days in the life of a
Previous POSTS
January 2009
January 1, 2009
OUR GREATEST TREASURES
God blessed our family immensely in 2008! We are truly grateful for the great life we have...a nice home, Kim's good job, plenty of what we need and much of what we want.
But those are not our treasures here on earth. Our treasures joined us around our table on Tuesday for Kyler's birthday and our family Christmas celebration.
It was the first time we have all been together at once since Karter's birth. I just love it
when we have to pull out all the table leaves to fit the whole gang around! There were 14 of us...all four of my children and their spouses/fiance/girlfriend, our precious grandson, my parents, and Kim's dad.
The evening started off with a meal and birthday cake in honor of Kyler's 20th. Just like she did the day he was born, Mama made Kyler's birthday cake. We were glad Kara was here to join us!
As he always does at the beginning of our gift exchange, Kim read the Christmas story from the Bible and led us in prayer. I thank God every day for blessing me with such a fantastic godly husband to share my life with...
...and such wonderful Christian children who have found Christian mates. Newlyweds Emily and Zach, and soon-to-be-married Anique and Kamaron listen to the retelling of the birth of Jesus.
We all loved sharing Karter's first Christmas! He loved the pretty papers as much as the gifts. Grandpa Kim just had to get him his first John Deere tractor.
Kim's dad, Kenny, enjoyed his time with his great-grandson.
And who could pass up a photo-op of 4 generations of Gray men? Handsome bunch, aren't they?!
Great-Grandma Lois steals some sugar from Tunkin!
And Great-Grandpa Bud kept a tired Karter entertained while we opened our gifts.
I got some very nice and thoughtful gifts from everyone.
For those of you who have been waiting with bated breath...Kim's "best-ever Christmas present to me" turned out to be a BELL for our new bicycle! He was quite proud of himself! I told you it was a joke...I just knew it! Emily also got me a honking bell...we'll be toolin' around in style, for sure!
It was just a fun family day.
With all our greatest treasures here!
January 2, 2009
NERD WATCH
Don't let this pretty face fool you! This beauty also has BRAINS!
My daughter Emily is a Math Nerd. She knows it, and she's proud of it. She teaches high school algebra and she's always been a whiz with numbers.
But math nerds are a different breed. Weird things excite them.
Like this watch Emily got for Christmas. Only a mathemagician (as my kids used to call my math-nerd husband) would love a timepiece like this.
Look closely at the numbers. SQUARE ROOTS! SQUARE ROOTS?!?
Who thinks up such nonsense?!
Emily loved it! But then again...she is a Math Nerd!
And a beautiful one, at that! Who says you can't be both pretty AND smart?!
January 3, 2009
MEETING MIRA
This beautiful little girl is Mira, my nephew Brett's daughter. Isn't she a sweetheart?!
Mira is 14 months old and cute as a button (where did we get that saying? Are buttons cute?! Never mind...)
With those big blue eyes and smile, she's a real charmer. You'd never think she could scare a flea, but...
...cousin Karter (1st cousin once removed or 2nd cousin or 3rd cousin...we never did figure that out!) did not know what to think of her.
"Who is this little creature that pokes at my face...
...and attacks me with my own orange star?"
"Whoever this is, I don't think I'm liking her very much right now!"
M
My sister Barb, who is Mira's grandma, intervened and introduced Karter and Mira. Even then, Karter is leery and not convinced. Mira stands ready to pounce again!
Mira, at 14 months, is about the same size as 6-month-old Karter, but she has a distinct mobility advantage. She's just beginning to talk, and she kept calling him "baby."
Karter is intrigued by her.
"Help!"
"Put down that camera, Grandma, and save me from this wild woman!"
Mira has decided Karter's too hot and proceeds to unzip his sweater for him. (Is she a lefty?)
But I don't think Karter wants his sweater unzipped!
Too bad, Karterman! Mira's in charge, for now anyway.
Just wait a few months, cousin Mira! The next time they meet, it'll be a whole different story!
January 4, 2009
BATH TIME!
Every night, before he goes to bed, Karter gets a bath. While a daily bath is probably
not necessary, Mama Dana enjoys giving him one because he loves it so much!
Karter has always loved his bath, from the time they brought him home from the hospital. Most new babies don't like being naked, but Karterman loves it!
He claps and splashes and smiles!
He even likes having his head/hair washed and doesn't mind the water in his eyes.
Look at that grin! I bet the next time Grandma sees him, he'll have some teeth shining through those cute gums. Yes, even his gums are cute!
Do I detect a little orneriness in those eyes? Surely not!
Grandma's kitchen sink was the perfect spot for his bath right now, but I doubt if that will last very long.
Check out those arm muscles! What a bod!
Mama Dana says it's time to get out now. I think Karter's hair is the same color as Dana's!
If there's anything sweeter in the whole world than my fresh, clean baby, I don't know what it would be. What a doll!
Today Kristoffer, Dana, and Karter are heading home to Minnesota after a wonderful visit with us this week. I'll miss them! But I think I'll put this photo as wallpaper on my computer so I can see this precious face every day. It's sure to make me smile!
Grandma loves you, Tunkin! Stay warm up in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. We may have to plan a quick trip up there in February to see you (who in their right mind travels to Minnesota in February?! But then, Grandmas aren't always in their right minds, are they?! Especially when there's a sweet Tunkin waiting for them!)
January 5, 2009
SOUNDS OF SILENCE
Ssshhhh! What do you hear? Nothing. It's so QUIET.
It's always sad when all the kids leave. And very QUIET. Kyler's still here for the week, but he doesn't make much noise.
The 8 vehicles that were parked at our house all week are down to 3. All the hustle and bustle and cooking and laundry and laughing and craziness are gone for awhile.
The "Beach Room" (I like to give our guest rooms names...makes them seem more la-ti-da, don't you think?) is empty. All that's left are dirty sheets and towels to wash.
The "Windmill Room" is where Kristoffer, Dana, and Karter slept. It's empty too.
And this Pack 'n Play will be put away until the end of April (how many days away is that?!) when Karter will be back here to sleep in it again.
Of course, we'll adjust. Today Kim and I get back into our old routines and busyness again. We've got things to do and places to go and people to meet. It's a great life.
But, just for now, it's quiet. Too quiet. Sometimes I just don't like the sounds of silence very much.
January 6, 2009
ENOUGH ALREADY
Oprah and I have very little in common. Besides the obvious differences (she's black, I'm white; she's rich and famous, I'm neither), we are also polar opposites politically. I respect Oprah, but I rarely agree with her.
But today, I feel for her. I sympathize. We're just alike in one respect. Like Oprah, I too have fallen off the weight-loss wagon.
"How did I let this happen again?" is also my frustration and struggle.
See how great (for me!) I looked just last April. I was running a lot and feeling healthy and pretty.
In May, I ran the 13.1-mile Indianapolis Mini-Marathon weighing 145 pounds, the smallest I've been in several years. I felt strong and wonderful!
In June, I was the proud mother-of-the-bride in my size 10 dress.
After the wedding, it was all downhill.
I quit eating right. I gradually quit running. The old, bad habits took over again and the weight began to creep back on.
I've read that once our body makes fat cells, they don't go away when we diet, but they just shrink in size. They sit there just waiting for us to snarf down some pizza or M&Ms or a cinnamon roll, and when we do, they begin to swell up again.
My fat cells are fat again. And it's time to shrink them down to size and keep them there for good.
Oprah says it's all about filling a void in your life. It's all about love, because that's what we all crave.
I have lots of love in my life already...fantastic marriage, terrific children, precious grandchild, loving parents and siblings, wonderful friends...a great life! But maybe I need to love myself just a little bit more, taking better care of myself and making my health a top priority.
So...enough, already! I'm jumping back on the wagon again. And this time, I'm going to make it stick!
January 7, 2009
ROLE MODELS
Everyone needs role models in her life, living examples of how God intended us to spend our time on this earth. I have been blessed with two incredible role models, my parents, Bud and Lois.
Tomorrow, January 8, they will celebrate 54 years of marriage! What an amazing feat that is in itself! I'm sure they would be the first to tell you that they've had some rough spots along the road of their lives together, but they've managed to ride out the difficult times and come out on the other side more committed to each other than ever. They are a picture of what I strive for in my own marriage.
So, in honor of their 54th anniversary tomorrow, I wanted to take a look back at the day they began their life together, their wedding day.
My mother was a high school student in Maysville, North Carolina when she met my dad at the diner where she worked. He was a Marine, stationed at nearby Camp LeJeune. In their first conversation, he joked that he was married with four kids (which turned out to be quite prophetic after all!). She was not amused and he had to do some fast-talking to convince her he was just kidding.
They married January 8, 1955, in the Methodist church in Maysville, North Carolina, when Mama was almost 19 and Dad almost 23 years old.
Her daddy, my Grandpa Britt, walked her down the aisle. Her sisters all tell me that Mama was "the prettiest girl in Jones County." No wonder Dad was so taken with her!
And Dad was dashingly handsome too! What a great-looking couple! They were young and in love, starting out on the big adventure that would be their life together.
Here the newlyweds are with their parents, Andy and Hazel Britt, and Clyde and Hazel House. Yes...both my grandmas were named Hazel! How odd is that?!
After the ceremony, they hopped in the car and headed north, to begin their life together in far-away Indiana. They are both just glowing with happiness!
But I have to believe that there must have been some nervousness and maybe even a little fear behind those smiles. Mama was leaving behind her entire family and the only life she had known for this new, exciting adventure some 600 miles away. They were so young and innocent, uncertain of what lay ahead for them but certain of their love and commitment to each other!
And what a great life they've built together! After 54 years, they're still going strong and more in love today than they were on their wedding day. They've celebrated the births of 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren (and counting!). Together they've grieved deaths of their own parents and others close to them. They've weathered financial crises, serious health issues, and the perils of raising children, and rejoiced together over many fun times, victories, and answered prayers.
You know why they've made it when so many other couples haven't? I do.
Because on that day 54 years ago, there were not just two but three who were part of their marriage commitment. God was there too! God has always been central in their lives, marriage, and home. And "what God hath joined together, let no man put asunder!"
Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!
May God bless you with many more!
I love you!!!
January 8, 2009
CLIFF
Meet Cliff. Or Colin. Or Cliff.
He's Colin to his parents, co-workers, and the rest of the world. He's Cliff to us.
Cliff is a college friend of our oldest son, Kristoffer. They graduated from Indiana University together, both with business degrees. Cliff was an honor student and now has a high-falutin' accounting job with the government. I really don't know what he does, but he travels a lot and his position is pretty important and impressive. But that's not why we love Cliff.
First of all, I think I should share with you how he "became" Cliff. As the story goes, during their freshman year Cliff (whose real name is Colin!) was an acquaintance of a guy on Kristoffer's dorm floor and a bunch of them were watching a basketball game together. After he left, the guys couldn't remember what his name actually was but thought that it started with "C". Someone said he thought it was Cliff...and he became Cliff to that small group of guys and, when we met him, to us as well.
I think Cliff kind of enjoys his alter-ego. While he was a student at IU, he did some writing for the Indiana Daily Student newspaper. His by-line was Cliff. Having an alter-ego sometimes comes in quite handy, I would think. He could take credit for a great piece, but if the criticisms start rolling in he can claim he never heard of "Cliff." Maybe we should all have an alter-ego!
Anyway, we always tease Cliff that he is "Colin" to his sophisticated, cultured friends but to his low-life friends he is "Cliff." Not that we are low-life...it's a joke, okay?! It's an endearing name, and I don't think he minds it at all. In fact, he signs his Christmas cards to us "Cliff."
Whenever Kristoffer's home, Cliff comes to visit. And, in this case, watch a football game. Cliff is a sports fanatic. He has an AMAZING knack for remembering every detail of every game he's ever seen. While he loves IU sports, he follows all the college teams and my boys and husband enjoy his commentary and opinions and incredible sports knowledge. We love for him to come visit!
But...we're always a little leery when Cliff is coming. Because sometimes Cliff's visits bring unexpected and undesirable excitement. It's not his fault (I don't think, anyway!), but Cliff has seemed to be around during some crazy experiences.
In February of 2003, while my daughter Emily's high school basketball team was playing in the regional in northern Indiana, a sudden storm dumped a lot of snow and we barely made it home. We crept along the major highways, and when we finally had to get off onto the county roads where we live, the drifts were horrible and it was blowing fiercely. Just a quarter-mile or so from our house, a huge drift higher than our van's hood was across the road. Kim gunned the van and drove right through the drift, slipping and sliding and unable to see a thing (did I mention that the drift was HIGHER than the hood of our van?! All we could see out the windows was...well, dark except for the dim lights from our headlights shining through the snow!). We made it (miraculously!), and even though our hot engine light came on, Kim kept driving. When we got home, they opened the hood and snow was PACKED into every crevice around the engine and under the van.
Cliff was with us. He said it was the coolest thing he'd ever done. He laughed the whole time.
When Cliff was visiting later that year, on July 4, another incident happened. It was extremely hot and humid and Kim was mowing out by the beehives. Bees get feisty when it is that hot, and apparently they didn't like the noise Kim was making. They ganged up on him and stung him several (about 20 or so!) times on his face, head, and neck. His legs got rubbery and he managed to get into the house before he collapsed unconscious in my kitchen doorway. After several scary minutes, we were able to get him conscious, into the shower, and back to normal.
Cliff was with us. Again. And after the crisis was over, he laughed again.
Torrential downpour and lightning storm at Kyler's high school football game, such a violent storm that they sent the teams to the locker rooms and fans scrambling for the safety of their cars. Cliff was there.
Tornado outbreaks all over the state the evening before Kristoffer's wedding. Cliff was in town.
Unusually frigid, windy, awful conditions for the Little 500 bicycle race last April. Cliff came to watch.
You get the idea. Maybe it's a weather thing, now that I think about it.
There are times when Cliff's visits are uneventful. Thank goodness! But when any of our kids hear that Cliff is coming, they all want to be around because they're afraid they might miss any of the excitement that may happen.
But this visit was calm and unexciting. Just the way I like them (sorry, Cliff!).
You're WELCOME anytime, Cliff...we love to see you! (You're one of the most EXCITING people we know!) Just be sure to give me time to brace myself!
January 9, 2009
BABY TRICKS
Our 6 1/2 month old grandson, Karter, is learning new things every day. It's fun to watch him discovering things we all just take for granted.
Like parts of his body.
He's learned how to vibrate his lips together to make bubbles and noises.
When is the last time you did a "raspberry" with your lips? (I did last week...to Karter!) It feels funny and you can see why a baby would be fascinated with that.
We too often forget the simple joy of discovery. Karter's discovered his lips.
While Karter discovered his hands very early on, he's just now beginning to master their movement. He's learned how to maneuver them to pick up things and use them in specific ways.
He's discovered that when he hits them together, they will make a sound.
He's learning how to clap.
And when Karter claps, everyone in the room claps too and cheers.
He smiles and claps again. More claps and cheers from his audience.
Positive reinforcement. We all respond to positive reinforcement, no matter how old we are!
He's also discovered his feet! (Don't you just love baby feet? So soft and kissable!)
They are constantly moving. He loves to stand on them and bounce up and down.
He loved it when Kyler stood him on the slick kitchen countertop. He looked like a little skater-boy! Of course, when I got the video camera out, he didn't skate as much but he did show off his other tricks.
If this video doesn't put a smile on your face, you must be a grumpy-old-Scrooge-type-with-no-heart! Just kidding!!! But it will make you smile...I guarantee it!
(Ignore that annoying voice in the background! I HATE how I sound on a video!
Note to self: When videotaping, SHUT UP!)
January 10, 2009
DON'T FENCE ME IN
When we moved to our country place in 1982, there were broken-down fences all around the property. A few years later (when we could afford it!), we replaced all the fences and, for several years, kept a few cattle and some sheep. When we got rid of the livestock, we no longer needed the fences but they were in good shape so we kept them. Just in case we decided to get some livestock again (not!...We're sticking to chickens and peacocks!), we left the fence up.
In this part of the country, fences are disappearing little by little. Very few farmers around here raise livestock any more, and the fences are just an obstacle for their huge tractors and combines to deal with in the fields. They can also be an eyesore, as it is very hard to keep the fencerows cleaned out. Rogue trees and vines grow along them, intertwining in the wire making them hard to cut out. So farmers are getting rid of their fences.
Five or six years ago, one of our neighbor girls lost control of her car on the slick roads and put it into the fence. Thankfully, she wasn't injured but the fence was damaged.
Since we weren't really using it, we left the fence alone.
Until now.
With Kyler home from college for a few more days and since Kim likes to make sure he keeps busy in his free time, Kim gave Kyler the task of taking down the fence.
So one cold, snowy day this week, Kyler took down part of the fence. (No, Kyler...I did not come to help you! Can't you see the camera in my hand?!)
After cutting the fencing off the posts, Kyler pulled the posts out of the ground...
...laid the fencing out flat on the ground...
...and rolled it up!
Isn't he a cute kid? Okay, I guess he's a man now...20 years old, 6' 5"!
Look at your mama and smile! He's been raised with a camera in his face, so he knows what to do!
When the fence is all down, it'll be nothing but wide open spaces...easier to mow, for sure. But I think I may miss the charming comfort of a rusty, weedy, fence separating us from the rest of the world. But then again, I'm not the one who does the mowing around here (and I'm not planning on that changing any time soon!)!
January 11, 2009
HEADING BACK TO COLLEGE
Today our nest is officially empty again after a wonderfully hectic holiday break. While everyone else left last weekend, Kyler stayed around this week and I enjoyed my time with him and his darling girlfriend, Kara.
Kara is like a daughter to me. She and Kyler grew up together, went to the same school and church, and her parents are some of our closest friends. We love Kara and she's a joy to be around!
And these 20-year-olds like to have fun! And sometimes...act like kids!
When we got a little snow this week, they decided to make a snowman.
Forget the traditional three-balls-of-snow type of snowman. Scrounging for enough snow, he basically was a white lump!
"What should we use for his eyes and nose?" Building a snowman requires some serious thought!
Quite a cheerful little fella, isn't he? In lieu of a hat, Kyler stuck a corn leaf in his head and dubbed him an Indian snowman. A happy, chubby, Indian snowman!
I hope the cold weather sticks around for awhile! It's nice having a smiling face greeting me when I pulll into my driveway.
And it's a sweet reminder of two very special (and sweet!) kids! Have a great semester at IU...we'll miss you!!! Don't forget to CALL your Mamas!
January 12, 2009
CHICKENS ON STRIKE!
I had to have a little talk with our chickens this morning. It seems they have decided to go on strike and quit laying eggs, and I thought maybe some negotiations might help the situation.
We have 28 hens and 1 rooster. Isn't he a pretty thing?! Even though he doesn't lay eggs and really is not productive at all, Kim firmly believes that a house full of hens is much happier and content when there's a rooster around. I think that may be his male ego talking, but nevertheless we always keep the token rooster for our bevy of hens.
Here's the situation. This basket of eggs is 3 days' worth of eggs we gathered one week last fall. We were getting at least 2 dozen eggs every day, sometimes more. And once in awhile we'd gather 29 or 30, which meant a few hens were laying twice in the same day! We had lots of eggs to spare, selling them right and left and peddling them to anyone who happened to stop by. I took eggs to my coffee friends, eggs to my tennis partners, eggs to the food pantry. We had eggs coming out our ears!
Now this. We are getting maybe 3-5 eggs every day. One day last week we only got one!
This was a big day! 7 eggs!
We don't know what the problem is. Sure, every winter they slow down when it gets cold outside (I don't blame them!). But we've never had a winter where they almost totally stop laying. Kim put fresh straw down for them. To show their appreciation, they scratched around in the straw and broke eggs every day, making a mess. This box where there should be a pile of eggs is often empty.
He carries hot water out to them every day. He was feeding them $14/bag special feed for laying hens. When they quit laying, Kim decided to buy cheaper $9 feed instead. They still refuse to lay like we think they should.
So I told the girls that I was putting their pretty little pictures on the worldwide web, with the hopes that it'll inspire them to rise to the pinnacle of henhouse perfection! (My apologies to the Extension Homemakers for revising their Creed!). They clucked at me, which I took as a promise to start laying again.
So here they are! We'll see if it my negotiating strategy works!!!
January 13, 2009
SAGA OF THE UGGS
Our Christmas gift to Kara was a pair of cute crochet-top Ugg boots. I ordered the wrong color, which worked out fine because I gave them to my very appreciative niece.
But when we went to reorder, the original online company I had bought them from didn't have them in stock. Kyler did some investigating for me and found the right color and size and he ordered them...from China! CHINA!!!
photo courtesy FreeFoto.com
CHINA?!?!? Uggs are made in Australia...or so we thought. They advertised free shipping, but he had no idea until AFTER he placed the order that they'd be shipping from China! From what he read when he checked the order status, it said they were ON A SHIP from China! We wondered how long it takes a ship to cross the Pacific Ocean from China to the US, and then added on a few days to ship it from California and figured Kara might get her boots...oh, sometime in May or June! Not exactly Ugg weather!!!
But to our great surprise and delight, they arrived in the Middletown Post Office only a week or so after we ordered them. And they did come from China...but apparently they rode on a plane instead of a ship, as they arrived here via JFK airport.
I mean, seriously, these came straight from China! We were just amazed at the whole scenario. Free shipping from China...who can beat that?
Genuine Chinese Australian UGGS! What's the world coming to?!
Bottom line...they arrived in time before Kara headed back to school...
...they fit perfectly...
...and she loves them!
And she's cute to-boot (get it? "to BOOT"! Sometimes I'm just too clever for my own good. It's how I get my "kicks"...get it? Never mind...)
And thus ends the exciting Saga of the Uggs. Okay, I admit, it doesn't take much to thrill us around here, does it?!
January 14, 2009
LOVEY DOVEY
Did that title get your attention? Now you're going to be so disappointed! This post is truly about doves!
I love the doves that live around our house. They are faithful birds, sticking around all year long and braving the cold winter weather. Last weekend I looked out the toilet room window (yes, the toilet room!) and saw 10 mourning doves sitting in the locust tree, peaceful as can be. The dove is a symbol of peace, and I can see why.
Aren't their markings beautiful? Mourning doves are big birds, but they look so soft and calm and gentle.
They are too big to perch on the birdfeeders, though they often try. Instead, they pick around at the seed that the other birds knock out of the feeders and onto the ground.
They stick with their buddies, and they don't seem to mind the cold too much.
The frigid wind blows underneath their feathers, but it doesn't seem to ruffle them at all.
They just calmly go about their mission of finding food to eat on the snow-covered ground.
I think my little dove-friend in the back is winking at me! Or maybe she's just trying to keep the cold wind from freezing her eyeballs...
And when we all get through this nasty, cold winter and the ice drops in the locust trees are replaced with tender green leaves, the doves will still be here, greeting us in the morning with their soft, mournful "Coo, coo, coo."
I just love our doves. "Lovey dovey." Or should I say "lovely dovey"?!
January 15, 2009
CALL US CRAZY
I just did the craziest thing, and I'm so excited about it! I just bought airline tickets for Kim and me to go on a long, relaxing, fun-filled weekend vacation in March.
To where? Florida? The Bahamas?? A Caribbean Cruise??? Somewhere warm and green and tropical, where I can soak up the sun and tan my Indiana-winter skin????
NO! I just bought tickets to MINNESOTA!!!
I told you it was crazy!
The day before yesterday, it was -20 degrees in the Twin Cities. Yesterday it warmed up to -10.
And they've got snow, too. Lots of it!
When Kristoffer and Dana moved up to Minnesota after they got married in 2005, we told them we'd come to visit them, but only during the months of May through September.
October through April? Forget it!!! Too cold, too much snow for me! Who in their right mind chooses to go to Minnesota in the wintertime?!
But that was before.
Before Karter.
Before our precious little grandson came into our lives and melted our hearts and made us love him more that we could ever imagine.
We miss him! And we NEED to see him!! And he lives in Minnesota!!!
So... we're going to Minnesota in the dead of winter. It'll probably be -50 degrees with 20 feet of snow. It's frigid cold here in Indiana, but in a couple of days it will warm up some. It doesn't warm up in Minnesota until May! They don't call it the Frozen Tundra for nothing!
Call us crazy! Okay, we ARE crazy!! CRAZY about our little Karterman!
Humor this crazy grandma, if you want, and watch this video of Karter with his first basketball hoop. He's not quite ready to play for the Hoosiers yet (although they could probably use his help!), but one thing's for sure...NO ONE (not even Uncle Kyler) is going to steal the ball away from him without a fuss!
Enjoy! We love you Tunkin!!! (Oh...I just thought of something! Do you suppose that someday, when he IS playing for the Hoosiers, he will be nicknamed "Dunkin' Tunkin"?
Just a thought...You heard it here first!)
January 16, 2009
GLOBAL WARMING?!
Where is Al Gore when we really need him?
It's dadgum COLD here this morning!!! Our thermometer read - 13 degrees. I don't even want to know what the windchill number is! And we're the lucky ones...up in Minnesota, where my kids and grandson live, it's even colder! We're talking minus twenties or even minus thirty (does -30 feel colder than -16? I don't know how...) in that part of the country! Now that's COLD!
We could use a little global warming right now! In fact, everyone who lives in the northern third of the US could use a little global warming!
Have you noticed that we don't hear much about global warming this time of year? Al and his buddies are in hiding when the temperatures tumble like they have the past couple of weeks. We're living in a deep freeze!
But it is beautiful. Bone-chillingly beautiful!
The air is crystal-clean. Purified.
The snow reflects the light of the peeping sun.
Somehow the arctic air makes the rays of the fiery sun even more radiant.
The light at sunrise is ethereal, magical, surreal in the calm frigid dawn.
And I about froze my noogies off out there taking these photos yesterday morning (I'm not venturing out this morning!)! BRRR!!! Dagnubbit, it's COLD!!!
January 17, 2009
CHATHURIKA
Yesterday I got a letter and photos from Chathurika. She is 14 years old and she lives in Sri Lanka. Isn't she gorgeous?
Chathurika is one of the children we sponsor through Christian Children's Fund.
With 80% of Sri Lankans Buddhist and the district she lives in almost entirely Buddhist, I'm assuming this is Chathurika at a Buddhist shrine. It is my hope and prayer that through CCF, Chathurika will come to know Jesus.
She is the oldest child in her family, with two younger brothers. Her father is a field worker, with an annual income of US$360. Can you imagine a family of 5 living on $30 a month?! They live in a two-room house with mud and stick walls, dirt floors, and dried coconut leaves for the roof. I suspect it is very similar to those I saw in India.
This is Chathurika last year when she was 13, with a different bicycle. I wonder if it belongs to her and if she likes to ride, or if it was just a convenient prop for the photo.
She is in 9th grade and does well in school.
Chathurika wrote me this letter in her own handwriting. It looks so graceful and neat.
For those of you who don't speak Sinhalan, here is the translation:
8 November, 2008Blessings of the Tripple Gem (I have no idea what that is!)
Dear Sponsor,I go to school daily with my 2 brothers. I am in grade 9. There are 30children in my class. The mango tree I planted in your memory is now grown big.(Terry here...isn't that the coolest thing? Last year in remembrance of us shewrote to tell us she planted a mango tree and waters it every day! Love it!)My father works for a daily wage. My mother does the household work andlooks after us.We are expecting rain by the end of this month. Then we can start cultivating for this season. If rains delay we will have to face problems.I thank you for helping me and our family and I thank CCF Sri Lanka forhelping the poor people of our village.Your sponsored child,ChathurikaSo love and blessings, beautiful Chathurika! Maybe one day we will meet in person.
But for now, know that even though you are on the other side of the world, you have a place in our hearts!
photo by wikimedia.orgAnd perhaps someday we can eat a mango from our mango tree in Sri Lanka!!!
January 18, 2009
SNOWY WALK
"There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the forest clothed to its veryhollows in snow. It is the still ecstasy of nature, wherein every spray, every bladeof grass, every spire of reed, every intricacy of twig, is clad with radiance."William Sharp There is something magical about taking a walk in the snow.
A calm, quiet, peacefulness envelops as the snowflakes gently fall all around.
Like the world is taking a nap underneath a pristine blanket of white.
God's creation is at rest...
...silently rejuvenating...
...and preparing for the spring days when the old and decayed will give way to new life.
While I anxiously await those warm April days, I'm going to enjoy these relaxing days
of snow.
Rest. Rejuvenate.
And wrap up in my own cozy white blanket for a nap too!
January 19, 2009
MISCELLANY
Woo-hoo! A new word to use! Well, it's actually NOT a new word but it is the first time I have ever used it in real life.
It is the noun version of "miscellaneous."
A collection of odds and ends.
A string of random thoughts.
Or, in my case, several little interesting tidbits that happen to capture my attention (and thus YOURS!) for a brief time.
And so, I will share some January miscellany with you.
Aren't these the cutest little mints you've ever seen?! It's a mama and a baby mint, all wrapped up together in their little cellophane package.
Before Kyler left for college, I took him and Kara out to Pizza Hut for lunch. We always have to grab a mint on the way out. I randomly grabbed a couple and this was one of them. I've never seen the like, have you?
It made my day. I felt special! It's the little things in life that make me smile the most!
When it's frosty cold outside, I want to stay inside, bundle up, and eat foods that make my insides feel all happy and comfy and cozy.
Comfort foods. We all have them.
Biscuits, gravy, puddings, chocolate chip cookies, M&Ms...these are a few of my own comfort foods.
Comfort foods do NOT coincide with my weight-loss diet.
Why aren't carrots and tomatoes and green beans and lettuce "comfort foods"?!
Life would be so much easier...
Freaky! This is my usually-handsome college senior son just after he got home from the eye doctor.
Check out his usually-gorgeous light blue eyes...freaky, I tell you! If you've ever had your eyes dilated like that, you know how badly bright light hurts them. And how weird they look!
Just plain freaky! And he had to give me a goofy look on top of that!
He really is a handsome dude. On a normal day...really!
Speaking of handsome dudes, my husband is the older version of my aforementioned son. Yes, they are both totally, awesomely handsome!
Except when he gives me this look.
Then he's just CUTE!
This is what Kim's been doing all weekend. It's been too frigid to work outside and he's got a head cold as well, so he's been hangin' in front of the TV.
And this is his normal pose. No socks. REMOTE CONTROL constantly in his hand.
It's like an extra appendage. Actually, if it came right down to it, he's probably choose the remote control over one of his appendages. (With the exception of THAT appendage...I don't think he'd choose to part with THAT one!)
Anyway, it's kind of nice hangin' with him this weekend. I'm usually in a similar pose on the opposite loveseat. Except I always wear socks or slippers. And a blanket.
And NO remote! I barely know how to run the remote. I think that's the secret to our happy marriage...I let him have TOTAL, COMPLETE CONTROL over the remote!
(Which reminds me of our church sermon yesterday about how we feel the need to be in control. I feel sure that Kim will never relinquish control over the remote, that when he dies he'll have it firmly clutched in his hand! Once, years ago, I hid the remote from him, and I think that's the maddest he's ever gotten with me. So I'm not kidding when I say letting him control the remote is the secret to our happy marriage!)
Although Kim is wonderful and handsome and very handy with the remote, there are a few things he does that annoy me.
Like this.
He peels a banana and leaves the peel right on the counter.
Instead of walking 5 steps to throw it in the trash, he lets it drop right there!
Irks the dickens out of me, and he knows it.
I think that's why he does it, just to aggravate me. And it does. And he knows it.
EXASPERATING!!!
Our poor little goldfish are COLD! While most of their pond is frozen over, Kim put a heater in one corner to keep it from freezing completely and cutting off their air supply.
But I know that the water has got to be extremely COLD!!! During the winter, they go into kind of a hibernation state and don't eat.
They just crowd around the heater, kind of like when I was a child we crowded around/over the floor registers in our house to get warm.
And...what about my little honeybees? I hope they're hibernating too, keeping Ms. Queen warm enough in the middle of the hive.
That's what honeybees do in the cold weather (in case you're interested). They form a ball called a "cluster" in the center of the hive with the queen in the middle. They take turns rotating to the inside where it supposedly stays fairly warm (how could anything stay warm last week?!). They eat the stored honey on the outer edges of the cluster and take extra into Ms. Queen.
At least that's what the bee experts tell me. I'm just hoping they can survive in these brutal temperatures.
But I guess they've survived thousands of years without my help. I'll let God take care of them (see Pastor Ryan, I WAS listening!).
And for my final item of miscellany...
The snow is beautiful, I'll admit. But I'm tired of photos of snow.
I yearn for palm trees, tropical climes, the warm caresses of the sun.
Which are exactly what my friend Brenda will be experiencing Tuesday as she heads off to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for what she calls their "Winter Getaway."
I could say something like how jealous I am and if she were a true friend she would take us with her and how can she possibly enjoy herself when her buddies are back in Indiana freezing their noogies off.
But instead, I'll say "Have a WONDERFUL, RELAXING, FUN time!"
"You deserve it! We love and miss you!"
And she will. And she does. And we do.
Soak up some rays for us, will ya, Brenda?!
January 20, 2009
THAT'S THE WAY THE BALL BOUNCES
I love to play tennis! Seven years ago, inspired by my daughter Emily who played on the high school team, I had my first lesson and I've enjoyed playing it ever since, at least three times a week and often more. It's fun, great exercise, and I've met some terrific people on the courts.
Over the years, I've played basically two kinds of tennis: social tennis and competitive tennis. Social tennis is where a group of gals get together to play just for fun. We keep score and try to win, but scores/standings are not recorded. Although sometimes gals do get a little testy and a bit too serious, it's still just a group of friends playing competitively with each other, and then having lunch afterwards!
Competitive tennis is, well,...competitive!...playing on USTA-sanctioned leagues, where I'm on a team and we travel around central Indiana playing other teams. We don't know our opponents, and scores/standings are kept and turned in. The best teams move on into championship rounds and even on to nationals (I've never been on one of those teams...but it would be fun!)
Tennis is a unique sport in many ways. It began as a "gentleman's sport", and many of the original traditions are still in force today. Unlike most other sports I can think of (with the possible exception of golf, another "gentleman's sport"), there are certain rules of tennis etiquette that players and spectators alike are expected to follow.
No yelling, taunting, cheering, celebrating. Silence rules during thepoint. After the point is won, gentle applause is allowed to politelyexpress appreciation for the good play of both teams.(Sidenote: My husband Kim struggled mightily with this rule as hewatched Emily play! He is NOT a quiet spectator! We usually sat inthe van with the windows rolled up to watch because he couldn't contain his "enthusiastic" cheering, comments, etc. Too many yearsof razzing opponents and officials at basketball and football games!)When playing, you are not allowed to say or do anything that mightdistract or confuse the other team. Totally NOT like other sports!And...this is the hardest one...the players officiate their own matches.We keep our own score, make the calls, and settle any disputes. Ifyou do something wrong (like touch the net or foot-fault on your serve),it is your responsibility to call it on yourself!My dad always had a saying, "That's the way the ball bounces." It means, in a sense, life happens. Sometimes things go your way, sometimes not. That's the way life is. That's the way the cookie crumbles. You win some, you lose some.
But the bouncing ball had extra meaning last week in a VERY competitive tennis match I played against a team in Indianapolis.
My doubles partner, Janet, and I were playing on the #2 court (out of 5), so we were playing two of the stronger players from the other team. We sensed right away that these women were not the friendly sort. They barely shook our hands at the net before the match even started. In fact, you could say they were pretty snooty even during warm-ups. We knew right away it was not going to be an easy...or a fun...match.
It didn't take long for things to get very uncomfortable. Early in the match, I called one of the balls they hit "out" on the sidelines. They began celebrating (a huge tennis no-no to begin with!) about what they thought was a game-winning shot, even marking up that game as a win, and they were in disbelief when I told them it was "out." Now, I have to tell you, I hate making close calls and I was taught to always give my opponents the benefit of the doubt unless I am 100% sure the ball was completely, totally out (if it hits any part of the line, it is "in"). It was clearly out...close, but outside the line. It was our call to make, I made it, and Janet stood by my call.
And, boy, were they angry!
The rest of the match was nothing but dagger-looks across the net and snippy remarks shot our way. Every ball that we hit that was even close to a line they immediately (often even before it landed!) called it "out." There was nothing we could do about it, and we began playing it safe by hitting the ball a foot or more inside the line so they couldn't even halfway-legitimately call it out.
It was awful! And I have to admit, they got in my head. Janet got mad, I got upset.
These are grown women, probably close to my age, acting like smart-alecky teenagers. I tried to shut them out, to act more mature than them, to pretend it didn't bother me. But it did, and we lost the first set 7-5.
The beginning of the next set wasn't much better. They had me psyched out and I couldn't get past it. I was making poor shots, unforced errors. But then, after they were up 3-0 and snapped, "Take that!" at us as we changed sides, something inside me snapped, I got past it, and I got mad too!
After that, Janet and I played like our lives depended on it. We played out of our heads, amazing even ourselves! We won the next game, making it 3-1 and my turn to serve. I knew time had to be nearly up (the matches are timed), since all the courts were finished except ours. The other team tried to stall for time, but when they walked out onto the court I served, we won the point, and the scorekeeper yelled that time was up.
Since we were in the middle of a game, we had to finish the game, which we won. The score was now 3-2. One team has to win by 2, so we played another. 3-3. Janet and I were playing like maniacs. The ball was bouncing our way!
Well, we ended up winning that set in a tiebreak and went on to win the 3rd set in a tiebreak to win the match. It was hard to contain our delight and, man, did we ever want to celebrate! But we smiled politely, shook their very reluctant hands at the net, and pretended like it was no big deal.
But it was!!!
You win some, you lose some.
That's the way the cookie crumbles.
That's the way life is.
And, just like Dad says... "That's the way the ball bounces!"
And, once in a while, when you really need for it to...it bounces your way!
January 21, 2009
LESSON IN COMPASSION
Once a week, I spend an afternoon volunteering for a local ministry. It's a place of hope and help for young women experiencing an unplanned, or even crisis, pregnancy.
I first became involved about 15 years ago, when I became a member of the Board of Directors. After eventually serving as Board President for 3 years, I resigned from the board to actually volunteer at the Center.
My role as a volunteer involves doing pregnancy testing and counseling of clients who come to the Center. We also provide material support for young mothers in need, distributing diapers, formula, baby food, and gently used baby clothing. The Center relies totally on donations from churches, businesses, organizations, and individuals who share our vision of helping young women choose life for their unborn babies.
Every woman who walks through this door has her own unique set of circumstances and challenges. Most are young, unemployed, single moms who are struggling to make a life for themselves and their children.
And while I believe I have a heart for the ministry, there are many days when I don't feel equipped for it. Especially in the area of compassion.
I'm the first to admit that I'm not the most compassionate person.
Too often, our clients come in with a chip on their shoulders and an attitude of entitlement. It seems to me that they are using the system, taking advantage of the generosity of good people by expecting others to provide for them and their children. They are enrolled in every social program they can find, taking as much as they can as often as they can, all the while refusing to give up their cigarettes and cell phones.
Of course, the children are the victims here and we want to help the children.
But sometimes it just gets to me.
Compassionate. God knows that too often, I'm not.
I was having those very same feelings this past week as I went to work there, questioning whether this ministry was really my calling. Doubting if I truly have the personality and gifts to minister to these young women. Asking God if I really ought to be here.
When you ask God something, brace yourself for an answer! He answered me in a mighty way that very afternoon!!!
Every client that came through the doors that day was so polite and thankful and very appreciative for the help we were able to provide. That itself is unusual. While many are grateful, there are also many others who seem demanding and even rude. But it was the final client of the day that God used to teach me a lesson.
This gal had come in two weeks ago, a former client who hadn't been to the Center for awhile, but needed help again. She was a sweet young girl with two little girls of her own. While filling out the paperwork, she shared with me that she was living in an abusive situation and trying to get out. I urged her at that time that, no matter what, she had to summon the courage to leave for the sake of not only her but her girls as well. It's a conversation I have often with girls, but this time was different. As she wiped away the tears, my heart went out to her and I prayed with her that God would help her find a way out.
Fast forward to this week, when she came in again. She came through the door crying and came over to me and gave me the biggest hug! I didn't immediately realize who she was, but then she thanked me for giving her the courage to leave her abusive boyfriend (of course, it wasn't me that gave her the courage...her strength came from God, but she didn't realize it).
As I held her, she cried and I began crying too. She was out but now destitute, desperate, living on her own with practically nothing. No job, no money. Just trying to get by somehow.
And...this is what really got to me...she apologized for having to ask us for help! She was ashamed and embarrassed, but had no where else to turn. Of course, she is the very person our ministry exists to help! I told her not to be ashamed, that we wanted to help her get on her feet, that I was so proud of her for having the guts to leave an unhealthy (although secure, in its own way) environment.
Compassion! I did have it after all, hidden under all the doubt and cynicism that I'd been feeling. It was still there, and this sweet weeping girl helped me find it again.
We gave her diapers, bottles, baby food, and clothes for her girls. When I asked if she needed some formula, she told me that her baby was drinking whole milk now and asked if we had any milk. We don't keep milk or groceries, but God somehow shoved my hand into my pocket and out came some money which I stuffed in her hand and told her to go buy some milk for her baby.
More tears...from all of us there. And she must have said "Thank you" a hundred times, so very appreciative of the little help we were able to give her. She said she didn't know people as kind as we were.
And I told her it wasn't us, that all we wanted to do was to share God's love.
I believe she truly felt God's love that day, in a very real and practical way.
And God taught me a valuable lesson in compassion that I won't soon forget.
It's hard to say who received the greater blessing! God gave both of us exactly what we needed exactly when we needed it!
January 22, 2009
SPRING DREAMING
This is the time of year when gardeners everywhere begin dreaming.
Dreaming of spring.
They begin arriving soon after Christmas. Seed catalogs.
Our mailbox is filled with them in January. Not that it irks me when I bundle up and brave the frigid cold, trudge out to the mailbox looking forward to some interesting mail, and come back loaded down with seed catalogs, of all things! Not that it irks me at all!
I'm not a gardener, so seed catalogs don't excite me. Not the tiniest bit!
But, boy, do they excite Kim! He reads them cover to cover, poring over every page, debating what he wants to raise in his garden this summer.
And finally, after mulling it over for a couple of weeks (in truth, he's been mulling it over since LAST summer!), he's ready to put pen to order form and place his seed orders.
Yes, I said orderS. Plural. You see, Kim orders certain types of seeds from certain companies. Can there really be that much difference? Apparently, in Kim's mind at least, there is. And why would I ever doubt him?!
I don't get it. But, hey...it makes him happy! And when Kim's happy, I'm happy.
I know one thing...we'll BOTH be happy to see spring!
January 23, 2009
OUR FAVORITE LADY TIGER
Kim, Emily, and I had a fun evening this week watching our favorite Lady Tiger, Erin, play basketball.
Erin's been playing basketball since elementary school. Here she is in 5th grade, with her #1 fan, cousin Kamaron.
We've watched as these little girls (pretty good ballplayers, even back then!) have grown up.
And here Erin is, now a freshman already! She's playing mostly junior varsity, but getting some varsity playing time as well.
She's a good ball-handler with a smart head on her shoulders, just the kind of player that coaches love.
And pretty cute, too!
Playing guard is tough, especially for a freshman with the varsity squad. But she did a great job!
She even scored 4 points in the varsity game! (Nice "dead duck" form, Erin!)
Erin watches the action with her senior cousin Alivia. It's been a bonus for her to get to play with Alivia this season.
Great job, Erin! We're proud of you. And we wish the Lady Tigers all the best as they round out their season and head into the tournament! Go get 'em!!!
January 24, 2009
GO BANANAS!
Kim has been eating a lot of bananas lately. Instead of grabbing a bowl of ice cream while he watches TV after supper, bananas have been one of his favorite snacks instead.
It's a great nutritional choice. And it got me thinking about bananas...(don't YOU think about bananas on a regular basis?!)
They really are a unique fruit, don't you agree?
So this post will be "everything you always wanted to know about bananas, but were afraid to ask." Oh, don't worry...I'm not going to bore you with how nutritious they are, full of lots of good things like potassium and other stuff that's good for your body.
No. These are IMPORTANT facts that may come in handy the next time you're a contestant on Jeopardy and the category is "Bananas." You KNOW how often that happens...and I want you to be prepared!
Here goes...
Do you know the proper term for a cluster of bananas? I bet you guessed "bunch." Well, you'd be wrong! A group of bananas is called a "hand," and each hand has 10-20 bananas called "fingers."
No, I'm not kidding! The word banana comes from the Arabic word "banan," which means "finger."
Bananas are intentionally picked green, and then they ripen after they are picked. If a banana is left on the tree to ripen, they get all yucky and cottony and nasty inside.
Here's a tip: When you bring a hand (that sounds weird, doesn't it?) of bananas home from the store, they will ripen faster if you leave them all connected at the stem. If you want them to ripen more slowly, carefully (without bruising!) separate them.
Here's another very useful tip: You know how when you peel a banana there's all these stringy things that taste bitter if you eat them so you try to pick them all off?
Well, try peeling the banana from the bottom and you won't have to deal with those stringy things! Apparently, that's how monkeys eat bananas. (I can't vouch for this tip, as I've never tried it, but I will next time I peel a banana. My guess is that monkeys will peel it whichever way they happen to pick it up...but, hey...I've never really paid any attention!)
Also...it is critical to PEEL the banana before eating it! I remember my Grandpa Britt telling about the first time he ate a banana, he ate the peeling! Never could stand bananas after that! Ugh!
Speaking of not-being-able-to-stand bananas, on our trip to India EVERYWHERE we went, they offered red bananas like these for a snack. India is the world's largest producer of bananas, and banana flowers are considered sacred and used in important ceremonies such as weddings to bring good luck. Bananas also represent hospitality, so I guess that's why we had so many bananas there.
One of the fellows in our group was the child of missionaries and grew up in Indonesia.
He can't stand the sight of bananas, let alone eat them, because when he was a child they gorged on bananas from the banana trees around their home.
I like bananas (and they were one of the few foods we were offered that was safe to eat!), but I think after 2 weeks of 2-3 bananas a day, we were all about banana-ed out by the time we went home.
The first time I went to India, at Hope Children's Home they fed us our meal on banana leaves. The cook said it was the Indian form of paper plates!
Feeling a little blue, down-in-the-dumps, in a funk during this long winter season?
The answer may be to eat bananas! Bananas are effective treatment for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) because they contain tryptophan and Vitamin B6, which help our bodies produce seratonin which makes us feel good. Bananas are a good mood food!
Not only do they make you feel happier, they also make you smarter! Okay, I don't know if that has been scientifically documented, but the famous botanist Linnaeus (don't tell me you don't know who Linnaeus is! Please!) classified bananas as "musa sapientum," meaning "the fruit of wise men."
So if you want to be smarter, eat more bananas.
(I know a few people who need to eat a few hands of bananas, don't you?!)
Oh, and a couple of other trivial facts...Americans eat more bananas than any other fruit, with the average American eating 28 lbs. of bananas a year.
So...go forth, eat bananas, and prosper! And, whatever you do, GO BANANAS!!!
January 25, 2009
GRANDPA KIM
Most people know my husband as a no-nonsense, serious, even prickly-type fellow. And they'd be right, much of the time.
But there is a very soft side to Kim, a side few people see very often.
A side of Kim that I love, that melts my heart!
And no one brings it out better than our precious grandson, Karter!
From the first time Kim laid eyes on newborn Karter, he became a gentle ball of grandpa-mush!
A smoochy, cuddly, teddy bear of a man...
...who loves to steal sugar from our little tunkin!
Karter and Grandpa are buddies! Hanging out in the Minnesota cold...
...playing together...
...napping/watching football/napping (one of the favorite Gray-men pastimes!)...
...and, of course, eating (another of the Gray-men's favorite pastimes!)!
Yes, Grandpa Kim adores his little Karterman! And I think the feeling's mutual!
Enjoy this video I took after Christmas! I love my Gray men!!!
(They are wearing matching shirts because we had just gotten back from our family photo session. We couldn't find a small enough size for Karter, so Great-Grandma Lois used her amazing sewing gift to design a matching shirt just for him!)
January 26, 2009
LONELY LANDSCAPES
There's just something about winter landscapes that feels lonely. This one tree stands alone just beyond our property line, a stark skeleton against the snowy backdrop.
An empty barn, left to stand by itself against the harsh winter weather.
I have a special fondness for old, rusty windmills that keep on turning even though the home and barn the once stood alongside them are long gone.
If the walls of this abandoned farmhouse could talk, what tales they could tell. I wonder who lived there, what they looked like, how they felt, what happened to them.
This huge magnificent rock that was formed ages ago below the earth's surface made its way slowly but surely to the surface, to stand proudly in the center of a field.
Cold, solitary, winter landscapes...so still and beautiful in their own lonely ways!
January 27, 2009
TANDEM TALK
As some of you may remember, Kim and I got ordered a tandem bicycle for Christmas. On Saturday we picked it up!
We've got our helmets (just wait till you see how CUTE we look in them!) and we're ready to go!
It's beautiful, Mediterranean Blue, (except I don't like that word "Fatty" on the front fork! What's the deal with that?) and we can hardly wait to try it out! But it's been too dadgum cold and snowy outside for even a short bicycle ride.
But, meanwhile, we've been reading up on how to ride a tandem. This little manual came with the bicycle, and it has some great instructions on tandem riding.
The following information comes straight from this manual. It's educational, amusing, and even a little intimidating!
First of all, you must understand the terminology. The CAPTAIN (that would be Kim!...and he's thoroughly enjoying his new title!) rides in front and the STOKER (that would be me) rides in back.
CAPTAIN KIM will have all the responsibility...steering, braking, shifting gears, decision-making, etc. He is totally in charge. I, as the STOKER, will need to practice complete submission and trust. (I may have trouble with that part!)
According to the manual, here are CAPTAIN KIM'S responsibilities:
"The captain's primary job is to make the stoker happy." I LOVE this sentence! I've already quoted it several times...and we've noteven ridden the bike yet! I think this applies to marriage as well asbicycling, don't you?!"A decisive captain will ride smoother, and that will make the stokerhappy."And a happy stoker is a happy wife. And a happy wife makes for a happyhome!"Don't hot dog. If your stoker is nervous, ride slowly...The more conservative voice must prevail. That's only fair. Remember, you're thechauffeur, not the stunt pilot."I don't really worry about Kim hot-dogging. But he may try to go too fast!I especially love the last sentence...I always wanted my own chauffeur!And this is what it says about the STOKER:
"The back seat on a tandem is the fun seat. You have this person in front of you who's giving all his attention to making you feel comfortable."Oh, I so hope this is true! "The view is terrific out to the sides... The view to the front may be a bitbland, but the captain's jersey pockets are a great place to put yourbinoculars, camera, radio, fruit bars, and other hedonistic goodies."BLAND?! What about BORING??!!! And what other hedonistic goodiesmight I have? I looked up "hedonistic," since it's a word I really don't know.It means "used for the self-indulgent pursuit of pleasure"...okay...Honestly, I'm not as concerned about the VIEW as the SMELL...you knowhow gassy my Gray men can be?! If you don't know, believe me, you don'twant to find out!"Your obligations are few: Pedal..."I can do that! I wonder if he'll notice if I stop pedaling?...I may get tired..."Hold your head high and enjoy the scenery. Tell your captain what he ismissing while he keeps eyes glued to the road for potholes."Kim will love it when I tell him what he's missing!"Never fight the captain. He is busy giving you a great ride so you canenjoy yourself."If Kim does things the right way (MY way!), I won't have to fight him. Let's hope I can do this part. Total submission and blind trust are not my strongest suits!And then the manual goes on to further explain topics like "Starting Off" (this is going to be tricky...I only hope Kim doesn't kick me in the face just getting on and off...I think I'll let him get on first!), "Stopping" (also trickier than you might at first think),
"Slow Speed Riding" (our normal speed), and the all-important "Communication."
Now, Kim is not a big talker, so we'll see how the communication part goes. Since I can't see anything ahead, he needs to tell me about potential problems like potholes and bumps, braking, and shifting. As the manual states, "Good communication between the captain and stoker increases the safety and enjoyment of the ride." I might add to that...it also lessens the chances of aggravation, angry words, or the dreaded "silent treatment"...all of which Kim and I have both experienced many times over the 29 years we've been together!
So, as soon as we get a nice spring-like day (looks like it may be April, the way things are going now!), we'll set out on our maiden voyage.
Let the adventure begin!
(I'm still a little bit worried about the seats...what do you think?! My cheeks are a little ...okay, a LOT... bigger than those 2 little bumps!!!)
January 28, 2009
CHRISTY
Meet Christy, a new friend of mine. Christy is helping me get through some difficult times, keeping me going when I feel like quitting, bringing me companionship in my misery, taking my mind off my struggles so I can keep on keeping on.
I can barely get through it with her, let alone without her!
The source of my hardship, struggles, and misery? My treadmill!
Or, as some would call it, my dread-mill!
photo from google.comThe past several winters, Charles and Carolyn Ingalls and family were my treadmill buddies. Every morning at 8 am, I would watch a television episode of "Little House on the Prairie" while I clicked off the miles and minutes. I've seen every single episode multiple times, but I never tired of watching it. I knew exactly how many laps I could get in between commercial breaks, and I could practically quote Ma and Pa's wise advice to their children.
But when I started running on the treadmill again this fall, to my horror and disbelief, when I turned on the TV at 8:00, "Little House" had been replaced by "Matlock"! I love Andy Griffith as the sheriff, but I can't quite embrace him as a detective-type.
What was I going to do?
Quit running?!? VERY TEMPTING...and honestly, I did quit for a couple of months.
But after Christmas, I knew I had to get my fat bum in gear and start in again.
So I went shopping for DVDs to watch during my workouts. And "Christy" immediately caught my eye! I vaguely remember watching a couple of episodes when it was a television series in 1994-95, and I had also read the book as a teenager, so I picked it up.
And I'm loving Christy!
The storyline is about a young girl who leaves her sheltered life of luxury in Asheville, NC in 1912 to teach at a remote mission school in the backward community of Cutter Gap in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. Naive Christy finds herself surrounded by overwhelming poverty, ignorance, superstition, and feuding families, yet she tries to make a difference in the lives of these mountain people.
A wholesome, entertaining, 40-minute episode is perfect for getting in a few treadmill miles. I get wrapped up in Christy's world and dilemmas while the time passes quickly and before I know it I'm finished!
Sometimes a good friend is priceless...even if she's just a TV friend!
January 29, 2009
SNOW CREAM
Simple pleasures are the best. And one of the simple pleasures of a big snow is the opportunity to make snow cream.
When the children were little, I used to make snow cream. But it's been years since I had any. So, yesterday, we had snow cream for lunch.
As you might guess, the essential and central ingredient is snow! Clean, pure, white, untouched snow. I got some off my back deck. Avoid at all costs snow that is yellow or otherwise tainted (ugh, gross, yuck!)!
Scoop yourself up and big, heaping bowl of the white stuff! It melts down considerably, so you need a hefty pile to start with.
Simple, basic ingredients that everyone has on hand: sugar, milk, and vanilla.
Now the tricky part is that there's no set recipe, so there's no set amount of any of the above. It's all a matter of taste as in taste-it-as-you-go to know the perfect amount of each!
Here's how I do it. Take your big bowl of snow and generously sprinkle sugar on it. I'm guessing I put about 1/2 cup or so on this snow. Pour on some milk, put a couple of tablespoons of vanilla. Then start stirring it up.
The snow begins melting and blending with the milk. Stir for a few minutes, give it the taste test, and add more sugar, milk, and/or vanilla as you see fit. There's no right or wrong, just make it taste yummy!
I went a little heavy on the vanilla in mine, giving it a creamy color (no...it was NOT discolored snow!).
YUMMY for your tummy!!! Just tasting it takes me back to my childhood days when Mama would mix up some for us. I think scooping the snow and mixing it up was as much fun as eating it! A winter treat, for sure!
Try it! When God gives you snow, might as well make the best of it!
January 29, 2009
THE BOXER
Part 1: Golden Gloves BeginningThis is my dad, Bud House. Before. Before he ever met Mom, before I was ever even thought about, Dad was a champion boxer.
It's hard to imagine what my parents were like when they were young. I guess everyone must have trouble visualizing their parents as teenagers, but as I get older it somehow gets easier.
They had a life before me. And I love to hear them tell about it.
And I want my children and my grandchildren to know those stories! So last week, I sat down with Dad and he told me a few of his boxing stories.
My Dad is 76 years old now, but his memory of his early years is amazingly clear! It was fun watching his eyes as he rewound and recalled his teenage boxing beginnings.
Check out how big my dad's hands are! No wonder he had a powerful punch! Shake hands with him today, and be prepared for a bone-crushing squeeze. No wonder his son-in-laws are intimidated by him! (And let me tell you from experience, Dad didn't need a paddle to spank us! His HAND was a paddle!)
We had a fun day of reminiscing...well, Dad was reminiscing and I was listening and videotaping. I split it up into three parts, so enjoy Part 1 today and check back on Saturday and Monday for Parts 2 and 3.
ENJOY!!!
January 30, 2009
SURVIVING JANUARY
January is my least favorite month. Not that I would ever want to wish a day or even a moment of my life away, but if I had to just skip a month each year, January would be the month I would skip. The excitement of the holidays is over, and all we have to look forward to is the dark, cold, long winter days ahead.
We had snow, which was beautiful...at first. The soft white blanket covered the earth...
...and then it got cold. Really COLD! Bone-chilling, brutally COLD!!! As in -13 degrees COLD!!!!
And, just as we thought it might warm up a little, it began snowing again! All night it snowed, and we woke up to....
...10 or more new inches of snow! Kim got up before daylight to clear out the
driveway to try to get to work, but when he saw the condition of our country road he worked from home instead.
The fish pond is barely visible behind the mounds of snow.
This is my very favorite tree on our place, especially beautiful in the snow.
I convinced Kim to take a little walk with me down our road, to take some photos and
check out the conditions.
Before the snowplow came through that evening, our road was a mess!
Some shots from our snowy place...
My poor little bees! We cleaned away the snow from the front entrances. I hope they're staying cozy and dry inside.
I don't know about you, but I've about had enough of January. February is so much better! It's shorter and we have a few more warm days.
And...as my aerobics instructor Christy reminded us...at least February has
CHOCOLATE!!! I like the way that girl thinks!
January 31, 2009
THE BOXER
Part 2: Marine Corps ChampionIt's been 55 years since Dad wore this boxing robe. I can just imagine him prancing into the boxing ring, bouncing around punching the air, ready to rumble!
How I wish we had video footage to see Dad in action! Knowing his fiercely competitive spirit and rock-solid determination (if you want to know where my children got those traits, look no further!), he was surely an intimidating and imposing fighter!
Continuing our reminiscing session, Dad reflected on his years in the United States
Marine Corps. In so many ways, the Marines shaped Dad into the person he is today.
Besides the obvious lessons that being a Marine taught him, it was also during that time that he met Mama while stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. His face lit up as he recalled the circumstances of attending her high school graduation in 1954.
This video segment is longer (9:49), but I think you'll enjoy hearing Dad tell his tales...and Mom get in on the act at the end!
And check back Monday, February 2 for the final installment of "The Boxer."
