What is it with magazine writers and food? Sometimes I wonder what planet these people live on. Do they have no metabolism at all, or maybe they’re sadistic 400-pounders determined to make normal people feel guilty for eating food.
I started reading the latest Readers Digest today, that magazine that has descended from its excellent, incisive articles of 40 years ago to bite-size fluff today. But I still read it, so never mind that. Anyway, on page 51 is the obligatory article on How to Not Overindulge This Holiday Season and Get Grossly Overweight.
So to quote from RD: ‘You’re working, taking care of the house, shopping, cooking, dealing with the kids and relatives. You need more energy, and you need food on the fly. You consider a Grande Espresso Frappuccino and a slice of pizza."
So far so good.
It goes on, telling you that’s a very wicked idea. You need to limit caffeine (ok, I can see that, but not real well). And then: "Try filling sandwich bags with green and red pepper strips, carrot slices, celery sticks, or a whole-grain bagel or crackers with hummus, nonfat cream cheese, or jam."
I’m lost here. How on earth am I supposed to finish my shopping and everything else without fainting, on that kind of fuel? Even the pizza and espresso wouldn’t be enough for me, I'm afraid. Throw in a thick bowl of broccoli cheese soup if I’m at Safeway, or even something juicy that used to moo, from Burger King, and I might make it.
Then there’s the part about food at parties. "Never arrive hungry." "If you’re ravenous, it’s even harder to control yourself at the buffet." "Before you eat anything, get a drink of seltzer, water, or juice." "Decide which few things you’ll try, and have one or two bites of each."
Ok, here I’m so lost you need to send Search&Rescue after me. It’s like it’s some kind of moral flaw to be hungry and/or to eat food. I always operate on the premise that if you work hard and/or don’t eat for a while, you get hungry (or even ravenous), which is as things ought to be, and then you eat some food, and then you aren't hungry any more, and it is good for your body to do this. And if you go to a place where there is lots of good food that people want you to eat, so much the better.
Naturally, these magazine writers say you’re supposed to eat a salad or a whole-grain bagel before you ever leave home, so you’re not hungry for the good stuff at the party. Oh please. I'll bet they have a bowl of nachos and a plate of brownies beside the computer to nibble on while they type this stuff.
Here’s my advice for this Holiday Season: Get hungry. Eat food. Quit when you’re full. Give hearty thanks. Make sure you eat some of my SIL Bonnie's fudge; it's the best in the world.
Quote of the Day:
"candy
bobble gum
stuffte animal
radio like mom's purple one
toy bow and arrow's
candy bar
camera? hahaha
sling shot"
--Steven's Christmas list. Here's one he wrote over two years ago.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Today's Deja Vu
Back when I had three small children, I used to think, "Someday I'm going to wonder how on earth I survived this." Matt was 4, Amy 2, and Emily 8 weeks old when we moved to an Indian reserve in northern Ontario. We lived in this little cabin with no running water, and it was so cold the ice on the lake behind the house got to be 4 feet thick, and I used to set Emily's little playpen/bed up on kitchen chairs near the wood stove because the floor was so cold, and it took half an hour to bundle everyone up to go out the door. (And we walked 5 miles to school, in the snow, uphill both ways, yada yada)
Well. Fast forward 17 years. My neighbor lady, Verna, has three small children just like I did. Jayce is 4 and full of mischief like Matt, Sholanda is 2 and very smart and articulate (like Amy) and the new baby is a girl named Tymber. ( A good Oregon name.) Today I babysat Jayce and Sholanda for over 4 hours. And I thought, How on earth did I survive back then?
Surprisingly, I didn't think this because of all the activity and scattered toys and such. That wasn't a problem. I thought it because these children talked the. whole. time. It didn't stop. And I thought, this is exactly what mine were like. How did I ever keep all the wires in my head from disconnecting?
Matt, as I recall, asked questions from the time he got up til he fell asleep at night. 118 "why" questions in a single day when he was 3, for example. And one day I had a guest and she said, "How can you answer all those questions without going crazy?" And I said, "Questions?" It turned out that for the last 15 minutes I had had my mouth on automatic pilot, answering his questions, while the rest of my head was thinking about something else.
So, yeah, I know this is what little kids do, and it's good that they're curious and all. But I have a new respect for Verna, and for myself for surviving that stage, and I wonder how I did it.
Quote of the Day:
"OOhh! The dog!
The big dog!
I'm scared of the dog!
Can he come in?
Can he?
Can he get me?"
(No, the door is shut.)
"He can't open the door?
He don't got hands?
Huh?
He don't got hands?
He can't open the door?
You gots hands.
I got hands.
See? I got hands.
Our baby--my mom's baby--she gots hands too.
Hey, where's your dog?
Where's your dog again?
Why is your dog sitting? Or laying?"
(Because he's tired.)
"Is that why he don't wanna come see us?
What's that noise?"
(The dog barking.)
"What's he barking at?
Maybe if animals come he barks at them!
Then we could build a fire and cook the animals for him!"
--Jayce and Sholanda
Well. Fast forward 17 years. My neighbor lady, Verna, has three small children just like I did. Jayce is 4 and full of mischief like Matt, Sholanda is 2 and very smart and articulate (like Amy) and the new baby is a girl named Tymber. ( A good Oregon name.) Today I babysat Jayce and Sholanda for over 4 hours. And I thought, How on earth did I survive back then?
Surprisingly, I didn't think this because of all the activity and scattered toys and such. That wasn't a problem. I thought it because these children talked the. whole. time. It didn't stop. And I thought, this is exactly what mine were like. How did I ever keep all the wires in my head from disconnecting?
Matt, as I recall, asked questions from the time he got up til he fell asleep at night. 118 "why" questions in a single day when he was 3, for example. And one day I had a guest and she said, "How can you answer all those questions without going crazy?" And I said, "Questions?" It turned out that for the last 15 minutes I had had my mouth on automatic pilot, answering his questions, while the rest of my head was thinking about something else.
So, yeah, I know this is what little kids do, and it's good that they're curious and all. But I have a new respect for Verna, and for myself for surviving that stage, and I wonder how I did it.
Quote of the Day:
"OOhh! The dog!
The big dog!
I'm scared of the dog!
Can he come in?
Can he?
Can he get me?"
(No, the door is shut.)
"He can't open the door?
He don't got hands?
Huh?
He don't got hands?
He can't open the door?
You gots hands.
I got hands.
See? I got hands.
Our baby--my mom's baby--she gots hands too.
Hey, where's your dog?
Where's your dog again?
Why is your dog sitting? Or laying?"
(Because he's tired.)
"Is that why he don't wanna come see us?
What's that noise?"
(The dog barking.)
"What's he barking at?
Maybe if animals come he barks at them!
Then we could build a fire and cook the animals for him!"
--Jayce and Sholanda
Lynn's List
I go all giddy when I see one of my books on someone's list, so you can imagine my response when I received this in an email today from Lynn Frost, the librarian in Junction City. It's her column for the Junction City Quarterly, and (gasp) she put me right next to Mother Goose and A.A. Milne. Of course I'm donating a copy of Upstairs to the library. It was the least I could do. Lynn said she was not angling for a donation, honest.
The Essential Bookshelf by Lynn the Librarian
The season of giving is here. so what would this librarian suggest if someone had only about 20 inches of bookshelf? Essential books: here is my top-ten list.
1. A dictionary. The Random House Websters College Dictionary goes for about $25, and contains expressions like ‘my bad!’ and ‘senior moment’. But an older dictionary will do: $5.
2. A general knowledge overview is a must, but given the Internet, encyclopedia sets are thing of the past. A used copy of The Random House Encyclopedia at $40 will suffice. It contains 3,000 pages of knowledge, including an atlas. Search for that obscure fact under such headings as “The Universe” and “Time Charts”, then you can browse to your heart’s content. A more concise treatment is The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy; What Every American Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr.. ($29.95) Or an overview of the world’s facts is a world almanac. ($7.00 ) You need not have the latest edition, as many things do not change: state capitals, measurements, etc.
3. The Merck Manual of Medical Information ($19.95) can save you much angst over ailments, and will aid in determining when to seek medical help. It is written in lay terms, and is arranged by topic, from basics to body parts and systems. It includes information on children’s health, accidents and injuries.
4. Every household should have a cookbook. A good basic source is the 50th anniversary edition of The Betty Crocker Cookbook. ($17.95) Use it to cook everything from old fashioned comfort food to vegetarian dishes – complete with how-to photos and nutrition information. When put to use you have no excuse; you too can cook.
5. While in the do-it-yourself mode, you can refer to the Reader’s Digest New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual. You’ll learn about repairs, tools and safety in all areas of the home, and have a sense of accomplishment when you have completed a task.
6. Along that line, Simple Home Solutions: Good Things with Martha Stewart Living ($22.50) with instructions on how to remove stains, peel a tomato, build storage systems, you name it.
7. Every home should have a good read-aloud. I recommend Dorcas Smucker’s Ordinary Days; Family Life in a Farmhouse and Upstairs the Peasants are Revolting. ($9.95 each) This gives you the opportunity to share local color when there is a power failure or to have a sense of shared tranquility before you turn the lights out.
8. It is great to have a book for and about children: Mother Goose for example. There are so many versions: The Real Mother Goose, ($9.95) also Mary Engelbreit’s Mother Goose, ($19.95) A 75 year old treasure is the set of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh and House at Pooh Corner. They are the best stories to share with children. Reading these can also give a child the first ah-ha-experience that a book and a movie do not always have one to one correspondence.
9. You need a book that speaks to your passion: a novel, or art, gardening, history, philosophy, self-help, health. . . It should be a book that is a pleasure to hold, to read and re-read, and something you would like to share with others.
10. The book that is the foundation of your faith tradition.
Lastly, you need your very own library card. They don’t take much room so go ahead and get one for yourself and each member of your family. Use it frequently. And the world will open up to you and your loved ones. Junction City Public Library has about 20,000 books along with dvds and talking books. Come and enjoy them.
The Essential Bookshelf by Lynn the Librarian
The season of giving is here. so what would this librarian suggest if someone had only about 20 inches of bookshelf? Essential books: here is my top-ten list.
1. A dictionary. The Random House Websters College Dictionary goes for about $25, and contains expressions like ‘my bad!’ and ‘senior moment’. But an older dictionary will do: $5.
2. A general knowledge overview is a must, but given the Internet, encyclopedia sets are thing of the past. A used copy of The Random House Encyclopedia at $40 will suffice. It contains 3,000 pages of knowledge, including an atlas. Search for that obscure fact under such headings as “The Universe” and “Time Charts”, then you can browse to your heart’s content. A more concise treatment is The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy; What Every American Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr.. ($29.95) Or an overview of the world’s facts is a world almanac. ($7.00 ) You need not have the latest edition, as many things do not change: state capitals, measurements, etc.
3. The Merck Manual of Medical Information ($19.95) can save you much angst over ailments, and will aid in determining when to seek medical help. It is written in lay terms, and is arranged by topic, from basics to body parts and systems. It includes information on children’s health, accidents and injuries.
4. Every household should have a cookbook. A good basic source is the 50th anniversary edition of The Betty Crocker Cookbook. ($17.95) Use it to cook everything from old fashioned comfort food to vegetarian dishes – complete with how-to photos and nutrition information. When put to use you have no excuse; you too can cook.
5. While in the do-it-yourself mode, you can refer to the Reader’s Digest New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual. You’ll learn about repairs, tools and safety in all areas of the home, and have a sense of accomplishment when you have completed a task.
6. Along that line, Simple Home Solutions: Good Things with Martha Stewart Living ($22.50) with instructions on how to remove stains, peel a tomato, build storage systems, you name it.
7. Every home should have a good read-aloud. I recommend Dorcas Smucker’s Ordinary Days; Family Life in a Farmhouse and Upstairs the Peasants are Revolting. ($9.95 each) This gives you the opportunity to share local color when there is a power failure or to have a sense of shared tranquility before you turn the lights out.
8. It is great to have a book for and about children: Mother Goose for example. There are so many versions: The Real Mother Goose, ($9.95) also Mary Engelbreit’s Mother Goose, ($19.95) A 75 year old treasure is the set of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh and House at Pooh Corner. They are the best stories to share with children. Reading these can also give a child the first ah-ha-experience that a book and a movie do not always have one to one correspondence.
9. You need a book that speaks to your passion: a novel, or art, gardening, history, philosophy, self-help, health. . . It should be a book that is a pleasure to hold, to read and re-read, and something you would like to share with others.
10. The book that is the foundation of your faith tradition.
Lastly, you need your very own library card. They don’t take much room so go ahead and get one for yourself and each member of your family. Use it frequently. And the world will open up to you and your loved ones. Junction City Public Library has about 20,000 books along with dvds and talking books. Come and enjoy them.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Steven, Orphans, and God
Steven is 13 years old today. He is a wonderful, funny, gifted young man and we are blessed to have him in our family.
When we were in the process of adopting him and one miracle after another was unfolding, I got the distinct sense that this was not our doing. God was doing something powerful here, and we were only along for the ride, with very little control over what would happen next.
There's something about adopting a child that makes everyone come out of the woodwork with their own adoption stories, and we have heard many in the last three years. Over and over, people have told me of hardnosed caseworkers and judges who suddenly had a change of heart, dates that clicked into place not a day too soon or too late, uncanny events surrounding the adoption, and many more coincidences that can only be credited to God's hand orchestrating it all.
So I have had the sense that something big is afoot in God's kingdom with this whole thing of orphans and adoption. Ok, maybe it's been happening for years, I don't know, I just know that I've had an increasing awareness of it, like an approaching freight train.
And now more and more Christian ministries are getting involved in caring for orphans, and World magazine told how entire churches are taking in orphans.
How like God to unleash his power for the smallest, the poorest, the weakest, the abandoned ones with no voice and no power and no one to speak for them.
Read more here and here.
Quote of the Day:
"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed. . ."
Psalm 10:17,18 NIV
When we were in the process of adopting him and one miracle after another was unfolding, I got the distinct sense that this was not our doing. God was doing something powerful here, and we were only along for the ride, with very little control over what would happen next.
There's something about adopting a child that makes everyone come out of the woodwork with their own adoption stories, and we have heard many in the last three years. Over and over, people have told me of hardnosed caseworkers and judges who suddenly had a change of heart, dates that clicked into place not a day too soon or too late, uncanny events surrounding the adoption, and many more coincidences that can only be credited to God's hand orchestrating it all.
So I have had the sense that something big is afoot in God's kingdom with this whole thing of orphans and adoption. Ok, maybe it's been happening for years, I don't know, I just know that I've had an increasing awareness of it, like an approaching freight train.
And now more and more Christian ministries are getting involved in caring for orphans, and World magazine told how entire churches are taking in orphans.
How like God to unleash his power for the smallest, the poorest, the weakest, the abandoned ones with no voice and no power and no one to speak for them.
Read more here and here.
Quote of the Day:
"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed. . ."
Psalm 10:17,18 NIV
Monday, November 05, 2007
Irritating People
I think it was Bill Gothard who propounded the theory of difficult people being like a chisel chipping away at the rough rock of your character to produce a diamond. I can still remember that overhead with the drawing of a diamond getting pieces chipped off.
One of the disadvantages of being a hypersensitive person is that people irritate me a lot more than they do, say, my easygoing husband. Paul gets somewhat annoyed at bombastic, know-it-all young men, but that's about it. And he is still nice to them. And he doesn't dwell on them for any length of time.
Then there's me. I get irritated beyond bearing at a) clueless people who steamroll over everyone else b) people who screech when they talk c) sullen teenagers d) people who don't listen e) bombastic men of any age, especially if they're preachers f) women who are syrupy on the surface and poison underneath g) patronizing people h) people who act super-spiritual i) people who interrupt others j) people who don't like my children k) dads with control issues l) people who come up to me and gush about Beverly Lewis and the Ay-mish m) kids who bully others n) well, that's all I can think of at the moment but trust me there are more.
I must be a very very rough diamond.
And then there is the very disconcerting thought that I am probably an equally irritating chisel in the hands of God to refine some other people's characters. Gaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
Quote of the Day:
"My tablecloth is bluer and my things aren't as faded."
--Paul's mom, after a laser procedure on her eye
One of the disadvantages of being a hypersensitive person is that people irritate me a lot more than they do, say, my easygoing husband. Paul gets somewhat annoyed at bombastic, know-it-all young men, but that's about it. And he is still nice to them. And he doesn't dwell on them for any length of time.
Then there's me. I get irritated beyond bearing at a) clueless people who steamroll over everyone else b) people who screech when they talk c) sullen teenagers d) people who don't listen e) bombastic men of any age, especially if they're preachers f) women who are syrupy on the surface and poison underneath g) patronizing people h) people who act super-spiritual i) people who interrupt others j) people who don't like my children k) dads with control issues l) people who come up to me and gush about Beverly Lewis and the Ay-mish m) kids who bully others n) well, that's all I can think of at the moment but trust me there are more.
I must be a very very rough diamond.
And then there is the very disconcerting thought that I am probably an equally irritating chisel in the hands of God to refine some other people's characters. Gaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
Quote of the Day:
"My tablecloth is bluer and my things aren't as faded."
--Paul's mom, after a laser procedure on her eye
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Sales Pitch for Young Men
My SIL Geneva worked at Meier and Frank, a nice clothing/home furnishings store well above my means, for a number of years. It was very entertaining, at our Christmas dinners, to hear her tell about the customers on Christmas Eve.
Toward evening on December 24th was when the young men came wandering into the store, she said. Invariably they needed a gift for a mom or a girlfriend, or both. Invariably they had no idea what to get. And invariably when Geneva said, "Well, what size is she?" they said, "Oh, about like you."
Geneva is 5 feet tall and probably a size 4.
So Geneva would gently ask a few more questions and steer them toward an appropriate gift.
Since Christmas is next month(!), I have an idea for all the procrastinating young men out there: get your mom a copy of one or both of my books, Ordinary Days and Upstairs the Peasants are Revolting.
Moms are far and away my most numerous customers, and even the ones that don’t read much have been known to read these because they consist of a bunch of stand-alone chapters that can be read one at a time over a cup of coffee.
You can buy them online here and here. Or ask for them at a bookstore.
Or you can order from me and get an autographed copy. They are $10 plus $2 shipping each. And here’s the November/December special: if you get two or more copies, they’re $9 each. If you get five or more copies sent to one address, shipping is free. (U.S. only) If you like, I can mail the book(s) directly to your mom.
Mail a check to:
Dorcas Smucker
31148 Substation Drive
Harrisburg, OR 97446
I don’t know if a girlfriend would like one of my books or not. I think I’d suggest perfume or fancy coffee or chocolates instead.
(Matt: just so you know, you can always buy me a gift card from one of the espresso stands in Harrisburg or that one by the Shell station on 228)
Quote of the Day:
"I'm really glad my skin grows with my body, because snakes have to shed their skin and I'm glad I don't."
--Jenny
Toward evening on December 24th was when the young men came wandering into the store, she said. Invariably they needed a gift for a mom or a girlfriend, or both. Invariably they had no idea what to get. And invariably when Geneva said, "Well, what size is she?" they said, "Oh, about like you."
Geneva is 5 feet tall and probably a size 4.
So Geneva would gently ask a few more questions and steer them toward an appropriate gift.
Since Christmas is next month(!), I have an idea for all the procrastinating young men out there: get your mom a copy of one or both of my books, Ordinary Days and Upstairs the Peasants are Revolting.
Moms are far and away my most numerous customers, and even the ones that don’t read much have been known to read these because they consist of a bunch of stand-alone chapters that can be read one at a time over a cup of coffee.
You can buy them online here and here. Or ask for them at a bookstore.
Or you can order from me and get an autographed copy. They are $10 plus $2 shipping each. And here’s the November/December special: if you get two or more copies, they’re $9 each. If you get five or more copies sent to one address, shipping is free. (U.S. only) If you like, I can mail the book(s) directly to your mom.
Mail a check to:
Dorcas Smucker
31148 Substation Drive
Harrisburg, OR 97446
I don’t know if a girlfriend would like one of my books or not. I think I’d suggest perfume or fancy coffee or chocolates instead.
(Matt: just so you know, you can always buy me a gift card from one of the espresso stands in Harrisburg or that one by the Shell station on 228)
Quote of the Day:
"I'm really glad my skin grows with my body, because snakes have to shed their skin and I'm glad I don't."
--Jenny
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Farmers' Checks
This is the season of the year when the farmers start to pay for having their seed cleaned.
And this is what I find intriguing: the mailers and the deliverers.
We have only half a dozen farmers we clean for so I don’t have a big pool to observe. Some farmers in their uniform jeans and billed caps show up at the door to deliver their checks, taking a few minutes to chat. And the other checks come in the mail, with an "H-C Farms, Inc." logo or a neat "James Smucker" in the corner of the envelope. I wonder if the latter value efficiency more and the former value the human connection more. I don't know. I do know that we depend on them for our bread and butter; they depend on us to fill a very important step in the farming process. There’s a tacit acknowledgement of this in the little exchange about weather and orchardgrass prices at the front door.
We are very blessed to deal with farmers who are honest and considerate and who, with only one exception, value excellence. That would be the one I think of as Paul’s charity case, a struggling farmer who is always the last to harvest his seed and has the poorest crops. There are some verses in Proverbs that apply to him, like the one about a son who sleeps in harvest. But in the end he always pays what he owes, and I am thankful for that.
Quote of the Day:
"These benches are very orange!"
--Phebe, at church cleaning the other Saturday, after we spent a few hours cleaning the pews. I vacuumed them off, and she scootched around on her back all over the sanctuary floor, washing the legs and undersides. And we both were ready to not look at orange church pews for a good while.
And this is what I find intriguing: the mailers and the deliverers.
We have only half a dozen farmers we clean for so I don’t have a big pool to observe. Some farmers in their uniform jeans and billed caps show up at the door to deliver their checks, taking a few minutes to chat. And the other checks come in the mail, with an "H-C Farms, Inc." logo or a neat "James Smucker" in the corner of the envelope. I wonder if the latter value efficiency more and the former value the human connection more. I don't know. I do know that we depend on them for our bread and butter; they depend on us to fill a very important step in the farming process. There’s a tacit acknowledgement of this in the little exchange about weather and orchardgrass prices at the front door.
We are very blessed to deal with farmers who are honest and considerate and who, with only one exception, value excellence. That would be the one I think of as Paul’s charity case, a struggling farmer who is always the last to harvest his seed and has the poorest crops. There are some verses in Proverbs that apply to him, like the one about a son who sleeps in harvest. But in the end he always pays what he owes, and I am thankful for that.
Quote of the Day:
"These benches are very orange!"
--Phebe, at church cleaning the other Saturday, after we spent a few hours cleaning the pews. I vacuumed them off, and she scootched around on her back all over the sanctuary floor, washing the legs and undersides. And we both were ready to not look at orange church pews for a good while.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
More Non-brilliant Thoughts
My lovely SIL Geneva called yesterday and said she was a bit worried because I hadn't done a real update in a week. I am very very blessed to have people like Geneva in my life who keep track of me.
I have not been updating much personal stuff because a) I was gone every night last week to special meetings at church which were great but utterly exhausting for this old bird who gets her feathers ruffled if she doesn't roost early and b) it's once again fall which means the rain clouds are moving in and the black cloud of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is descending and one of the symptoms is that I am far less creative and have fewer ideas and c) I am suddenly without the help of my two capable teenage girls and am feeling swamped with housework.
So--what's going on at our house:
--Emily is still sick and none of the many tests have been conclusive. She says she's not feeling better but I know she's sleeping less and doing more schoolwork.
--We got 8 chickens. Steven's project.
--Hansie is behaving, sort of.
--I haven't talked to Amy in a while as we have a very hard time connecting. Probably because of that I had my first Amy Dream the other night, like I used to have when she was in the Emirates. I come into the kitchen and there she is! And I say AAMMYYYYYYY! And I give her a big hug. And she says, Duh, Mom, of course I'm home, didn't you know that?
--I miss Matt, especially when the roaster needs to go up on the top shelf in the pantry.
--Ben and Steven are enjoying choir. We have to laugh at Steven, because when he's around people he acts very shy about singing and you can hardly hear him, but when he's on the lawn mower he sings so loud you can hear him in the house with the doors and windows shut. Ben said the other day Steven was mowing the little field west of the house, and he (Ben) was walking home from Leroy and Anita's (east of us) after he fed the dog, and halfway home he could tell what song Steven was singing.
--I never think of Jenny being so much like her dad but the other night I told Steven he's about the age Matt was when Jenny was born, meaning: Matt was almost 13, Steven is almost 13. Well, Jenny's mind immediately clicked into gear (just like Paul's) and she began to figure in her head ("Hmmm, oookaaaaay, let's seeee. . .)(just like Paul) exactly how many days' difference there was between Matt's age then and Steven's now.
--I have an article to write but this is much easier.
Quote of the Day:
"Do you ever feel sorry for the poor cold people in the mattress ads?"
--Emily
I have not been updating much personal stuff because a) I was gone every night last week to special meetings at church which were great but utterly exhausting for this old bird who gets her feathers ruffled if she doesn't roost early and b) it's once again fall which means the rain clouds are moving in and the black cloud of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is descending and one of the symptoms is that I am far less creative and have fewer ideas and c) I am suddenly without the help of my two capable teenage girls and am feeling swamped with housework.
So--what's going on at our house:
--Emily is still sick and none of the many tests have been conclusive. She says she's not feeling better but I know she's sleeping less and doing more schoolwork.
--We got 8 chickens. Steven's project.
--Hansie is behaving, sort of.
--I haven't talked to Amy in a while as we have a very hard time connecting. Probably because of that I had my first Amy Dream the other night, like I used to have when she was in the Emirates. I come into the kitchen and there she is! And I say AAMMYYYYYYY! And I give her a big hug. And she says, Duh, Mom, of course I'm home, didn't you know that?
--I miss Matt, especially when the roaster needs to go up on the top shelf in the pantry.
--Ben and Steven are enjoying choir. We have to laugh at Steven, because when he's around people he acts very shy about singing and you can hardly hear him, but when he's on the lawn mower he sings so loud you can hear him in the house with the doors and windows shut. Ben said the other day Steven was mowing the little field west of the house, and he (Ben) was walking home from Leroy and Anita's (east of us) after he fed the dog, and halfway home he could tell what song Steven was singing.
--I never think of Jenny being so much like her dad but the other night I told Steven he's about the age Matt was when Jenny was born, meaning: Matt was almost 13, Steven is almost 13. Well, Jenny's mind immediately clicked into gear (just like Paul's) and she began to figure in her head ("Hmmm, oookaaaaay, let's seeee. . .)(just like Paul) exactly how many days' difference there was between Matt's age then and Steven's now.
--I have an article to write but this is much easier.
Quote of the Day:
"Do you ever feel sorry for the poor cold people in the mattress ads?"
--Emily
Monday, October 29, 2007
Minnesota
My sister sent me this and I have to say I chuckled knowingly the whole way through--empty cars running in the parking lot at Fleets, unlocked houses, going "up north". . . Once a Minnesotan, always a Minnesotan, I guess.
Jeff Foxworthy on Minnesota :
If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through
18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you're proud that your state makes the national news 96 nights
each year because International Falls is the coldest spot in the nation,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you have ever refused to buy something because it's "too spendy",
You might live in Minnesota.
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March,
You might live in Minnesota .
If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there,
You might live in Minnesota.
If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the
middle of his forehead,
You might live in Minnesota .
If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time,
You might live in Minnesota.
If your town has an equal number of bars and churches,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you know how to say...Wayzata...Mahtomedi .... Cloquet
Edina ... and Shakopee,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you think that ketchup is a little too spicy,
You might live in Minnesota.
If vacation means going "up north" for the weekend,
You might live in Minnesota.
You measure distance in hours,
You might live in Minnesota.
You know several people, who have hit deer more than once,
You might live in Minnesota.
You often switch from "Heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again,
You might live in Minnesota .
You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow
during a raging blizzard without flinching,
You might live in Minnesota.
You see people wearing hunting clothes at social events,
You might live in Minnesota.
You install security lights on your house and garage and
leave both unlocked,
You might live in Minnesota.
You carry jumper cables in your car, and your girlfriend knows
how to use them,
You might live in Minnesota.
There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at Mill's Fleet Farm
at any given time ,
You might live in Minnesota.
You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit,
You might live in Minnesota.
Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow,
You might live in Minnesota.
You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter,
and of course, road construction,
You might live in Minnesota.
You can identify a southern or eastern accent,
You might live in Minnesota.
Your idea of creative landscaping is a plastic deer next
to your blue spruce,
You might live in Minnesota.
If "Down South" to you means Iowa ,
You might live in Minnesota.
You know "a brat" is something you eat,
You might live in Minnesota.
You find -10 degrees "a little chilly",
You might live in Minnesota.
You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Minnesota friends,
You DO live in Minnesota .
Jeff Foxworthy on Minnesota :
If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through
18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you're proud that your state makes the national news 96 nights
each year because International Falls is the coldest spot in the nation,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you have ever refused to buy something because it's "too spendy",
You might live in Minnesota.
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March,
You might live in Minnesota .
If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there,
You might live in Minnesota.
If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the
middle of his forehead,
You might live in Minnesota .
If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time,
You might live in Minnesota.
If your town has an equal number of bars and churches,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you know how to say...Wayzata...Mahtomedi .... Cloquet
Edina ... and Shakopee,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you think that ketchup is a little too spicy,
You might live in Minnesota.
If vacation means going "up north" for the weekend,
You might live in Minnesota.
You measure distance in hours,
You might live in Minnesota.
You know several people, who have hit deer more than once,
You might live in Minnesota.
You often switch from "Heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again,
You might live in Minnesota .
You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow
during a raging blizzard without flinching,
You might live in Minnesota.
You see people wearing hunting clothes at social events,
You might live in Minnesota.
You install security lights on your house and garage and
leave both unlocked,
You might live in Minnesota.
You carry jumper cables in your car, and your girlfriend knows
how to use them,
You might live in Minnesota.
There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at Mill's Fleet Farm
at any given time ,
You might live in Minnesota.
You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit,
You might live in Minnesota.
Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow,
You might live in Minnesota.
You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter,
and of course, road construction,
You might live in Minnesota.
You can identify a southern or eastern accent,
You might live in Minnesota.
Your idea of creative landscaping is a plastic deer next
to your blue spruce,
You might live in Minnesota.
If "Down South" to you means Iowa ,
You might live in Minnesota.
You know "a brat" is something you eat,
You might live in Minnesota.
You find -10 degrees "a little chilly",
You might live in Minnesota.
You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Minnesota friends,
You DO live in Minnesota .
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Sports
The Oregon Ducks just beat USC 24-17.
You know, I think I've actually gotten to where I could have a conversation about sports, at least a short one.
I came up with these opinions all on my own in the recent past:
"I'll bet Matthew Hardy will be Player of the Game.'
and
"I feel so sorry for Joey Harrington. Nobody has appreciated him like Oregon did."
and
"I really think Phil Knight didn't like Bill Moos, so they got rid of him to make Phil Knight happy so he would give them that unbelievable $100,000,000."
and of course:
"Go Ducks!"
Quote of the Day:
"I don't see how the players on the field can stay calm when it's that close. I get so nervous just listening I about can't stand it."
--Ben
You know, I think I've actually gotten to where I could have a conversation about sports, at least a short one.
I came up with these opinions all on my own in the recent past:
"I'll bet Matthew Hardy will be Player of the Game.'
and
"I feel so sorry for Joey Harrington. Nobody has appreciated him like Oregon did."
and
"I really think Phil Knight didn't like Bill Moos, so they got rid of him to make Phil Knight happy so he would give them that unbelievable $100,000,000."
and of course:
"Go Ducks!"
Quote of the Day:
"I don't see how the players on the field can stay calm when it's that close. I get so nervous just listening I about can't stand it."
--Ben
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