Smart Mouth Has Stopped for Now

My youngest has had a smart mouth this week. He is so ready to be out of school and move on to his next adventure that it is very difficult to get him to focus. This was TAKS week, which really irritates him, and therefore irritates me. He sees this week as a huge waste of his time. His irritation has come out as rants against just about anything I have asked him. I let it go for a couple of days, then I told him to cut it out.

The problem I have in dealing with him these days is that I do not have very many effective threats. He no longer goes on play dates, he has already been accepted into the school of his choice, he doesn't care if I take his computer away, television really does not matter to him, he has finished all his dvds, and he saves his money and buys his own "toys." I knew telling him to cut it out would not last.

A couple of days later he cut loose on me with some very smart remarks and I knew I had to stop it before it went any further. I used the only threat I could come up with: "Straighten up or I'm going to knock you to the ground, and don't think I can't. I may not be able to keep you down, but I can get you down once and then I can run." Of course, I knew his next remark would be ... "You can't run as fast as me." But I pre-empted it with ..."Once I knock you down I am going to strip while I run so that you won't want to catch me." Now he laughed at me, but the mouth did stop. I think he is afraid that I'm just crazy enough to do just what I threatened.

String Fever - History of Music

Family Dinner Hold the Table Kiosk

Tonight's family dinner was at Chili's. They have added those little kiosks on the table where you can play trivia games, look at specials, and pay your bill. The youngest and I did not like it there, it seems intrusive. It took up space and because my oldest has to examine every gadget I think it kept us from having our usual crazy conversation.

Our waiter was excellent before our food came, but when the food came out it was not all there. I corrected the order, but it seemed to take forever for the rest of the food to get to the table, and I wanted my missing item to go with my main dish so I could not start eating. I complained to the boys about how attentive the waiter was before the food came, but how he disappeared when there was a problem. In a matter of seconds he was right beside me trying to make things all better. He became extremely attentive again, and seemed to know each little thing I was irritated about, even though I had not said a word to him.

The boys and I came to the conclusion that those little kiosks have hidden microphones in them so the kitchen can hear your conversations at the table. They are Big Brother for the restaurant businesses. Of course, that just led us down a completely different path in our conversation.

We were wondering what they had done to our food due to our comments. Then we wondered if they found tables that were having interesting conversations and listened in on those only. Since my youngest is completely disgusted by certain commercial currently running on television, we went in that direction. If the kitchen is listening in, could they get so engrossed in a table discussing the new KY Warming Jelly or Love Rub that they would burn several orders at one time?

While it was very convenient when it came to paying, I would rather not have the little device on my table. If there had been four of us at the table it really would have been in the way. Plus, I kept making my oldest use Purell since he kept picking up the stylus and clicking around on it. I kept reminding him of the swine flu.

Suggested Illness

Ok, since the news started 30 minutes ago, I have developed aching joints, a stiff neck, and a sore throat. The same thing happens when I read a book that describes symptoms of an illness.

I don't consider myself to be a hypochondriac, it is more like I am highly empathetic.

Oh, oh, after another discussion of symptoms and an interview of someone with the swine flu, I now have a headache and feel dizzy.

I think that I need to avoid not only crowds, but news programs describing this health emergency.

Afternoon View from my Chair

This afternoon's view from my chair includes 2 doves sitting on the line, a red headed woodpecker eating out of the red feeder, a blue jay sitting on one of the shepherd's hook, and a rabbit drinking out of the swimming pool, all at the same time. I love looking out my window.

Exposed or Not, They Are Still Lies

I'm in a horrible situation right now.

I know that someone is lying. I also suspect that this person is working very hard to hide the lies.

I suspect the lies are being told because this person wants to be seen as a leader without flaws. I just wish this person would understand that the flaws are well known, but the respect and the love is still there, so the lies are not needed.

I have been asked straight out if I think lies have been told. I know they have, but there is no way I can prove it.

The whole situation is extremely tense, and the lies are keeping everyone from finding a solution to the problem that caused the lies to be told. It is the problem everyone should be focused on, as it must be solved and soon.

I personally do not understand the point of the lies. It is extremely disappointing to me, and certainly lowers my opinion of this person.

I am working very hard to find a solution to this problem, without having to bring the lies to the surface. It is hard because several people have discovered the lies, but no one wants to confront the situation.

I will probably not get over that the lies were told, even though to date, they have nothing to do with me, because I think the lies hurt the whole. Also, exposed or not, they are still lies.

Weekend Update

This has been a good weekend.

Yesterday the boys went to A&M Commerce so the youngest could compete with his computer science club in the regional UIL competition. The oldest is an aide to the group so that is why he was there. They won and will be going to the state competition in a couple of weeks. It is good to see the youngest involved in something like this for a change. He is resistant to group activities.

While they were in Commerce, BFF J and I went on a small quilt shop hop to Lewisville and Carrollton.

We started out with a very delicious and reasonably priced meal at the new Cheddar's in Allen. We both had the lunch trio and chose salad, soup, and 1/2 of a double decker club. Only difference in our orders was the salad dressing.

Our second stop was Quilt Country in Lewisville. It is a wonderful shop, but a little overwhelming due to its size and the amount of fabric available. I get lost in the colors and have trouble focusing. I find myself running from section to section oohing and ahhing, but not accomplishing anything. I finally had to make myself focus by looking at the pattern I am going to start next and using tunnel vision. I did find a piece of fabric I needed to finish the cat quilt back, a great stencil, and some lovely fat quarters.

Third stop was the Quilter's Workshop in Carrolton. BFF had promised me some fabric for my birthday and although I really didn't find the "birthday" fabric at Quilt Country, I found plenty of goodies in the Quilter's Workshop. I found a pattern I had been wanting for almost a year, some beautiful fat quarters, and some great advice. I should have gotten the woman's name there that helped us, but she was terrific, and very patient. The pattern I bought is for paper piecing and I have not tried that before, but she explained what I needed to do and told me that if I got stuck I could call or bring it in and they would help me. She also told me a few things I did not know about how to use the stencil I bought at Quilt Country. I so wish I lived closer to this store. They have terrific classes and are always so helpful. They do a lot of what I call "arty" stuff in that shop and I like that aspect of the craft.

After that it was home. I am very sure BFF wished she had driven yesterday since I don't take the freeways it was a long ride and my maps were not the best so there were a couple of places where I had to back track or guess. Of course I did not mind because it gave us more time to talk, and I think we both needed that yesterday.

Once home BFF left, and I went grocery shopping for the oldest because he was out of food and they were getting home so late from Commerce. He only needed four items and that was easy enough. I picked them up and came home to the sewing machine and worked on the cat quilt back while I waited for the boys to get back.

The boys arrived home after 9 and had not had supper, so we picked up a couple of pizzas, ate, and then the oldest and I played Quirkle before he went back to his apartment.

Today I went to church long enough to listen to the pre-school students sing, and then it was home to prepare to work on the quilt back again. I hope to finish it today. I have a couple of other items I would like to work on after that, but I might need a nap first.

Organization = More Time

I'm a failure. For years I have been trying to teach my boys that if they are organized it will allow them get the best use of their time, and that will give them more free time. Alas, they still don't get it.

The youngest is a little better about it than the oldest, but they are both a long way from getting it.

I recently saw my oldest's flash drive on the floor in the playroom. I wanted to pick it up and put it in a safe place, but I didn't. I figured he knew where it was, and if I moved it he would never find it.

Flash forward to this morning. I awoke to an email telling me he was driving home to get his flash drive as it had information he had to have. Now it takes him at least 30 minutes to drive home when there is no traffic, and this morning he was coming at morning rush hour. He came home, and looked on the floor, no flash drive. I helped him look, the youngest helped him look. I told him I had not seen the flash drive since that one day on the floor and I thought he had taken it with him.

I had to go get ready for work, and he left before I got out of the shower, but he did not find his flash drive.

He had to drive back to campus, another 30 minutes or more.

Why he didn't call and ask me to look for the flash drive before driving here ... I don't know.

Why was the flash drive on the floor to start with ... I don't know.

Why can't he put important, small items, in the same location each time, like one of the many containers sitting around his room to put items in ... I don't know.

Tonight he is very stressed. He is running out of time for all the projects due next week.

I am sitting here biting my tongue because I so want to say that he wasted at least an hour today looking for something that he was careless with when a few seconds more and he could have put it in the proper place, like his laptop case.

I can't tell you how many hours of my life have been spent looking for things these boys have laid down and can't find, and that has to be added to the many times I have forgotten where I have put things.

Now, I'm not perfect in any way, but I do put my important items in places where I can find them.

If these boys could learn to narrow down the places where they put their important items it would cut down on these hunting expeditions, and they would have more time, and the oldest at least would be less stressed.

Free Books!!!

There are free books available for the Kindle 2. I just "whispernetted" two to my K2 for the future. Have no idea if they will be any good, but you know what, they were free, they do not take up any shelf space in my house which makes them "green," and we all know I love green.

There are a lot of classics that are free too. Very exciting.

I love free books!!!

Kindle 2 Light

Since I have a tendency to wake up all night long and read, I ordered a light for my K2 because I did not want to turn on the big light to read with the hope I would fall back to sleep faster.

The light for my K2 arrived yesterday. I ordered the one that is compatible with the Kindle 2 because I liked the fact that you can clip it onto the cover or it stands alone. It can also be used as a craft light so I can use it when I am quilting. I certainly needed a small light to use when I was in Arkansas quilting.

This morning I woke up about thirty minutes early. Since I have black out curtains in my bedroom it is very dark in there most of the time, so it was the perfect time to try out my new K2 light. I used it clipped on and also standing. I liked it both ways, although standing was my favorite. The light stood perfectly on my mattress and provided perfect light. Definitely a good purchase.

Kindle2 Bag

I made myself a drawstring bag to protect my K2 in my purse. It is very lightweight cotton so no real added weight. The K2 cover I have does not have anything that holds it closed, so I wanted to protect my K2 from anything that might fall inside the cover in my purse and scratch my K2. The bag is in my signature color...green.

Imagination Working Overtime

I'm not feeling well tonight. Whenever that happens my mind goes wild. I'm having a heart attack, stroke, cancer is eating me alive. My boys will be on their own. I'll die in my bed and my youngest will find me and it will put him over the edge. I could go on, but you get the idea.

It all started with a strange spell at work today. I could not walk a straight line down the aisle I kept going to the left. I tried it several times and I would repeatedly go to the left, but when I went down a different hallway, I could walk okay. I had a couple of dizzy spells too, but I put that down to being hot and not enough to drink.

I checked by blood sugar and it was what it has been running, but not as low as it used to be. That is why I'm going on Sugar Busters in May.

I checked my b/p. It was 116/69 pulse 80, and that was after I spent a rushed 15 minutes tearing cupboards apart looking for the b/p machine. So more than likely I had a low b/p spell today.

Right now I am extremely nauseous. I am also burning up., but not with fever. I have been working under hot lights using my sewing machine. I probably am dehydrated from running around for several hours tonight, and I really do not think I got enough water today.

I think not feeling good is one of the worse parts of being a single mom for me. I don't want to leave my kids orphans. That is why I have got to get off my rear and take better care of myself.

I have the books, I have the shopping list ready. I just think that I have psyched myself up to starting Sugar Busters on May 1, and I feel like I will be more apt to follow it if I ready my mind.

I am sure I am fine, and I am probably only having a mild case of indigestion, now if I could only convince my imagination to stop working overtime.

More on Kindle2

My love of my Kindle2 grows each day.

I was so worried that I would spend all that money and be unhappy. Not true. I haven't even begun to use all the features available on my K2, but I already do not want to be without it.

One of the things I was really worried about was how it would interfere with some of my reading habits, because, yes, I am a bathroom reader. Always have been, always will be. However, I was freaked out over the idea of taking such an expensive "book" into the loo. I have a nice chair (no, that is not another word for toilet, I have an actual chair in there), and sometimes I sit in there to read when I am not feeling well and feel the need to be close to the commode.

I finally decided to take the K2 into the bathroom yesterday. Now I like my bathroom because the dressing area is carpeted, and when my back hurts at night I go in there to read because I don't want to wake the youngest walking around the bedroom side of the house trying to find a place to lay and I don't want to go to the trouble of opening up the living room side of the house (which we close off at night). K2 was really great for reading on my back on the dressing area floor when it hurt last night. I could hold the K2 over my head and read without the normal wrist strain I get with big books while my back got the support it needed.

This morning I read while brushing my teeth because there is a ledge next to my sink that allows me to keep my K2 safe from water, but allows me to stand up and read while brushing. I have always done this with non E books, but I would get frustrated because I would have to move my book weight around so I would not miss words, and sometimes a paperback would slam shut losing my place. With the K2 that is not an issue.

Now I probably will not do my hair while reading on K2 like I usually do with a regular book, mainly because I would not want to get hairspray on my K2 screen.

The cover for my K2 came today and since I bought the one that is Kindle2 compatible, my K2 snaps into the cover. I am really happy with the weight of the cover and how it works, however, like many reviews have stated, I wish it had a tab or some type of closure so that the cover won't come open in my purse and allow things to fall into the cover and scratch my K2 screen. Many users have attached a velcro type closure onto their cover, but I like the smoothness of the cover when I hold it, and I am only worried about it in my purse, so no velcro for my K2. I believe I have come up with a solution for my problem, and will share it when I have it all worked out.

I have used the web browser a couple of times and I really like that feature. I have not tried the MP3 player because the oldest will have to show me how to do that.

I know many reviews complain about the robotic sound of the text-to-speech feature, but I have heard worse. I wish it was Sean Connery or George Clooney reading to me, but I can always use my imagination. To date, I don't know why I would use that feature very often. Maybe when I am in the middle of an exciting part of the book and need to pick up the youngest at school I could have it read the rest of the chapter to me. Or if I am cooking and want to hear my book.

I don't regret my decision to purchase the K2. Tonight I sat in the church parking lot waiting to see if anyone showed up for a meeting and read on my K2. I became so engrossed in the story that I stayed longer than I intended. I probably would not have stayed so long with a regular book as it is awkward for me to normally sit in the driver's seat and read because I have to have the seat so far forward to reach the car pedals and I don't like to readjust my seat. The K2 can be held in one hand to the side, or right on the steering wheel because the K2 is so thin. When I am reading a big thick book, I cannot read in the driver's seat at all because I cannot hold the book high enough for very long, and if I try to hold it down lower where it is comfortable there isn't enough room.

One thing I was a little worried about before I bought the K2 was how I would know how far along I was in a book. I like to know just how much I have to read to finish a book so I can plan my reading time. If I am close to finishing, I will allow more reading time in my day. I did not need to worry, because there is a little read out on the left hand bottom of the K2 that tells you. I am currently 39% through "The Lost Quilter."

To date, I am still thrilled with my purchase.

If I Had Known

If I had known turning 50 would be so much fun and so tasty, I would have tried it out years ago. (Well not really.)

Today my boss took me to lunch at Chuy's. It was so tasty. I had shrimp baja tacos.

Later in the day the older pre-school kids knocked on my office door and sang "Happy Birthday" to me and gave me the greatest drawings. A lot of them are of me as the "library lady."

After school let out the pre-school director and teachers threw me a little party, with cake and a beautiful card and a gift of chocolates.

It is not over yet either, I have another lunch this week with my great girls at City Hall.

With all the indulgences these last two weeks, I will be ready for Sugar Busters come May 1.

I Want More Sleep

Sleep issues are plaguing me again. I thought I had conquered them a few weeks ago, but now I am up and down all night again.

Every sound seems to be amplified. The last two nights it has been the pump in the septic system that is on that side of the house. The low hum gets in my head and just drives me crazy.

Hot flashes are hitting me about 3 a.m. each night.

5:30 a.m. seems to be when the worries start creeping in.

6:45 and I am ready to get up, but I know that I can sleep until 7:25, so I lay there for about five minutes trying to decide if I should get up or read for a little while so I don't disturb the youngest. I will invariably fall back to sleep and then the alarm will shrill at me just as I feel like I getting the best sleep of the night.

I am hoping this is a temporary issue, but after years and years of sleep issues, and just as many years trying remedies, I am not very hopeful.

I really want more sleep.

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

I finished "Handle with Care" by Jodi Picoult last night. I am still thinking about all the layers of this book. The main story is about a woman filing a wrongful birth suit against her ob/gyn who was also her best friend after her youngest daughter is born with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), type III. She does not file the suit until the girl is six years old.

The book follows the lawsuit and the effect of it on the family, and the doctor.

Each chapter is written in a different voice. The mother's, the father's, the oldest daughter's, the woman's lawyer, and the doctor's.

It is a very thought provoking book just on the storyline alone, but I had another view to bring into it. My parent's first born was severely handicapped. She died at age seven, long before I was born, but all my life I heard stories of what it was like from my mom. I know how it changed my brother's life, and my dad's silence on all of it was extremely telling. After listening to my mother talk about those seven years of her life, the family life, and what my sister suffered, I had to put that into my thoughts brought about by this book.

Jodi Picoult never fails to deliver. This is a terrific book.

New Savings Goal

Saving for the Kindle2 was such an incentive for me to not make impulse purchases, the youngest and I thought I should start another savings jar for a new goal.

My favorite chair, a rocking recliner made for people of shorter stature is starting to breakdown. It currently has a large metal rod sticking out of the side. Every man that has walked into this house, and some reasonably strong women have tried to cut this metal rod, but to no avail.

The rod does not stick out in an area that is noticeable to anyone in the room, but it is noticeable to the person sitting in the chair, which is mostly me. The rod has caused several instances of near disaster in the past year. Since I mainly sit in the chair with my legs crossed Indian style, my socks and pants tend to hook on the rod with me being totally unaware, then when I stand up I trip and fall. I have landed on my face several times and it is really starting to bang up my knees.

Most people would probably go sit in a different chair, but this one is the only one in the house that is for someone of my height, therefore it is ultra comfortable for me. It is perfect for quilting, reading, tv watching, computer using, bird watching, yelling at the boys, talking on the phone, or writing a letter.

The back of the chair comes to right below my head and my neck rest perfectly against the pillow. Other chairs have pillow backs that bend my head at an unnatural angle.

The depth of the chair is perfect because it actually meets the back of my knees, and not below my knees like bigger chairs. I can bend my legs instead of them sticking straight out.

However, the chair has seen finer days, and since I never know when the rod is going to trip me, I am worried I will really be injured one of these days. So it is time to start saving up for a replacement.

I have priced similar chairs on the internet and they are around $500.00. I am going to save $600.00 to cover tax and delivery, but I will probably find the chair on sale for much less once I have the money.

I like having something to save for in this way. It really does stop me from buying unnecessary items such as the new green flower pot at Target. I have a whole greenhouse full of pots. I don't need a new one just because it is green.

I am very excited about this new savings goal, let's hope the old chair doesn't maim me first.

Grey or Gray No More

New Hair Color

One time back in the 1980's, Raymond and I were flying home from KY and had long lay over at some airport and no money to buy magazines or books to replace the ones we had finished, so we sat and people watched. A woman walked by and Raymond commented on the color of her hair. It was a nice mahogany color. When Raymond came home from work the next day, my hair was that color. He really liked it.

Over the years I would change my hair color quite often, sometimes with disastrous results. One time I tried a brand new product on the market and my hair turned a bright glow-in-the-dark orange. I actually glowed in the dark It took an emergency trip to the hair dresser to fix that one. Another time my hair was a clown orange. Raymond was not too happy with that one since we had plans that night. I have had my hair almost white blonde, and some very deep reds. It was always fun.

After Raymond became ill there was just not time for that type of upkeep. So I stopped and went back to my faded strawberry/blonde hair, which became grayer with each surgery, ER trip, etc. Lately I have really noticed just how gray it is.

A lot of people like the gray. They say that since it is in clumps of gray it looks like block highlighting. My last two hair stylists have commented on how much they like the blocks of gray. I even liked them until the hair around my face became so white that I felt faded all the time as a person. It was really noticeable under harsh lighting.

Yesterday I decided it was time to take away the fade. I had bought new makeup the night before, so now it was time to fix the hair. It is a little lighter than I wanted, but the boys thought it was okay. I think it more of a shock than anything to actually see color where it was all white.

I don't know if I will keep it up, but it made the day interesting.

At least there is no more grey, or gray.

Preliminary Kindle2 Review

Kudos to the packaging. It is very classy. I love that the pull tab to open the outer covering says "Once upon a time ..." The box is like the inside of an egg carton. Very compact and not over done the box is nice to lay my Kindle2 in until I get my cover on Tuesday. To me the packaging just added to the excitement. Some people may not view it that way, but this was a big purchase for me and something I have wanted since the first time the Kindle1 was released on the market. It was also exciting for me because I know it is something Raymond would have purchased for me.

I love it! I will admit that it is so light it is taking me a little while to get used to it, but then again the cover for it has not arrived yet. So I am just reading the Kindle2 alone. Plus before I started reading on it yesterday, I made myself finish the book I was reading which was quite hefty.

When I started it up, the book I had purchased when I bought it, and the sample of a book I had signed up for were already loaded. As was my account. So I could start reading immediately. I ordered another book and suddenly it was there on my list. I really thought that because I have issues with my cell phone at my house that I would have problems loading books. Not so.

The sample of the new Mary Higgins Clark book was very generous. I quit reading the sample when I got to page 2 of Chapter 2.

People give the text to speech a bad review, but really it is not bad. I could easily have it read to me if I have to go pick up my son or something right in the middle of an exciting part in a book.

I took it to bed with me to read last night. Very easy to lay in almost any position and read. I love the fact that I can change the size of the font in the books because I like to read without my glasses in bed so I could make the necessary adjustments.

It took me a few minutes to get used to using my left hand to use the buttons on that side of the Kindle2 to turn the pages (buttons on each side), but once I did get used to it, I was reading one handed, which was very comfortable.

There are a lot of features I have not discovered yet on the Kindle2, but I am looking forward to learning how to use all of them. One of the first ones I am going to work on is getting my book list that I have been building up for about ten years from my computer to my Kindle2.

One downside. I will either have to clean my purse out even more, or start carrying a little bigger purse because I'm carrying a very small one right now. I could always keep carrying the purse and put the Kindle2 in my canvas bag like I have been carrying my other books, but I think that would make me nervous due to the cost of the Kindle2.

More as I learn about this amazing device. I am so glad I treated myself.

L & M's Captchas Freaking Me Out

I like to leave comments on L & M's blogs. It is one way we communicate. I have been a little freaked out lately by the captcha's required to post comments. It is like they are reading my mind.

This only started three weeks ago. At first I thought it was amusing. Then I started looking for similarities. Now I am just freaked out.

I wrote down examples for the last two comments I posted on each blog so I could post them here. The last comment I posted on L's blog was in response to a picture of Mocha, her cat, on her blog. The captcha for that comment was padaw. Cats have paws with pads. My mind immediately went there with that captcha.

I posted a comment on M's blog this morning about a certain behavior I caused me dismay. The captcha ...disma.

What's up with those captchas? They are freaking me out.

Best Birthday in a While - Yeah 50!

I have been celebrating my birthday all week. First Marie took me to lunch at Olive Garden on Monday. Then L took me there on Tuesday night (all my choice). Then last night Sis took me to San Miguels.

Today I got up singing about my birthday, and the boys and I headed down to Live Green Expo, only to get there with it raining and so crowded at opening time that we turned around and left to buy socks at Target.

We got home to find the workmen already digging up the pipe in the back yard.

The youngest made my cake icing and I iced the cake while we waited for my BFF to go to lunch at Olive Garden. During that wait, another friend stopped by with terrific gifts, a cd, jigsaw puzzle and chocolate. She said I could listen to music, work the puzzle and eat chocolates at the same time. Works for me. BFF arrived right behind that friend, and then as she was walking in the UPS man brought my Kindle2. What a terrific few minutes.

Once the flurry settled down, BFF, the boys and I headed to Olive Garden. When we got there BFF asked for a table of 6. I counted only 4 in our party so I wanted to know who was coming, but she wasn't telling. I finally started jumping up and down and saying it was my birthday and I wanted to know. Well it was the girls, L & M. I didn't even think I would get to see M for three weeks so I was thrilled. BFF and the girls don't know each other, but BFF contacted them through their blogs and made the arrangements. It was such a surprise and so much fun, as well as delicious.

After lunch and a couple of errands, BFF, the boys and I went back home to open presents and have cake. The presents were terrific, and the cake delicious.

BFF had to leave after a little while, but we are going out next Saturday for a special time together.

I played around with my Kindle2, which I love, and the oldest played around with his gifts since he turned 19 today, then we decided to go to the movies. We went to see "Sunshine Cleaning."

The movie was very good. Youngest didn't care for it as much as oldest and I liked it, but it isn't his birthday.

Appetizers at Chili's after the movie, and then an errand, and home to eat more cake and play Quirkle.

In-laws called and we chatted.

I finished "Handle with Care" by Jodi Picoult, and will now start a Kindle2 book.

This was the best birthday I have had in a while. Yeah to turning 50!

The Pipe, The Saga Continues

The pipe repair is turning into a nightmare. Not because of the workers, but due to the age of the house. We are still not in a repair mode yet. We are still in a discovery mode. Today we were trying to dig up the pipe to see just what needs to be done. The pipe is a mess. It has obviously been repaired many times in the past and each repair was made with a different type of pipe, and there is a break at almost every joint.

The pipe itself is almost completely clogged with sludge. If it was an artery we would be looking at a quadruple by-pass.

Every time the guy digging up the pipe came to me with another problem I would just say "okay." He finally said "Lady, you are taking this a lot better than I would." I told him he didn't have a Kindle2 on the way.

I'm sure all of this is going to hit me next week, but for now I am just thinking about how I will be able to use my sink again soon, and in the mean time I can read books on my Kindle2.

Birthday with Sis

Sis took me out for my birthday tonight. We went to San Miguel's in McKinney, TX, a very special restaurant in my heart because it was where Raymond and I went on special occasions. I had my special occasion meal which was delicious as usual, but what made it really special was being with Sis.

Sis and I do not see each other face to face very often, so it was really a wonderful time.

We stopped at the new Super Target on the way home and I bought some new makeup since I am using makeup I bought for Sis's anniversary party 2 YEARS ago. I can't wait to try it tomorrow. We also saw L there.

Sis also gave me a great gift too, Amazon gift card. I will probably be up all night trying to decide what to buy. What fun!

Thanks Sis!

Here it Comes - Kindle2

Thanks to a generous birthday gift from my boss, and another cash gift from a loved one, I ordered my Kindle2 today. I even got enough to spend the extra $6.99 so it would arrive on my birthday-which is tomorrow.

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!

Sometimes the Gut Makes the Decision

My kitchen sink has been draining really slow and sometimes it takes quite a while to get the water out. The last time this happened it was because the septic needed pumping, but I didn't find that out until I had spent $300.00 on a plumber. So this time, I called the septic pumping company first.

I have had to reschedule the appointment with the septic pumpers twice due to rain. They cannot get to my tanks unless they can drive up the field because the tanks are on the opposite side of the house from the driveway, and the house is 250 feet from the road.

This afternoon they were finally able to get here. They pumped the big tank, and then came over to pump the small kitchen tank. When they finished pumping they told me to go check the kitchen sink. No improvement. I was really upset because I knew a plumber would be really expensive.

They also showed me where my small tank lid is broken, and it definitely needs to be replaced.
I worked out a deal to have the lid replaced with the younger of the two men because that is one of the services he provides with his business.

The men then offered to see if he could figure out why my sink would not drain. They worked pretty hard digging and trying to find the problem. After about six holes they found several issues. The biggest one is that the over 30 year old pipe going from the house to the tank is an old concrete one that is crumbling. They tried to snake the pipe and found it full of mud and roots which means it probably has several breaks. The other issue is that I have no clean out on that pipe which would be a big help because in the past every time a plumber has to go up on my roof they charge me at least an extra $100.00.

The younger man told me that he could replace the pipe and put in the clean out when he replaced the lid.

Now I don't know anything about these men except from what I observed while they were working. They seemed to know what they were doing in looking for the problem. They told me their background. The price they quoted me did not really seem over inflated compared to what I have had to pay in the past. So I had to go with my gut.

I was impressed that the man called me back after about an hour to discuss a problem he might have with my big crepe myrtle while repairing the pipe. He said that he had discussed the tree with some others and that the best thing would be to just remove the tree since it is so large, and it sits right over the concrete pipe. To remove the tree he will need to rent a backhoe and it would add to the quote he gave me. I told him that my youngest and I had been discussing the same thing and that we agreed. I hate to lose that tree, it is one of my favorites, but when we put it in we had not idea that it would get the size it has become.

They are going to start the work tomorrow with the hope of completing it on Monday if the weather permits.

I am truly hoping these guys know their jobs. My gut says it will be okay, and sometimes a gut feeling is about the only recommendation you can get.

That Stupid Game

That stupid new game on here is very addictive, especially at full screen and with the sound.

Keep Up Those Exercises

I took a friend to have some minor surgery today to repair a small complication that had come up from a sling bladder surgery a few years ago. The surgery went very well, and she is home resting now.

Prior to the surgery the doctor came in to talk to us and tell us exactly what she would be doing to repair the problem. As soon as the doctor started talking I started thinking about how I did not want to ever have this type of surgery and immediately started working the muscles.

When the doctor finished her talk, I laughed and told her that I was pretty sure I had just completed 1,000 Kegels while she was describing the surgery. She chuckled and said she got that. My friend just thought it was TMI.

All I know is that I wasn't the one on the operating table. I will keep up those exercises.

This is SOOOO Much Cooler in Person

My youngest has been working on this painting for months at art class. It is based on the blocks in Tetris. He only goes to art one hour a week so it took weeks to get it drawn out and then painted.

It is his art teacher's favorite picture of the year of all her students because she said she knew how much thought he put into it and it was a true original. She has a lot of young students and most of them paint something from a picture. This picture does not do the painting justice. It is not on a wall yet so I wasn't able to get it flat for the picture.

I'm so excited to finally have this painting home.

SCREAMING in My Head

Sometimes I have to scream in my head to not exacerbate a situation with one of the boys. Tonight was one of those times.

Before I went to dinner tonight the oldest mentioned that he couldn't find his wallet, but he knew it was somewhere in his apartment. I didn't think too much about it and went about my business.

Now the oldest was supposed to come home tonight so that he could take the youngest to school in the morning because I have to leave early to take BFF for surgery. So when I came home from my birthday dinner with L, the oldest IM'd me and told me that he couldn't find his wallet and unless he found it he could not come home. Well that put me in a pickle.

I called Sis and made arrangements for her to take the youngest to school in the morning.

Then I waited. The oldest had gone to a meeting and I was waiting for him to get back because I had realized that he had his copy of my credit card in his wallet and I needed to know if I should cancel my card or not. While I was waiting, the youngest and I searched the house and my van, both places the oldest had been last night. I checked my credit card online and did not see any unusual charges. Finally the oldest IM'd he was back.

I called the oldest and he and I traced his steps since I had seen him last. night He was positive the wallet was in the apartment, and that the only people that had been in the apartment were trustworthy (that is a obviously a different discussion for a different day). He was pretty sure it was in the living room from when he took it out last night because it was bothering him while working on an assignment.

I asked him if he had looked in the freezer and refrigerator because I had sent food back with him last night. He had.

By this time I am starting to freak out about the credit card, and I was really mad but I couldn't tell him I was mad because he was really upset. I did tell him about being freaked out over the card.

I asked him if his roommates had been helping him look and he said a little but not much. By now the screams in my head are so loud I cannot hear myself think. I had no choice but to pull out the best threat I could think of for this group. I told the oldest that he was to tell his roommates to get up and help him look for his wallet, because if they did not find it within the hour I was driving down there and I would be tearing their apartment apart until I found that wallet, and I would not be quiet about it. There would be yelling, especially about how they need to be more responsible and keep the place cleaner. I hung up and waited.

In less than five minutes the phone rang. What did I hear when I picked up the phone ? "It was in a pizza box!"

Evidently one of the roommates while helping him look (threat worked) opened an empty pizza box and there was the wallet. I guess this is one time their sloppiness paid off. If someone had actually thrown out the empty pizza box, the wallet would have been gone, along with his license, credit cards, cash, and several gift cards.

I was a good mom. I did not yell. I just told him I was thrilled I did not have to cancel my credit card, and that he needed to find a place in HIS room to keep his wallet when he did not need it on him, and told him goodnight.

Now I am sitting here waiting for the screaming in my head to stop or at least get quieter so I can go to bed.

Birthday Week Tasty So Far

It is only day two of my birthday week and I have already had two great birthday meals.

Yesterday a friend from church took me to lunch at the Olive Garden and we had a very tasty meal and a wonderful time.

Tonight L & M gave me my gifts and L took me to dinner since M is in Chicago. L let me pick and I chose the Olive Garden again because I don't get to go there often and I wanted to eat a different dish. The meal was delicious, but the company was better. I very seldom get L or M to myself. I don't mind sharing them with each other, but usually there is another party or two along.

If the rest of the week is anything like the first two days, turning 50 will be very tasty, and lots of fun.

Please Take Time To Listen

This really makes me smile. I had to share, because so many people "Stand by Me."

Happy Easter

This is the first year since 1991 that we have not dyed Easter eggs and had an Easter egg hunt. It was quite a shock to me.

Raymond was always in charge of the coloring of the Easter eggs. I would buy all the coloring kits, boil the eggs, and lay out the paper, but he was the one that would really get into the artistic side of the colored Easter eggs. He and the boys even colored Easter eggs in the living room while Raymond was in a hospital bed in hospice care. Raymond could barely see straight from all the morphine but he squinted his eyes and carefully painted scenes on the eggs. It made it very hard to color eggs the next year.

Last year we colored eggs, but I could tell the spirit wasn't there. We did the egg hunt too, but even I will admit it was a little ridiculous to be hiding eggs for boys with size 12 (oldest) and size 13 (youngest) shoes.

This year they both vetoed the idea of coloring eggs when I brought it up. Instead of an Easter egg hunt we just went by the drugstore and they picked out the kind of chocolate bunny they wanted.

It was fine, yet it made me so sad.

So no colored eggs, or egg hunt, or deviled eggs to make this year, but that is not Easter. We all got up and went to the early service at church, the boys loved the sermon today, and enjoyed the music. I enjoyed being there with them and hearing them sing, one on each side of me. I had a Raymond flash in church and it made me smile. We were together as a family and that is always makes a perfect day for me.

Happy Easter.

Yep, That One is Mine

When my oldest was born it was evident from the first minute that he was Raymond's child. He had Raymond's coloring, hair color, and quiet way - you could barely hear his cries. When Raymond would go to the hospital nursery to get the oldest even nurses that had not met Raymond knew which baby to pick up out of the crib before checking name tags. It was the talk of the maternity ward.

We knew within months that he had Raymond's engineering mind and love of learning.

When the youngest was born it was very evident he was mine. Same coloring, loud, into everything, mean (Raymond told everyone he married me because I was mean.), and stubborn.

We knew within months that he was going to be very hard to live with, just like I am.

As the oldest has grown we have seen more and more ways that he is like his father. When we were on vacation I actually yelled at him because he was doing something that irritated me in the same way Raymond would irritate me when he would do the same thing. I wanted to know why the oldest had to have all his father's traits.

Of course, the youngest is becoming more and more like me. In fact, after the other day we agreed that it probably a good thing he is moving away from me for a while. He said something that was so me that it startled him, and yet we were laughing so hard I thought I would have to pull off the road.

We were on our way to run a couple of errands and as I was stopped at a red light I became fascinated by the hair style of the man in the car behind me and I wanted the youngest to see it, but before he could sneak a peak the light turned green. As I drove through the green light a horn honked next to me and when the youngest looked it was a friend of the family. The youngest waved and we kept driving on, with the youngest still wanting to see the rear view mirror guy's hair. That is when he said it.

The youngest said "I really would like for the next light to be red to see that guy, but then again we would have to roll down the window and say "hi" to _______." Then he looked at me and said "I have to get away from you. That is so what you would say."

Well, I lost it, because that is what I would say. He knew that is what I would say because all his life he has watched me not turn down certain grocery aisles to avoid running into acquaintances, and sometimes friends. Just last night he saw me try to gauge whether or not a woman from the church had seen me walk into a store as she was checking out by the door so I would know if I needed to speak or not.

Now there are some people that I will always speak to if I see them out in public, but that is a short list. I am the first to admit that I am extremely fortunate to have so many wonderful friends and acquaintances in my life, but there are times I do not want to be social. Shopping is one of those times.

I hate to shop. When I go shopping I go with a purpose and I want to get in and out so I can spend my time doing something else I enjoy more. Even when I go to a quilt shop it is with a need and I will not spend any time admiring the fabrics until I have discovered whether or not I can fulfill that need within that shop.

I am not saying I don't enjoy walking around in Target and looking at different items, but when I do that, I want to be alone, and I will still avoid people unless I am feeling really sociable.

So now the youngest has truly been branded by me, and has my anti-social attitude. However, I am encouraged because when we were out last night he did wave back to a girl that waved to him in the store, even if he did complain in the car on the way home that he ran into her three times and it was getting awkward.

Yep, that one is mine.

I Found this Funny, and Yet I Feel Cheated

My youngest found the link to this video on one of his comic book webpages. We all sat around and watched this and laughed, but when it was all over with I felt cheated.

According to the College Humor website, Disney has been copying their own animation.

Watch Disney Templates and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

All Is Right in My World Tonight

I have laughed so much today that my side hurts.

BFF J and I went to lunch today and then did a little shopping without buying anything. We also stopped at the library and picked up some books. I am so glad she went in and found something to read. I think everyone should enjoy the library. Sis is going there more now, and if I could get BFF to make it a regular stop it would make me almost giddy with delight. Libraries are really special to me.

Once home I worked on designing the rest of the back to the cat quilt so I could make sure she approved before finishing it up. I'm glad she had the chance to do that, because I really want her to like the completed quilt. She read while I finished up on the EQ6.

After we had made the final decision on the quilt, we played Quirkle. We played three games in a row!!! I was on cloud nine.

We chatted a little after that and then she was on her way home to her hubby.

While we were playing Quirkle the oldest came home and so after BFF left I told the boys I would take them to dinner. So off we went to Chili's. They have some very nice lighter dishes on the menu that are not very expensive so I was able to find something for my not too hungry self. While we were there, my oldest said something that added to something the youngest had said that cracked me up, so I went into a laughing fit that I thought would never end. Then the youngest had missed the oldest's comment and he said it again, which made the youngest crack up and the whole thing started over again. It was a terrific dinner.

The next stop was the new Super Target. We had not been there yet, so of course I had to check everything out. The youngest wants to redo his bathroom so he was looking at the bathroom colors. His bathroom has been frogs forever. I was very pleased with his choices. He found towels he liked first, then the matching rug, and then a soap dispenser and garage can.

I wanted to still walk around after we found the bathroom items and ended up buying a beautiful green bird feeder, and a green doormat from recycled rubber. We also found some food stuff that was $2.00 cheaper than Krogers (and not because it was on sale). I could have stayed in the frozen food section for hours looking at all the different items they had, but I knew I needed to leave before I got in over my head.

We stopped at Walgreen's on the way home to pick up a couple of chocolate bunnies for the boys' Easter basket, and that is when we really got rowdy laughing. It seems that every year they get stranger and stranger items for Easter baskets. I guess I didn't realize how loud we were becoming until one of the sales clerks came over and said that we needed to tell her what was so funny because she needed a few laughs herself. We were afraid to tell her until she asked us if we found some of the the Easter stuff weird and then we were all pointing and laughing. It was fun. I am sure the other shoppers were annoyed, but then they all looked stress trying to put together Easter baskets from what little was left.

We came home and the boys carried everything in for me. I checked my email and there was a message from Sis. Then I checked on my girls using their Facebook pages and I know they are both good. Now I am in my chair with my feet up, listening to the boys play in the other room, a good book by my side, and a smile on my face.

All is right in my world tonight.

So Tempting

My tax refund was deposited today, and yesterday I received a small amount on my inheritance from my mother, so it is very tempting to order the Kindle2. I mentioned it to the youngest, but I got the impression that he did not think it was a good idea to spend my little increase that way.

He did let me buy the bird feeder that I wanted last weekend and did not buy. He wanted me to take the $15.00 out of the Kindle2 fund that I had put in for not buying it last weekend, but we agreed that I should get to buy myself a little treat with my inheritance since I haven't spent any of it before now.

Did You Hear Me Screaming?

Really, did anyone hear me screaming around 6:15 p.m.? I am pretty sure anyone within a 20 mile radius heard me.

My youngest and I went out today and purchased some beautiful flowers for the above ground bed that the youngest built with one of Raymond's friends. The youngest had already put in a lot of work in the yard today while I was at work, so I told him I would plant the flowers. I planted the first five plants, no problem. I started in digging the hole for the sixth hole and as I took out the first trowel full of dirt I heard something that sounded like a squeaker in a dog toy. As I dug in for another trowel full I was looking around the yard trying to figure out where the sound was coming from when the sound increased in volume. I looked down to see if I had taken out enough dirt and that is when I realized what was producing the sound. I had dug up a mouse nest and my trowel was full of baby mice squealing and writhing about like they were in pain. I dropped the trowel, stood up and just started screaming.

Now you would think that the youngest would have run over to see what was wrong with me, but no he did not. He said he looked over and I was standing up with the trowel and he did not see blood, and he figured if I could scream it wasn't a heart attack, so he knew there was something in the box. I told him I could have been snake bit, but he said I wasn't holding any part of my body, and he wouldn't want to run over if there was a snake and risk being bit. (Did I say I would miss him when he left for school?)

After the youngest finally sauntered over to see the baby mice, we had to decide what to do. The decision was made to bury them again since they were buried before I started digging. I voted that the youngest rebury the little things and plant the plants on that side of the box.

Even after the youngest buried them again one of them worked itself back up to right under a thin layer of dirt and we could see it pulsing. I hope their mommy finds them and takes care of them, but most of all I hope I never see them again.

Perfect Quirkle

Perfect Quirkle Game

The youngest has wanted us to have a Quirkle game like this since we started playing. Tonight it happened. Funny thing is it ended up being a tied score. I wasn't real happy because it was a very short game.

Vitamin D Update

Heard back from my doctor's office today. My Vitamin D level is up from 11 to 20. The doctor upped the amount of D I am taking, and they will recheck it in six months.

I really like the ones I bought from the Vitamin Shoppe. No more indigestion and reflux.

Better than Candy

I made deviled eggs for the TOPS party last night and I had a couple left over for today. I swear they are better than candy.

L likes them too. I need to make her a batch that she can have all to herself.

My Back

ouch, ouch, ouch

I did my back in again today.

It is so tight that I have my shoulders all hunched up right now.

I will treat it with heat tonight and hope I can get out of bed tomorrow.

I Had SOOOO Much Fun!!!!!!!

We had a TOPS Officer's installation party tonight at N's house, and she is the hostest with the mostest always.

I had sooooo much fun!!!!! So many laughs.

Everyone brought great food. (Yes, we can do that twice a year at TOPS)

We had to cancel our Christmas party due to an ice storm so we had not exchanged our white elephant gifts. I ended up with some old cds, some very funny overalls, and a rainbow stuffed bear(?). One of the teens did say that he would like one of the cds so I told him I would listen to it this week and give it to him at the next meeting. He did offer up his white elephant in exchange, but I didn't want it.

I will laugh all week about tonight.

Oh yes, I lost 2 pounds since last week. WOOHOOO!

Hot Yoga

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikram_Yoga

Bikram's Yoga, also known as Hot Yoga, or "Fire Yoga" is a style of yoga developed by Bikram Choudhury and a Los Angeles, California based company.^[1] Bikram Yoga is ideally practiced in a room heated to 105°F (40.5°C) with a humidity of 40%. Classes are guided by specific dialogue including 26 postures and two breathing exercises. Classes last approximately 90 minutes. Beginners may take Bikram's yoga classes.

Doctor - Are you kidding me? I know I complain about being cold a lot, but I really don't know if I could breathe in a room that hot while exercising. I know my muscles wouldn't hurt, but they would have to put a tube into my mouth and just keep pouring water down my throat.

She told me that there was a group on Campbell offering ten classes for $10.00. I would need a friend to go with me so that when I passed out they could call the contact the right people. Hey BFF you ready to try it?

Doctor's Report

Okay, I was a big girl and went to the doctor. Here is the report so far:

• I have not gained or lost weight in 6 months.
• My numbers from my blood test were not bad, except my glucose levels were higher than she wanted, but not diabetic.
• She is retesting my vitamin D.
• She wants me to try the Sugar Busters Diet
• She wants me to eat the same amount of calories I am eating, but broken into more meals
• She wants me to think about heat yoga (?)
• She will run my blood work again in 6 months

All in all not a bad trip, except she kept saying "Now that you are 50." I wanted to scream I am not 50 yet! I will not be 50 for another 12 days. However she kept saying it. Examples:

• "As a 50 year old female your metabolism isn't like it used to be."
• "Now that you are 50 you can have a colonoscopy."
• "At 50 you probably need to be more aware of your blood glucose, and watch for diabetes."

I'm not even 50 yet and it already sucks.

So tonight I will order the Sugar Busters Diet and Shopping Guide, take my vitamin D, have trouble getting to sleep thinking about a colonoscopy, and then when I do fall asleep I will dream of the perfect birthday cake my youngest is making me for when I AM 50, because I don't care what Sugar Busters says I having my special birthday cake!

Don't Wanna Go

OK, L had a little meltdown today, so I think I will too.

I don't want to go for my physical tomorrow. I haven't lost weight so that makes me go in feeling guilty. I'm still depressed, but don't want to go through that process of trying to find the right prescription.

I like my doctor, but I think I have seen all the doctors I ever want to see after all those years with Raymond and then my mother.

I have been having panic attacks for the last four nights just thinking about what would happen if she found something really wrong with me, and how would we be able to deal with it as a family. Of course my rationale is that if I don't go she can't find anything wrong, and everything will be just fine, but I know that is not true.

I don't wanna go.

"Picture Book"

This is such a cool idea.

Picture Book

In fact there are a lot of unique ideas and products on this particular site. However if you do not use this link, and incorrectly type it into google you might wonder what kind of ideas I think are cool, and make sure your kids are not in the room if that happens. What a name for a company.

Picture

I am so jealous of the cute picture Deborah has of herself on her blog.

I do not take a good picture. It truly baffles my youngest. He will take my picture look at the picture on the camera, look at me and shake his head and say "What do you do while I'm snapping the picture that makes you looks so bad?"

I can really only think of a handful of great pictures that were ever taken of me. One was taken by one of my best friends and won her recognition in a photo contest. The rest are all horrible. I think a lot of it is the fact that I do not consider myself a pretty woman, and that I know the picture will probably be bad, it makes me tense up when there is a camera around.

All I know for sure is that what I see in a picture and what I see in a mirror never seems to match up. The youngest must have snapped thirty pictures of me in a row one day trying to get one that would look somewhat natural for a memory board we were making before he found one he would accept, but it was still pretty bad.

Picture taking in our house when I was growing up was always a production. 9 times out of 10 there were no batteries for the camera, let alone film. There are no real pictures from my graduation because of the battery issue. We were ready to leave, there were a couple of Polaroids taken in front of the steps before we ran out of film, and then it was discovered that there were no batteries for the 35mm camera. A mad rush around the house looking for batteries (heaven forbid we stop at the convenience store on the way into town), and then before long we were running late. By the time we got to the high school the professional photographers were gone, my friends were upset because I did not get in a single picture, and I am frantically trying to get to my place in line. My parents and then boyfriend sat up in the stands above me and I swear I saw them attempt to take a couple of pictures with a camera they knew was not working, maybe they were hoping beyond hope that the old battery would give them one more shot. To me, it was just another picture taking day (or no picture taking) in our family. It wasn't until my friend starting taking photography classes and I bought a cheap camera so I could accompany her on her days of picture taking that we started having some real pictures of our family in the photo albums. Of course I was always taking the pictures so I am not in a lot of them.

L & M looked great in their Glamour Shots last year, but that is not for me.

I always tell the boys that I hope they will be able to picture me in their minds because they certainly cannot see the real me in the few pictures there are of me in the albums.

Who knows maybe someday there will be some more great shots taken and I will happy enough with them to put one on this blog. In the meantime, Deborah's is really cute.

"The Hour I First Believed"

I have believed that Wally Lamb is a fantastic writer from the time I read "She's Come Undone," which was good, but nothing like "I Know This Much is True," which is one of my favorite books. Now I have finished Wally Lamb's latest book "The Hour I First Believed" and it is definitely at the top of my list of books that I would read again. (Read the first chapter.)

If you go out to Amazon to read the reviews and see the 3.5 stars you may wonder if this is a book to spend your valuable time on, and I would tell you "Yes." I truly believe that a lot of the reviewers are not used to reading books with so many subplots and connections these days. A lot of readers are used to the quick reads by prolific writers like James Patterson, Jonathan Kellerman, Mary Higgins Clark, etc. All writers I read, and enjoy, but not books I would consider to be literature and thought provoking.

"The Hour I First Believed" is the story of Caelum Quirk and his wife Maureen. Caelum is a teacher, and Maureen is a nurse, both working at Columbine High School at the time of the Columbine shootings. The book then goes into how that horrific act changes their lives. While this is a work of fiction, you cannot help but stop and wonder about all the consequences of that day.

While Caelum Quirk has a lot of traits I do not admire in a person, he does try to do the best he can for his loved ones, and I recognize that the best some people can do has to do with the best they were taught to do in their life.

I really enjoyed learning about the lives of Caelum's family members through the papers and letters left behind and brought out through the storyline. I would have to remind myself throughout the reading of the 752 pages of this book that it was fiction.

There are so many different facets to Caelum that I was always changing my feelings about him and I liked that Mr. Lamb's writing brought that out in me. It is how you feel about certain people in real life and I started to believe that Caelum could be someone that I might be acquainted with if I lived in the right part of the country.

The day to day interactions with different people in the world brings different things into Caelum's life, such as the his seat mate in an airplane and their discussion of the "chaos theory" and an article written about Maureen looking at "a victim's victim” brought about in me a chance to think about my life and what might have happened to bring upon certain results.

I don't know how long it will take Wally Lamb to bring us another piece of literature, but I will be waiting anxiously knowing that he will not disappoint me with the results.

What is it About April?

I have always liked April. It is my birthday month. It is my oldest's and cousin's birthday month (actually we were all born on the same date), and I have other relatives, and friends that share this month with me for birthdays.

It is the month that we really start to see the leaves coming out on the trees, and flowers popping up from the ground and in the garden centers.

However, in the past fifteen years or so when I think if April my first thought is "What horrible thing will happen this year?"

The Oklahoma City bombing, Columbine, Virginia Tech, and now Binghamton all in April. I am sure there are more but those are the ones that come to mind at this time.

Those events are usually the first thing I think about now when I think about April. I have spent days wondering what it is about April that these events happened.

I Would Not Drive That Far

My oldest has been invited to a birthday party for the girlfriend of a friend. He has only met the girlfriend a couple of times, though he talks to her online. The party is in Waxahachie, about 58 miles away. In our conversation today he told me he was planning on going to the party after he attends a conference tomorrow afternoon. My comment to him was I would not go that far for an acquaintance. He asked me what I meant.

I explained to him that I would only travel that far to a party if it was for "Sis", BFF, L , M, or their family members or family members of mine that I like. I told him I could not think of anyone else I would drive that far for at this time in my life. Heck I have turned down four parties this year that were less than three miles from my house.

The oldest thought I was trying to convince him not to go, and while I admit I was trying to make him think more about whether he should go or not, I was not going to tell him to stay home.

I know there are people out there that will go to any party, any place, for any body, and in my much younger years, I did that a few times, but these days I'd rather stay home and watch a movie than try to make small talk with a bunch of people I barely know. You can only spend so much time at a party talking about the decorations, food, how you know the host/hostess, the weather, and your children, before you have to find other topics of discussion. My interests never seem to connect to the people at parties I attend.

I like to discuss politics (yes, I know a big social no-no). Since I am a liberal and most of the people I know are very conservative, it is not something I can discuss at a party.

I like to read, and I read a variety of things, not just the books listed on this blog. It is very difficult to come across readers. Usually when I am at a party and bring up a book or an article I have just read all I hear back is "I'm too busy to read," which makes me feel (1) like a slacker because I make the time to read, (2) irritated that I am not home reading.

Sports always seems to be a big hit topic at parties I attend. The last two parties I attended ended up being a "sport" watching party, even though they did not start out that way. One was a birthday party and the other was a holiday party, but someone just had to check a score and why not on the big screen in the room of the party instead of the smaller tv in the back room. Next thing you know everyone is gathered around screaming and shaking their fists at the game on the screen, and the birthday celebration was forgotten, and I doubt they even remembered it was a holiday. As my BFF can confirm, I do not keep up with sports. I am not interested at all, but I always try to make sure I know who is playing in the Super Bowl and the World Series just so I have some idea if the topic comes up at a party.

So no, I would not drive to Waxahachie for an acquaintance. If the oldest does decide to go, I hope he has a good time, but if he doesn't have a good time I hope he pays attention to how far he drove.

From My Oldest's Blog

This is from my oldest's blog. I really liked what he said. He is a terrific writer, always has been, I just wish he was more interested in writing.

What’s in the Name

March 26th, 2009

Hullo from life after vacation! Arkansas was pretty cool, I’ll discuss it later.

If I’m going to name this blog something strange, I should explain my rationale. Ambiguity is for freshman rhetoric and literature classes, not for idea blogs.

I Am About Us. With the advent of widespread communication, the internet being the most obvious and ubiquitous example, influence is no longer limited to our environment and the people and object that inhabit it. Instead, we are all, to some degree, the product of other peoples’ stories. We’re entirely capable of coming up with ideas of our own, but when we have those ideas, their development doesn’t stop there. We take other people’s ideas, notice the good and the bad in them, and use that to enhance, develop, and nurture our ideas.

Look at genres, for instance. We categorize media into things like comedy, romance, and drama, but works within each of those genres are drastically different; one doesn’t come out after watching a double feature of Little Miss Sunshine and Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life and think about all the similarities between the two. However, both relied on the fact that the creators already had some idea of what people found funny before they created the films through interaction with others. With instant-feedback worldwide communication, our perspective on our idea development is widened considerably.

This is communication. This is influence. This is the new creativity.

I am about us.

And, maybe, to some degree, you are about me.

-H