I think God's voice sounds like my mother.
Yup. But I bet this doesn't come as much of a surprise to most of you.
So last night I was doing my yoga. A long routine because there was no Jazzercise. The routine is a Yin Yoga practice, wherein one puts oneself into a pose and then attempts to relax every muscle that is not needed to maintain said pose. And then, of course, you are supposed to relax your brain too. Because once you are in that pose, whaddaya need a brain for anyway? As you stay in that pose, the muscles gradually relax and stretch more and more, and the pose naturally gets deeper and deeper.
It's quiet. And should be a great time for praying. But you are supposed be relaxing your brain too...like meditating. And to me praying takes a lot of brain cells. So I've been trying to meditate on the word "pneuma" these days. The sequence is about 8 poses, which I hold for 5 minutes each, so that's a long time to breathe in "pneu" and breathe out "ma," so after a bit I think to myself, "How about just trying not to think anything at all. I want to hear God speaking to me."
So I begin to pray "I'm here. I'm listening. Teach me. Move me." And I find myself saying this in my head over and over. Until finally I pause and, I'm not totally sure, but I think I heard God's voice. And he sounded exactly like my mother.
And he said "Well shut up then! Let me get a word in edgewise!"
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Dinner and a Movie
Taylor, Mensa Boy and I went to Big View Diner last night for supper. It was an early one and I'm very glad. We got there a little after 5 and still waited about 30 minutes. It wasn't a bad wait, though. They took 2 stools at the bar and I stood while Taylor played video games on a countertop console. The woman next to me had a great, citrus-looking drink in a regular glass so finally I asked her what it was. "A margarita," she said. "And it's wonderful!" I like margaritas but I don't drink them very often. They never seem tangy enough to me and often are too sweet. And also usually don't have enough alcohol in them. But this one looked fantastic so I ordered it. It was fabulous. Like limeade with a little kick.
After we hung around for about 25 minutes the manager asked if we'd like to sit at the counter in the diner rather than continue waiting for a table. So we agreed. It was a little awkward, I thought. We were right at the pass for the kitchen and so everyone was bustling back and forth across the window getting food. I worried that watching the food being handled might ruin my appetite, but it didn't. The staff worked well together (there was a guy and a girl working the pass together, assembling plates and doing garnishes) and they were clean and efficient.
Taylor order spaghettini and meatballs that I thought didn't really look that great. But I didn't taste it so I can't really say. The meatballs are made on the premises and they do their own meatloaf so they are probably pretty good. He ate most of it, but left 2 1/2 of the 4 meatballs. That's normal. He's not really my meat eater.
MB had a philly cheesesteak. He said it was good, but I did see him put ketchup on it, which I think someone doesn't do with a really good one. And I had a reuben, which was wonderful! It was stuffed with meat, too much to eat. Good and hot and just the right amount of kraut and sauce.
But the big hit, I thought, was their vinegar potato chips. OH. MY. GOSH! I mean, I'm usually going for fries anytime I can, and normally would sub out chips for fries. But they had a big tub of them on the pass and they looked great so I figured they needed trying. They were absolutely delicious. Just a hint of vinegar and the chips were sliced so thin you could see through them and then fried to perfection.
So I think we'd go back there. I almost suggested them for breakfast yesterday when Rena and I went out, but I'm glad I didn't. They are not open for breakfast yet. I bet they will be wonderful when they do.
After that we met Nate and Erin at the theatre to watch Star Trek. I think I would have enjoyed it more if we were in the back of the theatre, but that's my only negative comment. It's a BIG MOVIE and I think being further back would have helped me take everything in a little more. We loved all the characters and the actors they chose to play the original series characters. They had just enough references to the old series to keep you delighted but not too many. And they left it wide open for more stories. We all agreed that it's time for a new Star Trek series.
THEN we hit Marble Slab Creamery for some ice cream. There was live music on the patio outside the shop so we sat by a fountain while we finished our treats. It was just a nice evening all around.
After we hung around for about 25 minutes the manager asked if we'd like to sit at the counter in the diner rather than continue waiting for a table. So we agreed. It was a little awkward, I thought. We were right at the pass for the kitchen and so everyone was bustling back and forth across the window getting food. I worried that watching the food being handled might ruin my appetite, but it didn't. The staff worked well together (there was a guy and a girl working the pass together, assembling plates and doing garnishes) and they were clean and efficient.
Taylor order spaghettini and meatballs that I thought didn't really look that great. But I didn't taste it so I can't really say. The meatballs are made on the premises and they do their own meatloaf so they are probably pretty good. He ate most of it, but left 2 1/2 of the 4 meatballs. That's normal. He's not really my meat eater.
MB had a philly cheesesteak. He said it was good, but I did see him put ketchup on it, which I think someone doesn't do with a really good one. And I had a reuben, which was wonderful! It was stuffed with meat, too much to eat. Good and hot and just the right amount of kraut and sauce.
But the big hit, I thought, was their vinegar potato chips. OH. MY. GOSH! I mean, I'm usually going for fries anytime I can, and normally would sub out chips for fries. But they had a big tub of them on the pass and they looked great so I figured they needed trying. They were absolutely delicious. Just a hint of vinegar and the chips were sliced so thin you could see through them and then fried to perfection.
So I think we'd go back there. I almost suggested them for breakfast yesterday when Rena and I went out, but I'm glad I didn't. They are not open for breakfast yet. I bet they will be wonderful when they do.
After that we met Nate and Erin at the theatre to watch Star Trek. I think I would have enjoyed it more if we were in the back of the theatre, but that's my only negative comment. It's a BIG MOVIE and I think being further back would have helped me take everything in a little more. We loved all the characters and the actors they chose to play the original series characters. They had just enough references to the old series to keep you delighted but not too many. And they left it wide open for more stories. We all agreed that it's time for a new Star Trek series.
THEN we hit Marble Slab Creamery for some ice cream. There was live music on the patio outside the shop so we sat by a fountain while we finished our treats. It was just a nice evening all around.
Monday, May 18, 2009
A Summary
Here's what I've been doing since May 5:
1. Went to a bridal shower for a girl from Mensa Boy's department. It was a lingerie shower. Why did I go to this, you ask? Me, who buys her "lingerie" at Target? Well, truth be told, I didn't have an excuse not to, and Heidi, who was throwing the party, assured me there would be an available corner for me to rock in if I needed it.
It turned out to be a pretty pleasant shower. There was only one game, which entailed a passage from Song of Solomon where the two lovers describe each other assets in ways we modern folk never would think of: hair like a flock of goats and neck like the tower of David. You know. We had to match the descriptions with the body part.
2. Planted my flower bed. Stuff's coming up now. Especially since we are having rain rain rain. In fact, my patio tomato almost seems like it might be getting too much water.
3. Jazz, Jazz, Jazz, Yoga. The usual. And each week I do something in yoga that I never had tried before. Last Saturday it was a headstand. Pretty cool, I thought.
4. Played Badminton at school. If you could call what we, Erin and I, did playing badminton. We lost our first game in the tourney 21-3. And I have to say it was not my fault, actually. Turns out Erin is not a closet baddie. She pretty much sucks, actually. I think she herself was more surprised than I was. We had great shirts though. Erin bought yellow t-shirts and drew Sumo wrestlers on them. The Sumos held flaming badminton rackets. Our team name was Sumo Warriors. Why did we have that as a name? Because they wouldn't let us sign up without a name and since both of us are slight of build, we thought maybe we'd pick something that was the exact opposite of us!
5. Did I mention the lingerie party? I did? Well, it's still a little bit stuck in my brain. Trauma does that. Takes a while to wear off.
6. Oh yeah! And we had a surprise 50th birthday party for bff Rena. Her sister-in-law planned it, but we helped with food and kept the secret for a month. Payback's going to be a bitch, though. I can tell. Fortunately fellow posse member Tambri's birthday is 8 days after mine, so if she decides to do something to me, it will be to both of us. And we'll have another year before we turn 50. A lot could happen in a year. If I play my cards right, I'll lose all my friends by then so there would be no one to have to a party like that.
7. Nate came home from school last weekend. Which means GF Erin will be here a lot. I'm glad they have each other because I think neither of them are going to have any luck finding jobs. So they can drive each other nuts rather than just Nate killing us.
I think that's it for now. We have a busy couple of weeks coming up. Baby Taylor is graduating from 8th grade. I'm going to be so glad to have him at the high school next year. I just hope I'm still there!
1. Went to a bridal shower for a girl from Mensa Boy's department. It was a lingerie shower. Why did I go to this, you ask? Me, who buys her "lingerie" at Target? Well, truth be told, I didn't have an excuse not to, and Heidi, who was throwing the party, assured me there would be an available corner for me to rock in if I needed it.
It turned out to be a pretty pleasant shower. There was only one game, which entailed a passage from Song of Solomon where the two lovers describe each other assets in ways we modern folk never would think of: hair like a flock of goats and neck like the tower of David. You know. We had to match the descriptions with the body part.
2. Planted my flower bed. Stuff's coming up now. Especially since we are having rain rain rain. In fact, my patio tomato almost seems like it might be getting too much water.
3. Jazz, Jazz, Jazz, Yoga. The usual. And each week I do something in yoga that I never had tried before. Last Saturday it was a headstand. Pretty cool, I thought.
4. Played Badminton at school. If you could call what we, Erin and I, did playing badminton. We lost our first game in the tourney 21-3. And I have to say it was not my fault, actually. Turns out Erin is not a closet baddie. She pretty much sucks, actually. I think she herself was more surprised than I was. We had great shirts though. Erin bought yellow t-shirts and drew Sumo wrestlers on them. The Sumos held flaming badminton rackets. Our team name was Sumo Warriors. Why did we have that as a name? Because they wouldn't let us sign up without a name and since both of us are slight of build, we thought maybe we'd pick something that was the exact opposite of us!
5. Did I mention the lingerie party? I did? Well, it's still a little bit stuck in my brain. Trauma does that. Takes a while to wear off.
6. Oh yeah! And we had a surprise 50th birthday party for bff Rena. Her sister-in-law planned it, but we helped with food and kept the secret for a month. Payback's going to be a bitch, though. I can tell. Fortunately fellow posse member Tambri's birthday is 8 days after mine, so if she decides to do something to me, it will be to both of us. And we'll have another year before we turn 50. A lot could happen in a year. If I play my cards right, I'll lose all my friends by then so there would be no one to have to a party like that.
7. Nate came home from school last weekend. Which means GF Erin will be here a lot. I'm glad they have each other because I think neither of them are going to have any luck finding jobs. So they can drive each other nuts rather than just Nate killing us.
I think that's it for now. We have a busy couple of weeks coming up. Baby Taylor is graduating from 8th grade. I'm going to be so glad to have him at the high school next year. I just hope I'm still there!
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Yoga+Jazz=WipeOut
But it's a good wipe out.
I've been doing okay in Jazzercise lately...able to hold my own for the most part. But there are a lot of classes where I'm just fatigued and sore during class and don't have the flexibility I'd like.
So I decided to try doing a yin yoga practice before Jazz by way of a warm-up. Yin yoga is a style that calls for holding poses for 5 minutes or so (or working up to that if you need to), and relaxing every muscle that you don't need to hold the pose. It's pretty darn hard. You have to take an inventory of your body during the pose and figure out if you need each muscle. If not, then you make it relax. The good part of all of that is that having the muscles relaxed allows the fascia to stretch. And when you get those deeper tissues stretching you get a very nice, fluid feeling in your body. I just started doing some yin yoga this weekend I like it very much. I've been doing a sequence I found in The Yoga Journal. Here is the link: Sweet Surrender.
So anyway, I did the practice Sunday by itself and then decided to try it last night before Jazz. It was a great experience! With the exception of a little muscle over my right hip, I felt great through the entire class. But man was I tired when I got home! And sore. I took a couple of Tylenol before bed last night to ease the sore muscles and slept like a baby. I'm going to see if I can get Mensa Boy to do some of those poses too. I think he'd find it would help his running a bit.
So it's raining today. Bear was not interested in going outside, so we did the backyard thing rather than trudging around the block in the rain. The garden looks joyful this morning as it soaks up the water.
I've been doing okay in Jazzercise lately...able to hold my own for the most part. But there are a lot of classes where I'm just fatigued and sore during class and don't have the flexibility I'd like.
So I decided to try doing a yin yoga practice before Jazz by way of a warm-up. Yin yoga is a style that calls for holding poses for 5 minutes or so (or working up to that if you need to), and relaxing every muscle that you don't need to hold the pose. It's pretty darn hard. You have to take an inventory of your body during the pose and figure out if you need each muscle. If not, then you make it relax. The good part of all of that is that having the muscles relaxed allows the fascia to stretch. And when you get those deeper tissues stretching you get a very nice, fluid feeling in your body. I just started doing some yin yoga this weekend I like it very much. I've been doing a sequence I found in The Yoga Journal. Here is the link: Sweet Surrender.
So anyway, I did the practice Sunday by itself and then decided to try it last night before Jazz. It was a great experience! With the exception of a little muscle over my right hip, I felt great through the entire class. But man was I tired when I got home! And sore. I took a couple of Tylenol before bed last night to ease the sore muscles and slept like a baby. I'm going to see if I can get Mensa Boy to do some of those poses too. I think he'd find it would help his running a bit.
So it's raining today. Bear was not interested in going outside, so we did the backyard thing rather than trudging around the block in the rain. The garden looks joyful this morning as it soaks up the water.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Good Food, Good Wine, Good Friends
Last night after Jazz, the posse came over to celebrate Rena's birthday. It's on Friday. We had fajitas, veggies, fruit, cake and wine. Lots of wine.
Fajitas are great for stuff like that. You can do all your prep ahead of time for the most part. We had shrimp (Harris Teeter had bags of frozen, cleaned shrimp for $5.99--12 oz per bag) and beef. Lately I have been buying skirt steak, which is tough and kind of cheap, and putting it in my small crockpot with some onions, garlic and a little beef stock. I cook it on high all afternoon and then slice it and saute it a bit to get some caramelization going. It's a great weeknight meal because it's quick and easy. The shrimp I just tossed in butter and Old Bay in the skillet until done. Some cilantro from my herb pots and a squeeze of lemon was all that was needed for the shrimp ones. For the beef fajitas I had tzatziki to put on there, or sauteed peppers and onions. It was a nice meal.
We sat out on the patio and talked and laughed for a couple of hours. The weather has been perfect for that kind of thing.
Off to work!
Fajitas are great for stuff like that. You can do all your prep ahead of time for the most part. We had shrimp (Harris Teeter had bags of frozen, cleaned shrimp for $5.99--12 oz per bag) and beef. Lately I have been buying skirt steak, which is tough and kind of cheap, and putting it in my small crockpot with some onions, garlic and a little beef stock. I cook it on high all afternoon and then slice it and saute it a bit to get some caramelization going. It's a great weeknight meal because it's quick and easy. The shrimp I just tossed in butter and Old Bay in the skillet until done. Some cilantro from my herb pots and a squeeze of lemon was all that was needed for the shrimp ones. For the beef fajitas I had tzatziki to put on there, or sauteed peppers and onions. It was a nice meal.
We sat out on the patio and talked and laughed for a couple of hours. The weather has been perfect for that kind of thing.
Off to work!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Can You Stand Another Commentary on Sanford and The Money?
My dad asked me a question about Sanford today that prompted me to come up with this explanation (as I understand it) of the "Sanford and the Stimulus Money" soap opera. Now here are the disclaimers. Dad said he thinks it's interesting that Sanford would reject "any" stimulus money but is willing to ask for Federal Disaster Funds for the Myrtle Beach fire. It's not actually true that South Carolina is rejecting "any" stimulus money. SC is getting something like $8 Billion. The question is about something like 5% of the total amount we are getting. And stimulus money is not the same as Federal Disaster Relief. Different buckets of money.
And finally? This is only MY WAY OF UNDERSTANDING the $500M issue. I completely believe I could be wrong on this. Actually, sometimes I think I MUST be wrong. Because my understanding, illustrated below, makes it seem like such a stupid thing, that I can't imagine I'm right and that this is really what it's all about. But? I've lived long enough to hear bigger arguments about stupid-er stuff. So here goes. For your entertainment:
The stimulus money is going to cost us more in the long run if we take it. Taking the $500Million that he is talking about has strings attached that will mean starting new programs for which that stimulus money is intended by the Feds. I liken it to this: You have a house. In that house you have a washer, stove and refrigerator. You dry your clothes outside on the line. The refrigerator is on its’ last legs. You need a new one. But you are still making payments on the washer and stove. You are just limping along, keeping your beer and brats in your neighbor’s fridge until you can get those last few payments on the washer and stove. Once you get those paid off, you’ll buy a new fridge with the money you’ve freed up in your budget by not having to make those payments.
Your uncle says he’ll give you $1,000. But you can’t use it to buy a new fridge and you can’t use it to pay off the washer and stove. He thinks it’s a travesty that you are drying your clothes out on the line. He lives next door and doesn’t like seeing your undies swaying in the breeze. So he’ll give you $1,000 to buy a dryer. You have to use every dollar of that $1k on the dryer, too. Which means basically a top-of-the-line LG steam dryer. With a 7.3 cu ft capacity, this bad boy is going to need a lot of room in your laundry room. Which means you also will have to remodel your back porch to accommodate it and the existing washer. It’ll probably cost another $1000 in demolition, supplies, and labor to get that done. Now, since I’ve just recently found out that I could lose my job if Sanford doesn’t take the money, it puts me in the interesting position of feeling like he should, so that I can salvage my measly $xxk a year job, and feeling he shouldn’t because I just don’t think my uncle needs to tell me how to run my house.
And finally? This is only MY WAY OF UNDERSTANDING the $500M issue. I completely believe I could be wrong on this. Actually, sometimes I think I MUST be wrong. Because my understanding, illustrated below, makes it seem like such a stupid thing, that I can't imagine I'm right and that this is really what it's all about. But? I've lived long enough to hear bigger arguments about stupid-er stuff. So here goes. For your entertainment:
The stimulus money is going to cost us more in the long run if we take it. Taking the $500Million that he is talking about has strings attached that will mean starting new programs for which that stimulus money is intended by the Feds. I liken it to this: You have a house. In that house you have a washer, stove and refrigerator. You dry your clothes outside on the line. The refrigerator is on its’ last legs. You need a new one. But you are still making payments on the washer and stove. You are just limping along, keeping your beer and brats in your neighbor’s fridge until you can get those last few payments on the washer and stove. Once you get those paid off, you’ll buy a new fridge with the money you’ve freed up in your budget by not having to make those payments.
Your uncle says he’ll give you $1,000. But you can’t use it to buy a new fridge and you can’t use it to pay off the washer and stove. He thinks it’s a travesty that you are drying your clothes out on the line. He lives next door and doesn’t like seeing your undies swaying in the breeze. So he’ll give you $1,000 to buy a dryer. You have to use every dollar of that $1k on the dryer, too. Which means basically a top-of-the-line LG steam dryer. With a 7.3 cu ft capacity, this bad boy is going to need a lot of room in your laundry room. Which means you also will have to remodel your back porch to accommodate it and the existing washer. It’ll probably cost another $1000 in demolition, supplies, and labor to get that done. Now, since I’ve just recently found out that I could lose my job if Sanford doesn’t take the money, it puts me in the interesting position of feeling like he should, so that I can salvage my measly $xxk a year job, and feeling he shouldn’t because I just don’t think my uncle needs to tell me how to run my house.
Nonsense
I'm quite sad today. I ordered perennials 2 weeks ago and they still have not arrived. I checked and now find they will not arrive until the first week of May. I hope that's not going to be too late to get them settled before the big heat.
I shot baseball last night and got only one shot worth anything, and it's not worth more than about a dime. I'm kind of sad about that. Especially because parent expectations are always high when they see a person with a newspaper name tag on and a seemingly nice looking camera, shooting their little darling playing a sport. Ah well.
So today will NOT be spent planting plants. I do still have some garden clean-out to do, and I need to shop for some shoes and whatnot for spring/summer.
I shot baseball last night and got only one shot worth anything, and it's not worth more than about a dime. I'm kind of sad about that. Especially because parent expectations are always high when they see a person with a newspaper name tag on and a seemingly nice looking camera, shooting their little darling playing a sport. Ah well.
So today will NOT be spent planting plants. I do still have some garden clean-out to do, and I need to shop for some shoes and whatnot for spring/summer.
Monday, April 20, 2009
What will I find in the garden?
This morning I woke to a pounding rain. When that happens, the first thing I think about is whether I can get Bear outside long enough to do his business. Because if I can, then I can leave him all day without having to come walk him at lunch. I was successful this morning, so now I can get off at 3:30 instead of 4.
But the other thing I wondered, and am still wondering about, is what has happened to my new little plants that I put out last night. I planted my herb pots. They will probably be okay. But I had plants that were too large of the pot so I split many of them and put part in the flower bed. Some of them were fairly fragile when I put them out there. Will they be okay? Or are they broken and flattened by the downpour? I won't know until after school today.
My mail order plants have not arrived yet, either. If they show up today I'll be in good shape. I can plant them tonight after Jazzercise. But tomorrow night is the Friends of the Library meeting at 6 and I don't know how long that will go on.
Gardening is stressful! It's a little like parenting!
But the other thing I wondered, and am still wondering about, is what has happened to my new little plants that I put out last night. I planted my herb pots. They will probably be okay. But I had plants that were too large of the pot so I split many of them and put part in the flower bed. Some of them were fairly fragile when I put them out there. Will they be okay? Or are they broken and flattened by the downpour? I won't know until after school today.
My mail order plants have not arrived yet, either. If they show up today I'll be in good shape. I can plant them tonight after Jazzercise. But tomorrow night is the Friends of the Library meeting at 6 and I don't know how long that will go on.
Gardening is stressful! It's a little like parenting!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
My Azalea
The other day I think I wrote about Azaleas being best enjoyed from a distance. I said that when you get up close to them, they are generally pretty ragged.
I'm eating my words here. After I said that, I went out and started looking closely at my azaleas and also at my neighbor's. All of them have blooms that are in pristine condition.
Today is the last day of spring break and I could spend it in mourning, dreading going back to work. Don't get me wrong: I love my job. But this is the hardest time of the year for the Guidance Department as we prepare for graduation and also work on testing and just in general try to get the year wrapped up. And of course we are all anxious for summer...not just students, but staff too.
But instead I'm going to live today in the moment as much as I can. I hate to let a beautiful day go by unnoticed because I'm too busy worrying about tomorrow.
Have a great Sunday!
I'm eating my words here. After I said that, I went out and started looking closely at my azaleas and also at my neighbor's. All of them have blooms that are in pristine condition.
Today is the last day of spring break and I could spend it in mourning, dreading going back to work. Don't get me wrong: I love my job. But this is the hardest time of the year for the Guidance Department as we prepare for graduation and also work on testing and just in general try to get the year wrapped up. And of course we are all anxious for summer...not just students, but staff too.
But instead I'm going to live today in the moment as much as I can. I hate to let a beautiful day go by unnoticed because I'm too busy worrying about tomorrow.
Have a great Sunday!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Forester Bob
He's taking some trees out around the edge of the flowerbed. Actually, just two little trees and then some branches from other big trees to get more sunlight in there. Tough looking, isn't he?
As it happens the nasty tent caterpillars were on one of the big branches I needed removed. So, problem solved there too.
As it happens the nasty tent caterpillars were on one of the big branches I needed removed. So, problem solved there too.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Pink Dogwood
Mensa Boy wants to start going through the woods in our back yard and taking out the dead trees. Then he'd like to plant new trees back there to replace them.
After seeing this one in my neighbor's garden, I told him we should just fill each spot with white and pink dogwoods.
After seeing this one in my neighbor's garden, I told him we should just fill each spot with white and pink dogwoods.
EWWWW! WHAT ARE THESE?
I found myself underneath this a couple of hours ago. Are they friend or foe? Should I let them live or whack 'em? (yes, I've been watching reruns of the Sopranos lately)
A Little Sprout
I found this sprout, among many, in the garden last night when I started cleaning. I like his dual colors and he seems a little stronger than some I've found. I don't know what he is, but he seems like he deserves a chance to grow up to something. So I spared him. If I had come crashing into the garden with a big ole rake I could have missed him and plowed him under. He could very well be a weed. I guess I'll find out soon enough.
I found many promises yesterday when I started. Buried under the leaves from fall and winter were many little green leaves and sprouts emerging from the earth. I gently brushed away the detritus and tried to give them all air and light. I have one Azalea that is leggy but very full of blooms. I'll shoot it later. And my white Azalea is just starting to bloom. And still the guy I call "my deadbeat Azalea," who has not bloomed since 2003. This is his last year in my garden. If he doesn't produce, I'm kicking him out and changing the locks. I'm quite certain my neighbor Mary will take him in.
Some things, when you look at them up close, seem to get more beautiful. Like Dogwood blossoms. But other things are almost uglier up close. That's the way Azaleas are. I think they are best enjoyed from afar.
I found many promises yesterday when I started. Buried under the leaves from fall and winter were many little green leaves and sprouts emerging from the earth. I gently brushed away the detritus and tried to give them all air and light. I have one Azalea that is leggy but very full of blooms. I'll shoot it later. And my white Azalea is just starting to bloom. And still the guy I call "my deadbeat Azalea," who has not bloomed since 2003. This is his last year in my garden. If he doesn't produce, I'm kicking him out and changing the locks. I'm quite certain my neighbor Mary will take him in.
Some things, when you look at them up close, seem to get more beautiful. Like Dogwood blossoms. But other things are almost uglier up close. That's the way Azaleas are. I think they are best enjoyed from afar.
theVisitor
I watched this movie yesterday afternoon and I must say it is one of the best I've seen in a long time. This lonely, depressed college professor goes to New York to a conference and when he gets to his apartment (he's kept it for 25 years, despite living and teaching in Connecticut), he finds a couple of illegal aliens living there. After only a brief hesitation, he allows them to stay and ends up befriending them and becoming a big part of their lives. The man, a drummer/musician from Syria, is hauled in by immigration and the professor, played by Richard Jenkins, does his best to help him out.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
It's Thursday and I see Spring Break Slipping Away!
I am tired. A little less tired than yesterday, I think. I wasted the entire day yesterday napping and watching a movie. I did go to the grocery store and made a very nice supper. I wish I'd taken a photo of it. It was from Prevention magazine. Next time I make it (and I will make it often) I'll shoot it.
Today I'll go to yoga and then who knows? I may finally get that flower garden work done. But I'm not in a rush to do that today. It's supposed to warm up to the 70s tomorrow and over the weekend so that would be a great time to do some gardening. I also need to start working on my pots.
Today I'll go to yoga and then who knows? I may finally get that flower garden work done. But I'm not in a rush to do that today. It's supposed to warm up to the 70s tomorrow and over the weekend so that would be a great time to do some gardening. I also need to start working on my pots.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Gone to Carolina Archive: April 15, 2005
| The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, by Anne Fadiman, is the story of a Hmong child with epilepsy and the problems doctors and her family had communicating with each other. Lia Lee had such severe epilepsy and her doctors could not seem to gain any understanding with her parents about medications and treatments. The book was published in 1997 and I sincerely hope things are better for the Hmong people now than they were then. Carolinians aren't as familiar with the Hmong as Minnesotans are, so this book may not interest my local readers as much. But if you live in Minnesota you really should read this book. I gained not only a better understanding of the Hmong community but also a great deal of respect for them. "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" is the loose translation for the Hmong word for epilepsy. Hmong believe that a person with epilepsy has had their soul frightened away from their body and a spirit called a dab is catching her. If/when the soul returns then the illness will be resolved. Many Americans think of Hmong as "Laotians" but that is not the case. Laos is just the last place our Hmong were before being brought to the U.S. The Hmong have history in China, Siberia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. They were resistant to governments who tried to assimilate them and when things got to be too much they would pick up and move on. The Hmong were brought here by the U.S. as refugees after they helped the CIA with their "secret war" on North Vietnam by serving in the Armee Clandestine in Northern Laos. They were led by Hmong leader General Vang Pao and helped cut off North Vietnamese supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, supplied intelligence for US bombing missions and helped rescue downed US pilots. The book is about 50 percent Hmong/U.S. history and 50 percent the story of Lia Lee and her family's clash with the American medical system. I had a hard time putting it down. It does not sound academic at all...more like a very good story. |
Life's Not a Beach for Bear
We are back from the beach and I think Bear is glad. He didn't think much of it. After considering his behavior I concluded that he doesn't like it because there is no grass. Bear is a typical walker, stopping at many posts, mailboxes, trees and clumps of grass to leave a liquid note that he was there. But there are no such things on a long stretch of sand. And so he ranged back and forth in front of us, at the end of his rope, occasionally stopping to see if we would pick him up.
He didn't think much of the water, barely sniffing it as it wafted toward our feet. The beach was pretty clean of debris too, so no dead jellyfish to check out, not even any interesting garbage. As we headed back to the walkway that took us to the street, he perked up and almost sighed when we relief when he saw a clump of grass ahead.
It was a short, restful visit. It rained off and on and was fairly cool, so we really didn't spend any time by the water. We roamed around Barefoot Landing and had supper at The House of Blues. We read books and Taylor played video games on his Gameboy and watched videos of Corner Gas on the little DVD player. Monday we had our Easter dinner...ham, deviled eggs and salad. Fresh strawberries for dessert.
And so here we are at home. A mountain of laundry to do and the flower garden to gently clean out. I'll do some yoga and Jazzercise this week and some reading. I like Spring Break.
He didn't think much of the water, barely sniffing it as it wafted toward our feet. The beach was pretty clean of debris too, so no dead jellyfish to check out, not even any interesting garbage. As we headed back to the walkway that took us to the street, he perked up and almost sighed when we relief when he saw a clump of grass ahead.
It was a short, restful visit. It rained off and on and was fairly cool, so we really didn't spend any time by the water. We roamed around Barefoot Landing and had supper at The House of Blues. We read books and Taylor played video games on his Gameboy and watched videos of Corner Gas on the little DVD player. Monday we had our Easter dinner...ham, deviled eggs and salad. Fresh strawberries for dessert.
And so here we are at home. A mountain of laundry to do and the flower garden to gently clean out. I'll do some yoga and Jazzercise this week and some reading. I like Spring Break.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Easter Everyone!
We are off the beach in a bit. We'll be gone only a couple of days. Taylor's not a big fan.
I bought some plants yesterday and planted them this morning after church. I picked up a plant called Plumbago that I'd never heard of before. It's got these great little pale blue flowers all over it. The plant is already showy just in the pot. There was NO INFORMATION about it all on or in the pot. I hate it when they do that. I picked it up and carried it around to pay for it. "So you're going to get that?" Rena asked. "Yeah. I like it," I told her. "But we don't know anything about what it is," she said. "I know," I told her. "I'll google it."
It turns out to be pretty much the perfect thing for an imperfect gardener like me. Hard to kill, likes sun, can handle shade. What more can I ask? I stuck it in the ground and watered it well. We had quite a bit of rain a couple of days ago, so it'll probably be fine without more watering until I get back Tuesday.
I also put dahlias and lantana in the corner planters of the patio again. And I bought a rosemary bush to put in the flower bed up at the top where the sun shines all morning and all afternoon. Everything I plant up there dies so I'm hoping the rosemary will do the trick. And it can get as big as it wants.
I also found some yellow poppies and I bought some sweet corn on a whim. I told Rena that Mensa Boy wanted corn but I poo-pooed it because corn needs so much room. "Buy him some corn Karen," she said. "If you don't get corn on it, you can just say it's a grass." And so I did that. Mensa Boy now thinks Rena is a hero. "Now we won't starve," I heard him tell Taylor. hmph.
I ordered quite a few perennials from Spring Hill Saturday morning. I'd love for them to arrive before spring break is over, but my luck they'll probably show up after that and it'll rain for several days. I invested $80 or so into them, so I'll have to get them planted whenever they arrive. I'll take some photos when I get back.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day today. I'm so glad we are having spring break. I can feel myself calming down and relaxing already.
I bought some plants yesterday and planted them this morning after church. I picked up a plant called Plumbago that I'd never heard of before. It's got these great little pale blue flowers all over it. The plant is already showy just in the pot. There was NO INFORMATION about it all on or in the pot. I hate it when they do that. I picked it up and carried it around to pay for it. "So you're going to get that?" Rena asked. "Yeah. I like it," I told her. "But we don't know anything about what it is," she said. "I know," I told her. "I'll google it."
It turns out to be pretty much the perfect thing for an imperfect gardener like me. Hard to kill, likes sun, can handle shade. What more can I ask? I stuck it in the ground and watered it well. We had quite a bit of rain a couple of days ago, so it'll probably be fine without more watering until I get back Tuesday.
I also put dahlias and lantana in the corner planters of the patio again. And I bought a rosemary bush to put in the flower bed up at the top where the sun shines all morning and all afternoon. Everything I plant up there dies so I'm hoping the rosemary will do the trick. And it can get as big as it wants.
I also found some yellow poppies and I bought some sweet corn on a whim. I told Rena that Mensa Boy wanted corn but I poo-pooed it because corn needs so much room. "Buy him some corn Karen," she said. "If you don't get corn on it, you can just say it's a grass." And so I did that. Mensa Boy now thinks Rena is a hero. "Now we won't starve," I heard him tell Taylor. hmph.
I ordered quite a few perennials from Spring Hill Saturday morning. I'd love for them to arrive before spring break is over, but my luck they'll probably show up after that and it'll rain for several days. I invested $80 or so into them, so I'll have to get them planted whenever they arrive. I'll take some photos when I get back.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day today. I'm so glad we are having spring break. I can feel myself calming down and relaxing already.
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