Glass Half Empty

Meditation

2011-01-05T06:37:00.001-08:00

So, reading today in Celebration of Discipline is about meditation - comtemplative prayer. The goal is to put your mind and heart in a place where you can receive instruction from God - you are able to hear God's voice, and obey his word. "To pray is to descend with the mind into the heart, and there to stand before the face of the Lord, ever-present, all seeing, within you."

"Inward fellowship of this kind transforms the inner personality".

"The inner reality of the spiritual world is available to all who are willing to search for it."

"Human beings seem to have a perpetual tendency to have somebody else talk to God for them."

How do we receive the desire to hear his voice? "This desire to turn is a gift of grace. Anyone who imagines that he can simply begin meditating without praying for the desire and the grace to do so will soon give up."

Reading to start the year

2011-01-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

Here's another unquantifiable resolution; more reading, less tv (facebook,surfing...). More reading in general, and at least one newspaper article each day (not on internet "news", but actually from the paper, either real or via kindle.... :-) )

Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster so far, is a great book to start the new year with. It was recommended by Mutating Missionary (Robin), as a book that she tries to get back to re-read each year.

The description is that this book "... has helped over a million seekers discover a richer spiritual life infused with joy, peace, and a deeper understanding of God." (nothing unique there...) It focuses on the inward disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting and study.

Outline notes : Introduction

I. Introduction

A. Spiritual Disciplines: Door to Liberation

B. The Slavery of Ingrained Habits

1. "Sin is part of the internal structure of our lives. No special effort is needed to produce it." Sin is not only "individual acts of disobedience to God", but it is ingrained in us. "The Ingrained Habits of Sin"...

2. "The moment we feel we can succeed and attain victory over sin by the strength of our will alone is the moment we are worshiping the will". Paul refers to this as will worship (col. 2:20 - 23). This also echos of Dr. John Hannah's teaching that essentially, our motives are never good.

3. "The will has the same deficiency as the law - it can deal only with externals. It is incapable of bringing about the necessary transformation of the inner spirit".

Lately, I have been focusing on my lack of self discipline in dealing with my weaknesses - fruit of the spirit number 9... self control. Here is a reminder that simple will alone has never been and will never be enough for me to change my ways. And - my motivation for changing whatever sin I am dealing with, usually is rooted in pride - a desire to look or behave like someone else in order to gain acceptance by other people. My motivation or desire is rarely to please God or to move away from the sin because it is, in fact, sin.

Next... The Spirtual Disciplines Open the Door

Half Century

2011-01-02T06:58:00.000-08:00

This the half century year for those of us born in 1961. The older I get, the more aware I am of two things:

(1) Time moves much faster at 50 than at 20. When you are 20, people who are 50 warn you of this phenomenon. 20 year olds don't get it. George Bernard Shaw was probably 50 when he wrote "Youth is wasted on the young".

(2) I waste so much time every day doing things and worrying about things that just don't matter, instead of focusing on the people around me. We are here to build relationships - with God, with our families, friends, neighbors.

So in 2011, I will spend more time with those around me, and be a better listener - focus. I will give more of my time to my family and my church. I will take some chances and try to experience more: jump out of the rut every now and then.

Here's to the Half Century Year!

My Dream Life at 20

2010-07-17T07:15:00.001-07:00

I used to run. Not because I liked it, but for other reasons. I would run up and down Dingle Ridge Road. It was the Main Drag to our house. Dingle Ridge Road runs from Rt 6 on the Putnam county side to 121 on the Westchester county side.

When I ran, I would listen to my walkman. It weighed about half a pound, and played my cassette tapes. I would make these tapes from songs on the radio. When I was in college, I discovered WXCI, the WestConn radio station that played alternative rock. Ministry, Depeche Mode, Sex Pistols, just crazy random stuff. A song called Black Slacks by Robert Gordon, Belly of a Whale by Effigy, Slang Teacher by Wide Boy Awake, The Polecats - Make a Circuit with Me....

Dingle Ridge was this country road, parts of it unpaved. It had a KILLER hair pin curve. Any teen unlucky enough to have to learn to drive on a car with a standard transmission (my brother John, for instance) had not truly learned to drive until they could make it up this curve without stalling. There were woods on both sides of the road, trees arching over the road providing shade, but killing all air movement in the summer. I can still smell the hot tar of the blacktop, hear the cicadas, feel the heat coming off of the road. I would run on the hill side down to a particular telephone pole on the left (going downhill). I used to know the exact number on that pole, but can't remember it now. Then turn, and run up the hill back to the Putnam side, down to the old dutch mile marker.

In my imagination, I would think about what my life would be like one day. In my imagination, I could see this as plain as day... I would live in Vermont. Why Vermont? I don't know, but the road that I lived on in Vermont looked an awful lot like Dingle Ridge Road... My house was white, siding with green shutters. A huge lot but not too huge, maybe an acre. All flat, house sitting square in the middle. A stone wall in front along the street. Vegetable garden in the back. Two black labrador retrievers. Surrounded by trees - green everywhere. In my imagination, I lived there alone. Just me and the dogs. I can't remember much about the inside of the house, except it was old, with wood floors. I do remember my idea of the upstairs though - one room at the top of the stairs, more like an attic space. This room was a library - wood panelled, bookcases filled with books, just dusty and old enough, a big sunny window with an armchair and footstool, kind of a salmon color, with a paisley throw blanket...the perfect room. Dark enough in the summer, bright enough in the winter, cozy enough in the rain. Quiet. A couple of times, I tried to lay out on paper what the floorplan of this house would be, but i could never get past the library. That room - I could see as plain as if I had grown up there.

That was this crazy, endorphine fueled idea of what my life would be like. Why do I mourn this dream so? Why do I wonder if that life is still possible? Why do I mourn so many dreams instead of embracing what I have here and now? What a waste of time. Just let it go.

2010-07-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

... and what is this life?

Double Secret Probation...

2010-07-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

It's been almost EXACTLY one year since my last post.

I still have nothing really to say, but a lot on my mind.

What is it about a blog that makes me want to write anything here? I guess it's fairly anonymous... a journal really. Therapy I guess.

Jim took a class at church called "Winning at Work and at Home". They taught him many fascinating things about the workings of the female mind. Among other things.

If you have taken this course, you are familiar with "Spider Webbing". This is what women do, or really, the way women think, or really, the way I think! My thoughts are all over the place. For instance : oh look, the neighbors are moving out today. Gee I wonder if they sold the house or are they just moving? I wonder if the poor shape of our fence has kept them from being able to sell? Well, the fence would be ok, if I would just cut down those photinias. Can't do that, I think the cardinals nest in there. Wonder if the cardinals have enough to eat? Did I feed the chickens this morning? Next time I go to the feed store, I'll get some corn to sew the bags to finish making the corn hole game I started for Jim 2 years ago. I'll finish painting the boards first - and clean the garage while I'm at it. There's a bunch of stuff out there that could go on freecycle. Guess I will log on to yahoo and rejoin the free cycle group. It's been a year since I freecycled. (while screwing around with yahoo, i checked my facebook) and look! lori schweers has updated her blog. Wow. It's been a long time since I looked at anyones blog... Gee, I wonder if mine is still out there.

So, you see how this works. There's not just one distinct thought in my head. No single prime directive, concentrated on with laser focus to the exclusion of all else, as it is in Jim's mind, or in the minds of most men, from what the book tells me...

Yeah. so, I'm not even sure where this started, I'm afraid to go back and look. Maybe tomorrow I'll try for a distinct thought to put here. But for now, I've got boards to paint, lessons to plan, groceries to purchase, lunch to deliver, a garage to clean, new neighbors to watch for, old neighbors to say goodbye to, a fall vegetable garden to plan and prep for, weeds to pull, bushes to cut down, bags of corn to sew...

2009-07-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

Lesson learned in Sunday School today:

To walk with God in Prayer
Means to be Aware
That he's There.

I need to go to Sunday school more often.

Peace out.

Lyrics

2009-07-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

So, we went to Oklahoma City today to see this movie.

I had seen clips for it somewhere, and being long-time Bela Fleck fans, I thought "we should see that movie!". Then, I forgot about it.

Until yesterday.

Looking through the paperwork that was sent to DD#4 to prepare for her trip to Tanzania, I found a list of books/films to watch to become familiar with the culture. This movie was listed in the films to see. A scheme was hatched.

A great day in so many ways - a one day, relatively inexpensive get away, with DD#4, who rarely joins us on family outings anymore. OKC has a great museum district, and alot to see.

No surprise, the movie was full of music, and songs. The music that was played sounded so complex to me - I'm no musician. Yet, the lyrics were what struck me. Simple. Not songs about girls, clubs, dubs or dollars... The lyrics - happiness (the one word in a whole song), mother, father, death (it was once for chickens... it counts your ribs), songbirds, war, poverty, allah or the gods. I mean, that's it. One or two words per song. Beautiful complex music from the simplest instruments - sticks, strings, gourds, skins. The singers teeth and tongue, hands and feet. Simple lyrics from such amazing voices.

World Vision Report - Week of April 25, 2009 - Bela Fleck

2009-07-12T20:15:00.001-07:00

World Vision Report - Week of April 25, 2009 - Bela Fleck

Shared via AddThis

Movies

2009-07-08T15:58:00.000-07:00

Due out in August.... Can't wait!

Julie and Julia Trailer

Tonight...

Star Trek

... gonna have to DVR Wipeout.

World News

2009-07-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

We came back from the long, relatively unplugged weekend in Louisiana. I was surprised to see that Michael Jackson was still dominating the news. To an astounding degree. I mean, Katie Couric has a ringside seat and a good part of the ABC World (World) News is devoted to covering the memorial service at the Staples Center in LA. I thought for sure that we would be back to living out the disaster-in-a-fishbowl that is Jon, Kate, and their kids.

I liked MJ back in the day when I was a young teen... I liked MJ back in the day when I was a young adult. As he grew older and changed radically, I didn't think much about it, except that his private life as a whole must have been pretty "out there"... I remember when Elvis died and people were just devastated. I didn't get that any more than I get this. As they say on American Idol, "Yo, Dawg, I'm just not feeling it".

Annnnywayyy...

What was interesting was that when I changed to the BBC news, I was reminded of what Katie Couric might have been telling me - That the president of Honduras had been overthrown and that there was violence and unrest in that country. That in China, riots were going on between Muslim Uighurs and the Han Chinese, leaving over 100 people dead. That Sarah Palin had resigned as Governor of Alaska... The BBC unapologetically throws in names like "Zelaya", "Urumqi", "L'Aquila" and expects that the viewer knows who or what they are referring to. They report news from Eastern Europe, South America, India, Africa... Africa!!... all as if it were local news! The last time US news even mentioned an individual, non-mid eastern country on the African Continent was Somalia in '94.

I found out that our president will be going to Africa in a few days. Somebody should tell Katie.

New Roads...

2009-07-06T16:02:00.000-07:00

Jim's Dad has made some observations about the holiday on his blog "False-River"

We always enjoy heading south to "the river" for any reason. Enforced relaxation - no internet, sketchy phone service. Good food, no where to go other than the camp so the kids tend to stay put. Swimming, reading, puzzles, games, sleeping in, fireworks, and of course family.

Swimming in the river is a process. At first, when the kids are little, it takes some coaxing and encouragement to get them in. The water is green, and can be murky. They have to wear a life jacket at first. As they get older, they get in more readily, eventually jumping in from the low side of the pier. Then there's always the year they jump from the high side of the pier, and this was the year for DS#1.

Grocery Stores

2009-06-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

A lot of my life has revolved around grocery stores. Many of the inside jokes between my mom and I were spawned at the First National in Brewster or the Pathmark in Danbury, and later at the Krogers, H.G. Hills and Piggly Wiggly in Nashville. (Right here, I could stop and veer off on a tangent entitled "North and South : Compare and Contrast Grocery Shopping Cultures"). My favorite Erma Bombeck column involved the grocery cart that had three wheels that wanted to go shopping and one wheel that wanted to go to the parking lot. We spend most of our lives sleeping. The second biggest chunk of my life has doubtlessly been spent in grocery stores.

I have learned lessons at the grocery store. Slower traffic stays right, pass on the left. Don't walk in front of a 10 year old who is pushing the buggy. Patience and a smile go a long way. Dress in layers. Milk is always in the corner farthest from the door. Check the eggs before you commit to them. Nothing is ever as good inside as it's packaging would make you believe. Most of the time, blue is not a color you want to eat. If you go to the grocery wearing the YMCA t-shirt that has the spaghetti sauce stain dribbled down the front, there is a 100% chance that you will run into the freshly coiffed high dollar neighbor wearing her mink.

God sometimes chooses to give me moments of absolute clarity about my life when I'm at the grocery store. Maybe it's because I'm there so much. A few weeks ago, there was a mom and her daughter getting out of the suburban. The mom was lifting the daughter out, they were giggling and rubbing noses... Don't get me wrong, I'm not weepy or nostalgic about my older girls growing up. Yet, there was a moment - I panicked - was I ever like that? Did I ever giggle like that with my daughters? Did I rub noses with them and lift them up like that? If I did, in that moment I was absolutely sure I that didn't do it enough.

Today at the grocery store I saw a younger-ish (not too young) woman with a small-ish (not too small) child and an olderish (not too old) woman. The ages I guess weren't as important as the roles they played, the youngish woman was out shopping with her mom and her child. The youngish woman was the one who needed the groceries, and the mom and kid were along for the ride. There are often women like this, with their children and their moms, all shopping together. In my mind, I've always seen myself as the younger women - not the moms. Today at the grocery store, for the first time, as clear as day, in my mind I became the mom. In a split second and just like that, my frame of reference and my idea of who I am shifted .... just along for the ride.

Funny.... The way it is...

2009-06-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

There was an article in our town news on Wednesday. It was interesting in a couple of ways.

Here is a part of it.

" Marcus High School is one step closer to having a football stadium with a 4-1 vote by the Flower Mound Planning and Zoning commissioners on Monday.
Commissioners approved a variety of waivers for the plan, including allowing all overhead utilities to remain.
... G & A Consultants Engineer Von Beougher said burying the utilities would cost the (LISD) more than $1 million.
'That's $1 million in improvements -- if you want to call them improvements -- that really wouldn't serve any educational value to the students,' Beougher said."

Hmm. Where to begin?

Maybe with some pictures...

These are just a few of the power lines that the builder doesn't want to bury.

This monstrosity is in our back yard.

I don't know whether this spider web of cables that runs the length of Waketon Blvd has anything to do with it, but our power historically goes out on a cloudy day. I'm pretty sure I want to call "burying the cables" an improvement.

This is the construction zone where work has already begun on the new football stadium that has not yet been approved by the Flower Mound P&Z. The baseball stadium has been dismantled, and the state of the art practice field that was built 7 or 8 years ago at a cost of several million dollars has been dug up.

I'm not sure how a new football stadium is serving any educational value to the students, but if your going to spend $35 million on one, couldn't you just bury the cables while you're at it?

Don't even get me started on where the people to fill the 9500 seats are going to park within walking distance of the intersection of Waketon and Morriss...

Thoughts...

2009-06-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

1. DD #4 is a newly minted HS grad. As such, we have agreed to send her on a long-awaited trip to Africa with Cross Cultural Solutions, a "recognized leader in the field of international volunteering". Air travel options to get from DFW to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, involve stops in either New York or Amsterdam. I suggested that the change in Amsterdam is probably better than changing in NY, the flight is half as long, and JFK is not the most user friendly airport. DD#4 responds "Yeah, I think that's better"..... "Where's Amsterdam?" (!!)

2. We now have egg-producing chickens. This item started out to be a comment about my worrying alot lately about trying to reconcile my liberal socio-political views of life in our country with my living as a christian in a right-wing, intensely conservative part of our country. My worrying, my desire to cling to what I've always felt was "right" and "just", and my understanding that my feelings about these things are in direct conflict with what most christians I associate with feel about these things - have all led me to question my christianity, and then back to questioning my need to cling to these views (pride?! again?!). But then, I chickened out about commenting on this at all, and wrote about my chickens instead.

3. VBS rocks. I've really enjoyed getting to know everyone involved in making it happen this year. We have a Children's Ministries director who is leaving that I will miss working with more often. She gave me gold stars. We have a new Children's Ministries Director that I look forward to working with more often. He asks me for feedback, and for what I think. I've had several opportunities this week to be a good listener - something I'm notoriously bad at. I hope that I have been of some comfort to these people. One final observation about this: The kids/teens/young adults that serve at VBS are incredible. Each and every one of them.

4. Pine Cove is a little slice of heaven on earth. I love that they love my kid so dearly each summer for a week full of guy-bonding, and seeking God. DS#1 always comes back with a renewed understanding of God's love, his power, and of what his purpose is here. He would just say he had a great time, but his attitude and renewed faith from this week never fail to lift me up and renew my own faith. One final observation about this: The young adults that serve at Pine Cove are incredible. Each and every one of them.

5. In writing this, I realize that just when I find myself the farthest away from God (see item 2), he finds the most indirect ways to bring me back to him (see item 3 and 4). I have loved serving Him through his church this week at VBS, and I have loved being served by Him through other believers. I realize that the key to all of these things - VBS, Pine Cove, Cross Cultural Solutions - is the joyful, active, optimistic idealism of kids/teens/young adults - the pure love of one person for another person - without guilt or baggage or judgement or condemnation or agendas or the need to be right or for someone else to be wrong that seems to be so prevalent in our "tribe" lately - more specifically - since January 20, 2009.

6. I realize that times like these - the great VBS experience, or the perfect summer camp experience, and shiny, happy, joyful, optimistic (!!), idealistic teens/twenties, or the times when (to quote some great teens I know) "God Shows Up" - are rare. So, today, I am thoroughly grateful and blessed.

7. My drier is buzzing. I'm off to fold clothes, with joy and optimism.

2009-02-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

Chickens happened sooner than we thought!

Nugget, and Chirpy.

2009-02-15T11:41:00.000-08:00

Planted some peas and lettuce in planter outside. Today is supposed to be a high of 58 deg. and a low of 39. Forecast is between 38 and 68 degrees for the next 5 days. The planter box soil is not as fine as the seed soil I use inside, so I really just barely put the seeds below the surface and covered them with wet paper towels. The challenges will be to keep them moist enough outside, and to see if they get enough light under the tarp.

We will be bringing home some of Mrs. Hicks baby chicks on Friday. They are still small, so they will come home to an indoor dog crate, set up in the master bath. Soon, I'll have to start getting serious about a coop. After my playing around with lashing together the tripods for the peas, I'm wondering if I can lash together a chicken coop out of photinia branches!! Now THAT would be a feat.

Growth

2009-02-14T17:14:00.000-08:00

Peas, 2/8/09. Just sprouting.

Peas, 2/14/o9.
Carrots in the middle, lettuce in the front.
Mystery crop from Jamie's sunday school class in the tiny pot in the middle.

Rather than buy cages or a trellis, I just lashed together some photinia and crepe myrtle branches with twine to create trellises for the peas to climb. I stuck the trellises in the planter soil under the "greenhouse" tarp.

Tomorrow, I will sow some pea seeds and lettuce seeds directly into the planter to see how they compare to the seeds started almost 2 weeks ago indoors....

The New Pound

2009-02-14T07:32:00.000-08:00

Like coffee, a pound of chocolate now weighs 12 oz. Someone needs to alert the NIST.

Enrollment vs. Persuasion

2009-02-14T07:10:00.001-08:00

The husband of a dear friend came to speak during the high school assembly today. He's a corporate mover and shaker with a major pharmaceutical company. He also sees himself as a "Corporate Evangelist". His message : Enrollment vs. Persuasion, or How to get people to buy into your ideas .

The important slide (I know it was the important one because he told us it was!) was titled "Elements of Effective Enrollment". These elements are (1) provide compelling positions and evidence, (2) Find common ground, (3) connect emotionally, and (4) build credibility. After the study on law and grace, and having that swirling around my brain, I realized that this man was giving the same message, wrapped up in corporate language.

Persuasion is a tactic of legalism. It's trying to get people to do what you want because it's right, it's the law, these are the rules, and because I said so. If you don't do things this way, bad things will happen to you. The results of persuasion are temporary, and the person's heart hasn't really changed.

Enrollment is the way of grace. It's becoming partners with people to achieve a common goal because there are benefits to be enjoyed by all. It's exhibiting that what you know is true, through your actions, and the results of your life. The results of enrollment are lasting, and you have become partners in a common purpose. The motive is love and fellowship.

I've probably emasculated his message of Enrollment by calling out a motive of love, and if so I apologize. Underneath the suit and tie however, I see grace at the heart of his message.

Grace

2009-02-12T18:33:00.000-08:00

Discipleship class was really a good one last night. Discussion and readings about grace and law have helped me look again at my motives, and more importantly, my attitude in my teaching. I love being at school, and I love the kids - yet I easily get caught up in the "you need to ...", "we need to...", "this is the way we are going to do this...". You get the picture. I'm a big box checker - need to chart measureable progress. Legalism in a nutshell. Real growth that is motivated by love, is rarely measureable. Don't get me wrong, rules serve a purpose, and especially with teens, can't just be thrown out the window. But if my motive isn't love, and if I haven't put my students, and their needs first, then no learning will follow.

The question was asked: looking back, when and what contributed most to your spiritual growth, when have you experienced times of growth? I'm thinking this class is going to be one of those times....

On a different note - Ken Burns' Baseball series is on the MLB channel (I didn't know we had this channel!). Spring must be getting close.

2009-02-10T15:02:00.000-08:00

Sproutings are coming along : Peas are going like gangbusters. Lettuce making a good showing. Carrots are prettye whimpy overall. I reseeded the carrots - just wet the soil and put a pinch of the (TINY) seeds on top. Keeping them watered. Planted some token basil as well, but no sign of life yet there. I did add a grow light - clamp on shop light with a single 65 w bulb. That in addition to the window exposure seems to have helped. I leave it on from about 7 am until about 9 pm...

In other news - the washer hot water line is clogged somewhere between the inlet to the washer and the weir into the tub... Tried cleaning out the filter on the inlet and even puncturing the filter. No water coming through on the hot setting... I can clean with cold - but it's another situation like the oven. Do I really want to spend another $500 on a washer? Can I even get a top load old fashioned washer any more of are the only options the $1500 luxury front load models??? I'll take another stab at clearing the inlet line. Wish me luck! If it doesn't work, it's cold water washing for us for a while... Slowly working my way back to a wood fire stove and a scrub board. The chickens will be the crowning touch!

sprouts

2009-02-08T05:34:00.000-08:00

Lettuce and peas have begun to sprout. Carrots, not yet. Germination is 8-12 days on all of them, and we are at day 5.

I think I need more light. I had two big shop lights that were filling space in my already tightly packed garage, so I freecycled 'em. Dang. Wish I had one of these bad boys back right now.

Toolshed and chicken coop (my woodworking projects that are in the wings) are on hold for a couple of weeks while the finances recover from DD#4's brake job... I haven't made up my mind about the coop yet either. I have plans for one that looks pretty nice, and is light, if I can pull it off. Then there's a dog house at the home improvement store with a hinged roof and is insulated and probably costs less than I can build a coop for... I may just go with that surrounded by chicken wire.

Planted.

2009-02-04T06:55:00.000-08:00

Lettuce, carrots, peas planted. Check. Put them in peat pots in absent daughters south facing bedroom. We'll see what develops!

So far, the potentially deadly PVC pipe has stayed in place. There has been little wind these past couple of days though, so I'm not convinced yet.

Today, I'm in a funk. I don't know what this means except that it's probably there's many little chores that need to be done - boy is behind in schoolwork because he's been sick - that's usually my number one panic inducer. If he's behind, I have the that-means-I'm-behind panic. Tutoring today, assignments to enter into the teacher-assignment program, planning for classes...DD#4's new used car is already in the shop - probably needs new brakes. Every day, news of friends and family loosing jobs... panic. What a former pastor referred to as "living in the gap" and "downward spiralling". Worrying about things that haven't happened or that I have no power to control anyway. Letting these worries feed others and my panic feeding my anger... So, enough. Time to "put it in the dumpster", plant my own feet and get on with the day.

2009-02-02T08:39:00.001-08:00

I got the cover on the planter yesterday, but it didn't stay put during the night. I cut one of the pipes too short, so now it's a giant highly tensioned spring that will probably hit me in the head and quite possibly put my eye out until I get another pipe. The cover is clear plastic sheeting, stitched together with staples...

Today, I'll plant some seeds - these are seed packages that I bought last year - in like June. HA! I realized pretty soon after getting them home that with a 70 day til harvest window, that would be August before I saw a carrot, and that no carrot, pea or lettuce leaf is going to make it through July in Texas - much less August - no matter HOW much I watered them. So, instead of going all crazy and buying a bunch of new seeds, I will start with these. And I will keep them in the house to start. It's going to be hard to keep them wet enought if I put them outside now, and I'm sure we've got one or two more days of seriously cold weather ahead.

Peas. No one in my family likes regular peas, but these are sugar snaps, and everyone seems to like those fairly well. I'm not sure how they get pollinated this time of year - not many bugs that I see flying/crawling around.

Step One...Plant some seeds...

2009-01-31T20:58:00.000-08:00

This is the year for experiments in self-sufficiency.

In the past, I've dabbled at growing food - with little success except for one or two AMAZING canteloups. My biggest problem seems to be waiting too late in the year to get started! A friend pointed out to me last year that our growing season(s)! are in the spring and fall - not in the summer! My other problems seem to involve tree roots and bermuda grass....

I've created a "real" contained compost pile full of browns and greens - even carted a couple of buckets of the neighbor's horse manure to fuel it. I plan to make another one and end with a third. When the weather warms up, I hope to have them cooking properly!

I've also created a raised bed for vegetables. It will have a greenhouse top to help make it through whatever freezes we have coming - the average last freeze around here is in March... can't decide whether to start seeds outside under the cover, perhaps with a light for warmth if need be - or just start them inside! Hoping to start off with sugar snap peas, carrots and lettuce varieties. I'm still reading and trying to learn - saw something today that said many seed companies hybrid seeds have some type of genetic "timebomb" built in that makes sure the fruit that is produced will not create seeds that can be grown - ensuring that every year you will buy more seeds! So, I'll start looking at heirloom seed companies...

Other experiments will follow, but these two are all I've got for now...

Festivities

2008-12-20T07:26:00.000-08:00

Here it is, for those who have requested it.

Friday (yesterday) : Movie night - The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Saturday (today) : Pie making lessons at 2:30. Gift bags to those participating
Sunday : Church (9-12), Tamales (from Joe T. Garcia's) and Pictionary (5 pm).
Monday : Beignet brunch (10 ish), Break out Jigsaw puzzle #1
Tuesday : Make Your Own Ornaments at Vetro Glass Blowing Studio, Grapevine 1 pm.
Wednesday : Progressive Church services (CBC at 6, St. Nicholas at 9, St. Annes at 12 am)
Thursday : Home then Grandmas
Saturday :
Sunday : Church (9-12), Grapevine Bead Store (?)

It gets spotty after that... any suggestions?

Small Town

2008-12-15T19:01:00.000-08:00

I never really feel like I live in a small town. Occasionally you might run into a friend, a neighbor, the mom of the kid on the baseball team... People are so busy and always on the go. I rarely have the It's a Wonderful Life kind of small town feel... Tonight was an exception.

When I walked out of the grocery, I saw a lady lying in the road, right in front of the store. She was on her back in obvious pain. Her buggy and purse were next to her, and another woman was kneeling down next to her. I dropped my purse and bag, and went around to the other side of the woman. It was bitter cold, so I took my coat off (I had two on...) and covered her. The teenager who had been helping her had put his coat over her as well, and had gone inside to get help. After a moment of figuring out what had happened, I realized the other lady lives a couple of houses up the street. Angela is her name. She was on her cell phone trying to get in touch with the woman's husband. Within a moment, I looked around and realized - hey! There's Betty Jo from church who gave her scarf to help keep the woman's head warm. (It was determined that the woman had tripped over the curb and hit her head pretty hard on the pavement, and so we made her stay there until help came). And there's Coach Mario from baseball! He was on the phone making sure to call 911, when we weren't sure the call had been made inside. A man I didn't know had kneeled down next to me. He reached out to hold the lady's hand. When I looked again, I believe he was praying silently for her. Then, he was gone, without a word. I looked over. Another man had taken on the task of directing traffic in front of the store. I remember hearing him shout something to the effect of "come on! come on! dont' **** with me!" The language seemed a little unnecessary I thought, but afterwards, I was thankful he had taken on that task. He kept people moving and kept anyone else from getting hurt. Without him, the fire truck and ambulance would not have been able to get through.

Just seemed reassuring at the time, during this 10 - 15 minutes of bizarreness, that the Flower plex isn't as hustle bustle and impersonal as it can seem. Just what I needed this Christmas.

Domestic Happiness

2008-12-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's happiness...

1. Doggie Diapers arrived for our leaky senior citizen lab. She does not share my happiness about them.

2. The new Bucknell calendar arrived with many beautiful pictures of campus.

3. I'm planning an activity calendar for what I plan to do with our 2 ish week vacation. It will be published when complete and any of our family and friends who care to join us are welcome. I may be alone for many of these planned activities, but it will help keep me from spending 2 weeks on the couch watching football and Jim Carey movies.

4. I think I have mastered a crocheted hat that does not look like human anatomy. Of course, it's not finished yet.

5. My laptop came back from "THE DEPOT" all repaired and good as new!

6. Something that didn't happen that was supposed to happen, finally happened even after I had accepted the fact that chances of it happening were slim to none.

7. #1 son is under the weather, so instead of pushing a day of school work, he napped, did some math, and I got many household chores done - including shower scrubbing and rug cleaning! woohoo!

8. The felt advent calendar with little plastic velcro elves (circa 1969) is up and updated - officially marking the start of the 2008 Christmas season.

9. The remaining four of us sat down together for dinner last night. Spaghetti. That's not an everyday thing anymore, so I'm always happy when the planets align, and it happens.

10. Speaking of dinner, I have also planned out 5 weeks worth of dinners that I plan to try sticking with sort of. Hopefully this will keep me from scrambling at the last minute, and giving in to Sonic or Taco Belle for lack of a better plan....

11. I didn't spend any money!! Go me!!

I fully expect today to have just as much domestic happiness. With a math test thrown in for good measure (yep, seniors, that means you...)

2008-11-25T05:16:00.001-08:00

My dad watched some football when I was a kid. All I remember about football in the 60s was the commercial with Santa riding a Norelco razor. There were some about car batteries, motor oil, and Firestone steel belted radials.

Now, they show this commercial. Once (sometimes twice) EVERY commercial break. It's only a matter of time before our 9yo son asks "What is ED?"

2008-11-23T12:13:00.000-08:00

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, and chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair, I bowed my head
"There is no peace on earth," I said
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor does He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men".

Jars of Clay - Christmas Songs.

That time of the (school) year...

2008-11-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

... when the seniors hate everything to do with school, don't care about the rules or petty consequences of breaking them (white slips? please...) and never ever miss an opportunity to remind you of what they think.

... when planning for next year's classes - and teaching assignments - begins, and I begin wondering whether to keep doing what I'm doing, and why I decided to do it again for one more year.

... when the enthusiasm and optimism that I had in August begin to fade, and my focus and effort in planning seem to falter.

... when I head to monster.com to remind myself that I really will never go back to what I was doing before I started doing this.

Looking forward...

2008-11-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

Things I am really looking forward to, with the upcoming holiday:

1. Having many kids at home together under one roof. Usually the noise makes me nutty, but I will enjoy it - for the first day, anyway.
2. Working a jigsaw puzzle.
3. College football.
4. Sleeping late - spending days in my pjs.
5. Pictionary (per daughter #2's request).
6. The possibility of spending an hour or two alone with my dear husband.
7. A bookstore crawl, with coffee.
8. Speaking of coffee - double Gingerbread latte, extra hot, WITH whipped cream. (I think this has as many calories as one complete thanksgiving dinner, with dessert and dressing...)
9. Watching A Muppet Christmas Carol and Elf.
10. Maybe a bike ride or two - depending on the weather.

I'm ready.

My Tutor

2008-10-30T11:52:00.001-07:00

So, I have just completed my final tutoring session with a particular person who shall remain nameless. This tutor of mine has taught me many things...

1. Wify sells Tom's Shoes.
2. Polichinelles are little clowns, and just one small step in the Nutcracker career ladder.
3. The importance of rubber duckies and Disney Princesses cannot be overemphasized.
4. You can do many amazing things on a graphing calculator. Like figure out what the square root of 16 is. Or 2 + 3.
5. Graphs = good. Fractions = bad.
6. Pi Day is for making pie. (March 14).
7. Latin fusion uses a whole different muscle set than classical ballet, which uses the undermuscles (!).

...and so much more.

So, to my tutor ... Thanks for my lessons, for making me smile, and for sharing your knowledge with me! (Insert a big hug here).

2008-10-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

Today is a scary day. When people ask about our kids, we go down the list. Oh, #1 seems to be doing ok. Working. Boyfriend. Just doing her thing. #2 is good - Pre-Vet, doing well at school. #3 is at school, seems to be enjoying it. Contacts us pretty regularly. Seems to be getting some schoolwork done as well. Then we get to #4. Where's she going to school? "Oh (chuckling), we are just focusing on getting through High School right now (more chuckling)."

Last week, that job got complicated. I'm not chuckling any more.

We live in a town with more than it's fair share of Superkids with super opportunities. It keeps them busy, going, in demand, self-assured, their futures look bright, their options - seemingly limitless.

#4 is a Superkid, but not in the same way. She wears her heart on her sleeve. She is a friend to all and a friend for life (a "connector" according to Malcolm Gladwell). She wants to change the world. She questions authority, wonders why things can't change, wonders why people have to live in poverty, would (and does) literally give away all she has to someone who might be in need. She sees a life far, far beyond this town, and with people - different people - all kinds of people - and she sees them... really sees them.

We learned early on she wouldn't be disciplined - taking away any allowance didn't work, because she just gives away the money she has. Grounding? Her response was "I'm really looking forward to getting to spend some extra time with you guys!".

She's athletic and studious. She's not a superstar athlete or student. Her judgement can be poor, and her choices not the best, but she will turn any and every disadvantage into an opportunity. She is well loved. By alot of people. I am reminded of this every day. So even though her path has taken a left turn, and we have some decisions to make, I'm anxious to see what she will do with the opportunities that will come of it.

An observation

2008-10-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

People in our slice of the world are cursed with blessings.

Party Day

2008-10-25T05:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in SAT prep, it was party day. Last Saturday was the actual PSAT - 2 hours and 30 minutes of inane multiple choice questions under strict no-talk, don't move type conditions - and there was no school on Wednesday and Thursday due to teacher conferences. Needless to say, a party-like atmosphere reigned on Friday regardless of what lessons were planned.

I had told them in advance, that I would bring jeopardy, snacks, and the Wii.

Jeopardy is a power point that someone out there in the world created that can be filled with whatever questions you want to ask. I filled this one with history/grammar/math/literature/bible questions that come from our schools curriculum for grades 1-5. Sort of like Jeopardy meets "Are you smarter than a CDA 5th grader". It was fun hearing the "Oh Oh I remember that"...

Then, on to donuts, chips and salsa, goldfish crackers and mountain dew. (You teens and parents of teens know, this is manna).

Then on to Wii play. No, no Halo. One class played it on the TV, low key, everyone playing or watching contentedly. The other class immediately "pimped" the set up - the Wii got hooked up to the computer projector, and one student's iPod got connected to the speakers. Wii play with a bass thumping techno sound track. Those kids are so smart about some things it scares me.

Thoughts for the day...

2008-10-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

Someone suggested to me today that a certain democratic presidential candidate was really a socialist - even a borderline fascist.

Among all of the comments, criticisms and ridiculous accusations I hear about a certain democratic presidential candidate and his party predecessor, this one made me pause just based on world ideology. Does socialism lead to fascism? I thought socialism was a liberal, global economic system that emphasized allegiance among members of the same socio-economic group rather than among members of the same nationalistic identity (Marx's International Socialism, later adopted by Lenin and corrupted by Stalin), and fascism was a conservative hyper-nationalistic militaristic form of government (Hitler, Mussolini)... or something like that... putting them at opposite ends of two different (but related) spectra.

So,

the idea that this candidate is a closet fascist will get filed along with the notion that all of our current economic problems are directly the fault of the last democratic president.s

Ok. i'm feeling buried by school. prepping for my classes, helping #1 son, a bit of tutoring...and I don't do nearly as much as others at our school. so, i'm wondering - do i bury myself so that i don't have to deal with other stuff?

having said that, i am glad we have chosen this path, no matter how much I gripe about the 4th gr. work load. #1 is happy, and my students are wonderful - as is the faculty and administration.

tomorrow and thursday are "off" days - teacher conferences both days, so no classes. Tomorrow, it's a trip to K. Kastle with #1's class. Grandma J. is coming this way too, so we are excited about that! It will be a great day, rain or shine.

I am tired of food and all the emotions that go along with it.

how did the pilgrims survive that first year? they got off that boat with next to nothing, in November, in Massachusetts...

tomorrow needs to include long-overdue haircut for #1 son.

it's wasp season... current body count : approx. 10 (this doesn't include the ones roasted alive in the fireplace).

my pinkie still hurts from my clodhopper face plant during my morning walk in the dark last week.

I have no books on my nightstand. the two that are there, i started and have chosen not to read. So, that leaves a pile of NYT crossword puzzles. Maybe I'll go find one to do.

Happy 80th Birthday Dad!

2008-10-20T19:22:00.000-07:00

1945(?)

1967

1996

Idealism of Youth - Part 2

2008-10-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

DD #4 is participating in Guluwalk again this year. She walked last year as well. Last spring, I went with her to Invisible Children's Displace Me in Austin, TX. We have told her that when she graduates from high school, we will send her to Africa for some time to do volunteer work. Cross Cultural Solutions is one organization we are considering. To friends and family who have already sponsored her walk this year, many thanks - for the financial support, and for encouraging her in her love and desire to help people in Africa. If you are reading this, and want more information (come walk on October 25!) visit the Gulu Walk website. If you are reading this and would like to support daughter #4 on her walk, visit her sponsor page.

Displace Me - April, 2007

Displace me, Cardboard Village 2007.

Crazy News People

2008-09-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

... have invented two new terms to go along with Gustav..

1. Contraflow

2. Overtopping

It's just been a zany weekend of news right on the brink of being big news, but just not quite making it.

I guess there will be a lot of frustrated news people around this week.

Trying not to hover.

2008-08-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

Got a call from someone at LSU yesterday trying to get in touch with DD#3 who is on campus now at orientation.

(girl) : "Is A. there?"
(me): "No, she is on campus. Did you try calling her cell phone?"
(girl): "Yes, but she didn't answer".
(me): "Ok, I'll try calling her and let her know you are trying to get in touch with her".

(I said this knowing that she probably isn't going to answer me either).

I call - her cell goes directly to voice mail. I tried again, several times over the next 6 hours (by now, it's evening). No response.

This, I realized, is a frustrating feeling when your child is somewhere in your small slice of suburbia. It's kind of frightening when she's on a college campus 8 hours away and you realize that if you really, reeeeeally needed to get in touch with her, there is not other number to call but her cell.

About 11 pm, she calls. "Sorry, they won't let us use our phones during orientation".

Hmmm. That never stopped them from using it during class in high school!

Persepolis

2008-08-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

I did finish this book. It's required summer reading for the incoming class at LSU, so I borrowed it from DD #3 who is heading there in a matter of days (!).

It's the first graphic novel I've read, and you can read some of it yourself here:

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

It seems that many of the events that took place in the late 70s, maybe even the entire Carter presidency, are just mysteries to my kids. The Iran hostage crisis, Vietnamese boat people, Jonestown... One of them asked the other day, "Who was Anwar Sadat?". Never heard of the guy...

Its hot.

2008-08-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

107 degrees. I just got nothing. Nothing to say. Too hot to think or do much of anything except wait for it to cool off. blech.

School meetings this week are getting me kind of ready for classes -

TAPPS meeting Tuesday (UIL for private/parochial schools).

Educators Trainings Wednesday and Thursday. Trying to work my way through Creation Regained by Albert Wolters before Wednesday. I'm taking notes just to try to follow his train of thought. Mostly I've got two pages of memorable one liners, without much connection between them going on in my brain. It is 107 degrees, remember.

Orientations next week and an SAT Prep class that bills itself as "The No Brainer Way to SAT Success". I know the class will be full of good information (that's available in prep books published by at least 5 different companies), but when these companies make statements like these:

The four recurring tricks hidden in the answer choices
How not to have to read the answer choices

And use the word "trick", well it just makes me think about diet pills. At some point you are going to have to put some effort into it, you can put some effort into learning tricks or you can put some effort into reviewing things you already know and practice taking the darned thing a few times. I know, there are those kids who are shooting for that 99.999th percentile and they are motivated enough to master these strategies... Ok, enough on that soapbox...

Got some tutoring things to look into...

Finished getting the schoolroom set up for another year. Lots of red, white and blue... maps, history card board set up, some posters that J. and I picked out together. I think we will be most happy in here when the weather gets cold and dreary. I could use some cold and dreary right now. The temperature is 107. Did I mention that?

2008-07-25T04:19:00.000-07:00

Watermelon. I've never been a big fan. In the past couple of weeks - since the 4th of July to be exact - I'm hooked. Cold, seedless. Mmmmm. Can't get enough. Weird.

From www.watermelon.org...

Meet J. Slice. He's not your average watermelon - he's super at just about every sport out there. He loves to skateboard, surf and snowboard. He fights Professor Junk Food and rescues kids from getting hooked on junk food for life!

Alrighty then...

The Axe Effect - "Your Mojo is Loading..."

2008-07-25T04:02:00.001-07:00

Each year at about this time, I buy the boy 2 new shirts for school. I let him choose the colors. When he was younger, he chose red - spiderman red. For the past 2 years, it's been black. This year, he chose pink. The choice of a new generation of fashion conscious males. And when he starts back to school, sporting this newly "metro" look, he'll smell fresh all day, thanks to the tube of Axe men's deodorant he asked me to purchase at the store. "I am 9 now, mom".

Idealism

2008-07-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

YOUTH, MATURITY, AND IDEALISM

(by Albert Schweizer, Memoirs of Childhood and Youth published in 1924)

The epithet “ripe” applied to persons always did, and does still, convey to me the idea of something depressing. I hear with it, like musical discords, the words, impoverishment, stunted growth, blunted feelings. What we are usually invited to contemplate as “ripeness” in a man is the resigning of ourselves to an almost exclusive use of the reason. One acquires it by copying others and getting rid, one by one, of the thoughts and convictions which were dear in the days of one’s youth. We believed once in the victory of truth; but we do not now. We believed in goodness; we do not now. We were zealous for justice; but we are not so now. We trusted in the power of kindness and peaceableness; we do not now. We were capable of enthusiasm; but we are not so now. To get through the shoals and storms of life more easily we have lightened our craft, throwing overboard what we thought could be spared. But it was really our stock of food and drink of which we deprived ourselves; our craft is now easier to manage, but we ourselves are in a decline.

I listened, in my youth, to conversations between grown-up people through which there breathed a tone of sorrowful regret which oppressed the heart. The speakers looked back at the idealism and capacity for enthusiasm of their youth as something precious to which they ought to have held fast, and yet at the same time they regarded it as almost a law of nature that no one should be able to do so. This woke in me a dread of having ever, even once, to look back on my own past with such a feeling; I resolved never to let myself become subject to this tragic domination of mere reason, and what I thus vowed in almost boyish defiance I have tried to carry out. (Memoirs of Childhood and Youth, pp. 97 ff.)

The ripeness that our development must aim at is one which makes us simpler, more truthful, purer, more peace-loving, meeker, kinder, more sympathetic. That is the only way in which we are to sober down with age. That is the process in which the soft iron of youthful idealism hardens into the steel of a full-grown idealism which can never be lost. (Memoirs of Childhood and Youth, p. 100.)

It is through the idealism of youth that man catches sight of truth, and in that idealism he possesses a wealth which he must never exchange for anything else. We must all be prepared to find that life tries to take from us our belief in the good and the true, and our enthusiasm for them, but we need not surrender them. That ideals, when they are brought into contact with reality, are usually crushed by facts does not mean that they are bound from the very beginning to capitulate to the facts, but merely that our ideals are not strong enough; and they are not strong enough because they are not pure and strong and stable enough in ourselves. (Memoirs of Childhood and Youth, pp. 99 f.)

The power of ideals is incalculable. We see no power in a drop of water. But let it get into a crack in the rock and be turned to ice, and it splits the rock; turned into steam, it drives the pistons of the most powerful engines. Something has happened to it which makes active and effective the power that is latent in it.

So it is with ideals. Ideals are thoughts. So long as they exist merely as thoughts, the power latent in them remains ineffective, however great the enthusiasm, and however strong the conviction with which the thought is held. Their power only becomes effective when they are taken up into some refined human personality. (Memoirs of Childhood and Youth, p. 100.)

The knowledge of life which we grownups have to pass on to the younger generation will not be expressed thus: “Reality will soon give way before your ideals,” but “Grow into your ideals, so that life can never rob you of them.” If all of us could become what we were at fourteen, what a different place the world would be! (Memoirs of Childhood and Youth, p. 102.)

http://www.schweitzerfellowship.org/features/about/phil/

Still Life with Junk Drawer

2008-07-16T13:19:00.001-07:00

Felt Chair Pads (Haiku)

Opened up this drawer.
Poured out on the counter top.
Found them in the mess.

Harry Potter

2008-07-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we caught the tail end of some Harry Potter movie at the in-laws house. I realized I hadn't seen this one, and had no idea which story it was. So, we decided we need to have a Harry Potter marathon. This week, we have watched one movie every night.

Sunday - Sorcerer's Stone
Monday - Chamber of Secrets
Tuesday - Prisoner of Azkaban
Wednesday - Goblet of Fire

Tonight it's #5 - Order of the Phoenix. I think.

Then - we wait!

Part 6 - Half Blood Prince, is due out 11/21/08

Book #7, The Deathly Hollows, will be split into to films - the first is scheduled for release in 2010, and the second in 2011. (2011???!!! It sounds so, futur-ish).

The boy has voted that our next "marathon" be Star Wars. I don't really have any alternatives, so Star Wars it may be!

Journey in 2D

2008-07-13T04:32:00.000-07:00

... was a good movie. The boy and his friend loved it. I always like Brendan Fraser. It wasn't very deep, and at 1 hour 30 min, it seemed kind of short. The kid was a good kid, the girl was strong and smart, the kiss was just a little one so the boys didn't get too grossed out.

Sounds of Lewisville

2008-07-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

Brave Combo in Old Town Lewisville last night. Free (great) music from a Grammy Award Winning band. If you haven't heard of them, you should check them out. Really talented guys, Check these out on iTunes :

1. I Can See for Miles
2. Don't Get Married
3. Disappear (a perennial favorite!!)
4. Flying Saucer
5. Mystery Spot Polka
6. In Heaven there is no Beer

Oh there are so many more songs to enjoy. They have released about a billion CDs and we have all but 2 I think. We used to go see them live... alot. A few (10!?) years ago, we saw them on 3 consecutive nights. One of those nights we packed up the bongos, shaker eggs and the kids and hauled it to Waco! I think we danced 'til midnight. We saw them at Sons of Herman hall where they asked Jim and I to leave the dance floor during our attempt at polka-ing. We saw them in Denton with Charlotte and Robert. We saw them in Deep Elum where there was about a postage stamp sized dance floor, and the die hards insisted on waltzing. I first saw them with Jim (and Dave and Becky) in Denton at Ricks before it burned down - one of our first "dates" I think. Tomorrow, I think I'll dig out all the old CDs and make it a Brave Combo day.

Weather

2008-06-28T03:55:00.000-07:00

It's 6 am and still dark outside. That can't be a good sign.

Teenagers.

2008-06-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

Today I feel baffled. anxious . guilty. sad. perplexed. I am hopeful, and yet hold no hope for short term change. I am worried about the long term, and at the same time I am confident that in the long term, all will be well.

"Raising teenagers is like nailing jello to a tree".

I feel like that today.

FloMo has no Elvis in It

2008-06-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

Flower Mound and Lewisville both have some great, easily accessible trails for bike riding. I've used one trail in Flower Mound to get from my house to Sprouts, Krogers and the FM Library. It's a beautiful trail, for as long as it lasts, but isn't used much by anyone other than kids going to and from school, and the occassional "down to business" walker or jogger. Unfortunately to get to the stores/library I have to ride a fair distance down 1171, on a small sidewalk, against traffic. Today I tried getting to Sprouts by taking Morriss Rd to see if it was any different. The first half of the ride was on a TINY sidewalk that is right next to the very busy street. The second half was on a wider sidewalk, but I had to cross Morriss at College to get to it. The southbound sidewalk ends just past College.

The bottom line : Seemed like it took just as long to get to Sprouts on Morriss, and I was riding with lots of cars/noise/junk in the air. I'll stay with the bike trail and the ride up 1171.

I came back up to College, turned on Timbercreek and picked up the trail that goes east though Lewisville.

This trail is a really nice one that follows a creek for a good part of it. I followed this trail as far as I could, and still didn't get to the end. I saw people walking dogs, people out walking with their kids, people who stopped to chat with other people. I saw plenty of curb your dog signs and supplies for clean up. I saw people running, frisbee golfers, people riding bikes in street clothes rather than their Lance Armstrong costumes, people who stopped to watch the birds ... In general, L'ville seemed to have an abundance (and variety) of people out enjoying a weekday morning with no agenda. Kind of a city feel in what I still think of as a town - a large one - but still a town...

Life with an 8 year old boy...

2008-06-14T09:42:00.001-07:00

Free at Last

2008-06-14T09:29:00.001-07:00

Well, I've cleverly arranged a week (next week) where I will be free. #1 son will be at camp, and tutor kids will be off on other adventures. So far, I have a date to go to the Rangers day game on Thursday, and I will spend an hour or two at work planning for class in the fall. Other than that, I have no plans. What would you do with such a week?

French.

2008-06-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

I took french classes in school from 7th grade through my freshman year at college. My french teacher (Sister Annette/"Ma Soeur Annette") sponsored trips to France during my sophomore and junior years in high school. We went to Tours, the Loire Valley, and Paris the first visit, and just got to spend a week in Paris on the second. Given the chance of a redo, I might have tried to major in French. Or Russian.

Growing up in NY, knowing French was sort of useful because there were a lot of French Canadians that lived in the area, and New Yorkers of French descent. In Texas, not so much.

Check out the French word of the day widget....

Amusez-vous tous!

New Music

2008-06-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

The Diner question a few days back was "What are the last five songs you have purchased?"

Before I left for my trip, I knew I needed some new tunes for the shuffle... So, here's what I purchased (the long list)

1. Your Long Journey (Robert Plant and Alison Krauss)

There have been several unlikely duets recently (Mark Knopfler and Emmy Lou Harris just didn't work for me...) , but these two are great.

2. I Love You and Budda Too (Mason Jennings)

This song could be the Unitarian's anthem, but I love Mason Jennings.

3. Pocketful of Sunshine (Natasha Bedingfield)

Great beat, great uplifting song. It should suffer from enormous overplay this summer.

4. Gold Digger (Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx)

I have to giggle over the use of the word "featuring" on duets and collaborations these days. Jamie Foxx channels Ray Charles and takes huge liberty with his song "I Got a Woman". The message is distressing, but may paint a pretty accurate picture of relationships in America today, but when I need something to get me moving and keep me going, kanye delivers....

5. Prickly Thorn but Sweetly Worn (The White Stripes)

I don't like everything they do, but I like this one.

6. My Moon, My Man (Feist)

7. So Lonley (The Police)

8. The Bed's Too Big Without You (The Police)

Always liked the early ska tunes from The Police. Most of their later stuff I've had my lifetime fill of...

9. If I Never See your Face Again (Maroon 5 feat. Rihanna)

There it is again.... "featuring".....

10. Realize (Colby Callait)

A really sweet song, that makes me think of my hubby...

11. Stonger (Kanye West)

See #4. It's an addiction.

12. I Will Possess your Heart (Death Cab)

Dedicated to my senior math class (Ryan, Alyssa, Preston, Annie, Blake). They forbade me to change the station when this song came on during our trip to Chilis....

Ok, there you have it!

25 years ago... Sheesh.

2008-06-02T15:27:00.001-07:00

Ok, reunion was great fun and I am so glad I went!

Christine picked us up at the airport. On the drive to her home, we passed Shea Stadium and the Citi Field (the new Mets ballpark).

We went to Chris' lake house in the Poconos.

Amy and Chris on the boat dock.

We did actually go to the reunion...

Denise trying on used BU Cheerleader gear. She played basketball for 4 years, but I think she really missed her calling!

Chris, Kirk, Amy, Joan, Jeff

Checking out "The Slum" (our senior year dream home)

Heading to the Class Dinner - Amy, Joan, Amy, Jeff, Chris, Theresa

Katie, Mary and Dave

Helen and Jeff

Overnight Camping at Lake Mineral Wells

2008-05-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

Putting up the tent....

Going on a hike...

Doing some fishing...

Percolator coffee, s'mores, girls being silly... overall, I think it was a successful experiment!

Last Game of the Season...

2008-05-18T06:41:00.001-07:00

D'backs are down 7 to 9 against the Astros. 2 outs, bases loaded. Up steps boy #1 to the plate. Don't know the count but after a couple of pitches (maybe 2 balls and strike) he hits a line drive past short out to left field. Maybe it was past the second baseman to right field, I really don't remember. One RBI and starts the rally that wins the game for us, 9-8. Second win of the season! The best part was the grin on his face as he searched for someone, anyone to high five, and the happy dance at first base.

Prince Caspian

2008-05-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Loved it! Boy #1 loved it too!

Changes

2008-05-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

I don't like changes. This time of year brings way too many changes - most of the changes are the kind that emphasize the passage of time...

Today was #1 son's last day of 3rd grade. According to him, today he is officially a fourth grader. In a few short weeks, he will be 9 years old. (*sigh*). Pine Cove is a month away, and after that baseball camp, basketball camp, perhaps some golf lessons... Hopefully some impromptu trips to see the State Capital (I've been lead to believe that UT now owns a copy of one of the Gutenberg Bibles!) and to San Antonio (The Alamo, Sea World)... We will go to New Roads for the 4th of July, and maybe to Nashville to see Grandpa Lester. I will try to establish a reading routine for both of us, and maybe some science projects.

When August rolls around however, some people we love will have moved on, and we will be sad and miss them greatly. Jamie's best friend from school is leaving to live in another country, far away. Daughter #3 is leaving to start college in another state, not so far away, but still not here... We are dreading August already!

Breakfast Date

2008-05-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

During a class recently, one woman made the comment that men have a hard time building relationships, and that whenever her husband had an opportunity to go do something with the guys, she encouraged him to go. She also said that women usually have a lot of friends - and make friends more easily and have that support network that men don't have with each other.

I agree with this, and didn't think about it much after that. Recently however it occurred to me... I have several women that I consider close friends, but how close are they? When I need to talk to someone, I talk to my husband. When I need advice? Husband. In times of crisis or stress? Husband. I guess my point is, that although I have more "friends" than my husband does, these relationships are pretty 2 dimensional. There's the school moms, the baseball moms, the neighborhood moms, the church moms. These moms are friends, but not really "let's go get a cup of coffee and just talk" friends.

So, I emailed a school mom who I consider to be closer than most, and invited her to get coffee. I think her fear at first was "Uh-oh. Something is wrong." Happily, she agreed to take the time to meet me! We wound up having breakfast in Bartonville at Andrews (yummy !) and as an added bonus, discovered the Bartonville Farmers Market. I scored some homemade pasta, fresh tomatoes and onions. But truly the best part, was just spending time together intentionally rather than just chatting in the car line.

My life easily slips into a habit of insignificant words, actions, activities. Living intentionally is something I need to work on - not just in friendships, but as a parent, in my marriage, with my health, with my work...

Scarborough Faire

2008-05-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

Today, some of the third grade kids and moms went to Scarborough Fair. This was kind of a wrap up to the Middle Ages/Renaissance history topic we have been doing this year.

The jousting was cool, the wooden swords were affordable, and the buxom wenches were nowhere to be seen. The rain held off for the most part and a good time was had by all.

Reunion...

2008-05-03T04:37:00.000-07:00

In a few weeks, I head north for my 25th reunion. College. I went to my 5th reunion and came to the conclusion that the 4 years I spent at Bucknell were some of the lonliest, unhappiest days of my life. I came home and vowed never to go back.

Nostaligia has set in I guess, and I have made plans to go back for our 25th reunion, and I have officially started the worrying process. Anyone who goes to reunions may know this translates into "Mentally Comparing Myself to My Old Friends and Falling Far Short".

I'm not going to be able to loose that 40 lbs in the next 4 weeks, so I settled for having my toenails polished.

Next weekend, I'll tackle the gray roots.

Today's Adventure in Biking : The Bank

2008-05-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

In my effort to exercise my heart and my independence from foreign oil, I decided to ride my bike to the bank. (4.8 miles there, 12 minutes by car according to Google Earth). I check my route, lighten up my backpack (get rid of the books I don't need), check the time (12:22), hop on my bike and set out. Despite a pretty good head wind, I made it there in about 30 minutes, with about 20 of those on bike trails away from the road. The path goes through "The Valley" section of Lewisville, which means that getting there (and coming back) I coast the first half of the ride, and pedal the second half. So, when I get to the bank, I'm a little sweaty and breathing, but that's ok. This is do-able! I go into the bank, open my backpack, and - yup. Left the stuff for the bank at home with the books! So, jumped back on the bike, and headed for home. Got home, checked the watch - 1:22. I'm ok with that... But of course, now I have to go to the bank.

A Master of His Craft

2008-04-27T19:42:00.000-07:00

Swim Banquet

2008-04-27T19:23:00.001-07:00

Pictures of daughter #4 before the swim banquet. In true fashion - the dress and shoes were borrowed, yet in true fashion, she looked beautiful. Those eyes see into your heart, and that smile is so spontaneous and readily given. G. started swimming in about 4th or 5th grade, and started swimming for Coach Shannon in about 7th. In the future, when I think of Coach, I will remember these quotes... "You want to go to state?..... Well SWIM FASTER!!".... and, of course. "Love Your Diver."

$3.50 per gallon? Are you Kidding me?

2008-04-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

This bike sells at Walmart for $98.27. As of my last visit to the gas pump, 1 tank of gas costs me approximately $80.

I bought the bike.

I forgot how much I like to ride a bike, and this one is really comfortable. Cushy seat and the rider sits fairly upright instead of with all the weight on the arms. The boy and I have ridden to baseball practice, to the library, and on several bike trails we found around town. I only wish the bike trails were completely linked. Although we made it to the library, we had to cross 2499, ride down Rippy and cross 1171. The places where the crossing lights are in place, we have no trouble - like at 407 and Briarhill Blvd. Where there is no light, it's definitely a bit hairy. This summer, I will try to ride rather than drive as much as I can. Grocery, bank, library, park...

I always carry a paper with emergency information, but I was reminded last week of another biking fact the hard way - always have a spare inner tube and tire pump. Last week we went to practice, and I found a route to the nearby Kroger to pick up some things. On the way back - back tire was flat as could be - ran over a broken bottle on the way to practice. I stopped at Goodyear where they pumped the tire back up for me, and chatted about gas prices. Made it back to practice, but when it was time to go, the tire was flat again. Had to push the bike home, and carry Jamie's bat bag and my groceries as well! Doh! My knees definitely paid the price! My darling hubby fixed the tire the next day, and fitted my bike with a tire pump.

Graduation

2008-04-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

Daughter #3 is graduating this year. I had to send in pictures for the choir banquet, so I scanned these in today...