Back Porchervations

Let's Hear it for my Boy

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

This post is to link up with the M.O.B. Society's "Let's Here it for the Boys" series.

Today I will brag on my oldest child, Brian. I almost said "oldest boy", but at 15 years of age, he is more of a young man.

As my twenties came and went and there was no man in my life, my dream of children seemed to be fading. I told myself that if there was no one on the horizon by the time I was 35, I would investigate artificial insemination. (Sorry if that's TMI.) So, imagine my happiness when I looked at the little stick at 34 years and dwindling months that we were expecting!

The first thing my husband did was to call his mother. When she answered the phone, he greeted her, "Hi, Grandma!" She 'fell out' on the other end of the phone, 1900 miles away. I could hear her.

I remember when I first saw my son in person, the day after he was born and they wheeled his little bassinet into my hospital room. Here was this little baby, for whom I had waited some 35 years, and for whom I had spent the previous 9 months in intense preparation. I approached cautiously, peered over the side of the bassinet and thought to myself, "What do I do now?"

He has always been "advanced". At seven months of age, he crawled across the phone on the floor. We hung the phone up and several moments later, the phone rang. My husband answered and it was the 911 Emergency Services, calling to see if everything was ok! "We heard an infant..." Brian had somehow not only knocked the phone off the hook, but managed to dial 9-1-1 in the process!

At some point within the next 6 months or so, after he was standing, but before he had a firm grasp on walking, Brian batted at a computer keyboard on a shelf above his line of sight. Danged if he didn't DELETE WINDOWS from the computer! (Luckily hubs is a computer whiz, so no major damage was done.)

Fast forward 6 years, to the birth of his little sister, who was born 2 months early, weighing a smidge over 3 pounds. At the time, if Brian was still for 5 minutes at a time, it was cause for celebration in our household. After seeing us hold his sister, Brian also wanted to hold her. DH came up with the idea to prop him up with pillows on one of the couches in NICU and lay little sis in his arms. He was absolutely still, save for gently stroking her head and cooing at her like a pro.

Through the years, he's had the usual exasperation with his younger siblings' actions at times, but Brian is intensely loyal to his brother and sister.

And, as a bonus, at 15 years old, he will still hug his Mom in public!

Blog Dare 7 - Daily Needs

2012-01-07T07:18:00.000-08:00

There are several things I "need" every day:

Coffee - My sleep is rather irregular, so I need that little extra jolt of caffeine to get my motor running.

Cigarettes - I did not start smoking until about 5 years ago. I was working at a residential/teaching facility for adults with MR/DD (mental retardation and developmental disabilities). Yes, dealing with the residents could sometimes be stressful. I went to the hospital at least once every 6 months or so, and was injured twice in 2010, resulting in 15 months total of Workers' Compensation time off work. But the real issue was the administration, obscenely ridiculous working demands and conditions, and double standards. It was either start smoking or put my fist through a wall. And this comes from a woman who dislikes violence. I am partially using e-cigarettes now, which come flavored and have nicotine but not tar. My hope for this year is to stop smoking altogether...for my health.

Cymbalta - This is my anti-depressant medication. I have had depression since my teens (at least) and I am now 50. I have been on (at different times) Zoloft and Effexor. I don't like having to take medication for something that I've been told just needs an attitude adjustment (yeah, that's what I think too), but without it I'm bitchy and just want to lie in bed all day with the covers over my head. Not good for a homeschooling mother. At first, I was worried about what people at my work (then) would think, but then I found out that most of the staff was on anti-depression or -anxiety meds anyway. Somewhere along the line, I stopped being ashamed of it. Everybody's got some kind of problem ... and some kinds of strengths.

And it's coincidence that they all begin with the letter "C".

Blog Dare 6 - My Happy Place

2012-01-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

Ok, so actually the prompt was: "My "special" place. {Where do you go for quiet/alone or regrouping time}". But the last time I heard "special place" was in reference to a porn movie and I really didn't want to attract an audience who might make that mistake about my blog.

So, my happy place, my refuge is now our front porch. It's got more character than the back porch/patio, which has, on occasion served as a carport. And it does have the problem of putting me on display for the drivers-by. Especially at night. And it looks like a tornado picked up a sandstorm, and a major metropolitan newspaper printer, ripped it to shreds and dumped it all on my front porch.

When DS1 (dear son), age 15, approaches me with the 15th rendition of "guess what I just read in a fan faction", or when DD (dear daughter), age 8, adds that last "hmph" of tween indignation when things don't go head out to the front porch.

Don't give me too much grief, please, about the cigarettes. I know it's unhealthy. I could go into a whole story about how and why I started, but ... that's a post for another day. And semi-often, I take the e-cig that DH (dear husband) got for me, that has nicotine, but no tar, and comes in different strengths.

You can see my tendency to veer off-topic, and I've always said of myself, I'll never say in 10 words what I can say in 100.

I'm hoping to get some plants, maybe a small herb garden out there in spring/summer, maybe one of those wicker chair with ridiculously huge cushions and a wicker and/or glass table to put my books, papers, drinks, etc, etc, etc on. Of course, there is a chance that we could be looking at buying a house later in the year, so then I'll make sure to stake out a comfort zone from the get go!

So where do you go for you?

Blog Dare First Five Days

2012-01-04T21:55:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know, I'm playing catch-up. Whatever.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

My social media goals for 2012.

My numbers are still relatively small, making a bold statement such as "double the number of followers I have on GFC and FB" is not really that huge of an achievevement. Doubling the number would put me in the 250 range.

I would like to engage in hosting and writing more guest posts. Maybe guest-writing a post one month, then having a guest post on my blog the next, and so on.

Monday, January 2, 2012

A look back at 2011.

I blogged and wrote more in 2011 than I have before, but was still not very disciplined in my practice. I started NaNoWriMo, but did not finish...but that's better than in years past.

My mother passed away in late March at the age of 87. We bought a 2nd vehicle, because it was getting harder and harder to stuff two teenage boys and their tween sister into the back seat of a 2-door Ford Escort. My oldest child turned 15. I turned 50. And now that I got my hair cut from waist-length to shoulder-length, my gray hairs really show through. About the only other thing of note was having an operation on my left knee after getting kicked in the knee at work in 2010.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Bucket List Update

I don't think I've accomplished anything on my list yet, so I'll just recap a few of my favorites, in no particular order:

1. Visit Scotland.

2. Act in a Shakespeare play.

3. Drive a Jaguar XJ-S (owning one would be nice, but I could dine out on driving a friend's Jag one time. )

4. Own a home for my family.

5. Read every major religious text.

Wednesday, January4, 2012

What I should have bought this holiday season.

A new laptop would have been nice. The keyboard on this one is possessed. I can't count the pages of material I've lost because the cursor jumps and all of a sudden 5 lines are gone. This post has taken me at least an hour, two drafts saved (I remember only 1) and an accidental posting of partially-finished writing. Ugh.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Something lost...

I'd like to say my sanity...but that is hardly news. Unfortunately, I have the dubious talent of being able to have things disappear 5 seconds after I put them down. But it gives me an idea for a book..."14,000 Things I Have Lost".

Being the Crazy Country Cousin at the Family Christmas

2011-12-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

I hope my Christian friends have had a Merry Christmas, my Jewish friends are having a wonderful Hannukah, my African-American friends are having a good Kwanzaa...and, lest I forget, Happy Boxing Day!

My family (husband, 2 sons, daughter, dog) and I travelled from Kentucky to Texas to be with his Mother and her husband for the holidays. I needed to rest up a couple of days after our journey because I had to drive the entire 900-odd miles of the trip.

Once Friday hit, preparations began in the kitchen and the rest of the house for the Christmas-day feast. Twenty-three family members were expected. We knew they could all fit comfortably in Grammy's house because she had just thrown a Christmas party for 60-plus people the weekend before. Most of our apartment in Kentucky would fit in her garage.

My in-laws (on my husband's mother's side) are some pretty amazing folks. She is active in several historic societies (think DAR); her husband did two tours in Viet Nam, and lost both legs and an arm there, and came back to earn two PhD degrees, retiring only recently from the DAV. One of her sisters recently purchased a house for herself so she can be separate from her husband when he drinks too much. The other sister will not medicate for her schizophrenia, because she believes the doctors are trying to poison her. Despite this, she has managed to maintain working for the same company her entire adult life. Their children and grand-children have achieved similar worldly success.

And then there is me and my family. We chose to move from Texas (where I was working for the City of Fort Worth) to Kentucky. We chose to homeschool our children. I chose to work outside the scope of my degree (B.S. in finance, magna cum laude) because I realized it was not where my heart was. None of this makes sense to most of my in-laws.

The most fulfilling job I ever had was working with adults who have mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Success there is measured in the smallest of increments, and are things that most of us do without a thought, but these simple lessons can open worlds for people. Unfortunately, I was injured twice in 2010, while intervening when a client was attempting to hurt herself or others. I can no longer lift people the way I used to, and after surgery on my knee, have difficulty negotiating stairs. Most of the time, I don't dwell on what I've lost; but in the last few days, in the face of so much commercial success...it's been a little harder than usual.

How do I move forward? I recommit myself to my core beliefs and philosophies. I review and reconfigure my goals as necessary. Then I give myself a little shove to get myself moving.

My core beliefs and philosophies: faith in God, commitment to family, using my talents and abilities to help people help themselves, nourishing my body and soul in a healthy manner. Your beliefs may look similar or not...and that's ok.

My goals revolve around: increased spiritual study, continuing to homeschool my children through the high school years, using my writer's voice to highlight causes near and dear to me, eating and exercising in a way to lessen my hereditary health risks, and feeding my soul with artistic endeavors. Your goals may look similar or not ... and that's ok.

Getting going? Uh, sorry, this one is pretty much universal...in the end, we all make a choice to get moving or stay still.

So what gets you going? Or keeps you going? And why? I'd love to hear your story!

Blog Dare - A Favorite Holiday Recipe

2011-12-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

The prompt for today is "a favorite holiday recipe". Every year growing up, we made a variety of cookie recipes, usually the same ones every year, although the decorated sugar cookies made when we were young children were eventually phased out. We made Russian tea cookies, "vanilla" and chocolate sour cream cookies, and the recipe I'm going to share here today, "Lebkuchen".

Lebkuchen have to be made several days to weeks ahead and mellowed, because about 5 minutes out of the oven and those little suckers will break teeth! This is not the recipe my mother used, which was in a Betty Crocker cookbook she received for her wedding to my father in 1957, but it comes close. It is from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup diced candied citron
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

In a medium saucepan, stir together the honey and molasses. Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Add the molasses mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the citron and hazelnuts. Cover dough and chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Using a small amount of dough at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into small rectangles and place them 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until no imprint remains when touched lightly. Brush the icing over the cookies while they are still hot and quickly remove them to wire cooling racks. Store in airtight container with a cup of orange or apple for a few days to mellow.
To make the icing: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar. If icing becomes sugary while brushing cookies, re-heat slightly- adding a little water until crystals dissolve.

While you are waiting for the cookies to mellow, you can use the link at the top of the page to find more great recipes from other members of the Blog Dare group at Bloggy Moms!

Liebster Blog Award

2011-11-07T15:50:00.000-08:00

A great big Thank you!!! to Smarty Pants Fun Printables for awarding me the Liebster Blog. I feel priveleged. Smarty Pants has all kinds of great paper crafts for kids on her site. As a crafty, type mom who homeschools, I really appreciate resources such has her site. My favorite is the Fall Harvest Pumpkin craft. Check it out!

An award like this is meant to be passed on. Here's how it works.

In case you are not aware, this award spotlights the up and coming blogs that have less than 200 followers.
By accepting this award, I get to:

1. Copy and paste the award on my blog. Copy and paste this post as your new post to announce you have won, but edit to fit you.

2. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to me. (the link is at the top)

3. Reveal my top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

4. Hope that followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

Here are some notable mom blogs that you really should check out::

Insomniasms

The language on this blog is not for the easily offended. There is even a gateway into the blog giving you the opportunity to opt out, should you choose to do so. But I appreciate her candor and her forthrightness.

Logistically Large

This blogger is mother of a blended family with ten children. Wow. I have trouble with my three, so I have to find out how Crystal does it!

4Eighteen

For the terminally domestically challenged like me, this blog is a godsend. I might actually be able to have people over someday!

Lala musings

I found this blog through a hop and at first did not know if the post was serious or not. It took me a while, but I finally got it. :O)

Making Our Life Matter

The title says it all. It doesn't matter what your family situation is, you can make it matter.

Let's keep the blog love going, ok? Take care of yourselves out there.

Back to It

2011-11-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

NaNoWriMo is down (11:15 am eastern US) but I have 2,210 words today for a total of 12,903 words. Even though I took the day off yesterday, and did no NaNo writing at all, I'm still at 1843 words per day each of the 7 days so far, so above the average needed to complete 50K words during the month.

NaBloPoMo prompt:

Monday, November 7, 2011
Making family time is important to me. How do you balance your children, relationship, and work life?

My boys were actually one of the bigger problems presented when I started this month of concentrated writing. They love to come up and tell me things about what they are learning (we homeschool) or want me to "come look Mom" at something they found on the computer or in a book. I've had to put my foot down a little that when I'm "doing my writing" that I get time to concentrate, but that I will be happy to "check it out" later. And I do make time each day to spend time with each of my 3 kids. DD (age 8) still comes out in the morning and wants to cuddle for a few minutes in Mommie's lap...and I let her, because, really...how much longer is THAT going to last?

DH and I have been together for about 15.5 years now, married for almost as long. We met online in an RPG back in the mid-90's. We can probably count the number of "dates" we've had on the the fingers of two hands. This is a little sad and something that I would like to change. But it has worked for us so far. Why? We communicate and accept each other as we are. Sometimes it's the flip side of that coin and probably no one else would put up with some of our foibles for as long as the other one has. We're not the perfect couple, but we're not bad either. I think maybe a difference is that we are committed to each other and to our 3 children, and believe marriage is not a magic happy pill.

I want to say at this point that I have read some heart-breaking blogs from single moms of late where I believe it was a good thing that the marriage did not survive, whether the biological fathers of their children slinked off to avoid paying child support or whatever the problem was. And I know there are some women who can be just as bad. Argh, I'm beginning to stumble over my words, trying not to piss anyone off. So I'm just going to stop.

Hurrah! Something positive on which to focus!

I am grateful for our pets today. We have a dog named Sneakers and a kitten named Whiskers. Sneakers came to us as a puppy from someone giving her and her siblings away in the WalMart parking lot. Our daughter had the job of naming the dog and came up with "Sneakers", after the dog I had growing up (who actually looked more like she had sneakers on...four little white feet on a black and brown body). This Sneakers is a lab, chow etc mix and looks like that little puppy that does the toilet paper commercials.

When we come home from a trip or errands, we always make a joke about who is going to open the door, because Sneakers can just about known down an adult with the exuberance of her greetings. She is obedient and does not leave the yard unless one of us do on foot. She always lets us know when someone is at the door.

The most endearing quality, though, is that when one of us is sick or otherwise "down", she will come and lay on the couch, bed, or floor and put her head on some part of the body and just about not move...like moral support.

Whiskers is our newest addition. She and the dog get along amazing well, considering.... She has turned into a good mouser, which, on the outskirts of small-town Kentucky is a good thing. I just wish she would not leave her prizes in the middle of my bed. Ugh. I usually have to get DH or DS1 to take the thing outside, because touching one gives me the willies.

Whiskers purrs at the slightest touch and brings out the tender side of my sons, who are normally teenage boys in thought, word and deed. And that is golden.

I love blog hops. What can I say? :O) Here is one I found after a google search on "monday blog hops" a little while ago. It is my first visit to Meet Me Monday and there are 28 entries so far. For those who don't know me (which is probably pretty much everyone on that hop, I'd imagine)...

I am an invisible woman, wife, homeschooling mother of 3, erstwhile assistant to adults with mental retardation/developmental disabilities, writer, 2011 NaNoWriMo/NaBloPoMo/Gratitude Challenge participant, and proud Kentuckian.

Oh, and my coffee cup is empty. I'm gonna go fill it up and I'll "cy'all tomorrow". Take care.

Day Off

2011-11-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

NaNoWriMo - day off

NaBloPoMo - well, call it cheap, but this is my post for today.

2011 Gratitude Challenge -

I am grateful for my brother today. Since I moved away from Salt Lake City in June of 1997 with my husband and (then only one) child, he has had the lion's share of care for our aging mother. He had put his life on hold, postponing finishing his master's degree in music at the University of Utah in order to at first care for her at home, and later, manage her affairs when she required more intensive medical intervention. Our mother passed away in March of this year, and he handled everything connected with her death and will sell the house within the next year, 95 percent of this on his own. I know it has been a wear on him. I wish we could have been closer so I could have taken some of the weight from him.

But my in-laws have medical issues of their own where we live now. My husband's Mamaw is a year older now than my mother was when she passed. Mamaw still lives at home, but needs a lot of in-home care. FIL (my father-in-law) now in his 60's has a host of medical issues related to a life of hard work.

I am a most fortunate woman.

Slow Saturday

2011-11-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

UPDATES:

NaNoWriMo:
I wrote 2,269 words today, about being transferred to Home 6 and some of the ladies who lived there. My NaNoWriMo total stands at 10,693 words.
NaBloPoMo:
Today's prompt:
Oopahdoo, I forgot they don't give prompts on NaBloPoMo on the weekends.
2011 Gratitude Project:
I am grateful that God built us in day of rest. I planned out my NaNoWriMo so I could take Sundays off and still be done on time. Now I just hope I can do it...take a day off. Not my best thing.

Friday Fun

2011-11-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

Updates:
NaNoWriMo: added 2,162 words today for a total of 8,424. Today the writing seemed to go with the differences between management's talk and walk. Kind of an Orwellian, "some people are more equal than others". Ugh. Had to remind my well-meaning 14 yr old son that while I am writing, I would prefer not to have interruptions talking about cross-over fan fiction (between a tv show and one of his computer games). I told him he could, however, interrupt me for emergencies and hugs.
NaBloPoMo:
Today's prompt:

Friday, November 4, 2011 When you are writing, do you prefer to use a pen or a computer?

OMG, I have to use a computer. My mind races two or three ideas ahead of the pen sending out words onto the paper, so much so that oftentimes a word from one idea will somehow be mashed into the word from another idea, making up a whole new, utterly unrecognizable word. (I wonder if that's how Shakespeare introduced like 10,000 new words to the English language.)
I guess some of it has to do with the purpose of the writing. If I am writing a letter, I much prefer pen and paper, especially if that paper is self-decorated and possibly even self-made.
2011 Gratitude Challenge:
I had thought of something really good earlier this morning when I was outside with our dog, Sneakers. But when it came time to write about it, it had flown the coop. So I went outside to try and remember it by retracing my steps. That idea is still in hiding, but another one came out. I am grateful that we have food to eat, and rarely if ever (unless by choice) go hungry. I know not everyone, not even in our own community is that lucky. If there is a food bank in your area, please consider making a donation of food or money, or boxes or plastic bags...or your time. Especially in this upcoming season when we celebrate and give thanks for bountiful harvests We have all received help from someone at some time. Maybe we were able to "pay them back". Maybe we can show our gratitude by "paying it forward". Feeding America has a great food bank locator. If you are one of my US sisters or brothers, please take a look and find one near you.

Wild Weekend Wanderings

2011-11-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

Updates:
NaNoWriMo: 2,174 words today, for a total of 6,262 words. My goal total for the 3rd was to be at 6,000 words so everything there is cooking just right. It was a little harder to get going today, but my 8 yr old DD has been sick since Saturday with a cold and is just having a miserable time...so mama doesn't get much sleep, capisci?
NaBloPoMo:
Well, I'm taking care of that one right now. Except I'm trying to follow their blog prompts, so need to take a minute and go check that out.

Thursday, November 3, 2011
Can you listen to music and write? What song did you hear today?

OK, there it is. Oh, heck yes, I can listen to music and write at the same time. I listen mostly to country music (stop groaning, city sisters and brothers). But my laptop is in what could be grandiosely called our dining area, which spills over into the living room, where the tv is usually on Science, Military, or Nick Jr channels, so music per se does not really enter into is a lot. My music time is usually when I'm driving alone in a vehicle. Then I crank it up, unless I'm at a stop sign or in a neighborhood. Then I turn it down a little bit. But there is a song stuck in my head from a commercial right now...I know it's been on the radio, but the name just isn't coming to me, but I remembered another snippet of the tune just now, so maybe it will come to me eventually.
2011 Gratitude Challenge - Day 3: I am grateful to my mother and father for having me and honor the struggles they went through raising a family. It's not a job for wimps, that's for sure. Dad was agnostic, but went to church with us on Christmas and Easter, and when my brother or I played the piano. Mom was raised Christian Scientist and followed that Christian denomination until she passed away at the end of March of this year. Towards the end of her life, she stopped going to church, though, and for the most part, no one from the church contacted her. That always made me a little sad. I did not know my mother's father had been an alcoholic until maybe ten years ago. I wish I had, because that would have made some of her actions more understandable. And we might have been able to talk about it. Parents, please don't be afraid to be human.
My father passed away in 1979, when he was 47 and I was 17. I was in a play in high school at the time called "Lazarus Laughed". And I was very nearly stabbed for real by a Roman soldier character on stage. So that was a difficult time. Dad was the oldest of four siblings, children of a farmer turned railroad man and the first of his family to graduate college. I remember attending the ceremony at WVU where his doctoral degree was conferred.
They worked...hard...their whole lives to make sure my brother and I had every opportunity. Although we frequently disagreed on what those opportunities should be, I know without a doubt that they meant the best.
Finding New Friends Blog Hop: I've been doing blog hops for a while and this is my 2nd FNF submission. They are great for building followers and comments on your blog if you are new to the blogosphere and help to keep anyone's blog reading fresh, because there are always new folks hopping along. By and large, I have found a very supportive community and it is (they are?) GREAT!
Blog Hop Till You Drop: Another great group of bloggers. Check out a couple of the group...you never know where the next great idea is going to come from, right?
Peace out, y'all! :O)

A Lot of Ground to Cover

2011-11-02T13:09:00.001-07:00

If anyone can jog my memory on how to get the buttons side by side (I know a little html) i/o one on a line, that would be SO GREAT! :O)
So, day 2 of NaNoWriMo is in the bag. I wrote 2032 words today, bringing my total to 4088 (or 4098, I can't remember which right now). Today it was mostly character descriptions of the 8 adult males with MR/DD with whom I worked during 2006. Don't worry, names are being changed to protect the innocent.
The NaBloPoMo prompt for today is:

Wednesday, November 2, 2011
If you knew that whatever you ate next would be your last meal, what would you want it to be?

Wow...that is tough. The powers that be might have to move my date back, because there's going to be a LOT on the menu! *lol* One of my favorite foods is a gyro. And those are not complete without a baklava or two. There's a meat that I picked up quite often when I was an au pair in Switzerland 20 years ago from my mother's home canton, called Bundnerfleish, that would have to be at least part of the appetizer. That, and raclette cheese melted over potatoes. Add a big salad with garbanzos, bacon bits, water chestnuts and honey mustard dressing. A Coke Zero and/or a white chocolate peppermint mocha w/an extra shot or two (what would I care...if it is my last drink, eh?) of espresso. Dessert would have to include cheesecake (possibly turtle cheesecake) and pumpkin pie, along with a ridiculously large bowl of my own flavor creation, cinillamint mocha ice cream (cinnamon, vanilla, mint candy chips, coffee and chocolate).
I know, after all that, I would probably just wish that would be my last meal, but what a way to go.
I follow "Life According to Damaris" and saw on her blog a link for the Give a Hoot Wednesday Blog Hop, so this post is serving for that as well.
And the last thing I am covering today is the 2011 Gratitude Challenge, where participants agree to post one thing per day in November for which they are grateful. I know, I'm a day behind, but I found the challenge through someone who joined late, so I figured I could too.
November 1: I am grateful for my relationship with God. I'm not a 'thumper' by any means, but too much has happened in my life and I have gotten through it, to not mention Him here.
November 2: I am grateful for my family. Even though it is difficult sometimes, with various medical prolems and developmental issues, I would not trade my family for ANYTHING.
'Nuff said.
Thanks for reading and I invite you to leave a comment (and to follow me on GFC if you're feeling really adventurous. I'm 6 followers from 100 and would love to bust that barrier somethin' FIERCE!)

NaNoWriMo Kick-off

2011-11-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

Well, it's here. NaNoWriMo month. For anyone who may have the same look on their face as folks in my family, that stands for National Novel Writing Month. The premise is to write 50,000 words of a novel, all during the month of November. Apparently, I found the site about 4 years ago, but this is the first time I am actually participating.

Given my penchant for getting on Facebook and whiling my computer time away there, I made a deal with myself to write on my novel, tentatively titled "Requiem for the Hated", first thing in the morning. I have written 2,056 words, or about 4% of the total. I am choosing to give myself the option to not write on Sundays, so my per day goal of 2000 words is slightly higher than the 1,666 words needed to write 50K words in 30 days.

It went faster than I thought today. But I suppose part of that is because it's the first day and I was especially eager to get writing. That and all of my ideas are in front of me. I think the challenge will come in the later days when there is less than 10,000 words to go, my ideas are mostly used up and the self-editing is in full swing.

I'm writing a fictionalized account of my work with adults who have mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities. For the initial draft, I'm using the real names, simply so I don't have to come up with covers for everybody and slow down the mad rush to 50K words. So there probably won't be a lot of novel excerpts in the blog...until I come up with covers.

Finally, NaNoWriMo supports a writing course for young people. I'd love to help them out, but am currently supporting a husband and 3 children, so I'm helping by spreading the word. Did you know that:

A $10 donation single-handedly powers our mighty servers for one hour, keeping adults and kids inspired and excited long enough to crank out the next page of their high-velocity masterworks.

So, if you are financially able, please consider supporting my writing by visiting my sponsorship page. If that is not possible, if you could see your way through to tweeting or posting for your followers on Facebook, etc, I would be very grateful!

And, if you would like to participate, there is certainly still time! Just visit nanowrimo.org and get going. And add me as a writing buddy (I'm KentuckyGal on the site).

It's Been a Couple of Weeks

2011-10-10T00:25:00.000-07:00

You may notice it's been a couple of weeks since my last blog post. Let me explain.

I used to work at a local residential/teaching facility for adults with MR/DD (mental retardation and developmental disabilities). It was at once the most fulfilling and most frustrating jobs I have ever had. Would I go back to it, after two separate OTJ attack injuries in 2010 and a year and a half of Workmens' Comp? In a heartbeat. Will I? Not until the administration changes ... RADICALLY.

When I started there, I learned during training that I would be going to one of the "rougher" homes. The residents were mostly higher-functioning men. We took a "crisis management" course and learned methods to, if possible, de-escalate situations before they became physical. They worked about 50 pct of the time. Anyway, I made my peace with the fact at some point I would get injured on the job ... and that somehow made it easier, less scary.

From the beginning there was one resident, Shawn, whom it seemed nobody wanted to be assigned. Truth be told, I felt a little sorry for him. Then I found out why staff felt the way they did. Five times in the next six months I filled out IA1 paperwork for an on-the-job injury, caused by Shawn. (The space of a whole blog may not be enough to contain his whole story, let alone a single post, so suffice it to say that there were things in his history that made some of his less endearing behavior, although not excusable for an adult capable of independent thought, at least partially explainable. Shawn was far from the stereotypical "defenseless" adult with mental retardation...ask the folks at the local Walmart eye center.)

I thought that many of the "professional" staff enabled him terribly, treating him as a textbook case, rather than an individual. Once, a behavior analyst told me to give being Shawn's staff over to co-worker, and pulled me outside to try and explain why Shawn did what he did, that he wasn't able to do recognize boundaries, etc etc etc. I related to her that Shawn had told me once that he ran the house and everyone there had to do what he said. "And," I added to the analyst and psychiatrist who was standing nearby, "he was right!"

A week or so later, I found a letter behind my timecard that indicated "for the good of the residents I was being transferred to another home". Bullcookies.

In the middle of a huge wave to transfer residents into group homes, Shawn was sent to a small rural community with two other high-functioning male residents. The first time I heard that I could barely believe it. Every man they mentioned seemed to make a practice out of being "the biggest and baddest". I didn't figure it would end well.

Well, it ended one night in May. Shawn was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. A staff person said he found one of the other residents on top of Shawn, choking him. This man was arrested and charged with murder, but later released as the police found new evidence. Autopsy results showed that he died from internal abdominal bleeding, which lead police to believe that the staffperson was not being honest, and they wound up charging him with homicide and gross negligence. He is currently out on bail.

I was not there that night, so I cannot say, with certainty, what happened. I want to believe that this staff person (for whom there has been a groundswell of community support) would not be stupid enough to go past stopping Shawn's violent behavior to the point of killing him. And, while admitting that there are cases of abuse that happen in this setting, I know that the system is set up with so many rules that home staff cannot help but cross some of them, and so are deemed by management to be the "guilty ones" in cases where a resident is injured.

Here is what I do know. I did not like Shawn. After getting over my outrage at the reason why I was transferred to a different home, I came to see that it was a blessing, in part because I would no longer have daily interaction with Shawn. Would I, even now, stand between Shawn and someone else to (try and?) prevent harm from either person to the other, even if it meant getting injured myself? Yes.

Did Shawn deserve to die like he did?

No.

52 Home Organization Projects - Week One

2011-09-24T03:48:00.000-07:00

For my first project, I chose the area around my computer desk. I don't really have access to a camera to post picture, but I'm somewhat hesitant to post pics anyway ... because y'all might find out that I've snuck into this class and really should be in the class for the domesically inept.

On Friday, 9/23, I cleared off the top part of the desk. Well almost. There is a flat-screen monitor left over from when I had a desktop computer. The computer itself is friend, but the screen is still good...and we really have no othe place to put this and the other bits and pieces of equipment from various computers we've had over the years. Oh wait, DH has a spot...it's called the front porch. *sigh* But that's on my list too, so eventually it will all work out. Empty to partially-full cans of soda, a cup or two, an empty cup-o-ramen (my kids seem to think this is a drop off point for stuff that really should go to the kitchen, but they want to get back to whatever game system they're on before one of their siblings usurps them). There was a plastic wrapper and the little plastic tie-thingie that comes off a loaf of bread. So the monitor is still there, as is the little bread-tie. And I think I'm breathing a little easier now that most of the crap is gone.

The only thing now is that since the clutter is virtually gone, I can see the sorry state of the desk. It is one of those DIY desk kits from WalMart and the black finish on the top of the desk is wearing off, specially where my mouse arm rests. The strip covering the particle board on the sides has been long since stripped off. I've got to come up with a plan as to how to make the desk look better. I will at least come up with a plan for that this week and either complete it, or schedule it in for later.

One thing...this is a post-in-progress and will receive several updates before it is actually "done".

Taking the Pledge - Day Four

2011-09-23T16:05:00.001-07:00

This marks my fifth day of "The Mom Pledge:

I stand up against cyber bullying. My online space reflects who I am and what I believe in. I will not tolerate comments that are rude, condescending or disrespectful.

Also my first week of participation in:

I invite anyone reading to join me in either of both groups, accessible by handy dandy links and/or buttons. :O)

*+*+*+*+*

I am a born care-taker, as evidenced by advocating for my children when they were in public school. Also the best 'outside of the home' job I ever had was assisting adults with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities learn/improve ADL's (activities of daily living) and social skills that most of us take for granted.

Like so many people, I find it easier to stand up for the people about whom I care, rather than for myself...but I'm working on that one!

When my oldest son, now 14 was in public school, both he and his parents came up against bullying of one sort or another. DS1 had been suggested as having either ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or possibly Asperger's Syndrome. He spent most of his day in the 'regular' classroom, but some time in a smaller room with only 3-4 other children for certain subjects. In the main classroom, his teachers normally separated his desk from the other children and sometimes had dividers up ... to cut down on things that might distract him. That, coupled with his seeming inability to recognize the amount of personal space needed by other children, often made him a target for teasing or bullying.

The straw that broke the camel's back for us was in the week before the last week of school, four of his 8-year-old classmates surrounded him on a piece of playground equipment and pulled his pants down, showing...everything. He pulled his pants back up. These boys did the same thing two more times before there was any intervention. There were 3 teachers on the playground, who said none of them saw anything was wrong....but 3 classrooms of children apparently did.

Our son was removed from the classroom. The other boys (all of whom later admitted their actions) were not. We parents were not notified until several hours later, after the school had conducted an "investigation". Justifiably enraged, my husband went to school to collect our son and talk with the principal...who was "suddenly called away", and he spoke with the vice-principal.

The school was engaged in state-mandated testing that week, and so the other boys were not suspended, or even given detention of any sort. The school wanted the money and pats on the back from the government for having a greater percentage of their students taking the tests.

As relatively little action was taken by the school for what was, in my mind, a sexually-oriented assault on our son, we went to the FWISD (Fort Worth Indepndent School District), who apparently contacted the school ... because the next day, the principal was "available" to meet. I was working days at the time, so DH handled the meeting for us. When he entered the principal's office, she apparently said something to the effect of, "How dare you go over my head to the district." The nerve! Things went downhill from there. I remember saying to my husband when he called me at work that we had better watch ourselves, because I felt the school would take retaliatory action.

The next week, as President of the school's PTA, myself, my husband and our daughter (about 2 at the time) went to assist with the school's "Field Day", passing out popcorn and drinks to the students. We were there for hours and all had a good time, boys included (the son in this story and DS2, who was in 1st grade at the time).

About an hour after we got home from the school, there was a knock on the door. Who do you think it was? The (not-so) friendly CPS (Child Protective Services) agent, wanting to come into our apartment because she had received a report that DS1 had "exposed himself" on the playground. We gave her the facts, including our belief that the report was retaliatory on the part of the school, which she wrote down, in the middle of trying to threaten us to be allowed into the apartment. (As we had been investigating homeschooling for some time, and had talked on several occasions to the HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association - by the way, that organization ROCKS!), we knew that we were within our rights to deny her entrance. Not even the police could enter our home without just cause and/or a warrant.

We had actually been on our way out the door, but she refused to leave until she had spoken to each of the boys individually and without our presence. Well, DS1 was savvy enough even at that young age to understand the ramifications of what this woman's presence meant, and we had to peel him off my leg as he had sat down on the floor and wrapped himself around me. He did not want to talk to the woman, a sentiment which he came up with on his own. DH came up with a workable solution, that DS1 and the CPS agent would sit at the top of the stairs and we would be by the car, but our son would still be able to see us.

That summer we moved to Kentucky. How the CPS agent found my husband's grandmother's phone number I'll never know, but she called Mamaw, lied and said she was a friend of ours and wheedled our phone number out of the woman. But nothing ever came of it, because we were not in the wrong in that situation. It still burns the you-know-what out of me, though, and this has been six years ago.

So, I know a little about the effects of bullying and I will not stand for it.

Online, or cyber-bullying can be just as awful. While I have not (that I can remember) been a target yet, I have seen it go on and have seen what it can do to people. The news headlines have elaborated on how cyber-bullying can even be deadly.

So, if someone comes into my online "house" intent on being a troll, I will ask them, nicely, to leave. If they will not, I offer them some friendly and honestly well-meaning advice direcly from the Boy Scout motto ... be prepared.

52 Home Organization Projects

2011-09-23T03:40:00.000-07:00

I've been reading Laura's "I'm an Organizing Junkie" blog for a while now, in part because my own organizing desires are lightyears ahead of my organizing skills. Ugh. A link from her post today lead me to this umbrella project:

So, without further ado, here is my list:

1. my computer desk

2. DH's computer table

3. couch area in living room

4. outer wall in living room

5. inner wall in living room

6. refrigerator

7. over the counter kitchen cabinets

8. under the counter kitchen cabinets

9. kitchen table

10. laundry area

11. linen closet

12. medicine cabinets

13. sink area in bathroom

14. shower area in bathroom

15. hallway

16. closet in boys' room

17. bed area in boys' room

18. couch area in boys' room

19. media area in boys' room

20. bed area in girl's room

21. dresser in girl's room

22. media area in girl's room

23. closet in my bedroom

24. bed area in my bedroom

25. media area in my bedroom

26. back porch

27. front porch

28. menu plans

29. family budget

30. childrens' budgets

31. chore charts

32. review/revamp homeschooling plans

33. extended family birthday (etc) calender

34. family volunteer projects

35. individual volunteer projects

36. time schedule for my business

37. time schedule for my blogging

38. time schedule for my Facebook addiction.

39. recording family history

40. me time

41. garden plan for 2012

42. pest-proofing the home

43. quality time with DH.

44. quality time with DS1.

45. quality time with DS2.

46. quality time with DD.

47. learn a new skill

48. community project

49. family recycling plan.

50. family vacation plan.

51. community activism plan.

52. kitchen counters.

I reserve the right to modify the above list as necessary. :O)

This is also my entry for this weeks Friendly Friday Blog Hop:

Go and visit some of the other bloggers and share your info!

CountDown to the BIG 50!

2011-09-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

On October 2nd of this year (that's 10 days away folks) I will turn 50 years old. When I was young, I had trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that I would be 39 in the year 2000. Remember how "Y2K" was such a big event before New Year's Day and, dangitall, the earth didn't grind to a halt? Back then 39 seemed awfully old. (Like Radar in M*A*S*H said once, "I'll be in my 30's...THAT'S ALMOST DEAD!" *rofl*

I'm also entering this post in the following blog hop:

Isn't that a great graphic? The thought that popped into my head was that I haven't been that skinny since puberty hit. Anyway there are other great posts on the hop so go check it out

And easy division to make would be to cover 10 years in a post...and I'm all over easy these days. So, here goes:

I was born in Monaca, PA, USA, which if I remember correctly is about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, in 1961. The only thing I remember about that place is visiting there with my family at some point before I turned 10. It seemed to be one of those teeny-weenie towns that you miss if you blink. Before my first birthday, my family moved to Cumberland, MD, where we lived until January 1972.

There are still a few scattered memories from those years. I remember sitting on the couch at some point before my 2nd birthday, my father kneeling in front of the couch with his forearms resting on the couch and my brother (then 2-3 yo) riding piggy-back. I suppose I remember that because there is a picture in the family photo album. I have kind of inherited that role of family memory-keeper as both my parents have passed on and it's just not a priority to my brother. I also remember my 2nd birthday party, because I got on of those pull-along phones where the eyes roll up and down as you walk. There's a picture of that too, with me holding the receiver out to my mother because it was for her.

Other memories, in random order, because I'm just trying to get them down for now (organization comes later), so I can free up brain power to remember other things ... like where I put my keys, last week, and my kids names ... stuff like that:

Being paired up with the neighbor boy (in a kind of "ooh, aren't they cute together" sort of way that moms have (and that seems totally reasonable to me...now.

Losing control of my tricycle going down the hill by our house and crashing into the neighbor's yard at the end of the block.

Being hustled downstairs in the middle of the night with my brother, by our father, and hearing our mother upstairs screaming in pain. She went to the hospital that night. She never would talk about it later, except for to say that the doctors had deemed surgery necessary for her survival one weekend, and no surgery because "it was gone" early the next.

I remember being invited by a family friend to go swimming at their country club (not that we were well off by any means, but that's not the point. Walking up to the ramp to the clubhouse, there was a sign by the door, "No Catholics allowed." Even then, if I had known what "WTF" meant I probably would have thought it. I wouldn't dare saying it out loud, because no sooner had those words left my lips but I would be over my mother's knee.

Not all the memories were bad, though, and this list is FAR from exhaustive.

When my 5th grade teacher, Miss Shaner, found out that we were moving, she had each of my classmates write a story about my soon-to-pass adventures in the "wild west". (My father's company transferred him from MD to UT.) One story that sticks out had me saving my older brother from disaster at the bottom of the Grand Canyon! Ahhh, I was a super kid!

My mother was born in Switzerland, and met my father at the University of West Virginia in Morgantown, where she was a nanny for a local prominent family. In the summer of 1971 we were fortunate enough to travel to see her homeland, with a stopover in England to visit her brother and family, who were living there at the time.

My mother and I were outside Buckingham Palace one morning watching the Changing of the Guards. There was a large crowd and it was difficult to negotiate the sea of people and meet up with my dad and brother at our next destination. Mom said I just took her hand and followed a "bunch of hippies" that were passing through easily. That memory makes me smile.

My brother and I participated in the "Erste August" (1st of August) lampion (paper lantern) parade in Bern, Switzerland's capital. At the end of the parade, each child got a gingery cake-let with a picture of a bear on it. We were sitting at an outside cafe afterwards, when the father in the family friends with whom we were staying came up with a 2nd cake for my brother and me. He told the folks he had two children visiting from the US and he didn't think we had gotten our cakes yet.

On that visit to Switzerland, I discovered my taste for "Vivi-Cola" and "OvoSport". OvoSport is kind of like pressed bars of ovaltine...that's the best I can describe it anyway. Another memory from that time (which literally just popped back into the foreground of my mind after how many years gone) was in a cafe in a mountain village, my brother ordered a Coke float and the waitress, nor indeed any of the staff, and any clue as to what he was talking about. So he explained you put ice cream and Coke together in a glass. So they brought out a mug of Coke and a small dish of ice cream. If that village had had a newspaper I'm sure it would have made front-page news when my brother scandalized the locals by placing the ice cream in the soda!

We went to Washington DC on vacation at one point. There is a picture of my brother and me, standing in front of some building with dark glasses on. I call that our "FBI Agents" picture. We visited the Smithsonian where he was all about planes, trains and automobiles and I was all about the Hope Diamond, the First Ladies' inaugural dresses and Dorothy's Ruby Slippers.

All of a sudden, 10 years seems an awful lot of ground to cover in one blog post. But dates are a little fuzzy without memory prompts and goodness knows I don't want anyone's coffee spilling on their keyboard because they have fallen asleep on me! *lol*

Years 11-20 will probably show up tomorrow or the day after. I'm currently working on another blog series about "The Mom Pledge"...just in case you are interested, it starts here. I'm also going to link those posts together, which is something new for me. Heck, writing four blog posts in a month is something I haven't done in ages...by my life isn't over yet!

Taking the Pledge - Day Three

2011-09-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

This marks day 3 of my adoption of "The Mom Pledge" and my first experience with The Thoughtful Thursday Blog Hop. And providence dropped a secondary topic of "should restaurants be allowed to accept food stamps" in my lap when I came across this post on the BlogHer site.

From the Mom Pledge

"I believe a healthy dialogue on important issues is a good thing. I will welcome differing opinions when offered in a respectful, non-judgmental manner. And will treat those who do so in kind."

I so liked the comment I left on that blog that I was just going to copy and paste, only to find out that the blog's comments are moderated and it disappeared once I hit "send". (Can you hear me groaning now?)

The writer of that blog - "Headmistress, zookeeper" as she is known in the comments - has very strong opinions on most subjects. Many of the people commenting did, too. These are not the kind of people with whom I tend to hang out. But in general, I do not judge people for their opinions, even when I disagree. The debate there was at once lively, interesting, and at times a little distressing. But I am better-informed for having gone and read the post and comments.

Hunger is an important issue. If you have experience real hunger (as opposed to hunger from dieting) ... you know it sucks. Well, hunger from dieting isn't much better, but at least you have a positive outcome (better health) waiting at the end of that tunnel. But using SNAP benefits (food stamps) at restaurants? Even as someone whose family current receives SNAP (another story for another day), I cannot see how in the vast majority of cases this would provide real benefit to anyone other than the restaurant industry. I'm sure times are tough for restaurateurs too, but SNAP is intended to ensure low-income individuals and families have enough food to ... survive.

Please...let me know what you think, whether or not you agree with my opinion. Let's work ... together ... to figure this out and our world (or our little corner of it) a better place.

Taking the Pledge - Day Two

2011-09-21T02:33:00.000-07:00

(Subtitle: Exposure 99% - Week 1)

This post marks the 2nd day of my exploration of what "The Mom Pledge" means to me and my first week participating in the "Exposure 99% Weekday Hop". I love blog hops and the people that host them...what a great way to support other bloggers. So, kudos today to MayMay of "onemomentintime" blog and Nina of "bitsandbobsblog" for hosting the weekday hop!

On with the show....

To quote from the Mom Pledge:

"I pledge to treat my fellow moms with respect. I will acknowledge that there is no one, "right" way to be a good Mom. Each woman makes the choices best for her family."

I used to worry... a lot ... about what other people thought about me. To be frank, I wasted a lot of time and imbued what was left with unnecessary misery. I could tell you my philosophy on the subject now, or I could direct you to Montgomery Gentry's song "What Do You Think About That"...either way would work, but if I just tell you, you would miss a great song and video, and that wouldn't do.

I don't agree with everybody and I don't expect everyone to have the same opinion I do. The internet has exponentially increased our exposure to people with sometimes widely divergent points-of-view. Luckily we don't have to agree on everything (or even anything) to have a cup of coffee together or for you to be welcome at a Sunday bbq...although if I were you, I would make sure my husband was cooking that day! *lol*

We homeschool our children. In our early days, not many people supported our decision. Family members, especially, it seems were worried that the kids would suffer in terms of their education and socialization. Several even threatened to report us to child protection authorities. But it is hard to argue with a 14 year old who devours Scientific American magazine and can converse intelligently on what he reads, a 13 year old (with sensory processing issues) who has blossomed under individual attention, and an 8 year old who loves math and reads her older brothers' books. (Do I sound like a proud mom? You bet I do!) But I don't judge or fault anyone who sends their child/ren to public school.

We are a family of meat-eaters (I can hear my daughter say, "That's carnivores, Mom.") Do I judge crunchy veggie moms? No. In fact, I would love some tips on how to sneak more fresh fruit and veggies into my family's menu plan!

I've lived most of my life in cities (Salt Lake City, Utah and Fort Worth, Texas). And while I loved the theatre (my spelling of choice) and arts organizations available and some of the other amenities provided by a larger location, I am a small-town, country girl at heart. I can't imagine living any closer to a big city than we do right now (about 70 miles away).

So, while I may have a different viewpoint than you, I will not "judge" you on that difference. In my opinion, we are not supposed to be carbon copies of each other, a lesson which I learned from the "Tower of Babel" story in the Bible (whether you believe in a literal interpretation or not, or your religion or lack thereof).

Taking the Pledge

2011-09-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was reading some blogs, when I came upon a link for . The post, "Auntie Lea's Home for Wayward Orphans" was so good that I had to comment. Then I went poking around at the links on the page and saw one about "The Mom Pledge". (They have a link over there to the left, so I won't add it in again here.)

Shortly after my daughter was born in 2003, I found an online "mommunity" (can I claim inventing that word?) called "Maya's Mom" and met many wonderful ladies in all stages of mommiehood - TTC to moms of adult children. It was an online home; I think my homepage was even set to Maya's Mom. Time passed and Maya's Mom was bought by/sold to Babycenter.com, and the separate Maya's mom site was no more. We "refugees" sought each other out on Facebook and MySpace. Quite a number of us still stay in contact, such was the close-knittedness of our group. I had not found its like since.

Until yesterday, that is. According to the site,

"The Mom Pledge is about women standing up, speaking out, and coming together to eradicate online bullying among moms. The time has come for us to take the power back and own this issue."

How cool is that? So, last night, I proudly became blog#395 in The Mom Pledge Community.

So, how to express what this pledge means to me? I thought I would take one principle per day (or maybe per post would be a better way of putting it, seeing as my motivation has been tremendously cyclic this year) and elaborating a little.

"I am proud to be a mom. I will conduct myself with integrity in all my online activities. I can lead by example."

I am proud to be a mom.

Most of my life, I've allowed people to tell me I'm not good enough, I don't do enough...you know the drill.

When I was a young child, I saw an advertisement in the local newspaper for one of those "little miss" pageants. I went to my mother and told her I wanted to enter. She said something like, "So many girls enter and only one can win." What I heard was, "You're not good enough." (Although in retrospect, after choking through a couple episodes of "Toddlers and Tiaras", I think my mother did me a HUGE favor!) I hope that's not a generalization of pageant moms. I just have trouble with spending hundreds of dollars on costumes and teeth straighteners etc etc etc, that give little girls the idea that they are not "enough" in and of themselves.

When I entered college, I was a musical theatre major. I was so painfully introverted that I could not audition for shows...which was a definite drawback in that profession. At the end of the first year, I had to present a scene with a partner, and depending on the reviews from the professors, I would proceed or not in the program. My partner was a second-year student and at her audition (a week or so before mine) one of the professors said, "Let's just make this your audition as well." Needless to say, it went well for her and not so well for me. (But to be painfully honest, another week or so probably wouldn't have made much difference.) If I remember correctly, one professor wrote, "Should find something else to do. Has no future in theatre."

So I changed my major to business, which thrilled my mother as she thought musical theatre was waste of time.

Ten years and several jobs later (none of which were using my 'full potential' apparently), I went back to college (at a small, private instution, rather than the big state university) majoring in finance. One day I saw an audition notice for the campus production of "The Importance of Being Earnest". I thought, "I should do that." Then I saw that the final auditions were that afternoon. Immediately reasons flooded my brain as to why I 'couldn't'...no time to prepare, too much competition, no future in theatre..."

Thank goodness I went anyway. I got the part of Lady Bracknell. For the next 5-6 years (until my oldest child was on the way), I did an average of 5 plays a year. There was only one musical, although I sang in several plays. One was an original play by Aden Ross, titled "Ladies Room", set in the ladies room in Caesar's Palace casino in Las Vegas. I was a housekeeper who sang Aretha Franklin songs while she worked. The first couple of weeks I would not sing in rehearsals. Finally, partly through the encouragement from (and the exasperation of?) my play-mates (that sounds vaguely bad, I think) I "sang". By the end of the run, I had no trouble singing in front of people, even at the local karaoke bar.

My oldest son (now 14) was born 5 months before his father and I got married. This was another "not good enough" on me, I guess. My mother said after the wedding, "I'm so happy I can finally introduce you as LuAnn, her husband, and their son." Although to be fair, she was a lot more supportive during the pregnancy than I had anticipated. She drove me to a couple of pre-natal appointments. Once, she sat in the outer office and prayed that I would come to realize that "all this medical intervention" was not necessary. (During the delivery my blood pressure ranged from 180/160 to 40/30...so I THANK GOD for our ob "Dr Robin" and all her medical intervention. My MIL flew in from California as soon as DH told her they were going to induce. She actually got to hold DS1 before I did, and I was pea-green with envy for years after that. (Now I'm just kind of wistful. *lol*) She took video and even the day after, I looked like the Michelin man...my whole body was swollen because of the blood pressure problems during delivery.

Let me state that I am also proud of my son (and his siblings). I mean, how many kids can say they caught the garter at their parents' wedding? *lol*

During my life, I've been on the receiving end of enough bullying (online and off). Like many people, I have said, "That's one thing I'm NOT going to do when I have children."

So...

...that's one thing I'm NOT going to do when I'm online. I choose to act with integrity on and off-line. I choose to be a good example to my children, friends and associates. I choose to extend an invitation to do the same to my family, friends and readers by joining me at "The Mom Pledge".

Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave a comment and your blog address too!

New Business ...

2011-08-02T02:08:00.001-07:00

It's been a long...long dry spell for me. In the ensuing months, my mother passed away. We also purchased a Suburban. After folding our teenage boys into the back of a Ford Fiesta for years, it's nice to finally have a vehicle with four doors and enough room for the family and groceries.

Two things have brought me back at this time:

1. The Homeschool Lounges' Summer Daze Giveaway (see the button in the sidebar)

~and~

2. The 'Wantobe Quilter Campaign" at Stash Manicure (see the other button in the sidebar).

Both are causes and practices close to my heart, and practitioners can always use encouragement and community...as can bloggers, eh? :O)

We have homeschooled our boys for about 5 years, after more than one glaring "issues" in school districts in two states. Our daughter has always been homeschooled. I make no judgment on any parents' educational choices for their children, but homeschooling is the right choice for us.

In Job's Daughters, I regularly assisted in the tying of a quilt twice a year for the outgoing top officer, but I have never pieced and quilted with a needle...and I really want to get to it.

So check out the links, tell your friends ... and share the adventure!

NaBloPoMo - Aquabibs Unite!

2011-03-03T06:50:00.000-08:00

The NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) theme for March is "In a Word". The word I have chosen for today is "aquabib", which noun meaning "one who drinks water".

I guess I should say, I got this word from the "Save the Words" site, from a link on the NaBloPoMo site.

I have at various times in my life been more of an aquabib than an otherbeveragesbib...ok, so I made that one up. But words are fun, creative and like most things, if we don't use them, we lose them, right? Shakespeare made up 10,000 words that we still use today (or so I heard once).

Two other words I claim as my creations are:

"porchervation" - n., observation made from a porch;

and

"potentializer" - n., one who helps others reach their potential.

But, I digress. Today is all about "aquabibbers". I'm sure everyone has heard that you should drink 8 (8 oz.) cups of water a day, or one oz of water for each pound you way, or some such formula for optimum health. Other folks say those are myths and water does not have the degree of effect as the first set of folks claim.

I look at the whole thing this way. Water occurs naturally on the earth. It occurs (somewhat unnaturally, I suppose) from the various taps in my family's apartment. But it's cheap, does not contain harmful ingredients (unless you live near a chemical dump site maybe?) and convenient.

What about the people who like buying bottled water? Hey, more power to them, but if I'm going to pay those prices for a refreshing beverage, I want something else in it as well! *lol*

My 5 Question Friday

2011-02-25T09:57:00.000-08:00

1. Can you drive a stick shift?

Yes, I learned on a stick shift when taking driver's ed. Although....I remember going out to the driving range and asking for the red car, which had an automatic transmission. They gave me the keys for the darker red car...which was a stick. My partner did not know how to drive a stick either, so we opened the textbook and figured it out that way! *lol*

2. What are two foods you just can't eat?

beef tongue and habanero (sp?) peppers

3. Do you buy Girl Scout Cookies? What is your favorite kind?

Usually...all time favorite is the Thin Mint, although some of their newer ones are quite tasty too.

4. How do you pamper yourself?

What is this pamper you speak of?

5. What is your nickname and how did you get it?

Well, my given names are "Lucille Anna". I've always gone by LuAnn. I've also been called (at different times): Lulubelle, Lu-A, Lucy and Lulu. So now I just tell people I answer to anything that starts with "Lu".

Five Question Friday

2011-02-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

1. Have you worn the same outfit more than one day in a row?

Sure. I mean, I don't make a habit of it, but sometimes it happens. Especially if I wake up late and have seconds to get ready before I have to be out the door.

2. If you had to choose any LARGE city to live in, which would it be?

I can't think of too many circumstances under which I would feel compelled to live in a large city. Is Edinburgh, Scotland big? I could live there. :O)

3. Fly or drive with the kids on vacation?

After the last time we flew with the kids (to California over the holidays) I swore never again ... at least at a high-traffic time. We drove to DFW over Thanksgiving, and thanks to FIL we had his passenger van with enough seats for all the kids to sleep on their own bench seat. We could have never done it in our little 2-door Ford Fiesta.

4. What is your idea of "spring cleaning"?

That it's always spring somewhere and adding a few monthly (etc) chores makes for not such a big choking wad of cleaning in the (local) spring.

5. What is the best book you have ever read?

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

The Last Place We Stayed

2011-02-06T02:12:00.000-08:00

On December 3rd (or 4th), my family were on the way back to Kentucky from visiting MIL in Haslet, TX. We had spent Thanksgiving and DS1's 14th birthday there. We were in the middle of our 900 mile trip and even though FIL (here in Kentucky) had lent us his passenger van, we needed to stop for the night rather than try to push on through.

Our buddy Tom left the light on for us at the Motel 6 in Jackson, TN. It's really a great deal for a family. The price was reasonable; if I remember correctly, we paid under $50 for all 5 of us. And, they did not charge extra for Sneakers, our dog. The staff was professional, yet 'down home'...just like us.

Other than that, there's not really a lot to say...but I would stay there again, and I would recommend it to friends and family.

Valentine's Day - Bringin' the Festive Back

2011-02-05T19:51:00.000-08:00

Since 1979, Valentine's Day has been a double-edged sword for me.

On February 15th of that year, my father passed away due to a stroke and heart attack. He was 47 years old at the time. I was a senior in high school. Coincidentally, I was in the play "Lazarus Laughed" at the time, the theme of which was "there is no death". I was kind of numb until we went to sit down for his memorial service, when I broke down. The directors asked if we wanted to have the curtains drawn and I did not.

Anyway, from the evening before (February 14, 1979), it was obvious that my father did not have long to live. So...Valentine's Day has that little tinge for me.

But now that I have children of my own, I try to be a little more cheerful for the day. My daughter, who just turned 8, especially loves holidays...the decorating, making crafts, celebrating, etc.

And I recently joined swap-bot.com, and am doing a couple of Valentine card/craft swaps with folks, which also brings a little more sense of the festive back.

DH helps, too. He got me a medium-sized fuzzy ladybug (think pillow size). He's a true country boy, and this effort of his is SO appreciated. The only trouble was is that our daughter assumed it was for her, has named her "Spots" and uses Spots for a pillow at night. *lol*

So, while 32 years has passed, and I still miss my father, I know he is in a better place, and I know he knows his grandchildren. And that is all good.

OK..What Impressed Me Was...

2011-02-03T18:01:00.001-08:00

OK, what really impressed me about Jacqueline was the amount of love she shows to other blogger's giveaways. So, it was beholdin' upon me to show some love back and pimp her Very First Blog Candy Giveaway!

So, go see her blog, pick up a lot of great ideas, and maybe some candy that won't hurt your teeth! *lol* And while you are there, check out some of her cute designs!

*+*+*+*+*

The Blog Dare for today was giving props to one's best friend. Well, I don't really have a "best" right now, although I do have a number of good friends, but I wanted to show that I had actually written today, because it's the longest streak of blog writing that I've had in some time! Yay me!!!

What I Do and Do Not Miss About High School

2011-02-01T19:35:00.000-08:00

This one is kind of tough for me. Sometimes I can hardly remember last week, or yesterday, and they want me to remember high school? Yikes!

I miss some of the people (both students and teachers). I think it's kind of strange that some of my classmates have grandchildren that are the ages of my children (yep, I was an older first-time mom). I miss the feeling that I had more days ahead of me than I do behind. In my senior year, I was on the school paper staff...that was fun.

I don't miss being overweight and painfully introverted.

However, something happened in high school that probably overshadowed anything else "bad" that may have happened. About four months before graduation, my father came home sick from work one day. That was unusual because he was so type "A". A week later he passed away (stroke/heart attack) at the age of 47. I was in a play called "Lazarus Laughed" by Tennessee Williams (I think?) at the time, so the whole theme was like, 'there is no death'. Even in our church community at the time, social invitations kind of dried up after that...like people were afraid death was catching or something.

Yup, I could've done without most of that.

I'm not usually this maudlin, so I'm going to close out this post and go think about my daughter's 8th birthday on 2/2.

Hey, Younger Me!

2011-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

February 1, 2011

Dear Younger Me,

I'm you from...oh, a couple years in the future. Thought I'd pass along a little information and some tips I've picked up over the years. I just hope it doesn't screw up the time line, KWIM? *lol*

Have a good relationship with God. This is probably the single most important and far-reaching thing you can do to have a good life. The sweetest peace you will ever know will come to you after accepting God's will the morning you think you are having a miscarriage. BTW, the child resulting from that pregnancy will be 8 years old tomorrow. (It's really a coincidence that her initials are TAO.)

It's ok to step outside your comfort zone every once in a while. It will not kill you. I am living proof of that. I'm not saying it won't be scary and uncomfortable but the rewards are great. Being the only non-line officer to compete in the MUJD contest in 1980 and winning, finally auditioning for a play and getting a role, going to the lawyer and finding out that MIL really did not have standing to try and get custody of the boys...you'll be walking on AIR that day.

Appreciate your Mom and Dad more. They won't be with you forever.

You are a valuable, talented person. It is possible to believe in yourself when others don't, and to show them you are right. To quote Shakespeare, whom I know we both love, "To thine own self be true, and then it follows as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." It's ok not to follow the herd.

Love yourself, your family and your friends.

Oh, and brush your teeth. And floss,

Love,
Me

I Guess I Chose "Truth"

2011-01-30T15:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry, just my little attempt at being punny. I joined Bloggy Moms' Blog Dare group around the middle of the month and posted about a week ago. They have a prompt for each day of the month and all I managed was one entry. But I'm counting this round as a win because it ended one of the longer dry blog spells for me of recent memory.

I find the daily prompts extremely valuable for a couple of reasons. Everybody has dry spells. And with my recent surgery, etc, sometimes my motivation lags more than usual. I am also looking forward to February and more consistent blogging.

As for my knee, there is more soreness than pain now, and rather limited range of motion. I can neither completely straighten nor bend my knee very far. But I start pt tomorrow, 3x per week for 4 weeks.

Blog Hopping Weekend!

2011-01-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

I'm kind of new to the world of blog hops, so when I found the "Fun Weekend Blog Hop" hosted by Raven of "Pumps, Pacifiers and the World" I had to get my hoppin' shoes on! WAHOO!

I've had 3 children and pumped for all of them. I nursed the first two. My daughter was born at 32 weeks and they tube fed her for a while...long enough so that she never took to nursing, but I still pumped, so she got breast milk. Her 8th birthday is next week...and she is VERY excited! *lol*

Like Joanna of "Figuring Out the Small Stuff", I hate having to give something a numerical rating as a measure of value. It rates right up there with the questions "Does this make me look fat?" and, "So what do you think of my new boyfriend?" ;)

Another new bloggy friend I made today is Jacqueline of "Chez Mukweto". Like me, she educates her children at home. She is also my new crafting idol.

I'm a bit jealous of MizReviewLady at "Mommy Reviews and More" because of her new socks. You'll have to visit her to find out why! *hahaha*

So...what's new in my life?

At the end of September, I was kicked in the knee at work (a residential/teaching facility for adults with MR/DD). A week ago Monday I finally had an operation and I'm recuperating from that. I'm sore and grouchy...but my family has been great, picking up the slack and all. A lady from church even brought over supper one day last week to help out.

So while the pain and lower income kind of, well, suck, I have had more time to spend with my family. I went to work the week after DD came home from the hospital and with one or two exceptions, I have been working since she was born and feel like I have missed so much. So this time is very, very precious to me.

Blog Dare - How I Use Social Media

2011-01-22T11:36:00.000-08:00

So the bloggy dare for today, January 22, 2011, is "How do you use social media?"

I use social media mostly for social reasons. I've done some outreach to other mom bloggers, but have not really made a "business" use of it...yet. Maybe if I reversed the percentages of time I spend playing FarmVille et al and the time I spend blogging and developing business, that would change. *lol*

My main reason for looking to change blogging to more of a business is that in the past year, I have been on medical leave from my job at a residential/teaching facility for adults with MR/DD. The first time was 1/24/10 to June 2010 for an elbow/shoulder injury (that is still hurting) and the 2nd time was/is from 9/28/2010 to the present for a knee injury. In fact, I just had surgery on my knee on Monday. I still don't know what the outcome will be. I doubt I will be able to return to similar work. Right now, just standing up for more than 15 minutes is a challenge. (Oh yes, I have consulted an attorney, who tells me that while related medical bills can be covered for as long as the condition exists, there is little hope of any other monetary outcome. I'd like to think I'm not greedy, but my family has lost our health insurance due to the length of time I've been on medical leave.

Any tips, etc, would be welcome. Thanks for visiting and reading! "O)

List of 100 Ways to Give - Part IV

2010-11-23T19:29:00.000-08:00

31. Take a cart from the parking lot to the store on your way in.

Next time you are on your way into the grocery store and pass one of those cart corrals clogged with buggies, take one with you into the store. You'll make someone's job a little easier, and you're going that way anyway.

32. Always return your shopping cart to a designated return location.

Ever had a cart run into your car? Well, neither have I. *whew* But I see carts left every which way in parking lots, even when the corral is not that far away and there isn't a cloud in the sky. At a grocery store on a hill, I once saw a cart roll downhill through the entire parking lot, across a fairly busy road and finally go off the blacktop on a side road. There was nothing I could have done to stop it. Thank goodness it didn't hit anything. You can give back by putting a cart where it is supposed to go.

33. Donate a handmade item to a raffle/sale/auction for charity.

Are you good at crafts, cooking and the like? Non-profit organizations are always looking for funds. Why not donate a good which you have made so that the group can sell it? You give to the cause and get the word out about your talent. There is nothing wrong with receiving sometimes ... it's a very important part of the cycle.

34. Get certified in CPR.

For my last job, I had to get certified in "Heartsaver First Aid". Every two years, you get re-certified. Thank goodness I never had to use it outside of the class. And thank God I would know what do to if an emergency occurred.

35. Pass on your knowledge of CPR on to another person.

Imagine if even 5% of the general public were certified in CPR and/or first aid, imagine how many people could be helped after an accident or natural disaster. Imagine if your loved one(s) were one/some of those helped.

36. Volunteer at your child's school.

How can one instructor teach 25 children? With help of the kids' parents! When my boys went to public school, I volunteered in the classroom once or twice a week. Their classmates called me "Mrs. B." Even years later. I still smile thinking about it. You can help a child understand a difficult concept, make copies, help put up or take down displays. I loved every minute of it.

37. Adopt-a-Highway.

Don't go running across freeways to pick up a cup someone thoughtlessly threw out the window. But anyone can pick up an empty bag that blew up to a yard. Get together with your neighbors and "adopt your street". Start to think (if you haven't already) about what you put in the garbage in the first place. Every little bit helps!

38. Walk/play with animals at the local shelter.

The reason most shelters are faced with having to euthanize animals is because they can't afford to keep them. Help reduce their costs. You can donate money or food or accessories. You can volunteer your time to care for the animals. You can get a youth group to get the word out about an adopt-a-thon. There are groups around the country who will transport a pet from one state to another if there is an animal that can be rescued.

39. Teach basic cooking skills to youngsters at a shelter.

My kids are fairly independent an like to do some things by/for themselves. Teaching them kitchen safety and basic cooking skills (dependent on their ages and abilities) was a win-win situation. It freed me up from going into the kitchen to get someone something every 15 minutes! And learning a new skill was great for their self-esteem.

Kids from struggling families have enough in life with which to be concerned. Having an adult who cares (and has time) to teach them a skill that makes their lives better is a God-send. It doesn't have to be in a shelter...you could show a scouting or youth group. Get your kids involved too...nothing helps cement your knowledge of a new subject as teaching it to someone else.

40. Put a dollar in the Salvation Army red bucket.

A couple of years ago we started a little tradition. When we went to WalMart on payday, each of the kids got a dollar to put in the bucket on the way out. It got to be where the kids would start asking for their dollars when we checked out. Two years ago, my daughter (then 5) even got to ring the bell herself when she put her dollar in. It brought a smile to every bell-ringer's face. The way I figure it is if I have a dollar for a soda (and that's cheap for a bottle of pop these days), I have a dollar to put into the bucket for an organization with the connections already in place to do a lot of people good.

List of 100 Ways to Give - Part III

2010-11-22T03:23:00.000-08:00

21. Join and participate in coupon train.

Do you clip coupons religiously? Join a coupon train! I had never heard of one of these until I joined several "Mom" sites on the internet.

There is a list of people in the train. You get an envelope of coupons from the person before you on the list. You clip even more coupons. Keep the ones you use and mail off the others to the next person on the list. Giving and saving is great!

22. Shovel a neighbor's sidewalk.

As my mother got older, and my brother got busier (I had moved away with my family some years before), a neighbor took it upon himself to bring his snow-blower over and get the snow off my mother's driveway. This is quite a job because snows where Mom lives often put down a couple of feet at a time. What was his connection to my Mom? Both his wife and my mother were born in Switzerland.

23. Give a cold drink to your mailman during the summer.

I suppose in this day and age, it would be better to have a bottled water of juice or can of soda around. I've seen some mail trucks where the air-conditioning consisted of a little fan attached to the dashboard. Can you imagine riding around in one of those for 8 hours? Ugh!

Back in the summer, when I would go to work in the afternoon (and the car windows had been up until that point), I had to use a shirt to operate the steering wheel until my hands got used to the heat. I always had something to drink with me.

24. Give a warm drink to your mailman during the winter.

Now there's nothing wrong with giving a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate to your mail person. But in this day and age some might not feel comfortable accepting or drinking it if they don't know you well. You be the judge.

25. Make a special supper for each member of the family once a week.

Some people say charity begins at home. Where better, then, to start giving? And what a great example to set an example for your children! It doesn't mean you have to eat 'high on the hog' (sorry, I'm country, those are going to slip out now and again *lol*) every night, but cook a favorite dish, put their food on a special plate, have each family member tell a good quality of the family member du jour. Help your kids see that each person has something special about them. Do this less than once a week...just do it.

26. Read a book to a child.

Moms and Dads should be doing this anyway. Schools suggest at least 20 minutes per day of reading with your child. I know the idea of this is to get the child reading to help improve his or her skill. Every now and again, though, it's nice to be done for instead of to do oneself.

27. Read a book to an elderly acquaintance.

My husband's Mamaw is 89 years old. She used to get out and go, putter around her house and kitchen. A couple of years ago she broke a hip. She can get around on her own, move from chair to chair etc. But most of the time she just sits in her wheelchair. Now, she's hardly ever alone. She's in her home, and two of her three remaining children live within 5 minutes of her. We always visit when we stop by the in-laws'. Come to think of it, this would be a great chance for the kids to practice their reading!

28. Read a book to a visually impaired acquaintance.

I tutored a visually-impaired Greek exchange student for about a year, at a time when I was doing several plays. She enjoyed going to "see" the plays...I know, at first I didn't get it either.

We don't do this (give) because someone is someone has less than us. We give because every person is worthy of "being seen", being connected to others.

29. Drive someone to the grocery store who does not have other transportation.

One of our neighbors recently lost his apartment and his girlfriend in one fell swoop. He has no transportation. Well, our common landlord is letting him stay in one of the apartments that is being renovated in exchange for some work. And once in a while we drive him where he needs to go.

A twist on this one is to call up a neighbor when you are going to the store anyway and see if there is something you can pick up for them.

30. Join and be active in your local school's PTA/PTO organization.

The PTA meetings at my sons' primary school (when they were in public school) were always packed. But few people were around when it came to organizing programs or fundraisers. Take the next step. Do more than you have to. Just don't wear yourself out. They are our children too.

List of 100 Ways to Give - Part II

2010-11-20T03:54:00.000-08:00

11. Organize and give a (musical) performance at a rest home.

My mother was in the Swiss Chorus Edelweiss in Salt Lake for some time and they used to do this sort of thing a lot. Not musically inclined? I bet you know someone who is!

And why stop there? You could read to someone who is visually impaired, offer a craft class. I could go on and on (trust me on that one!)

12. Go Christmas caroling at a hospital.

I used to do this every year with my Job's Daughters group. My favorites were "Be Kind to Your Parents" and "The Twelve Days After Christmas".

13. Thank a soldier for their service to the country.

See someone in uniform? Go up, extend your hand and say "thanks".

14. Thank a veteran for their service to the country.

My MIL's husband is a Viet Nam veteran. He lost both legs and one arm in the war, helping to save some of his buddies. He came back, earned two Ph.D degrees and worked until his retirement helping other veterans who had become disabled in the service.

15. Thank a soldier or veteran's family for their service to the country.

My husband took the kids to see his mother a couple of years ago and I had to stay behind to work. I missed them terribly, so much so that I got a little tattoo with their initials and birthstone colors inside of hearts. This is so small compared to the sacrifices made by the families of soldiers and veterans, sending their loved ones for the good of their neighbors and friends and families. Invite them over for dinner. Take them a meal. Join an organization that is already formed.

16. Buy an extra school supply to donate to the school's family resource center.

Especially during back to school season, you can usually find real bargains on school supplies. Buy an extra pack of paper, set of pencils or whatever and donate them to your school's family resource center. Now, when we lived in Texas, I had never heard of such a thing, but we've run across several here in Kentucky. One local church has a school-supply giveaway each year that even welcomes homeschoolers!

17. Weed a neighbor's garden.

Yeah, I know, I hate weeding too. But it feels good when it's done. Imagine the smile you can create on the face of someone who may not have the time (say, a single parent) or the ability (for example, an older neighbor or someone who has been injured) when they see their yard or garden without weeds!

18. Plant and maintain a garden for an elderly acquaintance.

If you have the time and the help, you could even "adopt" their garden. Everyone needs healthy fruits and vegetables!

19. Teach a gardening class at church or community center.

Have a green thumb? Pass along your knowledge to others. It fits so well with the "give a man a fish" idea. Now, lest WAHs think I'm saying they shouldn't charge for their time and talent...far from it! I'm just saying that everyone has received help in life and paying it back (or forward) every now and again allows that charity energy to keep going.

20. Watch kid(s) for a neighbor in a pinch.

Almost a no-brainer here. Do you know someone who needs to go shopping without curious eyes in tow? Or maybe they just need some "quiet" time getting groceries or running other errands. This doesn't mean becoming the neighborhood's no-charge babysitter. Let your own situation dictate whether or not you accept any payment offered. All options, if honest, are honorable.

List of 100 Ways to Give - Part I

2010-11-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

The entire list of 100 Ways to Give was compiled in a single session lasting roughly an hour. Since I like to elaborate on...oh, pretty much everything, I decided to break the posting up into ten ideas a day...so people wouldn't get bored.

Also, not all the ideas are gems. Some may even be repeats or forms of one another. But the important thing and the design of the exercise was to brainstorm many ways to give and get me thinking outside my box.

So, here we go...

1. Take a meal to your next-door neighbor.

I have a hard time getting to know people. Some places we have lived, bigger cities for example, make not knowing people well easier. I think we talked to one of our four breezeway neighbors once or twice during the year or two that we lived in that apartment.

If you are a subscriber to the "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child" theory, getting to know one's neighbors would fit right in. And food bribes are usually much appreciated.

Even if you know your neighbors well, they would probably appreciate the thought and gesture. Give it a try sometimes and let me know how it goes.

2. Take a meal to a shut in.

My husband had a headache today. He wanted to check on his father, as FIL will be going in for an operation on Thursday of this week, and we have not heard from him for several days. FIL is one tough old (j/k) bird and I am confident he will come through just fine, but DH is worried. A wife knows.

The point is, after the operation, he will be basically bedfast for at least a couple of weeks. Both he and his mother (aka Mamaw) have those little motorized scooters, so can get around fairly well. But he is in his 60s and Mamaw is 89.

Tell me any one of the in-laws would not love to get an already-cooked meal over the next couple of months! I think this is going on our family calendar as a regular event...once a week or every other week.

3. Send pizza to the local fire department.

Most FD's around here are volunteer. I've known and worked with several volunteer firefighters at different times and these men and women are committed to keeping the people and properties in their areas safe.

I'm sure there would be some logistics to work out. The pizzas would probably have to be delivery, or maybe a family or group could make the 'za' right in the fire house with ingredients that the staff had bought. It's hard to be too careful these days. (Don't you miss the days when this type of terrorist activity did not even occur to folks?)

4. Send pizza to the local police station.

I worked midnights at a police department in Texas, taking reports over the phone that did not require officer dispatch and transcribing reports officers had phoned in. We loved just about any excuse for a party.

Ditto the logistics issues as with the fire department.

5. Let someone pull out in front of you coming out of a parking lot.

The road that comes out in front of the gas station at the local Walmart is always crowded. I avoid it wherever possible. I shudder to think what that lot will be like just before Christmas. If I have to go, I hope it is about 4-5am, because it should be just shy of impossible to find a spot. People are likely to be grouchy. They've had to fight to get the most-wanted giftable items in the store. Drivers zoom around the parking lot, less observant than usual, all in attempts to get that close parking spot.

Imagine their surprise when you stop and motion them in front of you in the line of cars exiting the parking lot? I'm smiling about it even now. I think I'll make a point of this every time I am in that lot.

6. Give your spouse a back rub.

When I was pregnant with my oldest child, I was in a massage therapy program. I got halfway through and then had to drop out, because I developed sciatica and could not stand up long enough to give a massage. But one thing I found out during the program...the person giving the massage gets almost as much satisfaction as the receiver. There's just something about giving of yourself to another that feeds your soul. And a back rub does not have to be a prelude to...anything else, but then there's no law saying it can't be either! *wink*

7. Give your spouse some scented massage oil (so he can give you a back rub)!

There are many wonderful lotions and potions available in stores and online. You may even know someone who makes and markets their own customized blends and you can send a little business their way. Or, of course, you could make your own. There are scads of recipes and instructional videos online.

8. Buy an extra non-perishable food item at the grocery store and take them once a month (etc) to the local food bank.

Don't buy the most expensive thing there unless you can afford it. Speaking as someone who has been on the receiving end of food bank provisions, I would rather have generic spaghetti for five meals than gourmet pasta for one. (But I would eat it if it were there, of course.)

The point I'm trying to make is that giving this way does not have to put your budget at risk. Something that may seem minuscule to you may mean loads to someone else.

9. Talk to five friends and neighbors about joining with you and multiply your food bank donations!

There is definitely strength in numbers. If one less gas station coffee for me means one child has a full belly tonight...how can I refuse? If you and just one friend do the same, maybe two children from your city or town will not go to bed hungry. The benefits multiply with each additional giver.

10. Give flowers to someone in the hospital.

When I was in the hospital with my daughter, my boss from the PD came in one day with some flowers. Not only was I stunned that he visited at all, but the man brought flowers! Ok, I looked terrible at the time, but my insides were blooming with happiness!

It doesn't even have to be someone you know. Just take some in and have a nurse or CNA take them to someone who does not get many visitors. Or even drop an arrangement off at a nurses' station. Tell me THAT wouldn't raise a smile or two. Having worked in a health care environment for about 4.5 years, I know how under-appreciated the staff sometimes feel.

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So, that's the first ten ideas. Have they brought up any ideas for you? I'd LOVE to hear them!

Five Question Friday #1

2010-11-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

1. If you could have any talent and turn it into an occupation, what would it be?

I would love to be able to support my family by acting on stage. I actually started out college in musical theatre, but I was so introverted that I had trouble auditioning. I had to pass an audition at the end of the first year, and failed miserably...to the tune (no musical theatre pun intended) of one of the professors writing that "you should find something else to do. You have no future in theatre."

Several years later, as a finance major at a different college, I saw a notice for auditions for "The Importance of Being Earnest", and told myself that "I should do that". Then I saw that the auditions were that day and nearly talked myself out of it. But I went. And I got the part of "Lady Bracknell". And for 5 years after that, I did about 5-6 plays a year.

Along the way, I also finished my degree. For my mother's sake, I will add I attained "magna cum laude" status. Oh, and I found out my singing voice was pretty good after all.

2. Would you rather have a house at the beach or a cabin in the woods?

Beach. I love the ocean. I feel so connected with ... 'eternity' there.

3. Is there any meaning or reasoning for the names you chose for your child/children?

My husband had a brother and a sister that either were stillborn or died in early infancy. DS1's first name is the same as the brother. His middle names come from my husband and my father. DD's name is the same as the sister's. Her first middle name is a traditional name going up on my mother's family. As DH got to choose his sister's middle name years ago, we thought we would let DS1 do the same for his sister. His first thought was "Cherry". Not wanting to explain to the then 6-yr old boy why Cherry might not be the best middle name for a girl, we asked him to choose another. Thought #2 was "White". Strange. Thought #3 (and the one he stuck to longest) was "Olive". So we modernized it a little to "Olivia". Last but not least is DS2. His first name starts with a "B" and is just a name DH likes. His two middle names comes from my FIL and my MIL's umpteenth husband. We were going to list "V"'s name first and "D"'s name last, but that would have given him the initials "BVD"...like the underwear. I put my foot down. *lol*

4. What is your guilty pleasure? (I know we've done this one before, but I'm guessing people's "guilty pleasures" change frequently. At least, mine do!)

Baklava. I could have that for dessert every day after every meal.

5. Do you live in a house that is deep cleaned or straightened?

Don't be funny. I think I'm a permanent fixture in the "CHAOS" club of Flylady.net fame.

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To read other great answers to the above questions, please click on the graphic above.

Day 1 - 30 Day Giving Challenge

2010-11-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

My giving today was to my family.

My father-in-law is having some rather serious health challenges at the moment. Several years back, after an operation on his knee, an infection set up that eventually required the amputation of his right leg just above the knee. In spite of this "disability", he continues to be one of the most active people I know. He cares for his aging mother (Mamaw is 89). He drives the local Amish people around - locally and nationally, having recently made a couple of trips to Delaware.

Anyway, he learned this summer that his other knee requires an operation, and he is understandably nervous. In addition, he has a slipped disk in his neck and that needs an operation as well. He was at the hospital today getting a CT scan.

DH approached me at home and asked if we could take the kids to Stanford, so he could be there if his Dad needed him. Chris was worried because when he talked to his father on the phone, he said his father sounded like he was drunk. FIL wasn't drunk, but has been taking some serious painkillers to deal with his physical ailments. He said his father would probably be upset at him, but he wanted to be there just in case.

So we woke up the kids, got them dressed and we headed out. I was deliberately obtuse about why we were going, because the two youngest (DS2 - age 12 and DD - age 7) tend to get rather upset about sickness and injury. We just said we were going to help Papaw.

Well, when we were halfway there, Papaw (FIL) called and said he was turning into his driveway. So we turned to head towards his house. Before we got there, DH decided not to go. Obviously his father got home ok. FIL is extremely independent and DH thought he would probably get mad that we all came up "to check on him" and probably needed rest anyway.

This took 3-4 hours out of our day. But it was for family...and that means everything to me.

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Even though it is past the beginning of the month, I invite y'all to join in the challenge, by clicking on the button to the left for more information!

30 Day Giving Challenge - Starts November 1

2010-10-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

I've always been a fan of making life better for those around me. So when I came across a link to the "30-Day Giving Challenge" while reading the "Life-Your Way" blog, I decided to join in the fun with others making a point of giving to at least one other person (etc.) each day during the month of November 2010.

I invite anyone who happens to read this to join in. Join in even if you start after the 1st of the month. Because any act of selfless giving, no matter how small or how often, makes the world a better place for everyone and everything in it.

Camouflage Gardening

2010-05-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

No...my family is in no way affiliated with the armed forces. No, I'm not a survivalist, and I'm not into hiding my garden from passersby. So why the title?

I was trying to find a suitable color name somewhere in between green and brown to describe my thumb. I start out green - the seeds take off and lots of little sprouts shoot skyward. But my transplant technique needs some...care and maybe some fertilizer.

No pictures yet.

We started out cherry and some other tomatoes for a "Topsy-Turvy" hanging tomato planter. My 7 year old DD was quite a help ... almost more than I could hope for, if you know what I mean! *lol*

The cherry tomatoes came up well in a little four-place plastic (yeah, I know, sorry) container. It came with the kit, and we don't have a lot of options right now. I borrowed one of our two cake pans to start the bigger tomatoes. A total of 3 cherry and 11 other tomatoes formed the basis of our fresh food supply this season.

Thanks to the wind and rain we've gotten over the last two weeks (twice taking refuge in an empty downstairs apartment), most of the coconut fiber washed out of the four-spot, but they seemed to be holding their own. During the last week, every day brought a new sprout or two to the cake pan tomatoes. (Haha, I think I will call them that from now on.)

Yesterday was especially windy. We had put the four-spot inside the container meant to hold the finished Topsy-Turvy conglomerate. It was blown over and scattered in the parking lot of our apartment building. But all the coconut fiber (and the 3 seedlings) were in a 3-4" wedge on the floor of the front porch up against the wall. I have tried transplanting them into some of those little fiber cup things that you can put right into the ground. Two look to be doing ok. One could use a "little engine that could"-style pep talk (and some good gardening karma from my sisters and brothers out there).

I'd like to take the ones we don't put in the hanging container and transplant them up at my husband's Mamaw's house. She and her sons (and their families) have about 1/4 acre plowed up there and just onions, lettuce and maybe one or two other things planted right now.

We also have sunflower seeds, corn, pumpkin...and I think one other type of seed, that will begin their growth journey in the coming days and weeks. One of these weeks I even will hazard to promise some pictures...of the garden.

Happy tending!

Mamavation Monday - 3 May, 2010

2010-05-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

For those in the Mamavation Nation who don't know me...which is, oh, just about everyone *lol*...here are the basics:

I have been overweight since shortly after puberty. My father passed away when he was 47, (I was a senior in high school) from a stroke and heart trouble. I am roughly the same age as my father when he passed, but my children are 13 (DS1), 11 (DS2) and 7 (DD). I want to be around for a while - a task made more difficult by my high blood pressure. I had a mini-stroke last August, going to the ER with bp of 212/120. For 4 years, I have taken care of adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Three years ago I started smoking (yeah, I know), in part due to the stress of the job. Right now I'm on medical leave due to being hit by a resident while trying to prevent her from injuring herself.

My nutrition and fitness habits have dwindled over the years to next to nothing, and I want to change that. After all, one day I want to spoil my grandkids the way my mother and DH's folks spoil my kids now. :O)

So, what I need to do:

1. Stop smoking.

2. Improve my nutrition.

3. Improve my physical fitness.

For the next week, I will:

1. Keep a log of my smoking.

2. Keep a log of my eating and drinking.

3. Keep a log of my physical fitness activities.

4. Review my logs on Monday morning, 10 May 2010 (the day before is both Mother's Day and DH's and my wedding anniversary) and determine "umbrella" goals, as well as goals for the following week.

Mostly I can use accountability partner(s). I am much more likely to make that extra effort to skip a smoke, or to drink that extra glass of water, when I know I'm going to be telling someone else!

How could I support other people in their 'walks' (no pun intended)? I'm a good listener and sounding board, whether someone needs to vent, brainstorm or chat.

I've heard it said that when you have a friend, your joys are doubled and your troubles are cut in half. I want to get that from, and be that for, other goal-oriented Mamas.

Spring Cleaning Carnival - Week 1 - Friday

2010-03-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Today's triclosan article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan

I found the overall tone of the information on wikipedia to be that the side effects of triclosan were not as bad as some people claim to be. I tried not to let this color my opinion and discount what the article said, as I am predisposed to have negative thoughts about triclosan's 'cost vs. benefits'.

As several of the residents at the facility where I work have developed MRSA infections due to frequent hospital stays, and the article stated triclosan was particularly effective in combating MRSA, I'm actually all for it in a health-care setting. And I think I posted the following example recently, although I am not sure: a co-worker sprayed (over-sprayed?) disinfectant at work one day and I had to wear a mask in order to keep my cookies down, if you get my meaning. It was hard to breathe.

Of course, Wikipedia can be edited by anyone with an account, but has built up credibility as a source of information over the years. They certainly were thorough in citing sources: 31 for this page.

The article on bleach: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_effect_of_Inhaling_bleach

is a simple one-sentence question and 1-2 paragraph answer, that any high-concentration of bleach should be handled as little as possible and only in a well-ventilated area.

The upshot is that my opinion about triclosan and bleach use in a home setting is not really much different today than it was yesterday. I would still prefer to (personally) use products that have as little to do with a laboratory and engineered products as possible, but part of the carnival assignment was learning more about the substances and one article on each (triclosan and bleach) this week seemed to be about right for me.

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I came up with the following list for a set of basic natural household cleaners:

1 spray bottle

1 opaque spray bottle (to prevent breakdown of peroxide)

white vinegar

hydrogen peroxide

baking soda

All that should be easy enough to acquire on Monday when I get paid.

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Here are some websites I found to aid in DS1's lessons:

http://chemistry.about.com/od/k12gradelessons/a/periodictable.htm

http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/properties-of-vinegar.html

http://chemistry.about.com/od/k12gradelessons/K12_Grade_Chemistry_Lessons.htm

http://www.coolscience.org/CoolScience/KidScientists/h2o2.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4606163_hydrogen-peroxide-kill-bacteria.html\

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/foodchemistry/f/blbaking.htm

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-16881372.html

http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=58

Spring Cleaning Carnival - Week 1 - Thursday

2010-03-25T03:08:00.000-07:00

Today's article read on triclosan: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/green-products-services/antibacterial-soap-55073001

For me, the most interesting thing about this article was that they claim the American Medical Association (AMA) is against use of products containing triclosan in households. Reading this article at the AMA site suggested it would be better to avoid the use of household products in which triclosan is an ingredient, but qualified this statement by including that insufficient research data exists to draw a conclusion. It was interesting to me to note that this was the only article found by doing a search of the term triclosan at the AMA site. The information on household products was found on pp 4-5 of the article, and centered on questions of the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents such as triclosan and the possibility of increased antimicrobial resistance.

I also checked this article at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) site. It was 26 pages long, and no, I didn't read the whole thing. My eyes started to blur in front of all the scientific data. To me, the FDA's findings were not significantly different from that of the AMA. Mostly it seemed that people were not washing their hands long enough with whatever product to make much of a difference in the amount of bacteria left on their hands.

Even though we wore gloves when assisting residents with toileting and bathing at my job, I always washed my hands between each resident served and changed gloves at least once (things could get messy) with and/or in between people. I use the "ABC Song" method to time my handwashing. :O)

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Today's article read on the effects of inhaling bleach: http://www.ehow.com/about_5376626_side-effects-inhaling-bleach.html

The suggestions in this article included:

wearing protective gear (mask and/or gloves), especially when dealing with full-concentration bleach;
working in a well-ventilated area;
diluting the solution;
vinegar or lemon can help remove bleach that comes in contact with skin;
high concentrations (more than 500 ppm-which is way more concentrated than household bleach) can cause serious inhalation problems.

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I don't know about y'all, but I want to go outside and breath some semi-fresh air, go wash my hands when I get back in and make sure I have the Poison Control Center toll-free number (1-800-222-1222) readily at hand!

Spring Cleaning Carnival - Week 1 - Wednesday

2010-03-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

OK. Here are the personal care products we use in the bathroom:

Aussie Cleanse & Mend shampoo

Suave Jumpin' Berry body wash (yeah, not just for the kids *lol*)

Listerine Total Care cinnamint mouthwash

Crest Whitening Expressions toothpaste - cinnamon rush flavor

Neutrogena Oil-free Acne Wash

While none of them list triclosan or bleach, the acne wash has something called "microclear technology" ... and it's got the color of most 'antibacterial soap', so it makes me wonder....

Here are the articles I found to be reading over the next 5 days on triclosan:

1. http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/green-products-services/antibacterial-soap-55073001

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan

3. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm

4. http://drbenkim.com/articles/triclosan-products.htm

5. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,170188,00.html

5 Articles on the effects of inhaling bleach:

1. http://www.ehow.com/about_5376626_side-effects-inhaling-bleach.html

2. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_effect_of_Inhaling_bleach

3. http://dhs.wi.gov/eh/ChemFS/fs/chlorine.htm

4. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/820779-overview

5. http://www.pburch.net/drupal/?q=node/569

Anyway, these particular articles were chosen randomly from the first page of a Google search result on the topics of "triclosan" and "effects of inhaling bleach". I'm just trying to increase my knowledge of the subjects in order to construct an informed opinion on whether or not to have them in my household, and if so, to what extent.

Spring Cleaning Carnival - Week 1 - Tuesday

2010-03-23T02:09:00.000-07:00

Ok. So I went to the Kitchen Stewardship blog site today, actually from a link in the email feed for another post, and was thrilled to find out that the Spring Cleaning Carnival (SCC) post was up! I read through the entire thing a couple of times, taking time to get the background from various links shown throughout the entry.

I went through our apartment at, oh, let's just say 'close' to midnight and found the following potential 'nasties':

Dawn antibacterial hand/dish soap
Mr. Clean w/Febreze multi-surface cleaning
DC Home Lemon Bleach
Febreze extra strength
Glade Powder Fresh room spray
GV Sheer Spring Laundry Detergent
GV Fresh Scent Color-Safe Bleach

(Please note I am not passing judgment on the above products. I mean, we've been using them to clean and disinfect, so they are apparently meeting a perceived need.)

The dish soap contained 'triclosan', one of the evil elements in question. Two of them contained the other - bleach. The remaining products (#2, 4, 5, and 6) did not list either triclosan nor bleach, but had the usual "touch or inhale this product and you can kiss your *ahem* life goodbye" warnings. To me that would mean, if there is a safer alternative, wouldn't that be a good idea? My dear husband (DH) and my dear son #2 (DS2) both suffer from sometimes horrendous allergies, so eliminating potential irritants is of great interest here.

And, I must confess, I have searched out "antibacterial" products in the past. *cringe-have mercy on me*

My level of action is a combination of "baby steps" and "making strides". Wholesale replacement is not a possibility for us right now, especially since I'm in the middle of an indefinite medical leave from my work due to on-the-job injury to my right arm. (Thank goodness computer use is not painful! *haha*)

Subscribing to the theory that it's not 'really' the new day until the sun comes up, I will say that on Monday, 3/22, I went through my family's pantry/cleaning products, identifying sources of triclosan and bleach.

For the rest of the week:

Tuesday 3/23 - go through our personal hygiene products etc (see the "sneaky sources" info at the Spring Cleaning Carnival post linked above)

Wednesday 3/24 - search a list of 5 articles on triclosan and/or bleach's effects on people, to be read one a day starting on Thursday 3/25 until Monday 3/29.

Thursday 3/25 - make a list of supplies needed to make homemade cleaning products (click on the link to see Kitchen Stewardship's (KS's) post on the subject).

Friday 3/26 - make a lesson plan for our DS1 (age 13) relative to his capabilities of understanding on the subject.

Saturday 3/27 - make a lesson plan for our DS2 (age 11) ...

Sunday 3/28 - make a lesson plan for our dear daughter DD-age 7 ...

Monday 3/29 - amass at least some of the supplies identified on 3/25 by repurposing or purchasing.

*breathe* . . . "Baby steps, baby steps"

I Went Away for a While . . .

2010-03-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

...and now I'm back.

I'm starting a blog carnival hosted over at the Kitchen Stewardship blog starting *egads* tomorrow, and thought I'd better get back into the swing of things.

Quick recap - I work at a residential/teaching facility for adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. At the end of January, I was injured (tendon damage in right elbow - can't lift much of anything w/o pain right now). I have worked about 1 week since that time; thank goodness for built-up sick and annual leave and worker's compensation. Last Thursday I finally went to a 'specialist', who put me off work for 3 more weeks. So, I should have lots of time for blogging, right?

I tried one of the 'making your own yeast/sourdough' recipes on the above-mentioned site, and it worked well, but I don't really have a big enough jar to keep it going on any sort of scale. I'll have to change that in the coming week.

Anyway, off until tomorrow and the carnival. YEEHAW!

Lucky Not-a-Stroke

2009-08-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, August 18th, 2009, I was not feeling very well. I could tell my blood pressure was up and my feet looked like they belonged to the Michelin Man. So, I decided to go to the doctor on the way in to work.

I arrived, paid my copay and waited...and waited...and waited. People who came in after me (even walk-ins) were going in before me. Then the receptionist called me to the window and informed me that I had a $60 balance from a previous visit and they needed to collect at least $40 of it that day. I told her I had $5 left on my debit card and maybe $3 in my pocket. She said "just a minute" and went into the back. Shortly thereafter she came back to the window and said that that would be ok (they would take the approximately $8 I had left and I could be seen by the doctor). I was stressed already and said I needed to make a phone call. I started to call my husband, but before he could pick up, I hung up the phone and told the receptionist that they could keep the $15 I had paid towards the bill and that I would be back to see them on Friday when I got paid.

By this time I was visibly upset. I turned to go and she said, "Ms. B, just a minute." I held up a hand "talk to the hand" style, said, "I can't," and proceeded to leave the office. By the time I got to my car, I was hacking like I was going to throw up. My heart was racing and I was gasping for air. (DH thinks I was having a panic attack at this point...although he was at home with the kids.)

I probably should have gone to the hospital, but all I could think of was getting to work, because it was already past the 2 hrs prior to shift deadline in order to call in.

Parking really, really sucks where I work. I parked in a slightly "not approved" spot, but shoot, I wasn't going to walk up the long hill feeling the way I did. As I walked to my cottage, my eyes were swimming and I was walking...not weaving, but not in a straight line either.

The first shift nurse (LPN) was there and I asked her to take my blood pressure. She did and said, "just a minute" and went to get the RN. She came in and took my bp again and informed me that it was 212/110. This information did nothing for my racing heart and labored breathing. My lips had been going numb and were hard to move. Once or twice I remember sticking a finger or two into my mouth to separate my lips. My right hand was becoming hard to move.

More and more people started coming into the room. I remember calling my supervisor and telling her what was going on, saying, "I didn't want people to think I was a 'no-call, no-show'." HOW STUPID IS THAT? I was close to having a stroke and I was worried about how it would affect my job! The nurse asked if I wanted them to call and ambulance and I said I didn't think it was necessary. They arranged to have a co-worker take me to the hospital, as I had my family's only car with me. I was taken out to the car in a wheelchair, because the medical staff didn't want me walking.

Originally one of the nurses was going to take me, but when she asked someone to clock her out, the coordinator said that she would have to stay and clock out herself. So someone from 1st shift in the cottage in which I work took me. I babbled incessantly on the way to the ER, I suppose trying to keep myself together.

More to come tomorrow....

My Impish Self

2009-07-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

We moved recently from a small town about 17 miles away from where I work to the city where I work (only about 4 miles away from work). On the way to and from work I pass a pharmacy where their reader/sign says,

"Yes, we have the shingles vaccine!"

What is it about me that wants to sneak by some night and take down the word vaccine, so the sign would read,

"Yes, we have the shingles!"

*LOL* I'm so 'bad' sometimes!

Mr. Snugglebutt - The Mighty Hunter

2009-05-16T04:15:00.001-07:00

We have two cats - Mr. Snugglebutt and Mittens. (We also have a dog, Flower Power Rosie - aka Crackhead.) Mr. Snug we got from over by my husband's Mamaw's house. Flower is the grand-daughter of the first dog we had in Kentucky. Mittens is a cat left by one of our neighbors when they moved out - leaving about a dozen dogs and half as many cats. I figured out why Mittens adopted us ... she's expecting kittens (any minute now).

But I digress...

Mr. Snugglebutt is a superb mouser; what I didn't know is that he will take on just about anything.

Several weeks ago I was on the back porch when he came trotting up with a live small rabbit in his mouth. The rabbit was still struggling. I was horrified and, not thinking, I picked Snug up by the scruff of the neck and squeezed her jaws (gently but firmly) until he had to let the rabbit go. It then hopped off the porch and started running like c-r-a-z-y from a rare (and maybe first and only) time that Flower and Snug worked together for a common goal other than frustrating the begeezies out of each other.

Last night I was sitting in the bedroom with my 12 yr old DS1 and 6 yr old DD. We were watching an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, when we heard something THUD against the side of the house. We have a window a/c unit (that unfortunately has some space on the side). I say unfortunately, because it was apparently enough space for Snug to jump through (from the ground about 7-8' below...with a very much NOT alive squirrel in his mouth! I screamed, yelled "EWWW," and drew my feet up on the bed. My daughter buried her head in my side. My son yelped, "Cool," and ran to proclaim Snug's mighty feat to his father, making sure to mention the bloody entrails. *shudder*

I made DH deal w/the squirrel.

When DS1 gave the cat the name "Mr. Snugglebutt", I tried to persuade him to choose another, reasoning that "all the other neighborhood cats would snicker at him". I think Snug figured he had something to prove ... and I haven't noticed one neighbor cat messing with him! *lol*

Just another day in the country...

My Give-a-Damn's BUSTED

2009-04-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

Last night at work...*argh*

I work at a residential/teaching facility for adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. The client/residents are great (ok, for the most part). It's the administration and some of my co-workers that are driving me right over the edge.

Yesterday, we had 3 trips for residents going out at 3:00 (which is when the shift officially starts). One of the bigger bosses decided recently that everyone in our unit would clock in in one place. That's about 50 people or more clocking in at one clock in the space of 5 minutes. Naturally, my home is farthest from the time clock. So, we don't even get to the home until 5-10 minutes till 3. Then we have to do "shift communication". Then we have other ladies to transport to classes, etc. (That's another post right there.)

There were 6 staff scheduled for my side of the home. Five of them were going on trips at 3. That left one person to transport 4 ladies to classes. Of course, you can't leave them alone in the home, so we were "out of compliance". So, my co-workers going on the other trips, took a couple of the ladies, and brought one back who had a trip (and requires two people with her at all times outside). Then the supervisor calls and says to send a staff to the salon to relieve the person there so she could go cover in the swimming pool. I told her we didn't have anybody, because 5 of us were going out...(by this time we were already 5 minutes late).

Someone had told me that the trip I was going on had the form already picked up (another blessing from our big boss, that we have to walk to the administration building to pick up the trip forms - instead of having them in our home offices - what are these people thinking)??? So I take my lady out, partially to pick up the form, partially to make sure the R-TEC bus does not leave us because the 2-on-1 resident is also going to the same place. My charge requires a "gait belt" outdoors because she is unsteady on her feet. They special order diabetic shoes for her (she is not diabetic) at exhorbitant prices, in order to use up the money in her account. The shoes are too small for her - giving her ingrown toenails and red marks on the top of her feet. Anyway, she falls on the way down, skinning her elbow (no other injuries). So I have to call the nurse and my supervisor.

Then the bus driver did not even have my lady, "G" on his list and could not take her unless his dispatch called. So I had to call my supervisor again. "G" and I went to get the forms, including the one for the other resident. One bright spot of the day was that they 'allowed' me to pick up both forms even though I was not listed on the 2nd form. There was no way the trips would have gone off if "S's" staff had to bring her down. Oy! Ok, bright spot #2: the bus driver was extremely accommodating.

We were all pretty hot by the time all the trips were said and done.

The later, two of the staff on my side of the home 'disappeared' for about an hour. They did not, to my knowledge, let anyone know they were going, nor did they assign their clients to anyone (this is like one of the "HAVE TO's" that the DOJ (Department of Justice) and OIG (Office of the Inspector General) look for. So, I called the other side. A co-worker told me that they had been in there a while ago, but she did not know where they were at that time. So I called the supervisor, who said that "they did some baths on the other side of the home, then covered some breaks for me". Fine. I did not have a problem with them being gone for legitimate reasons.

I was, however, worried. Most of the residents are great. Some you do not want to meet outside in the dark with no other staff around, if you KWIM. (One resident, who within the last year, sexually assaulted a mailroom staff, has been calling one of my co-workers who was gone his "girlfriend".

Well, I was a little hot, and had written in the log that they were gone and we were informed by the supervisor that they had been off the floor at her request, but that their clients had not been re-assigned. Shortly after I went to break. While at break, I thought over the situation, and decided I would go in and re-write that page of the log, because the administration might take things the wrong way when really no harm had been done.

While I was out there, I strongly suspect that one of these ladies called the nurse (who was sitting across the picnic table from me at the smoking area), because she said "...and I bet I know who put her up to it." I knew they had seen the log.

I went back inside. They had taken the page off the log and when I walked out of the hallway, one of them folded the page over, and another one started tearing it up. I explained that I had been going to change the log, but that they really needed to let someone know they were going, log when they are going and make sure to assign their clients to someone. What if there had been a fire or tornado...or a drill? Getting 5 ladies in wheelchairs out of beds or recliners, covered up, taking two ladies (one of whom required two-on-one transport) outside or into the bathroom (depending on the emergency) takes a lot of co-ordinated effort.

Now, I always second guess myself. But I felt I was unfairly "shunned" after this event. These women are young enough to be my daughters. Maybe that's why they felt like they knew everything. Whom they assumed had put me up to this, is another older co-worker, and these two groups have always butted heads.

Anyway, the whole situation reduced me to tears for about the last two hours of the shift. My husband called, as he usually does, and I could hardly talk on the phone. For the clients who have g-tubes (for feeding) we have to tell the nurse how many times they urinate and how many bm's they have in a shift. I could hardly talk there. I went out the back door, so I wouldn't have to see my co-workers. I stood in the shadows on the far side of the building where the time clock was until "the two" co-workers clocked out and left.

One lady whom I have given rides to several times saw me and knew something was wrong. We happened to be parked in the same area of the annex lot and we walked out together, talking. I wanted to stop by the home to see if the log had been changed in actuality (for some reason, the log was "kept" from me the latter part of the shift *hmmm, imagine that*). It had. Third shift asked what was wrong. I told them - without mentioning names.

I had seriously considered going into my doctor this morning and asking her to give me a couple days off work. The trips are even more screwed up today than yesterday (and that boggles the mind!). There are 2 second-shift staff supposed to be on a trip from 11:00 - 12:30 (2-3 hours before our shift starts). Our newest transfer taking one of the male clients to a restaurant - and she has never worked with him before. A staff who will not be there today is listed on two separate trips in the evening at the same time. And they are apparently going to stuff 3 wheelchairs, an ambulatory man, and four staff on an R-TEC bus meant for no more than 2 wheelchairs and about 6 others.

Yeah right.

I know my perspective is terribly skewed on the subject of my job right now. If you made it this far, first of all, THANK YOU! Secondly, if you have a different p.o.v., or some constructive advice, I would be more than willing to receive it.

National Girls' Night Out

2009-02-06T17:33:00.000-08:00

Ladies, are you single and don't want to sit at home on Valentine's Day?

Or maybe you're in a relationship and just need some time away from your "better half"?

National Girls' Night Out is perfect for you! The movie "He's Just Not That Into You" opens that weekend and who better to go see this movie with than your BFFs? And an online after-party on February 16th (the following Monday) with prizes? TOO MUCH! *lol*

Now, for myself, I am married (and mostly happily so), but I know the value of time out with the girls. And, I work all that weekend, so I'm going to have to get creative about when to see the movie. And that's ok. So, if you've got scheduling conflicts like me, don't worry about it! NGNO is about stepping back from our everyday lives!

Ladies, let's do this one for US! I hope to "see" you there!

I Have a Dream ... Too

2009-02-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

This post is inspired by Selena's "Are You a Dreamer" entry at Blissfully Domestic.

I actually first read Selena's post last night, and I needed to put on my thinking cap for a while. At first my dreams didn't seem big enough. Then I thought ... our dreams are what we need as individuals to grow from where we are to a world where our dreams are realities.

So, onto my dreams:

I dream of a world where no children go to bed cold or hungry (including my own).

I dream of a world where 'common' sense and 'common' courtesy are the rule ... and not the exception.

I dream of a world where people who are 'different' are treated with respect and as equals.

I dream of a world where people actually take the time to stop and smell the roses.

Pink-Haired Butterfly Princess

2009-01-31T03:55:00.000-08:00

OK. So I subscribe to an email newsletter called "$5 Dinners".

OK. So today's post referenced a challenge on the "Motherload" blog called the "No-Spend Challenge".

What...MY family not spend money unnecessarily? Don't make me laugh. *cough* *cough* *sputter* *choke)

It's hard to say "no" on payday when we've done without...and I mean WITHOUT...for the previous several days.

But I am tired of living paycheck to paycheck. I am tired of renting a house from someone else. I am tired of barely being able to afford the copay for the doctor visit, and then NOT being able to afford the meds or referrals. I am tired of going to work and being the one that can't participate collections for people when a relative passes.

It's time to do something about it. So I am doing this challenge. And my family is coming along for the ride. Now I just have to tell them. *ROFL* Luckily my birthday is in October, so that's far enough away that they might feel like actually celebrating for/with me by then.

I think I've started making some changes already. My daughter's 6th birthday is Monday. I'm making her cake. After work, my rider and I went to the store and I had to get a bundt pan, but that can be said to be an investment, as it will last for just about ever. That was about $11. The doll was $6 (because it is an actual toy, not just the head and torso on a stick made for doll cakes). The cake mix was 88 cents. The frosting was $1.26 (I think); it was low-sugar because my hubby's Mamaw is diabetic and I'd like for her to be able to have a little nibble at the party. Decorations ran about $5.

I don't count the doll towards the cost of the cake, because it is really meant to be a toy. And, say for the sake of argument that the bundt pan "expired" after 10 uses, that would mean a per cake cost of $1.10. Add that to the other figures and the cake will cost about $8.24 when a comparable store-bought cake would probably be about $20.

And I DEFY any store to carry a pink-haired butterfly princess cake that is decorated with pink sparkly gel icing, and heart, Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen decorations!

Individual Meaning

2009-01-22T02:46:00.000-08:00

The following is a quote I got in an email from Beliefnet.com:

The life of the individual only has meaning insofar as it aids in making the life of every living thing nobler and more beautiful. Life is sacred that is to say, it is the supreme value to which all other values are subordinate.
Albert Einstein

This quote helps me feel better about some of the choices I've made in my life. For instance:

I have a Magna Cum Laude degree in Finance from a private college in Utah, and could have chosen a career path that brought me more "success" in the eyes of the world. And certainly near-empty cupboards and scrounging in the couch for gas money in the days before payday isn't the life of which I dreamed. But the job I have now is the most fulfilling I've ever had ... because I see the difference I'm making in the lives of other people every day I go into work.

The people with whom I work are adults with MR/DD (mental retardation and developmental disabilities). They also have a host of other medical and psychiatric issues. Neither they, nor I, will ever have a corner suite in the tallest office building in town. For some of the lower functioning residents, learning to place their silverware beside their plate (something most of us take for granted) is a monumental victory. The "higher functioning" residents learn impulse control and anger management. The goal for all of the residents is to be able to live outside the facility, independently or in a group home...but some will never do so. But that doesn't mean that their lives don't have meaning or that they are 2nd-class citizens.

One of the ladies with whom I work is 73 years old. She was "normal" until just over a year old, when a high fever caused her to start having seizures. That she has lived this long is nothing short of astounding. She laughs most of the day...full, throaty, head thrown back, face turning red guffaws. I don't laugh that much now ... and people consider I have the "better" life. My life is richer for knowing her. In fact, I want to be like her when I grow up. *LOL*

I'm not saying this to get "good for you" comments from other people or to say that I have chosen a "higher" path. I have chosen my path ... one that works for me. It takes all kinds of people and all types of paths to make society function.

I do have to get on a soapbox for a moment here about my work. The facility is one of the largest ICF's (intermediate care facilities) for the MR population in Kentucky. It is located on prime real estate in the center of town. The land was donated by a local businessman with the stipulation if the facility ever closed, the land would revert back to him. For years now, various governmental agencies have been finding numerous faults with the care practices at the facility ... mostly on the administrative end of things, but certainly some cases of shameful abuse has occurred. There was one article in the local paper in the time I've worked at the facility that had something nice to say about it (and I nearly fell out of my chair when I read it)!

But what most people seem to overlook is that by and large, the residents would not get better care elsewhere. We are being pressured to "herd 'em up and move 'em out", treating our residents as little better than cattle. These people are not units to be managed, they are human beings with dreams and aspirations, likes and dislikes ... the same as all us "normal" folk.

An Attitude of Gratitude

2009-01-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

I was reading a posting on the Blissfully Domestic site, entitled: "Enjoying the Life You Design" by Nancy M. Sutherland. The first point she made was:

Have an attitude of gratitude- even when things are not going the way that you planned. (They rarely do.)

This quote really hit home for me. You see, I've been complaining a LOT about work lately. Granted, there has been a lot about which to complain. Administration that cares more about paperwork and how things look than about the residents' well-being and happiness, a new supervisor who has made me cry at work twice in the three weeks he's been there, rampant rumors about the facility closing.

But there is so much in my life for which I am able to be grateful...and I need to remember that more. So here is a little list...in no particular order:

My faith in God.
My husband.
My oldest son.
My younger son.
My daughter.
My friends at work.
My friends at church.
The roof over our heads.
A working heating system in the frigid winter.
My ability to change and adapt.
God's Food Pantry (the local food bank).
My mother and brother.
My in-laws.
Each new day.
The ladies (residents) at work.

I could go on...and on...and on! Maybe I can make this like a weekly thing...or make a meme out of it somehow so other folks can get in on the FUN! *lol*

Random Thoughts on My Job

2009-01-06T00:24:00.000-08:00

Well, had to smoke on the front porch tonight...it was raining and the back porch doesn't have a roof. Anyway, apparently the front porch is good for generating ideas too.

Everyone is always touting "active treatment" at work. And I agree with the idea, up to a point. There are some folks who would, if left to their own devices, put residents in the bed or in front of the tv so they could be on their cell phones or whatever. (The ladies and gents living in my building are lower functioning than most of the people on the facility, many of them in wheelchairs, and for the most part stay where they're parked.

But I think the idea can go too far, too. They get up between 6 and 7 am, have breakfast and are in classes, work, therapy (whatever) by 9 am. After 3 hours, they come home for lunch and are gone at 1pm again until 4. Then they come home and we take them to the on-site "bank" and coffee shop...except for the residents with g-tubes, who don't get anything by mouth. Some homes, you can send one staff with 3-4 residents on such a "trip", because these residents can walk independently. In my home, it's 1:1 due to gait or wheelchair, or in one case 2:1. Yet, we get the same amount of staff as in other homes ... no more. *sigh*

We are also supposed to keep our residents "active" doing "age-appropriate" activities until supper, after supper until bath-time and after that until bedtime ... which they would put between 9 and 10 pm.

GET REAL! I DON'T DO THAT IN MY OWN LIFE! DO YOU?

Anyhow, I know I'm not a physical therapist, but it occurred to me that there are many things we could do that could assist our residents (which in my case are ladies) to at least maintain range of motion and strength. For the ladies in wheelchairs, we could raise and lower their lower legs (individually or together), supporting them underneath.

I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this post.

Happy New Year's Celebration - So-so New Year

2009-01-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

Well, I had yesterday and today off, so it was a Happy New Year's celebration for me! *lol*

But I went to do the Thursday Thirteen meme today, and www.thursdaythirteen.com points to a goDaddy website for hosting. *sheesh* And I have to go back to work tomorrow. And after our little shift meeting on Tuesday at 10:45 pm, I decided that my primary resolution for 2009 is to GET A NEW JOB!

I work with mentally and physically challenged adults, specifically the "lower functioning" clients. There are seven ladies in my 'cottage'. Five of them are in wheelchairs. Five (not necessarily the same ones) are in "adult protective undergarments". Several of them can talk - but not in complete sentences usually.

My main problem right now is that the clients in other cottages, the "higher functioning" ones - those who can express themselves, who can walk, use the bathroom independently, refuse classes, medicines, etc. are the ones who seem to get all the privileges and get to enjoy the rights we are always being told the 'individuals' have. My ladies do not. Neither do similarly abled gentlemen residents. There is one, who is in a specialized wheelchair. On 2nd shift (my shift) he is supposed to be put in a chair that cranks up and supports his body to where he is standing. Would his life improve if he could stand on his own? No argument there. Problem is, he HATES it. Mention the word, let him catch a glimpse of the "stander" and he swears, spits, scratches himself ... and is upset for the rest of the evening. But we were told Tuesday that he DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT to refuse, that a "team of experts" came up with this plan to improve his life.

This "team" of experts gain their knowledge of this man by reading about him in a notebook. If they're lucky, they may have a picture. If they are outstanding ... they have made the effort to come out and see him in person. NONE of them "KNOW" him. But their views and opinions of what is best for him and what he likes is crammed down his (and our) throat(s) every day.

It's not the experts, the ones apparently so knowledgable about this man (or any of the residents there, for that matter) that help this man feed himself. They don't try to explain to him over and over again why it is a good thing that he can still get on the toilet i/o tossed in a bed for a diaper change. "They" aren't the ones who clean up after the man after he vomits or wipes his forehead when he has a fever. And they would be the ones standing outside the burning cottage while the floor staff (including me) would be willingly risking our lives to get the residents out of a fire.

I should probably stop now. I'm getting upset. *sigh*

5 Years

2008-12-12T22:49:00.000-08:00

Here is an entry I did for a contest over at Scrawlers:

Five years ago, the infant puddled in the bottom of the car seat did not yet weigh 4 lbs. The drive home from the hospital, a 20 minute ride, took one and a half hours, due to one of the worst ice storms in Fort Worth's history.

Tonight, the wind howls through the blue grass, and the temperature chills the bone. But my gangly young daughter lies face down across the arms of the recliner next to the computer. She is warm, sated and comfortable, drawing her feet beneath her Cars fleece cover.

I Must Have Been Rotten in My Former Life...

2008-12-09T23:37:00.000-08:00

... to deserve a day like today. Granted it was my "Friday" at work, as I have Wednesday and Thursday off. I work in a residential/training facility for adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.

Every once in a while we get pulled out of our regular homes to work in another home that is short staff for whatever reason on a shift. Therein lies a big part of the problem. "They" have been saying that we don't need as many staff to run the facility. (I'm not quite sure who "they" are at this point, but suffice it to say that "they" have all of the dollars and none of the cents/sense - yes, a play on words - at the facility.

Add to that a large number of both residents and staff going to a Christmas season dinner at a convention center across the street from our "front door", and leaving me (unfamiliar staff) and a woman who had been working there since September (but not always in the same house) with two residents. Now, obviously I cannot use names here, but perhaps I can give you an idea of what we were up against.

Both women residents are non-verbal. The one my co-worker was watching engages in SIB (self-injurious behavior), such as banging her head against things, aggression and digging for and/or slinging and/or eating her own waste. (Sorry for the TMI if you've just eaten.) My resident likes to change her clothes, come out of her room naked and go into other residents' bedrooms to take all of their clothes out of their closets. Both of them would just LOVE to get into the kitchen and gorge themselves.

When I got back from my lunch break, the resident I had was not in her bedroom (where she was asleep when I left). She had actually gotten up to eat her supper (which is unusual, so the regular staff says). I looked in every open doorway and could not see her. So I went and asked the staff and most of them couldn't tell me where she was either. (As it turns out, she was perched on a toilet in someone else's bathroom.

Not 10 minutes after most of the other residents and staff left, she began trying to exit her room into the common living areas without any clothes on. I attempted (and finally succeeded) in getting her to don a minimum of clothing. Then she began to try to get into the kitchen. As she had just finished her supper less than 1/2 hour before, I tried to "redirect" her to getting her snack with the nurse did the med pass. *WRONG* In the ensuing 30 minutes, she slapped the you-know-what out of my forearms, raising a welt with discoloration on my right arm. I'd have to look at the tape to know, but would estimate between 30-50 hits. (It is a little embarrassing to reveal that she is 5-foot-NOTHING, but in defense of my ego, she has large "man-hands" and they have apparently started giving her steroids ... but I'm not medical staff, so I have no idea why and do not care to guess as to why "they" say she needs them - you remember "they", right?)

At one point, the resident kept licking her fingers/hand before each slap. I guess she thought (or had been taught) that that would make the hurt worse. I also suspect that this is how she was treated at some point in her past.

I called for a supervisor to come assist. To do this, I had to call the front desk and have her paged. When she called back, I could not take the call because I was in the dining area fighting WWII (no disrespect meant to my country's soldiers by pretending that my experience in any way compares to what they went through or what they are going through now in armed combat). My co-worker took the call, and relayed the information that the supervisor had been "pulled to the floor" (which can happen in extreme cases when there is not other floor staff available). So, in my mind, that meant that I probably wasn't going to get any help.

They do have an option available for situations that really get out of hand, which is termed "calling a code green". But I was like, I can't do that for one person, and a petite resident at that. And, seeing that she is not in complete possession of her mental faculties, I could not defend myself, but only attempt to block her blows and redirect her behavior. I understand that it would not be right to assault someone like that; having worked with the county's MR population for over 2.5 years now, the way people with MR get treated and taken advantage of ranks right up there for me with child or animal abuse. And NO, I'm not comparing the three in any way. I know these are adults and individuals and worth of respect.

But the beating I took tonight ... and that is the only appropriate term for it, would have landed a perpetrator without MR in the local jail. It took place in 4-6 episodes over a period of about two hours. After the first episode, I did get her an Ensure pudding out of the kitchen. There was nothing in the log about how much she had eaten. She ate all of it, although I did set it aside once or twice, after she hit my arm again. Once that was gone, I opened up some pureed chicken and bread crumbs (aka chicken sandwich if your food consistency for intake is "normal") and she tasted it once and then went back to her room. (For a mind-visual of pureed chicken, think Stage 1 Baby Food. Yeah, not exactly appetizing.)

A few minutes after, she got up out of bed and another round took place.

When the supervisor came in to give us breaks, it got even worse. Not the resident's behavior, but my feeling of being kicked when I was down. She seemed more concerned that I was reporting 2.5 hours after the onset of the "incident" (their word...mine remains "assault" ... "beating" works for me too). She said something to the effect "doesn't matter", although I cannot recall now exactly what it was that didn't matter, but I was not having a good evening, so my eyes flared up and I said, "Oh, so it doesn't matter like I felt I would NOT be getting any assistance?"

I have actually worked with this supervisor before, when she was "just" floor staff like I am now, and have not had problems with her in the past ... and it took a little time, but the misunderstanding was eventually hammered out.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, my husband called. Until payday, we're working with Skype as our phone service, which is great for making calls out from home, but you can't call in...or at least I don't know how. On any other day, his question of "how are you" would have brought an "eh" or "ok" from me. I started bawling on the phone. I know when they review the tapes from the time frame ... some of "their" ears are going to be BURNING!!!

So, obviously, I am at home now. The "incident report" was filled out, the IA1 (on the job injury report) was filled out and I've had to tell my children that I couldn't pick them up to hug them because Mommy's arms were hurt at work.

I'm tired; I'm signing off. Is it any wonder I started smoking after 6 months at this job? *sigh* And everything in the last two paragraphs may appear in BOLD, but t is not meant to be so. *more sighs*

Elvis is going bald - and other porchervations

2008-10-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

I spent some time with my daughter on the back porch today. Unfortunately, she has inherited her father's sense of style...she was wearing a pink, white and black plaid skirt and a long-flowy sleeved leopard print blouse. (I may be a tee shirt and jeans gal myself, but I know there is something wrong with that! *lol*)

Anyway, DD was flying a paper airplane off the back porch. The first model (pointy-nosed) did not work very well and she was getting a little frustrated. So I suggested she go in and have her father make her up a new one. She came back out a few minutes later with a snub-nosed model which caught the breezes a lot better. She's still carrying it around, even now that we're inside.

Now, what about Elvis and how do I know he's going bald? Didn't he pass some years ago, or, if you believe MIB, he just went home. *lol*

During the summer of 2007, I named several of the trees in our back yard. There is "Tootsie Pop", so named because a small clump of trees looks like one of those bouquets of Tootsie Pops banded together at the store. And then there is Elvis. He is made up of two trees. Due to their shape and placement relative to each other, they make that Elvis pompadour with the leaves. And right now, the leaves are falling. Hence, Elvis is going bald.

I'm kind of dreading going to work today. Apparently some "you know what" took place over the weekend, while I had the weekend off. (Thank goodness for small favors!) The "Senior Residential Associate" in my home (by title, not by age or length of service) reported another staff for abuse of a resident. Said resident was in the kitchen area (where he is not supposed to be w/o supervision) and was getting a little...rowdy. A male staff (from that side of the home) 'escorted' the resident back out of the kitchen. The SRA said she saw him holding the resident in a 'half-chicken-wing', and the staff was pulled off the floor.

If that were the case, I would agree that he needed to be pulled off the floor. However, the SRA has interviewed for Shift Supervisor in the home. Some people that were there are of the feeling that the allegations are false and/or that she submitted a falsified witness statement, which would be reprehensible. I don't see the accused staff abusing a client...but then I can't see the SRA making false statements either.

Word is that the decision on who gets the Shift Supervisor job is delayed now until the investigation is over. Could she have made the accusation to show that she would not be hesitant to turn someone in for wrong-doing? I suppose it's possible, although I really do not want to believe that.

I swear, sometimes they could make a soap opera out of the goings-on down there! :/

Oh, and I'm starting a meme next week on my "meme blog", Bluegrassgal, called "Music Mondays". Be sure to check back then!

Blog Action Day 08: POVERTY

2008-10-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

One of Dictionary.com's definitions of "poverty" is:

1. the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor; indigence.

For those who have never been there, it is hard to imagine. A lot of attention goes to developing nations (as is only fair) as they have not had the opportunities available to those peoples in "First World" countries. It is my belief that it is an important responsibility of the "haves" to assist the "have nots"...whether you call it blessing others as you have been blessed, karma, keeping the juice flowing around the universe, or whatever.

What about the "have nots" in developed countries? What about those on welfare, receiving Food Stamps? Have they squandered their opportunities in selfish pursuits? Maybe some have, but I would say the majority have not. Lack of equal opportunity abounds, no matter where you are.

For those who live in poverty, it's hard to imagine anything else. And, speaking from personal experience, that sucks.

So, how do we level the playing field? While looking around at what information there was on the internet about "poverty" most of it tied the condition of poverty to education and employment. And for a long-term solution to the poverty problem, improving a person's, region's, country's education and employment levels is essential. These are the bigger problems that belong on governmental desks.

What can one neighborood do? What good is the work of one family towards ending poverty? Surely the efforts of one person won't make a dent in this epidemic.

WRONG!

I can speak something to poverty in Kentucky. Feel free to translate this call to action into your own locality-ese. :)

According to a report released by The Working Poor Family Project:

Percentage of working families that are low-income — 30 percent in Kentucky. A low-income working family is defined as a family earning less than 200 percent of the poverty income threshold in 2006, which was $41,228 for a family of four.

Gee, my family fits into that category. Go figure. We're actually closer to the poverty level than we are to the "low-income" benchmark. I say that not to elicit pity, but just throwing it into the mix as an example.

Statistics from FeedingAmerica.org, dated 2007, rank Kentucky in the top fifth for highest poverty rates for the general population and children. Sadly, when looking at our elderly citizens, Kentucky ranks highest in the US for percentage of this demographic in poverty.

Later today, or possibly tomorrow, I will make a Thursday Thirteen list on my meme blog, BluegrassGal's Weblog, of actions individuals can take to lessen or eradicate poverty-related hunger in their area. (You see, I share a computer, and I am going to work later on, from 3-11 pm EST, taking care of adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. ) I hope to see you in the bluegrass by tomorrow. *lol*

OMCH - Oh My Celtic Heavan!

2008-10-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

OK. So I hadn't planned on doing another blog post again so soon. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, right? As I was going through the Thursday Thirteen meme posts, I found one on This Eclectic Life that I thought was cool, not only for the link to a contest for tickets to a Celtic Thunder concert, but for the link love she provided to other bloggers. Go see it and read it!

Now, for more on the contest.

I LOVE this quote from their fan site: "As the members of Celtic Thunder will tell you, Celtic Thunder is not a "boy band" - it is made up five soloists, Paul Byrom, George Donaldson, Keith Harkin, Ryan Kelly and Damian McGinty, each with different backgrounds and different styles of music.... " To call them simply a "boy band" is almost blasphemy! If you want more information about the individual soloists, check out this page on their official site!

I checked out You Tube and found many amazing videos by the group and the invididual soloists, but this one gave me CHILLS!

There are four pairs of tickets to be had to a Celtic Thunder concert. Here's the post on the contest! Dates and locations are available here!

Seven Plus Eleven Minus Two

2008-10-09T04:24:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, while we were out spending what little paycheck came in, our electricity was turned off. Being as it "could not" get turned back on until Tuesday, we stayed 4 nights at a Red Roof Inn in the town where I work. Even though DH and I could have survived w/o much hardship, we couldn't ask the kids (11, 10 and 5) to endure night-time temps that got as low as 10 degrees (Fahrenheit).

The kids loved it, of course, especially the little hot chocolate/coffee/mocha machine in the lobby. They also loved watching Cartoon Network, as all we have at home for the moment is Canadian satellite. (Nothing against, Canada, of course, but their channels are just not what we are used to.) I loved that my commute was whittled from 30 minutes down to 3 minutes. WOOHOO!

We made several trips back to the house during that time, of course, to check on our dog, Sheeva, who was VERY preggers at the time.

When we arrived home on Tuesday morning, the dog came bounding up to the car, like usual, and DH noticed that she was considerably thinner than the day before. So, The Great Puppy Hunt began!

We found six under our back porch. Sadly, one did not make it. *sigh* This is not a very accessible area for us, and as the lower temperatures at night continued, and the pups were lying in dirt, we proceeded to detach the nailed in crosshatched wood in order to get them out. DH took "Angel" (my name for the pup that didn't make it) to a wooded area behind the house while the kids looked at the remains of a big tree stump that had been smoldering in our driveway for the weekend.

About 15 minutes later, the son of our across-the-street neighbor came up and asked if our dog had recently had puppies. Sheeva, naturally, went protective at the "stranger". Anyway, he went on to say that there were some puppies on his dad's porch. DD and I went with him, while DH held onto Sheeva's collar.

There was one puppy that had wiggled/crawled off the porch and become tangled in a vine. (The last two times Mamaw's cats had kittens I've had to rescue one of them from a vine, too. What's up with that?) The neighbor pulled four more out from a tarp that was on the porch.

OMG...ELEVEN PUPPIES!

Unfortunately, one was a runt and did not survive the day. Hence the title of this post "Seven Plus Eleven Minus Two". The "seven" refers to me, my husband, our three children, our dog and our cat; "eleven" is for the puppies that our dog had, and "two" for the two angel pups.

I had yesterday off work, and I have today off as well. DS2 has been bothered by a toothache for a couple of days now. Were it not for the fact that our dental insurance sucks (no pun intended), and those pesky dentists want cash up front, the tooth would be gone already. I've heard that UK (in this case, the University of Kentucky) Dental School has a program where you can go to the school and have students (under direction from licensed dentists) do whatever needs doing to your teeth for $100. I have a feeling more than one of us will be looking into that.

Well, that gets y'all up to speed on our back porch. I'm drinking cold black coffee and reading blogs, doing the Thursday Thirteen thing on Bluegrassgal's Weblog and Entrecard. C U around. Thanks for stopping by.

New Year's Resolutions

2008-10-01T05:10:00.000-07:00

OK. First of all, I know it's not New Year's Eve. :) My birthday is tomorrow and I have been doing a lot of reflecting on my life and my future. So I thought this would be a good day to fire up the Mapsco of my mind and chart a direction for my new year's journey. To that end, here are my resolutions:

1. I will live life with more juice and less fear.
I have been trying to pinpoint where fear began to rule my life. Apparently I used to be h-e-double-toothpicks on wheels; my mother used to tell me when I was a baby, my brother (22 months older) would climb into the playpen to get away from me. *lol* Maybe it was my tricycle going out of control down a hill and crashing into a neighbors yard, maybe it was falling down the wooden steps to the concrete floor of my childhood home basement, maybe it was that dream of getting pulled into the wall by a Star Trek alien, maybe it was moving to "the big city" when I was 9 and having to find new friends ... the list could go on for HOURS.

The "juice" reference, of course, is from Sark. To me, this means living life like you were opening a just-right ripe orange. You dig your fingers into the rind and peel it back, and a wonderful aroma fills the immediate area. You peel off those last little bits of rind and flick them into the compost with the rest of the peel. (Of course, you can make an "orange crown" from the rind and let your kids run around with it on their heads for a while first. *lol-LOVE that childhood memory*) . You stick your thumb into one end of the orange and begin to separate the slices and in doing so, some sweet juice squirts out on your fingers...and it's "no biggie" because you can lick it off. And then you stick the slices into your mouth, bite into them and savor the flavor!

2. I will be healthier in mind and body...and finances.
By this time tomorrow, I will be 47 years old. Thirty years ago, my father had a stroke when he was 47 and passed away a week later. He hated his job, but he did it because he was good at it and it paid the bills. Although I didn't smoke in young adulthood, as he did, job-wise I find myself in an eerily similar situation. I am a patient aide to adults with MR/DD (mental retardation and developmental disabilities). The work is physically and mentally challenging, but can be very rewarding as well. The troubles come from teams of "experts" making up programs for our people, when these experts do not take the time to get to know them as individuals.

For example, we used to buy "puff corn" as a snack for some of the ladies in my home. It was recently the target of a blanket ban, with the experts saying it was not in the ladies' dining plans, either by consistency or calories count. We asked, what about "C", who bought it every time we went to the coffee shop? The "expert" told us that she would be unable to express her desire for puff corn ... because she couldn't talk! (Neither could we when we heard this, because our jaws had collectively dropped to the floor.) We're really stuck between a rock and a hard place. Again, I could go on for hours on end, but that is fodder for another post at another time.

As a result of the job stress, I took up smoking. Not healthy, I KNOW, but preferable to drinking or putting my fist through a wall. I am not a violent person. I would rather run from a conflict than come to blows. But there comes a time when we must turn and fight ... the "why" is different for each person.

In addition to the stress, I struggle with depression...and have for nearly three decades. Right now, I take Cymbalta. Over the years, I have found there is a LOT of prejudice against people with mental illness issues, and I used to hesitate to mention my depression in public - on- or offline. Now, even though I'd rather NOT be having to take medication for depression at all, I do it because without it, I am like a diabetic without insulin.

So, I resolve to find other ways to deal with stress and depression - like walks in the park, maybe a nice massage or two ... you get the idea. *BIG SMILE*

As far as the finances go ... well, I'm just tired of living paycheck to paycheck. I'm tired of my family doing without ... and I THANK GOD FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS who have helped us out from time to time.

I don't want this post to be about commercialism. But to the point of padding the family paycheck, I have begun selling Mia Bella soy/vegetable candles. I'd love to give you more information if you would like. And, with a nod to Forrest Gump, "that's all I'm going to say about that" ... for now.

Thanks for reading. :)

Simple Woman's Daybook - My Week 2

2008-09-29T06:42:00.001-07:00

A while ago, I created another blog specifically for meme-type entries, Bluegrassgal's Weblog. (I know, original, isn't it? *lol*)

Anyway, my SW Daybook entry for the week can be found at this address: http://bluegrassgal.wordpress.com/simple-womens-daybook-week-2/

My 2nd Prairie Dream of the Day

2008-09-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

OK. For the 2nd time today, I have "found" something at the Prairie Dream blog that I just "had to have": The Simple Woman's Daybook, from the Simple Woman blog.

FOR TODAY ...

Outside my Window...a sultry-warm afternoon, and freedom from the noises of the house.

I am thinking...my head hurts, and when do I go back to work? (Today is my day off.)

From the learning rooms...DD (5) giving herself a manicure with the toenail clippers.

I am thankful for...a husband that knows just about anything that needs to be known about computers.

From the kitchen...coffee brewing in our new pot, bought after 3 of us broke the old coffee pot.

I am wearing...brick red w/fake gray lining tee-shirt, blue jeans one size too big (how often does THAT happen? - add that to the thankful bit), and lightish pink crocks

I am reading...blogs on the internet

I am hoping...a day of rest

I am creating...a home business that will hopefully allow me to transition to being a WAHM (i/o a WOHM). Every day I go to work, DD says, "...but I thought you loved me." *OUCH*

I am hearing...my 3 kids' raging case of the galloping grumpy gimmies

Around the house...one very pregnant (w/8 pups) Border Collie.

One of my favorite things...turtle cheesecake

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...making it through my four shifts of work before the weekend (which I have off).

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

This is my DD about 3 years ago, when we first moved to Kentucky.

Cool Book for Kids (of All Ages)

2008-09-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

I've been doing various things to expand my blog lately, one of which is using Scoutle, where a little virtual stick-figure me runs around telling other peoples' blogs that I am a hillbilly, not a redneck.

One blog that I found through the Scoutle service that think I'm going to like is "My Semblance of Sanity". Right now, this Mama is running a contest for a picture book where folks are anticipating the circus coming to town, called, "Sidewalk Circus", by Paul Fleischman and Kevin Hawkes. Picture books are great for all ages, because they allow our imaginations to fly. And, if you have kindergarten-age children (or thereabouts), you can make up stories about the pictures when they ask, "What is that?" or "Why is that baby crying?"

Go check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Gonna Be a Long Day...

2008-09-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

OK. So I wake up this morning and decide to to the Entrecard Credit Generator from The Germz.com Early. For those not in the know, this is a way to find new blogs, learn something, and (hopefully) get some visits to your blog or site in return. I've found enough things that I want to do a little bit more with that I'm blogging about my experiences today.

So, in no particular order...

On the Prairie Dreams blog, I came across a badge for the "350 Challenge" hosted by Brighter Planet, a sort of "webroots" movement for personal action on the environment. So, I'm adding the 350 Challenge badge to my sidebar. Brighter Planet has teamed with 350.org in order to spread the word about the need for reducing our carbon/CO2 emissions. The 350 site has a very good call to action for larger scale events and movements. I would like to find something that also stresses the contributions invidivduals can make to their own CO2-offset efforts, like using public transportation where available, etc. If you know of a good place for this, please let me know in a comment.

So, what am I going to do about it?

1. There is a woman who works in the same home I do at the same facility. I've gotten rides from her when I'm low on gas and she's gotten rides from me when her DH worked over at his job. I'm going to suggest we ride together more often - for both of us to save money and to help reduce our environmental impact. Sure I'm only one woman ... but every single step plays an important part in getting you where you're going

2. Start a ride-share program at work. There are about 1200-1300 people who work at the residential/training facility for adults with MR/DD along with me, spread over 3 shifts.

3. Once I accomplish these two objectives, I'll come up with more ideas. Anyone want to join me? :)

HELP! NEED IDEAS!

2008-09-15T09:21:00.050-07:00

I work at an ICF (intermediate care facility) for adults with MR/DD (mental retardation and developmental disabilities). This week the folks that oversee Medicaid funding are on grounds as part of the certification process, determining if they will provide Medicaid funds for the residents who live there. One of the things they most like to see is what they call "active treatment". Active treatment is defined as "involvement and engagement in all activities of daily living".

This means that after the residents come home from their classes during the day, they don't just sit in the living room or lie down in their beds. There are various programs they need to run ... learning daily living skills or engaging in activities that they enjoy.

The ladies in my home are age 40 and up (the oldest is 73). They all have mild to profound mental retardation. Five of the seven are in wheelchairs. Three of the seven have g-tubes (where they are fed with a tube leading directly into their stomachs).

One of our ladies has a program to "engage" with a mop-like duster. We model the desired behavior and then (ideally) she takes the duster and dusts a bookshelf.

One likes stringing beads to make necklaces and bracelets.

One makes a choice of three beverages to have with her meals. The three drinks are set on an "assisted communication device" that has three corresponding buttons. When she pushes the buttons, a recorded voice states what is on the pad. By pushing the button, she indicates her choice. (Really, she just picks the tallest drink - but that's beside the point).

There are other leisure activities such as puzzles, drawing with crayons, balls, sensory equipment, etc. etc. etc.

We are supposed to have the ladies "actively engaged" on our shift from the time they get home from classes until meal time, then again after meal time until they get their baths ... then again from bath time until the time they retire for the evening.

I'm tired of the same old, same old and am looking for other ideas of things we can do with our ladies. Mobility is obviously an issue, but not necessarily a barrier. Our ladies have cognitive ages of up to 5 years old.

So, I'm asking for y'all's help in coming up with some new ideas for activities! Thanks very much in advance! Y'ALL ROCK!

One for the Girls

2008-09-07T00:45:00.000-07:00

You see rows and rows of them by the registers in WalMart. Trading cards for kids ... a la Pokemon and the like. My boys can count battle statistics, weapon strength and the likelihood of so-and-so putting the hurt on the other guy. Now I am all for a well-trained imagination, and believe that children need play time as much as they need chores and education, but I worry about them giving more worth to a fantasy world than to building their own skills for the real world.

So, I was delighted to find a notification in my inbox today (it was actually sent a couple of days ago, I think, but my inbox is out-of-control!) from Kailani over at An Island Life introducing me to The Chatter Chix!

The target market is girls 5-12 years old. There is one card/chix per state and they show having good values (respect, responsibility, etc) in a positive light. There is also the website where girls can leave messages for each other and learn about girls in other states as well as info about the states themselves. Now how cool is that?

In my book, Chatter Chix and An Island Life are both definitely worth your time! I know they were and continue to be worth mine.

Passing Along "Wisdom" to the Next Generation

2008-08-28T02:03:00.000-07:00

My daughter, "T" (age 5), is a frequent visitor to my back porch. She is hungry for knowledge and rarely even slows the rate of her questioning the how's and why's of ... just about everything. Here are some things she has learned recently:

1. That pink umbrellas keep things off your head, like sunshine, rain, snow, leaves, bird poop, etc.

2. That trains heading south are going to Somerset and those going north are going to Stanford and that they most likely are doing that because they have to bring "stuff" to Walmart.

3. That they painted our car red to distinguish it from all the other Ford Escorts in the world.

4. That bubbles are classified by size ("wee, not-so-wee and frickin' HUGE") and shape - "snowmen" are two bubbles of different size stuck together.

5. That babies (herself included) are gifts from God.

Smoking it Over....

2008-08-17T06:55:00.000-07:00

I don't really feel like posting right now...so I'm going to go out and smoke it over a cup of coffee.

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***
***
OK. I went, I smoked, I drank Cinnamon Hazelnut Coffee with Vanilla Chai Spice creamer. DD and I discussed the why's and wherefore's of her new Dora umbrella and all the things umbrellas can keep off your head. DH even joined in the conversation when he told her that it could keep an elephant off her head. (Yeah, I know...but he's a man, and you know how they are.) T's response? "That's CRAZY talk!" Smart girl.

We're mulling over a move to Utah. My mother and brother live there. That's where we met (in person) for the first time. We had DS1 there and got married there. (I bet he's one of the few 5-month olds to have caught the garter at his parents' wedding! *LOL*) The jobs would be better-paying, but then the cost of living is higher too. My maternal uncle has said that if we moved back to SLC, though, that he would put aside money for each of the kids to go to college. And homeschooling law is at least as liberal there as it is here in Kentucky.

As this is my weekend off, we're heading over to DH's Mamaw's house later on for a visit. She only lives about 1/2 hour away. She's 85 (only one year older than my mother) ... and would be the most affected (of the in-laws who live here) if we move away.

Anyway, that's what's on my mind this morning.

Hiding Under My Porch

2008-08-11T21:24:00.000-07:00

OK, so it's been like ... two months since I posted last. I thought about my Back Porch a lot, tripping over my guilty thoughts like the vines that twine around the wooden steps leading down to the driveway. I can't really say what has brought me to actually put fingers to keyboard tonight ... but here I am.

I got my last haircut the same way. Having had waistlength hair for years, I thought about cutting it in some more than "just a trim way" for many months. Then one day, I just called, made an appointment and came home to my bug-eyed family (who had been warned of my intentions) swinging my now-detached ponytail and war-whooping. My hair disappeared up to my chin and for weeks I would still flip my head over to mousse it up and wonder why I was nearly falling over (because the rest of the hair-weight wasn't there).

Work has been stressful, more so than usual of late. One of my co-workers had a baby about 3 months ago. Another one just found out she is going to have a little girl a few months down the road. I got tied after having my 3rd child at the age of 41, but still think about having more. So every time someone with whom I work becomes pregnant, I have 'sympathy pains' right along with them. The last month has been pure h-e-double toothpicks: nausea, lower back pain, migraines, sciatica, soaring blood pressure. I've felt on the verge of really losing it on more than one occasion.

Of course, it didn't help that my family (husband and three children) went to Texas to see my MIL and her husband for a week, and I was stuck here in Kentucky because of my job. I don't even ask for time off anymore, because the last two times I've done so, and been approved ... it's been reneged after the paycheck paperwork gets turned in and I'm stuck trying to feed 5 people on $300 less rent, utilities and gas for two weeks. Doesn't work.

The more stressed, bombarded and attacked I feel, the more I withdraw, so that's probably why I haven't been around much of late.

Mama Mondays: Begin

2008-06-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

In 46 years, you can rack up a LOT of beginnings.

There's the grandmama of them all...being born, of course. Then comes first smile, first step, first word, first day of school all those childhood milestones.

One first I remember is the first time I saw my first child. My blood pressure had skyrocketed during delivery and they gave me an epidural. My bp reading then tanked; the lowest I saw was 70/40, and hubby says it went even lower. After the delivery, I looked like the Michelin man...but I digress. :) Let's just say I was "out of it", and DS had to be taken to the nursery and put on oxygen for a short while.

As I had been induced, I was not allowed out of bed for 24 hours. I was planning my escape - sneaking out of my room, dragging the IV pole along with me. They must've sensed my frustration and put me in a room near the nurses' station. Drat! Too close to the warden's office to make a break for it.

DH brought me a Polaroid picture of our son. I was worried. He looked tiny, bruised (they had used forceps), and had all sorts of wires and tubes hooked up to his little 5 pound 9 ounce frame. And he had a pronounced conehead. I was desperate to hold him in my arms.

The next day, they wheeled his bassinet into my room (as I still had not been released to get out of bed). I was like...this is so COOL! But then, something happened that scared me. The nurse LEFT THE ROOM!!! And left me alone with this tiny little alien that had inhabited my body for a little over 8 months!

I had read the books and articles, and gathered dozens of opinions (some sought, some not) from friends and relatives), but at that precise moment, I could not remember a shred of it to save my live.

Gingerly, I put my feet on the floor and walked over to the bassinet. Little by little, more of my son appeared. He looked a little better than the day before - less bruised, more rosy. Still had that conehead, though. And I wondered .....

"WHAT DO I DO NOW????"

Fit Friday - from "It's My Life"

2008-05-25T06:17:00.000-07:00

So my friend writes about small victories at her blog "It's my life...". She's rockin' and rollin' in terms of getting more fit.

My choices have been somewhat bound by needs/limitations, as in if someone offerred me a sinfully delicious chocolate chip cookie, I ate it, because we're broke until payday and I've been saving the food at home for the family. But even in the midst of that chaos, it is still possible to make good choices. I say this not to blow my own horn, but to maybe give hope to someone who is feeling that small steps don't make a difference.

As you know, I work in a residential/teaching facility for adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. The ladies in my home are less mobile than most and get bathed in a pedestal bathtub (that raises and lowers), while sitting on a lift. They have 'self-care' boxes containing their shampoo, soap, etc. When we have enough staff we bring all the boxes and night clothes to the bathing room in the afternoon to save some time later on. (Yes, I'm getting to the point now...*lol*) I could've carried the boxes in a group of 2 and 3, but I chose to carry them one at a time to get in extra steps.

We took two of the ladies on a shopping trip to Walmart on Friday. One is a ward of the state and gets very little, so it was absolutely thrilling to see that she got $20 to spend on whatever she wanted. I planned our route through the store in order to get more walking in. This was also beneficial to her, as we passed more items and could talk about them.

A couple times this last week I made a conscious choice to forgo a couple of cigarettes.

That's all I really can remember right now, but that's ok ... usually I can hardly remember yesterday! *lol*

Posh Mama on the Back Porch

2008-05-13T16:34:00.000-07:00

My back porch has changed recently. The porch light used to be orange (from Halloweens past) and I looked forward to seeing that as I rounded the corner on my way home from work at 11:00 pm. Seriously, I would smile every time I saw it. Well, it finally gave up the ghost (Halloween pun) and now there is a regular yellow-white light.

Secondly, my husband had them install a security light in our back yard. It used to be pitch black back there, especially as there is a large wooded area behind our house. But instead of being able to hide on the back porch and just be, I feel now like I am on stage. So it's a little less of a 'retreat' than it used to be.

So, I've had to find other places to renew.

One such place is a website called "Posh Mama". Posh Mama is made up of women from all around the world from all walks of life. Members range in age from 20 years old to 80 years old! Posh Mamas are CEO's, Students, SAHM's, Artists, Designers, WAHM's, Models, Authors, Mompreneurs, etc. Posh Mama Online Magazine and Social Network is a positive and upbeat community. You will feel immediately welcomed as it is the sweetest spot on the 'net.

Ok, confession time...I haven't written on my blog here in over a month. Life, you KWIM (know what I mean)? Thanks to PM for giving me that push that I needed to get writing again. Go see the site. There is something for everyone!

My Daughter the Hooker!

2008-03-27T05:36:00.000-07:00

A few days ago my 5 year old daughter wanted to wear her Halloween dress. You see, she was a "butterfly princess" for Halloween - with a dress and little wings that went around her shoulders. The wings are long gone but the dress is still in good shape. It's cornflower blue with lots of flouncy white stuff.

Anyway, the dress was laying over the back of the couch when my girl asked my husband for help. He told her to go pick up the dress and bring it to him. She complied and came back with the dress draped across her front and proudly exclaimed, "DADDY, I'M A HOOKER!" (Yup. Hubby had the SAME reaction!). "Excuse me," he asked.

T reiterated, "Look, Daddy, I'm a hooker!" "What do you mean, Pumpkin?" T was holding her finger in the shape of a hook and said, "I picked up the dress with my hook. I'm a hooker!" DH didn't know whether to laugh or faint!

My purses

2008-03-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

A year ago Christmas, my gift-buddy at work got me a purple suede purse. She had asked me what I wanted and I said that I guess I could I could use a purse (I had been using those plastic grocery store bags to carry my stuff in) and that I liked the color purple.

I carried that purse EVERYWHERE for at least a year. The stitching on the handle was beginning to unravel. The puppy did the rest. So I'm back to my fine plastic carry-alls. I usually add another to the outside when the one underneath begins to get holes...until there are so many bags that the handles go every which way. Then I weed out my stuff (think going through your purse) and get back to one bag...and the process begins again.

Today I came upon this great blog entry from my friend at An Island Life, featuring a purse giveaway sponsored by Pink Lemonade Boutique Bags. I fell in love with the Mint Chocolate one on the first page I saw. I suppose I can make my way through the pages. After all, a woman can never have TOO MANY purses, can she? :)

*+*+*+*+*

Oh, and my daughter (age 5) says "Hi." She would also like to share the following with you: quack YO GABBA GABBA
(The first work she typed herself and the rest of the gobbledygook is one of her favorite cartoons that she asked me how to spell.)

Y'all have a good day!

Mag My Pic

2008-02-24T07:29:00.000-08:00

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

I wasn't tagged, but I snatched this from the "An Island Life" blog, and you can go there to read by whome she got tagged. I chose this picture because it's gotten a lot of "was he a model" comments ... this is my DH as a boy. I chose the PC Gamer Magazine because he is into PC games. :)

Anyhow, it was kind of fun to do. If you snatch the idea from me, leave a comment with your link so I can come see, k? Happy Sunday, y'all!

Hillbilly Culture

2008-01-21T07:38:00.000-08:00

I'm from Kentucky, so I can poke fun at my in-laws, er, hillbillies. :p

Thar be the revenuers messin' with our free trade.

Thar be the family from the ree-union last summer.

Thar's my new vee-hicle. Ain't she a beaut?

And here's mah brother-in-law. (Not really, but I swear, DH has the same belly!)

My Sunshine

2008-01-11T23:19:00.001-08:00

These are my children. They are also my sunshine. This picture was taken on the California Coast, about midway between San Jose and San Francisco in December 2006.

Of course, the ocean is a source of 'sunshine' for me as well. I feel very connected to the infinite (read into that what you will) there. The waves come in, wash away the pain in my soul and carry it back out to sea ... where it can dissolve and be recycled into something more productive.

It's Getting Easier

2008-01-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

My problem right now is not so much a lack of subject matter to blog...but time to do it.

I go to work today, leaving the house at about 1pm. I say that because it's 12:56 now and I don't think I'll be out the door in 4 minutes. I work at a residential/teaching facility for adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. (There are other medical and psychological diagnoses involved, but the first two is what gets them into "our place".)

In my cottage, we have 7 ladies on one side, 8 gentlemen on the other, and share a kitchen and laundry facilities. There are 17 other "cottages" on the facility. They also have a Coffee Shop, Beauty Salon, a gym with swimming pool and various classrooms where the residents can learn everything from making furniture from wood to craft items to independent living skills (setting a table, cooking, etc.) On the whole, it's a great idea.

My trouble comes on days like today. It's like low 20's. I bundle up and go to work. It's my job. Not the most ideal weather to go traipsing about, but I do it. Will it affect my health? Most likely not in the long run. Our residents (or clients, a current "preferred" term) are not so lucky.

One lady has trouble keeping her body temperature up. Her average temp is 95. They have her in several layers of clothing and have a special heater in her room that keeps the room at a minimum of 80 degrees. If her temperature falls under 92, she goes to the hospital. But 9 times out of 10, they will send her out to class in weather like this! While I'm not sure how much she actually gets out of classes and activities, I have to hope that it reaches some part of her. It's certainly better than being in her wheelchair in the living room or in bed all day. Some days, it just seems like the administration is more interested in showing the regulatory agencies that all the residents are out engaged in "meaningful activity", over what is actually good for the resident as a whole.

I better stop there. I can feel my soapbox getting taller and taller.

Happy blogging, y'all!

Need a Heater for the Porch

2008-01-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

I needed a heater or like greenhouse enclosure for the back porch. It was so freakin' cold out there today that I could hardly stand to be out there long enough for Shiva to "take care of business"! I read from a friend that the temp was like 15 with a wind chill of -5. I nearly got frostbite about 15 years ago delivering pizza during a blizzard and my fingers do NOT react well to cold.

I'm at the end of two glorious days off from work. My resolutions are going "above average" - but then I purposely made them vague enough so that if I didn't do something every day it wouldn't be a disaster, either.

It's hard to think with a 4-year old perched on your left leg, hanging onto your left arm at 11:39 pm. (She had a nap earlier and is raring to go now. UGH.)

Are any of you familiar with the "Chocolatier" and "Chocolatier 2: Secret Ingredients" games? They are probably my current game addiction. For some reason my version of "2" gets stuck in the Sahara (if you have it, that'll make sense). I've still got half the world to discover on there.

DH is in the background in the kitchen eating a sandwich. Didn't ask if anyone else wanted one. Grrr....

Here We Go

2008-01-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

So I signed up for this Blog 365 thing, for those of us who didn't get enough torture in NaBloPoMo and NaNoWriMo.

It's been too cold out to spend a lot of time on the back porch of late. But I have a furry new little companion, Shiva, our new puppy. A lady at work is raising her grand-daughter, who wanted to bring home a puppy. My friend said ok, what kind of dog is it? She only wanted it if it was a chihuahua. She heard a male voice on the other end of the phone (the man w/the dog) say it was a full blood. So ok. When her DGD brought home the dog, it was obviously NOT a chihuahua, or as my friend put it, "I HAVE MORE CHIHUAHUA IN ME!" *lol* We're thinking it is at least partly a border collie. She's the cutest little ball of fuzz.

So most of the time she comes out on the back porch with me ... which is good on one point, because then she doesn't have accidents in my house. But it kind of doesn't make for good meditation or thinking time when there's a little ankle-biter running circles around you!

Work has been off the charts stress-wise of late. There will be PLENTY of blog material on that this year, I'm sure.

I actually made some resolutions this year. I may post those tomorrow. So far so good on day 1.

Bad Dog, Good Dog

2007-12-21T02:02:00.000-08:00

A couple of nights ago, I went outside late to smoke. When I opened the back door, our cat SHOT in from the porch. After a few moments I heard this low growl, and thought maybe Mr. Snugglebutt (so named by my eldest son - I TOLD him the other neighborhood kitties would laugh) had had a gentleman's disagreement with the Dobie pup across the road. Anyway, after a while, the growling stopped.

The next night, there was a repeat of the smoking, streaking cat and low growl ... except it was nearly constant and lasted quite a bit longer. I started taking stock of what I could use as a defensive weapon should the pup run up on the porch.

My bedroom window is about 15-20 feet from the back porch. What significance is that? Well, I had apparently blamed the poor pup from across the road for something he hadn't done. The guilty, growling party was none other than my husband - snoring.

Bad, BAD doggie!

One of my co-workers asked the other day if we wanted a puppy - you know, for Christmas for the kids, she said. Apparently her 14 year old grand-daughter had come across a l'il cutie. Upon her requesting permission from grandma to bring the little'un home, my co-worker asked if it was a Chihuahua. She could only bring the puppy home if it was a Chihuahua. When the girl enquired the owner, he assured her it was a "full-blooded Chihuahua".

Upon return home, it was definitely NOT a full-blood, or in my co-worker's words..."I have more Chihuahua than that puppy!" I asked DH about it and he asked about getting a look and the pup. My co-worker took some pics of the pup with her digital camera ... even going so far as to pose the puppy. She is, of course, ADORABLE.

So, we are about to get a new family member.

Good, GOOD PUPPY!

FRIDAY FRIENDS AND FREEBIES - 11/23/07

2007-11-23T12:19:00.000-08:00

I haven't quite worked out the Friday Friends bit yet, so I've changed it to Friday Friends and Freebies. Why? Because so many of my blogmama friends have wonderful giveaways and contests on their blogs right now, that I want to let y'all know about as many of them as I can!

First off today:

If you like surprises as much as do, head on over to Mom in the Know. She's giving away prizes from past vendors, but which ones and how many contests are a mystery! :)

Next:

Meanwhile, Blessed Nest would like to help you decorate YOUR digs for the holidays with a little help from the Sterling Pear!

There will probably be more later, but I'm on a borrowed computer as we are out of town for Thanksgiving, so y'all check back!:)

How did I end up here?

2007-11-18T18:54:00.000-08:00

See The Other Mother Blog for an explanation of the following:

Responsibilities: feeding children, bathing children, clothing children, teaching children, working, taking care of my residents, transporting the residents, feeding the residents, clothing the residents, putting residents to bed, protecting the residents, protecting my family, taking husband to the doctor/hospital when needed, driving on family trips, calling my mother, calling my brother, being available for intimacy ... every once in a while, talking to in-laws, calling friends, paying bills, keeping myself clean, laundry, grocery shopping, budgeting, locking the doors at night, making sure we have insurance, making sure we have gas, paying back money I have borrowed, smiling at people, loaning when asked if I can, going to church, tithing, writing in my blogs, wishing people online a happy birthday, doing meme after meme....:)

This is a good topic for me this week. I'm going back to work tomorrow after 3 days off from the doctor due to stress. My blood pressure was 170/110 on Wednesday. I went to the doctor on Friday, where it was like 130/90 (better), but I was having headache and pressure in my chest. So the doctor gave me some different blood pressure medication (lisinopril) and some headache pills. We got the med same day and on Friday I took my blood pressure at WalMart and it was 113/78. I do not remember the last time it was that low. I don't think it's EVER been that low ... except after the epidural when I was in delivery with Brian (my oldest). My bp then had been 180/160 and after the epidural I saw it at 70/40. DH said it went down to 40/30. But I'm still here, almost 11 years later.

But I digress.

So, what would happen if I just checked out ... took off, and left all the pressures in my life behind. Where's my angel, Clarence? (See "It's a Wonderful Life".) At least I hope it would be like that, and that people wouldn't be better off with someone else or at least without me in their lives. (See, I told you it's been a tough one. Normally, I wouldn't think like that.)

Well, work at least has had a mini-taste of what it would be like without me there this weekend. It must have SUCKED for S & J (two of my co-workers). The employees are organized into "teams" to facilitate the scheduling process. It was "B" team's weekend off. Of the 6 employees on my side in my home, 3 are on B team. That leaves just 3 of us on their days off, which is hard enough. Unless they got some good overtime staff, they are probably cursing up a storm, partially at me and partially at the admins who let 3 people be on one team, two on C team and just me on A team.

Last week the federal inspectors were in: DOJ (Department of Justice). We have been doing a LOT of extra things in order to impress them. After all, they hold the future of the facility in their hands. If they think things are going badly enough, they could shut the place down and ship the residents elsewhere.

Tuesday of the week before last, there was a "scent and feel" party at the on facility salon. While I agree that it is nice for the residents (many of whom I consider more friends and family than "residents"), to get out, we were told that EVERY SINGLE ONE of our ladies were going and the home manager handed me individual envelopes with $25 per resident to spend.

Sounds good, right?

The flip side: Out of 7 ladies, 5 are in wheel chairs. We cannot transport a wheelchair and one of the two remaining ladies who do walk (but are unstable) at the same time...it's not safe. We had four staff. One was at dinner. Two were needed to help feed some of the ladies who have a more difficult time with that. So I took one lady up to the salon. This woman has PICA - where people eat or attempt to eat things that are not meant to be eaten. Mostly she goes for strings and such, but in the shower, when you wash her hair she will repeatedly put her hand up into the suds on her head and then stuff them into her mouth. And most of the items they had at this party were lotions. There were a few body sprays (which would have worked) but they were in sets with other things. We wound up getting her a pair of slip on house shoes and two pair of socks. Turns out she can't wear the house shoes because she fell out of them ... as have several other of the ladies.

So what would happen if I weren't there? I like to think that I am a good employee because I actually care about the residents. Of course, the management wants to keep them alive, because once they're gone...no more money. I'd like to think it's not as cold and hard as that, but the farther away the administration gets from actual regular contact with the "individuals" (which is the current 'preferred' term for the residents), the less they seem to treat the residents like numbers or units to be managed than living breathing people.

Like this whole "you have to take them out tonight" business, which actually happened two days in a row. And all to show the feds how good we were providing for the residents. IMHO it did the residents more harm than good. If staff from the salon had not come down to help us transport, not all of our ladies would have gotten to go. One lady was supposed to be restricted to the home because of her O2 sats, but the home manager got the doctor to write an order allowing her to go to the salon. This woman had just been in the hospital the week before after a series of seizures (one lasting 20:45 and the other 30 minutes).

Because of that and because the bath on the men's side of the house is broken (we have a fancy-schmancy lift tub because our people cannot get in and out of regular tubs), we are bathing 8-9 people a night in the same tub. After each bath, we had to spay the tub and lift with one disinfectant, let is sit 10 minutes, rinse it off, spray it with another disinfectant, let it sit 3 minutes, and rinse it off. That made each bath (plus sanitization) take about 30 minutes. Thirty x 8 baths = 4 hours. The night at the salon, I didn't get my last bath done until 10:45 pm, 15 minutes before the end of the shift. The lady whom I was bathing normally is in bed by 9:30 at the very latest.

The following day they (some administrators) came in at 6:10 pm and said that we were taking ALL of the ladies to the gym for a gospel quartet concert. One who was quite high up sat and spoon fed a resident, who can feed herself, going faster than normal...so that she could go. This was the same woman who has to be on O2 24/7 ... even when she's on the toilet. They built her hopes up about going to the concert. The nurse had to check her out and give an ok before C was actually able to go ... and C's O2 was not high enough, so they told her she could not go. C was crushed. I was angry. The other ladies were still eating dinner and would not even be finished by 6:35, let alone ready to go out in the cold night to a concert.

Two of them had toileting accidents, and needed baths right away, so they did not go (as the night air was too cold). But I approached the home manager and asked to "mention a concern". (Actually I wanted to tell them to pull their heads out of their a$$es and start thinking about the lives, liberty and happiness of the residents, rather than their own jobs ... but I didn't think that would be taken very well.) I explained the deal with the bathing the previous night and my feeling that 10:45 was too late to be bathing people with serious medical and developmental issues. They agreed, but mumbled something about the tub on the men's side not being able to be fixed because a part had to be ordered ... and it could take as long as 3-4 WEEKS!

While I was bathing one of the aforementioned ladies, the home manager came in and told me, that if I had to miss my lunch, to fill out a time slip for it and it would be added into my hours on my check. My feeling was then that if I didn't get a lunch, relatively at the time I was supposed to get it, they would be calling in the Hazmat team to scrape me off the walls, ceiling and floor with a spoon - because I WAS GOING TO EXPLODE!

Well, thanks to a supervisor from another area ... who went above and beyond the call by coming to cover in our home, I was able to go to lunch at the right time. (Side note: I smoked 8 cigarettes in 45 minutes - a dubious "record" for me .... THAT'S how aggravated I was.)

I know I've strayed far from the topic given, but I guess it boils down to this. Did the residents survive before I got there? Yes. Will they survive after I go? Yes. But I hope since I've been there, and for as long as I am there, that their quality of life is a little better than before. (And if I'm REALLY lucky, I'll set a good example for someone who stays longer than I do.)

*****

Oh, and I wrote actually for 28 minutes. Once the lock opened, it didn't want to shut again. ;)

Sunday Scribblings - Left & Right

2007-11-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

When I'm driving down the road, sometimes the concept of "left and right" blurs. Most of the roads on which I drive are little country roads and there is not much traffic. Kentucky also has some of the twistiest, windiest roads known to humans. So, as long as I am being a safe driver, and nothing is coming at me head-on, why should I speed up or slow down just to stay on the "right" side of the road?

I was never one for coloring inside the lines either.

*****

For other great entries on the subject "Left & Right", see Issue #84 of Sunday Scribblings!

3/365 - Brother

2007-11-11T16:09:00.000-08:00

My brother is 22 months older than me. He is very intelligent and musically gifted. If he called at work and told me I needed to be there now, I'd be on my way before the next heartbeat. I would trust him with my life.

2/365 - Dad

2007-11-11T16:03:00.000-08:00

Dad died while I was doing a play with the theme "there is no death". I was 17. I felt his presence strongly in the delivery room when DS2 was born. He came to see me in Job's Daughters even though he didn't like "secret societies".

*****

If this entry seems strange to you and you're wondering what the heck 2/365 means, check out the X365 website!

1/365 - Mom

2007-11-09T06:59:00.000-08:00

I've started a new meme! WOOHOO!

Quoting from the X365.org site:

This started with one guy who wanted to mark turning 40 in a cool and meaningful way, now people all over the world are making a list of 365 people they've met during the course of their lives - people who left an impression and whose name they remember - then they're randomly writing a set number of words about someone on their list. They're doing this once a day - for a year.

A lot of people are using their age as a limit on the number of words for each post, but as far as I can tell there really are no restrictions...just an exercise in working with the same guidelines for each entry.

(Except for this one obviously, because I had to do all the explanation stuff. *LOL*)

*****

My mother was born in Switzerland. We don't always agree, but it was the way she raised me that kept me from getting into more trouble than I did while growing up! Now that I'm a mom, too, I love her more than ever!

Meme Twisted - Thursday 13 Random Things About Me

2007-11-08T07:46:00.000-08:00

This is my usual (well, as usual as I get) day for a Thursday Thirteen list. But I just got tagged by my buddy Rose to follow a meme: 7 Random Things About Me. So I'm gonna write 13 things about me.

1. DS2 and DD are using me as base in a game of tag ... while I am trying to type this. :)

2. I gave myself a Colles' Fracture (not my x-ray) of my left wrist when I left the apartment one day about 10 years ago after arguing with DH. I went to a local park, walked down a grassy hill in flip flops (instead of taking the nice cement steps about 20 feet farther down the road) and slipped at the bottom, catching myself on my hands. I had barely enough presence of mind to ask directions to the nearest hospital, and enough stubbornness to drive myself there ... with my right hand, of course. I must have looked pretty pitiful because they didn't even do the "take a number" routine at the desk. Note to self: call husband BEFORE they give pain meds, should there ever be a next time.

3. The best acting performance I ever gave was as Winnie in Happy Days by Samuel Beckett. In the first act, I was buried up to my waist in a marvelously constructed imitation sand hill. (They had originally considered actually using sand and I thought, "What if I have to go to the bathroom during intermission?" The idea was discarded when it was reasoned that as Winnie is up to her neck in sand in the second act, this might make it difficult for me to breathe. There was one other character in the play, and I think he had 40 some odd words to say. The rest was me talking for about 1.5 hours. Oy!

4. My mother was born in Switzerland and my father was born in West Virginia. (Every time I say that I think of the line from Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Your father was a hamster and your mother smelled of elderberries!" *LOL*)

5. DH and I met online in a role-playing game back in 1992.

6. The only US states I haven't visited are: Alaska, Oregon, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut.

7. Geez, if I'd've been thinking, I would have used each state from #6 as a separate thing! :p

8. DH just came home from fixing a satellite box and was standing in back of me rubbing my shoulders helping me with my list of states (I had left out Alaska and Connecticut). My right shoulder is now officially in pain.

9. I had my hair cut recently from backside length to chin length. This is what's known in my life as "getting a wild hair" about something.

10. I like ginger ale with so much ginger in it that it just about burns my throat while swallowing.

11. When I was 18 I wanted to get my hair corn-rowed. My mother called the department store where I had an appointment and told them not to do it. (It cost $100 and she didn't think this was a worthy use for my money.) I went home with my hair corn-rowed (about 94 braids, I think) and she didn't talk to me for days.

12. I met my first husband online as well and married him about 4 hours after we met in person for the first time.

I know, but I was younger and stupider then.

13. I am spiritual, but not particularly religious.

****

Okay, now on to the tagging business. I think I'm supposed to tag 7 people. Here goes in no particular order:

1. Kate at sweet | salty for her indomitable spirit!

2. Mir at Cornered Office, which is the current location of her blog "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda", due to hosting snafus!

3. Charlene at Crazed Parent, especially for her decorated deck of cards series!

4. Mace of MaceinSpace cause she is a totally cool person from "down under"!

5. CC on her journal at Maya's Mom, cause she is totally addicted to memes like me!

6. Joss on her journal at Maya's Mom, because she tells it like it is!

7. Jada at Scrappin' My Three, because that's the kind of memory-keeping mama I wish I was.

BTW, it's Thursday Thirteen's 118th Edition today!

Thursday Thirteen - 13 Halloween Memories

2007-11-01T05:18:00.000-07:00

1. I had to work on Halloween last year.

2. I didn't have to work on Halloween this year.

3. Luckily I also did not have to work the day before Halloween this year, as that's when trick-or-treating was done around here. (I think it has to do with Wednesday being a big church night, but I'm not sure.)

4. The kids had store-bought costumes for the 2nd time this year. Before we had pieced together whatever we could find.

5. DD was a "butterfly princess", and looked really cute walking around in her brother's parka with the wings attached to the outside.

6. DS1 and DS2 were ninjas ... and if people thought they looked like twins BEFORE...!

7. When we were young, our bags were turned over at the end of the night to our parents, and we would get like 2 or 3 pieces of candy each day after that for the duration.

8. When parents did not have to "inspect" the treat bags for razor blades, tainted candies, etc etc etc.

9. When the time changed the Sunday before Halloween. It was so weird starting trick-or-treating in SUNLIGHT!

10. Going trick-or-treating one time in jr high school and being met at the door by one of my classmates and being really embarrassed! (Now I see like high school kids walking around in droves. *sigh*)

11. Having out of town relatives not understanding what we were doing home when we called them on Halloween night this year. (See #3 above.)

12. When we first moved to Kentucky, DD was 2 years old and was a "UK cheerleader" that time. Man, did she SCORE with the townspeople (and with her Papaw). *LOL*

13. The last two years we lived in Ft Worth, we went to Halloween parties at different churches i/o around the neighborhood. We lived in apartments, and there just wasn't a lot of ... participation.

*****

Check out other great Halloween 13's by clicking on the logo to the right!

Tuesday Trips - Cumberland Falls

2007-10-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

Cumberland Falls State Park is about an hour south of us. We visited once when it was just us and the boys and once with T-girl. "Great Lakes Waterfalls and Beyond" says:

Cumberland Falls is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the South, and is definitely one to see.

The Kentucky State Parks site has a great page on Cumberland Falls, including accommodations, restaurants, camping and things to do in the area.

I know we have some pictures of the kids by the falls, but DH just redid the computer again and it'll take me a while to find them. Maybe next week....*sigh*.

Cumberland Falls is the only place in the US where you can see a "moonbow", which is a rainbow created by the mist from the falls and moonlight. We've been here more than two years, and I've yet to see one. Of course, the last time we went there, DS2 got sick on the way home, so that maybe has put a little damper on things.

I'd like to go back next summer and explore some more of the trails with the kids.

There is a little snack bar/gift shop area before you get to the main trails. The tables are round and made of stone. Last time we were there, T was about 2-3 years old and wanted to dance on the tables, so we let her! I've never thought I'd say this, but some table dancers are just pretty darned cute! :p

Cumberland Falls is one destination that always makes the "to do list" when out-of-town friends and family come to visit.