But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Showing posts with label Ramblings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ramblings. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Recycle, Reduce, Reuse
I often comment to Tim that I just "don't get" today's generation - things are old after 2 years - I still refer to my kitchen's new paint job - that is 8 years old. I try hard to recycle, reduce, reuse. I don't get planned obsolesce of computers and gadgets. I don't get buy for one use items. I don't get a lot of stuff. I say I "just bought" something from 3 or 4 years ago.
But I get this article that has been floating around. I remember doing a LOT of this - even if I am only 43.
Remember when.... Checking out at the grocers recently, the young cashier suggested I should bring my own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. I apologised and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days." The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations." She was right about one thing -- our generation didn't have the green thing in “Our” day. So, what did we have back then…? After some reflection and soul-searching on "Our" day here's what I remembered we did have.... Back then, we returned milk bottles, pop bottles and beer bottles to the shop. The shop sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilised and refilled, so it could use the same bottles repeatedly. So, they really were recycled. But, we didn't have the green thing back in our day. We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocers and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two streets. But, she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day. Back then, we washed the baby's nappies because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right. We didn't have the green thing back in our day. Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of London. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send thru the post, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right. We didn't have the green thing back then. We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the green thing back then. Back then, people took the bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their mums into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of
sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerised gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint. But, isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then? Please post this on your Facebook profile so another selfish old person, who needs a lesson in conservation from a smarty-pants young person, can add to this
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Rambling Update - 3 - 26
I've been meaning to give a Rambling update for a few days now. Just can't seem to wrap my tired brain around it all. So much going on in my brain.
Today is Saturday - I'm pretty sure, because I set up Google Calender to let me know. I slept in today. I think Tim was up at 7am, and Joel was right behind him. I woke up the girls at 9:45. Kendra has been cleaning my Dad's house.
Vannan is caring for 3 or 4 baby bunnies. Stripe abandoned her bunch yesterday, and we've lost 3 of them. This is the 3rd batch that she's done poorly with, so Vannan will not use her for a breeder anymore. She had successfully moved her first baby into the other batch several days ago, and seems to have moved a second one in also. That leaves her with 3 very tiny babies that she is bottle feeding. .... Correction ... 2 now, she just brought out another one that has died.
She is hoping to sell some for Easter. They are gorgeous rabbits and super tame.
So far today, I've noticed that we are pretty low on LaRue's size 4 diapers. Got the girls to serve up the last cantalope before it went bad. LaRue is dressed, nursed, and been a general silly girl. I'm not feeling overly "well" today. My eyes are burning, coughing and sneezing, and I ache ... allergies at their finest. Must be clover season. I've done a small amount of picking up and sorting, and supervising.
Friday ... that was yesterday. Not sure what happened yesterday.
Tim took Kendra to town with him when he went to the Granary again ... forgot the Chlorella, and he picked up (what he hopes) is gluten free cereal.
Rhoda, and family, went to a seminar at her church. It goes tonight and tomorrow also. I'm hoping she will blurb it on her blog, as it sounds like it was pretty amazing.
Vannan found that Stripe wasn't taking care of her babies and brought in 7 of them.
Vannan found Tim's drill and has been using it - put up a rack for her sewing and she put up her mirror. Hopefully they stay, because the stud population in this house is a bit lacking. (No pun intended there.) Still, I am so grateful we HAVE a house to be miffed about the studs - we could still be living in a single and a half bedroom and everything we own in storage still after 10 years.
Thursday - Karen came up and took the young ones to watch Bethie's horse therapy lessons. Bethie has a big show on the 2nd to show how the kids are progressing and what they do to help special needs kids. Karen often takes a few extra's so I can work with two of the younger ones together OR the three older ones.
Tim took Vannan down for her violin lessons, then stopped by the granary to pick up a few items.
After Tim and Vannan returned, and we had supper. Jenny arrived, and I took Joel with me, and we went and bought a few groceries. $69 plus a gallon of milk on WIC. We need more Cheerios, but I'll pick that up next Friday on WIC.
Wednesday -
Mamaw and Papa came up to visit. She's out of the nursing home - I'll post more on that and some pictures later. Talking with her is interesting ... you never know what she will say next .... She was looking for her husband - and worried about the people knocking down the house she's been assigned to live in - she said she came here because she use to live here and wanted to see what we've done with the place. But overall, it was a nice visit of about 30 - 40 minutes.
Tim came home. Umm... I'm sure other things happened. Vannan got a 100 on her spelling test.
A lady came by and brought me a CCTV. It is a device that will help me see to read. I'm very excited. This will be such a huge blessing for school - once I find a safe place to put it and use it easily. Not to worry - I WILL figure it out. In the meantime, we can come and use it where it is currently sitting as we need it.
Tuesday - Karen was up. We cleaned and organized Tim's closet. Made sure the weekend project of sorting Joel and LaRue's clothes had been put away properly, and Karen reboxed the clothes that were not hers that LaRue had borrowed.
Was it that night that Joel tossed his "late night snack because I didn't want to eat" onto the floor. I even handed him a bowl and told him to practice juggling. He did a great job on the rest of it. On the plus side, it had only been in his stomach some 10 minutes, so the smell was mostly cinnamon.
Monday - We had a monday ... I'm pretty sure. Vannan spent most of the day in bed with a tummy virus. Stripe had a single bunny ... she gave it to Strawberry Milk - and it seemed to be doing very well, but the bigger ones finally trampled it. (It doesn't look like any of the original 7 are going to make it. We have 3 left. - Vannan has tried bottle feeding them. Strawberry Milk is doing ok - just there are too many bigger ones in the box.)
Kendra babysat Rhoda's kids from 4pm to 11pm ... and we had a little fun looking at the super moon. Pictures didn't do it justice.
Sunday - Alex came for supper ... and Joel tossed his lunch right in the middle of it. Thankfully, he was on the couch and had a trash can next to him. It seems to be a fast moving bug - and he was fine by midnight.
We took an early evening walk - Rhoda's kids joined us.
We all slept in. Much needed sleep.
Saturday - We had a BIG day planned. BUT
at 6:45 LaRue was making strange sounds ... and as I sat up ... she barfed all over the spot I had just vacated. Lights on. Clean her up. Give her to Vannan. Start leaving messages for all whose day just got topsy turvyed.
Tim had been going to come home - he didn't.
Aunt Cindy came up with Joel, took the girls grocery shopping and picked up animal feed.
Then we found out the garage sale that we were missing, was going to do the bag sale after all ... so Aunt Cindy took the 2 girls down, they met Karen there, and dropped them with Karen. Tim's mom met them there, all sorted and found anything that might be of use (they did a pretty good job of it!) and then Karen brought them home. In the meantime, LaRue had barfed 4 more times, and by the time they all got back home, she was happily playing as if she had never been sick.
Friday - Helped my Dad pack himself and Marriana for a trip to see my sister Rebekah and her family. We did a TON of washing - and there was still tons to do. We figured we would wash all the beds while they were gone, and had stripped them all down to the mattress. I didn't expect everything to take as long as it did - but we were exhausted by the end of the day. We were really looking forward to having just our own family for a week - what a great vacation for us! (We'll take what we can get! ... It really HAS been a great and quiet and mostly calm week - I could go for a month like this).
Vannan found a HUGE snake at the barn eating goose eggs. Daddy shot it's head off. Since then, Vannan has found 2 more snakes at the barn. Two Texas Rat Snakes and a speckled King snake. We don't like snakes.
Joel took Aunt Cindy on a "hot date" and Uncle Tommy went along. For those who don't Facebook - according to Joel - a hot date is one where you go someplace you never went to before and meet people that you have never seen before. And a cold date is when you go someplace that you HAVE been to before and you already know most of the people.
Well, that is what a week looks like in reverse. Tim was in the hospital the first time from the 3rd - 7th, and the second time from 10th - 13th. Tim's neighbor from down the street (where he grew up) came and fixed our hot water heater on the 8th - it popped it's circuit on the 10th, but seems to be working again now and has not quit on us again. Odd that it quit the 3rd and the 10th - both as Tim left for the hospital.
Toffee has been skunked twice, maybe 3 times.
Karen and I have to go talk to the lawyers about the accident last Thanksgiving. Keep us in your prayers - this is quite stressful for us. After everything is over and the case closed ... I'll see if we can fill everyone in on some of the details - and perhaps we'll just ignore that chapter of our lives.
Tim continues to improve. He walked around walmart - to pick up just a couple of items - but said he was glad to not have to walk anymore. He picks up LaRue and carries her around for a few minutes at a time. He plans to return to work on Monday. Still, he's been out of work for 3 weeks - no pay ... although one guy at work asked the supervisors to put Tim down for part of his sale - a HUGE blessing to us. Money is very tight - but we've been able to buy food and pay the must pay bills like trash, electricity, and phones. We are praying Tim gets some good sales quickly as he returns to work.
Rhoda will be loosing part of her income also - she is praying for something to come up that allows her to work from home without taking away from schooling the boys. The price of gas has made it increasingly less productive (for both her and their mom) to keep the two little ones that she has kept for the last year.
Ruth is taking care of some baby squirrels. Maybe if Vannan's bunnies are still alive tomorrow, Ruth can help her with them.
I have to get the curriculum ordered very soon for next year. I still need to figure out what we need for next year. But this is the time of year for the sales - anywhere from 10 - 20% off of cost - and that is nice. Things have been so hodge podge this year - and I've discovered a number of free online sources - so I'm hoping all I will need to order is mostly Joel things for 1st grade and maybe an Alg. 1 course for Vannan. Though I'm considering putting her through Consumer Math with Kendra since it is already purchased, and let her watch the Algebra videos on the side. All of the English books are purchased already. And we do our own thing with History. We use Polished Cornerstones and Instructions in Righteousness for Bible. .... So I'm hoping we can get by with only spending $100 - $150 for curriculum this year. Anyone want to help out?
So that's where we are at after our week of vacation. Pretty typical week for us - as far as ups and downs.
Tim feels up to church tomorrow - so we'll happily head that way come morning. And I'm pretty sure Tim is planning to do his Afterglow show Sunday night. Be sure to listen in - and participate if you can. So far, I've not had a fast enough connection to listen while it is online - but I get to listen later after they go offline. Plus you are suppose to be able to download it.
Praises to God for his blessings this week - and his provisions for us. All things work together for HIS good and HIS glory.
At the beginning of March, I wrote on Facebook 4 things that I wanted to do this month. 1. Go to the Public Library book sale (didn't go - but was told I missed nothing). 2. Go to the Right To Life Garage Sale (didn't go - but Kendra and Vannan did) 3. Go to the daffodil farm - I LOVE these bright yellow flowers - but do NOT like cut flowers inside of my house (allergies) ... well, there are still 5 days left in March. 4. Get back into the habit of walking everyday. (haven't BUT - I did get out and walk 5 or 6 times more than I did the month before - and even did 3 days in a row - I think I had better put it on my Google Calendar to remind me every 5 minutes until I get it done.)
Things in our Need list:
Joel needs new summer tennis shoes - though light weight would probably be fine. His 13's are getting too small fast. (He needs size 1 shoes)
Joel needs size 6 or 6H pants and shorts. (Blessed with several yesterday! A couple of pair of Jean shorts - and he'll be set!)
I need to get our school room organized and bring the CCTV and my computer over for school days. Trying to run school in multiple locations is simply not working at all. Nor is my computer and the information for school that it has being at a different house than school is being ran from. Because of my problem with spacial awareness (eyes), I've really struggled to find a working arrangement.
School books for next year - especially for Joel.
Things on our Want List:
a Kindle for school next year (we are thinking to put all of our swagbucks money toward one - so we are about halfway to getting one!) ... there are many high school and college history, science, math, business, etc. texts that I can download for free onto the Kindle - and paying $140 for one (two would be even better) makes sense instead of spending $250 - $300 for various curriculum which we may or may not be able to reuse for the next child down. Also, we can download many of the history novels on the reading list for free. Fewer library trips!
Help / Glue to put the tiles down in the bathroom - so the wood floor doesn't rot. I've forgotten how we did the special cuts way back the summer of 2000 when I actively helped with our last project. (Why do we wait to fix up our house when we sell it? Instead of for us to enjoy while we live there?)
Help getting our garden in! Daddy keeps saying he'll bring his tiller around and help us get it in .. but he's rather overburdened with tasks right now.
Oh, I do have "pie in the sky" wishes too - like a nice big Kindle for myself. But those are pretty pricey.
And just for the record ... if you buy from Amazon - if you ask me for a link to what you want to buy, I can get a sale commission from it - (not much) and it won't cost you a bit more. Right now I have 18c sitting in my fund - and they won't transfer less than $5 (I think). So if you buy from Amazon - use my links - it helps us!
Today is Saturday - I'm pretty sure, because I set up Google Calender to let me know. I slept in today. I think Tim was up at 7am, and Joel was right behind him. I woke up the girls at 9:45. Kendra has been cleaning my Dad's house.
Vannan is caring for 3 or 4 baby bunnies. Stripe abandoned her bunch yesterday, and we've lost 3 of them. This is the 3rd batch that she's done poorly with, so Vannan will not use her for a breeder anymore. She had successfully moved her first baby into the other batch several days ago, and seems to have moved a second one in also. That leaves her with 3 very tiny babies that she is bottle feeding. .... Correction ... 2 now, she just brought out another one that has died.
She is hoping to sell some for Easter. They are gorgeous rabbits and super tame.
So far today, I've noticed that we are pretty low on LaRue's size 4 diapers. Got the girls to serve up the last cantalope before it went bad. LaRue is dressed, nursed, and been a general silly girl. I'm not feeling overly "well" today. My eyes are burning, coughing and sneezing, and I ache ... allergies at their finest. Must be clover season. I've done a small amount of picking up and sorting, and supervising.
Friday ... that was yesterday. Not sure what happened yesterday.
Tim took Kendra to town with him when he went to the Granary again ... forgot the Chlorella, and he picked up (what he hopes) is gluten free cereal.
Rhoda, and family, went to a seminar at her church. It goes tonight and tomorrow also. I'm hoping she will blurb it on her blog, as it sounds like it was pretty amazing.
Vannan found that Stripe wasn't taking care of her babies and brought in 7 of them.
Vannan found Tim's drill and has been using it - put up a rack for her sewing and she put up her mirror. Hopefully they stay, because the stud population in this house is a bit lacking. (No pun intended there.) Still, I am so grateful we HAVE a house to be miffed about the studs - we could still be living in a single and a half bedroom and everything we own in storage still after 10 years.
Thursday - Karen came up and took the young ones to watch Bethie's horse therapy lessons. Bethie has a big show on the 2nd to show how the kids are progressing and what they do to help special needs kids. Karen often takes a few extra's so I can work with two of the younger ones together OR the three older ones.
Tim took Vannan down for her violin lessons, then stopped by the granary to pick up a few items.
After Tim and Vannan returned, and we had supper. Jenny arrived, and I took Joel with me, and we went and bought a few groceries. $69 plus a gallon of milk on WIC. We need more Cheerios, but I'll pick that up next Friday on WIC.
Wednesday -
Mamaw and Papa came up to visit. She's out of the nursing home - I'll post more on that and some pictures later. Talking with her is interesting ... you never know what she will say next .... She was looking for her husband - and worried about the people knocking down the house she's been assigned to live in - she said she came here because she use to live here and wanted to see what we've done with the place. But overall, it was a nice visit of about 30 - 40 minutes.
Tim came home. Umm... I'm sure other things happened. Vannan got a 100 on her spelling test.
A lady came by and brought me a CCTV. It is a device that will help me see to read. I'm very excited. This will be such a huge blessing for school - once I find a safe place to put it and use it easily. Not to worry - I WILL figure it out. In the meantime, we can come and use it where it is currently sitting as we need it.
Tuesday - Karen was up. We cleaned and organized Tim's closet. Made sure the weekend project of sorting Joel and LaRue's clothes had been put away properly, and Karen reboxed the clothes that were not hers that LaRue had borrowed.
Was it that night that Joel tossed his "late night snack because I didn't want to eat" onto the floor. I even handed him a bowl and told him to practice juggling. He did a great job on the rest of it. On the plus side, it had only been in his stomach some 10 minutes, so the smell was mostly cinnamon.
Monday - We had a monday ... I'm pretty sure. Vannan spent most of the day in bed with a tummy virus. Stripe had a single bunny ... she gave it to Strawberry Milk - and it seemed to be doing very well, but the bigger ones finally trampled it. (It doesn't look like any of the original 7 are going to make it. We have 3 left. - Vannan has tried bottle feeding them. Strawberry Milk is doing ok - just there are too many bigger ones in the box.)
Kendra babysat Rhoda's kids from 4pm to 11pm ... and we had a little fun looking at the super moon. Pictures didn't do it justice.
Sunday - Alex came for supper ... and Joel tossed his lunch right in the middle of it. Thankfully, he was on the couch and had a trash can next to him. It seems to be a fast moving bug - and he was fine by midnight.
We took an early evening walk - Rhoda's kids joined us.
We all slept in. Much needed sleep.
Saturday - We had a BIG day planned. BUT
at 6:45 LaRue was making strange sounds ... and as I sat up ... she barfed all over the spot I had just vacated. Lights on. Clean her up. Give her to Vannan. Start leaving messages for all whose day just got topsy turvyed.
Tim had been going to come home - he didn't.
Aunt Cindy came up with Joel, took the girls grocery shopping and picked up animal feed.
Then we found out the garage sale that we were missing, was going to do the bag sale after all ... so Aunt Cindy took the 2 girls down, they met Karen there, and dropped them with Karen. Tim's mom met them there, all sorted and found anything that might be of use (they did a pretty good job of it!) and then Karen brought them home. In the meantime, LaRue had barfed 4 more times, and by the time they all got back home, she was happily playing as if she had never been sick.
Friday - Helped my Dad pack himself and Marriana for a trip to see my sister Rebekah and her family. We did a TON of washing - and there was still tons to do. We figured we would wash all the beds while they were gone, and had stripped them all down to the mattress. I didn't expect everything to take as long as it did - but we were exhausted by the end of the day. We were really looking forward to having just our own family for a week - what a great vacation for us! (We'll take what we can get! ... It really HAS been a great and quiet and mostly calm week - I could go for a month like this).
Vannan found a HUGE snake at the barn eating goose eggs. Daddy shot it's head off. Since then, Vannan has found 2 more snakes at the barn. Two Texas Rat Snakes and a speckled King snake. We don't like snakes.
Joel took Aunt Cindy on a "hot date" and Uncle Tommy went along. For those who don't Facebook - according to Joel - a hot date is one where you go someplace you never went to before and meet people that you have never seen before. And a cold date is when you go someplace that you HAVE been to before and you already know most of the people.
Well, that is what a week looks like in reverse. Tim was in the hospital the first time from the 3rd - 7th, and the second time from 10th - 13th. Tim's neighbor from down the street (where he grew up) came and fixed our hot water heater on the 8th - it popped it's circuit on the 10th, but seems to be working again now and has not quit on us again. Odd that it quit the 3rd and the 10th - both as Tim left for the hospital.
Toffee has been skunked twice, maybe 3 times.
Karen and I have to go talk to the lawyers about the accident last Thanksgiving. Keep us in your prayers - this is quite stressful for us. After everything is over and the case closed ... I'll see if we can fill everyone in on some of the details - and perhaps we'll just ignore that chapter of our lives.
Tim continues to improve. He walked around walmart - to pick up just a couple of items - but said he was glad to not have to walk anymore. He picks up LaRue and carries her around for a few minutes at a time. He plans to return to work on Monday. Still, he's been out of work for 3 weeks - no pay ... although one guy at work asked the supervisors to put Tim down for part of his sale - a HUGE blessing to us. Money is very tight - but we've been able to buy food and pay the must pay bills like trash, electricity, and phones. We are praying Tim gets some good sales quickly as he returns to work.
Rhoda will be loosing part of her income also - she is praying for something to come up that allows her to work from home without taking away from schooling the boys. The price of gas has made it increasingly less productive (for both her and their mom) to keep the two little ones that she has kept for the last year.
Ruth is taking care of some baby squirrels. Maybe if Vannan's bunnies are still alive tomorrow, Ruth can help her with them.
I have to get the curriculum ordered very soon for next year. I still need to figure out what we need for next year. But this is the time of year for the sales - anywhere from 10 - 20% off of cost - and that is nice. Things have been so hodge podge this year - and I've discovered a number of free online sources - so I'm hoping all I will need to order is mostly Joel things for 1st grade and maybe an Alg. 1 course for Vannan. Though I'm considering putting her through Consumer Math with Kendra since it is already purchased, and let her watch the Algebra videos on the side. All of the English books are purchased already. And we do our own thing with History. We use Polished Cornerstones and Instructions in Righteousness for Bible. .... So I'm hoping we can get by with only spending $100 - $150 for curriculum this year. Anyone want to help out?
So that's where we are at after our week of vacation. Pretty typical week for us - as far as ups and downs.
Tim feels up to church tomorrow - so we'll happily head that way come morning. And I'm pretty sure Tim is planning to do his Afterglow show Sunday night. Be sure to listen in - and participate if you can. So far, I've not had a fast enough connection to listen while it is online - but I get to listen later after they go offline. Plus you are suppose to be able to download it.
Praises to God for his blessings this week - and his provisions for us. All things work together for HIS good and HIS glory.
At the beginning of March, I wrote on Facebook 4 things that I wanted to do this month. 1. Go to the Public Library book sale (didn't go - but was told I missed nothing). 2. Go to the Right To Life Garage Sale (didn't go - but Kendra and Vannan did) 3. Go to the daffodil farm - I LOVE these bright yellow flowers - but do NOT like cut flowers inside of my house (allergies) ... well, there are still 5 days left in March. 4. Get back into the habit of walking everyday. (haven't BUT - I did get out and walk 5 or 6 times more than I did the month before - and even did 3 days in a row - I think I had better put it on my Google Calendar to remind me every 5 minutes until I get it done.)
Things in our Need list:
Joel needs new summer tennis shoes - though light weight would probably be fine. His 13's are getting too small fast. (He needs size 1 shoes)
Joel needs size 6 or 6H pants and shorts. (Blessed with several yesterday! A couple of pair of Jean shorts - and he'll be set!)
I need to get our school room organized and bring the CCTV and my computer over for school days. Trying to run school in multiple locations is simply not working at all. Nor is my computer and the information for school that it has being at a different house than school is being ran from. Because of my problem with spacial awareness (eyes), I've really struggled to find a working arrangement.
School books for next year - especially for Joel.
Things on our Want List:
a Kindle for school next year (we are thinking to put all of our swagbucks money toward one - so we are about halfway to getting one!) ... there are many high school and college history, science, math, business, etc. texts that I can download for free onto the Kindle - and paying $140 for one (two would be even better) makes sense instead of spending $250 - $300 for various curriculum which we may or may not be able to reuse for the next child down. Also, we can download many of the history novels on the reading list for free. Fewer library trips!
Help / Glue to put the tiles down in the bathroom - so the wood floor doesn't rot. I've forgotten how we did the special cuts way back the summer of 2000 when I actively helped with our last project. (Why do we wait to fix up our house when we sell it? Instead of for us to enjoy while we live there?)
Help getting our garden in! Daddy keeps saying he'll bring his tiller around and help us get it in .. but he's rather overburdened with tasks right now.
Oh, I do have "pie in the sky" wishes too - like a nice big Kindle for myself. But those are pretty pricey.
And just for the record ... if you buy from Amazon - if you ask me for a link to what you want to buy, I can get a sale commission from it - (not much) and it won't cost you a bit more. Right now I have 18c sitting in my fund - and they won't transfer less than $5 (I think). So if you buy from Amazon - use my links - it helps us!
Friday, September 18, 2009
New Government Policy Imposes Strict Standards on Garage Sales Nationwide - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com
New Government Policy Imposes Strict Standards on Garage Sales Nationwide - Local News News Articles National News US News - FOXNews.com: "New Government Policy Imposes Strict Standards on Garage Sales Nationwide"
Americans who slap $1 pricetags on their used possessions at garage sales or bazaar events risk being slapped with fines of up to $15 million, thanks to a new government campaign.
The "Resale Round-up," launched by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, enforces new limits on lead in children's products and makes it illegal to sell any items that don't meet those limits or have been recalled for any other reason.
The strict standards were set in the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act after a series of high-profile recalls of Chinese-made toys.
The standards were originally interpreted to apply only to new products, but now the CPSC says they apply to used items as well.
"Those who resell recalled children's products are not only breaking the law, they are putting children's lives at risk,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Resale stores should make safety their business and check for recalled products and hazards to children."
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This law was given a "stay of execution" for one year and it's time will soon arrive to be enforced in full measure.
Way back then, a few people were concerned that "second hand" had not been excluded from the law. They were told it wasn't an issue. Looks like those few were RIGHT - isn't that always the way with our governement. Pat you on the head and give you a lollipop with one hand, stab you in the back with the other one.
This is serious for those of us the buy almost everything we own and use second hand and consider JCPenny's a luxury store and Walmart barely affordable. I know I get funny looks when I consider $4 too much for toddler jeans at a garage sale - but our budget is THAT tight. I know people think we're weird for a lot of what we do - but I don't like replacing torn up or broken items due to carelessness. I don't like wasting food or seeing things go to a land fill.
Don't even get me started on my views of land fills. .... OK, you got me started. Just one question. How can the same person promote recycle, reduce, reuse, green living, and enviromentalism ... and throw so much away that doesn't even belong to them? I see the libraries tossing perfectly good books into land fills. Goodwills and other second hand stores toss half or more of donated items into landfills. Restaurants throw away more food in a night than my family eats in a month. All because the government says they have to do all that! We live in a disposable society. I'm not worried a bit about nonesistant "global warming", especially when we are overlooking a bigger problem of too much trash in our landfills - most of which is perfectly usable ... yeah, I've been known to dumpster dive - and come home with wonderful treasures - bookshelves, dressers, clothing. .... One man's trash is another man's treasure. ..... When my parents were young, you took stuff to the dump, walked around and picked up stuff and brought home new items to use, toys, clothes, furniture - all could be had to those willing to look. This still happens in many countries. I've read stories to my kids about kids going to the dump to find pieces to build a race car or other invention - something that doesn't happen anymore in America - and our kids are loosing their ingenuity and creativity.
This new rule will fill our landfills like nothing we have ever seen before - and with it put struggling families further and further into debt. So far, nothing the government has done has really helped my family become self supportive - just forces us to rely ever more on their concept of "generous".
And you should see what our wonderful government has planned (for your benefit and protection, of course) for small roadside gardening stands!
Americans who slap $1 pricetags on their used possessions at garage sales or bazaar events risk being slapped with fines of up to $15 million, thanks to a new government campaign.
The "Resale Round-up," launched by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, enforces new limits on lead in children's products and makes it illegal to sell any items that don't meet those limits or have been recalled for any other reason.
The strict standards were set in the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act after a series of high-profile recalls of Chinese-made toys.
The standards were originally interpreted to apply only to new products, but now the CPSC says they apply to used items as well.
"Those who resell recalled children's products are not only breaking the law, they are putting children's lives at risk,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Resale stores should make safety their business and check for recalled products and hazards to children."
CLICK TITLE TO READ FULL ARTICLE
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This law was given a "stay of execution" for one year and it's time will soon arrive to be enforced in full measure.
Way back then, a few people were concerned that "second hand" had not been excluded from the law. They were told it wasn't an issue. Looks like those few were RIGHT - isn't that always the way with our governement. Pat you on the head and give you a lollipop with one hand, stab you in the back with the other one.
This is serious for those of us the buy almost everything we own and use second hand and consider JCPenny's a luxury store and Walmart barely affordable. I know I get funny looks when I consider $4 too much for toddler jeans at a garage sale - but our budget is THAT tight. I know people think we're weird for a lot of what we do - but I don't like replacing torn up or broken items due to carelessness. I don't like wasting food or seeing things go to a land fill.
Don't even get me started on my views of land fills. .... OK, you got me started. Just one question. How can the same person promote recycle, reduce, reuse, green living, and enviromentalism ... and throw so much away that doesn't even belong to them? I see the libraries tossing perfectly good books into land fills. Goodwills and other second hand stores toss half or more of donated items into landfills. Restaurants throw away more food in a night than my family eats in a month. All because the government says they have to do all that! We live in a disposable society. I'm not worried a bit about nonesistant "global warming", especially when we are overlooking a bigger problem of too much trash in our landfills - most of which is perfectly usable ... yeah, I've been known to dumpster dive - and come home with wonderful treasures - bookshelves, dressers, clothing. .... One man's trash is another man's treasure. ..... When my parents were young, you took stuff to the dump, walked around and picked up stuff and brought home new items to use, toys, clothes, furniture - all could be had to those willing to look. This still happens in many countries. I've read stories to my kids about kids going to the dump to find pieces to build a race car or other invention - something that doesn't happen anymore in America - and our kids are loosing their ingenuity and creativity.
This new rule will fill our landfills like nothing we have ever seen before - and with it put struggling families further and further into debt. So far, nothing the government has done has really helped my family become self supportive - just forces us to rely ever more on their concept of "generous".
And you should see what our wonderful government has planned (for your benefit and protection, of course) for small roadside gardening stands!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
What is a Picky Eater?
Over the years, I've come to realize that whether or not a child is perceived as a picky eater - is often a matter of opinion.
For the most part, I would not consider my children to be picky eaters. But I've often been accused of having picky eaters - because we avoid dairy products. After all, Nobody is really allergic to dairy - it's all in our heads. Right? I've often been told that there is no such thing as a food allergy - unless the child can't breathe and swells up like a balloon and is covered in a rash. Kendra doesn't do that. Well, she use to rash - but she has to really get a LOT of it these days. And Kendra did not react immediately - it was usually 24 - 48 hours later, which took us a long time to pinpoint the problem. What she did was become a whole different child - unable to sit still, think rationally, or keep her temper ... and this lasted 2 -3 days. She wouldn't sleep, was cranky, unpredictable, and impossible to deal with - spankings and time outs did not phase her at all during this time. I finally began to associate the severe diaper rash with her out of control behavior and put it together.
So what would I consider a picky eater?
I consider a picky eater to be a child who has a very limited range of acceptable (to the child) foods - five foods or fewer, to the point that the parent will not even offer a different food and accommodates the child at every point. This child will often cry or pout or make a mess of unwanted foods - the child is in control, not the parent. They are not willing to sit quietly, try anything new, or politely refuse a food. And I'm not talking babies here - kids under 2 who are still learning, I'm talking about older children who should be able to taste without screaming, and mind their manners.
At a potluck recently, I saw a food that I dearly love - and it's on my pregnancy diet. So I put it on my plate. Then I took a bite and wanted to cry - it was HOT - I'm not sure what type of pepper was in/on it, but I couldn't eat it. I'm allergic to peppers - and would have suffered for hours with indigestion, and a burning throat, nose, ears, esophagus, and stomach - to the point that it would be hard to breathe. I use to be able to drink milk to calm the burning (milk has a chemical compound that neutralizes the "burn" chemical in pepper), but milk makes my blood pressure go up for nearly a week, and we are trying to avoid that right now. Would that make me a picky eater?
I once saw a child, around 8, at a restaurant throw a huge tantrum because her hot dog was not right. Her mom had explained the child's wishes in great detail, long enough that several people had began to look at her while she ordered and wondered what ailment the child had - but something was wrong - I wasn't that close. As the child's screams and kicking grew louder, the mom started yelling at the staff and calling them names and said she wasn't going to pay for the meal. It was horrific. That was a picky eater - and a very spoiled child.
Our kids have some simple rules:
Don't put it on your plate - or take just a bite worth - if you might not like it. Better to ask for seconds than to throw away a huge spoonful.
Don't make a scene, and don't play with it, and DONT dump it on the table or floor - just don't eat it. But at least taste it.
If somebody else puts it on your plate, try it ... then refer to the last rule. See if you can alter it - pull out the onions - and then taste it again.
Don't ask for more (of anything else) if you didn't eat what was on your plate.
Don't ask for desert if you didn't eat what was on your plate (sometimes I do make an exception for a small amount if the child tried several bites and made no fuss at all).
When we go out to eat, and we usually do a buffet, the rule is they must sample one new item, eat a portion of meat, 2 green veggies, one other colored veggie, and a fruit ... before they can have any type of desert.
----------------------
Our kids have picky moments. Sometimes they even cry or pout. Sometimes I let them fix something else their own selves from a choice - usually something healthy and not a favorite food either. I tell Vannan, you don't have to eat the beans - you can fix yourself a salad instead, and make enough for our lunch tomorrow or you can make a bowl of soup.
And all little kids go through phases where they prefer one thing to the exclusion of all others. Joel would live on peanut butter and apples and wear the same John Deere green shirt everyday with his camo shorts .... if I let him. And his routine has to be exact - he doesn't vary from it much ... maybe he's picky and I just haven't wised up yet....
Some people have a "Never let the child win - EVER" rule. But I do sometimes make an exception and have a reason for my answer - whether it is yes or no. Does it really matter if Joel wears that green shirt every 3 days as it goes through the wash and back in his closet, as long as he doesn't make a fuss about it being washed and he waits for it to get into his closet? Does it matter that he won't eat tomatoes or peaches - since he eats a large variety of other fruits and vegetables?
For the most part, I would not consider my children to be picky eaters. But I've often been accused of having picky eaters - because we avoid dairy products. After all, Nobody is really allergic to dairy - it's all in our heads. Right? I've often been told that there is no such thing as a food allergy - unless the child can't breathe and swells up like a balloon and is covered in a rash. Kendra doesn't do that. Well, she use to rash - but she has to really get a LOT of it these days. And Kendra did not react immediately - it was usually 24 - 48 hours later, which took us a long time to pinpoint the problem. What she did was become a whole different child - unable to sit still, think rationally, or keep her temper ... and this lasted 2 -3 days. She wouldn't sleep, was cranky, unpredictable, and impossible to deal with - spankings and time outs did not phase her at all during this time. I finally began to associate the severe diaper rash with her out of control behavior and put it together.
So what would I consider a picky eater?
I consider a picky eater to be a child who has a very limited range of acceptable (to the child) foods - five foods or fewer, to the point that the parent will not even offer a different food and accommodates the child at every point. This child will often cry or pout or make a mess of unwanted foods - the child is in control, not the parent. They are not willing to sit quietly, try anything new, or politely refuse a food. And I'm not talking babies here - kids under 2 who are still learning, I'm talking about older children who should be able to taste without screaming, and mind their manners.
At a potluck recently, I saw a food that I dearly love - and it's on my pregnancy diet. So I put it on my plate. Then I took a bite and wanted to cry - it was HOT - I'm not sure what type of pepper was in/on it, but I couldn't eat it. I'm allergic to peppers - and would have suffered for hours with indigestion, and a burning throat, nose, ears, esophagus, and stomach - to the point that it would be hard to breathe. I use to be able to drink milk to calm the burning (milk has a chemical compound that neutralizes the "burn" chemical in pepper), but milk makes my blood pressure go up for nearly a week, and we are trying to avoid that right now. Would that make me a picky eater?
I once saw a child, around 8, at a restaurant throw a huge tantrum because her hot dog was not right. Her mom had explained the child's wishes in great detail, long enough that several people had began to look at her while she ordered and wondered what ailment the child had - but something was wrong - I wasn't that close. As the child's screams and kicking grew louder, the mom started yelling at the staff and calling them names and said she wasn't going to pay for the meal. It was horrific. That was a picky eater - and a very spoiled child.
Our kids have some simple rules:
Don't put it on your plate - or take just a bite worth - if you might not like it. Better to ask for seconds than to throw away a huge spoonful.
Don't make a scene, and don't play with it, and DONT dump it on the table or floor - just don't eat it. But at least taste it.
If somebody else puts it on your plate, try it ... then refer to the last rule. See if you can alter it - pull out the onions - and then taste it again.
Don't ask for more (of anything else) if you didn't eat what was on your plate.
Don't ask for desert if you didn't eat what was on your plate (sometimes I do make an exception for a small amount if the child tried several bites and made no fuss at all).
When we go out to eat, and we usually do a buffet, the rule is they must sample one new item, eat a portion of meat, 2 green veggies, one other colored veggie, and a fruit ... before they can have any type of desert.
----------------------
Our kids have picky moments. Sometimes they even cry or pout. Sometimes I let them fix something else their own selves from a choice - usually something healthy and not a favorite food either. I tell Vannan, you don't have to eat the beans - you can fix yourself a salad instead, and make enough for our lunch tomorrow or you can make a bowl of soup.
And all little kids go through phases where they prefer one thing to the exclusion of all others. Joel would live on peanut butter and apples and wear the same John Deere green shirt everyday with his camo shorts .... if I let him. And his routine has to be exact - he doesn't vary from it much ... maybe he's picky and I just haven't wised up yet....
Some people have a "Never let the child win - EVER" rule. But I do sometimes make an exception and have a reason for my answer - whether it is yes or no. Does it really matter if Joel wears that green shirt every 3 days as it goes through the wash and back in his closet, as long as he doesn't make a fuss about it being washed and he waits for it to get into his closet? Does it matter that he won't eat tomatoes or peaches - since he eats a large variety of other fruits and vegetables?
Picky Eaters | The Happy Housewife™
Picky Eaters The Happy Housewife™: "Picky Eaters ~ Part 1, My Story --- http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-eaters-part-1-my-story/
August 18, 2009 > No Comments
It seems like everyone has an opinion on picky eaters. This series on Picky Eaters is not trying to change anyone’s mind or make anyone feel like less of a parent because they do things differently. This my story and what worked for our family. If you are struggling in this area, feel free to try some of my ideas. If you have your own tips to share, leave a comment or join our active discussion going on over at The Blog Frog."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seems several of my favorite blogs have braved this topic lately. It seems to be a relatively hot topic just now.
Since I enjoy history - I found it interesting that picky eating seemed to be a problem of the rich and the modern - us poor folk have fewer problems with it. So do we have a magic secret? Not really - we just usually don't have the time or money to accomodate a picky eater.
I have breast fed my kids until they self weened pretty much. Though since I tend to miscarry if I'm still nursing, both Joel and Kendra were encouraged along in the process. I can't afford a lot of baby food items, so I tend to just smush up what we are eating. In general, my kids are 7 or 8 months old before they start asking for food. I don't force the issue at 4 months just because they need to learn to eat. We do get cereal on WIC - but it often sits on the shelf, accumulating dust, until they are older. I still have some in a jar mixed with other ends of cereal boxes that we mix in with apple sauce and yogurt.
My pickiest eater so far is my husband. His mom fed him everything - but now he is quite picky. He often cooks and eats a completely different meal than we do, or if he is away, we eat foods that he won't - like broccoli stir frey! Yummy. He could live on pasta, hambergers, tacos, french fries, fried chicken, and soda pop. Recently, I've been getting kefir pudding and kefir shakes in him - and he likes fruit and fruit juice in general. And plain green salads.
I've got stuff I won't eat - like lima beans and oatmeal, and I have a mild allergy to peppers and dairy.
Kendra eats most anything we put in front of her. She tries new things at restraunts (buffet ones) and has found she likes a variety of foods. She is allergic to dairy and has discovered she really does not like most dairy products. She loves kefir and does fine with it. She is probably my most versitile eater. She loves to cook and bake.
Vannan has issues with foods. She hates beans because they don't digest well when she eats them. We found dairy products make her asthma worse, so she only eats that in small amounts. We also avoid sugar in most forms for the same reason. The funny part is that now she doesn't like sweets much. She has never liked cake.
Joel likes almost anything - except pasta. In fact, he doesn't care much for junk foods at all. He likes going out for Chinese and eating broccoli, string beans, and chicken on a stick. If you take him to McDonald's, he'll eat half the fries and pick at the burger a bit - and come home wanting something to eat.
Marriana is my pickiest eater. She has had to learn to not spit out her food or throw her plates on the floor. She now tries everything offered to her. Some days she still refuses to eat what is given to her. But will eat breads and sugary foods until it's coming out of her eyeballs and still ask for more. I like seeing her learn to eat veggies and meats without a hassle. The process has been slow - but we make progress daily.
We don't do deserts or a lot of grains (when I can avoid them). We've found grains happen when we have a tight month. We eat lots of salads and meats - mostly chicken. I would like to eat more healthy - but our budget is tight and we have to still feed Tim too. Right? We try to follow the diet recommended at http://www.mercola.com - I feel so much better on that diet and loose weight too.
Many kids are picky eaters because of texture or taste or allergies - the food makes them feel bad or sick. Sometimes it's just a phase. But I think the biggest group of picky eaters is a side effect of the premade up food industry. They put taste enhancers in most of the foods - and the more it is processed, the more of these chemicals are in the food. These chemicals are addictive and make you want more - other foods (real food) then taste less - kids don't want them, and neither do adults. It takes around 14 days to retrain taste buds ... and 3 - 4 months to loose your desire for the other foods. Picky eaters tend to abound in families that relied on convenient prepackaged foods when the children were little - baby foods, baby meals, microwave and put and on a plate type stuff. I see very few picky eaters in families that made their own baby food, make their meals from scratch, and refuse to play short order cook.
I'm no expert on what is the healthiest way to feed a child. Mine don't always eat what I think they should. We avoid things like high frutcose corn syrup, dyes, and foods with a lot of chemicals in it. We eat very little deserts - though we have a 2 MnM rule - for supper. Eat everything on your plate and you get 2 MnMs. Marriana has tried dumping her plate on the floor, hiding her plate under the table, and even feeding her supper to Joel to get those MnM's. And at least twice she got away with it. We aren't perfect - especially right now with the heat and pregnancy and lack of sleep.
I do try to accomodate a strong dislike. I hated being given slimey oatmeal for breakfast every day. So I try to not push their buttons by giving them a hated food every day. I think Joel gets the short end of this - Daddy thinks the 4 food groups are macaroni, spaghetti, bread, and the other stuff. (Just kidding) - but we do end up with pasta quite a bit. Remember Joel doesn't like pasta?
If you have a strong opinion - you might want to go put your 2 cents in at the article above - from the Happy Housewife.
August 18, 2009 > No Comments
It seems like everyone has an opinion on picky eaters. This series on Picky Eaters is not trying to change anyone’s mind or make anyone feel like less of a parent because they do things differently. This my story and what worked for our family. If you are struggling in this area, feel free to try some of my ideas. If you have your own tips to share, leave a comment or join our active discussion going on over at The Blog Frog."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seems several of my favorite blogs have braved this topic lately. It seems to be a relatively hot topic just now.
Since I enjoy history - I found it interesting that picky eating seemed to be a problem of the rich and the modern - us poor folk have fewer problems with it. So do we have a magic secret? Not really - we just usually don't have the time or money to accomodate a picky eater.
I have breast fed my kids until they self weened pretty much. Though since I tend to miscarry if I'm still nursing, both Joel and Kendra were encouraged along in the process. I can't afford a lot of baby food items, so I tend to just smush up what we are eating. In general, my kids are 7 or 8 months old before they start asking for food. I don't force the issue at 4 months just because they need to learn to eat. We do get cereal on WIC - but it often sits on the shelf, accumulating dust, until they are older. I still have some in a jar mixed with other ends of cereal boxes that we mix in with apple sauce and yogurt.
My pickiest eater so far is my husband. His mom fed him everything - but now he is quite picky. He often cooks and eats a completely different meal than we do, or if he is away, we eat foods that he won't - like broccoli stir frey! Yummy. He could live on pasta, hambergers, tacos, french fries, fried chicken, and soda pop. Recently, I've been getting kefir pudding and kefir shakes in him - and he likes fruit and fruit juice in general. And plain green salads.
I've got stuff I won't eat - like lima beans and oatmeal, and I have a mild allergy to peppers and dairy.
Kendra eats most anything we put in front of her. She tries new things at restraunts (buffet ones) and has found she likes a variety of foods. She is allergic to dairy and has discovered she really does not like most dairy products. She loves kefir and does fine with it. She is probably my most versitile eater. She loves to cook and bake.
Vannan has issues with foods. She hates beans because they don't digest well when she eats them. We found dairy products make her asthma worse, so she only eats that in small amounts. We also avoid sugar in most forms for the same reason. The funny part is that now she doesn't like sweets much. She has never liked cake.
Joel likes almost anything - except pasta. In fact, he doesn't care much for junk foods at all. He likes going out for Chinese and eating broccoli, string beans, and chicken on a stick. If you take him to McDonald's, he'll eat half the fries and pick at the burger a bit - and come home wanting something to eat.
Marriana is my pickiest eater. She has had to learn to not spit out her food or throw her plates on the floor. She now tries everything offered to her. Some days she still refuses to eat what is given to her. But will eat breads and sugary foods until it's coming out of her eyeballs and still ask for more. I like seeing her learn to eat veggies and meats without a hassle. The process has been slow - but we make progress daily.
We don't do deserts or a lot of grains (when I can avoid them). We've found grains happen when we have a tight month. We eat lots of salads and meats - mostly chicken. I would like to eat more healthy - but our budget is tight and we have to still feed Tim too. Right? We try to follow the diet recommended at http://www.mercola.com - I feel so much better on that diet and loose weight too.
Many kids are picky eaters because of texture or taste or allergies - the food makes them feel bad or sick. Sometimes it's just a phase. But I think the biggest group of picky eaters is a side effect of the premade up food industry. They put taste enhancers in most of the foods - and the more it is processed, the more of these chemicals are in the food. These chemicals are addictive and make you want more - other foods (real food) then taste less - kids don't want them, and neither do adults. It takes around 14 days to retrain taste buds ... and 3 - 4 months to loose your desire for the other foods. Picky eaters tend to abound in families that relied on convenient prepackaged foods when the children were little - baby foods, baby meals, microwave and put and on a plate type stuff. I see very few picky eaters in families that made their own baby food, make their meals from scratch, and refuse to play short order cook.
I'm no expert on what is the healthiest way to feed a child. Mine don't always eat what I think they should. We avoid things like high frutcose corn syrup, dyes, and foods with a lot of chemicals in it. We eat very little deserts - though we have a 2 MnM rule - for supper. Eat everything on your plate and you get 2 MnMs. Marriana has tried dumping her plate on the floor, hiding her plate under the table, and even feeding her supper to Joel to get those MnM's. And at least twice she got away with it. We aren't perfect - especially right now with the heat and pregnancy and lack of sleep.
I do try to accomodate a strong dislike. I hated being given slimey oatmeal for breakfast every day. So I try to not push their buttons by giving them a hated food every day. I think Joel gets the short end of this - Daddy thinks the 4 food groups are macaroni, spaghetti, bread, and the other stuff. (Just kidding) - but we do end up with pasta quite a bit. Remember Joel doesn't like pasta?
If you have a strong opinion - you might want to go put your 2 cents in at the article above - from the Happy Housewife.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Blindness
This will be a more serious rambling type post.
The other day, Tim and I were driving down the road - and I saw (not really) a person riding down the highway in a wheelchair. We finally got close enough that I realized it was a man on a 3 wheel trike pulling a cart. What a big difference.
That got me thinking about what I see. Being nearly blind - I see just over 1 inch without my glasses, everything after that melts into colors or nothing, depending on how much light is in the room. With my glasses, I struggle to see anything closer than 2 feet (but no amount of adjusting helps me read in anything other than bright light) or further than 10 feet. Not much hope of ever seeing 20/20 ever again. ..... But I realized how much I rely on mental pictures to decide what I'm seeing - I'm guessing most of the time. I saw a wheelchair because that was the mental picture I had - I've seen more of them.
But being a meloncholy philisophical type person. I kept thinking about it.
In the Bible, it talks about how we don't see things like God sees them. He talks about our vision being blinded or clouded.
Joh 12:40 "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."
2Co 4:4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them.
1Co 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall fully know even as I also am fully known.
There are many verses and passages like those.
And I wonder if we see life like that - fuzzy and dark - not understanding what God sees for us. God, who sees perfectly, into the past, present, and future - would understand and see more perfectly than we do.
Just like I thought I saw a wheelchair instead of a bicycle, because of the range of experience of my life and vision. Does our short life limit us in what we see? Do we think we see evil and misery, when God sees more and the positive results of what we are going through?
Walking around, I think I see pretty good. But if I talk to anybody, I soon realize I'm not seeing much. The other day I was looking for Joel in the yard - couldn't find him anywhere, so I started to call him. He was laying in the dirt about 25 feet away, but because he was wearing tan shorts and a yellow shirt and not moving much, he blended in with the background and I couldn't see him at all until he jumped up when I called him.
How much do we miss that God sees? How much supernatural just blends in because we don't know what we are looking at or looking for? How much do we think we see that is all wrong?
Just thoughts going through my sleep deprived mind.
The other day, Tim and I were driving down the road - and I saw (not really) a person riding down the highway in a wheelchair. We finally got close enough that I realized it was a man on a 3 wheel trike pulling a cart. What a big difference.
That got me thinking about what I see. Being nearly blind - I see just over 1 inch without my glasses, everything after that melts into colors or nothing, depending on how much light is in the room. With my glasses, I struggle to see anything closer than 2 feet (but no amount of adjusting helps me read in anything other than bright light) or further than 10 feet. Not much hope of ever seeing 20/20 ever again. ..... But I realized how much I rely on mental pictures to decide what I'm seeing - I'm guessing most of the time. I saw a wheelchair because that was the mental picture I had - I've seen more of them.
But being a meloncholy philisophical type person. I kept thinking about it.
In the Bible, it talks about how we don't see things like God sees them. He talks about our vision being blinded or clouded.
Joh 12:40 "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."
2Co 4:4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them.
1Co 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall fully know even as I also am fully known.
There are many verses and passages like those.
And I wonder if we see life like that - fuzzy and dark - not understanding what God sees for us. God, who sees perfectly, into the past, present, and future - would understand and see more perfectly than we do.
Just like I thought I saw a wheelchair instead of a bicycle, because of the range of experience of my life and vision. Does our short life limit us in what we see? Do we think we see evil and misery, when God sees more and the positive results of what we are going through?
Walking around, I think I see pretty good. But if I talk to anybody, I soon realize I'm not seeing much. The other day I was looking for Joel in the yard - couldn't find him anywhere, so I started to call him. He was laying in the dirt about 25 feet away, but because he was wearing tan shorts and a yellow shirt and not moving much, he blended in with the background and I couldn't see him at all until he jumped up when I called him.
How much do we miss that God sees? How much supernatural just blends in because we don't know what we are looking at or looking for? How much do we think we see that is all wrong?
Just thoughts going through my sleep deprived mind.
Friday, February 13, 2009
A Blobby Week
I know I really should pull the pictures out of my camera and post a few. I've had all day. But it's been one of those days ... one of those weeks.
Joel has been learning new things like crazy. He never ceases to amaze me. We put the games and puzzles down at a level where he can reach them...and he LOVES it. Right now he is happily asking me how to spell words or what word is this after pulling out letters and placing them above the puzzle. His favorite is still spelling his name. He brought me ME and US. He thought BUG was very funny. And he has been rearranging the letters of his name LOEJ, LEOJ, JELO... and giggling at the results. He has such a huge appatite for learning.
He's not all books and letters though. With the warmer weather, the back door has been open and he's happily ran in and out throughout the day. I can hear him outside, and he'll run to the door and answer me when I call him, so I don't worry too much.
He is very excited about a new brother or sister, and tells the baby to stay here when he hugs me.
Vannan has been a big help with preschool. But has been quite slack with chores and schoolwork. It doesn't help that with me not feeling up to par, I'm not getting them up very well in the mornings. Kendra has actually been much worse - she loves to read, and I don't have a problem with that - but it's consuming all of her time, free or otherwise, and she has no time for school or chores or friends or anything. So I end up doing much of what she should be doing, plus what I need to do. Makes for very long days. I keep praying for inspiration.
Me, being pregnant, it's all I can do most days to function on the minimum. I'm not even sure how far along I am, maybe almost 7 weeks. I'm still trying to purge what is in the house. Too much. But I keep thinking that I just need to figure out how to make it all work. And if I don't miscarry the baby? How will we fit it into the house?
What's left to get rid of? I'm not rich enough to replace items even at thrift store prices, but I've been getting rid of baby things instead of storing them, no room left to store anything. And yet I despirately hope to keep the baby. I want it, problems it will create and all.
Tim is just worried. No job, car too small, house too small, another mouth to feed, something else to cut into his imaginary airplane time. We may have to send just the older children to church and outings and leave me and baby behind. Though I don't really think anybody would miss me socially.
Children were never meant to be a burden.
My dad is discussing getting chickens again and rabbits and putting in a garden. We may need all of it to survive the Bullet that almighty Obama and his Democratic priests are shooting to the head of Uncle Sam. I don't think America as we know it will survive. Will there ever even be another election? Can we as a nation survive this stupidity?
I might be praying for him, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with his actions, does it?
Blobby and somewhat depressed - not a good combination for a post.
I probably should delete it, but nobody much reads this blog anyway, so I guess this is more of a diary entry than meant for anybody to analyze or comment about.
Hard to believe my baby is 14. Well, got to go take ANOTHER book away from Kendra. Wonder what she is reading this time - sometimes it's a school or library book that she's suppose to read during reading time or free time - but other times she gets stuff that I would prefer she didn't read, or at least read it only during free time. Very little around here is totally objectionable - but I do like Science Fiction.
Joel has been learning new things like crazy. He never ceases to amaze me. We put the games and puzzles down at a level where he can reach them...and he LOVES it. Right now he is happily asking me how to spell words or what word is this after pulling out letters and placing them above the puzzle. His favorite is still spelling his name. He brought me ME and US. He thought BUG was very funny. And he has been rearranging the letters of his name LOEJ, LEOJ, JELO... and giggling at the results. He has such a huge appatite for learning.
He's not all books and letters though. With the warmer weather, the back door has been open and he's happily ran in and out throughout the day. I can hear him outside, and he'll run to the door and answer me when I call him, so I don't worry too much.
He is very excited about a new brother or sister, and tells the baby to stay here when he hugs me.
Vannan has been a big help with preschool. But has been quite slack with chores and schoolwork. It doesn't help that with me not feeling up to par, I'm not getting them up very well in the mornings. Kendra has actually been much worse - she loves to read, and I don't have a problem with that - but it's consuming all of her time, free or otherwise, and she has no time for school or chores or friends or anything. So I end up doing much of what she should be doing, plus what I need to do. Makes for very long days. I keep praying for inspiration.
Me, being pregnant, it's all I can do most days to function on the minimum. I'm not even sure how far along I am, maybe almost 7 weeks. I'm still trying to purge what is in the house. Too much. But I keep thinking that I just need to figure out how to make it all work. And if I don't miscarry the baby? How will we fit it into the house?
What's left to get rid of? I'm not rich enough to replace items even at thrift store prices, but I've been getting rid of baby things instead of storing them, no room left to store anything. And yet I despirately hope to keep the baby. I want it, problems it will create and all.
Tim is just worried. No job, car too small, house too small, another mouth to feed, something else to cut into his imaginary airplane time. We may have to send just the older children to church and outings and leave me and baby behind. Though I don't really think anybody would miss me socially.
Children were never meant to be a burden.
My dad is discussing getting chickens again and rabbits and putting in a garden. We may need all of it to survive the Bullet that almighty Obama and his Democratic priests are shooting to the head of Uncle Sam. I don't think America as we know it will survive. Will there ever even be another election? Can we as a nation survive this stupidity?
I might be praying for him, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with his actions, does it?
Blobby and somewhat depressed - not a good combination for a post.
I probably should delete it, but nobody much reads this blog anyway, so I guess this is more of a diary entry than meant for anybody to analyze or comment about.
Hard to believe my baby is 14. Well, got to go take ANOTHER book away from Kendra. Wonder what she is reading this time - sometimes it's a school or library book that she's suppose to read during reading time or free time - but other times she gets stuff that I would prefer she didn't read, or at least read it only during free time. Very little around here is totally objectionable - but I do like Science Fiction.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Stimulus plan - borrowing from Peter to pay Paul (OneNewsNow.com)
Stimulus plan - borrowing from Peter to pay Paul (OneNewsNow.com): "Brian Riedl, an economist at The Heritage Foundation, says Congress is promising a pain-free solution to the recession that does not call for sacrifice. 'People believe that the government has some magic wand to magically pass a stimulus bill and make the economy grow. All this is is really the Obama debt plan,' he contends. 'All Congress is going to do is add $800 billion to the national debt. They're going to borrow $800 billion from one part of the economy, give $800 billion to people in another part of the economy, and then somehow tell us we're richer.' Riedl believes it is important to note that government cannot inject money into the economy without taxing or borrowing it out of the economy first. Some conservative lawmakers are upset that the Democrats' stimulus package includes taxpayer funding for contraceptives and the abortion industry. That prompted House Minority leader John Boehner to ask: 'How can you spend hundreds of millions of dollars on contraceptives? How does that stimulate the economy?'"
Now this makes my blood boil. Supposedly, my family should benefit - because Tim is out of work ... I should be happy.
But I'm not. I majored in math - I loved it. This is just a trick, like the one that divides by 0 using algebra to prove that 1 = 2.
My favorite story book character as a pre-teen was Robin Hood. According to other articles that I've read - they are comparing Obama to Robin Hood.
BIG DIFFERENCE.
Robin Hood took back from those who took too much - the government and bloated "church" system and gave it to the hard working families who had produced the money and food in the first place. Protecting women and children was a high priority. He protected and aided church and government that did not take too much from the poor and instead did their best in the first place to protect and help the poor.
Obama is taking from upper middle class and upper class HARD WORKERS to pay the lazy daisies who just want a free government ride and squall and bawl about how unfair their life is. AND he wants to put the women to work and kill more babies - or prevent them from getting born - they aren't REAL. He and Democrates think that hiring a person because of what they look like or believe is better business that how competent that they can do a job. Tim's sin for being out of work? It started over 20 years ago because he was a single white male.
For Obama to be Robin Hood - he would have to shut down a HUGE portion of the White House and government buildings (and live in the caves in the woods!). Make all of the government officials move into smaller houses and live on $100,000 or LESS a year (most of my family lives on $30K or less a year). I'll be generous here because they do have to travel ... wait, isn't travel paid for by US. And leave the companies producing jobs alone to make more jobs (instead of over regulating and taxing them out the wazoo.) Then let the poeple being taxed to death - have their money to choose what to buy instead of supporting and trying to prop up dying corporations riddled with corruption.
Why is my blood boiling? Because as hard as my family works to survive and get ahead and be independent of the government - we can't. My dad has 3 jobs, plus a business on the side. A brother-in-law that hasn't had a raise in 3 years because he is at maximum on the pay scale. And somehow we just can't make ends meet. We live in postage stamp size trailers - mine despirately needs a new roof - the walls are rotting out because the desiners didn't extend the roof past the walls. We eat stew as a main dish - not a side dish - and often, because you can always add water and some herbs to make it stretch. No, I don't WANT a hand out. I want to have my rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness to not be squelched into a government mandated mold.
I want to stay home with my children, raise them to be Godly, hardworking, adults. I homeschool, homebirth, I love it.
I don't want to have to pay for a "stimulus" package for the rest of my life - we are STILL paying for the New Deal under Roosevelt. More debt never solved anything, any financial planner worth his salt will tell you that. And having fewer babies is just making the problem worse and worse. Just how many young people does it take to take care of an old person ... OH WAIT - I forgot - we're doing drug mixing experiments on the elderly hoping that they will die off too (check out some of the articles at Mercola.com - on the FDA and the meds the doctors push!), they are getting better at that too - they don't die now days until the lawyer/drug/med system has milked them dry and left the dregs and debt for their only child. Once there were 6 - 12 kids to take care of elderly parents, plus 20 - 30 older grandchildren. Now those 4 old people (because they got divorced and remarried) have 1 or 2 kids struggling to make ends meet and if they are lucky, 2-3 grandchildren in high school or college, but more likely in elementary or jr. high. ..... RIGHT. That's going to work.
So - who owns America when the government goes belly up?
This American has no money left for anything other than basic survival - I can't even afford DSL - isn't that a basic right? (I'm kidding.)
So many blogs leave me feeling out of touch with reality. $5 meals? I'm trying to average $2.50 a meal for a family of 5. That's averaging 50 cents a plate. That's a lot of garbage food. Ramen Noodles and stuff like that. .... Organize your house, these bins are a bargin at only $10 each! ... shoot, I cringe at $1 each at the Dollar Tree. .... Check out the remodel of my house, wasn't this before picture yucky .... uh ... WOW, you changed that? I'll take it! ..... Must have pieces of clothing, shoes, make up? .... I don't get the shoe or purse buying.
There is a name for people like me ... I learned it in first grade ... at least once or twice a week, my teacher diligently reminded me of my status in society, "I haven't got time to explain simple things to poor white trash like you." Later, I learned I was a "redneck" too.
Funny, I thought we were happy, church going, hard working, clean, self sufficient, and giving. I look back at my pictures - I was CUTE. What gives?
Now this makes my blood boil. Supposedly, my family should benefit - because Tim is out of work ... I should be happy.
But I'm not. I majored in math - I loved it. This is just a trick, like the one that divides by 0 using algebra to prove that 1 = 2.
My favorite story book character as a pre-teen was Robin Hood. According to other articles that I've read - they are comparing Obama to Robin Hood.
BIG DIFFERENCE.
Robin Hood took back from those who took too much - the government and bloated "church" system and gave it to the hard working families who had produced the money and food in the first place. Protecting women and children was a high priority. He protected and aided church and government that did not take too much from the poor and instead did their best in the first place to protect and help the poor.
Obama is taking from upper middle class and upper class HARD WORKERS to pay the lazy daisies who just want a free government ride and squall and bawl about how unfair their life is. AND he wants to put the women to work and kill more babies - or prevent them from getting born - they aren't REAL. He and Democrates think that hiring a person because of what they look like or believe is better business that how competent that they can do a job. Tim's sin for being out of work? It started over 20 years ago because he was a single white male.
For Obama to be Robin Hood - he would have to shut down a HUGE portion of the White House and government buildings (and live in the caves in the woods!). Make all of the government officials move into smaller houses and live on $100,000 or LESS a year (most of my family lives on $30K or less a year). I'll be generous here because they do have to travel ... wait, isn't travel paid for by US. And leave the companies producing jobs alone to make more jobs (instead of over regulating and taxing them out the wazoo.) Then let the poeple being taxed to death - have their money to choose what to buy instead of supporting and trying to prop up dying corporations riddled with corruption.
Why is my blood boiling? Because as hard as my family works to survive and get ahead and be independent of the government - we can't. My dad has 3 jobs, plus a business on the side. A brother-in-law that hasn't had a raise in 3 years because he is at maximum on the pay scale. And somehow we just can't make ends meet. We live in postage stamp size trailers - mine despirately needs a new roof - the walls are rotting out because the desiners didn't extend the roof past the walls. We eat stew as a main dish - not a side dish - and often, because you can always add water and some herbs to make it stretch. No, I don't WANT a hand out. I want to have my rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness to not be squelched into a government mandated mold.
I want to stay home with my children, raise them to be Godly, hardworking, adults. I homeschool, homebirth, I love it.
I don't want to have to pay for a "stimulus" package for the rest of my life - we are STILL paying for the New Deal under Roosevelt. More debt never solved anything, any financial planner worth his salt will tell you that. And having fewer babies is just making the problem worse and worse. Just how many young people does it take to take care of an old person ... OH WAIT - I forgot - we're doing drug mixing experiments on the elderly hoping that they will die off too (check out some of the articles at Mercola.com - on the FDA and the meds the doctors push!), they are getting better at that too - they don't die now days until the lawyer/drug/med system has milked them dry and left the dregs and debt for their only child. Once there were 6 - 12 kids to take care of elderly parents, plus 20 - 30 older grandchildren. Now those 4 old people (because they got divorced and remarried) have 1 or 2 kids struggling to make ends meet and if they are lucky, 2-3 grandchildren in high school or college, but more likely in elementary or jr. high. ..... RIGHT. That's going to work.
So - who owns America when the government goes belly up?
This American has no money left for anything other than basic survival - I can't even afford DSL - isn't that a basic right? (I'm kidding.)
So many blogs leave me feeling out of touch with reality. $5 meals? I'm trying to average $2.50 a meal for a family of 5. That's averaging 50 cents a plate. That's a lot of garbage food. Ramen Noodles and stuff like that. .... Organize your house, these bins are a bargin at only $10 each! ... shoot, I cringe at $1 each at the Dollar Tree. .... Check out the remodel of my house, wasn't this before picture yucky .... uh ... WOW, you changed that? I'll take it! ..... Must have pieces of clothing, shoes, make up? .... I don't get the shoe or purse buying.
There is a name for people like me ... I learned it in first grade ... at least once or twice a week, my teacher diligently reminded me of my status in society, "I haven't got time to explain simple things to poor white trash like you." Later, I learned I was a "redneck" too.
Funny, I thought we were happy, church going, hard working, clean, self sufficient, and giving. I look back at my pictures - I was CUTE. What gives?
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Killing of America
This is from the American Library Association. They are also worried about the new law that goes into effect in a few short weeks requiring ALL products aimed at children under the age of 13 to be tested for lead and philates (something like that).
http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1573
If public libraries can't get a straight answer - what does this mean for little homeschooling publishing companies?
Or maybe that is the point - if you can't make home schools disappear one way - take away our books!
How long can these little publishers hold out waiting to be able to sell their books? Or maybe the government will come and confiscate all of the books and destroy them for us before deciding to overturn or redefine the law? I know we wouldn't like to think that the powers that be are doing this on purpose ... but can our already terribly shaky economy survive this?
Actually - most people agree that this is a bad idea - it affects so many people is so many bad ways. The few that would benefit would be new jobs to handle the HUGE number of products that require testing (some people who are working on or checking into the testing are quoting a year long or better date! and prices ranging from $50 - 300 for lead test and $150 - $1000 for the other test!) so they are going to need to build more testing sites, train people to run the tests, and have the supplies to do the tests with (HEY - New jobs!) PLUS the law enforcement groups and the lawyers to uphold and fight the law.
Are these the same governmental agencies urging us to "recycle, reduce, reuse"? And worried about too much trash?
One of the below links offers a PDF file of the entire 63 page law! My head was spinning before reaching the second page of explanation.
Good grief.
This also puts all SAHM businesses producing diapers, clothes, toys, and other items aimed at little kids out of business. http://www.unplugyourkids.com/2009/01/22/illegal-toys-update/
http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/01/06/cpsia-demise-childrens-cottage-industry/
http://mommylife.net/archives/2009/01/second_hand_chi.html
http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/national-bankruptcy-day/
http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/
Now they did "tongue in cheek" release the second hand selling of products from being tested ... but still forbid them to sell anything that might contain lead or has not got a certificate of passing the tests. .... RIGHT. So, I can resell .... WHAT EXACTLY? IF they are testing everything ... then isn't EVERYTHING suspect? What second hand store has the time or resources to check each item?
There is a lot of disagreement on whether this law will apply to older items or not - most of those calling and asking are being told that it will be retroactive - not that you have to have it tested, but that you cannot resell it if it is suspected to have the lead or other in it. Which takes you back to the "EVERYTHING" is suspect. .... But they didn't say we couldn't TRADE or GIVE the stuff! But even those calling and asking are getting diverse answers - even THEY don't know how they want to interpret their own law!
So how is this going to affect me?
Will my kids have Sunday school materials?
How about AWANA supplies and awards?
Library books? Browsing and buying at the bookstore?
Will we be able to buy our Rod and Staff textbooks? Or Alpha Omega?
Will any home school books be available to buy soon?
What are my kids going to wear?
Our yearly budget is around $50 per person - but Tim has a little more because he "works" and has to look nice - we rely heavily on hand me downs and second hand.
Is this going to extend to food packaging too?
Guess we'll be going back in time - back to when kids had 3 sets of clothing (daily, school, and church), you cut down adult clothes to fit the little ones, one or two homemade toys for Christmas or a birthday, no shoes in the summer. Guess it will solve my clutter problem!
http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1573
If public libraries can't get a straight answer - what does this mean for little homeschooling publishing companies?
Or maybe that is the point - if you can't make home schools disappear one way - take away our books!
How long can these little publishers hold out waiting to be able to sell their books? Or maybe the government will come and confiscate all of the books and destroy them for us before deciding to overturn or redefine the law? I know we wouldn't like to think that the powers that be are doing this on purpose ... but can our already terribly shaky economy survive this?
Actually - most people agree that this is a bad idea - it affects so many people is so many bad ways. The few that would benefit would be new jobs to handle the HUGE number of products that require testing (some people who are working on or checking into the testing are quoting a year long or better date! and prices ranging from $50 - 300 for lead test and $150 - $1000 for the other test!) so they are going to need to build more testing sites, train people to run the tests, and have the supplies to do the tests with (HEY - New jobs!) PLUS the law enforcement groups and the lawyers to uphold and fight the law.
Are these the same governmental agencies urging us to "recycle, reduce, reuse"? And worried about too much trash?
One of the below links offers a PDF file of the entire 63 page law! My head was spinning before reaching the second page of explanation.
Good grief.
This also puts all SAHM businesses producing diapers, clothes, toys, and other items aimed at little kids out of business. http://www.unplugyourkids.com/2009/01/22/illegal-toys-update/
http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/01/06/cpsia-demise-childrens-cottage-industry/
http://mommylife.net/archives/2009/01/second_hand_chi.html
http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/national-bankruptcy-day/
http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/
Now they did "tongue in cheek" release the second hand selling of products from being tested ... but still forbid them to sell anything that might contain lead or has not got a certificate of passing the tests. .... RIGHT. So, I can resell .... WHAT EXACTLY? IF they are testing everything ... then isn't EVERYTHING suspect? What second hand store has the time or resources to check each item?
There is a lot of disagreement on whether this law will apply to older items or not - most of those calling and asking are being told that it will be retroactive - not that you have to have it tested, but that you cannot resell it if it is suspected to have the lead or other in it. Which takes you back to the "EVERYTHING" is suspect. .... But they didn't say we couldn't TRADE or GIVE the stuff! But even those calling and asking are getting diverse answers - even THEY don't know how they want to interpret their own law!
So how is this going to affect me?
Will my kids have Sunday school materials?
How about AWANA supplies and awards?
Library books? Browsing and buying at the bookstore?
Will we be able to buy our Rod and Staff textbooks? Or Alpha Omega?
Will any home school books be available to buy soon?
What are my kids going to wear?
Our yearly budget is around $50 per person - but Tim has a little more because he "works" and has to look nice - we rely heavily on hand me downs and second hand.
Is this going to extend to food packaging too?
Guess we'll be going back in time - back to when kids had 3 sets of clothing (daily, school, and church), you cut down adult clothes to fit the little ones, one or two homemade toys for Christmas or a birthday, no shoes in the summer. Guess it will solve my clutter problem!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Avoiding Housework Game
If you want to play along, copy and paste the list then put the things you have done in bold
1. Started your own blog .
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (school band for 6th - 9th grade - a flute)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (Disney World)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (does punch embroidery count?, or soapmaking, or paint stamping? I'm not that talented.)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (just simple stuff around Colorado Springs)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (in Ecuador!)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China (I didn't - but Tim did!)
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter (Oh, I wish!)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (left arm falling off of a seesaw when I was 8)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (but Tim had just bought one just before we got married)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating ( I use to help my parents do up Rabbits and once chickens)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day (I do this all the time - though not as much as I use to - I use to read 2-3 long books a day when I was a teen)
Have fun!
1. Started your own blog .
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (school band for 6th - 9th grade - a flute)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (Disney World)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (does punch embroidery count?, or soapmaking, or paint stamping? I'm not that talented.)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (just simple stuff around Colorado Springs)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (in Ecuador!)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China (I didn't - but Tim did!)
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter (Oh, I wish!)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (left arm falling off of a seesaw when I was 8)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (but Tim had just bought one just before we got married)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating ( I use to help my parents do up Rabbits and once chickens)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day (I do this all the time - though not as much as I use to - I use to read 2-3 long books a day when I was a teen)
Have fun!
Nearly 1000
I can't believe how fast the counter has progressed toward the 1000 mark! Amazing.
Now, I know it counts me when I check to see how something I added or changed looks - but still - that would not account for anywhere close to these kind of numbers.
I would love to have a contest or a "party" - but with money as tight as it is ... just how do I offer a good prize?
Any ideas?
I thought about emailing a Christmas card? but that sounds kind of ... hoky?
Anyway - I'm excited.
And if you are the 1000'th person - I hope you'll at least leave a comment to celebrate this milestone with me!
Now, I know it counts me when I check to see how something I added or changed looks - but still - that would not account for anywhere close to these kind of numbers.
I would love to have a contest or a "party" - but with money as tight as it is ... just how do I offer a good prize?
Any ideas?
I thought about emailing a Christmas card? but that sounds kind of ... hoky?
Anyway - I'm excited.
And if you are the 1000'th person - I hope you'll at least leave a comment to celebrate this milestone with me!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Giving To Others
At this time of year when "Getting" seems to be more important to many than the "Giving" - here are a few places to share God's love.
World Vision:
Here you can sponser a child or give a gift to a whole family or villiage - Kendra has her eye on a goat, some chickens, Bibles, and some soccor balls to give. Vannan marked a bicycle in the catalog.
http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10390
Compassion:
We sponser 2 young ladies through Compassion. Each one shares a birthday (not the year) with our girls, one in India and one in Ethiopia. It has been a great souce of joy to our whole family to watch these two girls grow up.
http://www.compassion.com/default_a.htm
We also give our time at our church and my sister's church. At our church, we work in the nursery, help with the children programs, and the girls are part of the morning snack rotation. At my sister's church we participate in AWANA.
There are so many ways to give.
The Bible says,
Mat 25:31 But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He shall sit on the throne of His glory.
Mat 25:32 And all nations shall be gathered before Him. And He shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats.
Mat 25:33 And indeed He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats off the left.
Mat 25:34 Then the King shall say to those on His right hand, Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Mat 25:35 For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in;
Mat 25:36 I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.
Mat 25:37 Then the righteous shall answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You drink?
Mat 25:38 When did we see You a stranger, and took You in? Or naked, and clothed You?
Mat 25:39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it to Me.
Mat 25:41 Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
Mat 25:42 For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; Mat 25:43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me.
Mat 25:44 Then they will also answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?
Mat 25:45 Then He shall answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.
Where do you give to the least of these?
World Vision:
Here you can sponser a child or give a gift to a whole family or villiage - Kendra has her eye on a goat, some chickens, Bibles, and some soccor balls to give. Vannan marked a bicycle in the catalog.
http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10390
Compassion:
We sponser 2 young ladies through Compassion. Each one shares a birthday (not the year) with our girls, one in India and one in Ethiopia. It has been a great souce of joy to our whole family to watch these two girls grow up.
http://www.compassion.com/default_a.htm
We also give our time at our church and my sister's church. At our church, we work in the nursery, help with the children programs, and the girls are part of the morning snack rotation. At my sister's church we participate in AWANA.
There are so many ways to give.
The Bible says,
Mat 25:31 But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He shall sit on the throne of His glory.
Mat 25:32 And all nations shall be gathered before Him. And He shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats.
Mat 25:33 And indeed He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats off the left.
Mat 25:34 Then the King shall say to those on His right hand, Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Mat 25:35 For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in;
Mat 25:36 I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.
Mat 25:37 Then the righteous shall answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You drink?
Mat 25:38 When did we see You a stranger, and took You in? Or naked, and clothed You?
Mat 25:39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it to Me.
Mat 25:41 Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
Mat 25:42 For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; Mat 25:43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me.
Mat 25:44 Then they will also answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?
Mat 25:45 Then He shall answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.
Where do you give to the least of these?
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Decorating For Christmas
I'm trying to "decorate" for the holidays. Not much room to decorate in the house here. So thought I would try decorating the blog. I'm not much in the Christmas Spirit - and hoping this will help a little.
So, how does it look?
And is the Picasa slide show at the very bottom working?
Thanks to anyone who can help me here - my dial up is slow enough that the page does not always load fully.
And please pardon my typos - my keyboard is sticking all over and sometimes I miss the typo. Thanks!
So, how does it look?
And is the Picasa slide show at the very bottom working?
Thanks to anyone who can help me here - my dial up is slow enough that the page does not always load fully.
And please pardon my typos - my keyboard is sticking all over and sometimes I miss the typo. Thanks!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Mercola Article and the Economy
I like reading the Mercola articles - even though I do not always agree with him 100%.
This one I found interesting. A makes you think article.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/11/25/economic-impact-on-u-s-with-obama-s-victory.aspx
Hmmm.... spend less, save more, share more, toss less - and do it because you want to and not because the government made a law about it. What a concept.
This one I found interesting. A makes you think article.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/11/25/economic-impact-on-u-s-with-obama-s-victory.aspx
Hmmm.... spend less, save more, share more, toss less - and do it because you want to and not because the government made a law about it. What a concept.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Welcome! Thanks for Visiting
I just checked my Map down at the bottom of the blog and was floored. Look at this!
Location
Time
, , United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:57:05 -0600
Athens, Greece
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:59:07 -0600
London, United Kingdom
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:58:32 -0600
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:57:25 -0600
Oklahoma City, OK, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:56:36 -0600
Chattanooga, TN, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:56:09 -0600
Cranford, NJ, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:56:09 -0600
Erandio, Spain
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:55:40 -0600
Nagothana, India
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:54:21 -0600
Central District, Hong Kong
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:54:10 -0600
Gloucester City, NJ, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:53:18 -0600
Rock Hill, SC, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:53:17 -0600
Avignon, France
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:53:07 -0600
Oslo, Norway
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:52:10 -0600
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:51:53 -0600
Spring Hill, TN, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:51:50 -0600
Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:51:40 -0600
Madrid, Spain
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:50:29 -0600
Tallinn, Estonia
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:49:52 -0600
Central District, Hong Kong
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:49:51 -0600
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:49:35 -0600
Munich, Germany
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:48:50 -0600
Caen, France
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:48:44 -0600
Bend, OR, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:48:11 -0600
Pataskala, OH, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:40:53 -0600
Sydney, Australia
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:45:20 -0600
Who would have thunk it! I'm pretty new at this and all. Basically I set up a blog for family and friends - though I have NO PROBLEM with other visiters. I rather like it. And I very much enjoy other people's blogs.
SO, I guess I've been commenting and people are looking. So I just wanted to say welcome to you! If I could, I'd offer you a big glass of home made ice tea and a big smile.
I am especially excited today over the Blog GiveAway that I put Kendra's name into a few days ago. I had really enjoyed reading her blogs and thought it was worth trying - even if we never seem to win anything. Best I thought would happen was maybe one or two people might be interesting in buying from her Giraffe Crafts. But she won!
I think it took a good 5 minutes after I saw the post on my my Google Reader to realize it was MY Kendra that was mentioned.
Ok, now I'm crying again. And I'm feeling a lot less blue today about the holidays.
I had planned to save the DVD for her Christmas - but her Daddy told her all about it this morning. She says we can still put it in her stocking ... after she watches it. LOL
So welcome to my little corner of the internet.
I hope a few come back and visit again sometime, a
and maybe a few will even drop a "Hi" into the comments?! :)
Location
Time
, , United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:57:05 -0600
Athens, Greece
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:59:07 -0600
London, United Kingdom
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:58:32 -0600
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:57:25 -0600
Oklahoma City, OK, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:56:36 -0600
Chattanooga, TN, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:56:09 -0600
Cranford, NJ, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:56:09 -0600
Erandio, Spain
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:55:40 -0600
Nagothana, India
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:54:21 -0600
Central District, Hong Kong
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:54:10 -0600
Gloucester City, NJ, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:53:18 -0600
Rock Hill, SC, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:53:17 -0600
Avignon, France
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:53:07 -0600
Oslo, Norway
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:52:10 -0600
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:51:53 -0600
Spring Hill, TN, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:51:50 -0600
Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:51:40 -0600
Madrid, Spain
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:50:29 -0600
Tallinn, Estonia
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:49:52 -0600
Central District, Hong Kong
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:49:51 -0600
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:49:35 -0600
Munich, Germany
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:48:50 -0600
Caen, France
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:48:44 -0600
Bend, OR, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:48:11 -0600
Pataskala, OH, United States
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:40:53 -0600
Sydney, Australia
Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:45:20 -0600
Who would have thunk it! I'm pretty new at this and all. Basically I set up a blog for family and friends - though I have NO PROBLEM with other visiters. I rather like it. And I very much enjoy other people's blogs.
SO, I guess I've been commenting and people are looking. So I just wanted to say welcome to you! If I could, I'd offer you a big glass of home made ice tea and a big smile.
I am especially excited today over the Blog GiveAway that I put Kendra's name into a few days ago. I had really enjoyed reading her blogs and thought it was worth trying - even if we never seem to win anything. Best I thought would happen was maybe one or two people might be interesting in buying from her Giraffe Crafts. But she won!
I think it took a good 5 minutes after I saw the post on my my Google Reader to realize it was MY Kendra that was mentioned.
Ok, now I'm crying again. And I'm feeling a lot less blue today about the holidays.
I had planned to save the DVD for her Christmas - but her Daddy told her all about it this morning. She says we can still put it in her stocking ... after she watches it. LOL
So welcome to my little corner of the internet.
I hope a few come back and visit again sometime, a
and maybe a few will even drop a "Hi" into the comments?! :)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Holiday Blues
I've got a bad case of the Holiday Blues. In spite of the fact that I've got a lot of great family coming to visit that I haven't seen in a long time - in spite of trying to be cheerful and happy - in spite of loving my kids and enjoying them very much .... I just can't shake it.
Why?
Well, since you asked...
1. Tim has been out of work since March.
2. Once again I will be making presents or buying junk ... wait - can't even afford junk this year. Sorry folks, but anyone getting a present from us is stuck with the sad attempts that I make at "usable crafts".
3. I'm not crafty or talented. Stuff I can do, I've done over and over - and then find out that the crafty and talented people can run circles around my attempts.
4. I can't find my addresses to mail out cards - but not sure we can afford the stamps either.
5. My house is so crowded - where would I put a tree or any other decorations anyway.
6. What the kids really need, nobody can afford. I keep looking at their Amazon Wish Lists (especially since they added the Universal Button) and wondering if there is even room for any of it.
7. I would rather be giving without feeling like I'm killing the budget and putting the family further into a bind.
8. Shopping.... I'm not even going to look.
9. I wish I could afford some paint and repairs to the house - make the house brighter and happier looking. Maybe we should ask for paint and supplies, tile, the like, everyone could benefit from the house being more functional and less drafty. Everywhere needs to be caulked again.
10. Missing the baby I did not get to have for Easter. And the one I will not be having and holding for Thanksgiving either. How can little people I never even got to meet be missed so much?
Blessing:
1. 3 healthy kids (if you don't count Vannan's asthma)
2. Husband still around after 18 years.
3. At least one car runs.
4. We have our own house to live in.
5. I can homeschool my kids.
6. My kids love the Lord and have plans to serve him.
7. Salvation.
8. I'm 40 and I can still see.... (even if it's not enough to drive)
9. We still eat 3 meals a day. The kids have shoes and clothes to wear. They are not suffering in any way.
10. Wonderful family close by and only a phone call or an email away.
Why?
Well, since you asked...
1. Tim has been out of work since March.
2. Once again I will be making presents or buying junk ... wait - can't even afford junk this year. Sorry folks, but anyone getting a present from us is stuck with the sad attempts that I make at "usable crafts".
3. I'm not crafty or talented. Stuff I can do, I've done over and over - and then find out that the crafty and talented people can run circles around my attempts.
4. I can't find my addresses to mail out cards - but not sure we can afford the stamps either.
5. My house is so crowded - where would I put a tree or any other decorations anyway.
6. What the kids really need, nobody can afford. I keep looking at their Amazon Wish Lists (especially since they added the Universal Button) and wondering if there is even room for any of it.
7. I would rather be giving without feeling like I'm killing the budget and putting the family further into a bind.
8. Shopping.... I'm not even going to look.
9. I wish I could afford some paint and repairs to the house - make the house brighter and happier looking. Maybe we should ask for paint and supplies, tile, the like, everyone could benefit from the house being more functional and less drafty. Everywhere needs to be caulked again.
10. Missing the baby I did not get to have for Easter. And the one I will not be having and holding for Thanksgiving either. How can little people I never even got to meet be missed so much?
Blessing:
1. 3 healthy kids (if you don't count Vannan's asthma)
2. Husband still around after 18 years.
3. At least one car runs.
4. We have our own house to live in.
5. I can homeschool my kids.
6. My kids love the Lord and have plans to serve him.
7. Salvation.
8. I'm 40 and I can still see.... (even if it's not enough to drive)
9. We still eat 3 meals a day. The kids have shoes and clothes to wear. They are not suffering in any way.
10. Wonderful family close by and only a phone call or an email away.
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