Myanderings: February 2008

Friday, February 29, 2008

My First Real Job

Yesterday, I mentioned that the job I was recently offered was not what I had in mind.

My jobs have never been what I had in mind.

I went to Catholic schools for 12 years. I spent the last 4 of those years at a College Prep High School. It was assumed by everyone, including me, that I would go to college and then either become a teacher, biding time until I got married and raised the requisite 2 to 4 kids in the nice little house in the suburb with the white picket fence, or join the convent.

Yeah.

2 weeks after High School graduation, with my choice of scholarships to use at one of the two universities between which I was still wavering, while my mom and sister were back in Iowa visiting relatives, I met my first husband.

By the time Mom got back, I was in LUV! I didn't need to go to college. I just needed to get married and voila! the nice little house in the suburbs with the white picket fence was mine. After a lot of fit throwing (mine) and screaming (my parents') and fit throwing (mine), I WON!

We were married in November. We were separated by the following June up until the part where I found out I was pregnant. We reconciled and celebrated our first anniversary in November, 1 week before my oldest daughter was born.

The following April, when my baby was 4 months old and I had been married for almost a year and a half, we were in a horrendous traffic accident. My husband died the next day (Easter Sunday) as a result of his injuries and my daughter had 11 skull fractures. I received relatively minor injuries and was treated and released. The people in the other car, the driver of which was found totally at fault, walked away.

All of this is in preface to my first job. I had no job skills. I had no college degree. I had nothing but a ton of bills, a sick baby, and a need to work.

I applied at the Police Department in a neighboring town to be a "Community Service Officer". The job description sounded like something I could do - hold burglary prevention seminars, talk to school kids about safety and not talking to strangers, doing home inspections and suggesting ways to make homes safer and more secure. No previous training needed. Hurray.

This was in the early 1970s and I was hired for many reasons, not the least of which was womens' lib. I have never been a strident womens' libber but the Department needed to up their quota of women. I was, as a 20 year old widow with a baby, a very sympathetic person to put on public display.

This job was a gift from God. From CSO, I became the Department's first female Cadet, their first female Reserve Officer, and one of their first female Dispatchers. Oh sure, when I first started working there, some of the officers, who are notorious flirts, thought they had struck pay dirt. All they knew was that I was a single mom. This was back when divorce was not common and divorcees also had a certain reputation, whether deserved or not. As soon as the guys found out that I was a widow, though, I had 67 big brothers.

I was exposed to a lot that I had never learned in Catholic school! However, I was exposed to it in as sheltered an atmosphere as possible. This was back when women, all women, were protected from most of the unpleasantries of life. I learned a lot, too. I learned everything! how to answer a multi-line phone, how to use a two-way radio, how to use the teletype machine, how to speak to people in crisis, how to prioritize calls, how to handle the front-counter traffic, how to testify in court, etc.

The most important things that I learned were these. I like to help people. I am capable of taking care of myself and my child(ren). I had terrific reaction times and handled stress well. I like my job and I was good at it.

This job, although not always at the same Department, stood me in good stead through two failed marriages, another child and a move across state. It is what I was doing when I met, and didn't fall in love with, my current husband. I was never gonna fall in love again.

Coming soon - you wanna move where?

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Thankful Thursday - Can You Hear Him?

This is a post that sort of combines a lot of previous thankfuls.

I am, again, thankful for unanswered prayers.

I am, again, thankful for my friends and for their prayers and good wishes.

I am thankful that I got out of my own way.

I have been applying for jobs. I thought I knew what job(s) I wanted. No, I knew that I knew what job(s) I wanted. I always know.

God always knows better - and then he laughs.

There is a particular job that I used to laugh at - you know, the one where, in the back of your mind, you think, "Well, I can always go to work at (insert huge company name here) as a greeter" chuckle, chuckle, snort, snort.

I finally got to the point where I applied for EVERY job I could find in this town, including that one.

I have a written job offer, contingent upon my passing the background check and drug screen, for that job - you know, the last resort job.

It pays almost $2 an hour more than the job that I just knew I wanted.

I can hear God laughing.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

WW - wordless and witty

Wordless Wednesday

Witty Wednesday

A man was having a bad day and happened to rear-end the vehicle in front of him. Out jumped a dwarf, with arms akimbo, who proclaimed, "I'm NOT happy!!" To which the man replied, "Well, which one are you, then?"-- Beth Knoblock

from: Reader's Digest

It's not quite as good as reading the Reader's Digest, but it's still funny!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

When Buddy Met Sally

I was checking out the Fun Monday participants and finally got to Jenni at Prairie Air. The 2nd part of her post, the part regarding food, is what led to this post.

Jenni made Ree's Bread Pudding, For Those Who Think They Don't Like Bread Pudding. And Whiskey Cream Sauce to Boot.

To illustrate exactly how wonderful this bread pudding was, Jenni included this YouTube video, along with the disclaimer that she (Jenni) wasn't faking it.

I recognized this still. I love this movie. I love this scene. I played it just for grins.

Buddy loved it, too.

Note: the older lady customer was played by Estelle Reiner, the director's (Rob Reiner) mom.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Fun Monday - a TwoFer

This weeks hostess for Fun Monday is Mariposa. She asked for 2 things this week.

1. Why is your blog named the name it is?

2. Your favorite dish

The first one if pretty easy. In my family, it has always been a joke, whenever one of us messed up the pronounciation of a word, that it was OK. That it was now just your own word. If you were ever called to testify in court and the attorney said, "in your own words", you would have some. The problem is that we seldom remember our own words.

There are exceptions. My daughter, when she was little, and my mom was teaching her to play poker, would take her cards and go behind the couch. Mom would ask her what she was doing and Juls would say that she was "suitagorizing" her cards. We still suitagorize our cards.

The name of my blog is one of my own words. It is the meanderings of my own mind. Hence myanderings.

Now, for my favorite dish. Those of you who read me often can just quit now. I have written about this pasta dish more than once. Just as a side note, however, I made this again on Saturday. I did not have chicken broth so I used beef. It turned out great again.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

How I Got To Be A Texan

I grew up just north of San Francisco, in the midst of rolling hills, redwood trees, and very little weather.

I live in the Texas Panhandle, in the midst of some of the flattest land you've ever seen, with very few trees (and those we have are stunted), in what is commonly known as Tornado Alley.

Why? you ask.

It is all my mother-in-law's fault. Mind you, my mother-in-law died more than 10 years ago. She and my husband had been estranged longer than that.

My husband went to over 30 schools before he finally quit school in his sophomore year of high school. His dad, a former Navy cook, was a dairy milker. He milked for various dairies in California, mainly in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley. He also milked for a time in the Lone Pine/Bishop area.

He would go to work for a dairy. Back in the day, the milkers lived onsite in a provided house. They were paid and also given 1 gallon of milk a day and part of a steer at butchering time.

They would stay wherever until the next dairy farmer offered 1 1/2 gallons of milk a day, or an extra quarter of beef a year or a dime more an hour. The family, by now consisting of Mom, Dad, my husband and his two sisters (another son died in infancy) would move again.

At one point, my father-in-law had a chance to manage some property in Oregon state for a dairy farmer, with an option to buy. It was a great deal. This was on the eastern side of the coastal mountains, in the agricultural area of Oregon. My mother-in-law did not like it. She really did not like it. She made no real attempt to like it.

They moved back to California and back to what was, for them, normal.

And forever after, whenever things got tough, and they did, it was always...

"Gee, if only we could have stayed in Oregon" or "Gee, if Dad had just stuck to his guns in Oregon, it sure would be different" or "We almost had it all, once".

So, when my husband moved us from California to Nevada, I was good. After all, how bad can Tahoe be?

When my husband moved us from Tahoe to New Mexico (and that's a whole 'nother story!), I was good. Mind you, I cried the first two weeks I was there, but I was good.

When my husband moved us from New Mexico (hallelujah!) to Texas, I was good because I would be danged if, anywhere down the road, I was gonna be the subject of one of those, "Gee......" sentences.

So, long story short, I am in Texas because my mother-in-law, probably before I was born, would not move to Oregon.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Round Robin - Shoes

Below is the photo challenge from the Round Robin's for Feb. 23, 2008. The subject was shoes. Just shoes. These are the shoes that I have been in for over the last week (excepting those times when I left the house for job interviews...lol).

These are not my favorite slippers. My favorite slippers died a terrible death after only 4 years. I thought I would be economical this time. Not next time. Next time, I am buying my favorite slippers again. I did not take the picture below but if you run across these - Sandra by Hush Puppies in a 10 for less than $50, please call me immediately. Thank you very much.

Note: for all you lovely people who are posting utilizing AOL, I have tried to retrieve my password, I have tried to set up a new account, I have tried to leave comments for you. I have failed and I am sorry.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Lil Man - the Early Years

I found this while playing in the computer today. This was lil man's first day at nursery school. He was 2 years and 4 months old. Same haircut! Proof that his dad was out to sea or his hair would never have been this long...lol.

Lil Man - the Bob the Builder years

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Thankful Thursday 022108

This week I am thankful that I am currently unemployed. I was able, without using any sick time, to stay home with my grandson while he was home sick from school.

I am thankful that he is a good sick child. He does not whine. He takes his medicine. He lays around and does not ask for anything.

I am thankful that there is always at least one dog with him at all times to serve as a lovey or, in a pinch, as a Kle*nex.

I am thankful that he and I have the same sick sense of humor - that when I was laughing because I was sitting on the "commode"; blowing, coughing, spitting, peeing, blowing, coughing, spitting, peeing and got quite a little routine going, he laughed with me. From the other room, of course.

I am thankful that Kle*nex, and all of it's friends, are so much nicer, softer, plusher, lotionier than when I was a child.

I am thankful that he is back at school today and I can now wallow in my misery and not have to be the sweet, comforting, loving grandma.

New Theme Song?

A couple of days ago, ChrisB presented me with the "Rocking Grandmas" award, which she and Pamela designed. I have seldom been so delighted. Lisa, at Lisa's Chaos, was another recipient. In my comment to her, I mentioned that "we will, we will rock you".

I do not have official approval from the other Rocking Grandmas but I'm thinking this could be an awesome official theme song.

Huh?

First of all, let me apologize for Linky Loving y'all to death! I'm not sure how I ended up actually posting that sucker 4 times, but I am now down to one.

Sorry.

I will be posting Thankful Thursday later this morning - ok, maybe this afternoon.

Thanks, guys.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Wordless Wednesday - When You Lose A Dare

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Milestones and an Award!

As most of you who read me know, Lil Man has been sick for almost a week now. With his mom's work schedule and the fact that I am not currently working (job interview tomorrow, pray for me), he has spent his sick time with me. This has worked well since he obviously learned the "Sharing is good. Family comes first." lesson very well. I am sick, too.

Anyway, the doctors at the ER prescribed alternating Tylenol and Motrin every 3 hours and some prescription cough syrup. Lil Man, as further proof that he is like me, puked every time we gave him Motrin. We just stayed with the Tylenol, the Meltaways.

Have you tasted these?

Has any adult ever tasted these?

They are gross!!!!

We do not cajole, jolly, persuade, disguise or otherwise try to make medicine tempting. We tell the kiddo he's sick and that he has to take this stuff because the doctor said. Having said that, it broke my heart when my baby's Lil Man, who is made of such strong stuff, had tear running down his face when he put these in his mouth.

I went to our medicine cabinet, pulled out the regular Tylenol, checked the dosage and, the next time he needed medicine, gave him the option of the Meltaways or of trying to just swallow a pill. No chewing, no tasting but you had to swallow fast or it would melt.

Success on the very first try! No gagging, no puking, no whining, and no drama with taking his medication ever since. Hurray for the Lil Man!

And, evidently, hurray for me. ChrisB, at MsCellania (I love that title) designed this awesome award and I am one of the first recipients! Thank you, ChrisB.

As soon as this fog in my head clears, I will be awarding this to some of the other terrific grandmas out there.

From My Aunt Eileen

My Aunt Eileen sent me this. Since I gave up coffee for Lent, I was hooked at the first line!

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can get going without pep pills,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and live without resentment,

If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him,

If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

Then You Are Probably

The Family Dog!

Monday, February 18, 2008

President's Day, U.S.

Today, February 18, is President's Day in the U.S. When I was a little girl, back when dirt was new, we celebrated Washington's Birthday (Feb. 22) and Lincoln's Birthday (Feb 12). I am not sure if the presidents were combined when the feds went to the Monday/Friday 3 day weekend holiday schedule or when the federal government decided to add MLK Day, but they were combined.

In honor of their birthdays, I offer the following wisdom. First, from our first President, George Washington, the only president to have no political party affiliation:

"As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is, to use it as sparingly as possible; avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it; avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt, not only by shunning occasions of expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the debts, which unavoidable wars may have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burthen, which we ourselves ought to bear."

GEORGE WASHINGTON, Farewell Address, Sep. 17, 1796

Last, from Abraham Lincoln:

"You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage-payer. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds. You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."

Sunday, February 17, 2008

and all this time I thought I married him...

Robin at Pensieve was very excited to find out that her soulmate was George Clooney. Who wouldn't be? I mean, after all, who could be better than George Clooney?

Take the Quiz

Sick and Lazy

It's Sunday. Lil man and I are both sick. Buddy is better.

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Her Noble Excellency Sandra the Unusual of Studley Richard
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Saturday, February 16, 2008

I Only Got 26

The U.S. Citizenship Test

Very interesting questions. How well would you do if you took the citizenship test? Try this out - educational and fun. 24 out of 30 is considered a passing grade. Supposedly 96% of all High School seniors FAILED this test... AND if that's not bad enough, 50+% of all individuals over 50 did too!! and we WONDER why America's in the shape she's in?

Go to the link below. Take the test and be surprised at what you don't know.

http://games.toast.net/independence

I apologize to my many reader(s) abroad and north (chuckle, chuckle) but I am sick and lazy and found this WAY back in my drafts. I appreciate your understanding.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Sick Day

On Thursday, I mentioned that both Lil Man and Buddy were sick. It's pathetic, how sick they are.

Lookie What I Got!

I went to the Post Office today and lo and behold! A package. I love getting packages in the mail. There is just something about it.

This was a book from Robin that I won in a random drawing conducted after Pensieve's Snackalicious Super Dishes.

I love these cookbooks; the Junior League, Women's Club, Chamber of Commerce fundraisers. They are always full of the best of the ladies' recipes.

So, thank you, Robin, for SSD and for this prize.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day Dinner

My husband and I used to drive truck cross-country for a living. We drove for a company hauling refrigerated produce and frozen meats for 7 years and then decided to buy our own truck. Before we bought our truck, we asked every old trucker we knew for the one piece of advice that he thought was indispensable. Our favorite?

What's the first thing you do when your truck breaks down?
Buy yourself a steak dinner because it's the last one you're gonna get for a while.

Tonight, I got in a hot bath about 5:00. It started getting tepid, so I let some water out and then turned on the hot water. And waited for the water to get hot. And waited for the water to get hot. And realized the water was not going to get hot.

I got out of the tub and checked the circuit breakers. They were fine. I checked the hot water heater. It is not leaking. I left the warm water in the tub so Shorty could get at least a little warmer than he was working outside all day.

I had decided, for Valentine's Day, to make this lovely steak and these wonderful mashed potatoes from recipes I found at The Pioneer Woman Cooks. Thank you, Ree.

Shorty came in, looked at the steaks resting at room temp, waiting to be cooked and said, "What broke?"

Happy St. Valentine's Day all y'all.

Pensieve's Poetic License - Sonnets

Want this button?

This month, our assignment was an English Sonnet for something we love.

I have traveled to the Hudson Valley
And ridden with my friends.
I have sat with the O’Malley
To discuss political trends.
I have nestled in the arms of God
Safe and warm and hidden.
I have strolled through Yale, across the quad
With thoughts and dreams unbidden.
I have sailed on seas and through the stars
On pirate ships and dragon’s wings.
I’ve had tea with czars and shopped bazaars
In Rangoon and Persia and Beijing.
My refuge has always been a book
Whether fiction or prose or even cook.

and, in the kind of irony that I adore, at the Post Office today was the cook book that I won from Robin! I love God's sense of humor. Thanks, Robin, and I will post about it later.

Thankful Thursday - Valentine's Day

This Thursday, I am thankful for all of the people I love and who love me.

I am also specifically thankful for medical science.

Yesterday was a doctor day. Buddy, the little 4-legged soccer star, was suffering from "JDLR" which in our house is "Just Don't Look Right". Tuesday afternoon when I got home from the big town, he was a little subdued but I thought he and Duck might just have had a "come to Jesus" meeting. It happens occasionally. Yesterday morning, he was off his feed and just didn't look right. Juls was over, lifted his lip, we took one look at his gums (white) and we were off to the vet. They were doing surgeries yesterday so we left Buddy there so he could be squeezed in. Crystal called shortly after noon and said that Buddy was ready. They did some blood work on his watery blood (never good) and his white count was low, low, low and a couple of other things were off. The diagnosis was either rat poison or ehrlichiosis. The ehrlichiosis couldn't be definitely diagnosed for another 4 days but treatment is the same for both so, one shot of vitamin K, some wide ranging antibiotics, and lots of pets and cuddles later, Buddy was home.

Then Lil Man and his mom came over for dinner before CFC classes. Another case of JDLR. Lil Man has been running a low grade fever off and on for about 3 days with a dry cough. Juls has been treating the symptoms with success and Lil Man was never really sick, you know? Anyway, he got home from school, was playing with some friends, all was fine and then he just hit a wall. He paled, got glassy eyed and said he was sick. He didn't want to eat his favorite dinner or even cake. After class, he was still not right so off to the ER we went. 2 nasal swabs, 1 throat swab, 1 blood draw, and 1 x-ray later, the diagnosis? He's sick. His white count is up but there is no identifiable infection. No ear, no strep, no influenza. Just some sort of viral thing.

I am thankful today that, this morning, Buddy ate his breakfast and is currently outside chasing Holly.

I am thankful today that we know what is not wrong with Lil Man. I am thankful to live in a country and in a time when medical tests are so amazingly available and accurate. I am thankful to live in a town that, although small, has it's own hospital, x-ray lab, blood lab, etc.

For a list of everyone else who is participating in Thankful Thursday today, just head on over to Alison at RDH Mom.

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Warning - blatant schmaltz

This TV commercial makes me smile every time I see it. We all know I'm all about the smiles.

PS: Shorty's hair did not look like that - he was in the Navy - but I think he owned those pants!

Wordless Wednesday - The Soccer Star

Buddy's Ball

Used to be Lil Man's Ball

Our Soccer Star

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Fun Monday - What Kind of Song Am I?

This week's Fun Monday is hosted by my daughter, Julie, at Ooh, A Shiny Pen! This is her request:

Music plays a vital role in most of our lives. It is everywhere. I want to hear the ONE song that is you. The song that whenever it is heard, you smile. I am not looking for the soundtrack of your life, just that one song. Your friends hear it and think of you. You can post the video, the lyrics, the wav file. However you want to post it is great.

So here it is. Please note in the chorus, where it references "stoned rock and rollers", stoned also used to mean drunk. And I was.

80's Ladies: Words and Music by K.T. Oslin

We were three little girls from school.

One was pretty, one was smart

And one was a borderline fool.

Well she's still good lookin'

That woman hadn't slipped a bit.

The smart one used her head

She made her fortune.

And me, I cross the border every chance I get.

We were the girls of the 50's.

Stoned rock and rollers in the 60's.

And more than our names got changed

As the 70's slipped on by.

Now we're 80's ladies.

There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried.

We've been educated.

We got liberated.

And had complicating matters with men.

Oh, we've said "I do"

And we've signed "I don't"

And we've sworn we'd never do that again.

Oh, we burned our bras,

And we burned our dinners

And we burned our candles at both ends.

And we've had some children

Who look just like the way we did back then.

Oh, but we're all grown up now.

All grown up,

But none of us could tell you quite how.

We were the girls of the 50's.

Stoned rock and rollers in the 60's.

Honey, more than our names got changed,

As the 70's slipped on by.

Now we're 80's ladies.

There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried.

A- my name is Alice.

I'm gonna marry Artie.

We're gonna sell apples

And live in Arkansas.

Shattered Preconceptions

I saw this over at the Rotten Correspondent's and just had to try. I am NOT this normal I am NOT! I am NOT!

You Are Very Normal

You scored 80% normal on this quiz
You are normal in practically every way. Yes, you're average.But average definitely doesn't boring. You just fit in well with the mainstream.
Why You Are Normal:
If you had to, you rather live without music and still have laughter
You prefer the sun to the moon
When you're in a car, you prefer to be the driver
You think fishnet stockings are trashy
You'd rather have rats than cockroaches in your home

What's" Normal About You... And What's Not?

Robin's Meme

Gosh, I was tagged with this about 100 years ago by Robinella. I'm not sure how it fell through the cracks but it did. Sorry, ma'am.

How long have you been blogging?

Actually since april 20, 2007. I started a blog once upon a time in 2005 but I only posted once and cannot remember the name and/or the password so I am only counting this one.

Are you trying to make money online or are you in it just for fun?

Money, you can make money? Actually, (wow, two actuallies in a row) I am probably going to have ads added to my sidebar next week. Fair warning, guys.

What inspired you to blog and who are your mentors?

I am not sure that anyone inspired me to blog. I just wanted a space to write. I had been reading MamaDrama in the Houston Chronicle. I am, or was, an online newspaper junkie. I used to read 19 papers daily. Jenny and Min made me laugh and still do. I started clicking on their commenters links and before you knew it, I was all over the world. I don't know that I count them as mentors but The Dingo's Got My Barbie; Pensieve; Anecdotes, Antidotes and Anodes; the Three Dog Blog; and the Anglophile Football Fanatic among others have amused me, inspired me, made me laugh, made me think, and made me grateful for new friends.

What 3 things do you love about being on line?

I love meeting new people and hearing other opinions.
I love sharing the joys and frustrations of everyday life with everyday people.
I love learning new things about the world and about myself.

***************

Now for some much needed thanks! I have been literally deluged with awards! So, in no particular order, I would like to say thank you for the following:

from Alison at RDH Mom

from The Rotten Correspondent

from Lisa at Lisa's Chaos AND

from Laurie at Three Dog Blog

from Robin at Robinella AND

from ~Ann at For The Long Run

Thanks to one and all. Your generosity and kindness continue to amaze me. Thanks again.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

A Very Literary Meme

I tagged myself over at Sayre's for this meme because I thought it was cool. Y'all do know I gave up coffee for Lent, right? Things might be a little odd over here for 40 days or so. Anyway... the rules:

Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).

Open the book to page 123. Find the fifth sentence.

Post the next three sentences.

Post the title and author.

Tag five people and ask them to do the same.

"Working cows couldn't be sharing their milk with their own offspring. It all had to go to the farm. At least the other new calves were outdoors."

Bleeding Kansas by Sara Paretsky

I am going to pull a Sayre here and tell you to just tag yourselves if you want. I can tell you that the book I am reading is not nearly as agricultural or as creepy as those three lines would lead you to believe.

If you are here for Round Robin Photo Challenge, please just scroll down.

Round Robin - Vegetables

When I first signed up for this challenge, I intended to photograph fresh, lovely, vibrant, succulent vegetables. I even had them arranged in my head according to color; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet - all the colors of the rainbow.

I was overtaken by life.

Ash Wednesday rolled around and I began to think of what to cook for dinner, meatless of course. I used to make vegetarian chili on the truck when my husband and I were cross-country truck drivers. I made this, not because we are vegetarians, but because of refrigeration issues.

Here it is; beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, corn, bell peppers, green chili peppers and chili powder.

Here it is finished, served with, you guessed it - corn bread! We did not get to have the cornbread on the truck, though.

Just a side note. For those of you who use AOL Journal. I am unable to comment. But I do stop by and check out your photos. Thank you to all that stop over for a visit.

Friday, February 8, 2008

First Friday of Lent

Julie and I were IM'ing each other earlier today and I asked if she had packed lil man's lunch today. She said no and asked why. I reminded her that it was Friday and it is Lent. The school lil man attends, while Christian, is not Catholic and is not following the Lenten guidelines for fasting.

Later, just before lunch, we were at the school to take him his swim trunks. He had forgotten them at my house and spent last night at his mom's house. No, I did not make him a PB&J. It just did not occur to me at the time. I had blinked or something since Juls and I had talked about lunch.

Mrs. M, the school secretary was amused.

Today is the day the kids get burgers for lunch from a local hamburger joint. Lil man, who evidently is much brighter than either his mom or his grandma, said that he could not have a burger because it is Friday and it is Lent. The school tried to call us but could not reach either of us by phone. Lil man said not to worry about it and that he would just have 2 milks instead.

The burger joint, when told of the problem, said that it was not a problem. They would make a grilled cheese just for him.

I love this town. I love that the non-Catholic school he is attending tried to make it right. I love that the burger joint made it right.

I especially love that this child, this child of my heart, is so very grounded in his faith and so determined to do good. I am so proud of him today.

a child's garden of proverbs

Karmyn did this the other day with her first grader and I just had to try it with Juls' second grader. Some of them, I think, are better than the originals. Some of them, I think, will be brought up when he is an adult. You know, when they interview the neighbors who say what a nice, quite child he was...lol. Just kidding, folks. I think, and we all know that I am totally unbiased, that this child is destined for great things.

The black words are the original beginnings. The red words are his endings.

1. Don't change horses...use the same one
2. Strike while the...pens
3. It's always darkest before...morning
4. Never underestimate the power of...God
5. No news is...news
6. A miss is as good as a ...sir. (can you tell he's being raised in the south?)
7. You can't teach an old dog new...tricks
8. If you lie down with the dogs, you'll...get up with fleas
9. Love all, trust...God
10. The pen is mightier than the...paper
11. An idle mind is...false god
12. Happy the bride who...is getting married
13. A penny saved is...a penny earned
14. Don't put off till tomorrow what...work
15. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and...the whole world cries with you
16. There are none so blind as...a shark ‘cause sharks are blind
17. Children should be seen and not...mean, it rhymes
18. You get out of something only what you...do
19. When the blind lead the blind...the blind lead the blind
20. Better late than...never
21. Where's there's smoke there's...a grill

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Thankful Thursday - The Little Things

My family has one of those histories that is best viewed in a Lifetime Movie of the Week. I will not bore you, nor embarass myself, with the details.

This week, I am truly thankful, both to God and to my child, that I was the one who got to teach my grandson to perfectly crack an egg.

Up until yesterday, he had been cracking them into smaller bowls and then sliding the salvageable eggs into the larger mixing bowl. Yesterday, being there was nothing else in the bowl, he got to do a "direct crack". Voila! His first perfect cracking of the egg.

So, everyone hop on over to Julie's (not my Julie, she is the hostess for next week's Fun Monday) but Julie at Another Chance Ranch for the Thankful Thursday participants.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

WW For Hallie

These, obviously, are not my photos or I would not be on the internet. I would be in a puddle somewhere.

For Hallie at WWoW

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Meme, Meme and For Me!

Robocop and Ness both tagged me to share yet more things about me. I am fresh out of things since Meg tagged me late last month. So, I am taking the easy, lazy way out. Please refer back to this one, the post I posted for Meg.

Also, thanks to Alison at RDH Mom for a new goody. It just makes me smile, so let's spread the smile around a little.

To Christine at Are We There Yet, Mom

To Megan at Megnificent, Just Megnificent

To the Lizards, be they Nekked or clothed

To Swampy at Anecdotes, Antidotes, and Anodes

To Anni at Hootin'Anni's

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Fun Monday - Kicking the Bucket

Tiggerlane at the Neophyte Blogger is hosting Fun Monday this week!

Have you heard of The Bucket List? Well, that's what I want from you! Make a list of things you want to do before you die. It must be at least five items - and you can make it as long as you desire. Photos are optional. And let's hear about some of the wackiest, most bizarre to-do's on your Bucket List!

I thought this would be easier than it was. Oh, sure, I would love to win the lottery and cure cancer and secure world peace but then what would Miss America do?

I am, and I hesitate to use this word, contented with my life. I cannot think of anything I have done that I would do differently because then I would not be right here right now.

Having said that, if I found out that I was terminally ill, and money was no object, I would:

Live on my sailboat. Summers in Monterey, CA and winters in Corpus Christi, TX
Like almost everyone else that I know, have my novel published. You know, the one I haven't written yet.
Endow a library.
Travel abroad, to Tuscany, the south of France, Scotland, and the Black Forest in particular.
Last but not least. I know this is not Christian. I know it is not kind. I know it would not put me on God's short list. I would break into San Quentin State Prison (where California's death row inmates live out their very long, government subsidized lives) and kill everyone on Death Row. It's California. What are they gonna do? Sentence me to death? I know, I know. I'm also pretty sure that as soon as I did this, they would find a cure for whatever disease I was dying of.

So there you have it. Proof that I am not nearly as nice, as kind, or as morally sound as I know I ought to be. #5 has been on my list since the two murderers who killed my uncle and were sentenced to die were released - yes, released! - when the California Supreme Court overturned the death penalty in 1972. In 1977, the death penalty was reinstated in California, although it would be 15 years before they actually executed anyone in 1992. The murderers who were released in 1972 were never rearrested nor resentenced - that whole double jeopardy thing, you know? Anyway, I just thought I would make sure that some other family did not have to go through what my aunt and my cousins did.