Jenny Jeep

Many blessings to be thankful for, all of which resulted in the new addition of Jenny-the-Jeep to my world.

I had a bunch of errands to run today, and really enjoyed getting to spend some time with my new addition. She's a 2007, with 23,000 miles.

Hummingbird Pictures

 

Hummingbird Pictures

 

Miscellaneous

 

Just thought I'd throw this picture up there. I've got these pretty candles and flowers on my table, and have been really enjoying them.

My two female hummingbirds have acquired a suitor, and now the three of them are spending copious amounts of energy trying to keep each other away from the feeder (which has more food in it than they could possibly eat, and six ports to feed from. They obviously are more territorial than they are rational.) I've been sitting out there reading in the evenings, and they keep hovering near the feeder, starting at me, not so sure they dare settle down and eat.

Hmmm .... I guess that's all ... not very eventful!

the green smoothie experiment

Our local health food store is encouraging people to start trying to drink green smoothies.

I decided to give it a try. I made one tonight, and despite the rather un-appetizing appearance, it doesn't taste too bad (if you don't look at it when you drink it.)

Want to give one a try?

Basic Green Smoothie

1-2 Cup Clean filtered water

1/2 lb to 1 lb raw greens (spinach, Kale (Lacinato is less bitter than curly kale), collards, dandelion, arugula or mustard. (Depending on your blender you may need to add greens in batches to blend)

1-2 Cup blueberries - frozen are great! - Gradually add to the greens

Agave Nectar or Stevia to taste (I didn't use this)

Mix till very smooth - 90 seconds. Enjoy!

If you have extra Green Smoothie, place in a safe container and refrigerate for later that day. Smoothies are best consumed that day but are ok the following morning.

* If this blend seems too Green to you, start with more fruit and increase your greens as you develop your taste for Green Smoothies.

There are numerous variations to the basic green smoothie along with many additional items to suit your taste and nutritional needs. We will add these options as we go! Check back often for updated information.

how cool is THIS?

It's a site that will map out where the garage sales are in your area.

How fun!!!

Tractors, Four-Wheelers and the Garden Police

The girls had a great time today getting rides on my step-dad's four-wheeler and tractor. Youngest niece loved going fast on the four-wheeler. Oldest niece loved that she was allowed to steer the tractor. She did pretty well too ... no trees suffered in the course of this vacation activity. :)

 

 

Then there was the garden police.

Meijer Gardens has a children's garden. Normally when I've been there before on a weekday, there's been hardly anyone there. I was so looking forward to my nieces being able to experience it.

Until ... (cue music) ...

The garden police got us.

The children's garden was just jam-packed with a visiting school group. And there were quite a few adults keeping an eye on things.

One of the most fun areas is a display of the Great Lakes, and the kids can sail little boats and splash in it.

So ... the nieces kick off their shoes, and dive in to have fun with the other kids.

A member of the garden police snagged them and ordered them to put their shoes back on. This was an exhibit, and not intended for splashing. (No fun here! Move along children!). Grrrr!

They were across the exhibit from us, so they faced scary garden-police-woman all by themselves when they were apprehended. They looked just terrified!

That really put a damper on things. Both for the kids and the adults. Oddly enough, a BUNCH of the other kids were bare-foot, and almost any time I visit the gardens, I'm wandering around barefoot any time I'm outside.

Here are some garden pictures once we'd recovered from being shamed as law-breakers. :)

The Adorable Nieces at the Zoo

 

We went to Binder Park Zoo today in Battle Creek. Such fun! Tomorrow we're looking forward to Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids. :)

from Obama's speech last night

The new health care program is going to get 2/3 of its funding from cutting already-existing government programs.

Here is my question ...

Why not cut those programs, and instead of funding this massive idiocy, reduce people's taxes, so they can afford health care on their own?

Just a thought ... probably too rational to go anywhere, I'm sure. :(

Ever been involved with a government program before? Now ... try to imagine going through that hassle in order to deal with a health-care emergency.

Kidney stones in line at the Secretary of State office ... just picture it. :(

Rain

Watch the first part of this -- this choir makes the neatest thunderstorm!

new entry-way

My sister-in-law wanted to see a picture of how my new entry-way arrangement turned out. I found the little cabinet at a flea market while I was there visiting them, and the pretty mirror at Goodwill for $5. I added the brass hooks to the bottom to hold keys.

 

Oh PLEASE

Grand Rapids is discussing making bicycle helmets mandatory.

I suppose next we'll have to wear knee pads and elbow pads when we shower? Or a neck brace for walking up and down stairs?

I wear a helmet when I ride on busy streets. But I think I'm able to determine for myself that it's safe to ride in a quiet park without bubble wrap.

Dumb!

persistent little bird

This little goldfinch has been regularly coming to attack himself in the mirror on my porch. I have to admire his persistence, if not his brains. :) See him? He's in silhouette on the vine in front of the mirror. I'm becoming fond of the foolish little guy.

United Breaks Guitars

This guy had his guitar broken on a United flight, and they wouldn't replace it. So he wrote a song about it. So funny!

safely in Kentucky

Had a good trip down to my brother & sister-in-law's yesterday, and have been enjoying time with them and my nieces.

Got credit for "making lasagna" yesterday (I took it out of the freezer and put it in the oven). Gotta love people who define "cooking" that way.

Please keep praying for oldest niece. She had a miserable day (as did her parents) at the doctor's yesterday.

See their blog for the scoop. :(

Are you Bad Enough to be a Christian?

Some friends in Missouri sent me this video, and I thought it was quite well done (except for the music, which seems fuzzy to me).

the tidiest roofers you've ever seen

We're having a new roof put on my condo building right now.

The company that's doing it is AMAZING. They aren't getting in the way of all the in-and-out that happens in a big building like this. And their neatness is just out of this world.

They're using a big hi-lo with a bucket to take all the debris down from the roof, and dumping it into a dumpster beside the building. There are literally NO shingles, nails ... nothing ... laying around. If it weren't for the equipment, and the activity on top of the roof, you wouldn't even know it's going on.

I'm SO impressed. I love orderliness. :)

Also, an update on adorable nice #1. Other than being disappointed in having to forgo swimming, and such, she seems to be doing really well. I'm so thankful! For as awful as the incident was, God has really protected her, and blessed them through this.

Feeling so bad for my brother's family

See this sweet little border collie playing with youngest niece?


He attacked oldest niece Monday evening, and hurt her pretty badly. The story is on my sister-in-law's blog.

Would appreciate your prayers for them.

Happy violet

 

 

Fascination with Celebrities

I was recently listening to a Mars Hill Audio Magazine, and one of the topics had to do with America's over-focus on celebrities.

It made a few really good points ... wish I'd taken notes!

We find "meaning" in following the lives of these people in order to fill a void of meaning in our own lives.

The celebrities have taken the roll of a religious idol in our culture. It gives a common language and set of stories. They worship a common "god" and have a shared mythology around these Entertainment Tonight figures.

The writer interviewed a number of junior high girls, and asked them their preference of careers when they grew up

congress woman
CEO
assistant to a famous person
(maybe some others)

Something like 80% chose to be an ASSISTANT to a famous person, rather than pursue a career that actually contributed something to society. Fame was that important to them, that they'd dedicate their whole lives to just being NEAR it.

The mourning for the famous puzzles me, and this article answered a lot of my questions. Obviously it's a tragedy any time someone dies, particularly someone who isn't sure where their eternal destiny lies ... but this over-the-top mourning for (essentially) complete strangers is a puzzle ...

Ideas?

Link to a summary of the article (unfortunately no transcript posted).

things we're not good at

I was thinking about music today.

Whatever the music gene is, I missed out on it. I don't hear the intricacies that other people hear, or the relationships.

I tried combating this problem with education (as I try to combat MOST problems!) I took piano lessons and voice lessons. I bought a guitar and tutorial material. I read beginner theory books. I actually know a good deal about music, except for the fundamental "something" that most people seem born with.

When I explained this to a musical person, he took it to mean "Trinka doesn't like music."

Actually I do like it. Sometimes I think I enjoy it MORE than musical folks, or at least in a different way, because many imperfections just don't register with me.

I remember reading an article once that said Americans don't dabble well. We either excel at something, or (more commonly), we sit on the couch like a lump. I'm quite good at the lumpish-sitting actually, so I might qualify at excellence with that, but that's not the point.

Just thinking tonight about how thankful I am for the opportunity to TRY things, to be bad at them, and enjoy them anyway.

Not sure I've captured this thought, but ... it's worth what you paid for it, I suppose. :) (another thing done badly ... but at least done!)

This is why I hate home-improvement projects

subtitled: how I missed prayer meeting tonight

Original cost estimate of project: $3
Original time estimate of project: 10 minutes

Actual cost of project $34
Actual time of project: 1 1/2 hours

All I wanted to do was put a blind up on the outside edge of my balcony. I've had one there every year. I end up having to replace them every couple years or so, because the weather is hard on them.

Last year's got thrown out, so when I saw one at a garage sale, I was delighted.

Bought it - $3

Got it home, went to put it up, and discovered the cord was unstrung from the innards, and the hanging hooks had pulled off. Set it aside in hopes of re-stringing it. (15 minutes)

Bought new blind, and discovered they had some (more expensive) for outdoor use. ($21, 20 minutes)

Went to put blind up, and discovered that I couldn't hold it up, while maneuvering the fasteners into place, while standing on tiptoes on step stool. (5 minutes)

go inside ... make dinner ... think ....

Pry open eyehooks wider, fasten them to the blind on the ground, lift blind into place ... discover that none of the FIVE already-installed rings are spaced properly to attach the 3 blind fasteners. Take blind down again. (10 minutes)

go inside ... think ...

Decide that I'm not interested in drilling more holes and putting in still more rings. There HAS to be a way to fasten it to the existing rings, yes? (10 minutes)

sit ... think ...

Go to hardware store, and buy a length of chain and carabiners. ($11, 15 minutes)

Use carabiners to hang chain from existing rings, then another set of carabiners to hang blind from chain. (10 minutes)

Result:

Expensive and ugly ... but at least it will shade my balcony until I can figure out how to fix it. (which, no doubt, will consume enormous amounts MORE time and money!)

rhymes that set your teeth on edge

Does anyone else have them?

There are some words that seem to always be rhymed in songs and poetry, and when I hear them, it makes me cringe.


sorrow & tomorrow (the worst one, by virtue of just how OFTEN it's used)

angels or choirs singing & bells ringing

one notable, not by how common it is, but rather how UNcommon, and yet how annoying
amnesia and anesthesia (an otherwise pleasant song, ruined when that rhyme pops up and assaults the listener)

There are others too ... where you hear the first word, and you can almost write the next line, because you just KNOW what they're going to rhyme with it.

I was in a store yesterday, and heard the "angels singing" blah blah blah "bells ringing" one, and it got me thinking of just how distracting it is from the actual song or poem ... all you hear is that repetitive combination.

Anyhow ... these English comp. musings brought to you by "boring her readers to death" Trinka

moon
june
croon
tune

yikes!

the post where my tendancy to obsess becomes obvious

First, the picture:



"Why" you may ask," does a piece of contact paper indicate obsession?"

(or, even if you don't ask ... you're going to hear the answer anyway ... unless you're bored, and drift away to read about John Deere tractors, or check the weather, or look for posts on your Facebook page.)

ANYWAY

The reason the contact paper is significant is because, you may note, it comes very close to matching the fabric on my sofa.

I found this contact paper in a sale bin at Meijers. There were 3 rolls left, and I bought all they had.

I've gotten my kitchen cupboards almost lined, and still have the bathroom to go.

I went back to buy more of the magical-matching paper, and there was none there.

I visited all other Meijers in the area ... no luck.

I tried Walmart and Target.

Nothing.

Most people would have given up at this point, and settled for another paper. This WOULD be the reasonable response.

However this, for some reason, hit my "unreasonable" button.

So I started searching online. No luck.

Those who DIDN'T give up earlier would certainly have given up by now.

But my Grandpa-Smith-obsession-gene had been activated.

I actually wrote to Kittrich (the company that makes contact paper). They said the only store that carries this particular pattern is "Jensen". I've never heard of them, nor do I know where they are. Couldn't find them on the web either.

Yes, we're in high obsession mode now, aren't we?

Kittrich said they could sell me the magical-matching paper, but I'd have to buy a case.

A case. 12 rolls.

I agreed.

I'm going to have more things covered with this stuff than you could possibly imagine. :) (fortunately, buying it wholesale, it's MUCH cheaper - I'm getting a dozen rolls for what I would have spent on just enough to finish my project.)

So ... Grandpa Smith lives on in me. We used to tease that when he would get an idea in his head, he held onto it like a bulldog with a bone. Apparently I have similar characteristics at times. :)

my birthday present finally arrived

I got a call Wednesday that the gun I ordered back in November was here. I went and picked it up today, and spent some time on the range.

I'm inordinately proud of how I did. :) The first target is at 7.5 yards, the second at 10, and the last at 15. (I'm choosing to pretend that I INTENDED to shoot a picture of the big dipper on the last piece of paper.)

My two goals:

1. Gain enough strength that my arm and wrist don't feel like over-stretched rubber bands when I'm done.

2. Learn NOT to close my eyes tight shut when I'm pulling the trigger. I'm just sure this is not proper procedure. :)

By the way, just a plug for Silver Bullet Firearms on South Division. It's the place where I've taken my classes, and also where I ordered this gun. They have been very helpful, and today the fellow I spoke with took over an hour with me, teaching me how to clean the gun, looking at holsters, etc. Great folks!

notes from the land of dubious sanity ...

Vacation Bible School is happening.

In what I think was a kind attempt to keep me sane, the committee is trying not to use the door in front of my office.

This means that they've left it locked.

So ... every person who wants to get in that door, stands there and rattles it.

I'm ignoring the rattling, figuring that if the VBS folks don't want them using the door, then I won't go out of my way to circumvent the plan. But the rattling is driving me even more around the bend than the in-and-out would!

UGH!

a delightful day

I am in Kentucky for my oldest niece's birthday party. The funny story I have to share is of the adults playing with the birthday present I brought for my niece.

It's an "eyeclops" ... essentially a microscope on a stick, that hooks up to a TV or computer. You can hold it up to whatever, and watch the display.

We started looking at skin ... and moles ... and hair follicles.

When have you ever had a group of adults calling out ... "warts ... who has a wart?"

I'm thinking we're all going to be lining up for dermatologist appointments next week. :)

a delightful video

This old couple were at the Mayo Clinic for check-ups, and there was a piano in the atrium inviting people to play it. Have a look at their little "concert"!

out by the mailbox this morning

was this sweet little killdeer chick. His poor mama was doing her "bird with a broken wing!" dance, but I had to pick him up and look at him. Seeing those beautiful markings in miniature was just amazing. :)

My Father's Secret War

I'm reading My Father's Secret War (or rather, listening to it in the car).

It's written by a lady who discovered that her dad was a spy in World War II, and it tells not only about his experiences during the war, but also how she got him to talk about it.

His stories are fascinating. But I can't get over the irritation that she's badgering this old man to reveal things he's promised to keep secret. She seems to take such pride in tricking him into talking about this stuff. I keep wanting to slap her!

I'm going to finish it (hopefully this weekend, before the library police come after me), because I am enjoying hearing about him. But she and I? We would NOT get along well.

Every time she asks him about it (and she does it a LOT), he tells her he promised not to talk about it. Then she begins to badger, wheedle and trick. It's happened several times per chapter. (When she's not snooping through his stuff.)

I'm as curious as anybody (and probably a lot more than most), but there's something to be said for honoring and supporting others' commitments.

My sister-in-law posted the most precious account of my nieces' thoughts on memorial day. Have a look - it was a blessing.

the spring purge ...

Our teenagers at church have been having a garage sale every year to raise money for a mission trip they go on over the summer.

I use it as an opportunity to go through my house, and clean out all the extraneous stuff that's accumulated over the year.

It's amazing how much STUFF creeps into my house. It feels so good to send it on its way.

I've gone through my office and living room tonight. Hope to finish up this weekend, and this year, not allow so much stuff back in!

One of those fun get-to-know others emails

Please leave your answers in the comments!

First Job:
Cleaning the church when the regular janitor went on vacation

First Real Job:
Pet-store pooper-scooper ... also, coincidentally, a very early-morning job. I guess that preference started early!

First Favorite Politician:
I remember liking Jimmy Carter's smile ... he seemed friendly. Obviously I wasn't very sensitive to political issues yet!

First Car:
1984 (I think) Ford Escort. It burned up in my driveway less than a year after I bought it. Oddly enough, while in flames, it started itself and drove into the side of the house. That was a very exciting evening.

First Record/CD:
My dad sent me two records that were my first - A collection of Irish Rovers' childrens' songs, and music from Carousel

First Sport Played:
ALMA (Athens Little Miss America) Softball. It was quickly determined that I had no aptitude for athletics. :)

First Concert:
Petra in the early 80's

First Foreign Country Visited:
Israel

First Favorite TV Show:
Waltons

First Favorite Actor:
Greg Evigan (or however you spell it) on BJ & the Bear (my, but the late 70's had a lot of embarrassing television!)

First Favorite Actress:
Kate Somebody on Charlie's Angels (see comment above about embarrassing tv shows!)

First Girlfriend/Boyfriend:
Still looking for one!

First Encounter with a Famous Person:
Still waiting for this one too ... though not really concerned about seeing it happen. :)

First Brush With Death:
Not really a direct answer to the question, because my worrying-mother would read it and freak out ... but here's my first brush with not worrying about brushes with death: Mom always used to warn us, when we were going over to our grandparents', "stay away from the power take-off on tractors." We would dutifully nod, and assure her that we would. Neither one of us knew what a power take-off was, nor did we ask. :)

First House/Condo Owned:
The one I'm in now - moved in 6 years ago in July.

First Film Seen:
Charlotte's Web, at the theater in Bronson

First Favorite Recording Artist:
Shawn Cassidy (there's that 70's embarrassment again)

First Favorite Radio Station:
Christian station from Elkhart we could get if the wind was blowing just right.

First Book I Remember Reading:
The Black Stallion series. I scoured every available library for them.

Well, THAT was an invitation to greater self-discipline

Just woke up from the most horrid dream ...

I dreamed my life had fallen apart, and I was waking up after a drunken binge, lying on a stranger's kitchen floor.

Well ... time to get some work done around this place ... now that I've seen where slothfulness can lead! Yikes!!!!

Had a really interesting evening last night (before the drunken-binge-dream). Some missionaries from our church who serve in Thailand gave a presentation on how Buddhism affects the Thai culture and thinking. It was fascinating, and sad too in some ways. For instance, Buddha forbids people to think about three areas: Where they came from, what happens after death, and one more I can't remember. These are the big questions of life, and the thought of people being forbidden to ponder them saddens me. There was a ton more, but I'd better get busy developing self-discipline now ... lest bad things happen. :)

Do you think this is clear? :)

so SO tempted to be passive-agressive about this ...

Last night, someone in my building was up after midnight yelling about something.

And it wasn't constant yelling ... it was every 20 minutes or so ... just as you'd had a chance to ALMOST get to sleep ... and he'd holler again. Maybe some kind of sports-thing on Tv? Who knows.

So I couldn't really call the police, because who knows if they'd hear the guy.
I was so, SO tempted to go down and lean on his doorbell at 4:30 this morning when I got up.

I know I was sure having trouble waking up after four hours sleep, so I was thinking maybe he would need a little help also?

What SHOULD stop me is a mature, righteous thought like, "this kind of behavior doesn't solve anything, and only escalates the situation." But in reality the only thing that stopped me was that I wasn't 100% sure I was suspecting the right apartment.

May 11

My chicks have flown the coop. They were in the nest this morning, and gone this evening. The adults are still trying to feed chicks that aren't there. They obviously haven't figured out the babies are gone yet. Very small brains. :)

May 10 Robins

The Lighting Corner in Grandville

This is why I do business on the internet ...

I was looking for a lampshade for an oddly-sized lamp, and having no luck finding one.

So I went into a local lighting store. I knew I'd be paying a lot for a shade, but I had hopes of finding one the right size.

The salesman did help me find one, though it had to be ordered.

I paid ... well I'm embarrassed to say what I paid. Let's just say, it was more than the lamp itself, and about ten times what a lampshade should cost.

At the time I ordered it, the salesman said, "if it doesn't sit right, just bring in your harp, and we'll swap it out" and gestured to a bunch of out-of-package harps hanging on the wall by the shades.

"well," think I, "there is the advantage to dealing with a local business instead of buying online."

So, after waiting six weeks, I picked up ridiculously-expensive-lampshade last Friday, and it doesn't sit quite right on the lamp.

Today, I go in, and ask for a smaller harp.

The same salesman has absolutely no memory of the previous conversation. Nope ... he never would have done that. Couldn't happen.

I chose NOT to buy the smaller harp from them. In fact, I think I will choose to never buy anything from them.

I am miffed.

A few more baby robin pictures

A couple from today -- looking a little cramped in there!





May 7 - daddy robin perches just a little bit away, expressing his displeasure :)




May 7



May 4



May 3

Since yesterday was military-spouse appreciation day

I thought I'd post this for my favorite Army guy & Army guy's wife.

posterous - trying to post to facebook and blogger

We are exploring different options to communicate church information ... I'm specifically looking for something that's a nice fill-in the gap between email and the website ... not as permanent as the web, and not as temporary as email.

Todd recommended posterous - you can post to a blog, facebook and twitter all at once.  I'm trying it out to see what it looks like! 

Feedback is welcome and appreciated!

Posted via email from Trinka's posterous

some baby bird pictures

I've been a little lax in updating the chicks' progress. Here are some from this week.

May 2 - baby robins apparently sleeping late on a Saturday morning


April 28 - Daddy trying to feed the babies, if only I would GET OFF THE PORCH



April 28 - baby robins waiting for dinner

why I'm glad I'm not a nurse

List of office equipment that has died in my presence in the last two weeks:

Imac (twice)
folding machine
digital duplicator

Now, none of these died at my hand, but if I were a nurse, and these were people, circumstantial evidence would necessitate a police investigation, I'm afraid.

Imac is up and running again.

Folding machine and duplicator both currently dead.

Copy machine still running, but who knows ...

On another note, yesterday I was witness to one of the most vicious cases of spite I have seen in a long time.

A (currently mentally ill) husband rented a dumpster, and threw out all of his wife's most loved possessions. They sat out in the rain all day. The dumpster-company-owner kindly us help her retrieve them last night, behind a warehouse, where they were sitting, soaked, in the mud.

Welcoming, isn't it?

Please note - this is NOT from my church, or any other you're likely to enter unawares!

Thoughts on Restoration

OK ... not in the spiritual sense ...

Working on my laptop, while watching Carbonite restore the Mac. It has 48,531 files to go, and has 73,606 done.

I'll feel SO good once everything is back to normal again!

The last two weeks have been SO stressful. Looking forward to a visit to some friends in Missouri in a few weeks ... a get-away will feel very good.

baby chicks

The robins' eggs have hatched. Here they are on day 1. As last year ... SO ugly! :)

Computer/electronics nightmares continue at work. Yesterday the internet went down, and we have had no success in restoring it. Still no word on repairs to the office Mac.

Thinking of buying an abacus and a typewriter ...

this year's robin's nest

I have a mama robin sitting on the nest on my porch. Here are a couple pictures. One of the eggs appears to be cracked, though maybe it's just the way some straw is positioned. It's too early for them to be starting to hatch, I think, since the mama's only been sitting there less than a week.




It has been a truly rotten week. I am really looking forward to a solitary three day weekend to get my feet back underneath me again!

Tentatively Hopeful

I've been through a nightmare computer-week, which culminated yesterday with the knowledge that I had definitely lost a week's worth of work.

After a good cry (the preliminary step to any massive recovery project), God gave me an idea for how to retrieve some of the information from paper records. Then, as the plan began to take shape, He gave a strategy to verify the accuracy of the information when I was done.

It will be a long, dull day ... but I have hope that by 5:00, I'll have regained some ground.

(and be really, REALLY ready for the far-off weekend)

What on earth is Burger King thinking?

My sister-in-law told me about BK's most recent advertisement. I had a hard time believing I was understanding her correctly.

Then I saw it last night.

Ick.

Tell me how scantily dressed women with square backsides, and a music star talking about women's bodes, tie in to fast food? Particularly how do they tie in with a promotion for Sponge Bob at a fast food place?

Wouldn't a cartoon character promotion be aimed at children?

So ... we're targeting children with ads that feature disgusting lyrics, misogynistic performers, and dancers dressed like prostitutes?

I. Don't. Get. It.

From this morning's conversation with the adorable nieces ...

Oldest: "Daddy gets to play at work."

Me: "What does he play?"

Oldest: "He has a big playground with monkey bars and ropes and ..."

Youngest: "But we weren't allowed

(He is in the Army.) :)

the Adorable Nieces' auction purchase

I went with my brother, sister-in-law, mom & nieces to an auction today, and the youngest fell in love with this little tykes vanity. She bid on it (with a little help), and sold it. Everyone seems to have had a pretty good time watching them too! Here's a picture of them tonight enjoying their purchase.

Carbonite saves me yet again

The Mac here at work just froze up. I re-booted, and the most recent files were those I had saved on April 3.

YIKES!!!!!!


I'm restoring from Carbonite as I speak.

This is twice now that thing has saved me - once at home and once here at work.

LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

Flirting with Strangers' Babies

In the post office this morning, there was a little guy in a stroller waiting for his mom to finish her business at the counter.

He was shrieking ... you know the shriek ... it feels like someone is using a rasp to re-shape your brain stem?

It entered my mind to go up to the front and flirt with the little guy. The shrieking diminished considerably, and nobody arrested me for kidnapping. (I'm always concerned if I show interest in someone's child, that they'll expect me to run out the door with him/her).

Flirting with strangers' babies ... I think this is going to be my new approach to the shrieking. (Someone please come and bail me out, if I end up imprisoned.)

Looking forward to a weekend with the adorable nieces (and their parents). Yippeee!

Video of the Social Secretaries' Talk I went to

L. found this video of the lecture I went to last week Tuesday:

Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent

Have a look at her video.

LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Another video to smile at

Dancing happens at the Antwerp train station. :)

Take time for a tea party

I know conservatives aren't really known for protesting ... we pretty much just grit our teeth, and make the best of things.

But there are a couple of tea parties being held locally to protest Obama's taxes ... if you get a chance, do try to attend one tomorrow!

# Hudsonville - Gemmens parking lot at Noon
# Grand Rapids - Ah-Nab-Awen Park at 5:00pm

If you're not from around here, just google "tea party" for your area -- they're being held all over the place tomorrow.

Here's an article from Fox News that tells a bit about them.

Trinka

He is risen!

Wishing everyone a blessed day today as we remember that Christ rose from the dead, and in Him, we will also rise.

In a less spiritual note ...

I'm beta testing some software I've been eagerly awaiting ever since I started acquiring multiple email accounts.

Trillian Astra combines instant messaging from Yahoo, ICQ, Hotmail, AOL, Gmail, as well as info from Facebook and Skype.

So you've got one small window, that hosts all those goodies.

I'd gotten so I just used Gmail for my instant messaging, but I still had a lot of people who looked for me under the old names. Now they're all available, as well as lots of other gadgets.

So far ... I'm most impressed!

If you're interested in giving it a try, I've got some invitations to send out. Just let me know, and I'll ship one your way!

Off to enjoy the smell of the bread baking, which I'll be taking to Pastor & Bonnie's for dinner in an hour or two.

An Insider's Look at the White House

Last night, the Gerald Ford Museum here in Grand Rapids had a program where 3 different ladies who had served as social secretaries in 3 different presidential administrations (Bush Sr., Johnson & Ford) came and spoke.

It was delightful to hear their stories of different things that had happened when they worked at the White House. Such a neat opportunity!

It was marred, however, by the rudest behavior by a couple of women in the back row.

One of the speakers had a very quiet voice. You had to concentrate while she was speaking to be able to hear her. However, it was a small auditorium, and was very possible to understand her. You just had to pay attention.

When she began to speak, a rude woman in the back row called out "Can't Hear!" very loudly. (note that she chose to sit in the BACK ROW ... where it would naturally be hardest to hear.)

The lady gamely tried to carry on speaking, and then the woman, and another sitting next to her, did it AGAIN.

Um ... if you can't hear ... maybe if you would BE QUIET, you would find it easier.

They brought out a different microphone for the lady who was speaking, and it did make her somewhat louder, but every time she forgot to speak directly into the mic, I was afraid rude-women would yell at her again! Certainly gave a really bad impression.

It's not like they had paid a fortune for tickets, and weren't getting their money's worth -- the lecture was free. And it WAS possible to hear ... if a person shut up and concentrated.

It was such trashy behavior, and I'm still irked!

I've noticed this at other gatherings also. Those who don't hear well will almost always sit at the back, and then, if (when) they have trouble hearing, start talking to each other about the fact they can't hear ... thereby guaranteeing they won't EVER be able to hear, nor will anyone else.

I know, I'm not doing much writing lately

But I DO keep finding these cool videos.

This person has trained a fish. Watch!

The real purpose of the internet

Is to allow one to share adorable video of piglets with one's friends and family ...



Kingsford Goes to the Beach - video powered by Metacafe

I'm the only one of my kind ...

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?