Adrenaline Junkies?
Ricky the Daredevil was how the most recent church newsletter referred to my 13 year old son regarding last week's ski trip. My initial maternal instinct was a deep sinking feeling in my gut, which only got worse when I observed the extreme pleasure Ricky took in this acknowledgement of his extreme activities. Then a little smile crossed my face. A smile of remembered thrills. His mother did own a motorcycle once, and his father jumped out of airplanes. Even his grandmother rapelled when she was in her seventies. I can only pray for good sense to temper his thrills.
Indiana Pacers
Ron won free tickets to see Indiana Pacers! This was part of the Heart Association fundraiser at school. He still claims the Lakers as his favorite team, but informed us that the Pacers just moved up his list. We have never been to a professional basketball game, so this should be fun.
Talent
Rick auditioned for the school talent show and will be singing acapello "Down in the River to Pray" from "O Brother Where Art Thou" next Friday.
Friday, February 28, 2003
Wednesday, February 19, 2003
Colliding Cultures
Use it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or do without.
My Bible Study group was surprised that I knew this old maxim. I first heard it from Steve Etheridge, a local story-teller, but I remember it because it is on one of my coffee mugs.
My father was a young adult during the depression and my mother was a teenager. I was raised in a frugal home. It tickles me when environmentalists "discover" things that my family did during the 50s and 60s, such as composting, fresh food from the garden, and recycling.
This culture collided with the current consumer culture. As a corporate grunt, time was more precious than anything. What could be quicker than convenience foods with their redundant packaging and throw-away pans?
That's why my house is cluttered. I'm a frugal person living in a disposable society. How's that for justification?
In the 1970s when I started working in the corporate world, our scratch paper was cut from outdated manuals. When I left, we were using sticky notes. Recently I asked a friend for note paper and she handed me a small pad of stapled paper, recycled from the excess paper from their computer. Why not? So I put a basket next to the printer to catch those draft copies, homework notes and other stuff that gets printed on one side and then tossed. Use it up.
Why is shabby chic only chic if you buy it new? Why does my shabby just look shabby? I'm trying to see the chic in it. Do you know how much it costs for aged terra cotta pots? One day last summer, I walked by my potting bench and my eyes were opened to the treasure I had in all the old pots crammed to the back of the bottom shelf. These aged pots were wonderful in my garden. Make it do.
Use it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or do without.
My Bible Study group was surprised that I knew this old maxim. I first heard it from Steve Etheridge, a local story-teller, but I remember it because it is on one of my coffee mugs.
My father was a young adult during the depression and my mother was a teenager. I was raised in a frugal home. It tickles me when environmentalists "discover" things that my family did during the 50s and 60s, such as composting, fresh food from the garden, and recycling.
This culture collided with the current consumer culture. As a corporate grunt, time was more precious than anything. What could be quicker than convenience foods with their redundant packaging and throw-away pans?
That's why my house is cluttered. I'm a frugal person living in a disposable society. How's that for justification?
In the 1970s when I started working in the corporate world, our scratch paper was cut from outdated manuals. When I left, we were using sticky notes. Recently I asked a friend for note paper and she handed me a small pad of stapled paper, recycled from the excess paper from their computer. Why not? So I put a basket next to the printer to catch those draft copies, homework notes and other stuff that gets printed on one side and then tossed. Use it up.
Why is shabby chic only chic if you buy it new? Why does my shabby just look shabby? I'm trying to see the chic in it. Do you know how much it costs for aged terra cotta pots? One day last summer, I walked by my potting bench and my eyes were opened to the treasure I had in all the old pots crammed to the back of the bottom shelf. These aged pots were wonderful in my garden. Make it do.
Saturday, February 15, 2003
Crunchy
Do you need to put a label on me? How about a granola conservative?
http://www.nationalreview.com/dreher/dreher071202.asp
My right and left friends share something in common - they care passionately. Those who are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I spit out of my mouth. (paraphrase of a letter to one of the churches in Revelations.)
I am only slightly crunchy though: making our own bread, composting, avoiding lawn and garden chemicals, planting thousands of trees. I have yet to keep bees, raise free range chickens, and get off the grid; but I have seriously considered doing so.
Do you need to put a label on me? How about a granola conservative?
http://www.nationalreview.com/dreher/dreher071202.asp
My right and left friends share something in common - they care passionately. Those who are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I spit out of my mouth. (paraphrase of a letter to one of the churches in Revelations.)
I am only slightly crunchy though: making our own bread, composting, avoiding lawn and garden chemicals, planting thousands of trees. I have yet to keep bees, raise free range chickens, and get off the grid; but I have seriously considered doing so.
Friday, February 14, 2003
ISSMA
Where were you when Columbia disintegrated? I was sitting at Wayne High School listening to Ron sing "Candle on the Water" at ISSMA. Rick had just finished "Do Re Mi." They did very well with their solos and I am proud of them. They have no fear of performing. We went out to breakfast to celebrate, a celebration marred totally by the Columbia accident.
American Heart Association
Ron may have a future as a fundraiser. He raised the most money in his class for the AHA during a school program called Hoops for Hearts. He had a month to collect but he waited until the day before it was due to hit up everyone he knew at church. Thank you so much, dear people at HUMC, for pitching in. I wish you could have seen his face when he brought his prize home.
Happy Birthday, Mom
Mom celebrated her 80th year this week. I honor her and bless her for who she is. First she was Mommy, then Moooother during my teen years and emerged as Mom, my best friend in my twenties. Recently I revert to Mommy when I hug her since that is the most intimate expression of my love for her.
What can I do?
Rick asked me Tuesday night, "What can I do to stop the war and terrorism? What can a 13 year old boy do?" Breathing a quick prayer, I looked him in the eyes, so he knew I was taking this as seriously as he was, and told him I would have to think about it. I'm so glad that he is not five years older for he may have his answer then. My sister and a friend sent me this within the next few days. I had my answer for Rick:
We can do something about the threat of war; both in Iraq and with terrorists. In the Old Testament, God's armies were always led by the priests. When the waters parted in the Jordan, it was the priests' feet which first hit the turbulent river.! In the New Testament, Christians are also referred to as priests...all Christians.
We must, therefore, go in first.
As the possibility of war approaches with Hussein and Iraq, we are asking the priests to step in first.....ahead of our military. Let us be setting up camp for our soldiers' entrance into the conflict. How? By prayer.
Let us be sending in "prayer missiles," "cruise and scud prayers" to target enemy plans. "Patriot prayers" to shoot down incoming threats.
We should be praying for two things: (1) that the enemy leaders become confused, disoriented, and distrustful of each other; that their entire system of attack fall apart, and (2) that in God's wildest ways, these enemies would become aware of His deep love for them and the war Jesus has already fought for them, personally, on the cross.
God had Gideon reduce his army from 32,000 to 300 men!. He then equipped them with nothing but trumpets, pitchers, and torches. What an odd combination to fight off well-armed soldiers. When Gideon gave the command, the Bible says the enemy fled crying and turned on each other...all because God messed with enemy
plans.
Prayers were started for this about a month ago. On CNN last weekend a report came out that although Hussein has nothing to lose, his generals do.
Is confusion beginning to develop? Please pray for God to set the stage for defeat of all those who intend to do harm. When our men and women of uniform arrive on the scene, may they be surprised at how God had camp set up before they ever got there.
My valentine
We have been blessed with a significant deepening of our marital relationship. Perhaps it is because we faced trials together the last few years and are emerging stronger. I am overwhelmed with the love of my husband. This is from James Joyce:
...and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes
and then he asked me would I yes...
and first I put my arms around him yes
and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes
and his heart was going like mad
and yes I said yes I will Yes.
Where were you when Columbia disintegrated? I was sitting at Wayne High School listening to Ron sing "Candle on the Water" at ISSMA. Rick had just finished "Do Re Mi." They did very well with their solos and I am proud of them. They have no fear of performing. We went out to breakfast to celebrate, a celebration marred totally by the Columbia accident.
American Heart Association
Ron may have a future as a fundraiser. He raised the most money in his class for the AHA during a school program called Hoops for Hearts. He had a month to collect but he waited until the day before it was due to hit up everyone he knew at church. Thank you so much, dear people at HUMC, for pitching in. I wish you could have seen his face when he brought his prize home.
Happy Birthday, Mom
Mom celebrated her 80th year this week. I honor her and bless her for who she is. First she was Mommy, then Moooother during my teen years and emerged as Mom, my best friend in my twenties. Recently I revert to Mommy when I hug her since that is the most intimate expression of my love for her.
What can I do?
Rick asked me Tuesday night, "What can I do to stop the war and terrorism? What can a 13 year old boy do?" Breathing a quick prayer, I looked him in the eyes, so he knew I was taking this as seriously as he was, and told him I would have to think about it. I'm so glad that he is not five years older for he may have his answer then. My sister and a friend sent me this within the next few days. I had my answer for Rick:
We can do something about the threat of war; both in Iraq and with terrorists. In the Old Testament, God's armies were always led by the priests. When the waters parted in the Jordan, it was the priests' feet which first hit the turbulent river.! In the New Testament, Christians are also referred to as priests...all Christians.
We must, therefore, go in first.
As the possibility of war approaches with Hussein and Iraq, we are asking the priests to step in first.....ahead of our military. Let us be setting up camp for our soldiers' entrance into the conflict. How? By prayer.
Let us be sending in "prayer missiles," "cruise and scud prayers" to target enemy plans. "Patriot prayers" to shoot down incoming threats.
We should be praying for two things: (1) that the enemy leaders become confused, disoriented, and distrustful of each other; that their entire system of attack fall apart, and (2) that in God's wildest ways, these enemies would become aware of His deep love for them and the war Jesus has already fought for them, personally, on the cross.
God had Gideon reduce his army from 32,000 to 300 men!. He then equipped them with nothing but trumpets, pitchers, and torches. What an odd combination to fight off well-armed soldiers. When Gideon gave the command, the Bible says the enemy fled crying and turned on each other...all because God messed with enemy
plans.
Prayers were started for this about a month ago. On CNN last weekend a report came out that although Hussein has nothing to lose, his generals do.
Is confusion beginning to develop? Please pray for God to set the stage for defeat of all those who intend to do harm. When our men and women of uniform arrive on the scene, may they be surprised at how God had camp set up before they ever got there.
My valentine
We have been blessed with a significant deepening of our marital relationship. Perhaps it is because we faced trials together the last few years and are emerging stronger. I am overwhelmed with the love of my husband. This is from James Joyce:
...and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes
and then he asked me would I yes...
and first I put my arms around him yes
and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes
and his heart was going like mad
and yes I said yes I will Yes.
Sunday, January 19, 2003
Enterprising Son
Ron was very excited when I picked him up from middle school one evening last week.
“I can’t wait until Saturday, Mom.”
“Why?” I asked while skimming our calendar in my head.
“Because that’s when my new Dell computer arrives!”
It seems that he ordered a computer during class instead of researching his health paper. At $18 a month, he figured he could pay for it with his allowance. No computer was delivered yesterday and Ron got a lesson in contracts, debt and ordering from the Internet.
An aside: Dell has no customer service e-mail link on their site, so I had to face voice-mail hell. I just couldn’t figure out what number to push to cancel an order placed by a minor.
Sledding
I took the boys sledding last week. By the time homework and dinner was done, it was dark outside. It was still early though and there was an almost full moon. We bundled up against the single digit weather and waddled down to the Big Hill by the Big Pond. How can I share the sensory overload of the brisk air, the full moon shining off the snow, the thrill of a fast ride, the adrenaline-laced squeals of the twins? I was a little sore the next day – whether from rolling down the hill when I fell off the sled or from crawling up the hill with my sled or just the protests of an aging body.
Sunday, December 29, 2002
I'm posting this from Arkansas where I'm visiting my mother. As a Christmas present, my niece and I gave her the privilege of housing, feeding and entertaining four young teenagers plus a 10 year old and almost 2 year old. We've had lots of fun, from rubbing gravestones at the Bates Cemetery, to playing charades and board games loudly, to swimming in the largest indoor pool in Izard County, to antique shopping in Hardy, to building dams in and campfires by the Strawberry River, to reading, to raking Grandma's leaves, to letting Grandma show off her ten progeny (including in-laws) at church. We left Christmas morning, after giving the boys only two of their presents. Rick was concerned that his parents "went poor" on him. The first half of the twelve hour drive was tense due to unplowed roads after a six inch snowfall. The highways were clear in southern Illinois onward. We surprised the boys with the rest of their gifts Christmas night, so that their Grandmom could share in their pleasure.
Monday, December 16, 2002
Books
One of my pleasures is reading and now I have time to be part of a book club. Here's our 2003 reading list:
Fiction: Son of the Circus by John Irving, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie, Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Non-fiction:Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, Revenge: A Story of Hope by Laura Blumenfeld, Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan, Into the Buzzsaw: Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press by Kristina Borjesson, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich, and The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
Birthday
Today is my birthday. Ron gave me my present within five minutes of waking up. Actually, he gave me the present he bought me for Christmas. It was a sweet surprise. The boys sang to me on the way to school. I tried to convince them that I did not need a birthday cake because there are too many sweets in the house now with my rabid baking binge, but I suspect this father-son baking tradition is as much for their pleasure as to honor me.
One of my pleasures is reading and now I have time to be part of a book club. Here's our 2003 reading list:
Fiction: Son of the Circus by John Irving, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie, Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Non-fiction:Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, Revenge: A Story of Hope by Laura Blumenfeld, Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan, Into the Buzzsaw: Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press by Kristina Borjesson, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich, and The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
Birthday
Today is my birthday. Ron gave me my present within five minutes of waking up. Actually, he gave me the present he bought me for Christmas. It was a sweet surprise. The boys sang to me on the way to school. I tried to convince them that I did not need a birthday cake because there are too many sweets in the house now with my rabid baking binge, but I suspect this father-son baking tradition is as much for their pleasure as to honor me.
Saturday, December 14, 2002
Butter, Sugar, Flour, Vanilla
There must be 10,000 Christmas cookie recipes based on these four ingredients. This year I've made a serious effort to bake them all.
Christmas Tree
We planted 25 Scotch pines in 1995. Last year we cut the first tree for Christmas. It was definitely a Charlie Brown tree, but we loved it. This year my husband and son cut another tree and it is beautiful. Because we do not prune the trees, it is a natural, full, lush shape, not some hard cone head. It is about as wide as it is tall and the branches are spaced perfectly to display ornaments. There was only one slight problem with balance and the fully decorated tree toppled one hectic school morning with the school bus waiting on top of the hill.
Favorite Blogs
If I invest some money and time into this blog, you would see a list of links on the side. Since I'm taking the low budget/low maintenance approach, here are some links that I enjoy and I hope you do too.
Going Bridal tops the list. http://www.goingbridal.com/index.shtml
If I log on to the internet, I have to visit this site. I haven't quite figured out why because my wedding was over ten years ago and my sons' weddings are far, far in the future. It's probably her excellent writing and fine attitude. I've commented on this site under a nom de guerre. Can you guess it?
Another one I follow is Julie/Julia (http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/) where Julie is cooking all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year. Watch out for language on this one though.
There must be 10,000 Christmas cookie recipes based on these four ingredients. This year I've made a serious effort to bake them all.
Christmas Tree
We planted 25 Scotch pines in 1995. Last year we cut the first tree for Christmas. It was definitely a Charlie Brown tree, but we loved it. This year my husband and son cut another tree and it is beautiful. Because we do not prune the trees, it is a natural, full, lush shape, not some hard cone head. It is about as wide as it is tall and the branches are spaced perfectly to display ornaments. There was only one slight problem with balance and the fully decorated tree toppled one hectic school morning with the school bus waiting on top of the hill.
Favorite Blogs
If I invest some money and time into this blog, you would see a list of links on the side. Since I'm taking the low budget/low maintenance approach, here are some links that I enjoy and I hope you do too.
Going Bridal tops the list. http://www.goingbridal.com/index.shtml
If I log on to the internet, I have to visit this site. I haven't quite figured out why because my wedding was over ten years ago and my sons' weddings are far, far in the future. It's probably her excellent writing and fine attitude. I've commented on this site under a nom de guerre. Can you guess it?
Another one I follow is Julie/Julia (http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/) where Julie is cooking all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year. Watch out for language on this one though.
Sunday, December 01, 2002
Christmas 2002
The boys are 13. What a poignant age - part man, mostly child. They are taking the lead in family traditions this year – cutting the tree at the Highlands, baking cookies, decorating the house, and even scouring the ads to find presents for their cousins.
We planned to start decorating on Saturday. Ron woke up at six and started to clean the house, Mom’s prerequisite to decorating. I was amazed - another Christmas miracle. They even got the Christmas boxes down from the attic. I just sat back and watched them open the boxes with the joy of discovery as they carefully unwrapped the familiar, yet somehow new, Christmas decorations. They set up the nativity, checked the lights and placed the decorations around the house.
Rick made us homemade blueberry pancakes. I suspect that will become “tradition” by next year.
Traditions
They were six years old our first Christmas together. I had such plans, or, more accurately, dreams, for the traditions I would start with my new family, blending the traditions from Steve and I with whatever the boys brought with them to their forever home. Of course, I never had kindergarten boys before and I found out that traditions have their own way of being made. At Grandma’s Christmas Eve gathering, she gave them hot wheels, tracks and several power boosters. When I was ready for the family to leave for the candlelight and communion midnight services, the twins and their father had tracks and wheels all over the house. I tried to convince them to leave (not really nagging), but gave up and reveled in the joy of their play.
The boys are 13. What a poignant age - part man, mostly child. They are taking the lead in family traditions this year – cutting the tree at the Highlands, baking cookies, decorating the house, and even scouring the ads to find presents for their cousins.
We planned to start decorating on Saturday. Ron woke up at six and started to clean the house, Mom’s prerequisite to decorating. I was amazed - another Christmas miracle. They even got the Christmas boxes down from the attic. I just sat back and watched them open the boxes with the joy of discovery as they carefully unwrapped the familiar, yet somehow new, Christmas decorations. They set up the nativity, checked the lights and placed the decorations around the house.
Rick made us homemade blueberry pancakes. I suspect that will become “tradition” by next year.
Traditions
They were six years old our first Christmas together. I had such plans, or, more accurately, dreams, for the traditions I would start with my new family, blending the traditions from Steve and I with whatever the boys brought with them to their forever home. Of course, I never had kindergarten boys before and I found out that traditions have their own way of being made. At Grandma’s Christmas Eve gathering, she gave them hot wheels, tracks and several power boosters. When I was ready for the family to leave for the candlelight and communion midnight services, the twins and their father had tracks and wheels all over the house. I tried to convince them to leave (not really nagging), but gave up and reveled in the joy of their play.
Welcome back. I had to create a new site because I outsmarted myself. For six months, I relied on Pyra to remember my user name and password. When it expired, I could not remember my password. When I asked the system to send it to me, it did...to HoneyBee@myself.com! I must have used this phoney e-mail when I created the blog last spring. So if you want to see the previous posts, go to http://goodearth.blogspot.com/
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