Monday, Noah’s school had a teachers’ workday, so he visited with us. As we drove into MacDonald’s (grammies get to take their grandchildren to Mickey Dee’s whenever said grandchild requests regardless of the lack in nutritional value), he read the sign—91 million served. I said, “That’s 91 billion” which led to a discussion of large numbers. I explained that one million has six zeroes, one billion has nine zeroes, and one trillion has 12 zeroes. “What comes after trillions?” he asked. I went as far as I could, then said, “I don’t know of anything you have to count that goes beyond quintillion unless you were asked to count the separate grains of sand on the beach.” (I didn’t mention the national debt.) We discussed it a bit further when he said, “Do you know what we are doing?” “No, what are we doing?” I replied. He said, “We are hypothesizing.” He is 7 years old, a second grader, and is hypothesizing! When I was in the second grade, I was trying to color inside the lines with the appropriate colors.
We went to the library and he picked out two books in the Magic Tree House series. He read one about DaVinci previously and now knows more about the artist than I do.
After lunch he asked if I would play War (the card game) with him. Truthfully, War is not my favorite game so I decided to teach him to play Rummy. We played one hand and I explained the rules. Prior to the next hand, he said, “Can I play by myself this time? I think I get it.” With only a little help with strategy from Mr. Fixit, he beat me! He was delighted. (We need to have a little discussion about being a gracious winner though. He wanted to take the score sheet home to show his dad.) He even kept score with only a little help with “carrying” in addition. After all, he is only in second grade.
When checking out the toy that was in his Happy Meal, I observed that it was “lame.” He asked me what “lame” meant. I explained that it meant this new toy wasn’t as good as last week’s talking toy; the new one only vibrates. He said, “Can I ask you a question that might make you mad?” “Sure,” I said courageously, “Go ahead.” He said with a wicked little smile, “If I said you are a “lame” card player, would that be right?”
We’ll just see who’s a lame card player. The next time he’s here, I’m going to teach him how to play Canasta. I should be able to beat him at that one; his hand is too small to hold all those cards!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
There has been no relief from our drought even though it rained several days this past week. During the three days it rained, we only had two downpours that lasted for about 10 minutes each. Mainly we had very light rain that didn’t even require an umbrella. It was just hot and humid.
Officials have said that the reservoirs have less that 100 days’ supply of water. Many areas are under mandatory conservation measures. The Georgia governor has even suggested that eating from paper plates would help. Sounds like a plan to me.
The leaves have just begun to turn in the last week or so. We haven’t been “leafing” yet. The weatherman said that the colors won’t be as bright this year due to the lack of water.
Fall Ball is almost over. Noah had his last game last night. He did so well. Owen had a game at the same time. I spent half the time at Owen’s game and the other half at Noah’s.
Noah has a tournament next weekend. Cole has one more tournament, I think. What will I do with my weekends now? I know! Dare I say it? Christmas Shopping! Aarrgghh! I love giving presents, but I hate the shopping.
Noah and Owen are spending the night with us. This is Jason’s and his wife’s anniversary. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! I have no idea how long they’ve been married; maybe 11 years. I don’t keep up with things like that.
Noah and his Game Ball
This is one of my favorites from lolcats. I can relate.
Officials have said that the reservoirs have less that 100 days’ supply of water. Many areas are under mandatory conservation measures. The Georgia governor has even suggested that eating from paper plates would help. Sounds like a plan to me.
The leaves have just begun to turn in the last week or so. We haven’t been “leafing” yet. The weatherman said that the colors won’t be as bright this year due to the lack of water.
Fall Ball is almost over. Noah had his last game last night. He did so well. Owen had a game at the same time. I spent half the time at Owen’s game and the other half at Noah’s.
Noah has a tournament next weekend. Cole has one more tournament, I think. What will I do with my weekends now? I know! Dare I say it? Christmas Shopping! Aarrgghh! I love giving presents, but I hate the shopping.
Noah and Owen are spending the night with us. This is Jason’s and his wife’s anniversary. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! I have no idea how long they’ve been married; maybe 11 years. I don’t keep up with things like that.
Noah and his Game Ball
This is one of my favorites from lolcats. I can relate.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Help Me Understand
Strange things run through my mind at 4:00 am when I am unable to sleep. This morning’s subject was Senator Clinton.
A truly astounding thing has happened in our area. The head of Bob Jones University, an ultra-conservative, church supported school, has endorsed Mr. Romney in his run for President. Mr. Jones has often had unpleasant thing to say about Mormons and the Mormon religion. Mr. Jones said he was endorsing Mr. Romney because he (Mr. Jones) thinks that Mr. Romney is the only candidate who was defeat Senator Clinton.
Something has puzzled me for a long time. Why do so many people passionately hate Senator Clinton? It seems that this hatred is personal and mean, not simple disagreement with her political views. Some of her detractors seem to be rabid and malicious. Why?
Is the because of the Whitewater scandal? Mr. Starr’s expensive investigation came to naught.
Was it her involvement in the White House Travel Office controversy? Cronyism and patronage have been around since George Washington held office, so surely that can’t be it.
Is it because when serving as First Lady she tried to do something positive and constructive about providing affordable insurance for everyone? How can anyone be against that?
Perhaps some people blame her because her husband is a womanizer. To me, that’s like blaming crime on victims. I should think conservatives would be applauding her for holding her family together through what must have been emotional Hell for her. She must have strong family values. (I have to admit that she may have had other reasons for staying the course, but it is not my place to question any woman’s motives who is in a similar situation.)
Is she hated because she wants to stop the killing in Iraq? She supported the war before it became clear that there were no WMD. Maybe she’s hated because she doesn’t continue to support the Great Untruth.
Is it because she has unattractive ankles? That can’t be; millions of women with unattractive ankles are loved and respected all over the world.
Could it be that she is hated because she is an intelligent, ambitious woman who has the unmitigated gall and arrogance to believe that she, a mere woman, can be President of the United States of America? I hope not.
Will I vote for Senator Clinton? I don’t know. I try to stay away from the debates and the speeches this early in the campaign so I don’t know her stances on the issues. I will vote for the candidate who will bring our military home. I will vote for the candidate who will tackle the problems with the economy, crime, education, health care, and Social Security. I will vote for the candidate who has an equitable solution to the illegal immigrant problem. I will vote for the candidate who will show the world that our government is one of honor and can be trusted.
Back to my point—My question is a serious one. If someone who reads this hates Senator Clinton, please explain it to me. I just want to understand. I’m not talking about disagreement with her political views; that I can understand and respect. I’m talking about the animosity for the woman, not the candidate.
Now I’m going to think about something more pleasant. I going to have lunch with my granddaughter at school today. There’s nothing more pleasant than that.
A truly astounding thing has happened in our area. The head of Bob Jones University, an ultra-conservative, church supported school, has endorsed Mr. Romney in his run for President. Mr. Jones has often had unpleasant thing to say about Mormons and the Mormon religion. Mr. Jones said he was endorsing Mr. Romney because he (Mr. Jones) thinks that Mr. Romney is the only candidate who was defeat Senator Clinton.
Something has puzzled me for a long time. Why do so many people passionately hate Senator Clinton? It seems that this hatred is personal and mean, not simple disagreement with her political views. Some of her detractors seem to be rabid and malicious. Why?
Is the because of the Whitewater scandal? Mr. Starr’s expensive investigation came to naught.
Was it her involvement in the White House Travel Office controversy? Cronyism and patronage have been around since George Washington held office, so surely that can’t be it.
Is it because when serving as First Lady she tried to do something positive and constructive about providing affordable insurance for everyone? How can anyone be against that?
Perhaps some people blame her because her husband is a womanizer. To me, that’s like blaming crime on victims. I should think conservatives would be applauding her for holding her family together through what must have been emotional Hell for her. She must have strong family values. (I have to admit that she may have had other reasons for staying the course, but it is not my place to question any woman’s motives who is in a similar situation.)
Is she hated because she wants to stop the killing in Iraq? She supported the war before it became clear that there were no WMD. Maybe she’s hated because she doesn’t continue to support the Great Untruth.
Is it because she has unattractive ankles? That can’t be; millions of women with unattractive ankles are loved and respected all over the world.
Could it be that she is hated because she is an intelligent, ambitious woman who has the unmitigated gall and arrogance to believe that she, a mere woman, can be President of the United States of America? I hope not.
Will I vote for Senator Clinton? I don’t know. I try to stay away from the debates and the speeches this early in the campaign so I don’t know her stances on the issues. I will vote for the candidate who will bring our military home. I will vote for the candidate who will tackle the problems with the economy, crime, education, health care, and Social Security. I will vote for the candidate who has an equitable solution to the illegal immigrant problem. I will vote for the candidate who will show the world that our government is one of honor and can be trusted.
Back to my point—My question is a serious one. If someone who reads this hates Senator Clinton, please explain it to me. I just want to understand. I’m not talking about disagreement with her political views; that I can understand and respect. I’m talking about the animosity for the woman, not the candidate.
Now I’m going to think about something more pleasant. I going to have lunch with my granddaughter at school today. There’s nothing more pleasant than that.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
A Nice Shade of Green
Most of the blogs I read regularly are written by young mothers. Their posts are funny and well-written. There are only one or two I have found that are written by people in my own age range. Yesterday I noticed on one of those sites an add-on that said “Proud Elderblogger.” Hmm, elder blogger, that’s me! I did a search to see if I could find out if Elderblog is a network or what. While I didn’t find that out, I did find several blogs written by older people.
After reading a few posts by different authors, I was most impressed. These people had things to say and said them very well. As I continued to read, my feelings took an unexpected turn. Suddenly, I was feeling. . .inadequate and envious. All of these people are leading productive lives. They are traveling; they are making life-changing decisions; they write so well. I’m a stay-at-home wife. I lead a dull life. We never travel. When I write, it’s not really writing; this is me talking.
As I began to sink into a funk, I thought to myself, “Wait a minute, Self! So you life is dull; you like dull. You know that you hate to travel. You are the happiest at home. You miss your cats, your sat tv, your computer, and your own bathroom when you have to travel. The only places you would even considering traveling to are the Grand Canyon and the UK. You visit some part of the UK at least once a week in the company of Miss Marple, Inspector Morse, Hamish McBeth, or other clever characters. You can visit the Grand Canyon any time you want just by browsing through The Weather Bug photo albums. Your life isn’t that dull. You attend baseball games and school band concerts. You dine at some of the finest establishments in the country (MacDonald’s and Chuck E. Cheeze). You have a fine, funny husband; your children are the absolute best that anyone could wish for. All of your grandchildren are healthy, smart, and beautiful. So you think you don’t have anything to say? That never stopped you. So what if most of what you say is drivel. At least you know how to vent. What the hell is your problem?!”
I talked myself right out of that funk, but I’m still feeling a bit of Envy of their talent for writing. I wish I could write half as well.
After reading a few posts by different authors, I was most impressed. These people had things to say and said them very well. As I continued to read, my feelings took an unexpected turn. Suddenly, I was feeling. . .inadequate and envious. All of these people are leading productive lives. They are traveling; they are making life-changing decisions; they write so well. I’m a stay-at-home wife. I lead a dull life. We never travel. When I write, it’s not really writing; this is me talking.
As I began to sink into a funk, I thought to myself, “Wait a minute, Self! So you life is dull; you like dull. You know that you hate to travel. You are the happiest at home. You miss your cats, your sat tv, your computer, and your own bathroom when you have to travel. The only places you would even considering traveling to are the Grand Canyon and the UK. You visit some part of the UK at least once a week in the company of Miss Marple, Inspector Morse, Hamish McBeth, or other clever characters. You can visit the Grand Canyon any time you want just by browsing through The Weather Bug photo albums. Your life isn’t that dull. You attend baseball games and school band concerts. You dine at some of the finest establishments in the country (MacDonald’s and Chuck E. Cheeze). You have a fine, funny husband; your children are the absolute best that anyone could wish for. All of your grandchildren are healthy, smart, and beautiful. So you think you don’t have anything to say? That never stopped you. So what if most of what you say is drivel. At least you know how to vent. What the hell is your problem?!”
I talked myself right out of that funk, but I’m still feeling a bit of Envy of their talent for writing. I wish I could write half as well.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
A Cure for Testiness
Yesterday I was testy. Someone may have hinted that I was down right grumpy, nasty, and angry. I prefer testy.
It began with a problem with refilling one of my scrips; the pharmacy wouldn’t refill it! Mind you, this is a new prescription that I received last month, and one that I will have to take for the rest of my life unless there are great strides in research of this condition I have.
I called the doctor’s office to remedy (that’s a bad pun) the situation. Of course, I was only able to talk to a machine, not a real, honest-to-goodness person. Then I went to the pharmacy to try to straighten out the problem. After I explained the problem “several” times to several different people, they finally understood what I was saying. They said agreed to give me the refill. Later in the afternoon when I picked up the medicine, they handed me two packages of the same medicine. Again I had to explain the problem. My blood pressure probably reached a dangerous level if the steam coming out of my ears was any indication.
In the midst of my testiness, Mr. Fixit asked me if I wanted to accompany him to a tool store. Oh yeah, visiting a tool store is one of my most favorite things to do—NOT! But being a good and obedient wife (Ahem), I agreed.
On the drive, I crabbed about the problem with my meds, including questioning the mental acuity of my new doctor and the intellect of the people at the pharmacy. I also went on a tirade about the chicken processing plant in Georgia who had to fire 600 people who did not have proper immigration papers and now has to employ ex-convicts which is costing the state about $l,000,000 a year; thereby costing the Georgia taxpayers a bundle. The processing plant couldn’t find American workers for these terrible jobs. The little rant went on for about 15 miles. Mr. Fixit was sitting quietly in the passenger seat agreeing with everything I said. I thought I noticed a small eye-roll, but I’m sure I was wrong. He was probably wondering why I was so upset about a situation in Georgia when we live in South Carolina.
Next a bad driver drew my ire. As I approached a traffic light, I came to a stop for the amber light. One driver going in the opposite direction turned left on the amber, no problem. Then the next car turned left, too, but the light was clearly red. Running a red light is bad enough, but she had several small children with her. She risked her children’s lives because she didn’t want to wait 30 seconds for the light to change. What was she thinking?! Mr. Fixit offered no opinion and slouched in the seat and stared out the side window.
When Mr. Fixit came out of the tool store, I offered my opinion of an elderly motorcycle rider with a stuffed animal fastened to the passenger seat on the cycle; I believe I mentioned something about going through a second childhood. He then said, “Stop at the new ‘Dunkin’ Donuts’ to see if they have Boston crèmes like we used to get in Connecticut.” I said, “You just want to get donuts because you think it will put me in a better mood.” He said, “Well, it’s worth a try.”
It worked! I felt so much better after sampling a plain donut. (I also checked my glucose levels after the treat and was delighted to see that it was only 96. That’s outstanding!)
*******************
Happy Birthday, Mr. Fixit! Thank you for putting up with me for so many years!
It began with a problem with refilling one of my scrips; the pharmacy wouldn’t refill it! Mind you, this is a new prescription that I received last month, and one that I will have to take for the rest of my life unless there are great strides in research of this condition I have.
I called the doctor’s office to remedy (that’s a bad pun) the situation. Of course, I was only able to talk to a machine, not a real, honest-to-goodness person. Then I went to the pharmacy to try to straighten out the problem. After I explained the problem “several” times to several different people, they finally understood what I was saying. They said agreed to give me the refill. Later in the afternoon when I picked up the medicine, they handed me two packages of the same medicine. Again I had to explain the problem. My blood pressure probably reached a dangerous level if the steam coming out of my ears was any indication.
In the midst of my testiness, Mr. Fixit asked me if I wanted to accompany him to a tool store. Oh yeah, visiting a tool store is one of my most favorite things to do—NOT! But being a good and obedient wife (Ahem), I agreed.
On the drive, I crabbed about the problem with my meds, including questioning the mental acuity of my new doctor and the intellect of the people at the pharmacy. I also went on a tirade about the chicken processing plant in Georgia who had to fire 600 people who did not have proper immigration papers and now has to employ ex-convicts which is costing the state about $l,000,000 a year; thereby costing the Georgia taxpayers a bundle. The processing plant couldn’t find American workers for these terrible jobs. The little rant went on for about 15 miles. Mr. Fixit was sitting quietly in the passenger seat agreeing with everything I said. I thought I noticed a small eye-roll, but I’m sure I was wrong. He was probably wondering why I was so upset about a situation in Georgia when we live in South Carolina.
Next a bad driver drew my ire. As I approached a traffic light, I came to a stop for the amber light. One driver going in the opposite direction turned left on the amber, no problem. Then the next car turned left, too, but the light was clearly red. Running a red light is bad enough, but she had several small children with her. She risked her children’s lives because she didn’t want to wait 30 seconds for the light to change. What was she thinking?! Mr. Fixit offered no opinion and slouched in the seat and stared out the side window.
When Mr. Fixit came out of the tool store, I offered my opinion of an elderly motorcycle rider with a stuffed animal fastened to the passenger seat on the cycle; I believe I mentioned something about going through a second childhood. He then said, “Stop at the new ‘Dunkin’ Donuts’ to see if they have Boston crèmes like we used to get in Connecticut.” I said, “You just want to get donuts because you think it will put me in a better mood.” He said, “Well, it’s worth a try.”
It worked! I felt so much better after sampling a plain donut. (I also checked my glucose levels after the treat and was delighted to see that it was only 96. That’s outstanding!)
*******************
Happy Birthday, Mr. Fixit! Thank you for putting up with me for so many years!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Catching Up
The last few weeks have been very busy. It seems that every morning there is somewhere I must go. It feels as if I spend more time in the car than in the house. I wish I could get my life organized.
Fall Ball is ongoing. All the grandsons (except Levi, of course) are involved. It’s a lot of fun. Owen has games on Friday nights (most of the time), Noah plays on Saturday mornings, and Cole has tournaments every other weekend. These tournaments cover the whole weekend with two games a day. Last weekend, we attended a game on Friday night, one on Saturday morning, one on Saturday afternoon, and two games on Sunday. Cole’s team won the tournament. Yesterday Noah was presented with the game ball for his excellent play. He’s remarkable if I do say so myself. Owen is in his first year. They are so cute. Friday evening one of the players on the other team forgot his bat when he walked up to home plate for his turn.
Yesterday was Owen’s birthday party. His birthday is the 15th, but weekend parties are easier than weekday parties. My DIL’s father, who lives in Florida, and her brother and his wife, who are from Alabama, came for the festivities. It’s seems impossible that Owen is almost five years old.
My birthday was Friday. I don’t want to go there so I won’t. Mr. Fixit’s birthday is the 16th.
Speaking of Mr. Fixit, he finally went to the doctor about his back problem and was told that he has a “collapsed” disc that could require surgery. Needless to say, I am quite concerned about that. The doctor put him on medication and painkillers and said that if he doesn’t see any improvement, he will send him to a neurologist for his recommendation.
I think our weather has finally taken a turn for the better. It’s been cool for the past few days. However, the lack of rain is horrible. The grass crunches when you walk on it, and the lake levels are far below normal. They say we are 11 inches short of our needed rainfall. And there is no precipitation in sight.
If you’re feeling a little down, here’s a site that may lift your spirits a tad. I go there frequently lately.
http://icanhascheezburger.com/
Fall Ball is ongoing. All the grandsons (except Levi, of course) are involved. It’s a lot of fun. Owen has games on Friday nights (most of the time), Noah plays on Saturday mornings, and Cole has tournaments every other weekend. These tournaments cover the whole weekend with two games a day. Last weekend, we attended a game on Friday night, one on Saturday morning, one on Saturday afternoon, and two games on Sunday. Cole’s team won the tournament. Yesterday Noah was presented with the game ball for his excellent play. He’s remarkable if I do say so myself. Owen is in his first year. They are so cute. Friday evening one of the players on the other team forgot his bat when he walked up to home plate for his turn.
Yesterday was Owen’s birthday party. His birthday is the 15th, but weekend parties are easier than weekday parties. My DIL’s father, who lives in Florida, and her brother and his wife, who are from Alabama, came for the festivities. It’s seems impossible that Owen is almost five years old.
My birthday was Friday. I don’t want to go there so I won’t. Mr. Fixit’s birthday is the 16th.
Speaking of Mr. Fixit, he finally went to the doctor about his back problem and was told that he has a “collapsed” disc that could require surgery. Needless to say, I am quite concerned about that. The doctor put him on medication and painkillers and said that if he doesn’t see any improvement, he will send him to a neurologist for his recommendation.
I think our weather has finally taken a turn for the better. It’s been cool for the past few days. However, the lack of rain is horrible. The grass crunches when you walk on it, and the lake levels are far below normal. They say we are 11 inches short of our needed rainfall. And there is no precipitation in sight.
If you’re feeling a little down, here’s a site that may lift your spirits a tad. I go there frequently lately.
http://icanhascheezburger.com/
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