Stuck on Survive

Books

2008-03-16T11:50:00.004-06:00

I just finished reading Milk Glass Moon by Adriana Trigiani. This is the third book in the Big Stone Gap series. It was an interesting and quick read but not very satisfying. The book jumps forward in time months or years at a time with no warning. It's a lot like a photo album in the lives of the characters. You get the highlights but not the real meat of their story.

I also read The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. Kidd is perhaps better known for The Secret Life of Bees (which I have not read). It is a wonderful story of a middle-aged woman trying to re-identify herself after her child has left home. Perhaps, she doesn't cope with these mid-life changes as you or I would but I believe she makes the right choices in the end.

I'm still working my way through the Richard Jury Mysteries by Martha Grimes and have just finished The Case has Altered. This book was enjoyable, however, I realized after a few pages I had skipped the previous book. You really must read these in order to understand the evolution of the characters lives.

I am averaging about a book a week this year which is a lot slower than last year. I have a lot of books on my shelf to read. Even though I am not blogging much anymore I will try to still do these book updates about once a month or so.

Happy St Patrick's Day

I enjoyed Clan of the Cave Bear so much last year that I read its sequel Valley of Horses by Jean M Auel. Although, not as good as the first one (it would be difficult to achieve that level of epic again) it was certainly a satisfying read.

My one disappointment in the last month was The Collectors by David Baldacci. Baldacci used to be one of the authors I bought new in hardback but no longer. His recent efforts are just not worth that extra money. The Collectors is a sequel of sorts to The Camel Club and it is your typical government conspiracy type novel. The characters are entertaining but not very genuine.

Book Update

2008-02-19T10:40:00.004-06:00

It looks like I am not reading near as much this year as I did in 2007. I think I read over 80 books last year. Mostly, the change is because of my change in job. I used to spend the better part of an hour each morning before work eating breakfast in my car and reading. I also spent a lot of time reading at my old job. Now I am much busier and do not have that hour in the morning. I miss it and I miss reading as much.

I picked up the new John Grisham book, The Appeal last week and read it. You can read my other posts about Grisham books here and here. Because I have read every other book he has written I am glad I read this one, in the interest of completeness. But if you haven't read his other books, or you aren't a big fan, you might as well skip this one. Certainly, low on the list of his efforts. Another legal thriller of sorts which are his genre afterall. But enough is enough. Write something else, please. He has proven he can write other novels and I wish he would.

The other books I've read recently do not seem worth commenting on with the exception of Norther Lights by Nora Roberts. Although Nora Roberts is probably best know for her romances she certainly knows how to spin other tales. This one was unique to me because it took place in Alaska. There's a little romance and there is a murder mystery which will keep you guessing until the end. It was very enjoyable.

The End of an Era

2008-01-26T16:12:00.000-06:00

I am not a coffee drinker. (Although, I do own a nice coffee pot.) I do however enjoy drinking warm flavored drinks (International Coffee) in the cold weather. (Which we have had a lot of lately.) So like a lot of people, I have a favorite mug. I received it as a birthday present many years ago (15, actually) from a dear friend.

I know you are looking at it and thinking that it would be your favorite mug, too. In fact, I often had to hide it when my Dad visited because despite the number of mugs I had in the cabinet, he would choose this one. My kids also seemed to be attracted to this mug. Maybe I should have put it up and saved it. But it was my favorite mug to drink from and I cherished it.

Oh, you know what is coming next. This week, while in the kitchen preparing supper, I heard the Crash, and I knew. The mug is broken. It could not be saved. It will be missed.

Bloggy Break

2008-01-14T08:41:00.000-06:00

So much for trying to blog once a week. I didn't want to give up blogging. Mostly because I enjoyed having other people stop by and comment. I enjoyed reading other people's blogs, too. But having the time has become a problem. With what free-time I have reading blogs has just become a low priority. It has become increasingly difficult to find the motivation to blog at all. So I'm going to officially take a break. Maybe I'll come back. Maybe I won't. Maybe I'll just blog about the books I'm reading. I've enjoyed the time I spent reading others blogs and in general will miss all of you.

Nooga

2008-01-02T19:59:00.000-06:00

We are enjoying a little family trip to Chattanooga. We're staying in a nice 2 bedroom suite near the Aquarium. The hotel has an indoor pool and a full breakfast. We've eaten at two good restaurants so far: Sticky Fingers and Big River Grille. My SIL has joined us and today we are headed to Ruby Falls.

I needed to get away for a few days and so far this is a relaxing trip. What I want from a vacation most of the time is time to read and relax and sleep and eat. Once in while a "do-all" trip is okay especially if you are shelling out the big bucks for the "Happiest Place on Earth". But often after these trips you need a vacation from your vacation.

Yesterday we went to the Tennessee Aquarium and I've got to say that it is much better than the Georgia Aquarium for many reasons. Not the least of which was how uncrowded it was. Of course, they do not have Beluga Whales but they had an amazing Penguin exhibit. It just doesn't seem as over done and commercial as the one in Atlanta.

I'm going to try and catch up on blogs this week because once school starts back we will be very busy again. January and February are very busy months at work, too. Keep stopping by occasionally and I'll try to blog at least once a week.

2007 Books

2007-12-31T19:31:00.001-06:00

74 Seasise Avenue
Acid Row
Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl
Anodyne Necklace, The
Astrid & Veronika
Big Cherry Holler
Big Stone Gap
Brave New World, The
C is for Corpse
Cat Who Read Backwards, The
Catcher in the Rye, The
Children of Men
Circle of Quilters
Clan of the Cave Bear, The
Club Sandwich
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime, The
D is for Deadbeat
Dante Club, The
Dark Room, The
Deep Storm
Deer Leap, The
Dirty Duck, The
Dream When You're Feeling Blue
E is for Evidence
East of Eden
Endless Steppe
Ethan Frome
F is for Fugitive
Five Bells and Bladebone, The
Five People You Meet in Heaven, The
Flowers for Algernon
Forever in Blue
G is for Gumshoe
Glass Castle, The
Grapes of Wrath, The
H is for Homicide
Handmaid's Tale, The
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Help the Poor Struggler
Home to Holly Springs
Horse You Came in On, The
Husband, The
I am the Running Footman
I is for Innocent
If Angels Fall
J is for Judgement
Jerusalem Inn, The
Jimmy
Julie & Julia
Keeping Faith
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade
Man With A Load of Mischief, The
Memoirs of a Geisha
Memory Keeper's Daughter, The
Mercy
Michael Crichton Trio
Mists of Avalon
Nativity Story, The
Next
Night of the Jaguar, The
No Way Back
No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, The
Of Mice and Men
Old Contemptibles, The
Old Fox Deceiv'd, The
Old Silent,The
Once Upon A Day
Ordinary Heroes
Outsiders, The
Playing for Pizza
Queen of the Broken Hearts
Red Leaves
Reed's Beach
Road, The
Sandcastles
Scold's Bridle, The
Shoot The Moon
Single Shard, A
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Stolen Child, The
Tenth Circle, The
Time and Again
Time Traveler's Wife, The
Track of the Cat
Valley of Bones
Water for Elephants
Wedding in December, A
Wheel of Darkness Wild Fire

So Little Time...

2007-12-26T22:11:00.000-06:00

I was supposed to be off work tomorrow. But I have to go in at 8am and work until 6pm. This means I am working 4 -10 hour days in a row. I know that I was just off last weekend and then off Christmas Day but I really need a day to catch up. Christmas was spent with family in fellowship and preparations. I need to spend time paying bills, organizing and straightening, and eventually putting away decorations. I have my first meeting as president of my Homemaker's Club in a few weeks and I need to sit down and prepare for that, also. I haven't cross-stitched in almost 2 weeks and I am way behind on my reading. We have another get-together on Sunday and then Tuesday (after working New Year's Eve) we are taking a little family trip. I really needed tomorrow off. But don't worry I am going to make them pay me dearly for the pleasure of my company.

Christmas Evening

2007-12-25T19:23:00.000-06:00

Tonight is Christmas evening. Presents have been unwrapped. Lots of food has been consumed. The kids are consumed right now with the new video game console. We are sitting here relaxing and enjoying the "remains of the day." Tomorrow, hubby and I have to work and the kids have to go to their daycare.

It bothers me when people talk about wanting Christmas to be over. I think these people are probably trying to try to do to much and the spirit of Christmas has been lost to them. We spend a lot of time with family during the holidays. I always plan to cook a lot more than I actually have time for. I always get a little carried away with the decorating. I want the holidays to be so special and sometimes think that the results are actually in my power. When in truth the kids are happy without much work. Give them time to play with their new toys. Don't ask them to get dressed before noon.

I have a large extended family. My cousins are all grown with large families of their own and when we get together now our kids play like we did. I enjoyed so much spending time with the family.

I hope you had a good holiday with your family and find this season peaceful and not too over scheduled. Take time to sample the holiday dishes you've worked so hard to prepare. Watch a movie or watch your kids playing video games. Spend time catching up with family. Take a drive and enjoy the lights. Remember what is important in life regardless of your particular Faith.

Twelve Things I Love About Christmas

2007-12-24T20:12:00.000-06:00

or some similar named mem....

1. Family - I have a large one and we have several "get-togethers" with lots of:

2. Food - There is always lots of good food. We have dressing and fruit salad at Christmas as well as all kinds of different sweet foods. Fudge is important, too.

3. Christmas music. My absolute favorite Christmas album is December by George Winston. It is so relaxing to play this album with only the Christmas lights on and a good cup of warm drink.
My favorite Christmas song is "Please Come Home for Christmas" by the Eagles.

4. Christmas lights - all over the yard, all over the house.

5. Christmas smells- vanilla candles and cinnamon potpurri. Hot apple cider cooking on the stove. Rolls browning in the oven. Fresh pine boughs.

6. Christmas Cards - from people you see every year and those you haven't seen in years. I love seeing those pictures to see how much the kids have grown.

7. Snow. No, really, I like snow at Christmas it's just that we don't actually see snow on Christmas. Maybe 2 of my 30+ odd Christmases have been white.

8. Presents - shopping for them, wrapping them, exchanging them!

9. Bob's Old Fashioned Candy Canes and Creme Drops. I know this is part of the food category but these are special candies that you only have at Christmas.

10. Stockings. We open our Christmas presents on Christmas Eve but our stockings are still saved for Christmas morning and it is still exciting to see what's inside.

11. Christmas ornaments. I have lots and lots of Christmas ornaments. More, really than I can put on 3 trees. This year we decorated the one large tree plus two 3 foot trees for the kids rooms. I think we put about half the ornaments up.

12. Gingerbread House. Ever year the kids and I decorate a Gingerbread House. Unlike the previous two years this year the house kit did not come readily assembled. There was a little panic while I tried to assemble the pieces but we got through it and the house turned out great. I think we have about 5 houses on top of my kitchen counters now.

Saturday Morning

2007-12-22T07:55:00.000-06:00

Whew! What a week I've had. It's Saturday morning now and I'm having a little quiet time with my breakfast before I get to work cleaning and cooking. Here are some of the things I'll be making over the next few days:

Peanut Butter Fudge
Peanut Butter Popcorn
Magic Cookie Bars
Fruit Salad
Smoked Salmon Dip
Baked Beans
Mashed Potatoes Au Gratin
Fudge - if time
Tiramasu Trifle

The kids are in the other room playing some annoying-sounding game they got from the Grandma yesterday. Of course, buying loud noise-making toys is a grandparent's prerogative. But they are disturbing my quiet, peaceful breakfast. That's okay, in a few minutes I'm going to put them to work.

Hope everyone has a delightful Christmas Holiday!!!

Sunday

2007-12-16T19:49:00.000-06:00

This morning we did not go to church so that I could sleep late before going in to work at 10am. I cleaned up the kitchen and vacuumed the living room floor before I left. The house gets pretty cluttered when I work for several days in a row. I left the kids a list of chores to do during the day. They asked me to write them down for them, so they could remember.(1. Finish laundry, 2. Unload Dishwasher, 3. Read). I also asked them if they went outside to sweep the leaves out of the garage, but I didn't write that down. (The wind blows the giant leaves from our neighbors Sycamore into the garage when the door is left open.)

Tomorrow is grocery day so there is not a lot of surplus food in the house. I decided to purchase Sonic on the way home at 6pm for supper. My son wanted a slushie but I said, "no." I wasn't inclined to bring home a treat and it was pretty cold out to think about slushies. He said, "You never buy us slushies". I really hate those "absolute" words.

When I got home I discovered the kids had played outside but hadn't swept the garage. Which is understandable because I didn't write it down. My son said he forgets if I don't write it down. I asked them if they completed the list and they said they had. I complained about the popcorn in the living room floor and the leaves they had tracked in the kitchen, plus the mess they had left at the kitchen table. I was feeling a little under appreciated. Of course, you're wondering why I bothered cleaning this morning if they would just mess it up again. But I knew that I would be too tired tonight and that I had to work all day Monday. Imagine what the house would look like by Tuesday!

I asked the kids to bring the laundry into the living room so that I could fold it. Sunday's laundry consists of two loads of the kids laundry which I do every Sunday. My husband is really good about doing our laundry on the Saturdays when I work. My son got the load out of the dryer and brought them to me. I started folding and had folded most of the top load in the basket when I realized the bottom load had not ever been washed. Now I'm going to be up late folding laundry.

I'm not feeling the least bit guilty about not buying my son that slushie.

Busy Week

2007-12-13T16:41:00.000-06:00

Tonight is my Homemaker's Club Annual Christmas Dinner and Gift Exchange. We have our dinner catered in the conference room of a local business. Dessert follows at one of the member's house. We draw names earlier in the year and exchange gifts. It is always a enjoyable evening with just the ladies.

Seems like I am so busy this time of year. There is always one or two things I forget to buy or do. I have to work all weekend and them I'm off next Tues & Thursday. I still haven't planned what desserts I'm making and I need to buy the groceries on Monday.

Next Saturday night I have planned a dinner out with my parents if I can arrange a baby-sitter. We used to go out together frequently before the kids came along and in the early years. But in the last year or two it has become increasingly difficult to find a baby-sitter.

We are going to Boaz for a family gathering the following Sunday. I have to work Christmas Eve until 4pm. That evening we will have a nice family dinner followed by the opening of gifts. On Christmas Day we have our family gathering with my Dad's clan.

Did I forget hubby's Christmas party next Wednesday evening and a Brownie workshop on Thursday. Also, there is the cookie exchange with the ladies in my SS class on Tuesday night. And of course there is a lot of baking to be done and always the last minute stuff. And let us not forget the gathering with hubby's family the Sunday after Christmas.

We have a small family trip planned after New Year's to recover from all the excitement.

Long Time No Post

2007-12-09T15:45:00.000-06:00

I didn't really mean to quit posting. But, it has been several weeks nonetheless. When I went back to working full-time at Wal-Mart the appeal of spending time on the computer was lost. When I am home I don't even want to check my email, much less spend hours browsing other peoples blogs and finding witty things to post. Call it laziness if it makes you feel better.

I have been really happy back at WM, though, and am confident I've made the right decision.

We've been very busy. I got the house decorated for Christmas. This weekend we went to Auburn for my cousin's wedding and just got back this afternoon. It was a beautiful wedding. Rick and I enjoyed taking a walking tour with our kids of the University Campus (where we both attended) last evening. A lot has changed since we graduated.

Christmas is approaching fast. I have all my presents wrapped except for whatever last minute things come up. I really need to finish my Christmas cards and get them in the mail. I have my deer and Palm Trees up in the front yard.

We have finished the second season of Lost and are anxiously waiting the 3rd season release on Tuesday. To say we are hooked would be an understatement. I don't know what we will do when we have to start watching it only once a week with the fourth season in January.

There is so much going on that sometimes everything is just a blur. We have Christmas parties and family gatherings coming up. The kids and I have an annual tradition of decorating a Gingerbread house. I have Dr appts for both children next week. I have to work next weekend and then my parents will be here over the holiday. Hopefully, we are taking a little trip after New Year's to recover from the rush.

I hope everyone will continue to stop by once in a while. I'll try to post at least once a week until Christmas.

Book Update

2007-12-08T15:56:00.000-06:00

I am going to try and update my book list now. I don't think I put any books I've read since Fall Break. I've slowed down a lot on my reading because I changed jobs.

Of the books that I've read since I last did a book post the most notable are:

1) Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon. This book is about Father Tim from Karon's Mitford Series. The book details his journey to his childhood home after a 30+ year absence. A lot of questions are answered for Timothy and a lot of old wounds are healed. Definitely a must read for fans of the series but not the best book to start if you haven't read the others.

2) Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. This is the latest Agent Pendegrast Novel. And while it is an independent book and not a sequel to the others, I would not start with this book. It is certainly not among the best produced by this talented writing team. The bizarre circumstances that the FBI agent finds himself in are starting to sound a little repetitive if not mundane. The early Pendegrast books, including Relic and Cabinet of Curiosities are much better. If you haven't read any of Child & Preston's novels I would also recommend Thunderhead or Ice Limit.

3) I am currently working my way through the Martha Grimes, Richard Jury Novels, and I finished The Old Contemptibles. I enjoyed this as much as the previous novels. I am also up to J is for Judgement in the Sue Grafton, Kinsey Milhone series and enjoyed it also. Also, for a little light reading I read the latest Cedar Cove Series paperback, 74 Seaside Avenue.

84 books

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T16:44:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is a great holiday. The primary focus is to be thankful and to eat. What a great combinations that is. My parents are coming for a few days and we are having Thanksgiving Dinner at our house. Sometimes we drive an hour or so away and spend the day with other relatives. This year I have to work all weekend and so we've decided to stay in Huntsville. We will be having the traditional Thanksgiving meal that I have grown up with:

Chicken and Dressing
Turkey
Cranberry Sauce
Green Beans
Fruit Salad
Sweet Potato Casserole
Rolls
Pecan Pie

If you are unfamiliar with the dish, chicken and dressing, allow me to educate you. In most southern families the Turkey if prepared at all is roasted without any sort of "stuffing". Instead we serve dressing. Dressing is a mixture of breads (both white and corn) cream of chicken soup, spices, onions, and chicken baked until golden brown. The recipes and preparation vary from family to family. We tend to eat ours a little soupier than some. We usually serve it with a gravy made from cream of chicken soup. We also traditionally eat dressing at Christmas time and on occasion at Easter. When my Mama was alive and we had Thanksgiving dinner at her house she would make several large pans. There was usually enough for everyone to take home as leftovers. She made the most wonderful dressing and my mother after many years of practice is able to duplicate the recipe. We're not having a whole turkey this year for such a small gathering. Mother bought a Turkey breast from the Honeybaked Ham store. I am not that big a fan of the traditional roasted and usually dried-out bird.

Years ago while I was in college my parents moved to Pennsylvania for a few years. I flew up to join them for Thanksgiving that first year. We drove the four hours to my brother's in laws house in Olney, Maryland. Their Thanksgiving meal was quite different from ours. But the overall tradition of sitting down together for a family meal and being thankful for God's blessings on our lives remains the same regardless of the food served.

Thanksgiving at our house is a wonderful time of fellowship and family time with lots of eating. Regardless of your families traditions I wish all of you a wonderful holiday.

Friday

2007-11-16T19:06:00.000-06:00

What a wonderful day today. It's amazing how much more you appreciate your off days when you work so hard to earn them. It's been a long week and I am glad for the 3 day weekend. I know a good many of you will have a short week next week but I have to work next weekend. I spent most of today at the school, working in the clinic and in a teacher conference. I had a wonderful nap this afternoon.

Hubby has apparently decided on the purchase of a new camera after much research. I think he decided against the $600 model and went with something a bit smaller. The big thing with most digital cameras is there is a long delay between pressing the button and snapping the picture (shutter time?). We need a camera that is practical to use and carry around, though. I have seen so many beautiful trees this fall that I wish I could have taken a picture of. You really miss your camera when you don't have one.

We have no big weekend plans. Just the usual. I need to get some Christmas presents wrapped. We're going over to a friend's house for supper tomorrow night. I'm definitely going to get in some napping. Next week I work Monday & Tuesday and off Wed and Thursday. Wednesday the kids are out of school and we all have to go to the dentist. My parents are coming for Thanksgiving so there will be lots of cooking and eating (and napping, don't forget the napping!) Hopefully, I'll be back before then.

Have a good week!

Blogging

2007-11-13T17:18:00.000-06:00

I've turned into one of those people who cannot take the time to blog a few lines. What is that about? Can't you sit down once a day or so and type a few lines? Well, actually, no. I've been working a lot of long days (10-13 hours) and when I arrive home I am too tired to even read my email. I know you are thinking that blogging is so much more important then email and that it should be my priority over say, sleep.

Anyway, last week my mother was visiting and we had a great week. I was glad to have a few days with nothing planned. We ate out for lunch and enjoyed ourselves. Most importantly I got some Christmas presents wrapped.

I've got a little cold now and that combined with exhaustion is making me want to do very little on my day off. I'm looking forward to my weekend off.

We are currently looking at a new camera and new cellphones and a shockingly expensive Christmas present for the whole family. It seems that once you start spending money you cannot stop. My old job is still paying me out my vacation time and I've been getting double paychecks. The money has to go somewhere and it seems so wrong to save it.

I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving.. Before you know it Christmas will be here. I mean they are already playing Christmas music at work. What we need is some good Thanksgiving music.

Okay enough is enough. You came here to see if I'm still around and I am and thank you for reading this far. I'm going to take the time to visit some of my favorite blogs now. And maybe, just maybe I'll be back in a few days.

Cool Weather

2007-11-08T17:33:00.000-06:00

Well, I had to turn the heat on today. I really do not like to turn the heat on and then turn the air back on a few days later. That is a common situation here in the South. The temp in the house got below 60 last night, so I relented. Last year we had to turn the air back on briefly in December.

I finally got outside and planted some bulbs and pansies. A good thing, too, since we had a hard frost last night. My beautiful impatiens had finally had enough and died. I planted tulips and daffodils and hyacinths. Every year the ground gets a little easier to work so the bulb planting went quickly. My daughter was a big help, dropping the bulbs into the holes I dug and covering them with dirt.

We have some gorgeous fall color and if my camera was working I would take a picture and show you. Our camera never worked after our vacation. I've still got to get the pictures off the memory card. Hubby is looking at getting another one. He has been wanting a SLR camera but I didn't want to spend the money. Now I guess it is necessary. I think I might buy myself a small camera to carry in my purse.

We had a great time at the Auburn game last weekend and I know I should do an entire post about it but I have been so busy. I am enjoying the new job but between it and school activities it leaves little time for the non-essentials like blogging and reading blogs. I still find time to read, somehow, though.

I'm working all weekend and I just wanted to do a quick post because I'm not sure when I'll be back. If I didn't get a chance to visit your blog this week, I'm sorry and hope to visit soon.

Friday

2007-11-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

I have been so busy lately. I've backed myself in a little corner. But next week I have two days set aside to spend with my mother. We're going to shop and eat out and enjoy ourselves. I am enjoying my new (old) job. I really like the schedule. Of course, in the evenings I am very tired, but the days go by so fast. I'm really enjoying the people I'm working with, too. My old boss has called me about 3 times to ask when I am coming back. It is nice to be in a career with so much demand.

Tomorrow is the annual Auburn University Alumni Band Reunion. My daughter and I are headed down this afternoon. I'll practice with the alumni band tomorrow morning and then we'll perform with the college band during the halftime of the football game and in the stands. Playing with the Auburn band was the most enjoyable experience I had in college and every year when fall rolls around I miss that excitement. It is nice to spend this little Saturday afternoon going back. My SIL is going to meet us in Auburn and sit with B during the game. Looks like we're going to have great weather (not as hot as usual). We're going to a barbecue at the pharmacy school for lunch.

Maybe next week I can check on how everyone is doing with NaBloPoMo. Have a great weekend.

Where Did October Go?

2007-10-30T16:24:00.001-06:00

My goodness how time gets away from me. I seem to remember a few days ago it was the first of October and the weather was just starting to cool off. Now it is the day before Halloween. I was considering participating in the NaBloPoMo but now I honestly don't think I could do it. I'm just working too much. I don't even think I have the time to do up a bunch of posts and then post them each day. So good luck to all of the participants and have fun.

After I decided to not participate I saw this entry on Tangerine Zest. Great minds think alike, Ha!

I went on a field trip today with my daughter to Lyon Family Farms in Taft, Tn. This was a very well organized trip. We went on a hayride where the children picked their on pumpkins from the patch. We played in a corn maze, giant inflatible slide, and corn bin. The kids petted and fed all sorts of animals. We listened to they story of how the pumpkins grow and had a sing a long. We had a picnic lunch outside. Luckily, it warmed up enough to enjoy the day. The kids had a onderful time!

My mother sent this picture of me I wanted to share with you because it reminds me so much of Gina's picture on her blog.

I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween. Unfortunately, I have to work late and will miss out on the annual tradition of dressing up and begging door-to-door for candy. If our camera was not on the fritz I would perhaps get pictures but now I will only get stories. I'll be back (hopefully) on Friday to tell you about my upcoming weekend plans.

MDA Lock-up

2007-10-25T12:46:00.000-06:00

Well, I survived my stint in the big house. I was "arrested" for Mucular Dystropy Association. I was picked up by a Huntsville Police Officer and escorted to Sci-Quest in Huntsville where I had to present my "bail" money to the "judge". I was very fortunate to have raised a good bit of money ahead of time. But I made a few calls and raised several more hundred. I am counting on the company I work for to match my first $1000, also. I enjoyed a good barbecue lunch (they ran out of banana pudding, though) and was escorted back home by limousine. I raised at least enough to send 3 children to MDA's summer camp. I am glad I participated in the fundraiser and am touched by the generosity of so many people. Several of my husbands colleagues came through as well as mine.

Book Update

2007-10-24T14:45:00.000-06:00

While on Vacation I read the new John Grisham book, Playing for Pizza. It is written in his usual style but is not a legal thriller. The story follows a disgraced NFL quaterback on his adventures in Italy playing for the Parma Panthers. Just like his previous book, The Broker, it made me want to visit Italy. I enjoyed the book, although I thought it was too short.

I also read the latest Diana Gabaldon book, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. This is the second Lord John book she has written. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first. I would only recommend it to those readers who are already fans of the Outlander series.

I just finished reading Track of the Cat, by Nevada Barr for the second time. This is the first of the Anna Pigeon Mysteries. My book club has chosen this book for November. I read it several years ago and have read all the other books in the series. Anna Pigeon is a National Parks Ranger and all of the books take place in different National Parks. Like other mystery heroines, people are always dying around Anna. There is always a murder to solve. Track of the Cat is not the best of the series but I think it is important (though not entirely necessary in this case) to read them in order. I highly recommend this series to any murder mystery lovers out there.

I'm sure I was reading something else before all of these but I can't recall now what it was. Must not have been that memorable. I have a lot of things still on my shelf to read. My SIL brought me two books when she was in town and I checked out one from the library. One down side to the new job is there isn't quite as much time to read. Bummer!

Jail Bird

2007-10-23T06:54:00.000-06:00

Hey! Thursday is the day I am going to be locked-up in Jail for MDA. It's not too late to help me with your 100% tax deductible donation. Please!!! Any amount is appreciated.

Blog Fodder

2007-10-21T12:30:00.000-06:00

Blog Fodder, blog fodder, where are you...

I am not going to blog about the ballgame yesterday. I've refrained from blogging about football this fall for good reason. I'm not going to blog about how I stayed up 'til after 11:30 (by myself) last night watching a game that did not turn out so well for us. Why do they have games starting at 8pm? T.V. of course. Football was all anyone wanted to talk about in Sunday School this morning (well, the men anyway). I really didn't want to relive it at 8 am this morning. Apparently, our rival school across the state had a big win yesterday. Some guy mentioned how the coach had shown he was worth the $4 million he had been paid. I can't help being thankful it isn't my Alma Mater that paid that much for a FOOTBALL coach. Anyway, I said I wasn't going to blog about it, okay? So STOP TALKING ABOUT IT!

Glorious Autumn

2007-10-20T14:35:00.000-06:00

The kids and I loaded up the bikes on our new bike rack and headed out to the Indian Creek Green way this morning. The weather was wonderful (even a little cold in the shade). We rode about 1.5 miles then sat in the sun and had a snack before returning to the car. I had been shut up inside all week at work and it was great to get out and enjoy the sunshine.

Hubby and some buddies have headed to the mountains in Tennessee for the weekend and the kids and I are flying solo. Last night we picked up Pizza Hut and watched a movie. Tomorrow, after Sunday School we are going out for breakfast. This afternoon they are busy playing and I am just relaxing. I slept better last night than I have in weeks.

Thursday, night we had a house full. Mike from AtHomeDaddy drove over from Texas to go camping. My SIL drove over (from the other direction) to see him while he was here. Unfortunately, she did not get to stay but one night. Mike, if you are wondering, is just as entertaining in person as he is on his blog.

I had lunch with some fellow Homemaker's on Friday to celebrate Homemaker's Week in Madison. We ate at the Welcome Table, a small restaurant in Madison. Although, a little shabby on the outside it was very elegant inside. I had a wonderful lunch of chicken salad on croissant with sweet potato fries. I also enjoyed the conversation with the other ladies.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekends and this great fall weather we are having.

Monday

2007-10-15T09:45:00.000-06:00

Where have I been? Well I went on vacation for a few days, and when I returned of course there were many things needing attention. The I worked all weekend. So here I am trying to catch up on a week's worth of blogging. So much for my ambition to blog two to three times per week.

Our Vacation to the Beach went well. We put the kids in seperate rows in the back of the Tahoe and that seemed to work really well. They did not have the temptation to irritate each other. As expected there was some argument on whose turn it was to ride in the very back. The weather was wonderful. It did not rain, was in the 90's every day and the water was warm.f

Our condo in Ft Walton Beach was adequate but had some problems. The first morning there I had planned to cook cinnamon rolls and discovered there was no bread pan or cookie sheet. And no pot holders, either. We couldn't find the remote to the DVD player. The bed. Don't even let me get started on the bed. But besides all that it was a relaxing vacation. We played at the beach and at the pool. I read a lot. We watched T.V and the kids did their usual playing. We ate out every night and had some nice meals. We raced go-carts, a vacation tradition.

My daughter's birthday fell during the week and we had her ears pierced. I had my pierced at age 6 but had decided she should wait until 7. I think she was suprised how much it hurt, but seems to be happy with them now. She is trying to be responsible and clean them every day.

We watched the first 8 episodes of Lost. I had checked it out of the library. We are hooked now. I went back to the library but they did not have the next set. I guess we will order it from Netflix. We finally got through the first season of Sopranos. Of course, now we have all the regular prime-time stuff recorded on TiVo and have to work our way through that.

Hubby's camping trip is coming up this weekend and AtHomeDaddy is driving out to participate. My SIL is coming in to stay a few days, too. So I guess we will have a busy weekend.

My fundraising for MDA is going well, however, I am still a long way from my goal. I wonder if they will really leave you locked up if you fail to raise your bail. Anyway, that is still a week away.

I really should have broken this post up into several and spread it over a few days to make it look better. Oh, well. Thanks for stopping by and I'll talk to you later.

Saturday

2007-10-06T18:36:00.000-06:00

Today was the Madison Street Festival. Hubby and I, along with my daughter drove the 1924 Chevy in the parade. We had a good time waving to the crowds lining the street. The parade is just a short jaunt down one street and up another and includes not only the usual Boy Scouts, Beautie Queens in convertibles and marching band but also people pushing strollers and pulling wagons. The street fair seems to get bigger every year. The kids enjoyed the morning with the Grandparents. Hubby and I had a nice lunch out alone. I had to head back out to the street fair late in the afternoon. My Homemaker's Club has a booth every year to sell pizza and my shift was 4-6 pm. I brought home cheese pizza for the kids and donuts for everyone. I drove the Miata over to the street fair because I was afraid of the parking situation. The Miata is certainly a lot easier to maneuver in tight areas. The weather could not have been better. It was warm and sunny with a cool breeze. I enjoyed cruising around in the little car.

Thirteen Things I Am Going To Do At the Beach

2007-10-04T08:49:00.001-06:00

Well Fall break officially starts tomorrow afternoon and we are headed to the beach for a few days. What I love most about the beach is the layed back atmosphere and the lack of pressure to do anything. Some vacations you feel like you have to go, go, go (like Disney World) but at the beach you just are.

1. Eat
2. Read
3. Sit and listen to the surf
4. Ride Go-Karts, a family tradition
5. Sleep late
6. Watch the kids play in the pool
7. Sit on the beach and read
8. Help the kids build sandcastles
9. Watch movies and stay up too late
10. Play games
11. Eat
12. Sit outside on the balcony and read
13. Spend time with the family

Changes Coming On

2007-10-03T08:03:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is my last day of work at my current job. I am leaving this slow-paced, quite workplace (with a window) to go back to the hurried, frantic pace of retail. I'm not really going to go into the reasons for this change because I don't feel I need to defend my decision. The decision was prayed about and it has been made.

The reason I'm telling you is that it will affect not only my blogging but my reading of blogs. At my current job I have lots of downtime with which to spend on the computer reading blogs. At my new job not only will I not have time but will not have internet access. This means I will only be checking blogs on my off-time. Sadly, I will be cutting down on the number of blogs I can keep up with.

So many people I have gotten to know through the blog-world and many of them I will miss checking in with several times a week. I will still visit, I'm sure, though not as frequently, and I will try to blog at least twice a week.

Monday

2007-10-01T08:05:00.000-06:00

What a glorious Sunday we had. I stayed up too late Saturday night. I was too keyed up from the excitement of watching Auburn beat Floriday to sleep. War Eagle!! So Sunday morning we slept late. I went out for my morning walk with the kids riding their bikes. It was a great day weather-wise, one of those blue-sky, cool days we so longed for during the heat of August. I put out my yard display (first in the cul-de-sac, thank you). I took a much needed nap and took the kids out for ice cream. I enjoyed my hot tub for a while. I fixed a big pot of chili for supper and we watched the Japanese Grand Prix. My back is hurting again this morning and I wish I knew what I had done to it. But otherwise, I'm having a good morning and looking forward to this weekend (more later.)

Book Update

2007-09-30T08:20:00.000-06:00

My Last book update was about 2 weeks ago and I've read quite a few books in that time. My mother left a bag full of books on her last visit. My favorite of these is Once Upon A Day by Lisa Tucker. This book is written from the view of the different characters (switching back and forth) and detail both their past and present to tell the story. The book kept my attention and I read it quickly. It is a compelling story about how some decisions both big and small can affect so many lives. Please go read Amazon's review to get a better idea of the story. I loved it.

Another very interesting title was The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue. You may be familiar with the legends of the Changelings: Fairies would replace children with their own weaker offspring and steal the human child for their own. The stories were used to explain a child who failed to thrive in rural areas. The Stolen Child is a "real-life" story of a changeling who grew up as the child he replaced, and also the story of the human child and his life with the fairies. Once you accept the basic premise the remainder of the book is quite believable. It is a different type of novel then my usual and I enjoyed the change.

I finished the short novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. The author actually wrote this story before his bestselling Tuesdays with Morrie (which I haven't read either). It is the story of how in heaven you meet 5 people who were somehow part of your life (if only briefly) and your life affected them or was affected by them in someway. These 5 people help the character, Eddie, understand his life and its meaning. It's a short story but very good.

I also read Circle of Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini. This is the eighth book in the Elm Creek Quilt Series. You do not have to enjoy quilting to enjoy this series (although it may make you want to learn.) The stories are well written and enjoyable. If you find them interesting I would recommend starting from the beginning with The Quilter's Apprentice.

Finally, I read Jimmy by Robert Whitlow. Whitlow writes really good Christian fiction. I enjoyed Jimmy but I was so dissapointed in the ending that I can not recommend it. It is the story of a mentally challenged boy and some of the adventures in his life in a small town. It was a good story until about the last 20 pages. If you are looking for good Christian fiction I would recommend other books by Whitlow, especially The List.

Shameless Plea For Money

2007-09-27T19:55:00.000-06:00

I am going to be arrested!!

Actually, I am participating in the Muscular Dystrophy Association's (MDA) Lock-Up on October 25. I am to be put in "jail" until I raise enough money to send 4 children to MDA summer camp. How much does it cost do send 4 children to MDA camp? $2600. Wow!

Last year my good friend Beth's son David was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. Specifically his diagnosis is Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a genetic, degenerative disease primarily affecting the voluntary muscles. David is only 3 years old.

Now everyone has heard about Jerry's Kids and the annual MDA telephon held each Labor Day weekend. Now this disease is affecting someone close to me and I am trying to do my part.

I know that there are a lot of other worthy causes to support and so this is my shameless plea for help from my internet readers. Any contribution is 100% tax deductible. I have a lot of money to raise and so I am looking for help wherever I can find it. Take the time to look at MDA's website and learn about this disease and the Association. Look at the Better Business Bureau's report on this charity. Do your own research and then please, please help me send 4 deserving children to MDA summer camp.

Go here to see my MDA fundraiser website.

And if anyone can help me put a linky on my blog to this site, I would appreciate the help.

Tuesday

2007-09-25T08:35:00.000-06:00

I had a really good, relaxing weekend but it went by too fast. We skipped swim lessons on Sunday because frankly I needed a nap! Sunday evening the kids were racing down the hill to our house on their bikes. I had visions of an emergency room visit and stitches. But when the inevitable accident happened it was not that bad. B had to have tender loving care and bandages but she is alright. Of course, she screamed so loud from the street that I heard her in the house. I had just went in to check on the spaghetti on the stove. But I am glad I didn't witness the wreck. The aftermath was enough, thank you. Even though I knew it was coming, I didn't stop them riding. All children have to experience these things, right? Of course they had on their helmets, but perhaps next time I'll insist on not riding in shorts. On the bright side her brother was a great help. He walked her bike back to the house and gave her some of his chocolate milk.

Saturday

2007-09-22T20:10:00.000-06:00

Today we had a family reunion. This one is held at my great-uncles farm about 35 minutes away. He has a beautiful back yard with tall oak trees for shade. It was a pleasant afternoon. There was a lot of good food. I enjoyed seeing relatives again. It was a little sad because this reunion last year was one of the last times I saw my Papa alive. His presence was greatly missed.

My cousin Janet and her family were there also. They too, live in Huntsville. Janet and I met each other for the first time at my first football game as part of the Auburn band. (We're actually distant cousins. My great-grandfather and her grandfather were brothers.) We both play trumpet and we happened to sit together in the stands at that first game. We were talking about where we were from and realized we were related. Her grandfather at that time ran a small country store in the town where I grew up. After the game her parents came over and we were introduced. It was a little strange but we became great friends. We roomed together the next year. Even though we live in the same town, we don't see each other often. We both work and have two children. I am hopefully going to the alumni band game in November and we will sit together in the stands again.

We returned home sated and tired from sitting in the warm afternoon. Everyone rested or napped. I still had to finish the laundry and refill the hot tub. (I had drained and cleaned it in the morning.) Tonight we tried out a new Mexican Restaurant out in the county a bit. The food was good and the service quick. The cheese dip was excellent. We will definitely be visiting it again.

We've been watching Sopranos on DVD from the beginning. I definitely do not like the language but the story line has captivated me. As hubby says, "They keep pulling me back in."

Friday

2007-09-21T17:02:00.000-06:00

I had lunch plans today but they fell through. Because I did not receive the email canceling the plans I did not make any other arrangements. So at 9am this morning I found myself off work without a lunch date. A little disappointing. I went to LifeSouth and donated blood. I do this occasionally (though not regularly) mostly for the free T-shirt and movie coupons. I did a little grocery shopping and by the time I returned home I was feeling a little faint and nauseous. I skipped lunch and took a nap. When I picked the kids up from school we made a Sonic run for slushies and root beer floats. I spent several hours in the kitchen. I made fruit salad and pound cake for a family reunion on Saturday. I mixed up some homeade butter pecan ice cream to be made on Saturday and made Baked Potato Soup for supper.

September

2007-09-20T08:10:00.001-06:00

I'm so glad that it is September. It's hard to believe now how hot it was just a month ago (and how much I was complaining about it.) Before you know it it will be October, my absolute favorite month of the year. Before you know it the weather will be cool enough for sweaters. I know I've done a favorite things about fall before so I really didn't want to bore you with it again. But what else can I blog about?

13 Things I love about Fall

1. Fall color. The maples and oaks and redbuds turning their gorgeous colors of gold, brown & orange before falling to the ground and creating piles of leaves for the children to play in.

2. Boiled Peanuts bought from a roadside stand. I wish I knew where I could get some. I may have to settle for my own. If you're unfamiliar with this delicacy check out my mom's post on the subject.

3. Candy Corn. It may be mostly corn syrup but I love it! It is good that it is only available in the fall (or the good kind, anyway) because I definitely eat too much. The absolute best, of course is Brach's.

4. Cool morning & evening breezes. My morning walks are so much more pleasant now. And in the evenings you can sit outside while the children play and just soak it in.

5. My hot tub. Oh, yes. After months of disuse because it was just too darn hot, I'm looking forward to evenings soaking in bubbled bliss.

6. Fall Fashion. Oh how I love my sweaters and sweatshirts and jackets and boots and jeans.

7. College Football. I love to go to games although in I've only been to 4 in the last 12 years. The atmosphere and excitement is hard to explain to the uninitiated. Playing in the band at Auburn was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life and I miss it. I even love watching the games on T.V. And I love Auburn even if they are not having the best season so far.

8. Halloween. Not just the night of when all the kids come to your door begging for trips. But the whole Halloween experience. School carnivals and carved pumpkins, yard displays of mums and scarecrows,. I love to decorate the house with pumpkins and fall decorations and candles. I have these really cute pumpkin baskets and Halloween beanie babies.

9. Fall Break. This is only the fourth year of fall break for us. I wish we had this when I was younger. It is nice to have that week to look forward to.

10. October at the Beach. Fewer crowds on the beach and in the restaurants. The water is still warm but the sun is not scorching. The kids spend long hours playing in the sand and I spend long hours lounging and reading. (Hubby spends long hours inside the condo on the computer). We race go karts, play miniature golf, and play games at night (since we can't take our Tivo with us.)

11. Christmas shopping. Although I start this process in August I try to be finished by October (except for the unexpected). I like to have my presents wrapped before others start thinking about who's on their list. Of course, I miss the bargains, but I also miss the crowds and the last minute stress.

12. Harvest Festivals, Street Fairs, Pumpkin Patches. We have a wonderful pumpkin patch here complete with hay rides and activities for the children. In October we have the Madison Street Festival complete with a parade. Our school is having a harvest festival in late October.

13. Chili. Now, I confess that I have eaten this during the warm months but usually refrain from cooking it. I like my chili full of beans (unlike the Texas versions) served over corn chips and topped with cheddar cheese. It is a great meal to eat while watching a football game (or even a F1 race).

Blogiversery

2007-09-19T07:50:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow is my 1 year blog anniversary. One year ago, after months of reading other people's blogs, I took the plunge and began writing my own. I remember it well (because I blogged about it.) It was a beautiful fall day and I felt like engerized about the prospects. Of course, those first few months my readership was limited to my mom and husband and iMike. Now, I'm proud to report my readership has at least doubled. So in the tradition of others celebrating this milestone, I'm giving you the last two sentenences (because one sentence just didn't seem enough) of the last blog for each month of the year.

But I never say, "What race?" Of course, in his defense, he doesn't jump up and down and yell at the referees during the formula one races. Please do not put off planning for your eternal future. Please do not fail to plan for those loved ones you leave behind. We ate lunch together and he fussed over my children. I hugged him goodbye before we parted in what would be the last time. I am going to try and catch up on all my blog reading now and if I find anything else to say I'll be back. We've almost destroyed it and Him in the process. I like to think He tried it again and maybe got it right. So I don't need to have the dream interpreted to understand why I dream. I would be interested to know if anyone else has had an incurring dream for a long time. 12. Tomorrow I am going to clean off my porch, wash my car, and buy a sofa.13. I am off the next three days! There are only 5 in a box, though, so you pay a bit more. But I think they are worth it. Thursday is only 1/2 day of school. Friday they both start summer care, though. On the bright side (always, always look for the bright side), tonite I'm having Rosie's and watching qualifying for the French Grand Prix. So if I can entertain myself for the next 9 hours then I'll be home free and happy. But today I am taking the kids attitude and concentrating on doing nothing. We will see how it goes. We've had a couple days with rain and the highs are just crossing 90 with overnight lows in the 70's. Looks like Fall is on the way!!!

Actually, it sounds pretty mundane put altogether like that.

Book Update

2007-09-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and commented and prayed for me. I'll get to a regular post soon.

I just finished reading Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M Auel. Wow, how did I miss this book? It reminded me so much of the Outlander series and also a little like Mists of Avalon. Maybe that is because it is historical fiction that goes into great detail about the lives of its characters. It is well researched and well written. It fit my criteria of a really great novel by immersing me completely in the story. I wasn't too dissapointed with its ending because I knew there was a sequel.

I haven't blogged a book update in almost a month and I'm trying to remember what all I've been reading. I did read Club Sandwich by Lisa Samson because I read about it on someone's blog. (Again, I didn't write it down, so thank you and I'm sorry if it was yours and you're not getting credit.) It was a pretty good read but a little eratic. I also read A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (I remember I read about this on J's blog. Actually, this might be where I get a lot of my book ideas. Thanks Jules.) A Single Shard is more of a children's tale but quite enjoyable.

In my quest to read more of that silly top 100 list that circulated a while back I also read A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. The book seems a little silly to me but I can understand its appeal when first published in 1932. The overall concept is still fresh, though.

I also read The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. This was the first of the Cat Who books by Lillian Jackson Braun. I had never read any of these but my new book club had chosen this author for September. What better place to start then the beginning, right? This was a short, light book and would be perfect to follow any of the more deeper titles I tend to read.

Book Update II

2007-09-17T09:43:00.000-06:00

Oh and let me tell you about Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow. Turow has written a lot of legal thrillers which I enjoy but this book was quite diffrent. It is a wonderful story of romance and intrigue set in WWII as told by both the veteran and his son as he discovers secrets that were kept for 50 years. I shamelessly stole this quote form Amazon's review but it tells it so much better than I could:

This hard truth stands at the center of Ordinary Heroes, Scott Turow's seventh novel. The story opens in 2003, when Stewart Dubinsky, a 55-year-old crime reporter, happens upon a bundle of letters that allude to his recently deceased father's court-martial during the last days of World War II. Stewart is knocked flat by the thought that his "tirelessly proper" father should have such a scandalous past. An insurance company lawyer and devoted family man, David had always claimed that his wartime service as an assistant judge advocate in Europe was unexceptional. Stewart decides to investigate whether he is "the son of a convict who'd betrayed his country and slipped away on some technicality, or, perhaps, the child of a man who'd endured a primitive injustice which he'd left entombed in the past."

A very good read. I highly recommend it, especially if you enjoy fiction surrounding WWII.

I'm halfway through another book I got from mother and am enjoying it a lot. I'll tell you all about it soon. I'm really enjoying using Bookins and appreciate the commenter who suggested it. I am looking forward to a couple of brand new titles that I'm saving for my October vacation: Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (Diana Gabaldon) and The Wheel of Darkness (Preston/Child). Also, John Grisham has a new book out soon. I like to have really good books to read on vacation and then read almost constantly (while relaxing at the beach or beside the pool).

Friday

2007-09-14T11:00:00.000-06:00

Hello, everyone. Thanks for stopping by here and checking on me. I had a great two days off with my Mom. We shopped a little, went to lunch and saw The Nanny Diaries. We had our homemakers club's annual International Dinner Last night. So I've had a good week despite my blue mood on Tuesday. My SIL is coming for a vist today! With any luck Hubby and I will be able to go out to eat alone! I'm struggling with a couple of issues. If you are a Believer, I would appreciate your prayers. Tomorrow, I'll try to do a book update.

Raining

2007-09-11T10:36:00.000-06:00

It's raining. A long slow steady rain adding to (or subtracting from?) my mood. But oh, how we needed it. Thank you blessed Lord for the rain.

Tuesday

2007-09-11T08:14:00.001-06:00

I want to tell you about the weekend but I just can not right now. There are some things going on around me which are bringing me down and I am just not up to blogging right now. I'll keep reading, though, and hopefully will be up to a full post by Friday.

Weekend

2007-09-08T20:52:00.000-06:00

Mother and I are here in Nashville enjoying our girls weekend. The conference was wonderful in some ways and very frustrating in others. I don't think I will attend another event of this size with general admission. Waiting to enter with 5-6 thousand other ladies was most unpleasant. This morning we ended up sitting in the upper most level of the arena. Tonite we are just relaxing. We had some Italian food delivered and we're watching the Auburn game.

Deeper Still

2007-09-06T08:35:00.000-06:00

Friday, Mother and I (along with 20, 000 of our closest friends, Hah!) are going to a Women's Conference in Nashville called Deeper Still. The key speakers for this event are Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, and Priscilla Shirer. This event has been sold out for many months. (We bought our tickets in November.) They've even opened up a secondary "satellite site". The coference will be held at the former Gaylord Entertainment Center. It is a two day event. This will be the fourth time I've seen Beth Moore live. (I first saw her at a conference in 1998 when I didn't even know who she was!) Two years ago Mother and I attended a similiar 3 day event in Chattanooga. We've both done many of Beth's bible studies and are very excited.

Friday morning we are driving up to Nashville intending on spending the day together before gettting ready for the conference. Our hotel is within walking distance. We are also staying over Saturday night to further enjoy our time away. I'm taking my laptop so that I can listen to Auburn's football game Saturday night. So I might blog about the conference on Saturday.

Several other ladies from my Sunday School Class are attending as well and we are all going out to lunch together on Saturday. It is going to be an exciting weekend.

Editorial Clarification

2007-09-05T11:28:00.001-06:00

Just in case there are people out there reading my blog who are not from The South and who also might have heard about or even watched the controversial NBC show yesterday morning in which a well-known comedian spoke out about a controversial issue, I would like to issue the following clarifications:

1) Virginia is not considered the "Deep South". For the most part, we consider the Deep South to include Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, & South Carolina. In fact, even though Virginia was indeed part of The Confederacy it is not considered by Southerners to still be part of The South anymore than Florida is. I am not talking about geography folks.

2) D*g F*ght*ng is not condoned in The South. It is found (according to Wikipedia) in other parts of this country and the world. It is not practiced out in the open nor is it legal in the South. I can't find any evidence that it was commonly practiced in the community where the accused grew up.

3)D*g F*ght*ng is not part of our "culture". It is not "culturally acceptable." It is no more indicative of the Southern culture than being shot in the back while eating at an Italian restaurant is part of the New York culture.

Now, I understand that she did not mean to condone the behavior only give a reason or excuse for it. However, we do not excuse people's criminal behavior based on their background. We are not really angry about her having or having not condoned the criminal act. Her comments suggesting that this was commonly "culturally acceptable" in the Deep South were without merit. I don't think she meant to offend an entire region of the country either. However, in later comments to the press, I did not find her apologizing for doing just that.

Tired

2007-09-05T08:30:00.001-06:00

But why am I so tired? I know that I have gotten up early for so many days in a row I've lost count. But exercise is supposed to give you more energy, right? It's not that I haven't gotten enough sleep, either. I actually had a good nap yesterday afternoon. (I'm so thankful that my children are of an age where this is possible.) My mother is coming today for a 10 day visit and I am very excited. I'm just worn out. This weekend we are going to a women's conference and will not be resting. However, hopefully, I will find it refreshing and invigorating. I really need that. Next week, I have two days off and we intend to spend them together doing Mother-Daughter stuff (shopping and dining).

Wednesday

2007-09-05T08:24:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I had a very busy day. First a few hours helping out at my old job and then sped across town to the library for my book club. I was home long enough to grab some lunch before time to pick up the kids. Last night we had our first PTA meeting.

I am really excited about PTA and the new school and my place in it. I never really felt like I belonged at the old school (despite how well my children seemed to like it). Most of the mothers were of the SAHM variety and had been together since Kindergarten. They were not unfriendly but not really warm, either. I did okay in preschool with B. But my son's class seemed to already be formed into mom-clicks and I never found one where I belonged. I grew discouraged and gave up. I'm not trying to say it was all their fault. I know I should have made a bigger effort to assimilate.

So this year I am not going to sit back and feel left out. I am going to volunteer and get involved. I am going to meet parents and (hopefully) go on some field trips. I'm going to find a place where I fit.

Monday

2007-09-03T08:25:00.000-06:00

Even though today is a holiday I am working. That happens sometimes to those who do not have normal M-F, 8-5 jobs. My husband and kids are at home enjoying their day off. I wonder if they'll notice I am not there.

Yesterday morning I went out and walked before church and again this morning before work. I'm not becoming obsessed. I'm just trying to stave off the guilt of not exercising. Plus tomorrow I may not get the chance. I'm off tomorrow but going in for a few hours at the other job to help them out. The day after Labor Day is a busy day for pharmacies.

I'm going to the second meeting of my book club tomorrow. Our book this month was any title by Lillian Jackson Braun. I read the Cat Who Read Backwards.

Yesterday evening the kids and I did a little bicycling in the neighborhood. We're trying to build up our stamina for longer rides when the weather cools off.

Sunday

2007-09-02T08:31:00.000-06:00

I'm not going to blog about the ballgame. I'm not going to mention how poorly Auburn's offense played or how the defense could not seem to cover the receivers or running backs. I'm not going to talk about the new freshman place-kicker and his 3 field goals. I'm not going to mention the score or how inaccurately it reflects the game that was played. No, I'm not going to blog about any of it. I hope after next week's game there will be something that is actually blogworthy to say.

September

2007-09-01T07:52:00.000-06:00

As if the very changing of a page on the calendar is enough, this morning dawned with a cool breeze. I enjoyed my walk. It was 75 degrees and a gentle breeze blew around me. The neighborhood was quiet and peaceful. Only the birds were awake. Oh, I know that there will still be warm days to come. But just seeing the first day of September gives me hope that fall is not too far away. Football season has started. Because it has been so dry, the leaves are already turning and starting to fall. Before long we will be thinking of pumpkins, candy corn, and boiled peanuts. We will put out our yard displays and plant our bulbs. I hope everyone enjoys their Labor Day Weekend.

Friday

2007-08-31T08:31:00.000-06:00

Today is the last day of August. And after all of my griping about how much I dislike this month, I'm a little surprised it's over already. Where did the month go? Tomorrow is the first day of September and I couldn't be happier about it.

Tomorrow is Auburn's first football game of the year and it will be televised (not a lot of big games on the first weekend.) Auburn is only #18 in the AP preseason poll (behind 4 other SEC schools). But I'm good with that. It is very tough starting the season ranked high. It's much better to prove yourself as you go along. Of course everyone will be looking at Florida. Auburn has to play them this year in The Swamp on September 29 but let's not look too far ahead.

The weather even seems to be cooperating with the end of August. We've had a couple days with rain and the highs are just crossing 90 with overnight lows in the 70's. Looks like Fall is on the way!!!

Thursday

2007-08-30T08:25:00.000-06:00

I've had a busy last two days. (Which is good, because when I am off work I tend to be lazy and unproductive.) Wednesday morning I worked in the first aid clinic at school for the first time. I have to work for 10 hours with another volunteer before they set me loose on my own. It was an interesting morning and I think it will be a good volunteer position for me.

Wednesday night I went out to eat with my friend Kim. Kim and I have been talking on the phone (while at work, no less) for years and have never gotten together. We both needed a night out without the kids. We met at Logan's and had a good time. I recommend their Mesquite Chicken, it was very good.

Thursday I worked 1/2 day at Sam's Club Pharmacy for Kim. They are a little busy then I am at this pharmacy but not by much. It was a slow morning but I probably would not have gotten anything done at home. I walked before I went in to work, though so by the time I picked up the kids at 2:45 I was feeling run down. I took a nap. That put my whole day in perspective. I exercised, I worked 5 hours, I napped and even cooked supper for my family.

Monday

2007-08-28T07:48:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I worked at that other job. It was one of those days in which I remember why it was that I quit working there full-time a year ago. First of all, I went out and walked in the morning which guaranteed I would be tired by the end of the day. I didn't go in to work until 10am so I had an hour in the morning to relax. Later, I was really glad I took that time. One of the computer terminals was out at work. This both slowed down production and interrupted the normal flow of work. Also, someone knew was in to start training. Monday is not the best day to train someone. We were entirely too busy to take the time. I'm not the best person to train someone as I have little patience for it. (Get trained already and get to work!) After I ate some lunch the laser printer quit working. (It had been giving us maintenance warnings all day but we had unwisely ignored them). There is a back-up printer (of the dot matrix variety) but it prints about a page per minute. After that small things began to go wrong. There were a couple of times I thought I was going to lose it but I kept it under control. (There really wasn't time for a panic attack.) After an hour or so a second printer was located and installed and we were back at full-speed. I left at 9pm having worked steadily on my feet for 11 hours (except for my 20 minutes of lunch). I had to buy groceries. I managed to arrive home by 10pm but naturally I forgot some things in my haste to get out of the store. This morning I am here at the regular job and I am going to sit down for most of the day and recover.

On the positive side it was a good day diet-wise. I was too tired to eat supper last night and instead ate a banana and went to bed. I didn't have a snack. I'm sure I'll make up for it today.

Interview Meme

2007-08-27T10:12:00.000-06:00

Autumn's Mom was kind enough to send me these interview questions. If you would like to be interviewed, see the instructions below. If you do this meme, you can pretend like there are people out there who really care about the answers.

1. If you could pick any profession to be in, what would it be? Besides the one I have, I assume, and without the corresponding training and education required. Secretly, I think I would like to be a nurse. I think I enjoy the patient interaction part of my job most of all and I seem to do so little of it.

2. What is your favorite part of being a parent? My favorite part of being a parent is having this little companion to always share things with and have around for company and who is constantly looking to you for an example. And your least favorite part? Having this little companion you always have to share things with and who is always around and who sees your every mistake.

3. If you had the chance to speak to a relative or friend who's passed on, who would it be and what would you say? Gosh, I miss my Maw-Maw. She's been gone 2 years now. She was sick for a long time before that. She was like a second mother to me. I would tell her how much I loved her and how many lives she touched here on Earth and how much she is missed. But that we are all happy she is singing with the angels and without suffering or pain.

4. You read a lot of books, give us your top 3 favorites. Top 3? That is a hard question. I'm not sure I can narrow it down to 3, but I'll give it a go. I loved the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (of course there were 6 of them.) I love Jane Eyre and White Fang and books by Elizabeth Berg, John Grisham, Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston and the Harry Potter books. Sorry, I said I didn't think I could do it. If I had to pick 3 from this year's list I would say, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Time Traveler's Wife and East of Eden (and Mists of Avalon).

5. Sweet or Salty? Why must I chose? Can't I have them together? My two favorite candies in the world are M&M's (plain or dark chocolate) and Reese's Cup Minatures. I love that combo of salt & sweet. I love chocolate covered cashews, almonds and macadamias. But if I had to choose I would say my favorite is the chocolate and therefore - sweet.

Here are the rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”

2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Friday

2007-08-24T15:17:00.000-06:00

I had a pretty productive day today. It was good to do something and not feel so lazy. I washed sheets and blankets, painted the mailbox, picked up some groceries and worked on some projects. This afternoon I made homemade strawberry ice cream. Tonight I'm cooking hamburgers on my indoor grill. I'm feeling so proud of myself I thought I would brag to you a little.

Still no rain and still hot! (You thought I had quit harping on the weather, didn't you?) I have a Dogwood tree that looks like it is dying. Next week we are supposed to have a high down in the 80's. It will be like a cold front!

Have a great weekend!

Thursday Thirteen

2007-08-23T09:03:00.001-06:00

Rather than talk about the weather (again!). I thought I would fantasize about vacationing.

Thirteen Places I would like to visit (US edition)

1. New York City - Broadway, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building

2. Charleston, SC - old South

3. San Francisco, Ca - I've been there on a one day visit but would like to see more

4. Grand Canyon

5. Yellowstone National Park

6. Seattle, WA

7. Philadelphia, PA

8. Alaska

9. Hawaii

10. Boston, Ma

11. Kansas City

12. San Diego, CA

13. Key West

Wednesday

2007-08-22T09:12:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I went for my Red Cross first aid training. I am certified in first aid now. If you have a minor accident while I am nearby I know how to call 911. Just kidding. It was a pretty comprehensive course and luckily covered a lot of the legal aspects of what you can and can not do. I hope to volunteer in our school's clinic. It did not include CPR and I might go back for that. It has been many years since I took CPR and the procedures have changed.

I'm feeling a little blue today. I didn't exercise yesterday and then I blew my diet in a big way. (Because once you realize you've blown it you might as well blow it big, right?) I'm working today and tomorrow and then I have a 3 day weekend without a lot of plans. Maybe I can pull myself out of this slump and stop being so lazy.

Our area Water Department has put us on water restrictions. This is as good an exuse as any to stop watering & fertlizing the flowers. They seem to be holding their own. I'm still wishing for a little tropical storm to blow some rain & cooler weather our way.

Monday

2007-08-20T10:19:00.001-06:00

Nothing for you to see (read) here. An uneventful Sunday. I have no witty stories or frustrating tales to tell you. Church, swim lessons, supper - that was our day. I'm at work today hoping everyone else's blog will give me some food for blog posts.

Saturday

2007-08-18T08:13:00.001-06:00

It rained last night. A large thunderstorm rolled through. I'm very thankful for that. We are still in a deficit of course but it was a blessing nonetheless. My walk this morning was cooler (although still quite humid).

Book Update

2007-08-18T07:55:00.000-06:00

I wanted to tell you about a couple of books I've read recently. The first is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I heard about this book from some one's blog. It's a shame I don't write these things down so I can thank them later. I have found the most delightful book recommendations lately from reading blogs. This book is the story of Jacob, who after his parents die leaving him penniless runs away to the circus. It is set in 1931 but told through the eyes of Jacob when he is 90 (or 93 he's not sure which). It is not a very long story but I enjoyed it immensely and found it very easy to read. Read the review on Amazon and decide for yourself but I recommend it.

I also read The Dante Club by Mathew Pearl. This one was a little more difficult to read and it took me 6 days because I couldn't get into it at first. But it turned out to be a pretty good read. It is set in 1865 Boston and features historical characters involved in a murder mystery. If you enjoyed Dante's Divine Comedy then this will be enjoyable fiction for you. I had never read Dante so I had to read up on the story through Wikipedia. (I also took the time to read up on the characters in the book.) The dialogue and language is unfamiliar and I struggled sometimes to keep focused. But I am glad I read it because I found it educational.

Another book that I read rather quickly was The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. First published in 1985 and made into a movie in 1991 it is on that notorious list of must read books that is circulating around. It reminded me a lot of the book The Road which I just read a few weeks ago. It is set in the Republic of Gilead (formerly the United States of America) which is under a kind of strict marshall law. Women are valued only as breeders and servants and are forbidden to read. The story follows Offred, a handmaid, given to a high "Commander" with the hopes of producing a child for him and his wife. The book is a bit frightening but an enjoyable read.

I also read recently H is for Homicide by Sue Grafton. I'm working my way through these alphabet murders. I find them a refreshing change from more complicated fiction as the above novel. They are good murder mysteries and very quick and easy to read.

As you can see on my blog I read quite a lot of books and am always looking for a recommendation. Feel free to make a suggestion.

Friday

2007-08-17T08:44:00.000-06:00

I've been feeling a little down lately. I'm not sure why. Maybe it is a consequence of the kids going back to school. I thought I would be ecstatic about that. Indeed, I do enjoy the freedom. But maybe too much. I don't seem to know what to do with myself and have been kind of lazy. Although I have been walking in the morning little else has been accomplished. I was off the last two days and I'm thankful to be back at work today at least getting paid, if not exactly being busy. (I'm not going to say that the depression is due to the intense heat because I am going to try and not talk about the heat today.)

August is half over now and I can start looking forward to fall. Mother and I are going to the Deeper Still Conference in Nashville in early September. Auburn's first football game is September 1. I hope to be going to the beach in October. So I have a lot to look forward to, I just find myself in a bit of a funk lately. Maybe what I need is a good uplifting book to read. What I've reading lately has not fit that bill. My phone friend (with who I talk to at work because she isn't busy, either) has gone to Disney World. Mother is in Maryland visiting my brother and his family. Maybe I'm just a bit lonely today. If you're lurking there, leave me a comment. I promise I'll be over this pity party tomorrow.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-08-16T07:49:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry if you've come to my blog hoping to read about something other than the weather. It's just all there is right now. We have a 30% chance of rain this weekend and so the humidity will be between 60 & 100%. By Monday the highs are supposed to drop back into the mid-90's. And it is not that I am wishing for the destructive forces of a hurricane. But a non-destructive tropical storm to bring a good rain would be good. I don't even remember when it last rained. My apologies to Texas who apparently will be getting rain from the Tropical Storms hanging out in the Gulf. They don't seem to need anymore. Can't you send us some?

Back in the summer of 1991 I was living in a four bedroom apartment with one other girl. In order to afford the utilities (the other two girls had gone home for the summer) we had to leave the thermostat on 80. I knew then that I was going to college so that someday I would not have live without air conditioning.

So instead of a regular Thursday Thirteen I am doing a Thankful Thursday.

13. I'm thankful for Air-Conditioning.
12. I'm thankful to Benjamin Franklin for discovering electricity
11. I'm thankful to Willis Haviland Carrier who (according to Wikipedia) first discovered and used electric air-conditioning in 1902
10. I'm thankful for all the advances in air-conditioning technology between 1902 and the present and for Bryant for making my particular unit.
9. I'm thankful for the trees behind my house for helping keep my house cool.
8. I'm thankful for the men & women who have given their lives for the freedom I take for granted sitting in my air-conditioned house.
7. I'm thankful for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) who keeps our utility bills some of the lowest in the country and Huntsville Utilities for providing my electricity (although certainly not for free!)
6. I'm thankful to my high school chemistry teacher who first suggested pharmacy as a career
5. I'm thankful for my parents who taught me to work hard for what I wanted and for helping finance my education.
4. I'm thankful to Auburn University for my degree in Pharmacy (and for my wonderful years there.)
3. I'm thankful for my two employers for paying me so well so that I can afford air-conditioning (and keeping the building cool while I am working.)
2. I'm thankful to my hubby and children for putting up with my crazy hours.
1. I'm thankful to God, for all the blessings in my life, including air-conditioning.

Blog Fodder

2007-08-15T07:46:00.000-06:00

I love the stat counter reports I get. Four people last week found their way to my blog searching for the plant I wrote about a few days ago. I hope they found my entry and pictures helpful.

Other searches:

Barbecue Cookout Difference - I'm glad to educate more people on these terms and their regional meanings.

The Road Cormac McCarthy Hot Tub - I didn't actually read this book while relaxing in my hot tub. It's actually to warm for that right now.

I had a new visitor to my blog because of my entry about cross-stitching. It's always nice to have new people stop by and comment.

Tuesday

2007-08-14T07:37:00.000-06:00

Of course I know that I am beating a dead horse but there isn't much else going on around here to blog about. Today will be the 7th day in a row we've had 100+ degree days (with heat indexes reaching 110'). My Father-in-Law said this was the worst heat wave since 1980 when we had 17 days in a row of 100+. In 1980 I was too young to care much about the weather so I don't remember it as a particularly hot summer.

Last evening while at my other job we had a power outage. It doesn't take long without air condtioning for buildings to begin to heat up in late afternoon sun. After two hours they determined the power would remain out for several more hours and I should go on home. We couldn't work without power and so customers were no longer allowed in the store. It was a nice treat to be home last night with my family.

I am at work today but then I have two days off. I've got errands to run but no real agenda. It's too hot to do much that requires getting in and out of the car. The Lego Star Wars games finally turned up. They were inside the Tinker Toy Cannister. I didn't check there.

Weekend

2007-08-13T07:55:00.000-06:00

We had a really good lazy weekend.

A friend of Rick's brought us a meal yesterday, Curry Chicken, A rice dish, & salad. The circumstances were a bit unusual but the food was very good. Hubby cooked fried okra to go with it.

Yesterday my daughter went to her first swim leson. We got a late start on this. My son took swim lessons when he was 4 & 5 at their daycare. By the time my daughter was old enough to start they stopped offering. With our busy lives we had not made time for swim lessons. I was fortunate to discover Sunday lessons being offered at the University Fitness Center. At 6 years old she is very confident in the shallow end but lacks the skill to swim in deep water.

This morning there was a nice breeze on my morning walk. Now I'm sitting here doing nothing instead of going on in to work.

Purple Secretia

2007-08-11T07:53:00.000-06:00

I get a lot of search hits on my blog from Purple Secretia because of this blog entry. Because it seems a lot of people are searching for this plant I thought for fun I would write a little more about it. There is no entry on Wikipedia about it so perhaps people just want to know what it is.

Purple Secretia is a purple perennial plant that thrives in our area (zone 7). It blooms in the summertime with purple flowers. It is found everywhere in landscaping in our area because it looks so good with contrasting colors. (It looks excellent with orange lilies or various yellow flowering plants.) It spreads rapidly, and returns every year. I discovered this plant a few years ago and have enjoyed having it in my garden ever since. It is very difficult to kill. It's roots spread & run deep and unless you manage to get every last one of them it will return to you the following spring. After it emerges from the soil you can transplant it to other areas of your garden or give some to a friend. More will grow in it's place. It seems to thrive in our semi-drought conditions and grows equally well in sun or shade.

I am not pretending to be an expert on this plant, I am just telling of my experience. I have found it difficult to locate in major garden centers. The employees will generally not know it by this name. Small nurseries usually have a few plants as I believe its largest use is to landscapers. In late October or early November when I generally plant bulbs in my garden and pansies I will sometimes pull the remaining plant out of the garden (not actually by the root, just the portion above the ground) to allow room for these winter & spring choices. Don't worry, it doesn't seem to mind this and will return in late April.

Not the best pictures but it gives you an idea.

Friday - Diet Update

2007-08-10T07:36:00.000-06:00

Well, my hard work this week paid off. I was hoping for 2 pounds to jump start my weight loss. I wanted to lose those 6 pounds I had gained back since April. So I've been sticking to my program this week, I walked 4 days and I tried to drink water. And this morning when I weighed in I had lost 4 pounds. Wow! That is more than I have ever seen in a week. Which leads me to believe that the numbers were unnaturally inflated last week. Probably from water gain. At any rate I am glad to see the number on the scale. I am motivated to keep it up for another week, anyway. A big loss one week usually means a plateau or gain the next week, though.

Today is a me day. The kids are at school, I've done my exercising and have the whole day to myself. I think I am going to work on projects for my Homemaker's Clubs' upcoming Cultural Arts Competition. And then a special lunch treat. And then a nap.

Tardiness

2007-08-09T09:51:00.000-06:00

Do you have a child who is difficult to get ready in the morning? Who drags himself around? Are you always running late? Well I have the opposite child.

We are early people in general. For the most part people can be catorgized as early, late, on-time or inconsistent. It has been my experience that you can not change late people into early people. You can lie to them to get them their on time but you can not change them. (I could do an entire post on this and maybe I will later.) Late people, after they have kids, usually become very late people. So as early people we tend to be places before everyone else and spend a lot of time waiting on the late people in our lives. Our children are early people, too, and this is good.

This morning we were running a little behind getting out the door because Thursday is the day we get the house ready for our housecleaning service (hate me later). The kids and I were running around finishing various chores. At the last minute my daughter came back in the house to use the bathroom. So we left the house at 7:32. What this means is we had to sit through the redlight between us and the school (1/2 mile away) 4 times. I assured my son that he would not be late. You are not tardy until 7:50. He had a panic attack in the backseat waiting each time for the light to change and each time seeing that we would have to wait another time to get through. (Our side of the light is uphill and any large vehicles usually take more than there share of the time to get through.) I dropped the kids off at 7:44am.

My son can not stand to be late to school. He does not have to be conjoled into getting ready in the morning. In fact, he generally gets up before I do and as he doesn't need to shower is ready long before me. He is usually eager to get in the car and go and has to wait on me and his sister.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-08-09T09:13:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Things I do not like about August

1. It is hot.

2. When you get up in the morning it is hot.

3. When you go to bed at night it is hot.

4. Your car gets hot enough sitting in the sun to cook food.

5. If you have to do any shopping it is hot.

6. If you exercise later than 5am it is hot.

7. It is humid, so you can need a bath just from walking out to your car.

8. There are no holidays in August.

9. It is hot.

10. August has 31 hot days.

11. Fall fashions are out but who wants to buy them in 90' weather.

12. It is too hot to use my hot tub.

13. It's too hot.

Cross Stitch

2007-08-08T09:04:00.000-06:00

I've been cross-stitching since I was a little girl. I find it a very relaxing hobby. I have all sorts of projects that have never been framed as well as quite a few on the walls. I usually chose projects that look interesting to me, and will be beautiful when finished. I usually cross-stitch in the evenings while watching television. I recently finished a wreath which I am going to enter into my County Homemaker's Cultural Arts competition. It is really the only fiber art (or creative art at all really) that I am good at. I do not sew or quilt or scrapbook.

My mother recently decided to try her hand at cross-stitching. All my life my mother has been good at various fiber arts which I never much cared for. She sews, embroideries, crochets and quilts. She thought cross-stitching would be a more portable craft to take on her various trips. I think she also thought it would be relaxing for her, too. You can see her blog for her latest project.

Not surprisingly, my daughter has wanted to learn cross-stitch, too. A year back we found a "Learn to Cross-Stitch" kit at Michael's. We have tried various attempts to work on this with much frustration. At first, I thought, she was still too young. But she is nearly 7 now. So last night I decided it was the plastic canvas and yarn in the kit that was giving us problems. I found a small pre-finished cross-stitch doily in some of my stuff and an apple pattern that did not look too difficult. I found a large blunt needle. I started her out on her first row and she set to work. So far she is doing well and I am very excited that we will be able to sit together working on our projects.

She thinks that when her grandmother visits next month she will have it completed.

Tuesday

2007-08-07T23:00:00.000-06:00

I had such a productive day today. After I dropped the kids off at school I did my morning walk around our neighborhood (about 2 miles). It was already in the 80's at 7:30 AM and I actually didn't mind the various sprinklers I had to pass. I showered and was in my car by 8:30. I bought groceries and returned home and put them away and it was not even 11am yet.

I then went to a book club meeting. I've been trying to find a book club for a while now but was concerned about others not sharing my tastes. I read for pleasure and don't want to read what I don't like. This club is through our public library and they were reading the book The Tenth Circle by Jodi Piccoult which I mentioned here. Since I had already read the book I decided to give it a try. The group had only 4 attendees today. I picked up lunch at a local deli on my way. The group actually met at the branch on South Parkway which is on the other side of town from me but I did not mind. I enjoyed the discussion although the others did not like the book as much as I did. The discussion stayed on point for the most part. Next month we are reading any of Lillian Jackson Braun's books The Cat Who.... I haven't read any of these and am looking forward to it. While at the library I checked out two paperbacks that looked interesting.

Yesterday evening our young friend 'lil David came over for a few hours while his mother went to a meeting. (We call him 'lil David to distinguish him from the other dozen or so Davids in our lives.) After supper we went outside for a little while. At 7:30 it was still too hot to be outside even with the sun behind the trees. I started sweating from just being there, not really moving around much. Back into my 70' house I went. Have I mentioned how much I don't like August?

In the afternoon with only about an hour before I needed to head to the school I thought I would sneak in a little time on Lego Star Wars (the original trilogy). However, my daughter had taken it upon herself to hide the game. She didn't want her brother and his playmate playing it on Saturday without her. The problem is she has no idea where it is now. We looked and we looked and we looked some more. This girl certainly knows how to hide something. I haven't completely given up, things do usually eventually turn up, but I am very frustrated.

How Hot Is It?

2007-08-06T08:00:00.001-06:00

Today's high is predicted at 93' with a humidity averaging about 50% this means it will feel like 99'. The weather people are not predicting a break from this heat during the week. What few scattered showers arrive will only serve to increase the humidity and general mugginess. It's best to stay indoors. I know the temperatures out West rise above 100' but I'm not sure if that dry heat compares to the oppressiveness of a humid Southern summer. This is the tradeoff we have for our mild winters. What kind of trade-off is that really? I want to live in one of those climates where it is 75' year round with tropical breezes browing in from the ocean. Oh, August, you are my least favortie month. August has no holidays. It has 31 days. It is (here in Alabama) the hottest month of the year. The days are long and the temperature doesn't become bearable until after sunset. The entire month of August I am just wishing for September.

Book Update

2007-08-05T15:47:00.000-06:00

I've read two books I would like to tell you about. The first is The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. The book is a memoir recalling the circumstances in which the author grew up. It's told in first person. Jeanette's father was a drifter who could not keep a job. He moved his family from town to town where they lived hand to mouth. The scavenged for food while their father drank what little money he earned, until he lost a job and they had to leave. Jeanette survived her childhood because despite the circumstances her parents loved her. They did a poor job taking care of her, making decisions and choices that were not in her best interests. But throughout the narrative the love her parents had for their children shines through. Jeanette and her siblings became successful adults despite their upbringing. I don't know how Walls wrote the memoir without traces of bitterness showing. It is an excellent read.

I also read Cormac McCarthy's The Road. (Please see J's excellent review here.) The Road is the story of an unnamed man and his son trying to survive in a "post-apoclyptic hell" from some undescribed event. Their are few survivors. The man and his son are among the few "good guys" hiding from roaming bands of murdering thiefs as they make their way south. The catastrophic event is years in the past and little is left of the burned out land upon which to survive. I read the novel in only a few hours. It is written in a slightly unusual narrative syle. It is depressing but captivating. It has been called a masterpiece and honored with several awards. It is indeed a good piece of literature and worth your time to read.

Saturday

2007-08-04T07:38:00.000-06:00

My dieting got away from me this summer. I was very fortunate for the first month or so to be maintaining a comfortable weight. Then my eating got a little out of control. Because the kids were home I found it difficult to exercise. And slowly the pounds crept back on and the scale numbers were registering higher. I told myself it was time to get serious and last week made a half-hearted attempt to get back on the wagon. Thursday morning I was baking cookies and what started out as a nibble became a full-day of binging that left me unsatisfied and disappointed with myself. Friday morning the scale registered I had gained weight. So now I am motivated. School has started, so no more excuses about exercising. This morning before work I went out at 6:45 and walked the neighborhood (and I'm not a morning person!). I'm trying to drink more water and give up on the late night junk food. I'm blogging about it to have some accountability. I lost 15 pounds over a 6 month period and I was really proud of myself. So proud, in fact, that I deceived myself into eating anything I wanted. And then into eating everything I wanted. So I've gained 6 pounds of it back. Gasp! My goal this time is to lose beyond the previous loss. I'm hoping for 10 pounds.

Friday

2007-08-03T07:34:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I had an entire day to myself and I could hardly remember what I used to do with them. I took a walk and I took a nap. I did a little shopping. I took a long leisurely lunch. It was so hot yesterday. The thermometer registered 96' but getting in and out of the car in hot pavement it felt a lot warmer.

Both children seemed to enjoy their first day of school at the new school. They were both still excited when I picked them up. My son announced that he had four fun things spaced throughout the day: snack, lunch, PE and recess. Both of them made new friends and liked their teachers. Luckily, there was no homework on the first day.

My son had shown some concern about changing from his previous private school to the public school because of things various children and adults had said. However, we have heard many good things about the public elementary school. I think once he realizes that like his private school the teachers care about their students he will not notice much difference (other than the size difference).

Our decision to put the children in private school in the beginning was because my daughter was too young to attend public school, but in the private school she could start preschool early. Because my husband and I both work we needed the children to attend the same school. We put off the transfer to the public school until my daughter had completed Kindergarten. This decision was based on a number of factors and considered prayerfully.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-08-02T15:22:00.000-06:00

School Starts today and I so want that to mean that it is Fall. School starting used to mean the beginning of football season, the change of leaves, and the first cool breezes of Autumn. In reality the first football game is still a month away (September 1 if you're an Auburn fan), cool breezes will probably not be felt for 6 weeks, and the first leaves change here after October 1. Fall is my favorite time of year and I look forward to it (longingly) all summer.

Thirteen Things I'm Looking Forward to this Fall

1. Football

2. A relief from this heat

3. Shorter days

4. Candy Corn

5. Boiled Peanuts

6. Beach trip during Fall Break

7. Yard displays

8. Halloween

9. Fall fashions - wearing jeans, long-sleeve shirts, and boots

10. Family reunion

11. Leaves changing color

12. My daughter's birthday (October 10)

13. Deeper Still

School

2007-08-01T08:54:00.000-06:00

We had orientation at our new school last night. The school is quite a bit larger then we are used to (both as parents and students) with over 600 students. I was amazed at the size of the cafeteria and library. The previous year this elementary school had enrolled over 1200 students and had become quite overcrowded With the opening of a new elementary school in our area we are glad of the change for our first year. The portable classrooms have been removed. The classes still seem to be small (20-22 students) and the teachers seemed friendly. So far our experience has been pleasant. There is a lot to learn and get used, though. We have to figure out the day care & car line procedures. They have a system for paying online for meals. Our first grader is excited about having homework this year. Our fourth grader seemed disappointed to learn that he would have to read every night this year, too. I have lots of paperwork to fill out. I'm a little worried about my daughter finding her classroom on the first day but she is determined to walk in herself. (She doesn't want to risk crying if I walk her in myself.) I think this is a good change for us. I am eager to go to my first PTA meeting and learn about opportunities for volunteering. They have a first-aid room staffed by volunteers and I think that will be a good fit for me. We are looking forward to a great year!

Tuesday

2007-07-31T08:58:00.000-06:00

Today is the kids last day at home before school starts. My son talked me into staying at home and doing nothing. Apparently, staying home and playing all day is his idea of summer vacation and he has been sadly missing out. (And me with all those summer activities planned!) When I'm off work I don't generally like to stay home all day. I usually do something in the morning and then return home for the afternoon. My son has outgrown the age where he enjoys going just to go. He is a real homebody. So although I will miss the time we have spent together this summer, I am looking forward to having some days to myself again. When I stay home I usually feel I need to be doing something constructive like cleaning out closets or organizing the pantry. But today I am taking the kids attitude and concentrating on doing nothing. We will see how it goes.

Manners

2007-07-28T09:14:00.000-06:00

How have you done a good job teaching your children manners? I think I have failed at this (at least with one of my children). I was not insistent on teaching these skills when my son was younger and at 9 he seems reluctant to learn. My parents raised me using ma'am and sir to answer when called or just to be courteous and it has stuck with me. Saying thank you, please and excuse me are important, too. I know there is a trend toward lack of manners. I see it every day in the young people I come into contact with. I really want my children to have good manners, though. My daughter (age 6) seems to have caught on mostly because of an eagerness to please. She has started answering with yes ma'am. I suggested a competition in which we reward them for being caught using good manners. Have you any other suggestions? His table manners aren't that great either but I don't want to get started on that. He doesn't talk on the phone yet, so no worry about phone manners. Overall, he is a well-behaved child and his transgressions mostly deal with sibling stuff. He goes to bed without problem and cooperates in getting out the door in the mornings. He is starting to do some chores around the house. I assume he behaves better out of sight like most children. So it is just the manners I think we need to work on.

Way Back Machine

2007-07-27T08:38:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I took the kids to Chuck E Cheese for an hour (they managed to redeem 50 tokens a piece in that time) after lunch. I ran in to someone from high school. This girl was not someone I was good friends with but probably one of the more popular girls. I didn't recognize her and it even took a few seconds after she said her name for me to make the connection. The years and pounds had changed her quite a lot. Her husband (also a classmate) looked more familiar but I'm not sure I could have placed him, either, without help. I live about 70 miles from my old high school and have had very few opportunites in the last 18 years to run into anyone. They still lived in the area and had a son who played ball. So she spent a few minutes telling me of various classmates who still resided in the area and what everyone was up to. It wasn't a large class (about 90 graduates) but most of her friends were not my friends and although the names were familiar they were people I hadn't given much thought to in a long time. It was kind of fun to talk for a few minutes and we talked about the possibilities for a reunion in another two years. I didn't hear about my 10 year reunion until after the fact and I think I would like to attend the 20 year if only to see some old friends. I am told by some friends of mine that at the 20 year reunion everyone is pretty much over themselves and the old bitterness and rivalries are long forgotten in the commonalities of growing old and having children. Now I am ready to dig out my senior year book and take a stroll down memory lane.

Harry

2007-07-26T08:11:00.000-06:00

I finished The Deathly Hallows last night. I'm not going to attempt to review it. Other people will do a much better job then me. I do want to give some thoughts on it, though, without any spoilers.

The book is missing the enchantment I found in the first 4 (or 6) books about life at Hogswarts. I remember when I read those books I would imagine it like it really exists. The book is also missing the innocence of the particular srapes and adventures the young characters experienced in those first few years. But Harry, Hermione and Ron have grown up now. Rowlings is no longer writing children's books.

I was not dissapointed in the book. I was not shocked at a death like in book 6. I think Rowlings wrote an excellent coming of age book, wizard style. I am sad that this is the final installment. I hope that Rowlings writes for us some other great adventures. However, I realize nothing will ever quite compare to the world she created with Harry Potter.

Tuesday

2007-07-24T07:53:00.000-06:00

When we arrived home from Atlanta shortly before noon on Sunday hubby headed off for a nap. He had driven the entire trip home. The kids had been couped up in the car for 4 hours and so went off to renew their "animal" game. (It is an elaborate game involving a lot of stuffed animals, and various props, and often takes place in multiple rooms.) The kids had gotten very silly and loud during the last 1 & 1/2 hours of our journey. The DVD players no longer seeming to entertain them. I was appreciative of the fact that they were off amusing themselves but feeling a little sad about being left with the post-trip work. After starting the laundry (I had to do 6 loads), unpacking and eating some lunch I decided I deserved a nap, too.

About 2:30 or so my son (age 9) realized that he hadn't had any lunch. (What was that mom of his thinking, anyway.) So he fixed himself and his sister some Easy-Mac and made himself a corndog. I think they augmented the lunch with applesauce. I'm proud of him for fixing his own lunch but mostly proud that he was considerate to his sister. Now I just need to work on getting him to fold his own laundry.

Monday

2007-07-23T20:11:00.000-06:00

I'm picking up my copy of the new Harry Potter book this morning so everyone else has a two day head start on me. I may not read any blogs until I've finished. So I'll be back in a few days.

Update: Worked 10 hours, read 150 pages.

Book Update

2007-07-23T19:52:00.000-06:00

I just read two good books that I want to tell you about. The first one was Keeping Faith by Jodi Piccoult. I've read several of Piccoult's books so far (Mercy, Tenth Circle, My Sister's Keeper) and this is by far my favorite. The story centers around 7 year old Faith who starts seeing visions of God after her parents divorce. Her mother takes her to a psychiatrist and word gets out. Soon news people, cults and people just wanting help are camped outside her door. Naturally, Faith's father rethinks his decision to grant full custody of Faith to her mother and a bitter custody battle begins. I grew concerned about the direction the book was taking halfway through but was not dissapointed in the way the novel turned out. I think this was a good book, regardless of your beliefs or feelings about God.

The second book I read was The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. This book is narrated by Christopher, a 15 year-old autistic boy. Christopher discovers his neighbor's dog murdered and sets out to solve the mystery. He writes his story in a book for us to read. It is a short book but I found it delightful and refreshing. I first read about this on a blog somewhere and am glad that I found it.

I recently joined Bookins at the suggestion of one of my readers and it is really going well. I am sending my books (which I normally just donate to the library) off to other readers and receiving books in the mail (for only 3.99 shipping for each book I receive). Check it out if you are intersted.

Weekend

2007-07-22T19:30:00.000-06:00

We had a pretty good weekend. On Friday morning we drove over to Marietta, Georgia to go to Whitewater. We met my SIL at the Steak N Shake to eat lunch before heading on to the park. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating and we had to change our plans. We headed South to the town of Newnan and checked in at our hotel (Country Inns & Suites). SIL and I took the kids swimming while hubby napped and then we went to see Nancy Drew. We ate dinner at a local Mexican place in Newnan.

Saturday morning (after a lovely breakfast at our hotel) we went into Atlanta to visit the Georgia Aquarium. When we first arrived the aquarium was not yet overcrowded and the first part of our visit was pleasant. However, after about an hour the aquarium became too crowded to enjoy. We proceeded to try and see the remaining exhibits despite the crowds but everyone was starting to get cranky and hungry. The crowds around Centennial Park and the Coca-Cola Museum were also ridiculous and so we headed back out of town. I know that the Georgia Aquarium is described as the largest in the U.S. but I did not enjoy it as much as the one Chattanooga or Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Even without the crowds the viewing areas of the aquarium were small and the actual number of exhibits seemed smaller.

We headed North to Gwinnett County and spent a few hours at Dave and Buster's enjoying their various games. That night we sampled the local favorite, Sprayberry's Barbecue. We enjoyed spending time with SIL and seeing her "office" and apartment. Sunday morning we headed home.

The kids were disappointed about missing Whitewater (can't say the same for myself) but overall it was a good trip.

Edit: To see pictures visit my SIL's post.

Friday

2007-07-20T10:52:00.000-06:00

I have big plans this weekend. I'll tell you all about later. For now, enjoy the fun meme below.

Moaning Meme

2007-07-20T08:56:00.000-06:00

5 people who will be annoyed you tagged them.

* Terry
* Mom
* Mike
* Gina
* Autumn's Mom

4 things that should go into room 101 and be removed from the face of the earth.
* shorts with words written on the buttocks
* child abuse
* long lines at the check-out
* Timmy Turner

3 things people do that make you want to shake them violently.
* allow their children to ride in a car unrestrained
* allow their (small) children to trail behind them several yards in stores
* allow their young girls to wear such provocative clothing

2 things you find yourself moaning about.
* the lengths television will go to boost their ratings
* the lack of any good candidates for upcoming elections

1 thing the above answers tell you about yourself.
*Some things I just should keep to myself.

RULES
• Link to the original meme at freelancecynic.com so people know what it's all about!• Be as honest as possible. This is about letting people get to know the real you!• Try not to insult anyone - unless they really deserve it or are very, very ugly!• Post these rules at the end of every meme!

Thirteen Things to Do in Huntsville and surrounding Area

2007-07-19T10:52:00.000-06:00

1. Visit the US Space and Rocket Center complete with a full-size Saturn V replica and Harry Potter on IMAX.

2. Visit Early Works Children's History Museum with among other things, a talking tree.

3. Visit the Huntsville Botanical Gardens - there is always something going on there.

4. Visit Sci-Quest Hands on Science Museum. I haven't visited this one, but the kids seem to enjoy it.

5. Harmony Animal Reserve. I haven't seen this one either but there are supposed to be many exotic animals. The closest Huntsville comes to having an actual zoo.

6. Take in a Huntsville Stars (minor league) baseball game.

7. Ice skating

8. Point Mallard Water Park

9. Cathedral Caverns

10. Burritt on the Mountain - a living, history museum

11. Southern Adventures - family amusement park

12. Enjoy one of our many parks and kids play areas such as Kids Space & Kids Kingdom

13. Enjoy a bike ride on one of our many greenways.

I only chose kid friendly activities. This would make an interesting meme. I challenge anyone reading this to list activities in your city (or the surrounding area).

Harry Potter

2007-07-18T08:34:00.000-06:00

Have you been to see the new movie yet? Our children aren't quite big enough for this one (although they enjoyed the first two on DVD) so we will have to wait for the opportunity to go alone. The big news to Potter fans of course is the upcoming release of the new book. Are you going out to purchase it at midnight? A number of bookstores in our area (and across the nation, I imagine) are having Harry parties leading up to the release at midnight. When the two previous books were released I had to work at Wal-Mart on that Saturday morning and so purchased them when I arrived at work. I read through the last one in only a couple of days. Because, although it is quite a long book page-wise it was really a quick read. I am considering not purchasing the new book until I get to work Monday morning. I don't think I have to be among the first to read the already best seller (based on presales) but I do not like hearing people discuss the book (or indeed, a movie I haven't seen) before I've had the chance to read it. This morning the radio dj's were discussing the upcoming book with call-in listeners and there is a lot of speculation.

Do I think the Harry Potter craze is a little crazy? Well, yeah. But they are good books. The fantasy world Rowlings has created is fascinating and the books easy to read. I am looking forward to reading the new one (and will mourn the end (if it is the end) of the series) but may have to stay away from blogland until I'm finished.

Scavenger Hunt

2007-07-18T08:19:00.001-06:00

Yesterday the kids and I went on a scavenger hunt for school supplies. Have you had to do this? (Mike, just wait.) School starts here in only 2 weeks (Aug 2). We are starting at a new school this year and having to purchase (directly)more school supplies then before. The school posts a list of supplies on their website complete with the brand they want (not prefer, mind you, but the brand they expect you to bring in). This list includes Elmer Glue Sticks and Crayola Crayons & Mead brand binders. We were able to get most of these supplies at Wal-Mart (and at very good prices). But we needed two different types of construction paper not carried at Wal-Mart and a special type of writing tablet. Why would a school post such a specific list and not specify where these items might be found? A call to the school suggests Off Campus Books so off we went. The Off Campus store had the construction paper but not the writing tablets (Grade 3, horizontal and vertical) so we had to venture further away to Burkett School Supply. The owner there was most helpful, calling the school to inform them that indeed the Grade 3 tablets had been discontinued and inquiring what size tablet was required. It seems this is the same list year after year and no one has updated the fact that there is only Grade 1 & 2 in this particular brand. We still have to pick up some loose leaf paper (WM was out of wide ruled) paper towels (8 rolls total) and new backpacks. The new school requires the clear plastic backpacks.

We also went to the library to check out some DVD's and out to eat at Olive Garden yesterday. So quite a productive day we had. I'm going to miss (a little) these fun adventures with the kids in tow once school starts.

Kid Nation

2007-07-16T07:36:00.000-06:00

Just when I thought that reality television had finally scraped the bottom with Age of Love(NBC), CBS reveals that there might be something even lower then the bottom with the new series Kid Nation. The premise is to take 40 children (ages from 8 to 15) put them in a deserted town out west and see how well they can govern and take care of themselves. Now while I'll admit this sounds like an interesting show if it were drama (ie, Lord of the Flies) I am appalled at the idea as a reality show. First off, what self-respecting parent would send their children off to do this show? Oh, I'm sure there are lots of waivers of liability signed. And we must not forget all the crew (producers, cameraman, etc) that will be hidden from the television viewers. Second, the reward for the children who prove themselves? $20,000. What? Why not the million promised to the first Survivor contestants or even $100,000? I can see a parent in a desperate situation pimping (and lets not lose sight of the truth here) their children out for larger sums but $20,000 will not even pay for a college education much less the therapy the children might require following the show. Am I being a bit to dramatic? Perhaps. We do not know what goes on when the cameras are not showing us and I'm sure the children are all safe. But the desperateness of television sinking to this level is disgusting to me.

And no, I've never been a big fan of reality television. I did watch RealWorld in the early years (before it became so much staged drama) and I do enjoy the Apprentice. But I never understood how you could create an artificial reality such as Survivor with all the people that would be required to produce such a show just on the other side of the island (taking baths and eating real food.) I understand the attraction of these early reality shows to the viewer and the contestants but I think they have finally gone too far. This is from a network that cancelled Jericho after all, though, so I really shouldn't be all that surprised.

For another blogger's thoughts on this show see Gray Matter Matters.

Harry Potter

2007-07-15T08:11:00.000-06:00

What Harry Potter Character are You?

Hermione Granger

You are a smart and intelligent person. You use your smarts to help out friends. You can be emotional at times but you always seem to be in the mood to help someone out.

Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

I'm pleased with this result as I've always admired Hermione. She's muggle-born but doesn't let that get in her way. She is a great friend and keeps her head in a crisis.

Saturday

2007-07-14T10:28:00.000-06:00

Hubby has taken the turnip truck to a car show today. I think perhaps he is becoming rather fond of it, which might make it difficult for him to part with it.

I've killed the ants with a lovely ant spray (odorless) from Lowe's. No more have come in since I sprayed so word must have gotten out.

Yesterday, I made a lovely chocolate chip mint ice cream in my ice cream attachment for my mixer.

Easy Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups 2% milk (I used skim)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used 1/2 tsp)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (I used 3/4 tsp)
3 drops green food coloring
(optional)
1 cup miniature semisweet (I used shavings from 1&1/2 Hershey bar)
chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
1.
In a large bowl, stir together the milk, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and peppermint extract until the sugar has dissolved. Color to your liking with the green food coloring.
2.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. After about 10 minutes into the freezing, add the chocolate chips. After the ice cream has thickened, about 30 minutes later, spoon into a container, and freeze for 2 hours.

Mists of Avalon

2007-07-13T08:45:00.000-06:00

I just (finally) finished reading Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. (This was another book on that infamous list of 100 Books everyone should read or whatever that circulated in blogland a few months back. I don't know what the source is but the list leaves something to be desired. Nonetheless, my goal-oriented personality has compelled me to become well-read and tackle more of the books on the list.) This book certainly qualifies as an epic tale with over 800 pages. (And not the large type or mostly dialogue either like the Harry Potter books. This book was a chunkster!) It took me over a week to read it as I was unable to even read 100 pages per day. I don't think I can recommend it to anyone so you might not want to read any further. But here I go anyway.

Mists is a different take on the tales of King Arthur and Camelot. The central character is a female, Morgaine, priestess of Avalon. The love triangle (or square really) between the characters is a bit scandolous. The storyline tramples somewhat on my Christian sensibilities, too. But overall it was a good book. I became totally immersed in the story as I sometims do with stories set in another time period. I believe the same story could have been told (and told well) in about 3 or 4oo fewer pages, though. But at least I have crossed another book off that darn list!

Friday 13th

2007-07-13T08:30:00.000-06:00

I just realized today was Friday the 13th, not that I am in the least bit superstitious (was that a black cat running by?). It's still raining here so I guess the drought is finally over. We're going out to run errands and to an ice skating birthday party later. Mother left this morning, our visit having been shortened by my having to work yesterday. She is visiting her sisters in Boaz and driving back to Memphis tomorrow. I hope it doesn't rain on her way home. She really doesn't like to drive in the rain.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Thursday Thirteen

2007-07-12T11:09:00.001-06:00

Thirteen things I miss in the summer
(or Thirteen things I love about winter)

1. Big comfy Sweatshirts
2. Hot drinks on cold afternoons
3. Relaxing in my hot tub
4. Chili (although I have been known to eat it year round)
5. Boots
6. Snuggling under multiple quilts
7. Short days (ie the sun coming up at a decent hour and having the decency to "set already"
8. Blue jeans
9. Pecan Pie
10. Cute sweaters
11. Snow (yeah, like it ever snows here. But it could.)
12. New episodes of favorite shows
13. Woodburning fireplaces or heaters

Edit: Friday afternoon I was able to experience a little winter at the skating rink, complete with a gas fireplace. If only I had a warm drink.

The Ants Go Marching

2007-07-12T07:54:00.000-06:00

I'm at work today. I was supposed to be off and go to a luncheon. I had even booked a baby-sitter for the few hours I would need to be away. But as plans sometimes do, things went amiss. My partner's little girl is sick and we swapped today and Friday. This means my son can go to an ice-skating birthday party on Friday, though. But my second day to spend with my mom is lost. She is leaving in the morning. I'm busy squashing ants right now, but later I'll try to do a Thursday Thirteen.

Edit: Although the ants are still coming in and marching across the floor, word must have gotten out about the massacre. They are staying away from me and my computer now.

Tuesday

2007-07-10T09:00:00.001-06:00

It's raining now and it looks like a good steady rain that might last a while. We really need a good rain.

My mother is visiting and tomorrow we are going to have an entire day to ourselves. We will shop and eat lunch out and have a good time. Today she is spending with my kids while I am at work. They are going out to lunch and perhaps, bowling.

I am so tired today after working 13 hours yesterday almost entirely on my feet. After work (at 9pm) I bought groceries. I know it is foolish to do this when I can barely walk to my car but I have started hating going back to WM except on the days that I work there. It took me 25 minutes to check out and it was after 10:30pm when I arrived home. I would have like to sleep in today but I kwow that I have the next two days off now. Today I am happy to sit here at my regular job and catch up on my blog friends.

Weekend

2007-07-08T15:59:00.000-06:00

We had a really good weekend. Friday hubby and I drove up to Nashville. We checked in to the Country Inns & Suites and had a nap. That evening we drove over to the Opryland Hotel. (We stayed there during our honeymoon and I have since decided it is better to stay elsewhere and visit. The rooms are overpriced and small and not altogether fitting a hotel of that level. You pay for the elegance and ambiance of the grand hotel which you can experience by visiting.) We walked around in the gardens inside the atrium and then had dinner at the Cascades restaurant. It was like dining outside only with air conditioning. The waterfalls made excellent background buffering and we also enjoyed some instrumental music. We had an excellent dinner. (The highlight for me was the Crab Soup.) After dinner we strolled the gardens some more and took a flatboat ride on the "Delta River" inside the hotel. We drove over to the Opry Mills Mall and I was very disappointed. The mall was warm and very crowded and filled mostly with the upscale stores of which I rarely visit. But now I've been to the well-known shopping destination and know that I'm not missing anything.

Saturday we visited the Lane Motor Museum. It is a large collection of mostly foreign cars including an impressive amount of micro-cars. We returned home Saturday in time for a nap before the kids arrived home.

Thursday

2007-07-05T07:38:00.001-06:00

We had a somewhat relaxing holiday. It felt so much like a Saturday tucked in the middle of the week. We went to a friend of Hubby's for a cook-out and swimming. The kids swam for hours and were disappointed when time to leave. The food was excellent - pork ribs, barbecue chicken and smoked pork with all the fixings. Sitting out in the sun all day is somewhat exhausting, though.

We have an unexpected treat this weekend. My MIL called and asked for the kids for TWO nights. They are leaving tonight and will not be back until Saturday evening. I'm trying to remember what we did before kids. I'm sure it will come back to me. So we have two chances to dine out alone and whatever mischief we can get ourselves up to. I suggested hubby take Fri afternoon off and he ended up taking Thurs and Fri off. I admit I am jealous because I couldn't work that out for myself. So I'm stuck at work today but my weekend begins at 6:30pm.

I probably won't post this weekend. So I hope everyone has a good one. Remember Saturday is 07/07/07 and supposed to be a lucky day.