Intro to Slot Machines: The Ultimate Guide
11 months ago
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Brundibar
This morning I went to see my twelve year old granddaughter perform in the operetta, Brundibar. I went to see her dance and sing. I went to applaud for this talented young girl that I love. I was not prepared to watch a show that tore my heart out. Brundibar is the powerful story about children of the Holocaust. It is a story of horror and fear. It is also the story of hope , survival and triumph. This morning's show was divided into two parts. During the first half the children read poems written by children who had lived in Terezin, a concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. The set was the dark walls of the camp. The young performers looked gaunt and hungry. Poem after heart-wrenching poem was recited. At the conclusion of the first half the audience set in stunned silence. Applause seemed inappropriate after what we had just heard.
Fear
Today the ghetto knows a different fear,
Close in its grip, Death wields an icy scythe.
An evil sickness spreads a terror in its wake,
The victims of its shadow weep and writhe.
Today a father's heartbeat tells his fright
And mothers bend their heads into their hands.
Now children choke and die with typhus here,
A bitter tax is taken from their bands.
My heart still beats inside my breast
While friends depart for other worlds.
Perhaps it's better – who can say? –
Than watching this, to die today?
No, no, my God, we want to live!
Not watch our numbers melt away.
We want to have a better world,
We want to work – we must not die!
Eva Picková, 12 years old
The second half of the performance was the operetta Brundibar. It is the story of children who overcome the evil organ-grinder, Brundibar. They win a victory over this evil man who is obviously Hitler. The show was performed fifty-five time in Terezin. At the conclusion of today's performance the girl who had played the role of the cat went into the audience and returned with an older lady who joined in the concluding victory song. This woman with sparkling eyes and a great smile sang the song in Czech. As a young girl she had been in all fifty-five performances of Brundibar. Of the 15,000 children under the age of thirteen to go to Terezin, she is one the 100 who survived. When this woman happily joined today's young performers I cried. This woman has survived horror with a vivacious spirit of hope.
After the show I purchased a book she had written about her life. She signed it for me. Her inscription reads, “Remember me and my friends”
Remembering is important.
I am glad I could meet and hear Ela Weissberger.
Fear
Today the ghetto knows a different fear,
Close in its grip, Death wields an icy scythe.
An evil sickness spreads a terror in its wake,
The victims of its shadow weep and writhe.
Today a father's heartbeat tells his fright
And mothers bend their heads into their hands.
Now children choke and die with typhus here,
A bitter tax is taken from their bands.
My heart still beats inside my breast
While friends depart for other worlds.
Perhaps it's better – who can say? –
Than watching this, to die today?
No, no, my God, we want to live!
Not watch our numbers melt away.
We want to have a better world,
We want to work – we must not die!
Eva Picková, 12 years old
The second half of the performance was the operetta Brundibar. It is the story of children who overcome the evil organ-grinder, Brundibar. They win a victory over this evil man who is obviously Hitler. The show was performed fifty-five time in Terezin. At the conclusion of today's performance the girl who had played the role of the cat went into the audience and returned with an older lady who joined in the concluding victory song. This woman with sparkling eyes and a great smile sang the song in Czech. As a young girl she had been in all fifty-five performances of Brundibar. Of the 15,000 children under the age of thirteen to go to Terezin, she is one the 100 who survived. When this woman happily joined today's young performers I cried. This woman has survived horror with a vivacious spirit of hope.
After the show I purchased a book she had written about her life. She signed it for me. Her inscription reads, “Remember me and my friends”
Remembering is important.
I am glad I could meet and hear Ela Weissberger.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A Rant
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a Christian. I am overwhelmed at God's amazing love and grace. I see God in the life of Jesus and try to live my life by the example of how Jesus lived. When I see people behave in hateful, selfish, and judgmental ways in the name of Christ I become sad and angry. Some folks who call themselves Christian seem to have missed the meaning of “God is Love.” Jesus says to be merciful and to seek peace. He commands us to love both our neighbors and our enemies. He tells us not to judge others while ignoring the sins in our own lives. When a woman caught in adultery is brought to him, Jesus treats her with gentleness and rebukes the self-righteous trouble-makers who brought her to him. Jesus befriended sinners and told them about God's love and mercy. Jesus became angry with church leaders who were so interested in making people obey a list of rules that they forgot love, mercy and gentleness. They forgot that God's name is Love.
Recently I have seen people yell ugly epitaphs at others. In the name of Christ they yell through bull horns and make hate filled signs. They throw rocks and even kill other people because they do not agree with them . These folks have judged people by their own narrow, closed-mined interpretation of scripture and found others guilty. They seem to think that ,“Judge not,” does not apply to them. I suppose I too am being judgmental here of those who have a list of “bad” sins that they deem to be worse than their own. It just makes me so sad. When I say I am a Christian I want to explain that these hate filled folks do not represent me. They do not represent the God of love that I see in Jesus.
The way I understand it, Christianity is not so much about keeping a set of rules as it is relying on the amazing grace of God. Christianity is loving God with all my heart and soul, and loving my neighbor as myself.
Recently I have seen people yell ugly epitaphs at others. In the name of Christ they yell through bull horns and make hate filled signs. They throw rocks and even kill other people because they do not agree with them . These folks have judged people by their own narrow, closed-mined interpretation of scripture and found others guilty. They seem to think that ,“Judge not,” does not apply to them. I suppose I too am being judgmental here of those who have a list of “bad” sins that they deem to be worse than their own. It just makes me so sad. When I say I am a Christian I want to explain that these hate filled folks do not represent me. They do not represent the God of love that I see in Jesus.
The way I understand it, Christianity is not so much about keeping a set of rules as it is relying on the amazing grace of God. Christianity is loving God with all my heart and soul, and loving my neighbor as myself.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Mouse Story
This morning several friends were laughing about our escapades with mice. This is my mouse story.
I was large with child, about a week before the birth of my second daughter. Shortly before bedtime I went into the kitchen to ice a cake I had baked earlier in the day. My husband was in the bedroom getting ready for bed when he heard me scream. He came running into the kitchen, wearing only his white briefs to see what had caused my shriek. I was pointing to the corner of the cabinet yelling, “Mouse! There's a mouse behind my cookbooks.” Being my brave knight, minus the shining armor, he quickly put a table leaf across the doorway into the living room to confine the scary creature and told me to wait in the living room. He then grabbed the fly swatter, crept to corner, flung the books out of the way and swatted at the mouse. The quick-footed mouse ran, leapt over the carefully placed barrier and ran straight toward me. I climbed into a chair and the mouse ran down the hall and into the linen closet. Standing up in our rocking chair I pointed toward the closet as my brave husband chased after the mouse. He carefully opened the closet, but could not see the critter. There was blanket lying on the floor which the mouse was obviously cowering under. With fly swatter at ready he quickly reached in, flung the blanket out of the closet and swatted with a mighty swing at the empty closet floor. The mouse had crawled into the folds of the blanket. Mouse and blanket were now flying straight at me and I was screaming. The stunned mouse hit the floor and seemed to hesitate. The hesitation was just long enough for my mighty hunter to hit him with the fly swatter. The mouse went to its great reward and my husband went to bed. When I went again to try to ice the cake I noticed a corner was missing and little foot prints trailed across the cake. I threw out the cake knowing my little mouse had gone to heaven with a tummy full of yummy chocolate cake.
Do you have a mouse story?
Friday, October 09, 2009
5 Words
My fellow blogger Paul sent out a challenge to write about five random words selected by him. I decided it would be an interesting exercise and accepted his challenge.
The five words he assigned are holiday, satisfaction, mark, encourage, and proof. I tried to use them in a sentence, but they just don't seem to go together very well. I came up with things like, “It is a mark of the holiday that it it encourages satisfaction and gives proof to its meaning.” Or maybe, “The holiday marks a proof that encourages us to satisfaction.” These sentences did not satisfy me, so I was encouraged to write about each word individually to mark their meaning with more proof. The effort does not feel like a holiday.
Holiday
A holiday is a special day set aside to remember and honor someone or something. There are religious holidays. Those of us who are Christians celebrate Christmas and Easter to honor Christ and celebrate the good news that Christ has given us. There are national holidays like Fourth of July and Veterans Day that let us celebrate the pride we feel because we are Americans and to honor those who have helped to defend our country. My favorite holiday combines both our faith and our patriotism. Thanksgiving is an American holiday that gives citizens of all faiths the opportunity to stop and give thanks to the Almighty for the blessings we have in this nation. For the past several years we have attended in inter-faith service on the eve of Thanksgiving. We celebrate together the blessings of being Americans. The rabbi, the imam, and the minister and many congregants from various faith traditions share our patriotism and thanksgiving together. It is a moving, meaningful time. Of course my favorite part of Thanksgiving is the love, laughter, and lavish banquet that our family and friends share around our big table.
What is your favorite holiday?
Satisfaction
I think of satisfaction as that sense of fulfillment and pleasure that comes after finishing a task. Sometimes it is just a small pleasure like the one that comes when you put the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle. It is so satisfying to see the completed picture. Sometimes it is a bigger sense of gratitude and joy. I think of the Christmas night long ago when I was lying with my little boy as he fell asleep. He kept repeating the list of good things that had happened that day. He'd say,”Big firetruck,” and just smile. Then he would say, “New books”, and smile some more. Finally he said, “Mommy, I'm happy.” I lay there by him overwhelmed with a deep satisfaction knowing that the day had been perfect for this child of mine. When I was working I would face a huge pile of charts that had to be dealt with each day. Sometimes the pile was nearly as tall as me. There was a very tired sense of satisfaction that came at the end of the day as I filed away the last chart and I knew I had completed the day's tasks.
What is something that brings you satisfaction?
Mark
There are multiple meanings for this word, but for me I think of Mark as a name.There is Mark, the writer of the second book in the New Testament. He was the first person to write about the life of Jesus. Matthew, Luke and John looked to Mark when they wrote their books. I have a good friend named Mark. Our families grew up together. We have shared a lot of life. My daughter's sweetheart is named Mark. He is an important part of her life which makes him an important part of my life. He is a good man.
All of the Marks in my life have left a mark on me.
Is there a Mark in your life?
Encourage
To encourage is to fill someone with the courage they need to continue on. It is a bit like being someone's personal cheerleader.
I observed an excellent example of how to encourage in the locker room at the pool recently. A swim class for young children had just dismissed, and mothers were bringing their little ones into the locker room to get them into dry clothes. I cringed at the dialogue between one mom and her child. The little boy was crying as his mother berated him. She said, “I paid good money for this class and you wouldn't even try. You're just a worthless scaredy-cat. You embarrassed me with all your crying.” Another mom came in with her child and I heard her say something entirely different. “You were so brave out there! You almost put your face in the water. I bet next week you will be even braver than you were this week.” The child stood tall and smiled at his mom's praise and encouragement.
Which child do you think will learn to swim first?
Who has been an encourager in your life?
Proof
This word is not proving itself easy for me to write about. Proof is like evidence in a legal proceeding to convince the jury that something is or is not true. It is a good thing to have a lot of proof before convicting a person of some awful deed. I do like to find proof to back up what I believe, but I think I live mostly on emotion and instinct and don't need too much evidence if it all feels right. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing, but it is just the way I am.
Do you need a lot of proof about something to decide if it is true or not true.
This exercise was harder for me than I anticipated, but it was fun. If you need a subject to blog about, just check with Paul. I'm sure he will be happy to provide you with five random words.
The five words he assigned are holiday, satisfaction, mark, encourage, and proof. I tried to use them in a sentence, but they just don't seem to go together very well. I came up with things like, “It is a mark of the holiday that it it encourages satisfaction and gives proof to its meaning.” Or maybe, “The holiday marks a proof that encourages us to satisfaction.” These sentences did not satisfy me, so I was encouraged to write about each word individually to mark their meaning with more proof. The effort does not feel like a holiday.
Holiday
A holiday is a special day set aside to remember and honor someone or something. There are religious holidays. Those of us who are Christians celebrate Christmas and Easter to honor Christ and celebrate the good news that Christ has given us. There are national holidays like Fourth of July and Veterans Day that let us celebrate the pride we feel because we are Americans and to honor those who have helped to defend our country. My favorite holiday combines both our faith and our patriotism. Thanksgiving is an American holiday that gives citizens of all faiths the opportunity to stop and give thanks to the Almighty for the blessings we have in this nation. For the past several years we have attended in inter-faith service on the eve of Thanksgiving. We celebrate together the blessings of being Americans. The rabbi, the imam, and the minister and many congregants from various faith traditions share our patriotism and thanksgiving together. It is a moving, meaningful time. Of course my favorite part of Thanksgiving is the love, laughter, and lavish banquet that our family and friends share around our big table.
What is your favorite holiday?
Satisfaction
I think of satisfaction as that sense of fulfillment and pleasure that comes after finishing a task. Sometimes it is just a small pleasure like the one that comes when you put the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle. It is so satisfying to see the completed picture. Sometimes it is a bigger sense of gratitude and joy. I think of the Christmas night long ago when I was lying with my little boy as he fell asleep. He kept repeating the list of good things that had happened that day. He'd say,”Big firetruck,” and just smile. Then he would say, “New books”, and smile some more. Finally he said, “Mommy, I'm happy.” I lay there by him overwhelmed with a deep satisfaction knowing that the day had been perfect for this child of mine. When I was working I would face a huge pile of charts that had to be dealt with each day. Sometimes the pile was nearly as tall as me. There was a very tired sense of satisfaction that came at the end of the day as I filed away the last chart and I knew I had completed the day's tasks.
What is something that brings you satisfaction?
Mark
There are multiple meanings for this word, but for me I think of Mark as a name.There is Mark, the writer of the second book in the New Testament. He was the first person to write about the life of Jesus. Matthew, Luke and John looked to Mark when they wrote their books. I have a good friend named Mark. Our families grew up together. We have shared a lot of life. My daughter's sweetheart is named Mark. He is an important part of her life which makes him an important part of my life. He is a good man.
All of the Marks in my life have left a mark on me.
Is there a Mark in your life?
Encourage
To encourage is to fill someone with the courage they need to continue on. It is a bit like being someone's personal cheerleader.
I observed an excellent example of how to encourage in the locker room at the pool recently. A swim class for young children had just dismissed, and mothers were bringing their little ones into the locker room to get them into dry clothes. I cringed at the dialogue between one mom and her child. The little boy was crying as his mother berated him. She said, “I paid good money for this class and you wouldn't even try. You're just a worthless scaredy-cat. You embarrassed me with all your crying.” Another mom came in with her child and I heard her say something entirely different. “You were so brave out there! You almost put your face in the water. I bet next week you will be even braver than you were this week.” The child stood tall and smiled at his mom's praise and encouragement.
Which child do you think will learn to swim first?
Who has been an encourager in your life?
Proof
This word is not proving itself easy for me to write about. Proof is like evidence in a legal proceeding to convince the jury that something is or is not true. It is a good thing to have a lot of proof before convicting a person of some awful deed. I do like to find proof to back up what I believe, but I think I live mostly on emotion and instinct and don't need too much evidence if it all feels right. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing, but it is just the way I am.
Do you need a lot of proof about something to decide if it is true or not true.
This exercise was harder for me than I anticipated, but it was fun. If you need a subject to blog about, just check with Paul. I'm sure he will be happy to provide you with five random words.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Ten Happy Things
This morning I received the third of three shots in my knee that are meant to relieve the pain. The doctor said it would take about three weeks to be completely effective. In three weeks I will be in Cairo, Egypt. Hearing that my knee won't hurt made me happy.
Walking into the pool this morning I could smell the newly mowed grass. It smelled clean and fresh. That made me happy.
I worked up a sweat in the pool during my water exercise class. It felt good to be able to work out. That made me happy.
I came home to find that the cleaners from my son-in-law's company had been here. My house was neat and tidy. I admired the pattern left in the carpet by the vacuum cleaner. That made me happy.
I love peanut butter & banana sandwiches. I had a peanut butter & banana sandwich for lunch. That made me happy.
This afternoon I wrote the checks and paid all the bills. We had enough money to pay everyone. That made me happy.
I finished re-reading a book I first read when I was fourteen years old. It is a novel about King David that made me always love the Bible story of King David. It was still a good story. That made me happy.
Our son stopped by for dinner. He is working very hard to lose weight. He has lost more that twenty pounds. That made me happy.
Tonight I enjoyed good conversation and laughter with friends. That made me happy.
I will sleep tonight beside the man I have loved for almost fifty years. That makes me happy.
What makes you happy today?
Walking into the pool this morning I could smell the newly mowed grass. It smelled clean and fresh. That made me happy.
I worked up a sweat in the pool during my water exercise class. It felt good to be able to work out. That made me happy.
I came home to find that the cleaners from my son-in-law's company had been here. My house was neat and tidy. I admired the pattern left in the carpet by the vacuum cleaner. That made me happy.
I love peanut butter & banana sandwiches. I had a peanut butter & banana sandwich for lunch. That made me happy.
This afternoon I wrote the checks and paid all the bills. We had enough money to pay everyone. That made me happy.
I finished re-reading a book I first read when I was fourteen years old. It is a novel about King David that made me always love the Bible story of King David. It was still a good story. That made me happy.
Our son stopped by for dinner. He is working very hard to lose weight. He has lost more that twenty pounds. That made me happy.
Tonight I enjoyed good conversation and laughter with friends. That made me happy.
I will sleep tonight beside the man I have loved for almost fifty years. That makes me happy.
What makes you happy today?
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Egypt
We leave on our long planned trip to Egypt in twenty-five days. To say we are excited would be a great understatement. I have always been fascinated by stories of ancient Egypt. It is hard to believe how very old it is. The Great Pyramid was ancient when Moses lived there. I love thinking about those people who lived so very long ago. Were their lives really that much different than mine? They have left us much to make us wonder about the lives they lived.
I am anxious to see the great temple at Abu Simbel. It is the one in the picture with the colossal statues. One of them lost it's head in an ancient earthquake and inspired Shelley to write a poem about the folly of fame. This Temple was carved out of a solid cliff in the thirteenth century B.C. It was built to honor Rames II, who was probably the pharaoh we read about in the Moses story.
There is more to see than the two weeks we will be there will allow us to see.What would you want to see if you were traveling to Egypt? What shall I bring you as a souvenir?
Monday, September 28, 2009
Ozymandias
In just one month we will cross another item off our bucket list when we travel to an ancient land and see the statue that inspired this poem. We are very excited.
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” -- Proverbs 16:18
Ozymandias
by Percy Bysshe Shelley
I met a traveler from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” -- Proverbs 16:18
Ozymandias
by Percy Bysshe Shelley
I met a traveler from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Computer
I am sitting here in my husband's much too big office chair. He loves this chair. I often see him sitting here, leaning back with eyes closed as he meditates on life. This chair is way too big for me. My legs aren't long enough to reach the floor and I can't sit back and relax because I'm too short to reach the back of the seat. I feel like a little kid in a grown-up's chair and I don't like it.
So why I am I sitting in this uncomfortable big chair?
My computer died. I mourned for it all day, but it could not be resuscitated. Inside my dead computer there is much information that I need. It holds our financial records, pictures of my life, addresses of friends and relatives, and of course the record my exciting and interesting blog. It is gone and I sit here in my husband's big chair so I can use his computer and share my loss with you.
I will recover from my mourning quickly because I have the good fortune to be married to my very own in-house IT guy. He came home last night with a brand spanking new computer for me. This week-end he will do his magic and somehow retrieve all that wonderful information from the hard drive of my dead computer and transfer it to my new machine. I don't know how he will do that. I really do believe there is a bit of magic involved. I am grateful to have married someone with skills. I love a man with skills.
So why I am I sitting in this uncomfortable big chair?
My computer died. I mourned for it all day, but it could not be resuscitated. Inside my dead computer there is much information that I need. It holds our financial records, pictures of my life, addresses of friends and relatives, and of course the record my exciting and interesting blog. It is gone and I sit here in my husband's big chair so I can use his computer and share my loss with you.
I will recover from my mourning quickly because I have the good fortune to be married to my very own in-house IT guy. He came home last night with a brand spanking new computer for me. This week-end he will do his magic and somehow retrieve all that wonderful information from the hard drive of my dead computer and transfer it to my new machine. I don't know how he will do that. I really do believe there is a bit of magic involved. I am grateful to have married someone with skills. I love a man with skills.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
School Teacher
Today is my mom's birthday. She would have been 104. The photo of the two of us was taken in1945. I miss my mom.
Mom was a school teacher. She often entertained us with stories about her early days of teaching. She was a great story teller.
She began her teaching career in Texas in 1924. Her first contract to teach in a public school there contained clauses that not many would sign today. It stipulated that she would never use tobacco, drink spirits, play cards, nor “keep company”on school nights. It also required that she attend church services every Sunday. One final requirement was that she would quit immediately should she ever marry. She signed without hesitation, happy to have a job, and thinking there was nothing unusual in the contract.
My favorite of her many teaching stories concerned a light bulb. She had grown up in a home without electricity. Electric lights were a wonder to her. She considered light bulbs to be very valuable things. One day there was a fire drill at her school and the building had to be evacuated. She hurriedly sent her students down the outdoor fire escape. She then looked around the room to see if there was anything valuable that she should save from the fire. She saw that wonderful electric light bulb hanging above her desk and knew that it should be saved. Quickly she climbed onto her desk, reached up and unscrewed the bulb. Before climbing out of the window and descending the ladder she thew that bulb to safety on the ground below where it shattered into a million piece
Friday, September 18, 2009
Peace
I am in a warm place where all feels safe and peaceful. I am a giant oak tree planted firmly in the ground standing straight and tall, ready for all storms. One foot lifts up and presses firmly against my other leg as my arms lift high. I am an aspen tree quaking in the wind looking graceful and beautiful as I sway in the wind. One foot is planted firmly on the floor as I lean forward, hands reaching out, with my other leg stretched out behind and curving upward. I am beautiful young dancer ready to leap into the sky. I am floating on the warmth, slowly breathing in gratitude and breathing out peace. All is well with my soul.
I do love my aqua yoga class.
I do love my aqua yoga class.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Bugs
I am grateful that our laundry room is not equipped with a surveillance camera. It might have recorded an ugly sight last night.
It was late when I was getting ready for bed. From the sound of snoring I knew my beloved was already sleeping. I had taken off all my clothes but when I reached for my jammies I realized that they were not on their usual hook. Oh yes, I had washed them and they were still in the laundry room waiting to be folded and put away. The house was dark as I ran to retrieve them wearing nothing but my birthday suit. When I flicked on the light to grab my jammies I was greeted by a herd of enormous crickets. I hate bugs. I especially hate bugs that might jump on me when we are sharing a small confined space. I hate them even more when I am naked and feeling very vulnerable. My scream did not awaken my beloved so I was left to deal with the monsters on my own. This morning the laundry room floor is littered with several books which were used as weapons to still the jumping, woman-eating bugs. Under each book is a dead bug. I got my jammies and left hurriedly after the great battle. Today I have not yet worked up enough nerve to clean up the field of battle.
It was late when I was getting ready for bed. From the sound of snoring I knew my beloved was already sleeping. I had taken off all my clothes but when I reached for my jammies I realized that they were not on their usual hook. Oh yes, I had washed them and they were still in the laundry room waiting to be folded and put away. The house was dark as I ran to retrieve them wearing nothing but my birthday suit. When I flicked on the light to grab my jammies I was greeted by a herd of enormous crickets. I hate bugs. I especially hate bugs that might jump on me when we are sharing a small confined space. I hate them even more when I am naked and feeling very vulnerable. My scream did not awaken my beloved so I was left to deal with the monsters on my own. This morning the laundry room floor is littered with several books which were used as weapons to still the jumping, woman-eating bugs. Under each book is a dead bug. I got my jammies and left hurriedly after the great battle. Today I have not yet worked up enough nerve to clean up the field of battle.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Playlist
The playlist in my head is always set on random and plays almost continuously. Whenever I am working around the house or doing some mindless chore the playlist becomes more audible and I start singing along with whatever song currently playing in my head. More often than not I catch myself singing an old hymn from my childhood, but it could be a song that I heard on the radio or a song we have learned in the senior chorale. I just start singing without realizing it.
One day this summer I was singing as I cleaned up the kitchen while we were on vacation with our grandsons. My sixteen year old boy told me that he loved to listen to me sing. I always sounded happy and that made him feel good. I thought it was a great compliment.
I have not always had such nice things said about my unconscious singing. One day long ago I was singing as I made a patient's bed in the hospital. The patient was a frail little old lady whom I had just bathed and dressed. I had brushed her hair and put a pretty ribbon in it. She looked pretty as she sat in in a chair while I changed her sheets. She listened to me sing for a few minutes then said, “Honey, when you were young I bet you could sing.”
What is the appropriate response to a statement like that? I quit singing.
One day this summer I was singing as I cleaned up the kitchen while we were on vacation with our grandsons. My sixteen year old boy told me that he loved to listen to me sing. I always sounded happy and that made him feel good. I thought it was a great compliment.
I have not always had such nice things said about my unconscious singing. One day long ago I was singing as I made a patient's bed in the hospital. The patient was a frail little old lady whom I had just bathed and dressed. I had brushed her hair and put a pretty ribbon in it. She looked pretty as she sat in in a chair while I changed her sheets. She listened to me sing for a few minutes then said, “Honey, when you were young I bet you could sing.”
What is the appropriate response to a statement like that? I quit singing.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Happy Explosion
My seldom used guest bathroom appears to have had a major explosion. Various colors of hair ribbons are draped over the towel bar. The cord of a curling iron hangs off the counter and snakes across the floor. The counter is covered with make-up, hair pins, and a wild assortment of toiletries. The pile spills onto the floor and across the hall into the guest bedroom. The bedroom is filled with books and papers, a colorful assortment of clothes, and pom poms of burgundy and blue. The house seems to be filled with a happy energy that perks up the quiet of our everyday life. My granddaughter,the high school pom, is spending the week-end with us.
The rest of her family is out of town for the long weekend, but she could not go. She is a member of the high school pom squad and today is the first football game of the season. She will be performing at half time and there was no way she could miss her first performance. She is so excited and happy. We are delighted to share this moment with her. We are blessed.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
School Days
It is September and all my school-aged grandchildren are back in class. I hear there is a lot of homework in college. Pom poms are hard work. High-school is not as bad as expected, and the best thing about middle school is having your own locker. I spoke with my West Virginia granddaughter who has just moved to Louisiana and asked how she like school in her new home. She said that school was good except for two problems. They called her a Yankee (there was an adjective used before Yankee that I won't use.) She explained that she was not a Yankee but that her gramma was one. She also said that the school is full of red-necks and racists, but she could deal with them, so all in all, school and Louisiana were good.
So I guess life is going well for the next generation in my family.
So I guess life is going well for the next generation in my family.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Week End thoughts
We have enjoyed a lovely week end.
Friday night we joined with family and friends to introduce some Texas friends to the fine art of eating crabs. If you have never seen a crab up close figuring out how to get inside can be a bit daunting. The friends caught on quickly and were using their crab mallets like experts by the end of the evening. The first person to eat a crab must have been very brave and very hungry to try to break inside that ugly shell for dinner.
We slept late and Saturday and moved slowly for a few hours. I finished re-reading “Pillars of the Earth.” Wow, that is a great a story. I had read it several years ago, but had forgotten a lot. I think I enjoyed it more this time. What books have read over again and enjoyed more the second time?
We went to see “Julie and Julia” in the late afternoon. Great movie! There is one scene in which the young blogger gets into a big fight with her husband. He is feeling angry and resentful because she has been spending so much time with her blog. Have you ever let your blog interfere with your life?
We came out of the movie hungry for good food. Not knowing where to find a French restaurant we found a lovely Italian place and enjoyed a well prepared, delicious dinner.
Sunday morning is one of my favorite times of the week. I love going to church. The singing is always good. The sermon was interesting. The people love each other. It is just a good place to be. Then this afternoon the church had their annual crab feast. More crabs and more friends. Maybe one day I will actually learn to like eating crabs. I eat a piece of chicken and enjoy watching the others picking crabs. It is just one of those events that is part of living in Maryland. Do you love eating crabs?
This evening we went to the pool for an hour. We both have been plagued with arthritis pain lately, but in the pool we can move without pain. It is so much fun to glide through the water and just enjoy the movement and not think about hurting. It was a lovely way to wind up a lovely week end.
What did you do this week end?
Friday night we joined with family and friends to introduce some Texas friends to the fine art of eating crabs. If you have never seen a crab up close figuring out how to get inside can be a bit daunting. The friends caught on quickly and were using their crab mallets like experts by the end of the evening. The first person to eat a crab must have been very brave and very hungry to try to break inside that ugly shell for dinner.
We slept late and Saturday and moved slowly for a few hours. I finished re-reading “Pillars of the Earth.” Wow, that is a great a story. I had read it several years ago, but had forgotten a lot. I think I enjoyed it more this time. What books have read over again and enjoyed more the second time?
We went to see “Julie and Julia” in the late afternoon. Great movie! There is one scene in which the young blogger gets into a big fight with her husband. He is feeling angry and resentful because she has been spending so much time with her blog. Have you ever let your blog interfere with your life?
We came out of the movie hungry for good food. Not knowing where to find a French restaurant we found a lovely Italian place and enjoyed a well prepared, delicious dinner.
Sunday morning is one of my favorite times of the week. I love going to church. The singing is always good. The sermon was interesting. The people love each other. It is just a good place to be. Then this afternoon the church had their annual crab feast. More crabs and more friends. Maybe one day I will actually learn to like eating crabs. I eat a piece of chicken and enjoy watching the others picking crabs. It is just one of those events that is part of living in Maryland. Do you love eating crabs?
This evening we went to the pool for an hour. We both have been plagued with arthritis pain lately, but in the pool we can move without pain. It is so much fun to glide through the water and just enjoy the movement and not think about hurting. It was a lovely way to wind up a lovely week end.
What did you do this week end?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Sunrise, Sunset
We had an end of summer family gathering last Sunday. The excuse we used for the party was to wish our third grandchild bon voyage as she heads off for college this week, but mostly we just wanted a chance to be together. We talked, we ate, we laughed, we played, and of course we took pictures. When I looked at my grandbabies I realized that they are not babies at all. The are young adults and teen agers. How did they manage to grow so quickly? My eldest granddaughter, our Disney princess, has just started a new job in a downtown law firm. Her brother has just signed all the papers to join the Air Force. He will be leaving in a few months for a new life. Grandchild number three is heading to Pennsylvania to begin college. The next three are all in high school and the little one began junior high school this week. How did this happen?
Could it be that I am getting older too?
Monday, August 24, 2009
Vacation Memories
It was lovely to wake up to an empty, quiet house today. Our Disney vacation with the boys was wonderful, but it is nice to be home to my quiet routine.
There were lots of wonderful moments on our vacation. One of my favorite memories was the Rockin' Roller Coaster. The boys really wanted to ride, but the line was ninety minutes long. As we stopped to talk about whether the ride would be worth the wait a young Disney cast member came over to us and asked if we wanted to ride. We said yes but the wait was too long. She replied that she had just been told to pick a family for a VIP tour of the ride and she picked us. We bypassed the long line and she took us onto the ride telling us all how she loved working on this ride. At the close of every day they enjoy an all-cast ride and everyone who works the ride goes on it together. She loved it. Grampa and I decided to skip the ride itself, but did enjoy the pre-ride show. The boys loved it and agreed that it was the best ride of the week. You can see their joy in this picture as they sped out of the starting gate.
Another favorite moment was from the day we decided to sleep late and skip the Disney crowds. We went to Gatorland for a couple of hours of alligator viewing. We fed the gators and watched an alligator show. It really was great fun with no crowds.
Vacations with grandchildren make wonderful memories!
There were lots of wonderful moments on our vacation. One of my favorite memories was the Rockin' Roller Coaster. The boys really wanted to ride, but the line was ninety minutes long. As we stopped to talk about whether the ride would be worth the wait a young Disney cast member came over to us and asked if we wanted to ride. We said yes but the wait was too long. She replied that she had just been told to pick a family for a VIP tour of the ride and she picked us. We bypassed the long line and she took us onto the ride telling us all how she loved working on this ride. At the close of every day they enjoy an all-cast ride and everyone who works the ride goes on it together. She loved it. Grampa and I decided to skip the ride itself, but did enjoy the pre-ride show. The boys loved it and agreed that it was the best ride of the week. You can see their joy in this picture as they sped out of the starting gate.
Another favorite moment was from the day we decided to sleep late and skip the Disney crowds. We went to Gatorland for a couple of hours of alligator viewing. We fed the gators and watched an alligator show. It really was great fun with no crowds.
Vacations with grandchildren make wonderful memories!
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