The View from Here

Visitor

I had a minor problem with my birdseed this past weekend. We bought 40lbs. of seed and I put it on the back porch in the big plastic tub I use for a seed container. Opened it, went out to fill the feeders, and came back to find little black bugs escaping from the bag. There were literally hundreds! Well, that doesn’t hurt the seed or the birds, but I sure didn’t want them on my back porch, so we moved the seed container to the patio. I couldn’t find the lid to it so I just put a plant pot and brick on the top of the bag.

Monday when I came home from work, it was obvious that something other than the birds had enjoyed a “little” snack!!  The bag was torn open and the seed was spilled inside the plastic container. I made a little more of an effort to find the lid and put it on. Then I put the brick on top of that, and even turned the wheelbarrow over it.

Monday evening I was watching television and heard the wheelbarrow fall. I went out to investigate, but didn’t see anything, and the seed container was intact.

Last night Robert and I were in the kitchen talking while I cooked dinner. I started to walk into the dining area when he said, “Hey, look!” I turned around and saw a HUGE raccoon standing on his hind legs looking at us through the sliding glass door! I’ve seen a lot of raccoons, but this is the fattest guy ever. I think he has been raiding the compost pile and the bird feeders and the garden! LOL He looked at us for a few more minutes and then ambled to the back yard. Robert opened the back door and said “hi” and the coon ran for the woods.

A few hours later I heard the wheelbarrow scraping on the cement. Gary went out with the flashlight and said our visitor was trying to open the lid again. I guess I will either have to leave him more food in the compost pile or move my birdseed container. Maybe the bugs have frozen by now!

Somebody Slap Me! But not too hard...

I don't know about you, but I can't really complain about my life or my troubles without getting punished. Okay, the politically correct term is disciplined. Whatever. It still hurts! If I get whiny God gives me a little SLAP of reality and reminds me of my blessings! I got that slap this morning in the form of an email from a friend. Not only is she recovering from a terrible accident, but her son has cancer. I want you to visit his blog at Kevin's Marathon. Please pray for him, and for his family. And pray that I get slapped more often!

My students were angels yesterday and we had a great day. Maybe they are aware of the season and the possibility of their actions affecting their presents. Or maybe they just behave better when I start out the day with candy canes! Looking forward to more fun today!

Happy Birthday!

My daughter, Karen, is turning 40 today! I hope she has a great day. Forty is nothing to fear. In fact, I felt smarter and more powerful after I reached forty. It was as though I officially became a grownup.

Karen has become a wonderful grownup. She is a mother and teacher. She has a good job. She has a network of supportive friends. She plays sports. She loves to garden. She gives back to her community.  She keeps in touch with her mother. What more could I ask?

I hope she spends the day in celebration. I will spend the day with fond memories. Karen was supposed to be a Thanksgiving baby, but the holiday came and went without her. For nearly two more weeks I waddled to the post office each day and listened as friends and neighbors chuckled and commented, “You haven’t had that baby yet?” No, I most certainly had not. Then finally, on Sunday,  December 8, my husband and I made the frantic drive to Sherman, Texas where hours later Karen Ann, weighing in at 9lbs. 12 oz., was born by cesarean section. It was a momentous day, for me and for the hospital. I had “the big baby” everyone wanted to see, and my hospital roommate had twins! And there was more cause for celebration- our college president’s wife also gave birth that day. So I guess Karen waited for good reason. She wanted to be part of a special day!

 

 

It's All Good

I’ve been in pain all weekend, including this morning. Don’t ask me why. If I knew why I’d be a doctor, and if I was a doctor I wouldn’t have time to blog. LOL It started Friday with a stiffness and ache in my knee. I haven’t done anything to my knee. I wasn’t doing anything in particular when I noticed it. Friday night I went to the basketball game and was at least smart enough to take four Motrin before we left. I was fine until the game ended; then I could barely walk down the bleachers; had to have Gary’s help and I’m sure I looked ridiculous. Oh well. Restless night after 3am and I awoke with a horrible headache that didn’t ease until the administration of three cups of coffee, four Motrin and two Dove chocolates. Saturday was a day of aches and pains- knee, hip, ankle- and another restless night after 3am, despite my wonderful time-release Tylenol.  Oh, and to top off the day, I bit the inside of my bottom lip during dinner and it was swollen, painful, and annoying. It stings this morning when I drink my coffee, but if you think that’s stopping me from drinking my coffee, well, you don’t know me.

I’m not telling you this to get sympathy, nor am I whining just because I can. I’m getting to my point- despite the condition of my uncooperative body, I had a great weekend. I’ve learned that I can’t just sit around and feel sorry for my pain or sickness or whatever comes along. If I deal with the pain and go about my plans, I’m usually rewarded with less pain and more blessings. I’m sure if I had stayed in bed or sat on the couch all weekend I’d have been much worse.

Friday’s game was great! Both the girls’ and boys’ teams beat Silo, one of our long-time rivals. The games were fast-paced and exciting. And we sat next to two of my favorite people, Anita and Kevin Self. Anita is a teacher and one of the best I’ve seen. I observed in her class when I was going to college. Kevin and his dad, Glen, own Self Racing Enginesand are well-known in drag racing. His car was recently featured on the cover of Drag Racer and I teased him about getting his autograph and selling it on ebay.  His parents, Glen and Linda, sat behind us and they are also good people. One of the things I enjoy most about Caddo is the variety of people who live here! A member of the State Chamber of Commerce told me recently, “Your town should have a hall of fame or something! I can’t believe how many famous people are from Caddo!” Amen sister.

Saturday we visited and shopped at Craighead’s. Belinda has some wonderful toys and ornaments this year. I couldn’t resist a couple of nostalgic toys. And I bought a chicken ornament in honor of my mother, who loved chickens. Then we went to Dollar Tree and I bought pencils and erasers and candy canes for my class. Stopped at Lowe’s for the last two stones for my walk, and forty pounds of bird seed. Of course the daffodils were marked to 50 percent off, plus Gary’s discount, so I had to buy 40 more. LOL Then lunch at the Chinese buffet where one of my colleagues was also eating. Then off to WalMart for more shopping and visiting. We can’t go to WalMart without seeing at least three people we know, so there is always visiting.  

Saturday afternoon I finished my stone walk, planted my daffodil bulbs, filled the bird feeders and bird baths, put up the Christmas tree, and started my Christmas cards. It’s always so much fun to unpack the ornaments!! I can’t put more than half of them on the tree anymore, but I look at all of them. This year it is especially fun to see the baby ornament of each of the grandchildren since they are 10, 12, and 16.

My daughter, Karen, will be 40 tomorrow, and yes there will be blogging! Get over it. LOL She called last night to tell me that our little golfing pro, Taylor, shot 87. You go girl!! Nana knows next to nothing about golf, but she knows that is good.

So that’s been my painful but wonderful weekend so far. Today I’m going to finish my Christmas cards, scan some photos for a friend, read, and enjoy the day. It’s all good.

P.S. Rhonda: stop falling, get better, and you looked beautiful at the banquet!

"Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"?

Today's MSN homepage has an article with the same title and calls it  "the HOT debate over how retailers should mark the holiday". Come on people...is it a slow news day, or do you have way too much free time??????? I don't care what they call it. This is America! My personal pet peeve is "Merry Xmas!". If a store has "Happy Xmas!" in their window, it irritates me, but if I'm bothered enough I don't have to shop there! I can shop at stores that say "Merry Christmas" or I can shop at the stores that have the best prices, or I can shop at my friend's store because I like it. Sometimes I think the media just creates controversy so they can talk about it. The real HOT DEBATE this season is "cash" vs "credit". The HOT question is "can I afford it?". LOL

Cat Tales

Cats are like children – just when you think you have them trained, just when you think you can predict their every move, they do something totally unpredictable. Well…maybe not totally unpredictable in Babe’s case. She is, after all, still a cat! LOL

Saturday Robert was working on a craft project and had newspapers and paint and wooden parts on the dining room table. He left some green paint on a paper because he planned to paint a second coat on a wooden stick he needed for a Christmas gift. He sat down to watch the football game and fell asleep. I was working in the office. You know where this is going…

I went to the kitchen later and noticed a green spot on the floor. Then another, then a definite “paw print”. They led across the dining room, the edge of the table, over to the arm of the living room chair next to Robert, back to the hall, and across the bathroom counter. I woke Robert. He held Babe while I washed her back paws. Then there was lots of floor scrubbing and grumbling. No, I didn’t hurt her, but I do admit to some bad thoughts! LOL

Yesterday I noticed a tiny bit of green paint on the front edge of the bathroom counter. Missed a spot!

This morning at 3am, yes 3 AM, Babe decided to perform Act II of “Surprise, Surprise!” She jumped up on the top of our dresser- the ledge above the mirror- and knocked down my stuffed elephants. Wouldn’t have been a problem if she hadn’t meowed the whole time. I woke up and put her outside. Then in about thirty minutes she clawed our window screen to let me know she wanted back inside. Then she ran around the house meowing. By the time she settled down it was after four. I finally got up at 4:30 because I couldn’t go back to sleep. I don’t know if the howling wind upset her, but I know I’m going to be at work today, tired but AWAKE, while she is napping in front of the heater for the next eight hours!

Don’t tell me it’s my own fault…I wasn’t the one who brought her home. But she is kind of sweet when she’s sleeping on my lap. Oh, well. She keeps life interesting.

First Card

I received my first Christmas card yesterday! Yeah! It's a photo card from my friend and former co-worker, Julie. We worked first at Macy's together, then later at St. Agnes Hospital. We've corresponded over the years and kept up with each other's families. I love her bubbly enthusiasm and sharp wit. She understands people and business and has a successful consulting business to prove it. However, I fear that I may have to stop liking her so much- she never ages!!! LOL She is still beautiful and I could put this year's card next to a card from five years ago and only see the difference in the children! Oh, well, I've liked her this long...I guess I can stay with her a few more years.

I love getting Christmas cards and I also love sending them. They bring back such great memories! And there are still a handful of people on my list who only correspond once a year. Another group corresponds more often, but only sends photos during the holidays. The rest are friends I talk with or email often, but it's just nice to have that extra message for the holidays.

I am teaching my students to give cards. They learn to write "I love you" and "Merry Christmas" and "Thank you for my present". They draw wonderful pictures of trees and Santa and snowmen and stars. All part of passing on traditions.

We finished our letters for the newspaper yesterday. Today we are going to make a page for our keepsake books. You'll have to visit my kindergarten blog and find out about our book. I'll post information later in the week. It's a great tradition, too!

Go to the post office today! You might have a card waiting for you. 

Last Page

I flipped the last page of the calendar just now, and there it is:  December- the roller coaster month, the bipolar month, the best of the best and the worst of the worst. What is it about December that turns our world topsy-turvy? On the one hand we tend to be more generous and kind and loving during the twelfth month. We donate to the poor, help the elderly, and rejoice with small children, even if they aren’t our own. We get teary-eyed over commercials and send cheery greetings to people we haven’t spoken to in ten years. On the other hand, we complain about our endless “to-do lists”, grumble impatiently at store clerks, and find fault with all the lines in which we are obliged to waste our precious time. We spend too much, eat too much, and expect too much.

I suppose that last statement really does provide the reasons behind our love-hate relationship with the last month of the year.

We spend too much money because we want everyone to love us and admire us; spending lots of cash seems to be the nationally accepted way to do that. If we don’t have cash there is always plastic, and eleven new months ahead to try and pay for our indulgences. So what if we lose sleep worrying about how we are going to juggle all of the new balances? Did you see the look on Johnny’s face when he opened his present? Wasn’t that worth everything? Well…maybe, maybe not.

We love to eat anyway, and during December there are all these wonderful foods made just for the holidays. Everything edible can be turned into a green, red, or white culinary delight, complete with sprinkles and sparkles and, of course some type of chocolate. There are brunches and lunches and parties and get-togethers, and innumerable excuses for eating. If we find ourselves too full to function and too miserable to sleep, we just dismiss those feelings as part of the traditional holiday experience. It will be over soon. Besides, January is the official “dieting month”.

And of course we expect too much. That’s the American way. We expect too much of ourselves and others and our country, even other countries. We want everything and everyone to be happy, healthy, and peaceful for the holidays. We want poverty to stop and wars to abate and problems to take a sabbatical for at least thirty days. We want to enjoy the magical dreams of our childhood. We want Santa to be real and wishes to come true. But expectations and reality often clash just as violently in December as they do in July. We can’t have everything we want. We can’t have a perfect December, a perfect Christmas.

I may sound pessimistic to some, but I’m really not. I’ve found that if I am more sensible and practical about December I actually enjoy it more. Yes, there will be lines and delays and traffic and rude people. But there will also be joy and gladness and peace and harmony. There will be all the little traditions I cherish: the simple pleasure of unpacking old ornaments, the joy of corresponding with people who are precious to me, the fun of buying or making a few inexpensive but meaningful gifts.  I also enjoy savoring a few special foods. But most of all I love, love, LOVE making children happy. I buy a gift for an “angel child”, I buy little things for my students, and I contribute to our town’s efforts to entertain our children.

Yes, December is here. Our last page on the calendar. Let’s all make it a great month!