October 20

Electric Car

I just saw a piece on Good Morning America about GM's new car - the Volt. (The regular car, not the fancy concept car.)
It's being planned for late 2010.

It's electric, only using gasoline to charge the battery.
It will go 40 miles on absolutely no gas.
And 400 miles on a full tank. (Which is very small.)

And Phoenix makes two, a suv, and an sut that that will be ready in 2010.
And Nissan is working on it.
The race is on.

It seems that the big issue, is of course, the battery.

Instead of saying "No way. There is no way they can be ready in two years. Psh."

How about we change that?
How about we get excited that it's a very real solution to several very real problems, including motor companies laying off thousands of people?

How 'bout we say "Yay for us. Yay for our planet!"?
How 'bout we embrace and welcome this change, instead of arguing that it can't and won't be done?

the camera and the crazy lady (which would be me)

Remember when my camera stopped working?
Right after that my posts slowed way down.
Then I sort of borrowed/rented one. A newer version of mine, for the sake of prudence.
I bought it (at Walmart) with the intent of possibly returning it when mine was fixed.

I didn't use it very much.
I didn't ever put the strap on.
I didn't use the software, or open the books.
I didn't let the children touch it.

My thirty days was nearing an end.
I had to decide if I was keeping it.
The problem is - I never really liked it.
I knew how it worked (well, sort of), as it was the same as mine.
But it never became a part of me.
Could be because I have boycotted Walmart for the last few years. (with rare exception.)
Could be because I always knew I might be taking it back, even though I hadn't sent mine in yet to be repaired.

Yesterday was my Very Last Day of the thirty days.

Keeping it?
Taking it back?

Call my dad.
"I don't like the pictures. They're blurry."
"You should take it back. Circuit City has it on sale for $309."
I'm thinking I'd rather keep it than run all over town for a fourty dollar decrease, but that's just me.
"I don't know. I'm gonna go play with it some more, I guess."
Still not satisfied, or feeling good about the camera.

I finally decided - we had no good working mojo.
For whatever reason.
Probably because at the get-go I had emotionally (yes, I get attached to inanimate objects) rejected it. Not let myself be dependant on it.

"Eric - I'm taking it back. I don't like this blurry thing going on. It could be Me, certainly, but if I don't take it back then I'll always feel a disdain for this camera, and I don't want that. If it's me, and not the camera, so be it - but if I keep it then I'll never be happy about it, and be resentful."
"It's got bad mojo attached to it?"
He's so smart. "Exactly!"

Circuit City first. Honors online price of $309.

Stand in line at Walmart for 20 minutes to return the camera.
"Why are you returning it?"
"Because there's no magic happening."
"There's nothing wrong with the camera?"
"Nope - (well, at least nothing besides our disconnection) it's fine. Everything is here, I didn't open anything except the camera."
"Okay."

Now!
Little S5 has its strap on, the time is set, and hopefully our friendship shall begin in earnest soon.

I feel glad to be back, and the strange fear/buyers remorse/dissatisfaction/unpleasantness/"how long can i keep it?" feelings are gone.

I'm feeling happy.
And free.


***I wanted to add (two days later) that when I bought the camera from Walmart, if I returned it I planned to return it for Eric's choice. As it happens, I decided to have a new one, and Eric will have to wait, still. :/ So I intended to do business with them. The whole thing just turned out differently than I expected. (with not liking it and all.)

just because: a thousand shades of red

in my head

I woke up a couple of hours ago.
Haven't been back to sleep.
You know how it is.

'Specially if you've got somethin' on your mind.

Tonight - this morning - whatever - it happens to be business.

My friend Aubrey (and Soleil and Xavier) came to visit us today, and we enjoyed a wide variety of discussions, among then a conversation that she had with another friend of ours a couple of days ago regarding business, website and ads.

I've been seriously thinking about getting rid of the Backyard Capers subscriptions for about three months now, and just doing ads instead.
The reason I didn't in the first place is that I wanted a pleasant design, and ads tend to make me feel chaotic. I like orderliness.
But as Aubrey pointed out, if I'm going to do the work for BC anyway, I may as well get paid for it.
I don't have loads and loads of subscriptions, even though I really think it's a great service.

Another reason that I haven't changed it to ads instead of subscriptions is that it means a complete overhaul, a complete change of design.
More work. :) (I'm not afraid of work, you understand, it's the "Give me just a minute...." when my children need me.)

Lastly.... I have subscribers, and it will mean a refund to them. Not a big deal, but still, inconvenient, and a bit of money.

I think what I'll have to do is to design the pages one by one, when I have extra time :), and get the ads in them. A few of the subscriptions are coming close to expiration, so I won't have to worry about those.
If I started now, I could probably have it completely ready in two or three months. (Done at my leisure and not stressed out about it.)

It would be nice to be linked with lots of other locals, and especially nice if Steph gets another local project/blog going.

I think that I've checked enough stuff out tonight that I've made up my mind about it.
I can just do google ads for now, and link with/advertise for locals if I feel that I want to stay dedicated to the project.
It'll mean dedicatedly blogging at BC, and getting serious about putting in local parks, hikes, and such, but that probably won't be so bad.

Bah.
I'm tired and rambling.
Think I've worked it out well enough that I can sleep now...

what punctuation are you?

I took this quiz (Childs Play had it up this morning), then thought, Well, probably I should change the movie (from documentary) to drama.
It didn't make a difference.
Says I'm still a colon.
Hmm.

You Are a Colon

You are very orderly and fact driven. You aren't concerned much with theories or dreams... only what's true or untrue. You are brilliant and incredibly learned. Anything you know is well researched. You like to make lists and sort through things step by step. You aren't subject to whim or emotions. Your friends see you as a constant source of knowledge and advice. (But they are a little sick of you being right all of the time!) You excel in: Leadership positions You get along best with: The Semi-Colon

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

The "You aren't concerned much with theories or dreams... only what's true or untrue." is prob'ly right. Though I am an emotional creature.

I don't like to make lists. Too stressful when I don't get them done. (that recovering control-freak thing.)

The "You are brilliant and incredibly learned." is soooo nice to hear - it's about time someone acknowledged it!

laughing. I'll be enjoying that smirkingly today, thank you.

beeeeeeep

We interrupt this broadcast for a test of the Emergency Life Interrupts System.

Namely, spent the (whooooole damned) day on the old dino computer completely wiping it out so that we might play the children's software on it. (Vista can be most irritating.)

I think we've got it now.

Shall we try again?
I want my money back (well, er, time) from yesterday anyway.

i'm just sayin'

Oil (gas) companies had a record high profit this year, and heads are being called to Capital Hill to 'splain it. They (the heads) say it's not only because of the price of gas, but it has to do with tax breaks, too.
Exxon had a record profit (again - also in 2005) of 40bil (40.61, actually) and had huge tax breaks.
That'd be by Uncle George, of course.
I'm not complaining about something out of my control, or blaming, I just don't drive much to do my part - ie I refuse to play.
I'm not bitter, I'm not angry, I'm not feeling victimized or trapped.
I'm just sayin'...

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Taxes

No wait. That's not right.
Is it??
Maybe it is.
Seems like it is.
Ah, hell, I don't know.

On Life:
Maddie's life has consisted of "Help me put this on" "No, I do it myself" "Aaaaaack! You stupid thing!" "You help wiff dis!!" "No, I do it!" "You damned thing!" "I need help." "I want it" "I don't want it." "You put this on me - No, it's not for Babies, it's for ME!"
Yes, yes. We all know that the real challenges begin when they are teenagers.
Whatever.
Pff. To you I dare to say "How soon we forget!!"
Relative, folks. It's aaaaaall relative.

Life Part II:
Calendars are done and I am thinking of quitting my Saturday job because my whole week revolves around it and getting things done by Saturday so that Sunday we can play as a family and have fun and no other obligations and if the house is a mess on Friday then it's really stressful to get it all straightened and Eric has a really stressful time Saturday mornings getting the babes ready for Grammie's and and and and there are lots of cool and fun things like Dinosaur classes at the Utah Museum of Natural History on Saturdays and lots of other fun sciencey sort of activities.... maybe after we get the tax return and get caught up I should just do it....

On Liberty:
Been thinking on my proclamations of being liberal. Or maybe libertarian. I stated to friends last week that while I consider myself liberal, I do not really consider myself politically affiliated with THE liberals. That's too confining, if you see what I mean. If I am associated with a one-and-only political party, then that takes away my freedom, now doesn't it?
I say "I am a liberal" because it means to me (as quoted by dictionary.com - my new favorite since my big red dictionary isn't always near my preferred machine: my laptop.):

lib·er·al /ˈlɪbərəl, ˈlɪbrəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[lib-er-uhl, lib-ruhl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –adjective

1.	favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.

2.	(often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.

3.	of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.

4.	favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.

5.	favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.

6.	of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.

7.	free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.

8.	open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.

9.	characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor.

10.	given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation.

11.	not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule.

12.	of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts.

13.	of, pertaining to, or befitting a freeman.

Yes, folks. I am, and will most probably always continue to strive to be, a Liberal. So help me God.

And On Taxes:
Funny thing - my husband said a few years ago - I had never really thought about it in quite this way... "I don't mind paying taxes. What is the alternative? It just is what it is."
Hmm. Love you Rico. (maybe I should start sending him really loving and sweet notes in my posts, do you think that would prompt him to leave me a comment? I think that everyone believes that I and my ddh and babes don't really exist at all, and that I make all of these things up... maybe I scour the internet looking for pics of babes that even look similar to the afore-posted ones.... now where was I?... Oh yeah, taxes.... )
While I'm always a little delighted and eager to have my way with the money that Dear Old Uncle George sends back to me.... woohoo!, I'd be even more thrilled if he denounced himself and his oil buddies and dropped the price of gas to say - Oh, say, something that was BEFORE the supposed annihilation of the south and its oil rigs... but wait, we've recovered from that... why is gas so high again? Could it be that we just have gotten used to it?..... I digress, but who cares, because that's what this post is about, and I am too tired and taxed from life and politics and candidates that had promise but that want to offer liberties to the nuclear power plants and therefore encourage them to waste-more-waste-more-let's-all-turn-toxic-green-and-waste-more! And who the hell cares if there's nowhere to put it -not to mention store it FOR ETERNITY and for damned certain let's not use our soapbox to bring up really useful things like solar and wind and water and hemp and corn andandand...

On Taxes Continued - maybe, for those that don't like taxes so much, it would be much less painful if
1) everyone paid closer to the same,
and
2)we didn't have ridiculous things like "I'll buy your rights for your allotment since you are so responsible to the environment, and I'll just keep polluting at 2000% of what the (Not Conservative Enough) law allows me...
and
3) We could all choose what our particular dollars went for... and we had them tattooed on our foreheads... course that would mean that some of us would automatically reject some folks out of hand, and have automatic prejudices against them, but - I'd rather we be prejudiced about someone for their priorities and concern for this world and its inhabitants then what sort of money they make and what color their skin is and what country they were born in and wouldn't it be cool if there was just No More Money For War, and Uncle George had to either sell us on the idea, or had to just come up with alternatives? Then he and his oil buddies could fit the bill themselves... Yeah, they should pay for it themselves.....

What?
Did I say something?
I dunno.
Didn't I say that in the beginning?
I'm sure I did.

That's my life.
Life, liberty, and the Pursuit of Taxes.

'Finished my taxes, by the way.
Check's in the mail.

disconnected

So!
Well, first - my phone line is dead. deaddeaddead.
Doh! evidently I forgot to pay the bill!
Shame on them for not letting me know I was in eminent danger of being shut off!
So I connected on the notebook and payed the bill.
(Turns out the phone line is just messed up - and they'll be out some time tomorrow! Hmmph. Shame on them again. If it's my fault, that's one thing - but if it's theirs - hmmph! I say!)
New desktop pc comes.
Turns out - the dang thing does not know A Thing about me or my personal preferences!
What?
Did they send me the wrong one, then?
Why don't we have this magical mojo going - you know - where it knows where and how I want to go even before I instruct it??? That's how little notebook works....
Hmmph!

Turns out I even had to shut if off and restart it!
I'll let you know how it goes.
Hopefully we'll be able to reconcile very, very soon!
Now I'm off to kiss and make up....

slow

Today I've been soooo low energy.

I had lots of things I wanted to get done, but I don't think I've accomplished even one of them.
Maddie said a thousand funny and brilliant things today, from naming letters to painting Tigger's tail black (named correctly) to I'm painting pasta! and then Cookies! and And now more cookies!
I wasn't quick enough or bright enough to write them down, however.

I think maybe I'll just write this one off, and try to get a good night's sleep.
Is it okay to get ready for bed at 6:41pm???
Right after I help Maddie play Pooh on the pc....

I'd like to introduce you...

To my friend Dell.

I got a phone call a few minutes ago - "This message is for Stephanie S, This is Dell. Your notebook has been repaired, and is being sent back to you by way of DHL. Your tracking nunmber is..."

Holy wow!
Woooooohoooooooo!
So not only do they pay for my shipping in the first place - via second day AIR, they fix my notebook at no charge, and then have it sent back to me in less than a week!
I tracked with DHL, it's due for delivery tomorrow. Tomorrow, folks!
I sent it in on Friday, and they will deliver it on Wednesday!

This is where I say holy moly - that's a hell of a customer service those folks have - not only their timeliness of fixing my machine, but their website has detailed info on how to upgrade the hardware - they walk you through the whole process.

I am thrilled with them.
Hot damn!

Hallooooo!

As friend Tigger would say.

Oh, I miss everyone! I'm not even sure that anyone comes around anymore, haven't checked visits or the sitemeter for weeks! I could very well be talking only to myself! Which isn't unusual, but I do imagine usually that someone will eventually read this....

What's been up for me:
Well, for starters, I get very little computer time, as Trev and Maddie both always want their turn. And even when I'm on this one, I get so irritated by the slowness that I usually only pop in to write a short something, and visit one blog. I'm so behind on everyone's news! I think I've checked two blogs since Saturday a week ago!

I Finally boxed up and sent my two computers off to get sparklified on Friday. One -the desktop- to my Dad (for a new processor, complete with drivers, and all that other irritating tedious business that goes along with pc repairs), and the notebook back to Dell. It would be SOOO Nice to have them both back in a couple of weeks! I'll try not to be greedy, though.

Got the outside lights up today. They look splendid, of course! White icicles for me, thank you.

What else? The children had a most despicious illness, that took a lot of my time for a few days. Cleaning blankets, sheets, carpets, et cetera, et cetera.

Pms for a few days. Started to get into a fit yesterday, then thought - hmmm, headache, wonder if it's pms? then all of a sudden like magic I was able to deal with life in a much more friendly sort of way, and sure enough, early this morning (at three, actually, when Maddie Rudely woke me to demand cereal and then a computer game - no, she didn't get either one of them folks, I strive to live ru, but I am not a saint!) I received my evidence that my hormones were to thank for (some of my) crazy behavior.

Holiday decorations are up. Still haven't decided if we're going to our usual Robinson Tree Farms for our tree, or if Eric shall get his wish, and we'll actually purchase a permit from the forest service and trek out on snowshoes to cut ours down ourselves for the first time. We'll see. (If we cut it down, rest assured that we'll be replacing it with one or two in the springtime!)

I started reading Jon and Myla's Every day Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting, again. I've had it since I was pregnant with Trev, I think, but have yet to read the entire book. I was somehow relieved and rejuvenated while reading in the second and third chapters about sort of getting rid of the regular sorts of thoughts and actions, and looking inside each moment for its magic and the beauty and learning that it offers us.
Somehow, while I believe in this idea with everything I am, and strive to recognize the Ordinary Life Magic, as I call it, sometimes I wonder if I'm making it all up. So hearing someone else say, with their own words and relating their own experiences a similar idea, and how it's worth celebrating - and indeed touted as worth celebrating, makes me feel like maybe I'm not crazy and too romantic, idealistic, or just being fanciful.
I am also most heartened by their inspirational words that just being mindfully In The Moment, one finds ones self wiser and more knowledgeable (and even healed of one's own past), and more willing the next time to take the time and process through something, and that practicing mindfulness itself becomes easier, more familiar, and maybe even habitual. Course, you have to be open to all moments being new and uncertain, and not tagging this moment, though seemingly familiar, with what you learned in the last one.
I am eager to read the entire book, and am heartened greatly by what I've read thus far.

My recent dark moments are past - I was feeling almost undone for a while by this stress or that, but frankly I've just been too damned busy to worry about what worries me, or even what could be a worry.
Unfortunately, along with that comes "no time to think", but [action] in step the voices of Myla and Jon, so I am hopeful to be back to my usual (but non-worrying and newly enlightened and newly patient) self, post haste!

And here I sit, now, feeling guilty because Eric is tired and ready to be relieved of duty, hmmph ;) even though he knows this is the first chance I've had to write in two or three weeks. I think maybe when I'm with the notebook at the kitchen table, I don't seem quite So Far Away, though, truth is, I hear every shout and demand for "tickle me!" that I would if I were still in the same room.
But dh thinks I'm on permanent vacation, and he's a bit worried. And tired.
So I shall say "see you at six-something in the morning.... maybe I'll have something to say."
If not, then I'll just read about what YOU have to say.
xxoo

November 19

Have I mentioned how abslutely slow this computer is? I swear it moves backwards!
My typing is at this moment almost an entire paragraph ahead of what is showing up on my screen! Not kidding. Sigh.
I don't know what in tarnation is going on.

Today was a very nice day.
We managed to get to Teri's at a decent time - we were only about fifteen minutes later than the appointed time of 11am. Course, it helps that we live about three minutes away, but still.
Have I mentioned that? most of the Mama's live less than fifteen minutes away from my house. How great is that??? Three of them live within walking distance - Julie, Teri, and Aubrey.

Aubrey and Teri had decided to help us and inspire us with these gorgeous beaded ornaments - Aubrey had mastered this dragonfly that is so lovely that I think some of us may make some for holiday gifts. If I could, I'd show you, but alas, I cannot! (I really did try, friends, but this pc doesn't even see its own usb's at the moment. :/ )

Anyway - Monday craft days are for the Mama's, the babes play and holler and frollick while we get to chitchat and visit. Today was so beautiful and warm, the babes were outside much of the time - some, as mine, were launching off the balcony onto the trampoline! I was worried at first, but Teri said hers (including the youngest Willow) do it, so I figured, well, ? No harm came. (I was mostly worried about him landing on a babe, and also didn't know how loose her springs were, and didn't want Trev to hit the bottom. But Teri has teenagers, so when I found out hers jump from the balcony, I was alright with it.)
We also have our monthly Art and Craft Circle, still, which is for the babes to create really wonderful things. For December we'll make glass ornaments, glue and glitter snowflakes, and Sun King crown for Yule/Solstice.
Anyway, it was lovely to spend the afternoon with friends!

Oh! I milled some soap tonight. I made one with lavender (flowers and oil), and another with grapefruit, lemon, and orange essential oils. I'm so excited about the soaps! Tomorrow I really must get my house in order, and maybe I'll have a few minutes to mill another few bars of soap. I'm so pleased that my first batch of basic (vegetarian) soap came out so well. No lye bubbles, and it seems to be behaving just as it should. Woohoo!

I've added my friend Steph to the Mama's list, she's known all of us for a long time (well, long time in our circle of unschooler friends - 'bout two years), and pops in here, but her blog was a secret :) but now she's ready to be included. She says that no one would be interested but her and the grandparents, I say "Well, yeah. That's true for all of us!" :) It's just life and growin and learnin and loving. Many things are noteworthy if you take the time to notice them, I say.

Anyway. Just wanted to say hey, and that I had a really lovely day. Thursday we're off to Eric's mom's, Pat, and her husband Bill's place, then Friday we have a playdate with Ari and Mina and Melissia if Melissia is feeling better.

Life moves along at a friendly clip.
'Night.

Hot damn!

Well, then!
We're back.

Er... sans pictures for a while, though. Don't think this sputterin' and smokin' old war horse could take that...

pat, pat.
You're a very fine pc, hippy d/dino, you done us proud!
woohoo!

can it be?

while it appears that I have internet access, my little dinosaur computer - rather, Trev's dinosaur computer (it's very ancient and it's decked out with dino paraphernalia, so it seems fitting, I was thinking of giving it the name of hippy-D, but perhaps Dino -think flintstones- is more appropriate) keeps shutting down when I demonstrate that I wish to do more than twelve (well, actually, more than one!) thing at a time.
So I'm very tentatively -I think!- back online, as long as I allow six hours for a thirty second post.
:)
Damn! Just dropped a big bowl of freshly popped popcorn on the floor.

On that note, we'll "publish" and see how it goes.....


ps Thank Goddess blogger and yahoo remember all my stuff for me, and I can access it anywhere!
gotta love that....

here goes...

How are you doing, Dear? (pat, pat)

I'm okay.
Really, I am!
It was a near thing there for a minute, admittedly, but it's not so bad being cut off from the big wide world. Most the time.

Maybe it's because I got my house mostly clean. Phew, but you should see it today! I left it in shambles this morning when I head out a few minutes before nine, and I cannot imagine that it improved it's state since I have been away.

Maybe it's because there have been a few get togethers with the Mama's. Though I missed out on some due to forgetfulness.

Maybe it's because I dug the 10 year old computer out of the garage, and got it up and running for Trev. Er, and Maddie, she's been playing on it, too. (alas, the modem has bit it, I guess.) It's Windows 98, so most of his cd programs work pretty well on it. And I'm quite relieved that I can sit down and write with Word if I feel the need. So far I haven't - but that may have to do something with the fact that I told Trev loud and clear "This computer is yours" and whenever I see the accompanying chair empty, and think I might want to sit a spell he beats me to it, and says "Just give me 10 minutes, Mom!" Cheeky kid.

I haven't sent either computer in yet - need to find a box for the desktop, and need to find a dhl office (something to do here at work today) for shipping the Dell notebook. I'll do it very soon, though!

The Mama's have decided on a once a month get together - evening hours - and we had our first one at Melissia's house on Thursday night. I took my camera, as I thought I may get adventurous and take pictures of shiny earrings, forks full of goodness, glasses of wine, and lipstick (well, if any of us took the time to put some on), but I didn't. Next time though!

We're also having weekly Monday crafts - a couple of hours in the afternoon for the babes to play and the Mama's to create.
Also a few of us are interested in an unschooler's coop - I hosted on Wednesday, and we just played, but I think we're thinking sort of a themed exploration - bring your tools (or blocks, or books about it, or magnets, or bubbles, or whatever) and we'll see what comes of it. We haven't really decided yet exactly what we're doing - as we haven't set down formally with the children and brainstormed. -These are wild unschoolers, remember, and when we're together (ages one to six) there's lots of runnin' and hollerin' and whoopin' and jumpin'. So sittin' down and discussing what might be fun instead of just living it seems pretty silly to them, I'm sure!
Anyway - it's on the burner.
This week (crafty Mondays) we're invited to Teri's house for making beaded ornaments. Thursday it's to Grandma's house we go - not quite over the river and through the woods, but at least it's in the next county fourty-five minutes away, and we get to see our favorite Christmas lights house on the way back home. We're taking a green salad and pie -probably pecan, Eric and I detest pumpkin pie! Friday we have a playdate with Ari and Mina - Melissia's girls. That should be pretty great.

I tell ya, though, I'm missing out on the magic. It's sorta passing me by, as other things are filling up my time, and I'm not taking pictures and notes. I'm a bit worried that I'll be back online, and not know what to do!!

I'm getting pretty antsy for snow.
Every year I hang out a garland with big red velvet bows on my front fence, and I just can't wait to take a picture of that bow and garland with a couple of inches of snow on it! And icicles!
And maybe even footprints in the snow if the lighting permits. very exciting stuff!

Funny - as I sit here and write, I think - dang, I gotta get that modem at home working.... maybe I'll look at it tonight to see if I can see any loose connections.... :)

Anyway - I have a couple of things to do, so I'm off.
Hope my friends who visit here are well and happy - and hope you're still visiting!!
Much love to everyone, and a most Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Wierd Things meme

Fine.
Evie tagged me for this one. Maybe I should just pretend that I didn't see it?
No, that wouldn't work, she knows I read her blog daily....

10. Taking a cue from Evie (aka Edie) I'll say that to touch my tummy (belly) button is to journey into the center of the earth - it's quite violating and sends my brain into spasms - Don't Do It. I may never forgive you.

9. I really don't like spiritual/inspirational music (and don't consider myself Christian), but I could listen to Bing Cosby and Perry Como croon Christmas carols all year long. Don't ask me. I don't know.

8. I detest jazz. Except for Blues. In fact, I'll take probably take any and every other kind of music over jazz.

7. As a kid when we were road-tripping, I'd count the (lane devider) lines on the road, and if my Daddy was driving too fast so I lost track, I'd get into a sort of panic mode. The good news is that I was able to save myself, and talk myself down, which I believe to this day is the fine line between true OCD and not. OCD is something I believe I truly understand, but do not suffer from. Very edgy feeling, that.

6. Sported a mohawk for three? years. Think I've mentioned that one before.

5. I still have a baby tooth - it's my left incisor. Dentist offered to pull it and then dig for the big one behind it, with best wishes, but I thought "What? No, thanks."

4. Acquiring a drivers license well after the age of 16 runs in my family.

3. I love just the thought of a convoy.

2. I love classical music but I honestly have No Idea how people can tell one composer from another. In my defense of complete ignorance - my brain needs the voice to tell me who the music is by.

1. I wave my fork in the air between bites of food. My son does the same thing. Surely a grave offense.

I tag...
Kim
Julie
Melissia
Aubrey
Teri
MD - wait! Dang! Edie snagged her!
Lena
Organic Sister
Life With Us
Wild and Free.

That's it since Evie stole KM, Laura, CP, Rinnyboo, Stephanie, and MP, that's all the bloggers I know! :)

What on earth is that? you may ask.

Oh.

That would be snow, friends.

You heard me, SNOW.

From yesterday.

It SNOWED.

None on my tomoatos, thank goodness, though it was surely falling from the sky. I'm not sure if I've lost the plants, or not yet.
Julie picked all of hers.
I've only had a crop for a month! Usually we cling to them til the bitter end (quite literally) and say goodbye sometime in November, if we're lucky.
Hmmph.
Snow. On the 29th of September.
sheesh.

doh!
My heat just came on. (and we keep the thermostat on 64.)

Gentleness

This morning I awoke, and decided immediately to live the day in gentleness.

Which is pretty ridiculous, for often when I pursue an idea, any little thing to the contrary sends me reeling into an opposing upset.

As I said before, it started at five something this morning with the weather lady saying "high of 83".

The next contributor was the gentle quietness that I mentioned in Beautiful Noise.

I can't explain it.

Somehow, some way, in spite of my attachments to how I wanted this day to go... it came. Beautifully, gently, and quietly.

I knew soon after awaking that I wanted to change my blog banner, and knew what I wanted to change it to. Harvested herbs. Drying on the line.

After a few details that I'll save for another post, I found myself dabbing myself with a special cleansing oil, and then pursuing this most gentile pastime.

And taking photos of abundance. A gentle way to pass the day, to be sure.

I set up the notebook outside with all the necessary paraphernalia. Annabelle lazed napping in the sun. Maddie napped on the wicker sofa next to me.

The sun shone on - gently and softly.

Trev spoke in gentle, quiet tones.

The breeze seemed to know what was required - for it was also soft, and cool, and delicate.

The birds were and are still hushedly twittering.

I could try to tell you how much I needed this day.

I could confess that gentleness has alluded me for somewhere around three weeks now.

I could tell you that I've grumped, and cussed, and harumphed my way through life for the last while.

Sometimes cajoled.

Sometimes whined.

Hexed, shouted, condemned, damned, exploded, and stomped.

Once in a while even threatened.

Damn and blast. It would all be true.

Most of the time I've maintained my sense and composure - "I just really need your help with this, Bud", but sometimes not - "Just do it."

I'm not proud. I'm not justifying it.

I've lamented over my seemingly uncontrollable emotions, and damned them. I'm still trying to figure out from where they've come, and why.

I promised my sister several days ago that I was close to a conclusion on "what to do when you've had it with the mess and just can't do it alone", but I've yet to respond to her post.

So today I was in dire need of gentleness. Gentleness for myself, gentleness with my children, and gentleness from the world.

I have received it, and relished it.

I don't know that I have come out any wiser, but I have certainly come away with a much needed softness and sense of peace.

So I'm thinking that I shall begin anew.

Here's to walking softly, and living in gentility.

Peace.