Unpleasant Police Chief Encounter

During the Hurricane Isaac aftermath, I endured only 1 night of sweaty sleep before caving in and running to my Mommy's house where she has electricy and, most importantly, air conditioning.  Getting up this morning, I made a little list of somethings I needed to take care of.  Such as, getting back to my home, washing out the really big ice chest, and loading it up with ice to protect some meats.  Looking back, I should've done that on Monday or Tuesday before I lost power.

I procrastinated too long, I suppose.  My 18 y.o. son, 8 y.o. and 6 y.o. daughters, and I left my mom's approximately 1:30 p.m. and went through Cane's for some lunch and then proceeded to Rushing Road (across the street from Burger King) in order to get on the interstate towards my home.  For those familiar with the area, when pulling out of the parking lot, I had to make a right hand turn and immediately get in the left hand turn lane.  When I approached the Rushing/Range intersection, I had a green arrow ... so I entered the intersection.  I entered the LH turn lane, but didn't get any further due to the backed up traffic in that lane.  I looked ahead and saw a green light there, but the intersection there was also blocked by an 18 wheeler rig. 

I attempted to assess the situation I was in since now I'm sitting in the middle of the intersection and need to get out of it.  I turned my head as far to the right as possible in order to look over my right shoulder for oncoming traffic.  It was hard to see anything since my vehicle was turned to the left.  Taking a chance, I changed lanes and got into the center lane to exit the intersection and pass the backed up traffic in that LH turn lane.  My intent was to get through the next 2 intersections, make a left turn and come back to make a RIGHT turn onto the interstate. 

As soon as I changed lanes, a man in a plain white vehicle pulled up on the right hand side of my vehicle and motioned to my son to roll down the window.  At this point, the LH turn lane is backed up, I'm stopped in the center lane, and he is stopped in the R lane.  There is traffic backed up behind both of us.  He addressed me in not so friendly terms and began screaming at me that "if you don't know not to enter a blocked intersection, then you don't need to be driving!"  Thinking he was just another idiot, I rolled up the window and pressed the gas pedal in order to CLEAR THE INTERSECTION! 

He then pulled his plain white car directly behind me and I immediately saw these pretty flashing blue lights and heard a siren.  Great.  He's a cop?  So, I (still in the center lane) turned on my blinker and moved into the Right Lane and as far off the road as possible.  The thing is, at this point, there is no shoulder where I stopped.  Therefore, now BOTH vehicles are blocking the Right Lane.

I asked my son to hand me the essentials out of the glovebox.  I had them in my hand when HE approached the driver's side window.  Then the rain began.  I rolled down my window, and there HE stands in a black dress shirt embroidered with the DSPD logo on the left pec area.  Not on the outside of the shoulder.  With my peripheral vision, I saw some embroidery also on the opposite side but did not note the details.  HE begans berating my driving, saying things like, "Don't you KNOW you aren't supposed to enter an intersection if there's no where for you to go?  You had a hundred ways out of that situation but you just sat there!!!"  Yada Yada, (his mouth was moving but I wasn't hearing him at this point).  When he took a breath, I responded, "I had a green light, I looked ahead to see where I COULD go, I looked behind me to avoid ONCOMING traffic.  I did the best I could to assess and move."  (I'm guessing I was bit to slow from his observation.) He opened his mouth again and said, "Did you not see that I'm a police officer?" to which I said, "No!" (Duh dude!  You're in an UNMARKED car and wearing a black DRESS SHIRT!  So sorry that I did not take notice what you're "profession" is.)

He saw that I had my stuff and said, "Do you WANT me to write you a ticket?" and the Lord must have had pity on me then because the rain began coming down with a vengence while HE was standing by my door with his hands on his hips.  I THINK I said, "If you feel the need." (Maybe not, but I should have.) I know I started to hand him my stuff.  Then horror of horrors, the most mortifying thing happened.  I started blubbering....turned on the water works.... you know, cryyyyyiiiinnggg.  I know I said something about having to get home and "I have been TRYING to get in that LH turn lane!  Do you think you could help me get there?"

Then he did the most astounding thing.  He shut up.  He looked at me, took a step back, and held up his hand in the traffic, holding up both lanes in order for me to cross waaaaayyyyy over there in that LH turn lane where I wanted so badly to be in the first place! 

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I pressed the gas and got my vehicle where I needed to be.  My girls had been so good during the entire incident, not making a peep in their seats.  Once he cleared the way for us to make the move, my youngest started wailing, "I WANT MY DADDY!!!!"  I felt so bad for her that she had witnessed this entire encounter, bravely sitting quiet, yet scared to death.

I got on the interstate, reliving the entire episode in my head as I drove, trying to figure out why he looked familiar but yet unfamiliar.  About 5 miles later, it dawned on me just who HE was, it had been a long time since seeing him driving alongside the schoolbus I'd ridden on 20+ years ago.  Being a law abiding citizen and voter in a neighboring town, I really didn't have a need to know who he was.  So, during THIS encounter, I was just a tad bit slow on the recognition. 

In the future, if I happen to be driving along in front of you and I don't move when my light turns green, this encounter will be the reason why I DON'T get out of your way.  You've been warned.

20 ways to say “I love you”

I am typing this article from a clipping I saved dated May 2002 of Redbook magazine written by Nancy Evans
Nancy Evans is a founder and the editor-in-chief of the online women's network iVillage.com (http://www.ivillage.com/).


Of course you're crazy about your kids. Below, tips that'll show them just how much.

Like most moms, you probably can't begin to count the ways your love expresses itself, from the shoes tied to the knee scrapes made "all better." Nor do you track the sleep lost or worries concealed. Your love – and the ways you show it – is boundless, all-embracing, as natural as breathing.If we're lucky, those feelings get reflected back to us in priceless ways, such as homemade cards that say "I love you" and a grateful hug after a comforting talk.

All the more reason to go ahead and outdo yourself. Shower your kids with maternal love in grand style with these ideas from the women at iVillage.com.And by the way: Happy Mother's Day.

1. "My daughter and I squeeze hands three times to say "I love you." It's a sweet secret between us."
2. "I wrap my kids' lunch sandwiches in colored waxed paper an dseal them with heart stickers for a midday 'hug'."
3. "My husband uses a turkey baster to make pancakes in the shapes of our kids' favorite things: hockey sticks, paper dolls, Mickey Mouse, whatever!"
4. "I frame and display my kids' artwork, straight A's, and varsity letters. It tells them I love to show them off!"
5. "I taught my daughter how to say 'I love you' in sign language: Hand upright, with the middle and ring fingers bent down and the thumb, index finger, and pinkie extended. We sign as she's riding away on the school bush each morning."
6. "Every year on the eve of my daughter's birthday, I sneak into her room while she's sleeping and decorate it with streamers and balloons. She loves waking up in a birthday fairyland!"
7. "I ask my children all the time, 'Have I told you lately that I love you?' Usually they say, 'Yes, ten minutes ago,' but it gets my point across!"
8. "I've started writing yearly 'love letters' to my children and putting them away in their baby books. I talk about their likes and dislikes, their quirks, and important events in their lives so they'll always have a reminder of how blessed I feel to be their mother."
9. "Every night as they lie in bed, I tell my children 'I love you bigger than the sky,' and I hold my arms out as far as I can. My kids look forward to it."
10. "Because I just went back to school, I'm often not at home when my husband puts my daughter to bed. So that I can still 'be' there for her at bedtime, I made tape recordings of myself reading her favorite books."
11. "Recently my husband and I made a family tree with our son. We drew a big heart around his name and hung the tree over our bed to show him that he has a place in our hearts."
12. "My husband and I always ask our daughter about her new favorite thing – band, clothing designer, TV show – so we can treat her to a new CD or shirt after she accomplishes something great. That way she knows we listen!"
13. "Now and then I'll leave work early and surprise my son by picking him up from school. We go out for ice cream and great one-on-one time."
14. "I send my daughter letters and cards, just to say 'Thinking of you.'"
15. "Once a month I give my daughter a manicure and pedicure."
16. "We use a high five to say 'I love you' when my son needs a boost – like before a soccer game – so he won't be embarrassed in front of his friends."
17. "Sometimes I'll treat my kids to a reverse dinner: dessert first!"
18. "When I'm on the phone with a friend and my daughter walks into the room, I mention how great she's doing in school or ballet class. It shows her I'm proud of her."
19. "My husband and I create coupons that say 'No chores' or 'five-minute backrub' for our kids to redeem when they need a lift.
20. "Hugs, hugs, and more hugs!"

Key to long marriage: Do what your wife wants

This article was printed in the Baton Rouge paper on Feb 21, 1998
By Thomas H. Maugh II
Los Angeles Times

Husbands, forget all that psychobabble about active listening and validation.

If you want your marriage to last for a long time, the newest advice from psychologists is quite simple: Just do what your wife says. Go ahead, give in to her.

Active listening, in which one partner paraphrases the other partner's concerns – "So what I hear you saying is …" – is unnatural and requires too much of people in the midst of emotional conflict, says psychologist john Gottman of the University of Washington. "Asking that of couples is like requiring emotional gymnastics," he says.

Gottman and his colleagues studied 130 newlywed couples for six years in an effort to find ways to predict both marital success and failure.

Couples who used such techniques were no more likely to stay together than couples who did not, they are to report today in the Journal of Marriage and the Family, which is published by the National Council on Family Relations.

"We need to convey how shocked and surprised we were by these results for the active listening model," the team admitted in the article.

In fact, Gottman and his colleagues have long recommended active listening to couples seeking counseling and had expected that its use would be a predictor of success in marriages.

That it was not a predictor, he said, suggests that its widespread use in marital counseling should be abandoned.

The marriages that did work well all had one thing in common – the husband was willing to give into the wife.
"We found that only those newlywed men who are accepting of influence from their wives are ending up in happy, stable marriages," Gottman said. The autocrats who failed to listen to their wives' complaints, greeting them with stonewalling, contempt and belligerence were doomed from the beginning, they found.
But the study did not let wives completely off the hook.

Women who couched their complaints in a gentle, soothing, perhaps even humorous approach to the husband were more likely to have happy marriages than those who were more belligerent.

"That type of (belligerent) response is even more exaggerated in violent marriages," he added.
The fact that happily married couples do not normally use active listening is not a surprise, according to psychologist Howard Markman of the University of Denver, author of the 1994 book "Fighting For Your Marriage".

"We've found that in our own studies," he said.

In fact, he argues that Gottman is setting up a "straw man" in the study of active listening and validation, which is another form of recognizing the legitimacy of a spouse's opinions.

"When active listening is taught, it is not because happy couples use it," Markman said.
"We use it to help couples disrupt the negative patterns that predict divorce."
Gottman said he is "very sympathetic" to that idea.

"If you can genuinely listen and be empathetic when you are the target of the complaint, that can be very powerful," he said.

But for the average person, he said, "it is just too hard. The average person meets anger with anger."

The differences between Gottman and Markman are typical of the turmoil in the field of marital counseling.
A 1993 report argued that marital therapy has a relapse rates so high "that the entire enterprise may be in a state of crisis."

A recent Consumer Reports study found that people who underwent such therapy were the least satisfied among people who had undergone any form of psychotherapy.

Gottman's study was designed to identify the factors that naturally contribute to a successful marriage so those might be brought into play in therapy, thereby making it more successful.

"If you want to change marriages," he said, "You have to talk about the 'emotionally intelligent' husband. Some men are really good at accepting a wife's influence, at finding something reasonable in a partner's complaint to agree with." That group represents perhaps a third of all men, he added.

"Another group just rejects all attempts at influence. That's very characteristic of violent men," he said, but a majority of men do it to some extent.

"They feel, 'If I give in on this, I'm going to lose everything. I'm going to be totally manipulated and controlled."

That is not to say that men are the source of all problems in a marriage, he hastens to add.
But changing the attitudes of men "is a very powerful lever" in changing the course of a marriage.

"The only way to change marriage for the better is to improve the quality of friendship between a husband and wife and to help them deal with disagreements differently," Gottman says.

"There has to be a kind of gentleness in the way conflict is managed. Men have to be more accepting of a woman's position, and women have to be more gentl in starting up discussions."

The pleasures of being a mom,

33 little things that we really love about it
Copied from an article printed in Redbook Magazine, May 2002.
By Veronique Vienne


Parenting can be a tough job, but the rewards are endless. In the spirit of Mother's Day, we thought we'd name just a few of the ways little people enrich your lives.
12 REASONS TO HAVE CHILDREN: Why go to the trouble of having kids? Consider the following:

1. You wish to pass on to posterity the best qualities of your mate.
2. You wish to pass on to posterity your sense of humor.
3. You need a good excuse for baking chocolate-chip cookies.
4. You need an excuse for being broke.
5. You love children.
6. You love major disruptions.
7. You'd like to give your parents a grandchild.
8. You'd like to give your in-laws a chance to treat you as their own child.
9. You want to be the mother of his children.
10. You are ready to settle down.
11. You are ready to learn to blow someone else's nose.
12. You are ready to experience pure joy in your lifetime.

MOM-ISMS THAT REALLY WORK: Your kids will respect you if you tell them the truth. When they ask you why you want them to behave a certain way, don't try to bribe, threaten, or deceive them, or lose your patience and declare, "Because I say so." Try these fresh answers instead:

1. Because we'll both feel better when it's over.
2. Because I'm running out of ideas for getting you to put your socks on.
3. Because I'm bigger than you are.
4. Because I really need you to help me get out of the house on time.
5. Because I don't want the lady across the street to think I'm a bad mom.
6. Because you don't have a better offer yet.
7. Because you I don't feel like getting mad at you right now.
8. Because you don't want to give people who don't like kids more reasons to be right.
9. Because you are my best friend on earth.

CUTE NAMES TO CALL YOUR KID: Kids are so cute, we sometimes say, "I love you so much, I could just eat you right up!" Need more inspiration for putting your love into words? Then in addition to the nicknames you already call your little one, try these sweet and silly terms of endearment. They will establish a delicious bond of affection between you and your child, bringing you even closer.

1. Angle Cake
2. Pumpkin
3. Gumdrop
4. Sweetie Pie
5. Dumplin'
6. Cupcake
7. Peanut
8. Honey Bun
9. Sugarplum
10. Sweet Pea
11. Muffin
12. Butter Bean

From the Art of Expecting by Veronique Vienne.

Beethoven hair study suggests lead poisoning

By Martha Irvine (Associated Press writer)
(Article appeared in The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La., Wednesday, October 18, 2000)

ARGONNE, Ill. – An analysis of a lock of Ludwig van Beethoven's hair suggests lead poisoning could explain the erratic genius' lifelong ailments, his strange behavior, his death, maybe even his deafness. 

The four-year analysis of the hair – apparently snipped after the composer's death at age 56 in 1827 – has turned up a concentration of lead 100 times the levels commonly found in people today, according to researchers at the Health Research Institute in suburban Chicago, where the hair was tested.

That means it is all but certain that the composer suffered from lead poisoning, also known as plumbism, the researchers said.

"It was a surprise, but it stood out like a sore thumb in the analysis," said William Walks, director of the institute's Beethoven research project.

Scientists initially were searching for mercury, a common treatment for syphilis in Beethoven's day. The absence of mercury supports the recent consensus of scholars who believe Beethoven did not have syphilis.

On the net: Center for Beethoven Studies http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/beethoven/

80 Creative Dating Ideas

Lately, I’ve been looking for different date ideas for my hunny and I to enjoy together. We’re working on our 15th wedding anniversary this year!!! So, I hunted up some ideas and decided to post them here for your reading … and dating… enjoyment.  Oh, and there's a few links to Baton Rouge places.

1. Sketch your dream-house floor plan and talk about the possibilities for each room.

2. Write the story of how you met. Get it printed and bound.

3. List your spouse’s best qualities in alphabetical order.

4. Tour a museum or an art gallery.

• LSU Museum of Art

5. Notice the little changes your spouse makes in his/her appearance.

6. Float on a raft together.

• Baton Rouge Recreation Boat and Canoe Rentals

7. Take a stroll around the block – and hold hands as you walk.

8. Stock the cupboards with food your spouse loves to eat. (But ONLY if he or she ISN’T on a diet.)

9. Give your spouse a back rub.

10. Rent a classic love-story video (or go out to a movie) and watch it while cuddling.

•  Movie Date ideas (these are really cool!)

11. Build a fire in the fireplace, turn out the lights and talk.

12. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride.

13. Go swimming in the middle of the night.

14. Write a poem for your spouse.

15. Remember to look into your spouse’s eyes as he/she tells you about the day.

16. Tell your spouse, “I’m glad I married you!”

17. Hug your spouse from behind and give him/her a kiss on the back of the neck.

18. Stop in the middle of your busy day and talk to your spouse for 15 minutes.

19. Create your own special holiday.

20. Do something your spouse loves to do, even though It doesn’t interest you personally.

21. Send your spouse a love letter.

22. Build a snowman together.

23. Watch the sunset together.

• 
  

24. Sit on the same side of a restaurant booth.

25. Picnic by a pond.

•  

26. Give your mate a foot massage.

27. Put together a puzzle on a rainy evening.

28. Take a moonlight canoe ride.

•  

29. Tell your spouse, “I’d rather be here with you than any place in the world.”

30. Whisper something romantic to your spouse in a crowded room.

31. Have a candlelight picnic in the backyard.

32. Perfume the bed sheets.

33. Serve breakfast in bed.

34. Reminisce through old photo albums.

35. Go away for the weekend.

36. Share a milk shake with two straws.

•  

37. Kiss in the rain.

38. Brush his/her hair.

39. Ride the merry-go-round together.

40. Dedicate a song to her/him over the radio.

41. Wink and smile at your spouse from across the room.

42. Have a hot bubble bath ready for him/her at the end of a long day.

43. Buy new satin sheets.

44. Tenderly touch your spouse as you pass one another around the house.

45. Reminisce about your first date.

46. Plant a tree together in honor of your marriage.

47. Go kite flying.

48. Attend a sporting event you’ve never been to together.

49. Take time to think about him/her during the day, then share those thoughts.

50. Drop everything and do something for the one you love.

51. Dinner on the beach.

52. Eat in a jail cell – preferably not because you HAVE TO!

53. Progressive dinner – have a 7 course meal, but each course is in a different room, or house.

54. Paint balling

55. Go on a scavenger or Treasure hunt throughout town (I think this is now called Geocaching!)

56. Watch movies blind folded.

57. Go rock climbing.

58. Go fishing.

59. Set up a table and eat in the bed of a truck.

60. Eat on top of a bridge.

61. Go to a driving range.

62. Go “House Hunting” and check out all of the open houses – pretend that you are looking for a house.

63. Go hiking.

64. Go to the zoo.

65. Go Christmas Caroling – in August.

66. Do charity work together.

67. Go to Chuck E. Cheese.

68. Go mini golfing.

69. Have a picnic on top of a roof. Check out the stars while you are up there.

70. Feed the ducks or pigeons (depending on where you live).

71. Get 2 disposable cameras and take pictures all over town, then get them developed and make a mini scrapbook of your date.

72. Go to a video store. Walk in blindfolded and randomly choose a video off the shelf. Watch it.

73. Go out for ice cream.

74. Go get old fashion pictures taken.

75. Go to a fair or amusement park.

76. Go target or skeet shooting.

77. Dress up in Black-tie attire. Have dinner at McDonalds and go to a movie.

78. Get on a chat line together.

79. Get a tattoo together.

80. Make dinner together and eat it.

Hey - These are ONLY 80 ideas!  If you have any to add, please feel free to make a comment!  I LOVE Comments!

13 Rainy Day Ideas by Katrina Cassell*

How to stay sane and keep your kids amused when the weather locks you in.

(This is an article I clipped from Parentlife, March 1999 issue.)

1. ICE SCULPTURE
   

You need: Ice frozen in a half gallon milk carton, screw driver, small hammer.

To Do: Peel the carton from around the ice. Allow older children to create an ice sculpture by chiseling the ice with the screwdriver and hammer.

 

1. GEO BOARD
   

You need: A smooth, 12-inch square board about one-inch thick, sixty-four 1 ½" screws, screw driver, rubber bands of different colors and sizes.

To Do: Place screws equal distance in eight rows of eight and screw into the board, leaving a half-inch protruding above the board. Let your child put the rubber bands around the screws in various combinations. Create squares, triangles, or colorful designs.

 

1. SCAVENGER HUNT
   

You need: A large bag for each child, a timer or watch, a list of items found in the house.

To Do: Tape the list on the refrigerator door. Give each child a large bag. Tell the children to look for the listed items and to place the items in their bags. The children can work as a tem, or the children can compete against each other. Set the timer, or use the watch to see how long it takes each child to find the items on the lsit, or set a limit as to how much time will be allowed to gather the items.

1. PAPER CHAINS
   

You need: Construction paper, scissors, glue.

To Do: Have your child cut long strips of colored paper about an inch wide. Form a circle with one piece and glue (or staple). Loop another piece through the circle and glue. If you have more than one child, let each child make a short chain of his own and then connect all the short chains. Hang the chain somewhere to remind the children of what they can do when they work together.

1. BALANCE BEAM
   

You need: Masking tape

To do: Put a strip of masking tape on the floor to represent a balance beam. Let your child walk on the beam. Suggest ideas: Be a tight rope walker, walk forward, walk backward, and so on.

Variations: Play follow the leader. Have your child imitate you, and then let him be the leader. Play music and have your child walk the beam in time to the music. Have him march, move very slowly, and so on. Suggest animals your child can imitate.

1. GREETING CARD BOOKS
   

You need: Four or five used greeting cards, yarn, paper punch.

To Do: Have your child carefully remove the backs of his cards so he has only the picture. Punch holes along the side of each card. Then let your child tie his cards together to make a book. Your child may want to deliver completed books to church members in a nursing home or to give the books to parents or grandparents on special occasions.

 

1. TEXTURE RUBBINGS
   

You need: Heavy-weight white paper; crayons with paper removed; small items such as a comb, leaf, coin, key, paper clip.

To Do: "Hide" one or two items under a piece of paper. Have your child rub over the paper with a crayon until he can identify the objects under the paper. Repeat with other objects. Allow your child to arrange as many objects as he wants under a piece of paper and make a crayon rubbing collage. Experiment with objects of different textures.

 

1. COLORFUL BUBBLE PICTURES
   

You need: Bubble solution and wands, tempera paint, small bowls, paper, paint shirt.

To Do: Pour a small amount of bubble solution in a bowl. Add a few drops of tempera paint and stir. Let your child blow a bubble so that it pops on his paper and leaves a splatter of color. Repeat using different colors until your child has a colorful splatter picture.

 

1. BEAN BAG FUN
   

You need: Old socks, uncooked beans, laundry basket, or waste basket.

To Do: Fill old socks with beans and tie then end shut. Form a line about six feet from the basket. Let your child have a turn tossing the bean bags at the basket. If he hits the basket, move it back. If he misses, move it closer. You may have to demonstrate how to toss a bean bag underhand rather than throw it overhand.

 

1. BALLOON VOLLEYBALL
   

You need: Round balloons.

To Do: Blow up several balloons and tie. Toss them up in the air. Have you children bat at the balloons to keep them in the air. Use one or two balloons for one child and three or four balloons for more children. Pick up any popped balloons as they are a choking hazard.

Variation: Stretch a string across the room and try to hit the balloon back and forth over the string.

 

1. HOMEMADE GREETING CARDS
   

You need: Colored or white paper, scraps of material, felt, pipe cleaners, buttons, glitter.

To Do: Fold the paper in half. Let your child design the front of his card using whatever supplies he desires. Write a message to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others on the inside. These can become cherished keepsakes.

 

1. MINIATURE VILLAGE
   

You need: Colored tape or chalk, small cars, and trucks.

To Do: Design roadways with colored tape or chalk on the basement or kitchen floor. Let your child help draw bridges, curves, and intersections. Drive the toy cars.

 

1. PAINT BLOBS
   

You need: Paint shirt, heavy paper, finger, or tempera paint, crayons.

To Do: Have your child fold a sheet of paper in half, crease, then unfold. Drop a few drops of paint on one side of the paper. Refold the paper so the paint smears. Unfold the paper and look at all the patterns. Try to find shapes and "pictures". Use crayons to make the blobs into a picture.

 

*Katrina Cassel is a freelance writer, wife, and mother. She lives in England.

 

Divorce Decluttering

It's been a while since I've posted regularly.  I guess it really doesn't matter anymore since I don't have THAT many readers.  I just post to keep up with myself.  Sometimes.

So, today, I got in a mood to start some decluttering.  I went through my filing cabinet and weeded out a whooooooollle bunch of stuff.  Then I placed my hand on a thick folder labled "Legal Papers".  In truth, it was everything related to my divorce saga from waaay back when.  The divorce decree, the custody agreement, the child support papers, etc.  Well, it dawned on me that the youngest child from that union is now 18 years old.  Therefore, I really didn't need that stuff anymore.  There were also lots of notes, tape recordings, and other junk that I never wanted him to see or hear. 

So, I did something today.  I decluttered.  I took that entire folder out to my fire pit in the back yard and burned it ... one page at a time .... to make sure that my son would NEVER lay eyes on that stuff.  As I placed each page on the flame, I glanced over it, remembering all the heartache and turmoil from that time in my life.  It hurt to rehash it, but burning it was also healing.  It's the past.  It's done.  All has been forgiven. 

My ex husband has grown up.  I have grown up.  It's refreshing to close that chapter of my life.

My life as a 3 Ring circus

Since ya'll haven't heard anything from me in quite a while, I'll try to fill you in on what's been going on here.  But first, grab a cup of tea, sit down, and hang on tight!

 

Child #1 has got a job now and loves it.  She's working as a telemarketer.  I keep her child while she works (and when she's not working).  Since she has no transportation yet, I take her to work most days and my Mom picks her up, most days. 

 

We'll start this particular "saga" with last Tuesday, Jan, 31 - on which day several things were going on. 

 

At 4 p.m., I was rudely awoken from a nap by a phone call from Dahlin', yelling at me to "Call the Fire Departmen!!  Quick!".  Thinking at first that it was a bad joke, I started to go back to sleep.  But then, curiosity got the best of me and I got up, phoning 911 while pulling on my jeans and stumbling out the front door of the house.  While still on the phone, I see the dead brush and acreage between my place and my dad's place was aflame.  It seems that my Dahlin' had been busy in the garden area and lit it up to burn off the dead stuff.  Well, right about that time, along comes a big gust of wind and the cute little flames got away from him and began devouring all the unkempt stuff next door.  All of this was going on about 1/2 an acre or less from my house!!!  BTW, it took the fire dept 25 minutes to get here and when they did arrive, my dad, Dahlin', and Child #2 all had everything under control.  Alas, a tragedy averted.

 

At 5 p.m., we received the phone call we'd been waiting for and dreading.  My ex-mother in law had not been doing well for quite some time.  She had suffered for months from pulmonary fibrosis.  She was 82 (or 83?).  This call told us that she had passed away.  Child #1, Child #2, and I actually had planned to visit her on Wednesday afternoon.  She was too tired to wait.  She was Grandma to my older 2 children.

 

At 7 p.m., Child #2 endured his Eagle Board of Review.  It took more than an hour!!!  But they told him Congrats he'd made it.

 

On Wednesday, we did our usual Wednesday night church stuff.

 

On Thursday, I took Child #1 to work and returned home (66 miles RT).  Then I did what I always do on Thursdays.  As soon as my girls (Child #3 & #4) hit the door, things get a bit chaotic.  Before they arrive, I gather up my laundry (my dryer died a while back) and make them a snack which sits on the counter waiting for them.  As soon as they walk in, that's the first thing they look for.  Then, it's "Get changed!" while I toss their leotards and tights at them.  Child #3 wears some sort of little skirt or pants over hers because HER first stop is at piano lessons.  At 4, we're out the door and off. 

 

At 5, they both have places to be.  So, I drop Child #3 at her piano lesson and speed off for #4's dance lesson, which is also at 5.  Once I drop HER off, I drive around the corner to the laundromat and toss my laundry into the washers.  That runs for about 30 minutes but I don't have time to toss it in the dryer yet.  So, I leave it while I run back to get #3 at her now finished piano lesson.  By this time, #4's dance class is out, so she just hangs out with her teacher till I get back to pick her up.  Then it's back to the laundry around the corner to toss the laundry into the dryers and back around the corner to drop #3 at HER dance class.  Then back to the laundry to finish up and head home with hopes of arriving by 8:30.

Friday, Feb 3, was ex-Mother in law's funeral.  #1, her child, and #2 attended the services with their Dad who had come in from out of town.  I also attended in the capacity of musician to accompany my music minister who sang a couple of songs. 

 

Saturday, I transported #1 to work and headed back to the laundry to wash another load or two.  Between loads, I received a phone call from #2.  He had been with his best friend and his girl friend.  He was calling to tell me they had crashed.  He was so calm about it that I literally thought he and his friend had arrived at his friend's house where they "crashed".  He then had to explain to me that they had experienced a one car incident that left them in a water filled ditch on a rural road.  I sent Dahlin' to pick him up.  About an hour later, Dahlin' calls me to tell me about the wreck.  #2 had left out the part about the car flipping 3 times and landing upside down in the water!!!  Fortunately, he was alive to tell me all about it later. 

 

On Sunday, we had church, which for our family usually involves about 7 hours.

 

Monday, I took #1 to work then went to Walmart to buy my girls some new sneakers.  While there I bought some for me, too, with intentions to restart the Couch to 5 K program the next morning.

 

Tuesday, I woke up feeling icky and fluish.  I blame it on the shoe purchase the day before.  I took grandchild to #1 at 8:30 a.m., then went to play piano for a Sr. Adult choir practice.  Then at 11:30, I took #1 to work and took grandchild to the doctor due to congestion and green goo coming from the nose.  He wasn't running any fever so I had no reason to suspect anything.  As a result of that visit, poor little grandchild was dx'd with a double ear infection.  I ended up not leaving there until late afternoon .. about 3.  Went to pick up his antibiotic at Walmart which took an hour!!!  While at Walmart, I ran into a family cousin and chatted with her for a bit.  Then, I went to my mom's, changed Grandchild, fed him dinner, gave him his first dose of antibiotic and left to come home.  Arrived at home right at 5:15, gathered up my girls, and hit the road again for a girl scout meeting.  Finally got home at 8, put everyone to bed, and hit the hay myself.

 

Wednesday, #4 had a dentist appointment to have her upper baby eye teeth pulled.  The dentist said they don't normally come out until 8 or 9 years old, but #4 is only 6.  However, her permanent teeth were trying to come in and there isn't any room for them.  So, we made some room for the newbies.  I spent the rest of the day pampering her before we had our usual Wednesday night activities.  By this time, she was raring to get to church as they were having Valentines festivities for the kiddos that she had been looking forward to.  When we got home, I helped #3 with her George Washington Carver biography report rough draft.  Then put them all to bed.

 

Thursday, I took #1 to work and returned home.  #2 came home from school and excitedly informed me that he had pulled an inch long piece of glass from what looked like a scratch on his leg as a result of the car accident nearly a week ago.  I paused a moment, looked at him, considered taking him in for a tetanus shot but dismissed the thought. I told him instead just to keep it clean and watch for signs of infection.  Then I proceeded to embark on the Thursday Crazy Run.  Gather stuff, Get Snacks, and hit the road running. - Dropped #3 for her piano lesson, Drop #4 at dance, hit the laundromat, back to get #3, then get #4, back to the laundry, then dance for #3, back to the laundry, pick up #3, Head home, help #3with her Science poster project on sources of Light, Heat, and Sound.  Then bed.

 

Friday -  I took #1 to work, called the doc on the way regarding a tetanus shot for #2.  Thankfully, he had his last one in 2006 and they're good for 10 years.  Then I went grocery shopping and home.  Waited patiently for my girls.  They had a big night planned.  It was their first Daddy Daughter Dance!!!  I laid out every dress they had so they could pick their favorite.  Then I had to work on hair.  I had planned to do some fancy updo's but they chose to wear it down.  I was a tad disappointed that they didn't want updo's but it was much easier to leave it down!  I picked out Dahlin's outfit and ironed it.  He did the rest himself.  

 

Before he got dressed, He had cooked up 3 gallons of seafood gumbo!!  Then they were gone, #3 was off at a school basketball game, leaving me, grandson, and Buddy the beagle home all alone.  I was so happy to have the TV remote to myself for a change!

 

Well, there ya have it.  My life, a.k.a. the 3 ring circus, for the past week and a half.   Tomorrow morning, I'll drive the gang down to my sister's to collect Neice, who will be staying with me this week while Sister and BIL are cruising around Mexico.  Once I get Niece, we're off to Lowe's so all three girls can hammer to their hearts content as they build a little Valentine Card maker center (sort of a lap desk?).  I have nothing else "planned" for tomorrow, but ya never know what'll happen over here!!! 

 

Well, I hope you've enjoyed a glimpse into what is going on here.  BTW,I'm currently accepting donations for a much needed vacation.  :D  However, I'm sorry to say that I don't think the donations are tax deductible. 

Barn

As I was riding around my neck of the woods yesterday, I spotted this lovely barn.  I was so inspired that I just HAD to stop, knock on the door of the house next door and ask about it.  As it turned out, the door I knocked on belonged to the owner of both the house and barn!!!  The house was also a work of art but I felt that the owner may have thought me a bit strange if I had just straight out asked for a tour.  Since a tour of the BARN is what I really wanted in the first place, I took my chances and asked about that.  The owner graciously accepted my request, put on her slippers and led the way.  She was excited to show me her "collection". 

I was busy looking around in awe and didn't really listen to all she was saying except to make a mental note of a fall party she hosts at this location every October!  Meanwhile, I was taking pics.  Enjoy!!!

 

 

 

 

 

First Fall weekend

First of all, please accept my apologies if this post sounds like I'm rambling. I haven't been feeling too well this weekend.

Fortunately, I got to sleep late this morning.  This morning we all got up with intentions of going to Home Depot to make a Rescue Helicopter, but I got there too late and they had already put everything away. My girls were a bit disappointed but the customer service rep gave them each a balloon to help them smile. Next weekend we'll head to Lowe's to build a Monster Machine and I'll make it on time!

After our HD visit, we headed over to the local antique district to look at the sights and people watch. It was certainly a gorgeous day to do that. My girls rode a couple of the little kiddie rides and then we treated ourselved to our first ever gelato. The Teen had a "tie - dye" flavor with blue raspberry, lemon, and lime all mixed together. Roo had just blue raspberry that turned her lips, teeth, and tongue bright blue. Birdie had Lemon and declared that it tasted just like lemonade! I stuck with strawberry. It was very good! I was really surprised at the texture. I guess I was expecting a sherbet type feel or taste but I think it was more like soft serve mixed with sherbet. But that's still not quite it.

Anyway, it was a great way to spend the day with the kids and avoid doing any mundane household tasks .... though my house is sorely in need of it. Maybe I'll do some chores on Monday.....IF I can talk myself into it.

On Sunday, we got up and went to church where I ALMOST missed my cue to play for the benediction/invitation (How embarrassing! The MD gave me the stinky eye!). Following that, I chauffered my older kids to visit their grandma (from my previous marriage). She's 82, has been ill and is now at home on hospice care. After that visit, I took DD and Monkey home and then came to my own home where I popped a movie in the tube for the girls. The Teen agreed to keep an eye on the girls for me while I indulged in a short cat nap for some headache relief.

FOUR HOURS LATER I woke up to discover they had watched ANOTHER movie and were finally hungry for dinner. I KNEW I shoulda put that chicken chili in the crockpot! Oh well, thank goodness it was already cooked and I had the microwave available to get it good and hot. It just didn't quite taste like it had stewed in it's seasonings long enough though. Bottom line is, the girls got fed. If only I had planned ahead, the Teen could've had it hot and ready to serve when I woke up! That sure woulda been nice. :D

After dinner, I directed the girls to prepare for bed, at which point Birdie requested rag curls for a curly ponytail tomorrow for school. After their baths, I sat down to comb out her hair and proceed with the rag curls. Forty five minutes after that began, she was finally ready for bed. That child has way too much hair! ..... but I don't want to get it cut ..... yet. (still thinking about it though).

NOW, I sit here at the computer, in the beginning stages of planning The Teens's Eagle Scout COH ceremony. I'm looking up ideas on the internet and brainstorming. I asked him this morning what he had in mind for it and he replied, "I'd rather not do anything. Especially if I have to make a speech." Well, I don't think that will be an option. I briefly spoke with another Eagle mom yesterday who told me that she won't be able to plan anything until next summer even though her son has met all requirements. Summer seems so far away, but I guess for a nice ceremony to go off without a hitch, 8 or 9 months of planning will be needed.

Do any of my readers have Eagle experience and could you give me some pointers?  And now I sign off to briefly browse for ideas, get the girl's school uniforms laid out, decide what to offer for breakfast, read a chapter or two of my Bible (or have it read to me via my Bible narration app), and hopefully doze off to begin again tomorrow. When I get to heaven, one of the first questions on my list for God will be, "Why not create 8 arms for the woman and 48 hours in a day?"

TGIF?

Okay, well, I know that I haven't posted anything again ..... in a long time ..... again.  But I woke up this morning and experienced some stuff that I just didn't want to forget.  So here I am.

I got up this a.m. and prepped to take my girls to school.   When I started my truck, my "dummy" oil light came on flashing, "Check Oil Level".  So, I checked the oil dipstick and saw this.....

Doesn't that look bad?  Now, tell me true, doesn't each little dot represent one quart of oil?  That's what I thought, too!!!  So, I got into my vehicle and proceeded to drive my girls to school 10 miles away.  The oil pressure gauge on the dashboard looked okay so I was thinking that if I didn't drive like crazy then I'd be all right. 

We arrived safely at the school without any mishap and I drove over to the little gas station where I purchased 3 quarts of oil  (at $6 per quart!).  I went out to my truck and dumped all 3 quarts in at once.  I mean, look at that dipstick!  Wouldn't you do the same thing?  Something within me urged a recheck of the dipstick.  To my horror, I discovered that 3 quarts MAY have been too much oil!!!

At this point, I decide the best thing to do is call the Dahlin' and relay my lesson. I also told him that I need to rewind my day and start over.  Doing this stuff on a Friday isn't supposed to happen to me.  A Monday perhaps, but I NEED my Fridays!!!  Therefore, TGIF?  Really?

Dahlin' bluntly advised me to gently drive my truck to the nearest oil changing place and have it serviced ... which I promptly did.  While at the oil changing place, I was gently reminded by the oil changer person that the oil in a vehicle needs to be changed every 3,000 miles.  I had neglected to service my trusty "steed" for 19,518 miles!!!  Well, heck, with all the running around I do, how am I supposed to remember how many miles I've traveled????!!!  I need an alarm on the truck to notify me that it's time for an oil change!  Not a little flashy light.  That does nothing for me.  An alarm bell or something would be more like it!

Lesson learned, for the time being, don't wait so long to get the oil changed.  I'm back running the roads singing my theme song (Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again"), and paying the bills.  I won't forget to change my oil again .... well, not any time soon.   

Summer 2011

Yup, I've taken an extended break .... again.  There's a whole lot going on in this household.  I'll try and make it brief in order to give you all a quick update.  Then, I plan to do a daily blog post or something.  Facebook has kind of ruined me in that area.

Since my last post, I have basically just done ... well, not much.  Just trying to keep the kids all together so I don't lose one here or there. 

Back in April, I completed the New Orleans Crescent City Classic.  In June, my niece and nephew came to join the family (24/7) for the summer.  After they came to us, we started trying to participate in a variety of music camps, VBS, and the Bass Pro Family Fun Camp.  We've also been hiking and enjoying mystery rides to places like the LSU Museum of Natural History and to see Mike the Tiger at his house near the stadium.  Other Mystery rides have included visits to the Louisiana Children's Discover Center and the Louisiana State Capital building. 

In the near future, I have more mystery rides planned as well as some craftsy stuff at home.  I have been inspired by a new blog I stumbled across where the writer posts different craftsy tutes etc.  I can't wait to try out some of the stuff I've seen on her site!

So, that's about it for now.  I plan to be back later this week with another post or two regarding what we've done this week.

Thank you for continuing to keep up with me.  I know I'm not the best bloggy author but I do appreciate your loyalty.

Crescent City Classic 2011 - I DID IT!!!

I DID IT! I participated in the Crescent City Classic 10K walk/run for the first time ever! My brother had been harrassing me for the past few years to share this experience with him. He had run it several times before. So, this year, I caved...I gave in and agreed to do this with him.
On Saturday morning I woke up early (5 a.m.) to hitch a ride with my sister who was supposed to be picking up myself and my step mom. At 5:30 she still hadn't arrived and I was beginning to think she'd forgotten me. So, I called her cell phone which she sleepily answered right away. She apparently had overslept and was quite upset with herself.

At 6 a.m. she FINALLY arrived and we were on our way. The plan was to meet my brother and then ride down to New Orleans with him. We got to N.O. at apx 8 a.m. The race was to start at 8:30. After parking, we huffed and puffed (endured a brisk walk for 1/2 a mile) our way through the 85% humidity to get to the start line.

We were there just long enough for a quick picture before the US Marine Color Guard posted the colors and fired the cannon signaling that the race was now on.

I began walking and promptly was bombarded from behind by many runner all itching to get first place or at least make better time than they did last year. It was unreal!! At a quarter mile, I saw my sister standing on the sidewalk patiently waiting for me to catch up to her. (She walks really fast! Either that or her legs are longer than mine.) She went on ahead and I started walking faster trying to keep up. Then it dawned on me that this was a 10K (6.2 miles) race. There was no way I could walk at that pace for that distance. So, I just decided to plug in my MP3 player with my Couch to 5K tunes on it (complete with a walk/run prompt). I figured I'd be better off by tuning out everthing around me as I attempted this first time feat.

Another quarter mile (and my 2nd 60 second run), I saw my sister again standing on the sidewalk. As I jogged past, I told her to "Jump in!" .... which she did. She took three steps and made a face plant right there on Poydras Avenue, badly injuring both of her knees. A lady stopped mid jog to help me and my sister hobble to the side of the road while the sea of athletes all passed us by.

We were only a few steps away from a police officer who offered to contact EMS, but stated that they could take a while getting to us. Sis decided that it wasn't an emergency, she just needed a first aid kit and a few moments to regather herself and then she would continue on. Would you believe this police officer did NOT have a first aid kit!? A kindly restaurant manager who was standing by watching the runners, entered his restaurant and returned with a dry towel, wet towel, ice packs, and bandaids in order to help patch up my sister. She then told me she was fine and waved me off to continue the endeavor alone. She said she'd catch up later.

And so I go, putting my earphones in once again to pick up where I left off. I kept running/walking along the way, in as much shade as I could find and was surprised .... I mean, REALLY SURPRISED! to find myself a short time later looking at the 5K mark painted on the pavement. I thought to myself, "I DID IT! And I feel REALLY good!!! This ain't so bad after all!" followed by, "Oh wait a minute. This is a 10K - I'm only halfway there!".

My sister did catch up to me a short time later and we spent the rest of the race fighting my "Defeatist Attitude" (as my brother called it). Two and a half hours later, I finished the Crescent City Classic! I was weak from having no breakfast and my feet (especially the top of my left foot) was killing me to the point that I was limping.

I'm pretty sure my stride was off a bit so that was why my foot hurt. I have been inspired, though, to get back to my Couch to 5K interval training program and then move on to the Bridge to 10K training program. I plan to RUN the 10K next year and shave off 1.5 hours! Meanwhile, I relish the fact that I DID IT!!!

Here I stand at the Crescent City Classic finish line with my time posted above my head.  I know, it's not a flattering picture but then again, who looks pretty immediately after a 6.2 mile run?

I'm Back with some Disney shortsets

Have I REALLY ignored my blog for 4 months?  Whoa!  I need to get on the ball!  Things have been pretty crazy around here with all the daily road running and chauffering the kiddos back and forth.  I really should get me an Iphone or notebook or Ipad so's I can keep up with the online duties while I'm sitting in a parking lot somewhere.

Another reason I haven't been on here much is because I've been on Facebook a whole lot more!  :D  I need to curb that addiciton as well.  And speaking of addicitons, I have been sooooooo busy sewing!  I'm just loving the feel of the thread and needle as it punctures the various fabrics I'm playing with.

In order to supplement the family income, I've decided to try my hand at custom sewing projects....focusing on Disney inspired short sets.  I have recently completed 3 outfits that I'm very proud of.  I think I'll go ahead and try to expand the collection with even more shortsets for boys AND girls.

Meanwhile, enjoy these pics of my latest creations!  Each shortset is ONLY $50.  Just comment if you're interested in one.  Then we'll exchange the needed info.

Cleaning House again

Last year, I started off with this grand plan to have a clean house within 30 days.  (See that meager beginning here.)  Now, it's the first Monday of 2011 and it's time to attack the house again.  I'm so glad I saved my cleaning schedule!!!  That'll help me stay on track once again as I purge the junk and clutter from the recesses of my closets! 

Pray for me please.  Pray that the Lord will help me to be ruthless as I toss out un-needed items and junk that I've hung on to for years because, "I'm gonna use that!"

Top 50 Comedy movies to see before you die

I have this list.  I don't know where it came from.  I just happend to be searching through my Documents folder on my computer and I stumbled up on this list of comedy movies to see before you die.  So, I started reading over the list and discovered that I have seen a lot of these titles already.  That's a good thing too because I just don't know if this coming new year will allow me time to sit and watch all 50 of these movies! 

I'm gonna post the list here so that I can delete it from my documents folder.   I'll also mark the ones I've already seen so that I won't watch them again.  Then I'll come back from time to time and update my list by marking the next one that I watched.  I don't know if I'll do a "movie review" yet, but I suppose I could squeeze in a sentence or too.

Here's the list:

1.        Super Troopers

2.       The Hangover (one of the stupidest waste of films I've ever seen)

3.       Road Trip

4.       Superbad

5.       National Lampoon’s Van Wilder

6.       Old School (Not a Will Ferrell fan, had a hard time watching this one.)

7.       American Pie

8.       Dumb and Dumber (Eh)

9.       40 Year Old Virgin

10.   There’s Something About Mary (Ugh)

11.   Happy Gilmore

12.   Meet the Parents (shrug)

13.   Harold and Kumar go to White Castle (Ugh)

14.   Scary Movie (What!?)

15.   Hot Tub Time Machine (right when I posted this list, this movie was on my TV, unedited.  This movie was cute and I liked it, except for all the language and some of the sex scenes.)

16.   Anchorman:  The Legend of Ron Burgandy

17.   Borat

18.   South Park:  Bigger, Longer, and Uncut

19.   Zoolander

20.   Clerks

21.   Shaun of the Dead

22.   Tropic Thunder

23.   Austin Powers:  International Man of Mystery

24.   Knocked Up (Ugh)

25.   A Christmas Story (I love this movie!!!)

26.   Forgetting Sarah Marshall

27.   The Replacements

28.   Team America World Police

29.   I Love You Man

30.   Dodge Ball

31.   Eurotrip

32.   Beerfest

33.   Rush Hour

34.   Animal House

35.   Sexdrive

36.   Trailer Park Boys

37.   Me Myself and Irene

38.   Police Academy

39.   Fight Club

40.   A Night at the Roxbury

41.   Napoleon Dynamite (this HAS to be the stupidest movie ever made!)    

42.   Step Brothers

43.   Liar Liar (Meh)

44.   Grown Ups (I'm not a big Adam Sandler fan, but this one was cute!)

45.   National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

46.   Ground Hog Day (It's been a while since I've seen this one, so I might watch it again)

47.   Chasing Amy (got only 1/3 of the way through this movie.  Couldn't handle the language and subject matter.  Ugh!)

48.   Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (LOVE this movie!)

49.   Coming to America (Haha)

50.   Grandma’s Boy

So, there ya have it.  A list of movies I plan to watch sometime this year.