Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Steve's Exam

I forgot to tell you, Steve passed his exam from the class he took, now he only has 2 more to go, then he will have a Building Maintenance Engineering certificate, not to be confused with a real engineering degree.

Now I am praying for my little sister Wendy to find a job, she has a Bachelor's in teaching, and for my little brother Mikey to get the job he has applied for, then things can settle down on the home front.

Our fountain has not been pouring water out of it for a week, Steve took it apart, and now it is shooting water clear up in the air. Something was plugged and we didn't know it. Now I have to fill it twice a day. The birds love it, though.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Isaac's writings

While Isaac was in his Senior year, he took an English class that involved writing. His teacher told us that he was very gifted in his ability to write, she has not seen this ability ever in a young high school aged person. Matter of fact, she was sure that he was plageurizing his content. She looked in all the places teachers have access to look, when she asked Isaac where he got his material. He just looked at her and pointed to his head, "I get it right here." When she asked him questions about the internet and if he saw any of it there, he looked at her in the most perplexed way and asked, "You can do that, really?" his only use of the internet is for games and chatting. I am very proud of his ability, and would like to share this piece that he did, it is called Synectics:

Synectics

The pencil is wiser than the pen, for it can correct what it has done wrong

The sidewalk is easier to forgive than the street, for when you bump someone on the sidewalk, you won’t be hurt

The calendar is wiser than the clock, for it tells of events to come

The answer is easier to teach than the question, for we already know the question

The cloud is more of a contest than the sunset, for they race each other across the sky

Old is feared more than young, for you are much closer to the end

Math is more of a promise than science, for the answer is always the same

More difficulty lies in the dream than the nightmare, for we always wish it to be true

The year is braver than the hour, for it presents more opportunity for error

The entrance shows more pride than the exit, for the coward only seeks the exit

The map is easier closed than the road, for at the end of a road, is another road

The mirror holds the legend, not the glass, for it reflects you exactly as you are

Rain is more suspenseful than the snow, for rain falls in darkness, snow can fall from the light

Charm is in the autograph instead of the signature, for it shows someone already finds you fascinating

History is more trusted than literature, for you know how it happened

The friend is more useful than the enemy, for they stand with you against the enemy

To seek is sadder than to find, for you do not know where you are

The home costs more than a house, a house costs money, but home is where the heart is

Happiness lies in art more than music, for music ends, art is eternal

The truth is a valentine, not the lie, for it shows you love enough to have full faith in that person

He also did a summarization of "The Scarlett Letter" which is so amazing his entire class sat in silence once he finished reading it, finally one of the students asked if he wrote it, he told them "YES" and they applauded. The teacher said he nailed the essence of the entire story. I read the Scarlett Letter, then his paper, I have to agree. I am so proud of him, I hope he does something amazing some day.

Bits and Pieces

Not a lot going on. I miss my grandkids so much! I wish they lived closer. It always makes me so happy to see my little sister with her grandson, we call him baby Josh. I'd like to have my babies right there close to me, too. But they aren't.

Grandma Quote for the day: Grandmothers are the people who take delight in hearing babies breathing on the phone. SO TRUE!

Spent Saturday at the river for my brother in law's 40th birthday. He is married to my little sister Wendy. They have Danny and Riley, both children have very unique personalities. I love them dearly, that Riles just cracks me up, she always comes to say Hi and give me a hug, no matter where we are.

Spent most of my weekend cleaning the car, the garage, organizing things I wanted to 'straighten' up, mostly puttering around. I tried to keep from taking a nap on Sunday and it worked. Steve and I took a long walk around the Lake in the morning, then walked around town in the evening. Trying to get some weight off before our trip in January.

Steve's dad gave Karen 4 photo albums to take home to look at last time she was home. They are old pictures of his family, some of Steve when he was little, and some of Us when we were first married, as well as the kids. He had a photo of me when I graduated Nurse's training. I don't even have that picture. Jim is a sentimental guy. He is a very sweet person, those stacks of pictures make him crazy. He pours over them trying to figure out who everybody is....when his Mom (Steve's Grandma Della)died, she left a cedar chest full of pictures for Jim to sort through. It is a job he has been working on since her death 20 years ago. I don't know how many albums he has put together, but there are huge stacks of them. Once he confirms who people are, they go into an album with a label, telling who they are, and a rough guesstimate of their age or the date. Many of the old photos have the date on them. Makes it real nice. When I went to see Karen after the 4th of July, she sent them back with me to give to Steve's dad. I went thru them this weekend, it is weird to look back and see yourself 20 years ago, or more.

Isaac is off today, he is death on donating blood, the blood mobile is in town, so he asked for the day off, even though I told him he could go after work. He is as dedicated as I am to it, but Karen and Steve neither one ever give. Weird how much he takes after me, but if you told him that, he would freak out! (Like that's a bad thing or something.) HAHA

Starting another work week, it is exciting to do this new job, sometimes I feel like a fish out of water. But I am learning as I go.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

HARRY POTTER!

EDIT: I found it on CD and gave it to the library last night, I am so thrilled, Wal-Mart had it.

I enjoyed this book. The only thing that was not explained, what is that squirming thing at the end of the book? It never did say.......I have my speculations.

Now I am done with the series, it is anticlimactic.I want another series to keep me interested like that. I used to read Nora Roberts series when she did them, but I have gotten away from that.

I get books on CD to listen to on the way to work, then I loan them to the local library.....or should I say donate. I took in one a week ago to find the librarian completely floored by my donation. She asked me if I donated books often on tape and CD. I told her I had been doing that for years, the old librarian knew that I dropped them in the deposit box whenever I got a new one. It was just soemthing I did, because I could not keep them at home, I ran out of places to store them after awhile. I also thought other commuters would love to listen to them. She has been running ads in our local paper askign the person that had been donating all the books to please come to the library to let them know. She said that people are thrilled to have them and are checking them all out.

I have to laugh. I would never give the library money to buy books on tape or CD. They aren't in touch with what the people want to read or listen to, they get silly things on tape, like motivational and educational 'stuff'. We want Stephen King, James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell, Dean Koontz, Elizabeth Lowell, shall I go on?

I am always surprised to find the stuff in the library that they spend donated money on, I would rather choose it and donate it to them. If I don't know what I am talking about, I wonder why my stuff flies out of there?

Nothing else going on, talked to Karen last night, the babies are doing good, they are in Vacation Bible School right now, Brian and Karen donated their time for the week.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

RAIN! FINALLY!

I am so glad it rained, I knew it would, I watered my plants last night, even though the forecast said that it would rain. It has been saying that for the last 3-4 weeks, and we haven't gotten a thing. I watered things really good, about the time I went to bed, I saw lightening, then heard the thunder. It poured most of the night. Wouldn't you know it?

Called Karen yesterday to see how the babies are, Olivia threw up most of the day, the whole time I was talking to Karen on the phone, she was telling Olivia to sit down and take it easy. She was running all over the house jumping and playing. I guess she didn't know she was sick! She is such a little spicy girl. I could hear Noah in the background asking his mom to let him wear makeup too, since she and sissy were putting it on. Karen was trying to explain it was just for girls, but he was too interested in the whole process to care about that little tidbit of information.

Karen is working part time at a local hotel as the assistant to the General Manager. It is weird how things come full circle. When she was considering her career after high school, she decided she wanted to do hotel management, but there was no training for it in our area. She studied for her paralegal instead, which she hated after getting an associates degree. Now she is in a job that is training her to do exactly what she wanted to do in the first place. Weird, isn't it?

Isaac is workign at the local McDonald's. He comes home looking like he could melt away, it has been 90+ here with very high humidity. That store is the only fast food place in that town. It is extremely busy. The cars are lined up to the road every day around lunch time. He said the first year it was in business, it made 1M in profit. That is pretty good for a town that sized, I would think. I hope he hates it so that he is motivated to go back to school.

Steve returns tomorrow, I can hardly wait, I miss him! He is trying to study each night, he is a very slow reader due to dyslexia. He sees extra letters in words, and sees things backwards, so it slows him down. The instructor has given 60-90 pages a night for them to read. He is really concerned he won't pass the exam tomorrow, but I have faith he will. He is better at this than he thinks.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Pretty quiet here

Nothing of interest going on, I miss my grandbabies. I wish they lived closer.

The flowers in the yard are having a terrible time in this heat. I water them each night, last night I had to throw 2 hanging baskets away, they seem to be the ones that attracted the hummingbirds to the yard.

No parties going on this weeekend, I am bummed. Around the 4th we had something going on each weekend, and several days during the week.

Tonight I am going to clean some more, trying to get ready for my hubby's return. He is working on a Building Maintenance Plant Engineering Certificate. Right now his studies are in the Electrical, he has 2 more classes to take then he will be done. When I talked to him last night, there is quite a bit of information to absorb, he is studying away, the test is on Friday. He did very poor in high school, but when he went to get his Heating and Air Conditioning, he was top in his class. The only one that didn't miss a class, and was on time every day. It's weird how people do that, isn't it? He just hated high school, didn't apply himself and never studied.

I enjoy reading all the blogs, I wish we all had more time to update more often.

Monday, July 16, 2007

I would not do well as a single woman

Steve has to take a class for a week, I missed him before he got in the state vehicle to leave. The house seems so empty without him there. I don't know how women live alone. But then, I have always been married, for 32 years as of next month. Maybe it is OK If you are single and not married, you don't miss what you don't have or don't know.

I plugged the fountain in yesterday, it is such a nice, peaceful sound to sit in the yard and listen to it sprinling water quietly from one basin to the next. I want to thank my dear sisters and ONE sister in law for the gift, it was one of the most thoughtful things they have ever done for me.

Our neighbor across the street lost his wife about a month ago. That means he has the house up for sale. The house hasn't been occupied for a year. He has some weird agreement with some people in town. He is going to let them live in the house and pay him 1/2 the house payment on it, they are given permission to use his vehicles, his garage and tools, etc. I think he is asking for trouble, but it is really none of my business. But then, he asked Steve and I to keep an eye on the place for him, if we see or feel there is trouble there, we are to call him, he is moving back to Alaska. The new tenants have lost their new duplex in a new housing development in town by the elementary school. I think that is a red flag. But I am very cautious. A home is very expensive to repair if you get the wrong people living in it, there goes your equity, not to mention the time and expense to get it repaired.

I told our son I am not cooking all week. I'll eat a salad at night, and forget cooking. This will give me a nice break. Isaac didn't have much trouble with it, he cooks for himself, and does a fine job. We'll see how many days I hold out. I plan to clean like a fool each night to pass the time until my hubby comes home.

I also have the dates for the Music Jam held in our community building in town. My little sister, MICHELLE sings there once in awhile. I love to hear her sing. The dates are as follows:
July: 24th
Aug.: 7th
Sept.: 4, 18th
Oct.: 2,16, 30th
Nov.: 13, 17th
Dec.: 11th

Each session starts at 7pm. They ask regular participants to bring a food item. Suggested cost to enter is $2/person. Pretty cheap entertainment for 2-4 hours.

Friday, July 13, 2007

I hate FUNERALS!

My best friend, Sandy lost her step dad on Tuesday morning aroudnd 2am. He was recently diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. He didn't suffer for long, which is truly a blessing. I have spent my week cooking and running back and forth between her mother's house in Hastings to our house. It has been a bittersweet time of remembrance. I knew the daughters while we grew up together. Sandy has 4 sisters, all of whome feel like sisters to me, we all have such fun when we are together. They treat me with love and respect, we laugh and tell stories about each other when we were growing up. I feel really close to them. Thier mother's name is Zora, but she has gone by the name "Gay" since I was a little girl.

Gay babysat for Karen when she was growing up, she played the role of concerned mother to me, and grandmother to Karen. Karen loved to go to her house and spend the day. Gay kept a card table set up in her dining room all the time for the kids to play on, they made craft projects with pipe cleaners, glue, glitter, egg cartons and whatever else they could get their hands on. I am sure there were days it housed a blanket and served as a tent. Gay was so fun, Karen loved her sense of creativity, and laughter. Gay is always laughing. That is what I love most about her. I know she will miss her husband, "Socky". He was a good man, the family grieves their loss, and so do I.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Friends are the best thing in the world to have, aren't they? I have a friend that left Omaha about 5 years ago to pursue a job in Vermont. She packed her little girl up and took off for parts unknown. I don't know if I would have been that brave, but she did it and is now doing very well. She had gastric bypass surgery about a year ago, I always thought she was a beautiful girl, with a delightful personality.

She sent me new pictures of herself, meet my friend Kim:

Monday, July 9, 2007

All trips have to end

I am home from seeing the grandbabies. We had so much fun! Immediately when I walked in, Olivia had to get on my lap to sit. She kept pointing at me and saying, "That is my grandma!". She is so cute. Noah kept calling me his 'BOONGAWNY', a make up word he and his cousin Vaughan call each other. All in all, I couldn't get over how big they are, how good they talk, and how sharp they are mentally. It was an exhausting trip, but so fun.

We took them to the water park, Karen wouldn't ride the bumper boats with them, she had a bad experience on them when she was a little girl, so I volunteered to take Olivia. When I stepped onto the raft, my leg got cuaght, and my foot slipped, putting one leg in the water. I had a terrible time getting to my feet, I was so weak, because all I could do was lay there on the cement and laugh! Karen was trying to help me, and she was laughing so hard, too. The poor girl running the ride looked exasperated, she was trying to help me too. By the time I finally got up, Olivia was spooked, and would have nothing to do with riding the bumper boats. Most likely I have ruined the experience for her forever.

After we got settled down, Karen got Olivia a cherry drink, and we sat to cool down, the temperature was almost 100. Olivia kept pointing to me and saying, "Grandma fell in the water." She was so unimpressed with my lack of grace. HAHA.

She also kept telling me I was FRAGILE. They tell Noah that all the time, to be nice to sissy, because she is FRAGILE. Usually right before he is winding up his throwing arm to pitch something at her..........typical big brother picking on his sis.

Got home yesterday to sweltering heat, with no rainfall the whole 4 days I was gone, even though they had predicted rain on Sat/Sun for our area. It finally hit today.

My flowers were stressed, Steve watered them each day while I was gone, I watered them when I got home yesterday. Even though he watered in the morning, by night they were bone dry again.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

July 4th Holiday

This holiday is usually a big one in our family. Most all of my family has served in the military. We are very proud of their sacrifices to maintain our freedoms in the USA.

Tomorrow we will go to Steve's brother Scott's house for an early lunch, then to my little brother Michael's campground to celebrate. His friend, Zach has returned to the US, we are happy to have him join our family gatherings. Generally he brings his son, whom we call Baby Zach, even though he is growing taller every day. We haven't seen them in a long time, it is good to have him home safe and sound.

I have a lot of cooking to do tonight in order to have enough to take to both places. I love to cook, so it isn't a problem for me to come up with something.

I hope you all have a good, safe holiday weekend.

Monday, July 2, 2007

Fountain is UP!!!!

Steve finished the back yard, the fountain is up, we sat out there and had a glass of ice tea after he was all done, the sound is so soothing.

I spent yesterday spray painting children's sized lawn chairs. They look like adult sized chairs, I did one in orange and one puprle for the grandkids. I'll get some pictures, I love pictures on the blogs!

My little brother Mikey, one of the twins has taken to nagging us about updating our blogs................HEY, THAT USED TO BE MY JOB! HA!

It seems his wife bought another bottle of UV for the River for the 4th of July party........I hope it is big enough this time. She was so chintzy with the one on Saturday..........hehe.

I enjoyed seeing the whole family together. My nephew has a little girl that had bilateral cochlear implants, she is so dang cute! It's always fun to see the little ones that are just walking good go toodling all over the place. I enjoyed watching the kids. They get tons of mileage out of all the dirt and sand at the river, they have tons of trucks and toys to mess around with. I love watching them all.