Epiphany

I mean the feast day--not the generic word. For those who may not know, let me explain. Epiphany is celebrated on 6 Jan in many parts of the world. It is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics [to be treated just as Sunday]. For many cultures it is the day of the gift-giving of the Season. It celebrates the three Wise Men's arrival to the Christ Child. Epiphany, or showing.

Sicilian and many Southern Italian children [and their descendants] celebrate the day by receiving gifts and baked goods from La Befana [or the old witch]. Tomie De Paola did a beautiful rendition of the story which I highly recommend called Old Befana.

In our family we keep the tradition--mostly because when my big kids were little and it was their Dad's turn to have them for Christmas, I wanted to have the holiday with them anyway. Part of the tradition is also to give out gifts to those who serve you [like the mailman etc. during te year as well].

This year I am falling back into old habits of not getting packages or even cards mailed out in a timely manner. So, it is for Epiphany, not Christmas. So it is not late. So there. Oh, except for Sariah's birthday present. [but you'll really like it!]

Surely I'm not the only one who needs to celebrate Epiphany...am I?

Christmas--post Nativity

The Nativity Enactment has been two years in the creating, and has completed its first run. We did 8 performances in 2 nights, plus 2 run throughs as a final dress reh with audience from our familes. We had tickets out for 50 people per perf, but averaged over 60 per perf. It is the talk of the town. As a missionary effort, it has already paid off. As a community event, it has already been requested a repeat next year [fully intended.] And our new stake president is much more supportive, so perhaps we'll get some stake monies to help out next year. This year, we squeezed every auxilary budget as much as possible and then some!

We are looking forward to having other activities again--once the final clean-up is done. We had a ward FHE tonight, unfortunately not enough attended to get it all done, but we're getting there. I'm glad I won't see the garbage men's faces when they go to unload our dumpsters this week--over full for tomorrow, and then we'll fill them right up again for the Thurs pick-up!

Stage sets are stored in Bishop Hay's barn, costumes upstairs in our chapel, props divided between the two, and life continues.

Now to get ready for our family Christmas...I haven't even begun---Domani! Richard has just the one final, so he can take me shopping. and Erica gets home Wed! I did my Christamas cards over Thanksgiving, but am unable to find them...does this mean I start over? yipes!

And I AM going to make farfalette dolci for Epiphany this year--but haven't even started Christmas baking yet. Better get busy, eh?

We Did It!

We really did it! Tonight was final dress rehearsal for the Canal Wincester Ward's Presentation of A Nativity Enactment. It really came off quite well, and the audience response was quite good. Ticket are free and so popular that we "sold out" over a week ago. So we voted to add an additional performance on Sat starting earlier--so instead of three overlapping performances we'll have four. Then that sold out within two days. When the Mission President called for tickets, there were none! So a deal was struck. If we could keep the missionaries who are participating out late, we could add a fourth perf to Fri night. He agreed, and last I heard, that's sold out, too! So members in participating wards were encouraged to come tonight for one of two run-throughs. I followed along so as to see the whole show and evaluate technical stuff like lighting that had not been done {It rained the night of our scheduled tech reh. and I had come home and collapsed, and decided as we couldn't do what needed to be done, I'd just stay where I was. Good decision. } So I know what has to be done for tomorrow and my lighting guy is fixing it just how I want, my sound guy is reducing the almost 3 1/2 minute Hallelujah Chorus to one minute [we just don't have enough angels outside for the full thing, there's simply not enough to look at for that long.] We decided not to do a big backdrop for the Road to Bethlahem scene--just a few trees against the brick wall, Mary on a donkey with Joseph leading is quite enough. The courtyard of the Inn looks great except that the door opens the wrong way. [It was built for a different set-up, but we changed it due to weather constraints, and the director decided she liked that the audience cannot see into the Inn at all. Looks stupid, but, hey, it's just one of the little things, and Miranda Steed as the Innkeeper's daughter [part written for her] is great. I have a few things to tweak tomorrow, but am mostly ready. Mostly because we eliminated a few other details that were just too much this year. Less is more.

But our gym that looked like "Betzy's sweat shop" for months, now is a Judean Marketplace. The Roman guards try to flirt with the nice Jewish girls, but are constantly rebuffed. The guards hassell us in the old crones quarter...but can only go so far. When I sat in as apothecary, I had lots of fun coming up with remedies for ailments of all sorts. The little children thought my bird skull most scary! [Thank you owl pellet disecting in science teacher's workshop!] The dried herbs hanging overhead are a bit creepy as well, so the young mostly stayed away from my area--the wood and toy shop certainly dreww them, as did the silk and rug sellers. Our butcher [Bishop Keller] was having way too much fun with his meat cleaver and his [pre-cut] meats and cheeses--his meatcleaver was made last night of cardboard and tin foil. [I spent the morning melting down donated candles to make cheese wheels] All the soldier boys have beautiful swords--or at least hilts, made by Bishop Agler. But there were also several real swords --used by responsible adults. Tho. our new bishop, Jon Hay[our Viking] wanted a two headed battleaxe, but was talked out of being a blood-thirsty Viking as he is in the angel choir!

So, we've gone from a bishop who wears Willie Nelson braids [halloween] to one with Viking horns! And he says he's going to keep them on his desk when the show is over. Most of us are really glad it's about to be over, but it has and is a worthwhile thing to do. Our goal was to help educate the community that we really are Christian. We wanted to do a little missionary work. Already we are having people involved with the missionaries who have not been receptive before--new members getting involved, members getting reactivated, non-member family joining in, etc. So I think we have a success on our hand. And soon it will be over. Thank goodness. Bishop Hay has declared next Mom as a Ward FHE night to deep clean the chapel before the official deep cleaning on the 22nd the the church custodial people are coming in for. A few of us are excused--like me. We're supposed to take the evening off and rest. :)

Pictures will be forthcoming--including, as Lura put it "Dad in a play? This we've got to see!"

I'm still alive!

Yes, I'm still alive--well at least theoretically. It's hard to prove by my family. Even the kids who don't live here know that if they want to talk to me they have to call the hallway phone at the church! After an obnoxious fall yesterday, I didn't go in today 'til about 1:00 and meant to leave around 4:00, but everything planned took a real nose dive about that time instead. So I got home about 10:30 and have to be back there before Seminary lets out [and have to take care of a friend's animals before that!--she's unexpectedly in the hospital!] Anyway, I miss talking to everyone and hope to be back blogging soon. OK, after the performance on Dec 15th & 16th. Assuming, of course, I make it through the next couple of weks alive!

Band & Genealogy

I just got home from State Marching Band Competition. No, I did npt get to see Richard's school, but I did get to see Groveport-Madison. One of my Sunday School students was in the pit, and I promised I would go to hear them play sometime during the season. This was my only real opportunity. I went with his family and had a ball!

Oh, the memories...

Some of the bands we saw were HUGE, others just large. G-M got a 1 overall, but Mary (my friend and mother to my student) was a little surprised. She'd expected only a 2 in comparison to how they'd played other times. She has a daughter who is a flute--and had a solo!--and also directs part of the time. The flute section started out as go-go dancers--rather cute--then changed behind the screen into their regular uniforms. They also had both a trumpet and a sax solo.

None of the drum breaks were as pronounced as I remember from Arkansas days...

One band really stood out. First, they were huge, second they were GOOD, third, they had a dance team as well as flags--one section of which also used rifles at one point. All their flags were the same--just different in color. Their main flags looked kinda like an American flag--fewer stripes and no staars, but it was obvious, and went with their show. Basically, it was an Americana show--piccolos and drums--very Revolutionary, a change in flags[so subtle a difference, I'm not sure why the change here] to the Civil War then to yellow flags and the girls dancing a jig...you get the idea.

Aaah the memories...lots of fun, but I no longer feel like I should be out there helping. I went through my band withdrawal and that's that.

Although I keep trying to claim I don't sew--I am getting really good at cutting out without a pattern, and writing instructions for what is to be sewn. Painting was the most comfortable thing I've done though.

Guess I'm just a Fine Arts person, no mater what!

Had a good time as a guest speaker in Richard's sociology class today. The topic? Genealogy/Family History. Richard asked that I not embarrass him, and had to admit that I really didn't, but that 'everyone is afraid of him now' because of the family Mafia stories. He'd told them before--but no one had believed him...

I get to go back on Mon. We're almost done with the 'show and tell' portion, then I'm going to give out pedigree sheets and family group sheets and the idea is to do 4 generations--they've already been gathering info. So we'll see how it goes. I guess the true test will be if I get invited back the next time the teacher teaches this unit!

And a Happy Halloween to All

Our ward is like so many. We hold "Trunk or Treat" This is usually on the Fri or Sat before Halloween so all the kids [and adults] get a chance to dress up and go trick or treating, socialize etc. Various wards have their own variations. "Trunk" becaus it is held in the parking lot and the kids make the rounds of the decorated car trunks.

In the past we have gone from our first years of almost no decoration to becoming noted for our fantastick [adide: this is not a spelling error, but the way the musical is spelled. I do it on purpose.] themed vehicle usually icluding music. For example there was the year we turned the van into a pirate's ship [including flying a jolly Roger!] and played the soundtrack of Pirates of the Carribean. The kids dresed as pirates [Erica was a great Jack Sparrow-like Captain.] We took pride in our themed get-ups.

Last year, without Erica's help, and with a different vehicle [CRV "Soctates"{aside:guess what movie we had just seen...pronounce it with a long a} rather than the van] we did Star Wars--decor not quite as good except that Richard built such a great R2D2 out of the round-topped bathroom garbage can, that we had to get a new trash recepticle, for R2D2 remains with us.

Last year the new twist we saw here in CW was that after the candy was all passed out, everyone retired to the cultural hall [gym inside our church building] and the adults visited while the kids had a massave candy swap--you know the kind you'd have at home with your siblings trying to get as much as whatever your favorites were while trading away the kinds you didn't really like. On a ward level it was really funny to watch--and the kids seemed to have just as much fun doing that as they did doing the 'trunk or treating'

This year...Nativity. We have costume and set construction going on in two thirds of the cultural hall, so going inside was not viable. ...Weather. It has been cold and wet and really a mess. Every fall the Hays hold a chili cook-off and hayride at their farm. It was decided to combine the two events and Sat was the appointed day. It was way too cold, and there could be no hayride as the tractor and wagon would have bogged down in the mud in the first 10 feet! So Our bishop [one of the best--and quirkiest--by his own admission--in he world] decided to cancel Sat night.

After consulting with the ward weatherman--my husband of course, he announced at church Sun that we would have a ward Family Home Evening this week--at the Hays farm. Be prepared for the activities: trunk or treating, hay rides and marshmallow roasting. hot dogs would be served as everyone had already eated their chili.

I. of course, was working on Nativity stuff all day--in this case, painting flats. I got home in time o take a shower, dress and go. We had not prepared a theme. Richard and I hardly have said more than Good-night for the past week. So what to do? He was a very cool "Man in Black" for a youth activity while I was gone, so we were going to go with that, but never had he time to turn the back of Socrates into the inside of the locker village...what to do? I grabbed Erica's bridesmaids dress out of her closet tinking I could be a princess. But then I thought...hay ride? I don't think so. Meanwhil, Richard thought about his suit--hayride? He didn't think so.

So in the end after going through about 4 ideas and rejcting them, I borrowed Richard's Calgary Flames jersey and his red [OK they are BU scarlet--but who here would catch it? No one.] Wore them over my grey long john pants which Richard taped for me with red hockey tape,instant hockey socks! and wore my work boots in liu of skates. I used a hockey stick instead of my cane to walk around--handle end down, of course. I got tons of complements on my costume! And I was surprised how comfortable hockey pants really are! Richard threw on his Cubs shirt with "LEE" in the back [unfortunately we had nothing to serve as baseball pants at that point] wih his jeans and Cubs hat. We decorated the back of the car [Socrates] with hockey and baseball gear and Flames and Cubs memorabelia. Again compliments on our ten minute set up! All we were missing was music. Add candy and we were ready.

Incidently, our bishop, who lst year, was Willie Nelson, braids and all, was Elvis this year--with a wig and sunglasses! [And he was out there working on the set all day, too!]

A good time was had by one and all. the weather turned warm, the ground dried up, and even tho. he din't attend [also working on the set all day] my husband was the hero of the day! Great forecasting! Tues turned wet again, hence our ward's FHE.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween--and I expect to see lots of cute pics posted!

Help!

I don't have much to say other than I wish my girls were here to help! I'm putting in long and constant days costuming. But there is light at the end of the cloth tunnel. Then I can work on my first love [and what I signed on to do!] props. But Mon afternoon my favorite forecaster tells me will be a good time to paint. So paint we will. Wish you were here, Lura, for this part!
I offer house room to anyone who wants to visit Ohio [and incidently sew, paint etc.!]

Rhe Word SEW Is Not In My Vocabulary

It's not! It's not! The word "sew" is not in my vocabulary! Ask my kids--I've always told them that. Ask my sister. Where was I when she was doing costumes? Not sewing! Ask my costuming teachers. How did I make it through costuming rquirements? By running and fetching, By cutting or pinning. By acting as a dressmaker's dummy. But NOT by sewing!

I have a mending tip for all you young Moms. It really works, too. Ask my kids! The garment needing mending is put into the mening basket. Procrastinate a few months--and voila! The child has outgrown the garment. Therefore you never have to--sew!

So why does all my time seem to be taken of late with costuming? I'm still not sewing! We need more people who will run & fetch, pin & cut iron & sort. Even be a dressmaker's dummy.

Maybe I'm just a dummy? Albeit one with waaay too much costuming knowledge.

Accents

This is all your fault, Fourth Fret! I really enjoyed talking to you on the phone, but was taken quite by surprise with your accent. I think I was polite enough not to comment about that "ignorant sounding, hokie Okie accent" as a close friend of mine was always teased. But you pulled off the gloves, so...

I like regional accents. Regional accents are unfortunately disappearing, but they lend a color to life which is also disappearing. I, myself, have a faint midwestern accent--until commented upon. Then my a's get flaater and flaaater. I also have Chicago traces from my mom, a few Wisconsin words from my Grandma, [ the dresser "draw"and not a few pronunciations giving away my Dad's Italian Brooklyn/NJ roots. [Certain high school friends used to tease me to say 'daughter'-"dwah-ter" and "chwahclat"] [My Uncle lived on "Da cawnah of toid and toidy toid streets" for real!]

I've enjoyed the regional accents everywhere we lived...until Arkansas. There it was a full year before I could understand anyone over the phone. My friends, Sue and Yevonne were always on my case for talking too fast [when I thought I was really dragging!] I usd to tell them to think faster. Sue and I figured out an interesting phenomena. She served her Mission in upstate NY and was treated as the dim bulb in the box always. She's not--dim, I mean. It was just her speech--accent and slower rate. There was a Sister in my Mission [Independence, Missouri] who [I am ashamed to admit] was treated much the same way. Sister Blaylock was from Biloxi, Mississippi. Same problem. She was most cetainly not dim, just slower of speech, and with a thick accent unfamiliar to most of the missionaries who were from the west. [And don't think those Utahan don't have their own. Ask which temple is furthest south in Utah--Saint Garge. Of course there's a temple in American Fark nowdays, too.]

In Arkansas I became tired of people razzing me about my accent. So my oh so gracious reply was, "Turn on your TV. Listen to the people talk. Do they sound like you or like me? I rest my case." The Midwestern/ California influenced accent has become the Standard American Broadcast accent, so I could get away with that. Perhaps that'ss why my bishop recommended that I read Dale Carnegie's book, How To Win Friends and Influence People. When I said I already had, he said to read it again.

Tease all you want. Let others tease you, but in our increasingly homogonous country, let's try to keep and enjoy our regional accents, all y'all, 'cause they're like waay wicked! And youse gotta admit it, ya follow?

A Rough Syllogism-- A Harddrive : Car Engine :: Software : Bodywork

When a car crashes, there are loads of things that must be fixed. So, too, with a computer. I proudly have gotten back a few of my "favorites" [except the yucky format Keith put on here just says 'bookmarks' and I don't like it nearly so well.] I even went to the LDS website and downloaded the PAF all by myself. But then I had to have Keith get the info off the jump drive and onto the hard drive. I found blogger dashboard with ease! but I haven't yet started putting back the shortcuts to the blogs I'm reading. Essentially it is about everyone on Sariah's list, so I am asking here for a blanket permission once I figure it out [or call Lura for help again] . So if you do NOT want to be on my list let me know: thespian52@yahoo.com if you want to be private :) Oh, and I don't know how to make that a link, so you actually have to e-mail. Sorry.

So, while the engine is now in good repair, the body work goes slowly.

Love is Like Pizza?

Notice to my corner of the world: I am home! I am back online! Well, sorta--I'm still awfully sleepy. Chasing around with grandchildren will do that to a person. Why did I not realize until Aiden and I were discussing our respective birthdays [2 days apart] that our ages are 50 years apart! Right now I feel everyone of them! Young children are for young parents.

But it was a great trip! I got to see all three of my older kids, their spouses and children, my sister, a niece, and be with my daughter and grandson for his blessing. I got to help both my daughters. And I got to know my grandsons at this stage of life. [ my granddaughter too, but didn't get to spend as much time with her.]

I begin to understand now what my father meant when he claimed that I named my kids in a way he couldn't remember their names: Sariah, Vinnie[after him!] Lura [after an aunt]. It isn't the names, but the getting to know the person behind the name. I got to be there at the hospital immediately after Aiden was born, then had him [with parents] visit in VA. Got to see him again when brother, Dallin was born, and now spent a great deal of one on one time with him. So I feel a special bond there. At this point, I can honestly say that I feel a special, yet quite different bond with each of the grandchildren, and eagerly look forward to the next one's arrival in the spring. Isn't it amazing how one's heart seems to grow larger and larger with the addition of each new family member. It is not a case of fractions where each piece of the pizza ends up smaller and smaller, but a case of multiplication, where there is a pizza ordered for each person no matter their size or age! Years ago, my uncle taught that lesson. He never worried about how many pieces each person would get, he simply counted up the number of people [including infants] and ordered that many pizzas. We not only never went away hungry, but we never really had leftovers, either.

So, I guess that for today I am saying that: Love is like pizza--everyone should get his own? or there is enough for everyone.

Wisdom and Announcements

Wow! We had a hard drive crash. (Yes, again) Actually, we caught on before it crashed and were able to save everything we wanted on our jump drive. Thank goodness. If I'd had to start from scratch typing in all my genealogy yet again...

So, my advice from the top of the mountain (where all gurus and oracles and wisewomen sit) is:
BACK EVERYTHING IMPORTANT UP ON A JUMP DRIVE!!! That way it is independent of computer problems.

The second piece of advise is to KNOW WHERE THE JUMP DRIVE IS AT ALL TIMES! I'm having a little bit of difficulty with that one at the moment as it was left in other than its proper place when I was not home, and no one else [but the cats--and they're not telling] is home at the moment.

Third, do SOMETHING to be able to find your list of favorites after you are back on line--it is a royal pain trying to find things all over again. Obviously, I've not yet resolved this problem...it is a laborious process!

Announcing my big birthday present [OK, my birthday isn't till 1 Oct, but I will be gone, and this was best to do now, so my husband did: I now have two monitors connected!!! Thank you Most Patient of Husbands! [MPH--that's what I'll call him.] And thank you Lura for making this possibility known to me.


Announcing [since Sariah has now done so] A new grandson! Parker Benjamin! I may have been waaay off on the date--but I was right in one regard--although I am able to go out earlier than originally planned, I couldn't go until Sat--tomorrow. So I was right in that his arrival timing would be awkward! Sariah's had several days of needing help coverage by her new Relief Society Sisters. Than goodness for the Church network. Gotto go pack :D

We have a Bethlehem Marketplace,, and I am exhausted. But it is shaping up, and everyone now seems to get the picture...so this week was worth it. Next week, time is scheduled to devote to costuming. Then I leave!!!

I am so looking forward to my visit to Arizona. Playing with, reading to, and cuddling grandsons. What could be better? Life is actually pretty good. Even tho. my husband is currently out of work [a major theme in our ward!] There are options opening up to him, and I know we'll be OK in the end. As I earlier told Sariah, everything will work out. I can't see the end from the beginning as can the Lord, but it will work out one way or another.

Last unemployment time, I was upset every minute, but this time I am totally calm. I know that the Lord wants me here through the Nativity Pageant which also guarantees Richard this semester in his HS. I hope to remain here 'til he graduates--at least [two years]. We'll see.

But in the meantime: because of his job loss, Keith has been walking three miles daily, which has tremendously helped his back, which is in the best shape in over a decade! He is also working with the dr. on fiddling with his meds, which is improving other situations. All blessings unobtainable while he was working in that job.

I am so totally focused on Nativity, genealogy, book club, Sunday school, and family that I don't have time to think about difficultes.

Erica is back in school and sounds like she is off to a great start this year (see her blog).

Richard is off to a good start this year--he's even toying with the idea of joining French club. I encourage his club joining. He's also in the Nativity Pageant, playing a little pick-up hockey, attending early morning seminary, taking fine arts, and looking towards auditioning for the upcoming show, so his life is filling out as well.

A sad farewell to Fuma. The last of our series of guinea pigs, she was 5 years old and in distress, so we had to put her down this week. The cats miss her, too. It's funny how an animal living entirely in a cage really does become part of the family. As I cut vegetable for lunch today. I cried--not from onions, but because I always gave the end pieces of my tomatoes to Fuma, as well as the inner parts of the bell peppers--her favorite treats. So... Farewell Fuma. Now frisking about in a better place.

News from the older kids continues to be basically good, so my corner of the world is looking pretty nice. I hope we can all say that as we enter this new year. Incidently, I believe the year goes from Sept to June. July and Aug are just sorta out there. Thus speaketh a retired teacher!

Surprise!

A couple nights ago I sat in the chair vegging out in front of the TV. I couldn't even say what was on. It had been a long day, I was tired, and now I started having a seizure. It was in my upper left arm. I sat there watching it jerk for awhile. Why I always find seizures so fascinating, I don't know, but I do. They are so varied both in type and intensity, so I tend to watch and to anylize the severity of each one. Anyway, as it drew to a close, I felt my arm, and it was hard!!! I'm talking about my left, weak and flabbly arm!

To my great surprise, nay, utter astonishment, I discovered that I have a [drumroll, please]
muscle! That's right! A real honest to goodness bicept in my left arm! For the first time since the early '70's!

I had noticed of late, that my left arm looks almost 'normal' now. I attribute that to bicycling--just hanging on with my left hand has made a change...but a bicept! Wow!

Wednesday Amended

Oops! Once again, I did not have place for comment on my post. Please comment! This is my chatting outlet--and I need it! I never mean to not have a comment place. I know I need to go back into the whole set-up thing to fix it properly, but I'm afraid of messing things up beyond repair! So I apologize, and I'll try to watch out that I put the comment thing on. [Wouldn't Dad get on my case? thing, thing, THING!] :p

Wednesday

My weeks currently tend to lurch from Wed to Wed. This is the day we have our staff production meetings for our Ward's big Nativity Pageant: Prophecy Unfolds. I have discovered how truely difficult it is to do something of this proportion for the first time. In the future, they will be building upon what we do this year. But this year...I just hope and pray we've not bitten off more than we can chew. I'm getting a little worried because I am leaving to go to Sariah in just a few weeks, and we are not to where I wanted to be at this time. Of course, I had to put a chunk of the building schedule on hold because of someone elses's trip to Utah. And then I've had to devote hours and hours to costuming (which I had not planned to do at all!) because the sister who was to "be in charge" had an unscheduled surgery. Now that she's beginning to function, I'm hoping to be shut of costumes soon. (fingers crossed)

It is so very much easier to do things in the proper order. In this case: 1]design 2]procure materials 3] build. Unfortunately when working with an essentially non-budget the order has been 1] design 2] beg for donated materials 3] be promised materials 4] re-design to fit what you will have 5] try to collect on all the promised materials 6] build with what you have AND re-design again around the holes in your needs 7] beg for specific needs and hopefully 8] will be to finish up. Sigh.

Last week, as we evaluated our needs, our wonderful Bishop said, "Give me a number. How much money do I need to pray for?" After much discussion, we came up with no real hard figures, but were up in the $800 range, so he said," Let's make it an even $1000. I can pray for that."

The Lord does answer prayers in mysterious ways. Last Sat. we went to look at stair units that a local theatre company has. Our director helped build some of the original units several decades ago, and there are still people there that she worked with, so we were hoping to get a break in the rental price. Turned out that the pieces that suit us best need refurbishing. We have the exact materials for this in abundance. We are getting the units for 4 months for free--except that we will return them in proper condition! That's over $150 right there!

One man in the ward was recently at the dump and noticed six pillars. He salvaged them, and they will be our outer pillars--perfect sizing! Free! Now I only have to build the five inner ones!

Then, yesterday I received a phone call from one of our missionaries. Elder M said they had talked to this guy who has a hobby of making armor, and he'd been toying with the idea of trying Roman armor next anyway, and he is interested in making our armor for us. I e-mailed the guy right away, and attached the costume renderings of our 8 soldiers (4 Roman footsoldiers, a centurian, and a tribune, plus 2 Jewish Temple guards) I eagerly await his response.

Keep praying, Bishop! :D

I haven't anything witty or inciteful to say just now. I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still alive, and trying to snatch time to read and comment even if I've not time to think about writing myself. But ask me the measurements of most of my ward and lots of others in the stake...slowly but surely I'm getting them. The columns are a-buildin' and the props a-gatherin' plus teaching Sunday School, hosting book club, working at the Bishop's storehouse, attending the Temple, and working in the Family History Center. Add rehearsals, production meetings and costuming sessions.

Finally throw in an overnight party for 10 boys ages 12-16!

I'm glad school has started today. I have to get some time at home at least with my chauffeur gone most of the day. whew! Of course I've a garageful of materials to build...

Fun

We really did have Fun. It has taken awhile to get to it because I had to jump right back into the busy craziness of getting a show off the ground. whew...

The King Tut exhibit was just great--see it if you can! The Field Museum is just plain fun. We stuck to the African animals--very short on time...It is like going to the Zoo or Wild Animal Park but getting to see the animals up close and personal! Some people do not like "stuffed" animals, and these have all gone through the hands of excellent taxidermists, but all the animals were already in captivity when they died, with a few notable exceptions. Then we found a motel to sleep a few exhausted hours before the Cubs game. It was a lot of fun for the kids--and the Cubs won, too! [As I hate baseball, I opted to stay in the room and sleep. Needed and fun for me!]

There were a pair of "Man-Eating lions" from Africa. They explained the whole story. Apparantly these two lions got a taste for humans during a time of famine, and kept at it for a lengthy period of time. Finally, they were tracked down and killed. The taxidermists did a fabulous job--no bullet marks at all, but to do so required reducing the size of these two lions. If this is their "reduced" size--trust me, no one would want to meet up with the full-sized lion at any time or place!

The next day we went to Marshall Field's, not to shop but to explore and it was fun! I was so wicked! I rode the escalators as much as I wanted--no sales lady was going to report me to my Grandma! As I mentioned: no hat! no gloves! no socks! no skirt--pants instead! In Downtown Chicago!!! at Marshall Field's!!! I know the kids were not as delighted with the afternoon there as was I, but they did enjoy it, too. Also, Erica got a present for Dallin, even tho we planned to buy nothing. Once we have a new address, it'll go in the mail.

Finally, in a repeat of our Chicago visit of a few years ago, we opted to eat at The Rain Forest Cafe'. [Ever get there, Laurel?]I know there are three in the Greater Chicago area now, and others elsewhere, but for those not in the know:
It is a "rainforest" complete with erupting volcano [periodically] a waterfall, monkeys that swing, elephants who trumpet and apes that move and make noises, too. All that, and two-story tall aquariums strategically placed. So wherever you are seated, you have a most interesting view. After eating [and getting our "doggie bags"they really stuffed us!] we went into the shop. They have all kinds of rainforest themed anything you can think of! I was a good girl and did not spend a fortune this time, but I'm saving up for the next Chicago trip! Even riding the [free] trolley from parking to the RFC was fun. All in all, I highly recommend Chicago as a fun place to visit. And I must say that Erica proved to be a much better city driver than I. The last time we got hit, and honked at more times than I can count! Erica was only honked at a few times [Of course, she was driving a CRV as opposed to the big van I drove last time.]

Visiting the relatives in MI was fun as well. I always did get on well with that particular sis-in-law and stepbro. I think their kids are delightful, too. Come to find out one is fairly close to us in Indianapolis, so hope to get together again at some point.

Other than the business end of stuff, it was a pretty fun trip. And we made up a new fun travel game. The person in the back seat randomly pointed to a place in the road atlas, announced the name of the town/city, and the others had to guess [and I do mean guess] what state or province it was in. It was really hard! Do you know how many states have a Springfield, for example? And you had to get the right one. First we were going to go up to 5 for a winner. Finally, it was whoever could get one...I won. Therefore it was fun.

We live quite close to the original National Road--Highway 40 [similar to Route 66 now of Cars fame. Tho it took a bit longer than the freeway, we opted to take it from Indianapolis to Columbus. It was worth seeing western OH. I doubt we'll ever do it again in quite the same way. But it was a nice calm drive home that way. Except Richard had to get up at 6:00am to go help clean a river the next day. Erica had to work. And me? I had to get over the depression and jump right back into the Nativity Pageant preparations, but more of that another time.

I love traveling with my kids. I love the making of the memories. I wish everyone was close enough to go--next Sat is the Dublin [OH] Irish Festival. We're going! So, go out and make a memory :)

Fast

We took a Fast trip to Chicago. In all reality, it is only 6 hrs away. With two drivers, that does go pretty fast. We left approxamately 1:00am so we could arrive about 7:00am to get our tickets and get in. We whizzed through Dayton [nephews I didn't stop to see] Indiannapolis [next time a stop to see a cousin and maybe a nephew] Lafayette [it really would have been nice for us if Ches had gotten the Purdue job] and on into Chicago.

We went directly [via a sort of indirect path] to the Field Museum. I've never approached Chicago from quite that angle before, so missed the Skyway [a road] and bumbled around a bit before finding my way to Lakeshore Drive, upon which lies the Museum Campus. Now, Lakeshore Drive is right along the Lake as name implies, so you just keep heading towards Lake Michigan, and eventually you will find it. We did.

Although it was just a few minutes after 8:00when we reached the lines' front, we still got into the 8:00 tickets--thus making our goal.

This exhibit is from King Tut's Tomb. It began with his family tree [I was hooked] and went through his family and life as explained by items from his tomb. It was really fabulous! I don't know how thrilled Richard was, but he, at least, seemed to enjoy it. Erica seemed, of course, fascinated.

A lunch and bathroom break were definitely in order after finishing King Tut. We sat where we could watch Sue. She is the most comple tyranus rex around, and huge!

After lunch we bumbled around the African and Asian animals areas until completely running out of steam. From there we went out towards O'Hare airport to find inexpensive, but decent lodgings in a safe area for the night. It worked. We slept through the afternoon. Richard and Erica got up to go to a Cubs game [yay Cubbies! We won!] I slept some more. Upon their return, we all had a good night's sleep, then drove into the city the next day to go to Marshall Field's Department Store. But that is a story for Fascinating. Really! So I'll on with Fast for today: Leaving Chicago, we drove quickly though a piece of In and on up into MI where we spent a nice with my step-brother's family in Marcellus. I was hoping to do a little genealogical research in a tiny hamlt called Climax. My sis-in-law called me back for particulars, and when we arrived, she printed out pages drom her genealogically bug-bit aunt, who solved all the question and there was no longer a need to drive up to Climax the next day, so we didn't. Thurs saw a quick visit to Grandma Jan in Mishawaka, IN then back on the road and home by 11:30 pm! And that was with taking the National Road--Hwy 40 rather than I-70 the freeway. It was fun and interesting, but most definitely NOT FAST! So the last little bit we hopped back onto the freeway and home. Sigh.

I think I'm getting too old for fast trips like this.

inFuriating

We've just gotten home from a 3-day trip. It was Fast, Fun and inFuriating. I'll adress other aspects later, but the last just now.

Advice to those who expect to die someday: Put ALL your wishes in writing. Give a copy to every one of your children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and stepgrandchildren [as they reach adulthood]. Give a copy to your spouse as well as to previous spouses [if applicable] Living parents, grandparents, siblings, all should have their own copy. Most importantly: Do NOT expect anyone to follow your stated wishes unles you have put it in writing. Just because you said it to everyone together so that they are ALL witnesses--forget it!!! And anything said privately may as well have never been said at all.

Take care of all this while you are young. My parents had a metal box--and I always knew where-- and it contained wills, and instructions for us kids: that we would go to live with my mom's brother to be raised. I always found that knowledge comforting. I am sad that I didn't provide my children with the same amount of security always, tho. things were always diliniated.

I need to redo my paperwork now that the kids are getting older, and give a copy to everyone! I don't think that amounts matter as much as following the person's expressed wishes. So, EXPRESS THEM!

Accidents

Here is my story from the past and the present for today:

Once upon a time, I had a 16 yr old daughter--a new driver who was involved in an accident. It was not at all her fault, and witnesses said that if she hadn't responded as she did [jumping the curb] it would have been a three car accident rather than two, and probably much worse for the two as well. I was always proud of her.

I made a huge mistake, though. My theory being "get back on the horse" the next day or so I sent her on a quick errand to the grocery store for one or two items. She drove past her turn and decided to cut through a bank drive through to get back on track. Unfortunately, the vehicle she was driving was a mini-van with a truck chassis [they're no longer made] and it had a wider than normal wheel base. [I drove off the edge of the road in it more than once.] She hit the bank drive-through. She called home and Dad went to the rescue. The bank manager was yelling at her when Dad arrived, and any anger he might have felt was totally directed at the "adult" bank manager who apparantly was acting as though my daughter drove into his bank on purpose! [Stupid people--it was an ACCIDENT! definition: not on purpose!]

Today I was riding with my new driver son. We were: 1] in Dad's car--Richard usually drives the CRV--a very different feel from the Crown Victoria! 2] on a sharp curve with traffic coming the other way [not really room for two vehicles at that spot] 3] the road narrows right at the curve and 4] the speedometer doesn't work in Dad's car--and Richard does not yet have a "feel" for how fast he is going, so he was approaching a little faster than he should have been.

And stupid me, I chose that time to look down and turn on the air conditioning! So I was not doing my job of telling him to slow down more going into that curve. Had there been no other cars coming, though, we'd have been fine. But he was overwhelmed, and unfortunately ran off the road. All I could see at that moment was the electric pole looming ahead, but he wrenched the car to a stop by hitting the wire fence instead. So the mirror broke off, the license plate came off the front, and there is a tear in the front bumper. several scratches on the passenger door, but we were able to drive away. Actually, I had the 20-something young man who stopped to help, manuver the car out of the fence and back on to the road, and then I illegally drove home as Richard was visably shaking.

I think now that most of the shaking was from fear--how mad would Dad get? He didn't. We've been here before.

When the daughter had the accident that totaled the car, no one was seriously hurt, but we got enough money from the accident to pay off what we owed on the car and to purchase our "new"[to us] van we really really needed at that time. I don't know what good will come from this accident, but I'm sure that something will. It always has before.

Sometimes it is good to be the youngest kid--your parents have been through it before--even if you haven't. Poor Richard.

Family History

I love family history/genealogy. I am blessed to be descended from a prolific family with many available records. John Herenden brought his family to Boston in the early 1600's, then drowned in Boston Harbor. His second son escaped to Rhode Island with Roger Williams for religious reasons, and met a Quaker family en route. He married the daughter--it is quite a romantic tale. The name morphed many times, but eventually settled on Harrington. It is a very common name, but all are related through 1] John who came to Boston, 2] his brother who went to VA, or 3] a cousin/possibly brother who went to Ireland. Following just the New England Harringtons is a course in history. They were deeply involved in King Philip's War, Queen Anne's War, the French and Indian War, the Revolution, the War of 1812 or Second War for Independence, and the Civil War and on down through the modern wars. They are judges and doctors as well as farmer and shopkeepers. They are always represented on the frontiers--wherever they push west. It has become a real joy to add to my "Collection of Harringtons" which I hope to publish one day through the Genealogical Press.

It gives me a sense of connection to history. It gives me the sense of being part of history in the making. I will add our generations to the anals of this family, for I often go far afield adding the collateral lines down a new name a few generations, up a line married into [such as the Browns in early RI--think Brown University].

Newell K Whitney's mother was a Harrington. Truman O Angell who was the architect of the Salt Lake Temple was a third generation down Harrington, and a fourth, and probably more as the Angells and Harringtons intermarried for generations.

History =his story [and hers, too] = my story :D

Challenge: Write down a favorite family story[preferably one from previous generations. Maybe "scrapbook" it. If we all did this once a week, or once a month, think how our books would grow!

Invitation: hare a family story here. Length doesn't matter, nor does time period, but lets try to collect some interesting stories from our families' past--it is our collective past as a nation.

Mourning the Cup

The stages of grief are manifest here over the Stanley Cup. Chris Pronger has speeded up the process by allowing it to be bandied about in the press that he wants to be traded to a US team [he's Canadian, wife is Amreican.]
Richard is past denial and firmly in anger now. I forget what the other stages of grief are...

Disability

I feel so guilty at times that I am on disability. I generally feel pretty good, have lots of energy, and bicycle mt way around town--up to 9 miles on any given day, thus far. I've a friend who is trying to get disability, but not using an attorney, she has been turned down twice and her latest appeal is stuck in red tape. She can barely walk. She has a myriad of other problems. Compared to her, I am the picture of health.

I've even wondered about going back to work...at least subbing.

Then I have a day like yesterday...We, the production staff for the Nativity Pageant our ward is sponsering, went to three wards to give our presentation in Relief Society, Prieshood and Young Woemen. When you include the choir perf on our own ward, I gave 9 performances yesterday. Today I went with Erica to the local Comm College where she is going to [hopefully[ take a summer course]. Upon returning home, I put my nightgown back on, took the icepack and went to bed. I've been up now for about 3 hours, and am heading straight back to bed.

Maybe going back to work isn't such a good idea after all. Hmmm.

Mourning

What is the proper period of mourning over a Stanley Cup loss? It's been a week, now, and I think that is long enough--but aparantly not for my son--He could go on for years!

Scientific Truth

Scientific truth is a changing body. I've lost count of the switchbacks on the good/ill effects of coffee. Ditto alcohol [specifically wine]. I remember the Alar scare of the late 1980's. Alar is a chemical that used to be sprayed on apples to keep them fresher longer. It did absolutely NO harm to humans, but the news story splashed the headlines. Small orchard owners went under that year. Today the big arguments include global warming [yes, we are, but we are also still coming out of the "Little Ice Age" and should be warming! Remember your history lessons--they used to have vinyards in England, and in Nova Scotia!] and evolution. The newest information is often overlooked while old, disproved info continues to spread through outdated textbooks and outdated teachers who teach what they were taught without staying on top of the new discoveries. I remember learning about the moths in industrial England...the story goes that the white ones used to thrive, but after the industrial revolution, because of all the soot, now the black ones tended to live, and the species over time turned alsost exclusively black. It made so much sense to me, that I bought it, hook, line and sinker. Problem: Untrue! Or how about Piltdown man? He has been taught as the missing link between man and monkey for a century almost. Unfortunately after the event of carbon dating, it was found to be a hoax. A man's skull with an orangatang's jaw attached. Still it is taught.

The same holds true medically, all too often. Erica got to teach first aid at Girl's Camp. She was most unhappy with some of the materials they were given with out of date info. She specified NOT clearing someone's mouth before using the Heimlich manuver--it is a good way to get bitten, plus, you run a very real risk nowadays as to what ilnesses the person can be silently carrying. My personal favorite dates way back, but is often still taught to put a spoon in the mouth of a person having an epileptic seizure--particularly grande mal. NOT TRUE! Never in the history of man has there been a verified case of someone swallowing his own tounge. However, he can choke on the spoon, or whatever. If we are going to teach anythin scientific in nature, or read about such, we need to be sure our source has the mst up to date info, or find it!
Real truth does not change, but since scientific truth is based upon previous knowledge, it can and does change as we change and learn ever more.

Plus, we need to be aware of the consequences. DDT was banned were once it had been deemed the salvation of mankind because it was wiping out lage mosquitoe poulations. No more DDT. Lots more mosqitoes, and a greater spread of disease [including West Nile--nothing to sneeze at!] What we really need is lots more common sense. :)

Correspondance: New and Old

I've been so busy, I haven't had time to post or to read posts or comments or to comment. Whew. I sometimes feel guilty about how much time I'm spending on the blog sites. Then I got thinking...when I was a young girl, we all received pretty stationary every birthday etc. Why? To encourage us to become letter writers. Pen pals were encouraged [I had one in Germany and later in Poland.] Writing distant cousins, aunts, uncles etc. was fully expected. So...I figure that blogging is part of the modern world's way of writing. Therefore, whether we write on our own blogs or comment on another's, we are following the age old traditions of a literate society in writing to our friends, and in carying on a written conversation in this manner. And yes, e-mail counts, too.

The other night, Erica, who is again working at a movie theater, took me to see "The Lake House." It is the new Sandra Bullock movie. It uses the theme of Jane Austin's "Persuation" in the film. I felt so smart because I remembered the book really well [having read it for book club just a few monhs ago]. But it was not neccessary to know it as it is all explained in the film. This is a quite lovely story [OK, so you could call it a "chick flick" but it is really more of a character study and a correspondance story.] The main characters actually write to each other. If you get the chance, see the film. It is worth it.

I used to write to cousins of my grandparents when I was in my early 20's and they were in their 80's. In several cases I had to figure out they'd died when I heard no more from them, but it was worth it in each case. I got to know these elderly relatives as "real people" and didn't feel so divided by age as we wrote. Two were seasoned and retiring teachers as I was preparing to become a teacher. One was a retired priest and I was just getting immersed into my new religion. One was a newly wed [to husband #2] as I was in the dating towards marriage stage of life. We had so much more in common than not.

I discovered that my mother and grandmother had been correct: writing letters is an art, and one which despite the enjoyable immediacy of the telephone, must be kept alive.

Thank you for being my correspondants, keeping writing alive, and at times keeping my spirit alive!

The OILERS Won

Richard wants the world--or at least my mountaintop's denizens to know of his joy! Yay OILERS!

Parallel Journeys

This is the name of the book we are reading this month for book club. It came about through speaking engagements. The woman grew up during Hitler's rise in Germany. She is Jewish, and, of course ended up in the camps. She now crisscrossses North America speaking and educating in behalf of those whose lives were lost and/or broken during the Holocaust. The other speaker is a younger man. He was raised as a German youth in Nazi Germany. While his twin stayed at their grandparents' farm, and so developed quite differently, he remained in the city and rose rapidly through the ranks of the Hitler Youth. Their parallell stories and the careful juxtaposition is an inspiration as well as an education. She was a loyal German, who happened to be a Jew. He was a loyal German, who happened to be a fit young man. How their lives went forward is of great interest. I am especially fascinated by his story--how he led the defenses at the end with young boys and old men...all the while believing in the myth that was Hitler. It wasn't until he went to the trials at Nurembourg that he began to realize what a horrible thing he had had part in. Eventually, he hit the speaking circuit, and was frequently paired with this woman, they became, not friends, but wary aquaintances who were speaking out for the same reason--to stop such evil from recurring. I read this book initially a couple of years ago, but it has stuck with me. It showed me how so many Germans, even Jews did not understand till quite late what was really going on. Today I ran across this article about a man in Wisconsin who is building a museum to honor Hitler. For this reason, I believe we need to keep alive the stories and the knowledge of the holocaust. Here is a link to that story:
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0%2C1518%2C421345%2C00.html truly astounding! Our exchange student from Berlin told me how they are taken frequently to the camps on field trips so that the memories remain fresh. I remember my uncle telling me about liberating one of the camps. The people were skeletons--and those were the live ones! We were able to visit the holocaust museum in Richmond, VA. The DC one is patterned after that one--only bigger and better! We must remember. We must apply those lessons to our times: Hitler = Saddam = Darfur? Where does it stop? When does it stop? It stops first when good men do nothing--the easiest way to have peace, but at what cost?! So what must we do? I believe the answer was given by Captain Moroni when he rent his cloak and wrote upon it," For Liberty!"

Weekly Anamnesis # 27 part B

While postage stamps and the exotic travel of such came first to mind, I also think of green stamps.

Green stamps were collected throughout my childhood. A trip to the gas station? X amount of money spent = x number of green stamps received. Ditto almost any purchase anywhere. My Mom would toss the odds and ends of green stamps into a box in her desk, and every couple of weeks or so we would sit in the kitchen at the counter with a plate holding a wet washcloth and put the green stamps into their books. The books would be bundled in fives and go back into the desk until shopping trip time. As youngsters in rural So. Calif [inland] we would go into Riverside on a family shopping trip a couple times each year. Pure agony for me, a reluctant shopper at best. But then we would go to the green stamp store. Of course we had pored over their catalog at home, but that was just to whet our appetites for the real thing!

Choosing what to get with our green stamps was always great fun. I still remember the dishes with the wheat pattern [what would they be worth in today antique shops!?] The sets of glases, our first beach towels, the long saved for punch bowl set. The purple plates which were set aside for our Jewish "family" so they could eat Kosher. Dolls, toy trucks, something for everybody.

Sometimes I miss those days of green stamps...they were a very real part of the American experience, the American culture, for decades.

Weekly Anamnesis # 27

I'm into escapism right at the moment. That's what my childhood stamp collection meant to mer. I had a really great start, 'cause my Dad handed his onto me. I had all the US stamps I had lots of Italian, German Japanese and Korean stamps. From there I was able to expand, with various Asian countries--curtusy of an uncl'es trip, and the exotic stamps allowed me to travel as well. Then my father went to the Carribean and Mexico on business, and my mind followed right along. Stamps show people and places that must be researched. My exchange student sister from Argentina sent a wonderful letter--and stamps before she ever arrived.

My stamp collecting evolved into picture postcard collecting, and still I feel I've been able to travel--even if just for a minute--whenever I receive a new picture postcard to add to my collection.

I've never been outside of North America, but in my mind I've been to most parts of the world curtesy of those who have done the actual physical traveling. Thank you to parents, relatives and friends who have shared with me their experiences, making me the true aremchair traveler.

And it all started with pretty scraps of paper used to raise funds for various countries. Stamps.

Again With Names!

This was so much fun to read others, I just had to "join the band" [a variation of jumping on the bandwagon...

1. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (grandfather/grandmother on your father's side, your favorite candy):

Fontina Caramel

2. YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME: (first initial of first name followed by "izzle", first two or three letters of your [middle] name followed by "dizzle"):

Vizzle Andizzle

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal):

Cranberry Cat


4. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your name- last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your [former] pet's name repeated twice):

Val-ipe Tod-tod

5. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The", your favorite color, the automobile you drive):[NOTE: I ride a bicycle!]

The Cranberry Huffy

Mine aren't as good as Sariah's or April's, but it was fun. Oh, and, yes, my grandmother's name is a cheese, so #1 is awfully food-ish!

Promise Me!

I already talked to Lura--but I want promises from ALL my kids! Promise me!!!

I love my husband, but there is much about his raising I simply do not understand. I respect, but really do not know my mother-in-law. Her visit is, as was the last 12 yrs ago, a bit strained. I don't know what to do! There is nothing much to talk about. [I showed her all the pictures on Flicker...we walked around town and then the 2 mi home again...] She doesn't play games. [we tried that]

Promise me that if you ever dread my coming to visit...you'll tell me. I won't come then. Gosh, maybe that's why she hasn't come for so long. But that's why we don't know her. Catch 22? But promise me if you feel that way, you'll tell me! I can entertain myself. [read, sleep, watch TV, do crossword puzzles...] I talk to you. I play games. I love to sight see. I love to play at the park with grandkids. Anything. I want to always be part of your lives, but even more I do not want to be in the way of your lives. I don't mean to say that she is in the way, no, its more that I feel in the way and so do the kids, and my husband. It is just too awkward--don't ever let me be like this. Promise me!

Partners in Crime

Today R and I saw his two "partners in crime." J received NO punishment [I think she was toobusy with s son graduating and youngest bro leaving on Mission and tons of family around] and RD received a curfew. He also came over and apologized to me for getting R into trouble. He is very upset. He also has to call home every three hours from now on when he is out. Until further notice. My R still thinks I am the meanest Mom of all. So does Sariah apparantly. :)

Hey. S do you remember the nigt of the dance I let you spend the night elsewhere so you could stay out the full time...and go to the after dance party. Your curtailed curfew would not have allowed for that, but I felt that in that one case you deserved leniency. :) I can still do it--take things case by case!

Random Friday

Its almost no longer Friday, but...

One worries more about ones childrens' employment status than ones own. I guess 'cuz you just want things to be easier for your kids.

Ditto schooling and student loans.

Lesson learned: Your kids are always your "little ones" no matter size or age. And you [OK, I] always will worry over them. And that is part of loving them.

I guess that is how our Heavenly Father regards us in many ways, too. So I guess I'd better not forget to "call".

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Community Involvement:The traffic light fight winds down...We will lose our light, but they are at least looking at the timing. Also we get 1] increased signage from the two exits showing how to find our historic downtown. 2] to keep the road open for emergency vehicle crossing, 3] get right on, right off turn lanes. 4] we might get bike lanes on the two overpasses two miles either side of our road,[a 'new' idea I put forward] and 5] funding is actively being saught, and they are trying to get our High/Bowen overpass moved onto the fast track. So all our work did accomplish something. An excellent experience. [But I'm glad its winding down--it took total consumption of time, energy and thought.]

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The house: Boy, does a house ever become a mess when you're busy with something else. So this week I've been trying to recoup and regroup! I finally "finished" the dining room today. The plate rail looks good, and the decorative curtain rod went up fairly easily, as did the curtain, well, they are like tie-backs, only mounted metal U's turned sideways on the wall. Anyway, all done. Now I just need to finish paying for the silk flower arrangement I had made for the table, and the antique chair. Whew, it feels good to have accomplished it. I will post pics when I learn how to put them onto the computer from the camera. [I think we're missing the cord.]

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My mother-in-law arrives tomorrow for a 5 day visit. I'm really nervous. If it were my other MiL, I wouldn't be, I'm really relaxed and can be myself without worry around her. We've been friends for over 30 years, having married into the family only a couple months apart. But my husband's mother...her last visit to us was about a dozen years ago. She moved herself to a hotel after Day 2. When we have visited her, it is only for a few hours at a time when staying with my family members relatively nearby. So I'm nervous. Rediculously so. I just hope my daughters- and sons-in-law never feel this way when I'm coming to visit!

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Last week I missed my Thurs am class, and this week, I [along with my partner] went to work at the Family History Center, even tho it wasn't our week. I need a regular calendar. I have one that lists the days in a column. Doesn't work for me very well. Obviously. Almost 54 yrs old, and I still can't read a calendar! Pathetic.

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Got to talk to Jesse the other day before he went to work at his Unit [army]. It was the day the news about al Zacari [phonetic--no clue to the spelling] hit the news. It seems odd to be so happy at the news of someone's death. I know that there are many more terrorists, but his "spot" will not be completely filled for some time to come. Listen up, World: He was Jordanian, not Iraqi. His most likely replacement is Eygptian, not Iraqi! How are they "insurgents"? They are invaders, just as we are accused. And yes, we were invaders. But we were invaders in Nazi Germany. too. Then we stayed to help the country rebuild. [And in fact still have troops there. And in Japan. And in Korea.] Let's notice how things are going right!

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I'm talked out, so I can go to bed now. Good night my friends, :)

Crime and Punishment

Make the punishment fit the crime. That was one of the best pieces of parenting guidance I ever received. However, I'd like to pass it on with an addendum: Make the punishment fit the perpetrator of the crime as well.

We had a "crime" in our family yesterday. I thought and thought about my response to the situation. I think my response was and is correct. It is a month's grounding with certain exceptions of MY choosing. It is serious enough for the "perp" to understand the seriousness of the "crime" but tempered with mercy for the "perp" does not often get into trouble.

As I have, in essence, "two families"--a set of older kids, and a pair of younger kids, I am often assailed with, "You are so easy on them! You were so much stricter with us" complaints from the older kids. Imagine my surprise when today I received a phone call from one of the older kids seeking leniency for the current "perp"! Seems I still can't get it right!

Just you wait...you'll get your turn to wait up and worry! [Not a "mother's curse" merely stating a fact :) ]

This Week's Lessons

Last Sunday seems so very long ago, it was such a full week. It has been determined that a week this full is detrimental to one's health. One needs must have some down time, especially at my stage of life. This week that didn't really happen. Highlights:
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Sunday: Richard had his friend, Bryant over after church. We actually played Castle Risk! Rule # 1 states, "Do not play with Vinnie or Erica." We played with Erica. The unwritten rule is to avoid Mom playing this game as it usually results in a meltdown because I really, truely do NOT "get" this game. But I played. Our home teacher came over. [For our non-LDS friends...see Sariah's blog about visiting teachers. Home teachers are men, and are responsible to visit certain assigned families in our congregation each month--in lieu of pastor visits as we do not have a full-time paid ministry. They are to report any needs to the Bishop--the current leader of our ward--kinda like a priest in a parish, except that he is married and has his own family to care and provide for as well as seeing to the spiritual needs of the congregation.]

Anyway, he presented his lesson, and was happy, I think, to escape--it was just a little silly around here... As soon as he left, I deserted the game and kids to go with 'hubby' [that's for you, Erica!] to visit one of the families for which he is responsible. I asked Erica to play my turns, but they decided to let my armies build up while I was gone, so upon return, I was not only still in the game, but at a level I had never before reached. Two turns later I was out. I really do not understand that game--nor do I want to--I'll leave the world domination to FF! It gives me a headache!

But I did learn how to place my armies. So ha! and they say you can't teach an old dog... After dinner, the boys left for Bryant's house where Richard spent the night. It quieted down here rapidly.

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Monday was Memorial Day. Our ward had a pancake breakfast at a pretty good park. The kids really enjoyed it. Richard was on hand early to set up etc. Erica and I got there in time to eat, and after a brief but poignant program, the teens disbursed to play ball, the little children had a wonderful playground, and the adults visited. It felt like Memorial Day. Growing up, my family and most of the "crowd" of St. Hyacinth's families [my grade school] gathered at the Lypps' Farm for the anual Memorial Day picnic. When I was single and returned to live in my hometown with three children, we went the next Memorial Day to "The Picnic" and I knew I was a grown-up because I had my own children there.

One year--I was probably about 15 or so--Dr. Zhivago was playing at the drive-in movie theater. We teens decided that we all wanted to go. It was a very big deal to get permission from both parents. We all piled into a car with a maybe 17/18 yr old driver. As we got down the road a few miles towards town, we came upon a young couple with a gas can walking along the road. Of course we stopped. After mashing them in somehow, we took them to get gas. I remember them asking us, "What is this? A family reunion or something?" And we all answered "yes--or something" At that moment I recognized that the group of families had, over the years, become a family, my family, not by blood, but by choice. We knew each other better than many of us knew our own cousins. One of the other Dads was my Dad's "best friend" and they even traveled to Italy together! Another Mom was my Mom's "best friend" and it was she who really helped me through Sariah's "Starving Time" when I learned that my milk didn't have enough calories to keep her alive! Another of the Moms was the one who helped me through the birth and death of my youngest sibling--my Dad was totally enwrapped in Mom, and she was hospitalized. Yet another Mom helped my sister. We were all "family."

As we've gone our seperate ways, I miss that I can't take my kids to "The Picnic" but we are much too far away. Yet when I was home when my mother died... it was the members of this "family" who were there. I see them seldom, but I know that if I needed their help, or if they needed mine, we, the St. Hyacinth's Academy Family, would pull together.

***
Mon continued after the breakfast, so we 3 went to a cavern. Not only was it cool [we saw lots of fossils etc.] but it was cool [I happily needed my jacket!] on a very hot day.

***
>>>>Monday's lessons:
Always keep a jacket in the car
and take a flashlight when you go to caves. <<<<< *** Tues. I went to the Bishop's Storehouse. [non-LDS aside: it is a church-run welfare program, and the storehouse is like a grocery store, but volunteers fill the orders and a truck delivers them to the individual congregations. The orders are coded, so those who are volunteering have no idea who the recipient is to preserve privacy.] As always, it was a lot of fun. This time, though, I got to learn something new--I got to help someone do some drypack canning. It was easy and fun. I am no longer afraid to go do it! >>>>Tues. Lessons:
How to drypack/can <<<<< *** Wed. I went back to being Paul Revere on a bike. We now had a meeting date with ODOT and needed to spread the word. So I did. Until it started really raining--and I hurried home to get dry! >>>>Wed Lessons:
I should have printed more signs up sooner.
Manufactoring businesses are also anxious about the light
--and have lots of people to sign petitions.
Keep a poncho in my bag in case it rains. <<<<< *** Thurs. a.m. I was so exhausted from the previous days that I missed my class at church--I just plain forgot it was this week. I continued phone calls, picked up petition sheets and tried to prepare as best I could for the 5:00 traffic light meeting. It really went fairly well, I think. A great turn-out, and lots of big wigs with ODOT who were even taking notes! Arrived home a few minutes after 7:00 to find 3 people waiting on the porch--in the rain. Richard had missed hearing the doorbell no less than 3 times! So they were waiting for me--it was book club night. We had a great discussion [more another time on the book] and everyone else arrived after me, so it all worked out. >>>>Thurs. lessons:
When the first of the month falls on Thurs, it means that it is the first Thurs and we have class [Duh!]
The squeaky wheel really does get the grease--we got ODOT's attention!
I only have "teacher" clothes, not "business" but that's OK.
Never leave a teenage boy to answer the doorbell, and allow him to be on the computer!
Book Club is really worth while when you are pushed out of your comfort zone and read something you would not otherwise have chosen.<<< *** Fri. I collapsed. I figured I deserved to sleep in [Didn't know about missing class on Thurs yet! But I did need to clean the house and do lots of laundry! Erica has a new job and had to have black dress pants. I needed summer jeans [clamdiggers] for cooler bike riding--shorter, but covering my knees for the inevitable falls. I had success on the first try, Erica took three stores. >>>>>Fri lessons:
Even when you are busy doing good and important stuff, the house needs attention, too.
For every teen added into the household, the attendant mess multiplies expotentially!
Shopping is lots less onerous when clothes fit decently <<<<< *** Sat. I overslept, so missed hockey [sorry, Richard, but I cannot get out the door that fast anymore!] After showers & food, Erica took me to check with the pharmacy because one of the meds I picked up the night before looked different. It was made by a different company. We also picked up some stationary for a girl I visit teach who had a graduation reception. After dinner, we went to the reception--it was very nice, but almost as soon as we arrived, so did another family, and it hit me that not only did I not get their daughter a gift, but I completely forgot her reception the previous evening!! After leaving the reception, we went directly back to the store and I got the missed gift and gave it to her with apologies today at church.

>>>>Sat. lessons:
Set my clock on Fri nights so as not to disappoint my son by missing hockey.
Always check your meds--but different companies do use the same name for the same med and they can look different.
You can look up your meds online and see pictures to check, but you have to know that there may be another company...
Look at the calendar during the week so as not to miss other stuff!
Buy gifts all at once so as not to have to return repeatedly to the store. <<<<

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At least I do continue to learn :)

Names II

For those interested in that conversation thread--there has been a good comment added recently by Proud Mum for teachers in particular, but true for any and everyone when faced with a family member or friend choosing a name you absolutely hate. Thank you, Proud Mum!

Immigration Redux

We've all talked quite a bit about the current immigration issues and problems. My husband [Erica--note I did NOT say hubby] gave me a lengthy article to read yesterday. It was 9 pages, but very worth reading. It was a speech given by Sen. Jeff Sessions to the Senate explaing a bit about what is actually in the Immigration Bill before the Senate. It can be found at:
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=15165

I urge everyone to read this--the entire Senate Bill is over 600 pages long. How many Senators actually read and digested this bill before voting? At least after this speech, they had a pretty good idea what was in that bill. We should, too. Thank goodness the way the voting numbers went, the reconciliation will go more towards the House of Representatives Bill. But how much will it do to help the average American citizen? We are the ones who will be left holding the bag as we are overrun with hordes of "new" immigrants taking advantage of their previous illegal actions.

I remember not so many years ago when as a general rule, police officers were very well respected. Now, it seems more like a joke of a job. Who pays much heed to speeding laws? Who pays heed to immigration laws? Which laws will be thrown away next? While I think on the one hand we have too many laws, I am more unhappy about the lack of respect our society has for the law. Me included. Sigh. Excess laws + lack of enforcement of needed laws = disrespect for law, and leads to disrespect for those who symbolize the law. The breakdown continues in every aspect of society until we reach complete chaos.

If you think I am being alarmist...compare to inner city schools. The teacher etc. = the police of the larger world. Once the respect was gone, everything else went very quickly.

Is our culture and society to become an inner city schools type of land? Will chaos reign, or will liberty? They are opposites, not allies.

When the French rid themselves of the old guard[1700's] they quickly desended into utter chaos, and everyone was hurt but those who grabbed power and became the new rulers which became a dictatorship. That has been repeated all the world over in recent history. Wherever the respect for law goes, soon the rest of the country's organization follows until in very short time there is no order, and no liberty. Look at any of the modern dictators and you will see that pattern.

In order to keep liberty, we must keep order or laws--just laws, and the Immigration Bill [Senate version] does just te opposite. Spread the word!

Namecalling

It is an art. Giving a baby a name...attaching a nickname to somebody...but name calling when we do NOT like someone--well it is harder. To do it right is an art. I definitely do NOT recommend foul language, but sometimes, well...we just have to sputter something out!

My Mom was of the school, "If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all." And she was very strict about it. Yet, my feelings [too tender] would be hurt, and I just wanted to lash out at the person who hurt me. All too often this was my younger sister. In retrospect, she was not usually the cause of my frustration, but it sure seemed like it at the time. I couldn't not talk to her [OK, I couldn't not talk!] So how was I to let her know how mad I was...and get a little of my own back? It never occured to me to try to hit her as I'd end up in far more trouble than I wanted. I tried various things...nothing worked. It would have to really upset her, but not really be anything bad so that I would stay out of trouble. Hmmm.

I started high school, and began German. Shortly thereafter I learned the word, "Plattenspieler." [record player] It was not part of our home vocabulary, so I tried it out. My sister got me mad [she did so quite easily and frequently] so I spouted something out, ending with calling her a Plattenspieler. Mom, who understood the word, let it go, after all, it really was quite silly! My sister, however reacted just as hoped...she came unglued! A sailors term couldn't have been worse by her reaction.

For the next two years, whenever I was really mad at her, my sister would hear, "You Plattenspieler!" from me. Every single time, it had its hoped for effect. As an added bonus, she would usually get madder and say something for which she might get into trouble. I had a great scam going.

Then she started high school and took--yep, German. About two weeks into the school year, she came home, and laughing at me, called me a Plattenspieler. The scam had ended. And somehow, although she could still make me really mad [in fact to this day, no one else knows how to push my buttons as does my sister] I've never again tried to get her goat by calling her a name. Nor anyone else. And oddly enough, despite our many differences, I think my sister is one of my very best friends today. Even though she is a Plattenspieler!

Names

It seems many of us have suggestions for the mothers to be. So that Sariah [or anyone else] can safely read our suggestions. Or anti-suggestions. Here is the place...Mothers-to-be are welcome to comment, but lack thereof will not be so noticed, therefore anything is open game.

My suggestions: don't use FF's contributions...or the kid will likely get dumped into wastebaskets! Sorry FF...but the truth must be stated!

My anti-suggestion of the day: Jamie or Jimmy. They are always rotten kids in the early years in my experience! Just avoid J names altogether--it's safer that way. [Sorry, Lura. but Jago is OK for the reason you explained on Sariah's blog. And Jesse is long past that stage.]

Fun and Games

I come from a game family. My grandparents mostly played cribbage and other card games. My parents expanded with Monopoly and Careers and a couple others. I have NO card sense, so I stick to the board games--especially word games. My husband came from the war games genre [Gettysburg, Midway etc.] We tried to combine over Risk.

As time went by, in our family a couple of "pre-rules" were added: first came 'Never play with Vinnie' because he always cheated. [to be fair--he was a jr hi aged kid back then] Then 'Never play with Erica' was added because she won the game in one turn a couple times. NOT written, but strickly followed is not to play with Mom [due to melt-downs] So we have a very hard time for a game loving family on just what to play. Occasionally we can get Dad [my hubby--just for Erica!]to play Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit...but that's about it.

ANNOUNCEMENT!!! Dad played Phase Ten with us tonight!!! Richard was constant [irritating] noise. I couldn't begin to count the number of times Erica hit Richard, and he retaliated more times than I could count, yet Dad suffered through it all! [He enjoys when the kids are all home and we play games and he's upstairs hearing us--he just doesn't usually join in.]

It was fun and weird. And he said no to so many other choices...too long, too boisterous etc.
But we persevered, and I think he had a little fun despite himself. :D

Da Vinci Code

Today the movie came out. Today Erica and I saw it. It was quite well done and I enjoyed it enormously. It has been just long enough since I read the book that I couldn't remember too much detail, and of course, a movie has to have less detail by the nature of the beast. In any case, the characters were nicely fleshed out and it was the extraneous stuff that was eliminated--I felt that every bit of the movie except one brief shot was totally neccessary to the story, and that the story was fully encapsuled in the movie.

When the book first came out, I refused to read it because of its anti-Catholic reputation. There's enough anti-any religion out there, and I was not interested in anything like that. Erica asked my permission to read it. We discussed why I chose not to read it, but I encouraged her to go ahead if she was interested in the book. She read it, and told me [repeatedly] that it was NOT anti-Catholic if you read it all the way through. So I read and emmensily enjoyed the book. I agree, book or movie, that it really is not anti-Catholic, nor is it anti-Christianity. It is a cleverly drawn tale using enough facts to make it plausible to a "willing suspension of disbelief."

According to Catholic theology, IF this were presented as a TRUE story, it could be very disturbing--as to all Christiandom. I would like to point out that at one point the "bad guys" admit that IF caught, they would be excommunicated, and it is these characters and their actions, I think, that draw the anti-Catholic label.

So...if you are interested--go see a good cloak and dagger movie. Be entertained. Enjoy the bits of "clues" that are manufatored and twisted to make this tale. But do not take it as Gospel, and do not confuse it with fact. A fun story should not be a danger to anyone's testimony of God!

Running Too Fast

In the scriptures we are warned not to run faster than we have strength. This has often been on my mind of late...I've been so busy with so many good and important things. And I was doing it all! But the scripture entered my mind again and again. Yesterday I woke up at 6:00 am because my hubby had left his alarm on when he went downstairs. After turning off the alarm, I wa about to get up when that scripture went thru my mind yet again. And then I began seizing. That is, I began a day long series of epileptic seizures. So I stayed in bed, dozed, read, and basically just seized all day.

Today I woke up [with my alarm much later!] and hopped out of bed. Nary a seizure all day. I went to my class [but had Erica drive me rather than cycling] came home and relaxed a bit while I read the article in the paper about the traffic light [and saw myself quoted]. Erica and I did go out for a little while this afternoon, but I am taking it easy for a couple of days...my body confirmed what my spirit already knew.

The only question remaining is...why does it take me so long to listen?

Eating Disorders As One of the Seven Deadly Sins (revised)

When I was young, my generation was shocked by a new disease: anorexia. The popular singer, Karen Carpenter put a face on this eating disorder for many of us when she died. Then real people we knew began exhibiting signs. Girls anxious to emulate Twiggy [the British model who looked like her name] began to starve themselves--quite literally. Today most know about the progression of the disease:
1] see yourself as outrageously FAT no matter the truth;
2] eat progressively less and less--by doing it progressively, the body adjusts so that one does not feel hunger in the normal way;
3] the body begins robbing itself to get the nutrients needed to the most vital parts so that at the same time the less vital organs begin to fail, then progresses to more and more vital parts failing until finally: death;

At the same time the person thusly afflicted is:
1] still seeing herself as FAT even though any possible needed weight loss is long past;
2] happy to be "in control" over what she is putting into her mouth--proud of the increasing "control" which is literally killing her;
3] often beginning to wear increasing layers of clothing so when the inevitable concerns are raised, the weight loss is somewhat disguised; [plus she is cold from having lost so much of her body fat!]
4] becoming a liar--lying about what she is eating to satisfy those who question;
5] becoming angry at anyone who tries to intervene in anyway--seeing those people as a threat to her own control;

Please note, that although I say "she" males are also afflicted with this disease/disorder--just not so often.


Then we learned about bulimia. The progression is similar, except that the bulimic person does not starve herself by not eating--no she binge eats, then causes herself to regurgitate everything--thus starving herself. Some will use laxatives and/or diruretics even going so far as to weigh everything that comes out to be sure that everything has!


I think anorexia and bulimia are just two of three faces of the same disorder: control through food. The third face, in my opinion, is gluttonyrecognized as one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Some see the glutton as a person with no control. I believe that may be an early stage, but I see the glutton progression as:
1] eating as enjoyment
2] eating as a reward and/or eating as a consolment
3] excess eating becomes a norm--apetite grows larger and larger--killing off the good sense to stop eating when full or to take "normal" sized portions;
4] as others begin to say something, the glutton becomes defensive, whether orally or just in her own mind--making choices or controlling what goes into her mouth.

I almost switched to a masculine pronoun for the glutton, as that hits males harder than females, and it more acceptable to societyfor males to be overweight, so tends not to be checked as quickly as females. But as with the other two aspects, it goes for both sexes.

*****
My recent trip to Boston was filled with good food. Whenever my family gets together, we tend to go a bit overboard with food, we love it--too much!. Then Erica came home, and what do we do to welcome her back? We eat. Lots.

Then came Mother's Day, and a special dinner made in my honor by Erica. I ate too much of the delicious items that I should eat much more sparingly--including fruit! [filled with carb = sugars--not too good for a diabetic to overindulge!

Finally, yesterday, we got around to celebrating Erica's 18th birthday--with more food, including a devil's food cake with triple chocolate frosting and mint chocolate chip ice cream.

By last night, I was stuffed! And I didn't really gorge myself--I've just gotten accustomed to much smaller (and healthier) meals.

******
I've a friend at the hockey rink who stand at least 5'7" and weighs about 100lbs. She strugggles with anorexia. She is going thru a particularly nasty divorce which doesn't help, but she says she looks in the mirror and sees herself as fat. She went thru a hospitalization and treatment--and is doing much better now, but she still sees herself as fat. She also feels much of the time that the only control she has in her life, is over what she puts into her mouth. And therein lies the danger, for when everything else seems out of control--she feels like she can regain some control by starving herself.

*****

It seems like we are out of control when we practice gluttoney. But upon reflection, I see it as another form of control. I made myself sicker in many areas thru gluttoney. My back could not support the extra weight, so as long as I kept the weight on, I got more attention...I controlled how others saw me... and got all sorts of attention--which I now recognize and regret.

After being diagnosed with diabetes, I was able to pretty much get a handle on the gluttony. I still watch carefully for low-sugar signs--usually because I've caused myself to not eat for too long. After all the recent indulgences with food, I sat in my living room TRYING to belch, burp or anything, it hit me , that overeating was another face of the improper eating styles. While I may never be a sveldt size 8 again, it is highly possible to be a nice size ten--I simply have to remember to eat : breakfast, lunch and dinnier at the proscribed times and the proscribed amounts...and remember that gluttoney is a deadly sin. But we can repent.

I hope never to again experience anorexia--which I did when I was in the process of divorce. I was fortunate in that it was caught quite early on...I was already seeing a psychologist weekly--and he "checked me out" to my nurse step-mother with whom my kids and I lived for the following few months. Between Jan and my Dad, one of the most healthy eating nuts ever [after having done a bout with gluttony] I learned how to control what I ate without going overboard--something I still must guard against. So when medications began causing a weight gain, my pendulum swung the other way--and I've had my bout with gluttony.

It really isn't all that hard to eat right--once we learn how. I confess to my children...I really truly tried, but did not properly teach you how--I was still struggling with my own issues.

So: here is my advice. Eat whatever you want--just in small portions. Be careful not to overindulge as a regular thing, but don't worry about the occasional indulgences. Be careful to balance your nutrition throughout your day.

I still think a piece of birthday cake with a glass of milk is fine for breakfast[for a healthy person]--but then have vegtables for lunch, not another piece of cake!

So here's hoping that with the advent of warmer weather, we all can go out and stretch our legs getting what exercise is best for each of us as individuals. At the same time we can be healthy eaters...and see ourselves for what we are, and not try to be unhealthy "twigs"!

ODOT explanation and update

I thought it was time to explain what I'm up to--I've never been a politically active rabble-rouser before.

Hwy 33 cuts through the edge of our town. ODOT [Ohio Dept Of Transportation] has decided to turn as much of 33 into a freeway-like road as possible. The town has a traffic light in the very center, picture a sorta cross. High Street heads out of town to the north. It is the main downtown street. Heading south, it dead ends in a couple blocks, but north it continues across the train tracks, past the post office and across 33, where it changes name to Bowen. There is a business on 3 of the 4 corners there, and more businesses on the Bowen side. ODOT apparantly plans to turn off the light on 1 Sept, and turn both High [heading north] and Bowen [heading south] into cul-de-sacs. This effectively cuts off direct access to our downtown. It is a business killer. To get into town, one will have to go around past all the "big box" stores [Wal-Mart/Kroger/Home Depot etc.] and to quote The Music Man..."Who's gonna patronize an itty bitty 2 x 4 kinda store anymore?" Not to mention our twice weekly Farmer's Market.

I am very personally affected in that the light is neccessary to get into town. We bought our house here because the light was there. I am not allowed to drive. However I can ride a bike or walk. Without the light I would be forced to go approximately 5 miles around onto busy and dangerous roads. The reality is that I would not be able to get anywhere. I will be either house-bound or have to beg rides to go to the doc, church stuff, shopping of any sort, etc. I have now contacted the ACLU. Here's hoping for a quick response!

The traffic is already "messed up" and too heavy for the road configurations we have. One road is basically a wide one-lane. Oh it is no big deal for the occasional vehicles to pass each other, but to handle the real traffic that would of neccessity naturally reroute through there is another story. Due to all the new constrction, a light onto the main road is already a need, (and was promoised several years ago) but the whole road would also require widening. The road is partly in Franklin County, and partly in the outer edges of Columbus. Unfortunately, I am having a hard time convincing anyone in the engineer's office in Columbus that they are responsible for any part of this road as it seems that their maps are not quite caught up with the aquisition of territory--there's been a lot of annexation going on around here in the last couple years. Tomorrow I am going with camera in hand to photograph the "Entering Corp" signs that tell when you enter into the Corporation of Columbus.

The petition drive is picking up momentum, and a major article for our local paper went to press this afternoon. I should see it on Thurs. (Possibly Fri--but our carrier is pretty fast.) It is a weekly paper and has 2 sections, so don't laugh too much at it! Hmm...it just occurred to me--I'd best contact the monthly newsletter that goes out as well--they're probably getting June ready now! May's front page articles were both about our farmer's market--hours extended 'til 2:00 on Sat this year, and third Sats will have special events. I love our town.

Mothers and Other Mothers

After the night drive to Cleveland to pick up Erica from the train, I decided that I would not get up today until I woke up naturally, and my body wanted to get up. I dozed back to sleep a couple times...the weather has been most co-operative--overcast with showers and a nice wind keeping a cool breeze flowing into my room. The new neighbors have hung a huge windchime. Its voice complements those from next door, so I've laid abed enjoying the serenade, and thinking.

I began musing about my mother and other women in my life who have served upon occasion as "Other Mothers." I'm sure we all have them...

My mother was a Saint. I do not mean LDS--she was born and raised and always lived fully her Catholic faith. I mean saintly, holy, sanctified. Oh, she was not priggish, nor was she condemning of those whe did not share her faith. She really, truely lived her faith every day. She was a wonderful mother, and if I've been a decent mom. it is because I was taught by example by the best. She was not perfect, but she tried to be as perfect as she could be in her human realm. I broke her heart by leaving the Catholic Church, but when I converted, I did so in order to live as she taught me. I knew what I knew, and could not deny the personal revelation I received, so I've just tried to be the best "Mormon" I could in following my Mom's example. [Besides, her brother told me to handle it that way.]

I have a step-mother I did not want, and for many years blamed her [needlessly] for my parent's divorce. I must credit my ex-husband here, for he pushed me to re-establish a relationship wih my Dad and by association with my step-mother. She has been very good to me, and over the years we became close. I respect her in a different way than my own Mom, but she has definitely been a mother to me and especially when I was going through my divorce, [ironic, no?] she was most supportive in ways no one else could be as she had previously gone hrough circumstances very similar to mine.

Then there's my first mother-in-law, who was really my husband's step mother...and joined the family only a couple months before I did. She was great as a friend and as a mother as I adjusted to marriage and to being far away from my own family as a new wife. We remain friends today.

One very special "Other Mother" to me was while I was in high school. She was the president of the AFS--the exchange student club that sponsered my Argentine "sister" to come live wth us her Sr. year--when I was a Jr. Because Lilita spent a lot of time talking to Bette, I, by neccessity spent time there as well--I was chauffer! AFS students are not allowed to drive in the US.

After Lilita was back in Argentina, my Senior year, I continued to visit wih this woman on a regular basis. She was my confidant in so many cases when I was confused or going thru. some teenage angst. As she has only sons, no daughters, I guess she didn't mind awfully much...but it always meant so much to me. Because of this relationship, I was able to understand and even embrace that sort of relationship between my daughters and "Other Mothers" especially Erica and Susan . [Susan worried a bit at first, but I explained how I understood thier relationship, and said I'd be happy to be there for her daughter, too. So, bring it on, Lexi!]

Mrs. Mommy was what our "crowd" called my friend, Debbe's Mom, because she was always there for all of us--including packing her van with a bunch of teens to go into LA to the Music Center. It must have been a difficult journey wih our craziness, but she never made us feel like we were a burden. Then there was "Mama West" who put up with all of us at their house--commandeering the garage for our Little Garage Theatre and just gennerally being pests. My Mom was Mom to all the crowd--and she was never able to go to a closing night performance because she was busy making sandwiches to be ready for the decending hordes. She also put up with crowds of kids taking over the pool whenever--usually without notice!

My Aunt and Grandmothers also played a large mothering role in my life, but to do that topic justice, I'd really have to talk about my sister as aunt to my kids...she was a great aunt long before she was a great-aunt!

In my musings in bed this morning, I coud remember so many individual incidents, but even the highlights go on and on. So I will end in simply repeating my gratitude for my mother and all the "Other Mothers" in my life