Happy New Year!

Today is the day when the differences between introverts and extroverts are most prominent.

Grand Rapids is having a big party downtown, with a ball dropping, live music, etc. The news is making a big fuss over it ... "yeah! free party! woo hoo!"

I can put myself in the shoes of someone who's extroverted and vivacious ... my step-brothers and their wives, several of my friends, my sister-in-law and one (or maybe both) of my nieces ... they would hear this and think, "wow! fun!".

Me? I would pay NOT to go! My favorite New Year's Eve memories involve small get-togethers to play games and visit. There was a group of us who met in college who gathered every New Year's for a few years after graduation, and it was always one of the highlights of the holidays.

But when I hear "FREE PARTY DOWNTOWN" ... all I can think of is looking for a parking place in the cold and dark ... fighting crowds ... noise ... freezing ... more noise ... then a long, cold walk back to my car in the dark, and a longer, colder drive home.

Think I'll just enjoy making jewelry tonight, and declare "midnight" some time around 10:30.

The extroverts reading this are thinking "pathetic" and the introverts are thinking, "perfect"!

a conversation from the Alamo desk at the Orlando Airport

When I went away a couple weeks ago, I got into Orlando about 9:00 p.m. I'm a morning person, so my brain doesn't fire on all cylinders at night.

I went to the Alamo counter to pick up a car ...

Alamo guy: "Where is your destination?"

Me: "Paisley, Florida"

Alamo guy: "and what part of Florida is that in?"

Me: "I don't know."

Alamo guy: "do you know what major city it's near?"

Me: "Nope."

Alamo guy ... obviously frustrated: "Ma'am ... how do you intend to GET there?"

At the time I was picking up the van, I wasn't particularly thinking about its use as a vehicle ... I was just looking forward to using it for a nap until my brother & his family's flight got in about midnight.

I had a GPS in my suitcase, and was counting on that to get me to my dad's house ... so I hadn't even looked at a map to see where I was going.

However, I realized that it must have sounded a bit odd to poor Alamo-guy ... I'm renting this car, and have absolutely no idea where I'm taking it. :)

the ultimate hard-to-clean-up mess

I've found it.

In trying to straighten a bent tube of unopened superglue, I discovered the bend had made a hole in the tube.

Fortunately I had a second-thought before I tried to clean up the drops on my buffet. I'd rather have clear, hard drops, than a smeared mess, if I MUST have superglue on my furniture forever!

Groan.

On the up-side ... I temporarily have no fingerprints on my left hand ... should I wish to rob a bank or some-such.

Life is so full of little surprises!

Here's some inspiration for you!

This is short clips from a bunch of movies (most of which I've never seen). It makes you feel all excited to tackle ... well ... to tackle SOMETHING anyway!

Merry Christmas!

I hope you were blessed today with thoughts of Him whose birth it celebrates!

Here are a couple of my favorite pictures from the time at Disney with my nieces, brother, sister-in-law, dad, step-mom and her mother.



This is adorable niece #2 showing me the penny she found on the carousel. Oddly enough, on both outings I've had with her recently, she's found cash. I think they might do well to take her for walks regularly. :)

the weekend

I just returned from a lovely weekend in Florida. I met my brother, sister-in-law, and the adorable nieces down there, and we had some time with my dad, step mother, and her mother, at their place near Orlando.

We were able to watch the girls enjoy Disney on Sunday ... which was so neat. I can't imagine wanting to go to Disney as an adult ... but it was very enjoyable when you could watch little ones having a wonderful time!

I thought I'd post a picture of the girls enjoying the Florida sunshine (on Saturday), and one of what I came home to today. (Note the bobcat in the background clearing the snow out of the parking lot, so the plows would have room to work.) :)

I did have the pleasant and unique experience of being bumped up to first class for the flight home. I could become very accustomed to life up at the front! They had real meals, on real plates and silverware. The seats were comfy. It was quite nice!

Florida update

Well, my 2:30 flight is now scheduled to leave at 4:45. But I'm encouraged that it's still supposed to LEAVE!

I just tried to move my car to a non-awkward spot in the parking lot, since I'm leaving it over the weekend. It's buried. Totally buried. I left the keys in the center of my desk, and asked if someone would please move it once the parking lot is plowed. :)

I was planning to drive myself to the airport, but I'm getting a ride now from my boss, who has a big 4 wheel drive pickup. I've become recently very fond of the idea of four wheel drive.

Warm weather, here I come!

looks like a good day to go to Florida

This is the view out the church's front door right now. Schools and businesses are closed ...

And I'm heading to Florida for a long weekend.

Yep. Feeling real sorry for myself. Yes, I am.

wanna see an eyeball?

I went in for my eye doctor appointment today, and they had the coolest new test. It took a picture of the back of a person's eyeballs. I thought it was so nifty, I asked if I could have my eyeballs on my flash drive to take home with me. :)

I'll just post one since, really, they look basically the same.

I was encouraged to hear that I'm a good candidate for lasik. I'm seriously considering it. The doc said if he had my prescription, he would have jumped at it, and would have done so years ago.

Behold, the eyeball!

so adorable

Adorable niece #1 called and read me a story today. I found the plot a trifle hard to follow, but the "at" and "ad" sounds featured prominently.

Beginning in January, I'll be changing my office hours, to work four ten-hour days. We're bringing on a book-keeper (which I believe I rejoiced about several posts ago), and we're going to try having her work Mondays, and I'll work Tuesday-Friday.

Three-day weekends ... woo hoo!

did my third noggin transplant last night

I was working on doing a video for the funeral home last night, and one of the pictures the family gave me to work with had a man's head cut out from another picture, and glued onto a body in the picture I was working on.

Unfortunately, it wasn't done particularly well, and was slightly too large.

So ... I did my best to try and make it look natural. I haven't had as much education in photo-shop as I wish I had! Head transplants are a little above my education level.

But it made me remember that I've actually performed two previous similar operations.

One of our missionaries had asked me to do a prayer card for them. They wanted a family picture printed out, with all their names on the picture. They have 8 children, so it's nice to have them identified.

Well ... in the best picture, one of their boys wasn't smiling. So I tried to take his head from another picture, and insert it into the good one.

I worked really hard at this. If I remember correctly, I think I was using Microsoft Paint, or something equally basic ... plus I had no experience or training in such matters.

But I worked and worked, and finally got it to look pretty good.

Showed it to them ...

and then discovered I had made one very crucial error early in the process ...

I chose the wrong boy's head to paste in. :)

That's right. They had two of the same son in the picture, and one boy missing altogether.

Oops.

Fortunately, I had gleaned enough experience that it went MUCH smoother the second time, when I put the RIGHT boy's head in the picture.

So ... three head transplants, and I don't even have a medical degree (or ... unfortunately, any training in Photoshop, though I would like to pursue some!)

one of those fun forward things

Copy the list, and bold-face the ones you've done.

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo. (this was a really bad idea ... as all who have heard me sing can attest!)
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning. ummm ... yeah ... a lot of "no fun"
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill. it was a mental-health kid of thing!
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a Marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business. (a teeny tiny organizer business)
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma. (they can never FIND blood in me when I have to get it drawn, so I've never dared attempt it voluntarily! :)
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy Fred-Shep ... still stuffed in my closet somewhere. :)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt. during my junior high "I'm going to be a home-maker" phase :)
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job. NOT a fun day ... I still find myself wishing I could get in touch with them and correct the misunderstanding ... you know that "permanent record" they warned you about in elementary school? I feel like there's this enormous blotch on mine! :)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. I'm not sure it was speeding ... but it sure felt like it ... wonderful!
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book. well ... helped OTHER people publish them anyway!
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible. Straight through?
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

the time has come

I believe my unfiled-pile has reached critical mass, and must-needs be addressed!

(note ... this is at home, NOT at work ... k? Just wanted to be sure that was out there! I'm MUCH more responsible at work.) :)

those catalogues

I made the mistake of ordering a shampoo rack for my shower.

"Why is this a mistake?" you may ask.

It has gotten me on the mailing list for a collection of catalogues that seem to be targeted at those over age 90.

They are full of long-handled gadgets promising to protect me from every having to bend over, or reach up, for anything again. There are special brushes and contraptions to clean anything and everything. They promise to "protect" me, and everything I own ... special bags to store magazines to "protect" them (from what? I don't know) ... special socks to put over the legs of chairs to "protect" the floor. (Though what happens when said chair slides away from the person sitting on it, I'm not sure. The floor's fine, but the broken legs? Not so much.

Then there are all the things to increase my "comfort" ... in areas where I never knew I was uncomfortable ... magic pads to sit on, sleep on, stand on ... things to inhale and swallow and wear ...

The catalogues have a kind of horrible fascination ... there's the thought that people out there, somewhere, are actually wasting their pensions on special brushes to get the lint out of their dryer vents, and tomato-shaped containers to hold their tomatoes.

But then there is the most repulsive-sounding consumer item I've ever seen ...

Terry-cloth toilet seat covers.

I am not kidding.

The very thought of it just makes me feel ill.

Merry Christmas

A friend and I put up my tree last night, and I thought I'd share it. :)

I bought a tree-topper (never had one before), and there's obviously a structural issue I had failed to anticipate. It's heavy enough that if I put it on, it slowly leans, leans, leans until it falls off. Very pretty thing ... just can't figure out how to apply it!

the work Christmas party by which all other work Christmas parties will be judged

The funeral home for which I work part time had their Christmas party last night.

I have not found company Christmas parties particularly enjoyable in the past, but I decided to go ... though I went alone so as not to subject anyone else in case it was awful.

But it was SO not awful!

Positive #1 -
No alcohol. I have no objection to moderate drinking, but as a non-drinker myself, I feel uncomfortable when people have drunk enough to be "not themselves". Company Christmas parties seem to be prime situations for this. Then I have to try and forget what I saw when I run into them at work later.

Positive #2 -
It was done open-house style ... you came when you wanted to, left when you wanted to, and felt no time-pressure.

Positive #3 -
It started at 5:00! woo hoo! It happened during the time of day when I was still AWAKE! :) Whenever something starts at 7:00 ... I'm already ready to be curled up at home with a good book when I first get there!

Positive #4 -
Delicious meal, nice gift-cards handed out as I walked in ...

Positive #5 -
The buffet was there by the door, and you went straight in, got a name tag, and sat down with your dinner ... no trying to look comfortable and "at home" during the awkward "punchbowl" time.

The perfect party for the solitary, conservative and socially awkward! Loved it!! :) If I ever get married, I've just seen how my reception will be handled. :)

the township has a new strategy this winter ...

If the current conditions in my neighborhood are any indication, it appears the township doesn't plan to salt the roads this winter.

They scraped all the snow off ... then left the ice there to entertain us.

It's a thrilling drive to work, but not in a good way!

I visited one of my neighbor's yards up close & personal, though by the tire tracks, I was neither the first nor the worst offender.

OK ... little hint to the road guys ... if you're not going to get rid of the ice, then don't peel off the snow!

one more picture of the nieces

I thought this one was adorable. :)

terrible traffic around Fort Knox!

time outs that work

If they were done this way ... maybe ...

don't try this at home

No. Actually. Don't try this anywhere.

I grabbed the wrong contact solution bottle this morning ... and squirted peroxide directly in my eye.

Not

Recommended

Ever!

progress on the old clock

Here's what we started with:

Here's what it looks like now:



Pretty big improvement!

She's been working on getting the works to function, and has bought a new face, which will need to be cut, and mounted. There's a new bezel and dial pan, which needs a hole drilled in it. I'm sure having a wonderful time watching it change!

a book-keeper for Christmas ...

The church treasurer came in yesterday and wanted to meet with me.

Gulp ... OK ... is this the "we can't afford to pay you this week" talk?

He said they were bringing on a part-time book-keeper to take over that aspect of my job.

woo hoo! This is me doing the happy dance!

I'd told them at my annual review that the workload had been getting heavier, and that eventually I would need help. I was just thinking of setting up a schedule for volunteers to handle receptionist tasks.

Instead ... they relieved me of my most-hated duty! The money stuff wasn't really part of my job as I started, but gradually got added in. Now I can pass it off to someone who's actually trained to do it properly, and loves it.

The lady who's taking it over is one who I've worked with before. She often subs for me when I'm out of town, and we work well together. She's organized, and LOVES money and numbers.

I'm just thrilled!

The poor treasurer ... he was trying to be SO careful not to hurt my feelings. I'm SO not hurt, that I can't even begin to express it. :) :)

see ... I think I COULD be in love ... if only ...

ordered my birthday present today ...

There were some news articles saying that there were a lot of folks out there buying guns, as they figure Obama will try and tax guns and ammo into oblivion when he gets in office.

So I went in to shop for my 40th birthday present a few weeks early. :) I'm glad I did, because they were sold out. It's on order. Hopefully it will be here in time for my birthday.

I'm still a bit puzzled at my interest in shooting. But I rented this same gun today and tried it out in the gun store's shooting range, and I still found myself really enjoying trying to perfect my aim.

language not often heard in church

There's a repairman doing battle with a stubborn elevator just outside my office.

He was here all day yesterday, and got here about 7:00 this morning to start again.

The frustration level is rising, and the language becoming louder and more ... well ... colorful.

I find myself stressed out, as though he's yelling at me!

Hoping that thing gets fixed quickly (preferably before any little old ladies wander into the building, as I think this might give them a stroke!)

good reminder this morning

I have a daily Bible reading sent to me from BibleGateway. (I find if I have a reminder sitting in my in-box, I remember to take a minute to read before I dive into my "to do" pile!

Todays's reading was 2 Timothy, chapter 2.

The first two verses caught my attention:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Am I praying for those in authority? I need to be. And I think it's particularly important since the upcoming president is one I didn't vote for. It would be easy to focus on the negative, instead of praying for God to use him.

It was good to note how God wants us to pray for our leaders ... we aren't to pray for economic prosperity, or for decisions to be made that we agree with. (though I'm inclined to do that occasionally!)

Rather we're to pray that government will, essentially, allow us to go about our business, living for God, without interruption.

Realistically, at least for the forseeable future, even a liberal government is very likely to do that! We're quite blessed in that regard here in the States.

But I do need to remember to pray for Obama. He's going to have an overwhelming job dumped on him very soon.

I also want to remember to pray for President Bush. In my opinion, he's been most unfairly maligned by the press. He's done a tremendous job under extremely difficult circumstances, and I'm sure he's looking forward to returning to a quiet life in Crawford!

Did I ever show you?

How the saddle turned out when I got it done, and hung up?

Can't remember ...

If not, here it is!

any male readers I have may want to skip this one ...

I just ordered this wonderful critter ... it SANDS the hair off your legs, so you don't have to shave.

It works great.

Consider this an unpaid endorsement!

thoughts on grocery store etiquette

I've once again been reminded why I avoid stores ... and particularly why I avoid stores on Saturdays.

Wouldn't it seem reasonable that, if a person wanted to chat with 5 or 6 friends, it would be pleasant to find a nice coffee shop somewhere? The appeal of gathering in a wagon-train-style circle, surrounded by grocery carts, blocking all traffic down supermarket aisles ... well ... it's one I just don't understand.

And I do hope that one day, I will have a life that is leisurely enough that I would be inclined to wander slowly through a store, casually looking over the merchandise in case something appeals to me. I can't fathom it ... but it sounds pleasant.

But if I do ... please let me remember to stay to one side or the other, so others who are trying to fit too much stuff in too small a time-frame have room to pass me, instead of clenching their jaw as they are forced into unwelcome-leisure as they dawdle behind me.

Anyhow ... yep ... I'm glad I can do most of my shopping online. :)

(and I'm sure anyone who would be stuck in the same environment with me is also very glad to NOT have me there!)

a local bank's new promotion

OK ... you tell me ... when you see this banner, what do you think?



It is hanging on the front of a local bank, and all I could think was ... "what a strange promotion they're having."

I read it as swipe (steal) this sign, and you get $500.

It's intended as a promo for their credit card ... swipe (use your credit card), sign the bill, and get $500.

Wondering how many of these signs will disappear if others read it the same way I did? :)

well, that was strange ...

Yesterday around 9:00 a.m., I was sitting at my desk, and a man came to the door.

We have an electronic locking system, so I buzz people in when I see them.

However, this fellow ran up to the door, yanked on it a couple times, and then yelled D_____ it! and ran around the side of the building, with a mustardy-yellow-jeep-thing driving right beside him. I had hit the button to open the door to let him in, but he was already storming off before he heard it open.

The music director heard this, and walked down to see what was going on. The jeepish-suv-ish thing picked the man up, and they drove back around the front of the building, saw music-guy standing in the door, and gave him the finger as they left.

This ... is ... very strange behavior.

I'm rather thankful that he didn't hear the door open!

I do get people coming into the building sometimes who are frustrated because they're lost, or who have to use the bathroom in a hurry, etc. But if it were something like that, I would have thought they would have stopped and come to the door again when they saw music-guy there.

Kind of makes me wonder if jeep-thing was a get-away car, and they had something illegal in mind!

weird!

I have never yet ...

seen a dog in a costume who didn't look either homicidal or deeply embarrassed.

There is one golden retriever who MIGHT be having a good time, but goldens are SO sensitive to their owners' emotions, that I'm guessing he's just trying his hardest to enter into the spirit of things. :)

acorns are little nuts

In honor of Acorn's tireless efforts to register voters amongst underserved populations - for instance, the dead, housepets, and Disney characters, it has been declared that anyone who was registered to vote through an Acorn voter-registration drive will be voting on Wednesday next week.

That's right - they get their own day ... since it was so hard for them to register on their own, we've set aside a special time slot just for them.

So plan on it ... next week Wednesday ... you get the polls all to yourself. Tea and cookies will be served.

bypassed beauty

I went for a walk with my camera this afternoon, just enjoying the leaves. It was one of those exceptionally windy days that makes the branches dance, and the leaves blow everywhere. It was quite lovely! I thought maybe you'd like to share it with me.



Every year this burning bush is particularly vibrant, and I love the way the tree in the foreground forms an arch over it.
























lace, made without hands.






The fellow who went with this house was out with a leaf blower, battling back the forces of nature. Beauty can be untidy ... and untidiness can not be allowed to run rampant. (Though with the wind we're having today, he might be better advised to put off the battle for another time!)






beauty lying in the gutter

Our pastor came to us from a Lutheran & Presbyterian background, so he brought with him some traditions with which we were unfamiliar. One of those traditions was celebrated today, and that was Reformation Sunday.

We took the time to look at the gift that was given to us, in that we have the Scriptures in our own language. This is a relatively new development, and yet we've become so accustomed to it, that it's easy to not notice.

The book that's right now sitting on the seat of my car, and copies of which are in almost every room of my home, is here because blood was shed to bring it to me. Just like those leaves lying along-side the road, it can become common-place. I need for it NOT to be. The gift of being able to read, and understand, the very words of God, in my own language, without fear of persecution, is a rare one. Not many have enjoyed this combination of circumstances down through history, and I need to treasure it more.

Sarah Palin polling really well with fast-food drive-through workers

The day after McCain picked Sarah Palin as his VP, I made a sign and stuck it in my back, driver's side car window. It says "Vote Sarah Palin for Vice President" and has a picture of the two on the bottom.

It's amazing how often I will drive through a fast food drive-through line (it's amazing how often I DO drive through fast food drive through lines ... but that's another subject), and the worker will make a positive comment when she sees the sign in the window. I find it most encouraging. :)

fun with Photoshop

I've been tinkering with Photoshop Elements, trying to learn how the tools work.

I haven't quite figured it out yet ... but I am enjoying playing with it!

Here's a couple of pictures from my trip to Italy that I was playing with - a pretty foo-foo from the Duomo, layered on top of the roof of the Galleria.

kids yogurt?

On meandering through the grocery store while a friend shopped last night, I noticed an entire section devoted to "kids yogurt."

I'm wondering ... what, exactly, makes it different from "adult yogurt"?

It's non-alcoholic? Does't require a driver's license to operate?

I've long hated the commercials for "Juicy Juice" ... not only is the name itself annoying to me (Juicy Juice, as opposed to "dry" juice? Or "sandy" juice?), and apparently, from the ads, it's marketed exclusively to parents in order to be served to children.

Then, today, I noticed a special line of "children's skin and hair care products."

Why? hair is hair. skin is skin.

These special "kids" products strike me as one of those areas where rich (compared to the rest of the world) Americans are being trained to have needs where none exist.

me and pop culture

I recorded Saturday Night Live last night because Sarah Palin was on it.

There's a whole world out there of which I'm ignorant (and gladly so). I understood maybe 20% of the jokes. :)

Now, the Sarah Palin parts were GREAT. I do like that lady.

I know ... I'm posting an awful lot of videos lately ...

But you've got to watch the two videos of this women speaking.

liberalism epitomized ...

Brian said I had to post this video

Let me say ... I can't QUITE believe this is real ... I'm sure it's just something someone has done to mock the environmentalists. But it's funny either way?

funeral home thoughts

I got called in to work today at 1:00 to make a video for the funeral home.

Since I started this job, I've found it to be kind of a strange mental situation ...

I'm on call for certain days, and may or may not get called in, and so I need to keep that in mind while making plans.

The odd part is this ...

I can plan ahead that I may need a 4-8 hour chunk of time on a certain day, and if I do, I'll also get a chunk of much-needed income.

Meanwhile, if I DO get called in to work, that means there is a family out there, who has absolutely NO IDEA that their life will change completely in that same time period.

It's weird, really ... planning for something that will make such a minor impact on my life, when those whose lives will be forever altered have no way to plan whatsoever.

On a happier note ... here's some funeral humor for you. :)

A Country Funeral


As a young minister in Kentucky, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a grave-side service for a homeless man, who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be buried there.

I was not familiar with the backwoods area, and I soon became lost. Being a typical man, I did not stop to ask for directions. I finally arrived an hour late.

I saw the backhoe and the open grave, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. The digging crew was eating lunch. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and I stepped to the side of the open grave. There I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long, as I told them that this was the proper thing to do.

The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as I began to pour out my heart and soul. As I preached about 'looking forward to a brighter tomorrow' and 'the glory that is to come,' the workers began to say 'Amen,' 'Praise the Lord,' and 'Glory!' The fervor of these men truly inspired me. So, I preached and I preached like I had never preached before, all the way from Genesis to Revelations.

I finally closed the lengthy service with a prayer, thanked the men, and walked to my car. As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I heard one of the workers say to another, 'I ain't NEVER seen nothin' like that before, and I've been puttin' in septic tanks for thirty years.

what was your first computer?

This past week, a friend started doing some shopping because the (25 gig) hard drive on her laptop had filled up.

I was thinking of how unimaginable this would have seemed to me when I bought my first computer in 1989. I'm not sure we even USED the term "gig". :) I had a 200 mg hard drive, and I can remember deleting documents when I needed to make room for new software.

My very first computer was a 286 with a pretty amber monitor (the ones at the college were green ... I thought the amber was SO much nicer.) I had considered the cheaper 80/86 (is that the right term? can't remember for sure ...), but I decided to spend extra on the bigger computer, so it would LAST me a while.

It came with a funny windows-ish thing called Geoworks, and a dot matrix printer - all for only $1,100! What a DEAL! If I remember correctly, I was still using it in 1993 when I signed up for my first Internet service - AOL at 10 hours/month, I think. I used Pro-Write and WordStar mainly ... with occasional forays into some kind of really basic desktop publishing program. That was IT, and I thought I was really techy!

What was your first computer?

P.S. ... out of curiosity, I just looked at my own hard drive. I have 80 gig, and 28.8 is full. YIkes! What IS all that stuff? :)

introvert vs. extrovert

This week, one of my co-workers and I were discussing the differences between introverts and extroverts.

I have always associated "introvert" with "shy", but he described introversion and extroversion as where a person finds their energy ... are they energized by being with people, or is it wearisome?

I found it quite an enlightening idea. Because, while I am not particularly shy, I find social occasions exhausting. While I enjoy them, I am always relieved to get into a room alone and close the door afterward!

It never occurred to me that extroverted people don't experience that same feeling ... that they might actually gain energy the longer they're at a gathering, while I gradually wind down and start taking long breaks in the ladies' room, longing for things to end for the evening. Interesting!

On a different note ... here's a new picture of the adorable nieces. I thought this was great!

Neat quote today

This was on my google home page ... thought it was so good:

"Forgiveness is the answer to the child's dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is again made clean."
- Dag Hammarskjold

bored with the board

After last night's condo meeting, I decided that I'm just not condo-board material. (as opposed to board material, which would be wood, which, I'm not either, but I digress.)

Our condo board meetings are a picture of ineffectiveness if I've ever seen one. There are long, drawn-out conversations that have nothing to do with board business. And often these same conversations are repeated, almost verbatim, at every meeting.

(For instance, we have a rule on our bylaws against leaving trucks parked outside the building overnight. At every meeting, there is discussion as to why this rule exists, and whether vans and SUVs constitute "trucks.") No resolution is ever achieved, or attempted. It just seems to be a ritual pet-topic.

I'm a non-leader down to my bones, but the aimlessness of these meetings is such that I find myself pushing them forward, demanding answers, requesting the next agenda item, etc. Then I get home, grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw.

So, after last night's demonstration of inefficiency, I am going to tender my resignation. I'm tired of being infuriated by these gatherings!

I'll just write my monthly check, and consider that the extent of my contribution to the community!

dance like no one's watching

Here's adorable niece #2 doing just that. :)

my brother's new blog

I woke up this morning to discover an email from my sister-in-law, telling me that my brother has a new blog.

I already enjoy sister-in-laws blog very much, and it's nice to have brother blogging also. He used to write a newspaper column, and did a great job. So I'm glad to see he's putting his hand to a keyboard again. :)

Eugenics in America

Have a look at an excellent blog I read today.

amazon doesn't know what to make of me ...

I started my Christmas shopping this week. I know ... it's ridiculously early, but I find I make wiser decisions if I'm not doing it quickly, and I also find I enjoy Christmas more if the shopping is done before the busy-ness starts!

Anyhow, all that is to say ... Amazon is desperately trying to make recommendations according to my previous buying habits.

However, I've had one friend ask me to order power tools for her (she doesn't like shopping online.) I use my personal account to order books for the church where I work. I buy gifts for the adorable-nieces. Then there is my own stuff.

So ...

Amazon recommends power tools, and children's games, and deep theological books, and the occasional pretty necklace.

I'm almost tempted to throw in the occasional order for really cheap, random stuff, just to confuse their computers even more. :)

Have you seen this yet?

If not, take a second and watch it. This is one of our veterans.

communication confusion

subtitled:
how I discovered my sister-in-law's phone doesn't display from whom text messages come!

I texted my delightful sister-in-law to find out how adorable-niece-#1's doctor's appointment went. (Both nieces have selective mutism, and are going to begin treatment for it.)

She responded back with detailed reports, and a great deal of affection, and also mentioned that my absence was probably a contributing factor, but that treatment was promising.

I was thankful for the detailed reports, and I'll be glad to accept affection when I can find it!

(Insert information here ... that my brother was out in the field with Army-training-stuff, and didn't have his cell phone. He had told sister-in-law that he might be able to borrow someone else's phone to check in.)

Starting to get the idea?

Well, from my end, confusion wasn't too bad. There was only one text from her that made it obvious she thought she was talking to my brother.

I assumed she was texting both of us at the same time, and just had sent one to the wrong person.

So I responded back:

"I think that was meant for Cliff?"

This is where sister-in-law's day starts to get weird!

She, thinking she was originally texting my brother, assumes that last message was from "random guy" who had loaned brother his cell phone.

So the rest of the conversation she begins to assume is with "random guy" ... who is quite overly-familiar. Or with returned-to-phone-Cliff ... who doesn't sound at all like himself.

The text conversation ends ... and sister-in-law remains confused.

Until last night, when I again sent her a text message.

Which she now assumes is from either Cliff or random-guy. And doesn't know how to find out which.

A further comedy of errors continues until finally she asks, "who is this." It is then, after MANY messages, I finally think to mention my identity.

All becomes clear to both parties, and much voice-on-phone hilarity ensues.

On other news, I started my new job last night, and am having that first-day, lots-to-learn feeling. But I think I will really enjoy it. Need to find a copy of "Adobe Photoshop for Dummies". :)

a new job!

No, I didn't quit "the best job in the world" ... I'm not crazy. :)

But I did apply for a part-time job in the evenings to help fill in the gaps a bit.

I'm going to be making videos of families' pictures for a local funeral home. The hours are varied and flexible, and it's a nice low-pressure environment. Dead folks are SO non-demanding.

I'll be starting on Tuesday.

the mysteries of swimming pool etiquette

Situation:

You are trying to enter a pool full of children, in hopes of swimming laps.

Do you
a. tell the parent that you would like to have a little strip of the deep end for your very own?

b. try to swim back and forth, dodging children as you go?

c. ask the children to let you have a little strip of water, in hopes they listen to you, an unknown adult? (insert here the old saying about, "if you start to think you're powerful, try ordering someone else's dog around.")

d. stand outside the pool until a section drifts clear, and then start swimming in it like mad in hopes people will get the idea?

I tried "d." as it required the least communication.

It seemed to work for a while, until a young boy started jumping in right in front of me, causing me to snort water, and having to resort to a modified "b."

So ... I ended up giving up and coming inside after 15 minutes.

Isn't there a book somewhere on the proper way to phrase this kind of request, and to whom one should phrase it? :)

I am the allergy princess ...

what IS that body part halfway between a person's ear canal and the back of her throat ...

... the one that, somehow, reacts to pollen in such a way that the itching causes said woman to want to scrub the inside of her face with a wire-brush?

UGH! And this is me ON allergy meds.

I can still remember the first few weeks of school, when my allergies are the worst, I used to be so allergy-plagued I could hardly stand it - swollen itchy eyes, itchy ears/throat, runny nose, sneezing. I was the most miserable looking and feeling critter out there.

I'd beg my mom for allergy medicine, and when she would get it for me, it would put me into this half-trance state ... barely able to stay awake.

It was either misery, or coma ... no other option for September and October!

I'm thankful the allergy meds have improved since that time, but for some reason, they still don't touch the itchy ear/throat thing!

Now where IS that sandpaper?

A political candidate I can be excited about!

I remember hearing about Sarah Palin from somewhere ... maybe a blog? ... about the time Fred Thompson dropped out of the race.

When it became evident McCain was going to be the candidate, I was quite discouraged. However ... I have much-renewed optimism at Sarah's presence on the ticket!

She has strong conservative positions. She's not from the traditional Washington batch of folks.

I'm very, very happy about this!

welcome to the neighborhood

subtitled:

Why I was beating on the door of #18 and ranting at midnight.

I'm on the board of our condos, and so have occasionally been involved in interviewing prospective buyers.

In June, I interviewed the fellow who bought the unit directly above me.

(anyone care to guess where this is headed?)

He was in his early 20's, and so we repeatedly asked him if he understood that this was a quiet, early-to-bed, early-to-rise kind of community.

"oh yes," young man says, "that's what I'm looking for."

OK

We vote young man in.

(ok ... now want to guess? feel free ... )


First some background ... on the first night of the olympics, I was kept awake all night by loud music, pounding feet, and loud-voiced-men in the parking lot.

OK, thinks I, it's one time.

He's having an olympic-watching party ... I'll ignore it.

But ... last night ... around 9:00, I heard the same pounding/music/shouting combination.

And it continued

and continued

and I got hot

and hotter

and hotter

until ... finally, I found myself upstairs, pounding on his door at 11:30.

Music stops, but door does not open.

No problem ... I can make myself heard -- door or no door.

"You agreed to a 10:00 quiet hour when you bought this place. I expect you to abide by your agreement."

Stomp downstairs, bathrobe flying behind me. Feet may or may not have been making sparks as they struck the ground ...

Music resumes. Pounding resumes. Shouting resumes.

Stomp upstairs, with fire in my eyes.

Louder pounding-on-#18-door.

(repeat first statement) followed by, "I won't come up here again. I'll just call the police."

Music stops. Pounding stops.

However, loud talking continues, out in the parking lot, until 2:00 a.m.

OK. It's an improvement ...I'll live with the loud talking, though I still think it's incredibly rude ...

But I'm now kicking myself for voting "yes" on this guy. :(

Addendum ...

I waited until 10:30, and gave him a call.

He responded very well, and seemed to (or pretended to!) understand the issue.

I tried to practice "love thinks the best" (see post on 1 Cor. 13), and suggested that maybe his friends were not overly concerned about the neighbors, because they weren't THEIR neighbors, but that I was sure he would understand the situation and keep them under control in the future.

I put on an "older neighbor who wants to like you, but also expects a certain standard of behavior" manner. That whole "taking charge" thing is not something I'm particularly good at, so I think God helped me strike a balance between firm and friendly.

Whew ... back to house cleaning. Dirt is so much easier to understand than people!

another fun project from Grandma and Grandpa's house

I was also given this clock:


I know ... it's in pretty bad shape! But my friend T. has built clocks from kits, and was interested in trying to get it working for me. So she's been taking it apart and cleaning it.

I thought I'd post a few pictures, so you could enjoy the progress with me!

Here is what it looks like with the face removed ... also before any work was done on it (though we may have vacuumed out the mouse turds at this point. :)

This is the identifying label on the back.

And here is how it looks as of today. She's taken the works out, cleaned and oiled them, and started cleaning the case in preparation to re-glue it. We need to find a source to purchase the glass bezel for the face, and that appears to be the biggest obstacle at this point.

interesting how they phrase things

From this Yahoo News article today (about Barak Obama):

E-mails and videos circulating on the Internet criticized him for attending a church that promoted black culture ...

Oh really? Is that what they criticize him for? "attending a church that promoted black culture"?

This type of rhetoric from Barak's pastor, Jeremiah Wright, is ... apparently ... simply "promoting black culture."

— In a sermon after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001:

"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Wright said. "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost."

— In a 2003 sermon, he said blacks should condemn the United States:

"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

It is I for whom Scotch Guard was invented ...

Two or three weeks ago, I got some new furniture. I'd been shopping for several years, and never found that perfect combination of "I like this", "I can afford this" and "this is short enough I can touch the ground when I sit down".

I found a set on clearance that fit all three criteria, and at the same time had a pretty bench re-upholstered that I was given from my grandparents' house. (Pictures included for those who care!).




So ... how does this post relate to your subject line, you may ask? (or if you know me, you may not NEED to ask.)

When buying the furniture, I was faced with the question of whether to have the Scotch Guard applied before I brought it home.

I went back and forth in my mind about it, as I was already spending all I had budgeted. But I finally decided to do it.

So ... this morning ... I've already had opportunity to be thankful for that choice.

It's amazing how easily "clutzy" can creep in!

I had a cup of coffee sitting on the end table, and pulled the cord to open the mini-blinds, and ... "plop" ... the end of the blind cord lands in my coffee cup, splattering coffee everywhere.

I startle, pull the cord out and lay it on the table ... and "plop" ... the other cord falls out of my hand and does the same thing.

Everything cleaned up beautifully, and I've realized how thankful I am for modern chemistry. :)

Detroit

My perception of the city has been epitomized in the behavior of its mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick.

To those who live there, and are of a different character ... please accept my sympathies and apologies for mentally including you in this characterization!

what we ARE decides how we react

While I was swimming yesterday afternoon, I was praying about the best way to approach a tricky inter-personal situation - specifically what response would show love to the individuals involved.

I decided to read through 1 Corinthians 13 (the chapter dealing with love), and see how it applied.

On first reading, I was a little frustrated. This talks so much about what to BE, and so little about what to DO.

Then my next thought was ... what we ARE is absolutely foundational to what we do.

When I read through again, there seemed to be so much there that DID pertain to how I should react.

Here's some of my thoughts as I read through it:

1 Corinthians 13:
4 Love is patient
Iit's quite easy to be very patient with my own failings ... but I need to exercise that same patience with others. God is working in their lives, and who am I to decide He's not dealing with them fast enough, or in the areas I think he should?),

love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
(am I seeking the other people's best in this situation? Or just concerned because it's bothering ME? Do I think I'm "above" struggling with this issue?)

5 does not act unbecomingly;
(even if they are acting unbecomingly, or rudely, responding to them that way is not loving)


it does not seek its own,
(in desiring this situation to be rectified, I shouldn't have my own interests as part of the motivation)

is not provoked,
(is it irritating me? it shouldn't be!)

does not take into account a wrong suffered, (in some versions, this is written "thinketh no evil" or "thinks the best")
(am I concerned about some offense toward myself? it's God's job to deal with that, not mine! I want to choose to put the best possible spin on any situation -- rather than choosing to think the worst.)

6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(put up with the situation, trusting that good will come, and God will use it for good ... more than that ... rejoicing in the knowledge that God promises to "work all things together for good.")

have I ever told you about this great formula?

In the "Tightwad Gazette" books, Amy Daczyn shares this wonderful formula to get stains out of fabric.

I used it on a pair of white shorts I wore hiking in Yosemite (don't even talk about the wisdom of that choice), and it got them clean -- years after I stained them.

Get a five gallon bucket
put in
1 cup chlorox 2
1 cup cascade dishwasher powder soap

add a bit of hot water and mix it up.

Put in the stained clothes, and fill the bucket the rest of the way. Mix it again, and let it sit overnight, then wash the clothes.

It's amazing the stuff it will get clean!

Democratic National Convention Schedule

6:00 PM - Opening Flag Burning Ceremony
6:05 PM - Pledge of Allegiance to the U.N.
6:15 PM - Secular Prayers by Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton
6:30 PM - Antiwar Concert by Barbara Streisand
6:40 PM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
7:00 PM - Tribute to France
7:10 PM - Collect Offerings for al-Zawahri Defense Fund
7:25 PM - Tribute to Germany
7:45 PM - Antiwar Rally (Moderated by Michael Moore)
8:25 PM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
8:30 PM - Terrorist Appeasement Workshop
9:00 PM - Roundtable Discussion of Taxes: "Calling for Higher Taxes on Others While You Pay None"
9:15 PM - Bill & Hillary Clinton Host a Seminar on "The Successful Selling of White House & Air Force One Mementos on eBay"
9:20 PM - Gay Marriage Ceremony (Both Male and Female Couples)
9:30 PM - * Intermission * Special Guest Soloist Jane Fonda
10:00 PM - Posting the Iraqi Colors by Sean Penn and Tim Robbins
10:10 PM - Reenactment of Kerry's Fake Medal Toss
10:20 PM - Howard Dean Screamfest 'Yeeearrrrrrrg!'
10:30 PM - Seminar: "The Boy Scouts and Other Paramilitary threats to National Security"
10:40 PM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
10:45 PM - Abortion Demonstration (NARAL)
11:00 PM - Multiple Gay Marriage Ceremony (Threesomes, Mixed and Same-Sex)
11:15 PM - 'Maximizing Welfare' Workshop
11:30 PM - 'Free Saddam' Pep Rally
11:50 PM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
12:00 AM - Kerry-Edwards 2004 Sealed With A Kiss
12:01 AM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
12:02 AM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast

awww shoot

Nothing spoils a delightfully-productive day like spilling a half-bottle of furniture polish on the floor.

sometimes ebay makes so little sense ...

I have some books up for sale.

With over a day still to go, a 1985 soft cover copy of Pilgrim's Progress is going for $3.25 (plus shipping).

Two people are bidding back and forth over it like crazy.

I almost didn't put it up for sale at all, because it's so unremarkable an edition. Plus there are about a million copies of Pilgrim's Progress for sale ... it's available anywhere, including for free download online.

It just makes no sense.

But I'm happy to take their money. :)

It IS a great book, by the way ... if you haven't read it, you should! (but don't pay $3.25 for a ratty old paperback!)

old saddle - finished!

Here is how it turned out. Many thanks to my dad for his machine-shop magic in getting the stirrups cleaned up. It was neat that they were dated - one in 1936 and one in 1937.

The flaps over the stirrup buckles still stick up more than I'd like, but I'm going to keep using Denise's suggestion to drape weights over them, in hopes they'll flatten a bit more.

not a bee at all

I did some looking online, and found this "bee hawk moth", which looks like our little friend from last night. They're native to the U.K., but it sure looks like we've got a population of them here in G.R. as well.

what manner of bee is this?

I went out to Meijer Gardens with some friends tonight, and we saw this most unusual bee. He was fuzzy and colored like a bumble-bee, but longer, and looked almost like a hummingbird in the way he flew.

Anyone know anything about the little guy? We're intrigued ...

some nice surprises yesterday

First, thank you to Trixie at Farm Home Life. I entered a give-away on her blog, and won a $25 Walmart Gift Card. She sent her readers over here to visit, and I wanted to welcome them today. :)

Yesterday, I had my kayak out and drifted up to a little family of ducks. There was a momma and two half-grown babies. I was able to get within 6 feet of them, and they didn't seem at all concerned. We were near the shore of the gravel pit, and they were feeling free to nibble at bottom-of-the-water tidbits while I was there. It was quite a delight.

a good reminder to look at life through these glasses

why I'm not interested in having my own business ...

I just sold some books on ebay.

I made $35

I spent $41 in shipping.

UGH!

Every time I sell something to someone in Canada, the USPS online international postage calculator leads me astray! I had two packages heading for western Canada. It said they could each go priority for $10, which is what I charged the buyers. One was $17, and the other $18.

This is my irritated look! I just paid $5 to sell 4 books.

No more Canadians for me!

Barnabas

As you may have guessed from the lack of robin pictures, my chicks have flown the coop. I raised the blind on my balcony Friday morning, and they flew away. I've gotten the nest torn down, and the porch cleaned up, and am able to enjoy my coffee out there in the morning now without irritating the tenants.

We had such a wonderful preach Sunday morning on Barnabas. He is one of my favorite people in the Bible.

Barnabas wasn't his real name, you see. It was a nickname. It means "son of encouragement." The other Christians saw him as being an encouragement and support, so much so that they changed his name.

When the apostle Paul became a Christian, the others were all afraid of him. Before he had been a murderer - hunting down Christians and killing them, and putting them in jail. Then all of a sudden, he comes around pretending to believe ... nobody bought it. Except, of course, Barnabas. The Bible says Barnabas "took him up". He vouched for him, and recommended him to the others.

Then, later, Paul and Barnabas were traveling together with Barnabas' nephew John Mark. They got into a disagreement about whether Mark should continue on the journey, because he had failed them previously. Barnabas vouched for him, "took him up" again, to the point where Barnabas and Mark continued on separately. And Barnabas's support changed Mark, to the degree that later, Paul, in one of his final letters, asked Mark to come and join him, because he was useful in the ministry.

We don't know a lot about Barney. He is shown as a preacher, but quickly his role seems to diminish into a support and help to the others.

That is the role I've always loved ... being an encouragement to the people who are out in front, doing the big stuff. I love Barnabas, because I want to BE a Barnabas.

Have you seen The Lord of the Rings series? Remember Sam Gamgee? He was my favorite ... quietly in the background, supporting Frodo in doing the impossible.

I was reading tonight in Spurgeon sermons to see what he had to say about Barnabas, and I liked this quote very well:

Many who have believed through grace also need help by way of consolation. You would be astonished if you knew the large number of believers in Christ who are tempted to doubt, despondency, and distress of mind. In the present congregation there are a number of persons depressed in spirit, who can hardly look up, who will judge, when I am speaking, that I am referring to them; and I must confess that I am thinking of them, and do very often think about them, and long to see them come forth from their present gloom. It is a great joy to me if I can help them at all by describing my own experience of down-casting and up-lifting. These bruised and broken ones need binding up. Brothers, if you are like Barnabas, “sons of consolation,” be not slack in your blessed service! O ye spiritual men, trained in the school of sorrow, put forth your best endeavors to minister to minds diseased. Pour in the oil and wine of the gospel wherever there is a wound gaping and bleeding. A word fitly spoken, a promise seasonably quoted, may help much those who have believed through grace.

There will probably be more about this to follow!

an email forward that was actually new to me (and funny!)

DR. PHIL:
The problem we have here is that this chicken won’t realize that he must first deal with the problem on “THIS” side of the road before it goes after the problem on the “OTHER SIDE” of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he’s acting by not taking on his “CURRENT” problems before adding “NEW” problems.

OPRAH:
Well I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I’m going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

GEORGE W. BUSH:
We don’t really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DONALD RUMSFELD:
Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

ANDERSON COOPER/CNN:
We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

JOHN KERRY:
Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken’s intentions. I am for it now, and will remain against it.

JUDGE JUDY:
That chicken crossed the road because he’s GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN:
To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART:
No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer’s Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level.

DR SEUSS:
Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I’ve not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY:
To die in the rain. Alone.

GRANDPA:
In my day we didn’t ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS:
Isn’t that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.

JOHN LENNON:
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together - in peace.

ARISTOTLE:
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

BILL GATES:
I have just released eChicken2006, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet explorer is an integral part of eChicken. The platform is much more stable and will never ever, ever reboot.

ALBERT EINSTEIN:
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

BILL CLINTON:
I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE:
I invented the chicken!

COLONEL SANDERS:
Did I miss one?

robins, day 11

blogging about blogging ...

I was thinking today about why I enjoy doing this ... typing up little thoughts that may or may not ever get read by anyone at all!

Really, it's kind of vain, isn't it? Thinking folks are interested in the robins hatching on my porch, or the latest goofiness from the condo neat-police.

So, outside of the obvious hubris, what causes me to do this?

Well, there's the fact that it seems to keep me alert to the funny things going on around me. While I'm irritated at the people who came 45 minutes late for the chairs, I can, at the same time, think, "this is great blog material." Speaking of such, have you noticed how long it takes women to pull away from the gas pump? (Women other than me, I mean!) I'm waiting in line, and Barbie gets into her car, puts away her credit card, puts away her receipt, fluffs her hair, puts on her sunglasses, puts on her seatbelt, and THEN pulls away from the pump. We were in the middle of the Costco lot - she had at least 300 empty parking places directly between her and the exit where she could have paused to do this hair-fluffing!)

In contrast to the above example, it makes me look for the positive. If anyone DOES happen to read, I'd hate for my post to drag down their day. I want to put out things that are uplifting, or at least not depressing.

I notice the details more. I love seeing my robins grow, but I probably wouldn't climb up onto the porch furniture and snap a picture of them every day if I weren't posting it here. (incidentally ...note to the lady in the condo downstairs: yelling "be careful" when you see someone precariously perched on a lawn chair on a second floor balcony is NOT helpful.)

It makes up, at least partially, for my miserable correspondence skills (and even MORE miserable telephone skills.) It's keeping me in touch, at least a little bit!

I wish everybody would do it!

what are you looking at

I ran across a lovely post today about how we can choose what we see. Please take a minute and read it - it will change your day!

robins, day 10

even more crowded ... and they're getting VERY vocal when they feel their dinner is delayed.

cranky ...

Yesterday, I gave away a couple chairs. The folks who were picking them up were 45 minutes late, and the phone numbers they gave me didn't work.

So, I had hauled one chair outside my condo door, and the second downstairs onto the front porch, where I was sitting and waiting for them. (I don't let strangers into my house - just doesn't seem safe. I give away a lot of stuff on freecycle, and always just take it down into the lobby for the people who are picking it up.)

No show. No working phone number.

I waited a half hour, and hauled everything back upstairs.

15 minutes later (45 minutes after they had committed to arrive), they rang the doorbell.

I felt, and unfortunately acted, really cranky. Still feeling that weird combination of irritated and guilty-for-being-irritated.

To top it off ... no email this morning thanking me, or apologizing for being late.

robins, day 9

starting to get awfully crowded in that nest.

Progress of work on the old saddle

This is a picture of where we started. I had already vacuumed off the worst of the dirt and cobwebs, but it's still terribly dusty, with bird droppings.



Here it is after two cleanings and some work on getting the rust and corrosion off the metal parts. The irons are on their way to my dad, who said he had a machine at work that would clean the rust off them for me. (Notice my favorite tv show - Monk - playing in the background while I worked). :)




This is where we are today. Last night I gave it one final cleaning and then rubbed in some Equips Saddle Food. A friend (thanks Denise!) recommended both the Equips and using the straps to start training the flaps to lay flat, instead of bending up.



I'll post one final picture when it's done, and the stirrup irons are on again. I've ordered a brass saddle rack to hang it on. (It's sitting on my quilt rack right now!)

Some history of the saddle that I found interesting: my Grandmother's brother Bert was in Germany during WWII, and brought this saddle back with him. As far as I can tell, it hasn't been used much - either before or after its journey across the Atlantic!

As I was cleaning it, I discovered some stamping on the cantle that confirmed (along with some research I did online) that it had been a Nazi cavelry saddle. But I figure 60+ years languishing away in the barn has purged it of its sordid past, and I can enjoy the beauty of it and its family connections. :) (I tweaked the color and contrast on the stamp picture to make it show up better - the color of the leather is a bit "off" in that picture because of that.)