. They did sprints while dribbling. They passed. They took shots. All without stopping. With Marines, there is no standing around, no getting your breath. If one of the boys had to chase down a ball and tried to walk, Juan made them run. And he ran with them. Everything they did, he did.

Niriel and I got back from our walk just as they were taking the last few shots. The boys dragged themselves off the field, dripping sweat and gasping for air. Juan came trotting over, took one breath, and said, smiling, "That was a good little PT session!"

Elijah informed me on the way home that he would never become a Marine. I think college is looking better all the time.

Be thankful ~

Karen

Your culture for today.

I'm not one to go surfing around YouTube looking for funny videos, but every once in a while someone sends me one that is really worthy of viewing. If you've ever sung or enjoyed listening to the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah, you'll love this. This might be harder than singing it.

Be thankful ~

Karen

The weekly Random Dozen!

Well, the whole family had fun listening to me read these questions aloud and yelling what they thought my answers should be. But rest assured, the answers are all my own. Thanks to Linda for coming up with great questions every week. I almost got depressed today because I had no ideas for a blog post, but then I remembered the Random Dozen. Linda, you're better than Prozac! Now if someone could figure out why every time I try to put the graphic here, Blogger tells me there's a problem with my html . . .

1. Candy corn: Your thoughts?

I love the stuff. It has no redeeming quality other than that there's nothing else like it and I love it. But it has to be Brach's. The cheap stuff is nasty.

2. Briefly, what was the first conversation you ever had with your spouse? (or best friend, if you're not married.) (Or someone significant, like your librarian.)

We met at a Wednesday night prayer meeting in somebody's basement. After the meeting, I walked up to him, stuck my hand out, and said, "Hi. I'm Karen ******." He shook my hand and said, "Hi. I'm . . . " and couldn't remember his name. And I'm not making this up. He rescued himself by looking in the front of his Bible, where his name was written.


3. Could you ever become a vegetarian?

I doubt it. I could do without beef for a long time, but I like chicken and love seafood. And tofu? Seriously.

4. Have you ever dressed up your pet in a costume?

No, but my children used to put doll clothes and the baby's shirts on my Yorkie. *sigh* I miss him.


5. Name something about childhood that you miss (like Clark Bars, Teaberry Gum, Malibu Barbie, cracking fake eggs on people's heads with your fist and "It's the Great Pumpkin" airing only once a year).

Not paying taxes. Riding our bikes on the trails we made through the woods. Camping and not caring how dirty you got. Clean TV.

6. Have you ever won a trophy? If not, what do you deserve a trophy for?

Not an actual trophy, but I did win awards from the New Jersey State Piano Educators Association, or whatever they were called (they don't give trophies to pianists). Every year we had to play for a bunch of judges at Rutgers University, and I would shake and sweat and not sleep the night before. Soccer would have been so much easier.


7. When do you think is the appropriate time to begin playing Christmas music each year?

December 24th. I get sick of it in a BIG hurry.

8. What's your favorite board game?

I rarely play a board game, but I guess I would say Scrabble, being the word nerd I am. I hate Monopoly, and always have. It might have something to do with my two older brothers beating me mercilessly when we were kids. My son once tried to teach me how to play Risk. I just don't get it.


9. How do you feel about surprises (receiving, not giving)?

They're fun, but I don't need them to be happy. I prefer surprises at someone else's house.


10. Is it easy for you to say, "I'm sorry?"

Oh yes. I get plenty of practice.

11. What is your favorite candle scent?

I'm not so much for scents, but I had a homemade candle a few years ago that was made and given to me by a friend, and the scent sticker on the bottom said "Fun on the Beach." I'm pretty sure that's not a Yankee Candle favorite.


12. October is traditionally "open house" time in public schools. If you had a literal open house in your home (like a reception) what light snacks would you serve visitors and what would you show them (as in art projects, graded papers) that would uniquely represent you?

I would make crab dip, spinach artichoke dip, veggies and ranch dip (we're into dips here, can you tell?), and a hot chicken dip Ben had at a company party recently. 

I would show them my kids. They are my life's work.

Be thankful ~

Karen

Insert title.

Where I've been:

visited 48 states (96%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

Yup. Cheating. But thanks to Lisa at Put It on the List for giving me an idea for a post I don't have to think about.

The short story is that my parents were both teachers, so we all had our summers off. We had a small camper and traveled the country, each year taking a different route. And we spent part of my childhood living in California, so we saw the west coast then. Haven't been to Alaska or Hawaii, but Ben says I'm not missing anything by not seeing Hawaii, and I'm not much for snow, so I don't have plans to visit Alaska.

I took Leah to the orthopedist today since her foot is significantly more swollen now than it was a week ago. He took more X-rays (said the other ones were too blurry to see anything), poked and prodded, and announced that it isn't broken, just sprained, which is worse. It takes longer to heal, is more painful, and is generally more of a pain in the neck to deal with. But he put a walking boot cast on her, and she's actually able to hobble around without the crutches, so she's happy. She's not a good patient.

I'm tired. I hear my hot bath, soft bed, and book calling me again.

Be thankful ~

Karen

A little bit of our weekend.

Ab was home, and she always gets everyone being silly. With Elijah, and Mike:

Altogether, my kids' teeth are worth $21,800. Don't they look great?

We did a bunch of cooking—THE PUMPKIN BREAD and Ab's favorite, enchiladas for supper:

 

Making enchilada sauce:

Leah spent her weekend in the chair with her foot up, trying to get the swelling to go down. She'll be visiting the orthopedist tomorrow:

 

 

And there's always music. Here Abbie and her friend Joy are playing and singing:

And the boys got our woodstove installed. We are very thankful, because it's been in the 30s at night and our central draft doesn't do a great job of keeping us warm unless we turn it up to 80. And then the electric bill is almost as high as tuition.

 

 

Mike's grilling hot dogs, Ben is watching sub-par football, and I'm refusing to work. I see a hot bath, a book, and a soft bed in my near future. Hope your weekend was fun!

Be thankful ~

Karen

 

 

Go Vols!

Oh my word. How can such a crabby child be so dang cute?

At least his mama and daddy are raising a good UT fan.

Be thankful ~

Karen

Can you hear me now?

Monthly cell phone bill: $110 (includes unlimited texting)

Number of cell phones in the house: 6

Monthly high-speed Internet bill: $46.10

Number of computers in the house: 4

Monthly land-line phone bill: $60

Communication among family members: non-existent

Would be priceless if it occurred, but with all our technology, we have forgotten how to actually talk to one another.

Leah came home from work today and told me she hadn't know Abbie was coming home this weekend until she read it on my blog. Ben and I send each other emails daily. I text my children and they text back. We keep up with our away-at-college daughter on facebook. We get pictures of the grandbaby via picture message on the cell phones. My, the times have changed! While it's all very convenient, I'm not sure it's 100% good.

We recently added Elijah to our cell phone family plan, and when we did so, he got "the talk," and I'm not talking about the birds and the bees. "The talk" consists of making sure the child knows that the phone is not for him to spend hours talking to his friends, and certainly not to friends of the opposite gender. It is so we can keep in somewhat-constant touch with each other, we being our family. In the words of Ben, "The phone is not for you; it's for us," and that puts it so well. Our church is so big (four buildings now, with multiple floors, two kitchens, an elevator, two large auditoriums—you get the picture), I've wished for months that Elijah had a cell phone just so I could find him.

This all got me thinking about how we communicate as a family, and while we may be like ships in the night, there is one thing we do to keep communicating: we have family dinners whenever possible, and that's not easy these days. Abbie is away at Liberty U. Leah teaches and then babysits until 7:30 four nights a week. Mike doesn't get home until 8. Ben never knows his schedule until it happens. It's hard to work it out, but when we do, it's usually fun. Some of our fondest memories are of sitting around the table, listening to Ben tell stories. So even if we only get to sit down together 2 or 3 times a week, we make the effort. When Ben and I are long gone, our kids will remember and hopefully do the same with their families.

Be thankful ~

Karen

You know you need to get a life when all your posts in one week are about food.

Ice cream makes me happy, especially when it's Ben & Jerry's Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch. Honestly, this is the best ice cream on the planet. Maybe it's the 17 grams of fat per 1/2 cup serving. Like anybody eats half a cup and stops. Seriously, people who buy premium ice cream are not doing it to savor the aroma. They are buying it to stuff their faces full of it, and that takes more than a standard serving. But do you realize that even if you did only eat the prescribed half-cup, that would deliver more than half your daily recommended fat intake in one handy mug (that's how I eat ice cream)?

I can totally blame this on my mother. She is the original ice cream connoisseur in the family. When I was a teenager and she was a teacher, we arrived home from school in the afternoon at about the same time. We might have been known to get out the half-gallon of Breyer's Vanilla Fudge Twirl, get two spoons, and stand at the counter eating right out of the container. No need to dirty a bowl, we'll just eliminate the middleman. My little brother tells the story of catching her eating ice cream with a vegetable spoon one day, since all the smaller spoons were in the dishwasher. At least, that was her excuse.

So I come by it honest. Heath Bar Crunch is my friend. ♥



And this made me laugh. A glove that lets you have two fingers free? Is that for counting your money in the cold? Or picking up cheerios?


I haven't been shopping with Abbie in a long time, and we had fun last week getting her a phone, a new sweater, rain boots, and snacks to take back to school. And eating at Chipotle. Twice. I'm sensing a pattern of food=fun here.

She's coming home again this weekend for homecoming. There's a reception on Friday, a picnic on Saturday, barbecue on Sunday. Time to make THE PUMPKIN BREAD.

Be thankful ~

Karen

Back by popular demand (1 request is all it takes)

The recipe for my famous Pumpkin Bread. I know you're laughing at that, but there is a young man in the Marine Corps who, when he comes home on leave, requests this for Sunday school, and then chooses the seat closest to the food. He literally eats IT ALL in the 50-minute class. If you take this to one church potluck, you will never be able to show up with anything else again. People will ask why you didn't bring THE PUMPKIN BREAD. You've been warned.

Combine in a bowl:

2 2/3 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Cream with a mixer:

1 C. butter (or margarine if you prefer trans fats to saturated fats)
2 C. sugar

Beat in:

4 eggs, 1 or 2 at a time

Add dry ingredients alternately with a 15-oz. can of pumpkin. Stir in 1 C. chocolate chips last.

Divide batter evenly between two greased 8x4 loaf pans (This is the size you don't have. Don't worry—I've used other sizes and it works fine. Just watch the time you bake them for.)

If you don't have picky eaters, you could add some chopped walnuts too. Someday the picky eaters will all leave home, and Ben and I will have nuts in everything.

Be thankful ~

Karen

Edited to add times. If you use the 8x4, it's supposed to take about an hour. I use smaller pans (maybe 7x3?) and bake them for 40 minutes. Add another 15 or so for larger pans. Test with a cake tester or toothpick.

It's time for the weekly Random Dozen Meme!!! (cue music and applause)

I was going to start this post by telling you about the book I started yesterday, but it's turning out to be not such a great one. It's the true story of a highly dysfunctional family and has some great stories (one had me howling with laughter), there are the not-so-nice parts as well. But I tried.

On to the weekly Random Dozen. I would put the cutesy little graphic here, but blogger freaks out every time I try to.

1. I've always wondered why we were taught both printing and cursive. Do you prefer to print or write cursive? (Keyboard is not a choice.)

I hate cursive and never use it, probably because my cursive handwriting is not lovely and flowy like some people’s. The only reason I ever taught my children cursive was so they could read letters from Grandma, who still uses it.

2. Are you a dreamer or a realist?

Definitely a realist. I drive my family crazy with my reality checks. They want a cute puppy and all I see are dog hair and carpet stains. I’m no fun.

3. Billy Joel or Elton John?

Now that I’m a Christian, neither. But back in the day, Billy Joel. I never liked Elton John. He sang stupid songs.

4. What is the scariest movie you've ever seen? Not limited to horror flicks but also includes ones where the tension or suspense is killer, for example, Flightplan (2005): A bereaved woman and her daughter are flying home from Berlin to America. At 30,000 feet the child vanishes and nobody admits she was ever on that plan.

I watch very few movies, so I don’t have many to choose from. I’d have to say Air Force One with Harrison Ford. I was so tense I couldn’t go to sleep for hours after I watched it.

5. Now what is the scariest real-life moment you've had?

When one of my children was choking last year. This particular child was sitting at the table turning dark purple, eyes rolling back, and we could not dislodge what said child was choking on. Ben was yanking child and chair together off the floor trying to perform the Heimlich maneuver, and finally, just before child passed out, child coughed and started breathing. Easily the most petrified I have ever been. Every parent should learn the Heimlich maneuver.

6. What word do you misspell without fail?

Apparently. I have to look it up every time. See? I just did.

7. Name something you like to do but are not really talented or good at.

Play the piano. Ten years of lessons and I can barely pick out a hymn. My kids have all the talent.

8. Do you get your emotional/mental batteries recharged by being around people or by having alone time?

It depends. Sometimes spending the day with our Sunday school class (college and career age) is recharging, but at the same time it’s exhausting. But I do like alone time too. If I’ve been with a lot of people, I need alone time. If I’ve been at home a lot, I need people. We’re never satisfied, are we?

9. Have you ever been on TV?

I don’t think so, but I was interviewed by USA Today in D.C. two years ago at an immigrant rally (I wasn’t there for the rally, and might have been the only Caucasian in the city that day) and the interview played on their website.

10. Apple or pumpkin pie? (Don't be greedy.)

Pumpkin. With a homemade crust and real whipped cream—not that nasty, fake stuff. I come from a long line of homemade pie makers, so it has to be good.

11. How many magazine subscriptions do you have?

National Review, Taste of Home, and Better Homes and Gardens. Three that I pay for. We also get Forbes and Reader’s Digest, courtesy of my parents. National Review is my favorite.

12. What lesson do you have to keep re-learning?

Don’t put a favorite sweater in the dryer “just for five minutes to get the wrinkles out.” I come back 40 minutes later and it fits a six-year-old.

Off to my bath now. Have a great day!

Be thankful ~

Karen

Another in a long list of Lovely's injuries.

So remember the awesome Sunday school class outing at Funland? It turned out to be not so fun for Lovely, although she was hootin' and hollerin' at the time.

She awoke Sunday morning to some pretty serious left-foot pain. She figure she was just sore from the festivities of the day before, wore her flats, and sucked it up like a big girl.

Then came Monday, when she had to be on her feet all day teaching middle school music. At lunchtime she had her foot up on the bench while she was eating and noticed that her foot was sort of bruised. And pretty swollen. She asked the nurse about it, who suggested she have it X-rayed.

So after work she mustered with the doc, who showed her a picture of a foot with a fractured bone, and Leah wouldn't believe it was hers. She hadn't done anything to break a bone—just walked around, drove go-karts, played a little laser tag. Seriously, how does that happen?

But Dr. Doc insisted it happens all the time and gave her a sexy shoe and a pair of crutches. The crutches totally ruin the sexy of the shoe, which is fine with her daddy and me. After four hours of crutches, she's sick of them and counting the days until she can give them back.


Other than that, my day has been excruciatingly boring. I edited an E-Book that involved life-and-death decisions regarding the capitalization of Senate/senate and House/house. I washed sheets and made a grocery list. I baked bread and made Zuppa Tuscana for dinner (eating it wasn't boring). Went to the library with Mario Confetti (my new name for the man-boy). I'm starting a new book, but I won't tell you about it until I know whether or not it's good. If it is, I'll dish. Otherwise, forget I said anything. Took a bath.

Now I'm going to get my boring self in bed and read until I can't keep my eyes open. I can't take any more excitement today.

Be thankful ~

Karen

My day as a teenager.

We spent this afternoon at Funland with a few members of our Sunday school class. There are a million things to do, but we didn't do much other than play laser tag and race go-karts.

Laser tag is kind of freaky, because it's almost pitch black in the arena, so when you turn around to run away, you smack into a wall while your vest is buzzing, signaling that you've been hit, and you know that if they were real bullets, you'd be dead twenty times already. What ever possesses us to want to play these games? Somehow I got the highest score (meaning I hit the most people). I have no idea how. I just backed myself into a corner and shot every red light I saw. And screamed a lot. The hardest part was when a very little boy was crying, "I want Mommy!" and I had to keep shooting. My mother-heart is much stronger than my warrior-heart.

But before you get to the room where you put on your vest and get your phaser, you watch a short video of rules, then the referee tells you the rules, and then you read them on a sign. These laser tag folks are serious about their rules. So serious, in fact, that they use plenty of punctuation:

Yes, even in the midst of WAR, I notice the punctuation.

Then came the go-karts. The closest thing to a go-kart I've ever driven was the '89 Volkswagen Fox we had years ago (the one that leaked water on your left foot when you turned right). But I watch NASCAR regularly, so I wasn't worried.

I chose my car carefully (the one all the way in the back so no one would hit me) and strapped myself in. When the green flag waved, we yelled, "Boogity, boogity, boogity, boys! Let's go racin'!" like the good NASCAR fans we are, and we all floored the gas. It took no more than half a second for me to hit the wall, bounce off veering wildly to the left, start laughing hysterically, and get it straightened out. By then, I had moved forward three feet. But I figured out which was the gas, got a feel for the steering, and made it out of the garage. And I actually had fun during the entire race, which consisted of Ariela (Abbie's friend) and I trying to stay far enough ahead of the other drivers that we wouldn't be overtaken (that's called being "lapped." I know that, because I watch NASCAR.) I even passed Ariela at one point and got a little loose in turn four (more NASCAR lingo), but I held onto it. Seriously, if you ever have the chance to race go-karts, do it. Try to go when you're having a bad hair day, because then no one will notice.

Here are Abbie and Joy, followed by Ariela and then Leah and Hannah:

And then the boys. Elijah is in the lead, followed closely by Ben and Mike:

I never raced near the boys, because they watch more NASCAR than I do, so they know all the moves, and they scare me.

The boys went to the batting cages, the girls wasted tokens in machines that spit out hundreds of tickets, which you then exchange for worthless prizes (think adult-level Chuck-E-Cheese's), and we decided we'd had enough. Ben and I and the girls left, and the boys stayed to race until closing, which might be midnight. Eleven hours of wind/exhaust/flying rubber/noise is just a little too much for me.

We stopped for dinner at Chipotle and came home to a quiet house and I'm ready to drop into bed. Tomorrow it's back to acting like adults.

Be thankful ~

Karen

Pitching a precious fit.

This one made me laugh right out loud. Of course, as the grandmother, I think Sticky Bean is perfect. His mama says he's mad in this picture because he only knows how to go backwards.

I wonder if God laughs at us when we get mad that we can't do something?

Be thankful ~

Karen

This week's random dozen.

I didn't do this last week because the questions just didn't do much for me. (Actually, it was because there were questions I didn't want to answer publicly. I'm weird that way.) But I needed some blog fodder this week, so here it is. Thanks, Lid, for thinking up random questions every week.


1. On an average, how often do you splurge and buy something for yourself?

Lately, I’ve bought a few things. Usually, not so much. Someday the tuition bills will stop coming.

2. Are you more like Hall or Oates? Just kidding. Real question: What is the last creative project you began/finished? Feel free to post a pic of it.

I would love to show you a picture of a gorgeous quilt I made, but the truth is I haven’t made a quilt since my kids were very little. Maybe someday I’ll start again and make them for the grandbabies. I made a modesty skirt for the grand piano in our church’s auditorium. Don’t have a pic because it’s 25 minutes away.

3. OK, Goldie Locks, do you consider your house too big, too little or juuuust right?

For storage space, too small. For cleaning, just right. We have friends with huge houses and I always think, “How would I keep this huge house clean?” At the time we bought (the height of the housing market), it was the most we could afford, so I’m thinking it’s just right. And we love where we live. It’s close to everything, but has a country feel because of the big lot, backs up to woods, river out back, room for the man-boy and his dog, etc. I’m happy here.

4. What is your favorite outdoor chore?

I used to like cutting grass, but that was when I was young and in shape. Now I would say it’s planting flowers, which I don’t do much of anymore. Though I do have a bag of bulbs to get in the ground soon.

5. If you knew that cigarette smoking was not bad for your health but would be a weight loss tool, would you use it? Why or why not?

Not a chance. It stinks. Would you lick an ashtray?

6. On a road trip, would you rather drive or ride?

Drive. See # 12.

7. What do you consider a trivial pursuit?

My blog. It doesn’t earn money, it doesn’t help me make headway on my perpetual to do list, it’s purely for my own pleasure. It’s just something I do because I want to. Just for me.

8. This weekend, we downloaded the movie "Duplicity" with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Within 5 minutes, I was bored and annoyed, but I kept watching 5-10 minutes at a time hoping it would get better between small chores. I finally gave up and Jorge watched it alone, and then regretted wasting that time because he disliked it intensely, too. So ... how long do you watch a movie or read a book before giving up on it?

Movie, about ten minutes. I’m just not a TV/movie fan. It has to be really good for me to sit that long (think Bourne movies or While You Were Sleeping). I give books a little more time because I love to read and would rather read a bad book than watch almost anything on TV.

9. Is there a song that you really love but are embarrassed to admit because it's not cool or it's racy or because it's by Hall and Oates?

I loved the song Carrie Underwood sang with Randy Travis, but I only heard it on the radio in stores because I don’t make a habit of listening to country music. The words were stupid, but I love their voices together. I guess the only reason I would be embarrassed to admit it is that the song is about people saying "I told you so," which is just a stupid thing to say. It's about unforgiveness and holding a grudge. Not terribly edifying. Why couldn't they sing about people loving each other?

10. On a scale of 1-10 (10 = extremely) how spontaneous are you?

It depends on how much work I need to get done. That pretty much dictates everything.

11. Are you a food and/or beverage snob?

Oh, yes. It must be real iced tea, not that vile powdered swill. And Rold Gold pretzels. And the salmon must be fresh, not frozen. And Kraft’s new and improved Ranch dressing is just plain nasty.

12. Who/What are you trying to control in your life?

I become a first-rate control freak when someone else is driving. It doesn’t matter who is driving. I am an equal-opportunity freak.

So there you have it. The weekly, random, more-than-you-wanted-to-know-about-me answers.

But just to make it worth your while, here's the latest of Sticky Bean:



Be thankful ~

Karen

I think it's better than nothing. Maybe not.

I have no time for blogging
I'm sorry, but 'tis true
My days are filled with other stuff
My family needs me to do.

I cook, I clean, I wash the clothes
I do the editing too
Someday I'll find time to write again
And then I'll post something new.

Be thankful ~

Karen

He likes the Bumbo.

Be thankful ~

Karen

Here's yer sign . . .

I love to take pictures of signs I see when I'm out and about. I didn't take this one, but Nicole graciously granted me permission to reprint it here. She saw it in a Kmart in Northern Virginia, where we live. You know, near DC? Where everyone is supposedly intelligent?

One mistake, we can forgive. Even two, if you're having a bad day. But someone had to WORK to make it this bad:



In case you can't tell, that first word is "tack."

Be thankful ~

Karen

Friday Fave Five

Blogger has suddenly begun to do really strange things. It doesn't like my HTML codes AT ALL, it has stolen my editing tools that used to be above the new post box, and it's just generally being ornery. Sounds like PMS. Somebody send Pamprin.

But in spite of blogger's hiccups, I've had a good week. In no particular order, here are five happy things I remember. I'm sure there were more, but these are the ones I can actually recall.

1. It's candy corn season. Brach's is the absolute best, so don't even bother with the cheap brands. I only buy this stuff once a year, because I like my teeth and want to keep them for a few more years. Concentrated sugar is probably not the wisest choice for snack food.

2. Abbie called to tell us she got a 97 on her math midterm. This is the child with learning disabilities (read her story here and here and here)who just knew she was going to fail her first semester away at college.

3. My boss talked me in off the ledge. She has such a calming influence when I am losing my mind about the ridiculous style decisions (grammar and usage, not fashion) that are sometimes made. Let's just say that "Joe Internet" should not be writing the style book.

4. The man-boy's foot is not broken. When your child goes to play in a soccer game three hours from home and you get a call from the coach wherein he says, "Mrs. Sargent, I'm afraid I'm not doing such a great job of taking care of your son . . ." you know it could end badly. It didn't, and I'm thankful. I am, however, a little concerned about the tournament that is 8 hours from home . . .

5. Leah's car is finally being fixed and we got her a new license plate. The old one said IO JMU, and since she is no longer a student there and we (thankfully) don't owe them any more money, we changed it to I FIDDL. I love living in Virginia where you can have a cool license plate for a measley $10 a year. It makes road trips fun too. I seem to have a knack for figuring out what they say, and I amaze my family with my interpretive abilities. At least I'm good at something, right?

So all in all, a good week. Except for the fact that I am, once again, behind on my hours. Someday I will get to 20 by the end of Friday so I'm not stressing about it on Saturday when I should be taking a day off.

Someday. But probably not.

Be thankful ~

Karen

I read when I can, which isn't much anymore.

I just finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows), which was recommended by someone, somewhere. Sorry I can't remember who/where; I'd love to give credit. If you are the someone, please leave a comment and let me know.

Anyway, the book is a series of letters written between the characters. It is set mostly on the island of Guernsey (one of the Channel Islands between England and France) at the end of World War II. It gives a fascinating account of the Occupation of Guernsey (and the rest of England) through the eyes of the fictitious characters. A third of the way through it, I considered putting it down for good, but something made me keep reading . . . I always have to know how to turns out! And I'm so glad I did. The farther I went, the more I loved the book. In the end, I was gladly staying up until midnight to finish it.

Most of the time I read things like National Review when I have any time to read at all, so this was a treat. Pure brain candy. But it did get me interested in learning more about the Channel Islands, and there was a mention of an author named Charles Lamb. After I read about him, I kept thinking the name sounded familiar, so I scoured my bookshelves, and sure enough, there was Tales from Shakespeare, by Charles and Mary Lamb. In the Guernsey book, I learned that Charles Lamb's sister Mary was mentally ill and actually killed their mother. Charles begged the judge to release her into his care, which the judge did, and Charles was responsible for her for the rest of her life. She had periods of lucidity during which she authored books with him.

I love learning new stuff.

The next book on my list is In the Heart of the Rockies, by G.A. Henty. I've never read anything by him, but have heard lots of good reviews, so I'm going to give him a whirl. Not literally.

Happy reading!

Be thankful ~

Karen