Jogging In Turtle Time

Write For Ten Topic: What is your favorite pet name for someone?

2010-03-16T23:42:00.000-05:00

My oldest child was born in Germany, where I was living with my first husband who was in the Army. In 1971, the Army was giving early discharges to enlisted men, and my husband was one of them. So, when Seth was not quite six weeks old, I flew home to Atlanta with him the day before Christmas Eve.

My brother's girlfriend, who was later his wife, was visiting at my parents house for Christmas from California. My return home was a surprise for everyone, because we did not know I was going to be allowed to fly. I only found out at the last minute. So, when I got to Mama's house, everyone was there, and they all got to meet Seth and he was passed around to be admired by everyone.

A month or so later, when my soon to be sister in law wrote a thank you note to my mother for her hospitality, she inquired about the health of "baby Sledge". We all laughed about that, but the name has stuck to my son now for more than 38 years.

My second child was born when my son was two years old, eleven days after his birthday. She was named Rebecca Jean.

When Rebecca was about two weeks old, my mother came and picked up to take us to the grocery store with her. My sister and her friend were also along for the ride.

My sister's friend asked my son what his baby sister's name was, and he replied "Rejecca Bean." She has been called that ever since.

And my last child, Emily, was born with a thick head of hair. By the time she was two, her hair was to her shoulders, and was very full and slightly wavy. My father always called her Farrah, after Farrah Fawcett, because of the way her hair self styled itself. No one else ever called her that, but I am sure if my father was still alive, he would still be asking me "How's Farrrah?" whenever he might ask about her.

Write For Ten Topic: Describe a stranger you saw today.

2010-03-10T22:18:00.000-06:00

I had a doctor appointment today, so I had the "pleasure" of sitting in a crowded waiting room for about forty five minutes. Most of the people in there with me were just sitting there quietly, minding their own business. But, there was one lady who was talking so loudly it was obnoxious. She told anyone who would listen about how her daughter was working on her doctorate at "the university". As if she did not have to WHICH university and everyone would automatically know which one she was talking about.

This woman droned on and on about how this daughter already had a masters degree from somewhere else and how she had single handedly saved a school system somewhere in another state, and how when she finishes THIS degree she will probably volunteer somewhere for a while. You have to imagine a heavy southern bell accent, complete with exaggerated "g's" on the end of any word that ended in "ing", just so that everyone would instantly know this woman was well educated. Except that she had no manners, I guess she never went to finishing school.

I say she had no manners, because in between telling everyone how very very intelligent her daughter was, she asked each person what they at the doctor for. I really don't want to tell strangers why I am at the doctor's office. Well, maybe on my blog, but not in person, ya know? She asked one young woman, who had her hand heavily bandaged, "Honey, what did you do to your hand" and the girl just stared at her. I thought it was very rude of the woman to ask.

I was so glad when they finally called me in to see the doctor, for more reason than one. At least I didn't have to listen to BragginG Betty anymore!

Write For Ten Topic: What Color Is Your Hair?

2010-03-08T09:56:00.000-06:00

What is your natural hair color? What other colors has it been? If you could have been born with a different color, what would that be and why do you think it would have suited you better?

Ahh--now that I am in my late 50's my hair is a nice gray color. When I was young, it was so dark it was almost black. And my hair has a natural curl to it that makes it easy to style but gets frizzy in humid weather.

When I was a little girl, my mother always rolled my hair in rags the night before picture day at school, so that all my grade school pictures make me look like my hair is wound up! I know she meant well, but I hated that so much! What I hated even worse was when she tried to do the Toni Home Perm--I can so relate to the old commercials they used to have that showed the girl sitting on the sidewalk crying because of the perm gone awry!

I only colored my hair one time. When I was about 34 years old, I decided that I wanted a change. The color was a dark brunette with a purple hue to it when I was in direct sunlight. I thought it was beautiful. But when I went to work that Monday, a young twit of a co-worker said "Are you getting ready for Halloween early, Karen?" I wanted to slap that girl on the spot. I went home and washed my hair about ten times trying to get that color out, and I have never attempted to color it again!

Write For Ten Topic : College Education

2010-03-07T11:31:00.000-06:00

College education. Do you have one? Was it worth the cost? If you don't have one, do you miss it?

I was a flop in high school--I had no interest in school, except that it was a place to escape to from home, so I went every day. But, I failed in math and english. I failed 9th grade english four times, so that when I was in my senior year I was still in a sophomore home room. I knew I had no chance of graduating with my class, so I quit school before Christmas break of my senior year.

I got married, had three babies in four years, and divorced by the end of the seventh year. I worked hard to take care of my little family, and tried my best to get my children to understand the importance of an education. My son, though, did not think it was as important as I had been trying to tell him, and he quit school as soon as he turned sixteen.

One day after he quit school, I woke him up early one Saturday morning and told him we were going to go take our test for the GED. He protested, saying he had not studied for it and was not ready. I told him I had not studied for it either, but if we went together and took the test and didn't pass, then we would know what we needed to study for the next time.

To our surprise, both of us passed the test and got our GED certificates in the mail. When I held that piece of paper in my hands, I was more surprised at how I felt to have accomplished that! I was so proud. After all those years of not having a high school diploma, I finally had proof that I could do it.

I felt so good about getting that GED, that I went down to the local satellite campus of Mercer University and signed up for my first college class. I decided to take the required business math class first because I knew if I couldn't pass that I would not ever graduate. I made an A. As a matter of fact, I was on the Dean's :List for every quarter that I went to Mercer. Even when they changed the requirements for the degree I was working towards and had to take Algebra, I made the highest score in the class.

I never finished the degree--but I got what I needed from my time going to college--pride in myself, and the ability to say I was the only one of my siblings to ever go to college.

Write For Ten Topic: Did something funny, unexpected happen on your wedding day?

2010-03-05T23:53:00.000-06:00

We had planned to get married on April 1--since we both felt like fools trying it again. I had been married and divorced three times, and he had been divorced twice. It seemed like a perfect plan--only it didn't happen. We just both drug our feet and let the day pass us by.

In May, we talked again about getting married, but still, did not make any effort to actually do it. He had already moved in with me and we were comfortable with the arrangements. Then, on May 13, he was in an auto accident. I went to the hospital emergency room and told them I was his wife. Only he had told them he wasn't married, so they wouldn't let me in. I also couldn't sign paperwork allowing them to treat him for his injuries. I had to call his brother to come to the hospital to take care of that.

He was in the hospital for 13 days. The night before he came home, he asked me if he could come to my house to recuperate. I told him he could, but that we really needed to get married if he did, because the doctor was talking about it taking two years for him to fully get over his injuries.

So, in July, when he could stand up without crutches, we got married. It was a small ceremony with close friends and family at our house. After the judge who performed the ceremony said "I now pronounce you man and wife", his brothers and friends all lined up to take turns doing their duty. They all said he had told them after his second divorce "If I ever get married again I want you all to just kick me in the ass!" That was the first I had heard of that vow.

Write For Ten Topic: My Favorite Smell

2010-03-04T18:24:00.000-06:00

Ah, the fragrance of fresh laundry, of sheets that have hung out on a line in the sunshine! That smell takes me back to my childhood, before we had an electric clothes dryer. My mother hung all the laundry outside to dry. Oh laundry day, I almost couldn't wait to get into bed with those fresh washed sheets!

The sight of clean laundry flapping in the breeze on a sunny day is so welcome! Just the fact that they are there tells that someone cares, that someone wants their family to be clean and happy. That Mama took the time to change the beds and make them up. That love lives in that house where the clothesline hangs.

The feel of fresh sheets on newly bathed legs makes me think of days spent running barefoot through grass as a child. Feet that go so dirty they looked as red as the Georgia clay where I grew up. Mama made us all take a bath every night of course, but on laundry day, we couldn't even think of getting in that fresh washed bed before taking a bath and making sure our feet were clean! And those fluffy sun dried towels--just icing on the cake!

Yes, the smell of freshly laundered sheets is a powerful smell, one that can take me back fifty years or more. A smell that good can't be duplicated by turning the drum of the dryer--those sheet have to soak up that smell from the sunshine and clouds.

What A Small World This Is!

2010-03-04T00:22:00.002-06:00

Just found out that one of the girls in my Write For Ten group is the cousin of the other camp host here at Payne Lake. How weird is that?

Write For Ten Topic: Out My Back Door

2010-03-03T21:37:00.000-06:00

As I was looking for the topic for today, I was looking out my kitchen window and saw a beautiful Eastern Bluebird sitting on a post by the propane tank. These little birds have a rusty red breast and a creamy white belly with a beautiful blue for the rest of their body.

There are lots of birds around this area. We are volunteering as camp hosts in the Talledega National Forest sout of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Our backyard is unspoiled forest of long leaf pine, oak, cedar and a few cypress in the wet spots.

Across the road in front of our trailer is the 110 acre Payne Lake. The mood of the lake changes from day to day--this morning she was rippled by breezes blowing in from the north. For a few days back in January she was actually frozen over on the surface--quite an occurance for south western Alabama.

We have seen evidence of wild hogs in our "yard" ever since we arrived here in November--the root up the ground and leave it looking like it was plowed by a drunk farmer. We know they come almost every night but we have never seen them.

Write For Ten Topic: My Earliest Childhood Memory

2010-03-01T09:51:00.000-06:00

When I was about four years old, my family moved from Austell, Georgia to Waynesboro, Georgia. My father was sick and had to be in the hospital for about two years. The house we lived in was close to some railroad tracks. Every afternoon at about the same time of day, a train roared down those tracks. My two brothers and I played on the banks overlooking the railroad tracks. We always waved to the conductor on the train as it went by. He looked so official, wearing a snappy uniform and hat.

One day when the train went by, the conductor threw a pack of chewing gum to us as he went by. I still remember the yellow Juicy Fruit package as it looked laying in the ground. I think about that man every time I see a pack of Juicy Fruit.

Another thing I remember from that same time, we that we lived near a cotton field. My older brother, who was about six years old, went off to the cotton fields with our old black baby sitter's family to pick cotton. He stayed all day every day for a week, picking those cotton bolls and putting them into a huge burlap bag. He proudly brought his cotton bag home every night to show us how much cotton he had picked.

That Saturday morning, someone knocked on the door. He had come to pay my brother for his cotton that he had picked. The man weighed the sack, then gave my brother a handful of change. I don't remember how much exactly it was, but I do remember the big the grin on my brother's face, as he held both hands together and shook that change so it clinked and jangled. He was the happiest little boy in all of Waynesboro that day, having earned what was probably less than a dollar picking that cotton for a whole week!

Write For Ten Topic: My Dream House or Home

2010-02-26T22:13:00.001-06:00

Right now I am living my dream--I am living in a 34' travel trailer with two slides. But some day when I grow up, I would like to have a house again.

My husband and I have been looking for a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom flat house, preferably with two or three acres of land. The ideal place right now would be in west Georgia, west of Douglasville; or in east Alabama, east of Anniston. That leaves a pretty wide swath in which to look.

I want one of those white frame houses with a wide front porch, the kind you think of when you think of Grandma's House. It doesn't necesessarily have to have the white picket fence. I want a large kitchen with lots of counter space, and big pantry. I love to cook, so I need room for all my pots and pans. The house should also have a place for me to put my sewing machine and craft supplies, the things I love to do, that will keep me busy in my old age.

My husband would like to have a garage or storage shed in the back yard. There should be room for flower gardens and a raised bed vegetable garden so we can grow our own food. A strawberry patch and some raspberry vines, and an asparagus bed should be in the picture as well. I'll plant some purple irises and some of those orange day lillies along the back of the yard, so I can see them from the kitchen window. The back yard won't be complete without a place for a barbecue.

My dream home doesn't have to be very fancy or big, but it has to have room for the grandchildren to spend the night and ride their bikes along a country road. I'll make a tire swing to hang from the huge oak tree in the front yard.

And I don't care if I have to drive 20 miles to get to the grocery store--I want to be out where I can breathe easy and not hear the traffic on the highway.

Test

2010-02-26T15:57:00.001-06:00

Testing a new app for my Droid so that I can post from anywhere. These are the things that distract me when I should be doing homework....

Write For Ten Topic: My Favorite Childhood Memory

2010-02-25T22:20:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid, we lived way out in the country on a dirt road. My Dad raised hogs, so we always had about 20 or 30 of them at any given time. My dad had a agreement with several restaurants in Atlanta that he would pick up their garbage cans twice a week, so he could feed it to the hogs.

Every Saturday night, my Dad, my three brothers, and I would cram into the cab of his pickup truck, and go to town on the garbage route. This was a very exciting thing to do, because we got to stay up late--we usually didn't start the trip until about nine p.m.

The first couple of stops were kind of boring--we went to Rich's downtown store, in the basement of the building. It was kind of creepy down there, so we kids usually stayed in the truck while Daddy loaded the barrels into the truck. After Rich's, we went to Smith House, around to the delivery dock in the back. It was near the Atlanta Federal Prison, so I was always afraid the prisoners would get us. Strange what little kids think!

But when we got to Harold's Barbecue, the ancient black woman who was the cook always had a greasy bag of french fries ready for us. Sometimes she would give us a chocolate milkshake to go along with it. We always went in through the back door of the place--I never saw the front of that restaurant until I was in my late 20's.

The last stop, long after mid-night, was always the huge Garrett's Produce Stand, across the tracks in Lakewood. We stayed there for a while each Saturday night, talking the old Mr. Garrett. He always gave us fruit or a candy cane.

Those Saturday night trips to collect the hog slop were some of my best memories of growing up in the country.

Write For Ten Topic: A Song That Brings Back Memories

2010-02-24T19:38:00.000-06:00

Back in my other life, things were not always easy. I was a divorced mother of three, trying hard to make ends meet. One day I met a guy who was a charmer, he literally swept me off my feet--we were married within 6 weeks. He moved in, and two days later he came home and told me he had been laid off from his job. I of course, just patted his hand,and said, ok, we can get by until you find another one.

A month went by, then another, and another, and he made no effort to find work. But I was still all in love, so I just tried my best to be optimistic. Then one day, the credit union called and said I had no insurance on my car, and if I didn't get some, they would repossess it. When I protested that I had paid the premium, they said, "Call your insurance company." and so I did.

The insurance company said no payment had been received in three months. A little bell went off in my head, as I called each place I owed and was told the same thing. I had been writing checks, and he had been throwing them away and taking the money out of the bank!!!

I went home and confronted him with all this, and he went into a rage. He beat me up and hit my son. I put the kids in the car and left, and never looked back. I was so depressed and so in debt, and had no place to live. How could I have been so stupid?? After four months of marriage to this creep, I was in serious trouble financially and in jeopardy of losing custody of my children!

At about this time, I went to visit a very dear friend named Tom, who had always been so nice to me. As soon as I walked in the door, I broke down in sobs, and cried for most of the night.

Tom just held me in his arms and comforted me, as he played "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Every time I hear that song, I think of Tom and how nice he was to me that night.

Write 4 Ten Topic: My Most Embarrassing Moment

2010-02-23T10:26:00.002-06:00

In a prior life I worked at a large telecommunications company at their headquarters building in downtown Atlanta. The building was 45 stories tall with a large open lobby and atrium on the first floor. The lobby had a beautiful marble floor that was slick as glass. In a prior life, I was also wore high heeled shoes.

I have always loved pretty shoes, and had a pair to match every outfit I owned, sometimes TWO pairs! I would often go shoe shopping and buy the shoes first, then go to find an outfit to match them. I’m telling ya, I love me some shoes!

One day on my way to work. I was going to be late, so I was running through that lobby, when I slipped and fell. Oh, I didn’t just fall—NO! That would have been just too easy. I fell, with my feet and lovely high heeled shoes in the air, and my dress over my head, and slid what seems like a football field length through that packed, morning rush hour lobby. And while this was happening, I was thinking, “Maybe nobody will notice this”. That thought was interrupted by two young men in three piece suits, bending over me asking if I was OK, and if I needed help getting up! They called “Mam”.

Write For 1o Topic of the Day: What are you afraid of?

2010-02-22T18:56:00.000-06:00

I have never considered myself to be afraid of doing anything. When ever I have decided I wanted to do something, I just did it, without thinking about it very much in terms of fear. I can honestly say that I have done just about everything I have wanted to do, except for one thing: A rim to rim hike at the Grand Canyon.

Hiking the canyon was not something I always dreamed of doing--I didn't even know you could do that until I started working at the North Rim in 2008. But, WOW! when I started meeting the many people who do it every year, I started thinking it was something I might like to do.

So what is holding me back? Why haven't I made a concrete plan to do it? After all, it has been almost three years now that I have wanted to do this. I think the biggest thing that stops me is my weight. I weight too much, and have not made an effort at reducing in a long time. Oh, I'm not afraid of losing weight, either. I just haven't tried.

The next thing that holds me back is knowing that I would have to sleep out under the stars, with bugs and insects crawling around beside me. I used to camp out in the open many years ago, and never worried about bugs getting on me then, but now? I am so afraid of spiders I can not get past that fear to even think about sleeping outside without a tent for one night, even to experience the Grand Canyon from the bottom.

Another thing that is keeping me from hiking rim to rim is that I really want to share this experience with my husband. The thing is, he has no desire to go. I wonder how he would feel if I went without him. (I haven't asked him, because I am sure he would laugh if I asked because he thinks I will never do it anyway.)

So, what can I do to make myself get ready to do this hike? Who can I get to do it with me, so I don't have to do it alone? Now, usually, I am not afraid of doing things by myself, but for this particular thing, I am. I want someone to go with me, so if I die along the way, someone will know where to find the body. Someone will know that I didn't give up, that I just didn't have the energy to get myself back up that cliff!

What if you had terminal illness...

2009-03-25T15:30:00.008-05:00

I decided to blog on this subject today because the theme for the day seemed to fit. We had a little guy that worked with us here at ACE last summer, Mason. He was such a nice young man. Always polite, courteous and kind. He is the son of a teacher I had at Lithia Springs High School, Gerald Harper. Gerald and his wife had Mason and his sister later in life. I'm sure Gerald is close to 56 or so.

Mason had been diagnosed with terminal cancer (I'm not really sure what kind he had so I'm not going to guess here; if I find out for sure, I will post it in a comment)a few years back and last summer he had a relapse. He has been in both Dallas, Texas & Orlando, Florida Cancer centers. He and his Dad came home a few weeks ago from Dallas where the doctors had told them there was nothing else they could do.

So, my what if? for today is: What if you were 20 years old, with your whole life ahead of you and you were told that there is nothing else that could be done? Would you hold close the friends and family who have always been there for you? Would you spend what little time you had left making sure that those people knew how much you loved and appreciated all of the love, care & sacrifices that have been made on your behalf to have a comfortable and peaceful journey into the unknown? or would you be mad at God and everyone around you because they were going to live and you were not! Mmmmm, tough place to be.

James Mason Harper passed away today. He was twenty years old and had his whole life ahead of him only to be snatched like a thief in the night by the terrible, horrible cancer that lived in his body. From what I understand, Mason was mad. He was mad at everyone and everything that represented life. I had heard through some of his friends that they didn't think he was saved. I can only hope that Mason and Jesus were the only two that knew the answer to that. I will be praying for the Harper's and their loss of such an amazing young man.....I will also be praying that in the end, Mason was able to take the hand of his precious Lord and Savior for his journey home.

In Memory of James Mason Harper: September 7, 1988 - March 25, 2009

Last Tuesday of 2008

2008-12-30T08:45:00.013-06:00

Well, here we are....winding down yet another year. It seems like the older I get, the faster the years pass. Is it me or does that happen to everyone? I can say that this has been a pretty good year for us. We had several family vacations, paid off some of our debt, added a new front porch and carport to the house and aquired Bunni, our Mini Daschund/Jack Russel/thinks she's a human dog. I've been to the ER twice with Mom, once in April and once this past weekend. I have to say, I really hate hospital ER's. Now for those who know me, you know I don't like to use the word hate because it is such a strong word, but I HATE, HATE, HATE the ER at Wellstar Douglas Hospital.

Not only did they mis-diagnose my Mother's illness this past weekend, it seemed to me like they didn't care at all that they had an 81 year old patient who came in by ambulance, NOT wheelchair like it sated on her discharge papers and they said she possibly had an inner ear infection.....WHAT! The doctor, and I use that term loosely, that examined her didn't look in her ears, nose or throat, ENT for those who are medically prosed.

In fact, all he did was poke her on her stomach a few times, asked her to follow his finger, God only knows where that had been, ordered a CT scan that showed that her brain is shrinking - a common occurance with Geriatric patients, and bloodwork....none of which could accurately diagnose a Urinary Tract Infection which is what she has. Come on people...I know it was the Saturyday after Christmas and all of the dregs and druggies were in the ER seeking a quick fix from the revolving door "free" clinic that ER's have seem to become, but it's pretty sad when the Police escorted young woman brought in for a drug a test, who was so stoned she could barely walk and the whites of her eyes were red, gets quicker attention than the little grey haired lady in the room next to her who has been patiently waiting for 5 1/2 hours, has medical insurance that will pay for her visit and had to walk out of the hospital without the aid of the wheelchair they blantently stated she came in with....they haven't heard the last from me!

Twas the Monday before Christmas

2008-12-22T08:39:00.026-06:00

So, as all of you may know, we have had a very short holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. During this very short time, I have been involved in two concerts, a Messiah Sing-a-long hosted by the Douglas County Chamber Singers at the Douglasville FUMC and our annual Christmas Concert. I have also helped my Mother put up her Christmas tree and Alan has decked the outside of her home. I have also taken her on a few shopping trips around town so she could satisfy her naughty and nice list, which takes most all of the day since she is 81 and doesn't move as quickly as she used to. I'm not complaining, I feel very fortunate to still have my Mother especially during the holidays when so many of my friends only have the memory of their Mother to get them through the holiday.

I've also had a great luncheon with my "Red Hat" girlfriends and our husbands, made tons of candy and goodies to give away as well as consume and even attended a holiday party. With all of this hustle & bustle what I haven't done is finish what I need to get done at home. So, my Menu for today is to get those packages wrapped, finish the goodies to bring to work and do my grocery shopping for our Christmas Eve dinner for us, Mom & Stef's friend Donna. I already have the bone-in Cowboy Ribeye Steaks aging in the fridge, I still need the green beans for the Green Bean Bundles, the potatoes for the Lyonnaise Potatoes, the Shrimp for the Shrimp Cocktails and the Lettuce & Tomato for the Salad Wedge. Yum, I can hardly wait until Christmas Eve...Merry Christmas Ya'll!

A Late Sunday Reward

2008-11-25T09:28:00.010-06:00

So, I am writing about my Sunday Reward on Tuesday....just call me Late Linda ;)

I spent most of my Sunday moving and stacking a HUGE load of firewood that was delivered to us on Saturday morning. I think by the time we were done, there was about a chord and a half of wood. Now I'm really not a superstitious type of person, but I do believe in the old wives tale stories...you know the ones; A cricket in the house brings good luck, if the bottom of your foot itches you're going to take a trip, or how about the one that goes: Pulling out a gray or white hair will cause ten more to grow in its place. Lord, if I believed in that type of stuff, I'd surely be bald.

Since the Fall season began, we have had an over abundance of acorns. Huge acorns. So many acorns as I have never seen in the 21+ years we have lived in our home. I have always heard that when there is a crop of acorns such as this, our Winter is going to be wet & cold. I couldn't find a wives tale about this, but I did find a page on the "net" that talked about such things. Even the Squirrels and Chipmunks can't keep up with the supply that has been offered unto their plate.

Back to the subject at hand: What is my reward in stacking so much firewood that my hands were sore, my back ached and I could hardly get out of the bed the next morning? What is so rewarding about stacking so much firewood that by the time I was finished, I didn't feel like finishing the decorating of my Christmas tree which I like to light up on Thanksgiving just like the Lighting of the Rich's Great Tree (which is another blog in itself)?

What was rewarding to me is that I got to spend quality time with some of the great loves of my life. I had the distinct honor of having my first and last born child out there in the yard, stacking, moving & hauling firewood with me. It was also rewarding to me to have a husband who spent his whole off day picking up leaves with the mower and making our yard look nice for the holidays. Most importantly, it was rewarding to me to have my whole family together.....even the dog was out there.....what more could a "fat" girl from the South hope for ;)........ Happy Thanksgiving!

What If You Knew...

2008-11-19T11:14:00.003-06:00

that you could make a change in one thing in your life, and you would feel better, not be sick all the time, not have pain anymore, would you do it?

What if Vacations

2008-11-19T08:18:00.006-06:00

What if you could go on vacation, all expenses paid, to anywhere on the Earth. Where would you go? Me, I'd go to Tahiti and probably never come back......I'm sure they need someone to sell sunglasses or something???

Another What if....

2008-11-12T16:30:00.004-06:00

What if your nose was running money? Would you blow it all on someone you love? tee hee....my little giggle for the day.

What if you....

2008-11-12T16:13:00.006-06:00

What if you found out that you only had a certain amount of time to live. What would you do? Would you continue to work? Would you cash in your life savings and go do all the things you ever wanted to do? Would you get a bunch of credit cards issued to yourself with an unGodly credit limit and then go out and charge them to the max? Would you tell anyone or keep it to yourself? No, I'm not dying. Just thought it would be a good first "What if" post ;)

What If You Were Going To Phoenix?

2008-10-29T21:33:00.003-05:00

If you were going to Phoenix, what would you want to do there? Would you have your picture taken with a Saguaro?

Monday Menu

2008-10-13T15:52:00.001-05:00

I have lots of work to get done this week. I have assignments for two grad school classes. So on the menu is to get them done! I want my weekend free to work on my Christmas ornament project with Spencer.

My Reward

2008-06-01T12:10:00.011-05:00

This year has offered me new challenges, new frustrations, and the most awesome new rewards. Last night was graduation at Alexander. I cannot tell you how good it feels when a student says to you "Thank you, I would not have made it without you". I had two students tell me last night that they would not be graduating if it had not been for my help. That made everything that I went throught this year worth it! I cannot complain, it really has not been that bad. There were a few times this year that I thought "What have I gotten myself into?", "Why did I do this?", and "Can I really do this?" My answers came last night. I have gotten myself into the most rewarding career. Seeing students graduate is why I did this. And, Yes, I really can do this, and I do make a difference! I can't wait to see who I can help through the next school year...
I am really proud of all "my" kids, but especially the ones who faced challenges and overcame every hurdle to graduate and go on to further their education. I am so proud to have been a part of their journey.

What If...?

2008-05-21T09:57:00.002-05:00

What if you saw a bison in your backyard? Would you run outside to get a closer look, or would you stay inside? Would plant some corn so he would come back?

Sunday's Great Rewards

2008-05-18T16:11:00.002-05:00

This was the week we were all waiting for--the opening of Grand Canyon North Rim for the season. We were all a little bit nervous, a little bit raring to go. Opening day went great. I opened at the campground, which was booked to capacity. The most difficult part of it was having to turn away those people who had no reservation.

Yesterday was my last work day for the week. I was at the entrance station and boy was it ever busy. It was after all the first Saturday of the season, and people were lined up for half a mile it seemed waiting to get in, and they all had to go by ME!

I was so tired at the end of my day, my feet hurt, my legs hurt. But, I was ecstatic! My first day on the entrance station and I remembered what to do, and did it well. One of my co-workers, who was out there to support me on my first day, told the boss she heard me giggle after each customer. One foreign guy even told me I was cute! I laughed out loud at that.

So, my reward to myself for today is that I am staying in my pajamas all day, and watching all my favorite shows on the Food Network. I have been lazing about on the sofa all day. Well, I DID get up and put a pork roast in the oven, but that is all. I am taking it easy all day, because I deserve it!

Today's Topic Of Discussion--Boots

2008-05-16T14:25:00.003-05:00

As I was getting dressed to go to work this morning, I started thinking about my father. When I was a young girl, he would come home from work, lay down on the sofa, and call for one of his children to come in and take off his boots for him. I always hated that job. He was very particular about how to do it--you had to untie the boot strings, then take them off of all the hooks, then loosen the parts of the strings that went through the holes just so, without letting the ends come out of the first hole. Then you had to wiggle the boots back and forth until you could slip them off.

I don't know why I hated that task so much. Maybe it was the way he ordered us around while we, as small children, tried our best to do it right, so that he would not get mad. Whatever the reason, I just hated doing it.

Now that I have a job where I have to wear boots, whenever I see them on my feet, it makes me think about my old man. And I sincerely hope that I am not like him.

Monday Menu

2008-05-12T10:48:00.003-05:00

Since the park officially opens this week, on May 15th, I am making it my goal for this week to get through the week without fear.

When I applied for this job, I read the job description several times, but I never saw anywhere that said that I would be an actual park ranger. The title for the job is Visitor Use Assistant. So, last week when we received our badges, I was a little taken aback--I am a real park ranger, with the hat and the badge to prove it. For some reason, it put a little lump of fear in the back of my throat. Not that it changed the job responsibilities in any way, it's just that is so OFFICIAL! I know I can do the job. Now I want to be the BEST at it.

So, yeah, now, my goal is to get through opening week without fear.

Sunday Great Rewards

2008-05-11T11:01:00.002-05:00

I have been in training for my new job for two weeks. Since I spent the winter plus some, five months, doing almost nothing, it has been really hard for me to get up at a certain time and go to work. On top of that, just before we left Georgia to come to Arizona, the annual time change to Daylight Savings Time occured. Then we drove to Wichita, where we were in a different time zone for another week, then on to Arizona to yet another time zone. My body clock is so screwed up!

So, to reward myself for working so hard to learn my job, and for walking to work and back, and for eating less and losing 10 pounds, I am rewarding myself today in several ways.

1. I slept late. I slept until I woke up. That seems like such a luxury, even though I got up at 8:00 a.m.

2. I am having two cups of coffee with chocolate coffee mate. Not sugar-free, full blown sugar.

3. I am driving up to Cape Royal with my friend Sally. It is supposed to be one of the two best view-points of the Grand Canyon on this side. Jim has been up there already, and he said you can see the whitewater on the Colorado River from there. I can hardly wait!

4. I am having black bean and shrimp nachos for lunch.

All this may seem like too much of a reward for just doing my job in life, but, hey, I am the one who gets to make the rules.

What Does It Matter If -

2008-05-10T21:07:00.008-05:00

I skip blogging today?

Well, it doesn't. Not really. But it does mean that I probably won't do it tomorrow either. Or the next day or the day after that and before I know it, it's been weeks. "But, I've just been so busy", I tell myself.

Well, the inertia ends now. I've got to tell all or I will forget and God knows we can't have that!

Ken and I have, actually, been very busy. We both started exercising and have been running a few times a week for about a month now - the last two weeks, we've been going to the park nearby and running on the trails. It's so much more fun than running in the gym or on a track. It's like playing tag, really. We have yet to lose an ounce between us, but I know we are better off for it.

We went to Charleston a few weeks ago and stayed with a friend of his. While we were there, another of his friends did my hair. She cut and dyed it and when she styled it, she used a flat iron - I just started crying when I saw it and sobbed out, "I look so pretty!" She just stared at me for a minute and then said, "I think I might cry now too." My hair stayed straight for about 3 hours before Ken and I got caught in a rainstorm walking around downtown Charleston. It curled right back up!

Ken was a sweetheart (as usual) and was patient while I visited a yarn shop of all things. He actually scheduled in time for it on Sunday and then we walked around for almost an hour trying to find it. When we finally did it was closed on Sundays! But he made sure we came back Monday before we left to come back home and he didn't even rush me while I fondled all the lovely soft fiber. He just said, "Take your time, I know how much you love this stuff." Is that a great guy or what?!

On the home front, I've been knitting up a storm. The yarn shop in Tuscaloosa has challenged the shop in Auburn to a Yarn Bowl knit off. Basically knitters (or crocheters) can support either school by sending in handmade preemie caps for charity by the date of the Iron Bowl (the Alabama/Auburn football game), and the shop that collects the most caps wins bragging rights. I found out about it a little over a week ago and have finished 4 so far - I can't just let Auburn win, now can I?

I also started writing articles on Arts and Crafts for Kids for The Fun Times Guide. I wrote 5 of them in the last week of April, and have more planned - I just need to take the photos for them. It's nice to feel like I am doing something related to art teaching, even if I don't have the interaction with the kids. It's also really nice to get paid for it!

Softball season has started again, too, and I am playing with the same team - after the support in the ER, I couldn't abandon them for some Hampton upstarts. We have played 2 double headers and have won all 4 games. I'm way out in right field, so no worries there. Unfortunately, I think I am more afraid of the ball than I thought. I have struck out or fouled out on every at bat so far, and at Wednesdays game, Ken took pictures of me batting. When I looked at the pictures later, my eyes were closed! No wonder I can't hit the ball! So, I am going to head to the batting cages to see if I can remedy the problem. I can't let the ball win either!

What Does It Matter...

2008-05-10T01:00:00.002-05:00

if you pay your bills late just this once? yeah, they all want a late fee, and may charge more in financing, but little do they know, you are going to pay them off by the end of the summer! The bastards!

What If You Had Ruby Slippers?

2008-04-23T11:59:00.003-05:00

Where would you wish to be when you clicked your heels?

Christmases Past

2008-04-22T08:17:00.003-05:00

Because I am traveling I did not have time to write something new, so I am posting an old thing I wrote, because it does tell a story about me:

The first Christmas I can remember was when I was about 5 years old. I had asked Santa for an electric train for my gift. Wouldn’t you know it—he did leave one at our house, but he mistakenly put “To Preston” (my younger brother) on the tag. How depressing is that? You ask for a train, a vehicle with power to let you escape into all the imaginary far away places a little girl could think of to travel, only to receive a stupid baby doll that hollers “Mama” at you, all the while peeing sweetly into her little panties. Now I suppose that in 1957 no respectable little girl would even ask for, much less actually receive, an electric train. No, we were relegated to practising to become little mothers, staying home spooning gruel into one end and wiping poop from the other, of our darling little babies, whilst our HUSBANDS, the MEN, traveled the work in their trucks, trains, and planes. I wish someone would invent the toddler doll that would wake up during the night with an asthmatic wheeze and rattle in their chest, crying “Mama” in agony while it throws up on the bed and squirts diarrhea out it’s little hiney. They could name it “Reality Check Carla” or something like that. Of course, there may not be much of a market for it, maybe young women whose husbands were pushing them to have a baby could get one for their spouse…Or, it could be part of that child care course taught to high school kids instead of using those stupid eggs.

Oh, I’m sorry, I was supposed to be telling a story here. Well, that little electric train was really cool. It puffed smoke out of its fake smokestack. We thought that was pretty amazing. And as far as Betsy Wetsy was concerned, my older brother cut her head off to find out how she worked.

Several years later, when I was 9 and my sister was 18 months old, I asked for a jewelry box. In my little girl brain, I could see the little ballerina dancing around and around to the music from the music box. So, on Christmas Eve, all of us kids went to bed, too excited to sleep. After a while, we could actually hear Santa in the living room. He was playing with our toys, and from the sound of it, he seemed to be talking to Mama and Daddy. Suddenly, I could hear the music box playing—I think Santa must have enjoyed hearing it because he wound it up and let it play about 15 times. So, in the morning when we finally got out of bed and went into the living room, I saw to my horror that the jewelry box Santa brought was a satin covered, velvet lined pink box that was obviously meant for a much older girl. It had no music box, and no ballerina. The music I had been hearing was a wind up Fischer Price clock for my baby sister. I was too stunned to say anything. I tried really hard not to cry. I cannot think of a single other time in my life when I have been more disappointed.

The jewelry box I received that Christmas stayed in my possession until I was almost 50 years old. My older brother had taken a magic marker at some point and written “DUMB GIRL” inside the lid. I saw that every time I opened that box. Maybe that is why I don’t wear much jewelry.

So, fast-forward about 30 years. When my oldest daughter was 14, she could hardly wait for me to open her gift to me that year. For weeks before Christmas I had jiggled and wiggled it, shook it and held it, trying to figure out what was inside. It was not the shape or size of anything I had asked for. On that Christmas morning, Rebecca, Emily and Seth insisted that I open that gift first. Because of that, I think maybe I expected it o be a camera. Imagine my surprise, when the wrapping paper came off, to find a little jewelry box, with a ballerina and a music box! I cried like a baby! Those were uncontrollable sobs and a flood of tears. My children sat there, the looks on their faces telling me that they thought they had done something terribly wrong. How could they even begin to understand what that jewelry box meant to me? How could they know they had given me my childhood? That there was so much more than just a little jewelry box inside that gift? Yeah, a stupid as it sounds, that one moment is THE moment in my life that I cherish most. I still have that little music box, and the little ballerina presides over my most precious jewelry. All the rest of it goes into an empty baby wipes plastic box.

A year or so after I received the ballerina music box, my children surprised me again. This time, it was Emily’s gitf. That year, my son and I went together on a Saturday morning to take the test for a GED. I had never finished high school and Seth had quit as soon as he turned 16. So, to get him to go take the test, I volunteered to go with him. We both passed with flying colors, and received our GED certificates in the mail. That year, Emily gave me a high school class ring for Christmas. It has the year I took the GED test, the name of the high school I attended when I was a teenager, my first name, and a tiger on the outside of it. There is an emerald green stone, because my birthstone is an emerald. My initials are engraved on the inside. I didn’t cry like I did when I received the jewelry box, but just knowing how proud my children must have been of me was a wonderful feeling. I keep that ring in my ballerina music box.

And so, here we are at Christmas time again. I hope you have enjoyed my stories, and may you all have a memorable Christmas this year.

My Goal For This Week

2008-04-21T22:37:00.003-05:00

Jim and I got the call we had been waiting for today--we are going to work for the National Park Service. We will be leaving Wichita, Kansas in the morning, headed for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This is very exciting to me, I can hardly wait to get there. So, my goal for this week:

I want to get to our destination in Arizona by Saturday afternoon. I want to take pictures of at least 5 interesting things along the way. I want to use up all the leftovers in my refrigerator. And, I want to write at least six articles by Sunday.

I know I can do all these things, and I admit, they are pretty easy goals that do not push me very hard to accomplish them. But, I will be traveling 1200 miles before I get to my destination, so that in itself is a challenge.

We'll see how I did next week.

When I Was 4

2008-04-15T23:19:00.002-05:00

In October of 1956, my youngest brother, Bobby, was born. He was the fourth child in our family, but he was the first one I can remember seeing as a new baby. Mama brought him home from the hospital, all wrapped up tightly in a blanket. I watched her change his diaper, and saw his umbilical cord still attached to his little fat body. Of course, I did not know what it was, actually, and I can remember thinking that it was a spider stuck to his belly.

I had nightmares about that incident for years, even after I was half grown and knew what it really was. I would wake up in a sweat, thinking that a real spider had somehow gotten into my clothes and that it was trying to get into my belly.

Maybe that is where my fear of spiders comes from. I guess I'll never really know.

My Goals For This Week

2008-04-14T05:57:00.002-05:00

The Monday Menus here at JITT can be anything you want, from meal planning to sharing your life's dreams, but for today, it is going to be about where I literally want to be by days end. We are traveling from Unicoi State Park to a temporary temporary job in Wichita, Kansas. We told them we would be there by Tuesday, which is a push for us, as we normally don't go more than 300 miles in a day, and we will have to about 450 a day to get there "on time". But, if we don't get there until Wednesday, we'll be okay.

So, my plan for today is to arrive safely just west of Memphis, Tennessee. On Tuesday, we plan to be in Wichita, and the plan for the rest of the week is to work and earn some money so this dog and pony show doesn't go broke.

So maybe this doesn't sound very creative, or in keeping with the overall theme of this blog. But, in reality, it truly is. We were sitting at Unicoi since January 1, volunteering as camp hosts, and slowly going broke while we wait for the final word about our applications for working at Grand Canyon National Park. We talked to them last week, and they said even though the job is supposed to start on April 28, if our background investigation is not completed, we can't start working. Yikes!

So, I happened to see an ad on Workamper News Hotline, for someone to work at a campground in Kansas. We had actually been offered a job there earlier this year, but turned it down because we wanted the job at the Grand Canyon. So, after some thought about the matter, I picked up my phone and called the place in Kansas, told them I had seen their Hotline Ad, and said, "you need help, we need a temporary job, if you can use us for 2-3 weeks we will come" and she thought it was a good idea.

While it is not exactly a world shattering idea, it is a creative means of making some money, and thus preventing our personal starvation. So, off we go to Kansas. And, yes, Dorothy, they do have a storm shelter on the property.

Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!

2008-04-13T22:40:00.004-05:00

Says who?!

I decided this past week that I want to be more positive about my life. I realized that most of us get no recognition for the wonderful things we do on a daily basis. Simply because you are expected to do something doesn't mean you shouldn't be praised when you do a really good job of it or when you learn a new way of doing it. There are so few big moments in life, why shouldn't we celebrate the small ones?

These small efforts can feel like major accomplishments, and even if no one else recognizes them for the momentous occasions that they are, it doesn't mean I shouldn't. To that end, I decided to start awarding myself badges for all those mini-milestones. If you want to read about my first award ceremony, it's right here.

Aside from the silliness of rewarding myself with badges meant for ten year olds, it actually serves a real purpose. Self reflection can be a great tool for growth and for deciding who you want to be. Reflecting on my week has been a habit for a while now, but most of the time I was focusing on the negative. I would think about all the ways I had messed up that week and resolve to do better next week.

In my decision to be more positive, I realized that this was self defeating. What we focus on is what we become. In focusing on why I hadn't worked out I was reminding myself of what I don't like about exercise instead of what I do like. Thus, the virtual badge ceremony was born.

In awarding myself badges, I think about the things I did well that week. I try to consider if I did it well enough to deserve a badge for it, or did I do it halfway - could I have done a better job if I had only put in a little more effort? If the answer is yes, I did it well, I earn the badge I have chosen to represent that task. (Yea, me!) If the answer is no, I was slacking, then I have to wait til next week to consider that badge again.

The great thing about it is that it's totally up to me. In awarding these badges, no one else's opinion really matters - I am the only one who knows if I cheated. That's where self reflection comes in....

So, in addition to the badges I awarded myself on Friday, I am also going to add:

Pet Care

For walking Ilex and scooping the poop!

and last but not least:

Healthy Relationships

For reaching my huge milestone 5 Monthaversary with Ken.

2008-04-11T22:49:00.004-05:00

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

- George Bernard Shaw

I was thinking about this quote today and I agree with it more and more as I get older. The idea of "finding oneself" is so passive. It leaves so much to fate or some imagined and preordained personality. It implies that the person you will become is set in stone and your experiences have nothing at all to do with it. You have nothing to do with it. You could spend your whole life stumbling around and then suddenly happen upon some complete, happy, fulfilled person.

Creating oneself however, is a purposeful act. You are in control. We create ourselves by deciding who we want to be and then working to become that person. We create ourselves through the decisions we make, the things we value and the experiences we have. Creating oneself is work.

Personally, I much prefer being in the drivers seat.

(By the way, this post earns me another badge! The write-all-about-it badge:

Thursday's Topic Of Discussion

2008-04-10T07:15:00.000-05:00

Turtle Time in girl scouts was just a way saying doing nothing, resting, taking a break. Jogging can mean a lot a different things. Dictionary.com has this definition:

jog verb, jogged, jog·ging, noun –verb (used with object)

1.	to move or shake with a push or jerk: The horseman jogged the reins lightly.

2.	to cause to function with a jolt for a moment or in a series of disconnected motions: He jogged the motor and started the machine.

3.	to push slightly, as to arouse the attention; nudge: She jogged his elbow when she wanted to be introduced to one of his friends.

4.	to stir or jolt into activity or alertness, as by a hint or reminder: to jog a person's memory.

5.	to cause (a horse) to go at a steady trot.

6.	Printing. to align the edges of (a stack of sheets of paper of the same size) by gently tapping.

–verb (used without object)

7.	to run at a leisurely, slow pace, esp. as an outdoor exercise: He jogs two miles every morning to keep in shape.

8.	to run or ride at a steady trot: They jogged to the stable.

9.	to move with a jolt or jerk: Her briefcase jogged against her leg as she walked.

10.	to go or travel with a jolting pace or motion: The clumsy cart jogged down the bumpy road.

11.	to go in a desultory or humdrum fashion (usually fol. by on or along): He just jogged along, getting by however he could.

–noun

12.	a shake; slight push; nudge.

13.	a steady trot, as of a horse.

14.	an act, instance, or period of jogging: to go for a jog before breakfast.

15.	a jogging pace: He approached us at a jog.

I would like my new blog to be a place that jog's ones creativity, that spurs you to dream, that helps get your ideas flowing. I am looking for a way to be more creative. If you feel that way sometimes, then it is a place for you, too.

I need some help in thinking of a good "theme" for each day. I am satisfied with two of the ones I have come up with, well, actually, three but I'll get to the last one soon enough.

I like the Monday Menu theme, because when you first look at it, it can be about food, what you are planning to eat, what you are planning to cook, what you are planning to buy, whatever. But, again, dictionary.com tells me that a menu can be any list or set of items, activities, etc., from which to choose, such as: What's on the menu this weekend—golf, tennis, swimming? So, a Monday Menu can be just about a plan for the day. A sort of write it down, tell someone out loud what your plan is so that it is more likely to come to pass.

I also really like the What If? Wednesday theme, because it gives me a place to write all those what if moments I think of all the time, just plain silly things, strange things that pop into my head, that maybe someone on the opposite side of the moon may also be thinking.

And last, I like the Sunday theme of what did I accomplish this week, but I would like to figure out another way to say it that would serve to jog my mind to actually think of little things as accomplishments. Like, say, "I ate one less bite at dinner on Monday." or "On Tuesday, I wrote two sentences towards my goal of someday publishing a book." Something that makes me know that I am doing something, no matter how small it may be. Oh, it is a place for big accomplishments, but little things need celebration too.

I am also trying to figure out how to have more than one blogger, so that I can have a colloboration, a joint effort, of several people, because one person's creativity can be jogged by what others do. If I figure it out, would you like to participate?

What If...

2008-04-09T06:44:00.001-05:00

What if…

A law was passed that said you could use each word only once?

How would one be able to express oneself after the first utterance?

What If?

2008-04-09T06:41:00.000-05:00

What if…

It rained chocolate?

Would you run outside, face pointed up to the sky

Tongue extended, to catch and savor a drop?

Would you take off your shoes and socks

To run and splash in puddles of the dark brown gooey glop?