It wasn't spit!

Yesterday, during his flag football game, my grandson asked his mom for a drink. She told him that he could have some of her coffee and he said, "OK" and chugged away.

Later, after the game (they lost 0-12) he asked for some more and she handed him the cup. It had no lid this time and he made note of it.

Juls said that she took it off because the last time he got a drink, he left his spit on it.

He looked at her, shook his head, and said, "No, Mom, that wasn't spit, it was snot."

Wish I'd gotten a picture of her face!

What fun!

I was just catching up on some reading and found a contest that I could possibly win! I know this, because it requires no skill, no nothing except hopping over to Another Chance Ranch and commenting. Then just mention the contest, as I just did, in your blog and voila!

Hope you win if I don't - not really - but it sounded nice, didnt't it?

Not Sparklin' Rose?

And all this time, I thought I was a cheap screw top apple wine! Who knew?

You Are Sauvignon Blanc

Engaging and energetic, you have a lot to offer the world - most of it they've never seen anywhere else! You are the type of person who carves your own path in life... and you invite everyone else to come along. The only thing predictable about you is that you could have anything up your sleeve. You're all about sampling all of life's experiences. Both the savory and unsavory ones. Deep down you are: Laid back and young at heart Your partying style: Anything goes... seriously! Your company is enjoyed best with: Smoked meats or spicy food

What Kind of Wine Are You?

Ah, the morning cup

My grandson is brilliant. He is charming. He is amusing. He is kind. He is generous. He is an imp with an already developing sarcastic sense of humor. Not that I am at all prejudiced.

He also evidently has A.D.D. His mother does not like labels, nor does she like admitting that there could be a problem with her son. This is not a problem. It is an opportunity to learn, to listen, and to be amazed.

The lil man has trouble focusing. He daydreams, he looks around, he distracts the rest of the class, he just does not focus well. Juls had already made the appointment with the doctor to discuss medication. While talking to his teacher, who majored in special ed, his teacher suggested a cup of black coffee in the morning.

I have know for years that medication, when given to small children, often has the opposite effect of what was intended. My mother, when I was two, gave me "something to calm me down" just before a cross-country car trip. I bounced all the way from California to Iowa.

I did not know that the same was true for caffeine.

Lil man's teacher said that often, when ADD is suspected, a child will be given coffee to drink first thing in the morning. If it does have a calming effect, it pretty much means that the kiddo has ADD.

Lil man has been on this regimen for 8 days now - Monday through Friday of last week and then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of this week. He has not had a referral since we started. He has brought home more "GOOD MARKS" in 8 days than he had since school started. Actually, he brought home more good marks in the 1st two days than he had since school started. This is nothing short of miraculous.

Of course, he hates black coffee. One morning, I tried artificial sweetener (sugar would sort of negate the whole purpose, you know) but he misbehaved rather badly that day. Anyway, I get my coffee, he gets his coffee and we sit down to breakfast together. I eat, he eats, I drink my coffee, he sips his coffee, I do the dishes, he sips his coffee, I fold laundry, he sips his coffee - you get the picture. And, needless to say, all of this is punctuated with "Drink your coffee" getting progressively louder and less kindly said. I have always been pleased with anything over 1/2 a cup actually getting consumed.

This morning (please insert the Hallelujah Chorus) he finished his coffee!!!!!

HURRAY!

and we wonder why he has ADD?

This, God help me, is an actual Messenger conversation between me and my grown-up child.
Sandy Swopes: Juls, Pastor Ted just called and wants to know if he can come and take new pics of the bike...I told him you'd get hold of him this afternoon sometime. His phone number is 364------
Crown Princess: ok, thnx
Sandy Swopes: waiting on a truck to load...want lunch...
Sandy Swopes: want lunch????
Crown Princess: sure
Sandy Swopes: whatcha want? I picked yesterday
Crown Princess: who's loading it?
Sandy Swopes: ricky or jeff
Crown Princess: ricky? sounds like he works there again?
Sandy Swopes: on his days off....
Sandy Swopes: bubbles is riding around with darrell
Sandy Swopes: i was rude to the pastor...sorry
Sandy Swopes: fun monday is on shoes...
Sandy Swopes: herds of chicken
Crown Princess: how were you rude?
Sandy Swopes: as in ooh a chicken and a chicken and a chicken
Crown Princess: what about shoes and that is soo weird
Sandy Swopes: he introduced himself as pastor ted from nazarene yada yada yada and I said , sure Ted, what can I do for you?
Sandy Swopes: what is weird
Crown Princess: jason ridin around w darrell
Sandy Swopes: yunh hunh
Crown Princess: and what about Shoes?
Sandy Swopes: the fun monday post is http://pensieve.typepad.com/pensieve/ should be right up your alley
Sandy Swopes: a-- f----- was the good neighbor of the day and ooh a chicken, she's selling some kind of home decor crap and how much do we have to buy to make up for the trampoline?
Crown Princess: LOL
Crown Princess: why was she neighbor of the day
Crown Princess: ph a chicken, i found out how to check stolen guns and asked linda if i could check urs, she said sure
Sandy Swopes: awesome...i will get you the list
Sandy Swopes: for being compassionate and friendly....
Sandy Swopes: your chicken has ph?
Crown Princess: yup, but i am gunna get him some Degree...strong enough for a man......but made for a chicken
Sandy Swopes: awesome...can I just copy this whole thing for a blog?
Crown Princess: lol, sure
Sandy Swopes: k
Sandy Swopes: what's for lunch?
Crown Princess: ok, you want me to come out there or you wanna pick me up?
Sandy Swopes: did you put gas in your truck?
Sandy Swopes: oh wait you have a car
Crown Princess: lol, not yet but i still have the $ you gave me to do it
Sandy Swopes: buy gas.....
Sandy Swopes: taylor burrito?
Crown Princess: oooh, yummy, i was gonna say that or stak dilla from kbobs
Crown Princess: steak*
Sandy Swopes: and it's frito pie night...yumm o
Crown Princess: and yes i have to work tonight
Sandy Swopes: k...he got a cute new shirt today...
Crown Princess: cool, thanks and thanks for the paper
Sandy Swopes: qwelcome
Crown Princess: didnt like the composistion book...lol
Sandy Swopes: he also likes valero coffee
Crown Princess: lol
Sandy Swopes: i like the compo book - does not fall within the requirements...lol
Crown Princess: it fell with in the "GET YOUR G D HOMEWORK DO
Crown Princess: NE" requirements
Sandy Swopes: what happened to the paper he started with?
Sandy Swopes: never mind p that was cursive
Crown Princess: he hadnt started.....yup
Sandy Swopes: that p is a hyphen
Crown Princess: thought you were hatching a chicken
Crown Princess: lol
Crown Princess: how your eyeball?
Sandy Swopes: it's ok....kind of blurry from the cream stuff
Crown Princess: ewwww
Sandy Swopes: I did check with your dad last night to make sure that I was actually sympathetic and kind when he had his eye surgery..I was.
Crown Princess: llol
Sandy Swopes: did youcheck your email?
Crown Princess: yuppers
Sandy Swopes: me, too
Crown Princess: k
Crown Princess: anything good in your email
Sandy Swopes: just the cute one from you...
Crown Princess: cool
Crown Princess: lovd the mental patient
Sandy Swopes: stole that off a blog - i think the watermelon patch and remind me to tell you about your son - he wrote a blog for you today
Crown Princess: k
Sandy Swopes: please get food and bring it to me
Sandy Swopes: please
Sandy Swopes: please
Sandy Swopes: please
Crown Princess: what kinda burrito?
Sandy Swopes: combo, pelase
Sandy Swopes: wait, pleuse
Sandy Swopes: pleise
Sandy Swopes: pleese
Crown Princess: ha ha
Sandy Swopes: pleyse
Crown Princess: i almost said, but you didnt use A
Crown Princess: lol
Sandy Swopes: and if he just started at the beginning of the alphabet, he'd be right!
Crown Princess: hey whats my blog url
Sandy Swopes: www.oohashinypen.blogspot.com
Crown Princess: you are known as ducks m om?
Sandy Swopes: www.myanderings-myanderings.blogspot.com
Crown Princess: but what do they call you?
Sandy Swopes: Sandy
Crown Princess: lol
Sandy Swopes: I know - bizarre, isn't it?
Crown Princess: what is this hosts name>
Sandy Swopes: Robin
Crown Princess: thnx
Sandy Swopes: gonna play?
Sandy Swopes: it's perfect for the shoe sluts of the world
Crown Princess: check the comments to the assignemnt
Sandy Swopes: k
Sandy Swopes: very nice
Crown Princess: ty
Crown Princess: ok let me get outta here
Sandy Swopes: q
Sandy Swopes: k
Sandy Swopes: the q was the on the ty
Sandy Swopes: the k was on the get out of here
Sandy Swopes: ly
Crown Princess: LY

Fun Not Monday

Robin, over at Pensieve, was contemplating the topic for next week's Fun Monday and put it to a vote. Shoes won, and that will be fun, but I am a book-a-holic. Not a recovering book-a-holic, an enjoying-it-to-the-hilt book-a-holic.

I started thinking about my favorite childhood book and could not stop at just one.

As a kid, I read a lot. I was the youngest child and my sisters were considerably older than I was. I was a late in life child for my parents and I think they were done before I came along. Not whining, just explaining.

Anyway, when I was 8 or 9, our neighbor was injured in a construction job and his wife had to go to work. This was in the day when this was NOT the norm. Lucy decided to go to nursing school and my mom, her BFF, went also. My dad was a functioning alcoholic (you knew there had to be psychobabble in this somewhere, didn't you?) so I just sort of escaped into books.

I had read everything in my school library and in the children's section of my local library by the time I was in 4th grade. I was at the library and picked up some book that our librarian, Mrs. Emily Shortell, did not think appropriate. She guided me to which is the first historical novel I ever read. I was hooked. I skipped history class my senior year in high school every day except for tests and passed with an A-. I attribute this entirely to the amount of history that seeped it's way into my brain from the novels of Irving Stone.

And to Mrs. Emily Shortell...a truly great librarian.

My other bestest book tomorrow....

Phrases rolling around in my head

I heard this on the radio on Sunday. Yeah, I know, it's kind of a delayed reaction but there you are. It's just kind of stuck there. So far, I have discussed it with my husband, my daughter, and my 7 year old grandson. I seem to be the only one semi-obsessed.

Pleasure is found in what you do.
Happiness is found in what you are.

I, of course, changed it to

Happiness is found in who you are because I am NOT a what.

I do think the sentiment is true, though. When I take the time to think about it, I do know who I am and it does make me happy. It does not always give me pleasure, though. I think it is sort of like the difference between happiness and joy.

I am:

A child of God
Shorty's Lady
Twidget's Ma'am
Little Man's Grandma
A friend to some
A cohort of a few more
An enemy to very few - you know, I really can't think of even 1 person I truly feel enmity for, so maybe I should scratch that one.

I do:

An honest day's work for an honest day's pay
Pray for myself and others
Read a LOT
Spend time every day with those I love the most
Find God in the details
Laugh like a loon at least once a day.

So, yeah, I am a happy person. This is not to say that I don't get stressed (desserts spelled backwards, you know) or tired or frustrated but deep down, in the very center of me, I am happy.

Thanks, God.

Fun Monday

My Monday will not be as fun as some of y'all's because I took no pictures. Lisa is the host for today's challenge which was:

I want to see your favorite recipe, be it either because your grandmother wrote it, it's the easiest thing you can slap together that everyone likes, it makes you feel healthy, it's cheap, etc. You don't have to make it (although you could if you want) but let us see the index card, cookbook, printed paper from the web, and why it's a favorite in your house. If you have a lot, just pick one, I know I'll have to!

This is not actually my favorite recipe. Those recipes were my mom's or my grandma's or, in the case of the best banana nut bread in the world, Gen Sewell's. This is the recipe that I can throw on the table in about 15 minutes and that everyone, grandkids and husband included, will eat with gusto. I usually serve it with green beans and maybe a salad (bagged of course).

Noodles and gravy

1 pkg wide egg noodles

1 jar brown gravy

8 oz. sour cream

Cook noodles according to directions. I always season the noodle water with garlic salt. Drain. While they are draining, in the same pot your cooked the noodles in, heat gravy and whisk in sour cream. Pour drained noodles back into pot and stir.

Serve.

Cheap, quick, and easy.

Truly lazy

With apologies to all ye pirates out there and with thanks to Robin, I have combined my pirate name with a plaything from Robin's site.

Have fun, y'all.

Rednecks

How to tell if you are a redneck or if you live in a redneck town:

If someone locks the door of a pickup you need to drive and this:

is how you get in, you might be a redneck.

If two out of three of your local pizza delivery vehicles are:

pickup trucks, you might live in a redneck town.

If your grandson brings you his collection of used shotgun shells for your centerpiece:

and you use them, you might be a redneck.

"Nuff Said

I see a trend...

Notice anything?

You Are a Purple Crayon

Your world is colored in dreamy, divine, and classy colors.You hold yourself to a sky high standard, and you are always graceful.People envy, idolize, and copy you without realizing it. You are an icon for those who know you.And while it is hard to be a perfectionist, rest assured it's paying off! Your color wheel opposite is yellow. While yellow people may be wise, they lack the manners and class needed to impress you.

What Color Crayon Are You?

What Color is Your Brain

So, it turns out my brain is purple, which is handy since it's my favorite color and the color of my birthstone. Who knew?

Your Brain is Purple

Of all the brain types, yours is the most idealistic. You tend to think wild, amazing thoughts. Your dreams and fantasies are intense. Your thoughts are creative, inventive, and without boundaries. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking of fictional people and places - or a very different life for yourself.

What Color Is Your Brain?

You can't remember enough

I was catching up on my blog reading (modem STILL not fixed at home) and came upon this at the Queen of the Mayhem's site.


I have nothing to add except that I will remember.

I have been reading blogs for a while, commenting on a few, and writing my own for a couple of months. I have never before participated in Fun Monday before but here goes.

This week's topic is from Nikki who want us, without sounding like egocentric hornblowers, to tell you how wonderful and gracious and generous we all are. So without blowing my own horn, this was a terribly difficult assignment to pinpoint.

I started 2 weeks ago to try and figure out what grand gesture I might write about. The problem is that I am naturally cheerful, polite, courteous and all of the other stuff that the nuns instilled in me all of those years ago.

I smile at sales clerks, I talk to strangers in line behind me, I wave (using all my fingers) at oncoming traffic. I donate to the thrift store, I volunteer at my church, I feed stray dogs and pay for their vet bills until they are no longer strays, but mine. In short, aside from nominating myself for sainthood, I did not know what I would do that I did not already do.

I was talking to my 7 year old grandson about this; you know, talking about being nice and kind and generous and trying to figure out something special. He knew right away.

He told me to go to Ace Hardware and buy air masks and safety goggles for his "Grampits" because Grampits works in the caliche pit and it's dusty and nasty and all that stuff that's not supposed to go in his lungs is in his lungs and there's not room for air in there and that's what I should do.

So that's what I did - and what I shall continue to do. I spent the last two weeks reminding myself how special my husband is and telling him. I spent the last two weeks reminding myself that if I were as courteous and generous and kind to my family as I am to strangers, my life would be - and is - spectacularly blessed.

Thanks, little man.

Excuses, excuses, excuses

I have been stuck at home all weekend with a BAD modem! Bad modem. This is my excuse for not having fun monday done on time....sorry. I will get it up later in the day. My apologies to all.

Well, boost my ego!

So here's the deal.

I was feeling a little whiny and yucky and just sort of down this morning. I went to Ree's blog 'cause she always cheers me up.

Then I went to Willowtree's blog for the same reason. WT had a trivia test with it's results posted. I figured what the heck. So I took it. Now I know that I am either a genius or that my head is full of crapola that no one in the real world uses.

Either way, this

Am-I-Dumb.com - Are you dumb?

is a terrific ego booster, so thanks, WT.

My Head Hurts

me - it cracks me up that lil man can read 2nd grade books 'cause he's in 2nd grade but he can't ready Pokey Little Puppy

Julie - I tried to explain that he can read kindergarten books and 1st grade books and 2nd grade books but he says he can't cause he is in 2nd grade and can only read 2nd grade books

me - makes me nuts

Julie - makes my head hurt

me - so I can only read 53 year old books

Julie - "the look"

me - so I must get all the books published in 1954

Julie - so I must get all the books published in 1977

me - you were born in '76, baby

Julie - but you said '54

me - but I was born in '54

Julie - but you said '53

me - I am '53 but I was born in '54

Julie - (stomped her foot) you can only read 2nd grade books!

Labor Day 2007

Labor
Day
2007








Yesterday (and the day before) my daughter, my grandson, and I went to the 63rd annual Cal Farley's Boys Ranch Rodeo. Yesterday, my husband took off work and got to go, too.

On Saturday, Julie and the little man and I got there in time for the stick horse barrel race but we had missed the mutton busting.

If you have never seen mutton busting, it is something that cannot be described. I know this because I have tried and Julie thought she understood but then she actually saw it and almost peed her pants laughing.


Sunday we made sure to get there in time for the mutton busting and the barbecue and we also had time for the tour in the air conditioned bus.

We saw one of the residences and we also got to see the sports complex. We were checking out the wrestling room which has a padded floor and the walls are padded about 8 feet up, also. Lil man took off running as fast as he could and literally threw himself face first onto the floor. He got up and shook himself off. I asked, only half joking, "Did you knock your tooth out, buddy?" He smiled and said, "No, I don't think....yes, I did!" and yes, he did. We found the tooth and the tooth fairy did show up last night.

Anyway, we all had a really good time and plan on making it an annual event - the rodeo, not the knocking out of the tooth!


I hope that everyone had a great holiday.

Down the Block Cafe Menus

menus for the week of September 3, 2007

Monday

closed for the holiday

Tuesday

Beef Stroganoff

Potato, Ham, & Cheddar

Wednesday

BBQ'd Sausage

Taco Soup

Thursday

Turkey & Dressing

Louisiana Gumo

Friday

Chicken or Shrimp Alfredo

Loaded Potato

Saturday

Smothered Pork Chops

Chefs' Surprise