gunstream girl

I've moved

2007-05-08T10:53:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't found my new blog site, go here:
http://gunstreamgirl.wordpress.com/

Nepal trip

2007-03-15T13:02:00.000-05:00

2 months hiatus = Embarrassing!

I've uploaded a few shots from my recent trip to Nepal. I don't know how to summarize the trip -- thus the posting hesitancy. I had a strange experience there: I was aggressively challenged by several staff to justify our work in the North America Region. Why support my countrymen when people in Nepal are visibly starving? I couldn't give a quick response. Which worried me. At the same time, I don't think you can compare apples and oranges. Or really, apples and hippos--our contexts are so different. I haven't yet articulated my experience or response. But I feel like there could be a blog entry buried in my head if I ever took the time to type it out.

This is a women representative of an indigenous people group outside of Chitwan. The women are characterized by these coin-like necklaces--among other characteristics. I won't go into an anthropological breakdown here. They had done amazing work to create lasting change in their communities. This lady was a real card. I got such a kick out of her. You can just see the sassiness oozing out of her. For some reason I kept thinking of what's her name...Vicki Lawrence (?) ...from Mama's Family when she talked.

Scenery from the bus window between Kathmandu and Chitwan. It was gorgeous and green there. I even got a little sunburned a couple of days. What a nice change from grey Cleveland.

Self-portrait. I was trying to get the tikka powder. You can't see it, but I am wearing two fresh flower garlands (malas). The flowers were so heavy that they were hanging down around my chest. All you can see is the thread used to string them together.

I had to give lots of autographs in the field. I think that the communities can't imagine that such a tall white lady would visit and dance with them. When I would tell them that my name was Julie, they would immediately start calling me Julie Roberts and giggle hysterically at their command of the English language.

I thought it was interesting that the women's group we visited wore uniforms. You could tell what group a woman belonged to by the color of her sari. Here are the pink and the red groups lining up for a passing on the gift ceremony. What is a passing on the gift ceremony, you ask? Project recipients are required to give the firstborn offspring and training they received to someone else in the community who also needs a boost. I'd say this experience was heavy on the ceremony. Rice, tikka, and fire are present at every ceremony. Rice means abundance. Tikka means welcome (tikka is the red powder you see on everyone's faces--and on mine on the picture above. I was interested to discover that widows traditionally wear yellow tikka powder and everyone else wears red. Tikka consists of a vegetable dye and flour, basically). I forget what fire means exactly. Maybe something about sacrifice? I'm sure I wrote down the meaning. I'll have to double-check. There was singing, dancing, speeches...and so on, for about 3-4 hours. And yes, we all danced. I made the mistake of moving my wrists around during the first site visit and was the designated dancer of the group from that point forward. I have evidence of the dancing....perhaps it will make an appearance on my blog.

Why do I think of the Billy Goats Gruff when I see this picture? These goats (triplets) were the pass-on gift from one family to another. Multiples are considered good luck.

The women and children were enamored by Elizabeth's hair. They had never seen anything like it. I have no idea what they were saying, but they'd swarm Elizabeth and chatter and giggle like mad while twisting her hair between their fingers. I don't have a picture of the hair inspections where she was being mobbed out on the paths, but you can see that a couple of kids here are eyeing her hair. She's a kid magnet.

You can see that Domingos (yellow hat-from Mozambique) is wearing an earpiece. It's connected to a simultaneous translation device. We were all able to put in our earphones and hear a translation (by a staff member) of what was being said during the ceremony instead of talk, talk, talk, pause (for translation), talk, talk, talk, pause--very tedious. Makes the days go by MUCH more quickly.

While the Nepalese that I encountered didn't have a lot of physical resources, they had a very vibrant spirit that made me feel very humbled and alive.

And now I'm back in my western life.

I think that's enough for today.

Canon in D

2007-01-26T21:41:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to decide how to structure our wedding ceremony this summer.
Pachelbel's Canon came to mind as a nice piece to weave somewhere into the event.
However, Tommy said he's not nuts about having it played as it has been "overdone" on youtube.
Which was news to me until a couple of weeks ago.
The guy is pretty amazing.
You'll need to turn your speakers on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjA5faZF1A8

Reunited!

2007-01-26T20:58:00.000-05:00

Thanks to American Idol, I'm back to weekly chats with Rebekah and Jennie.
It's so nice to speed dial either one of them (or both) to either laugh uncontrollably or just to listen to them snorting on the other line during commercial breaks.
During one recent commercial break, Rebekah and I laughed about how funny it was that we had spoken more in that evening than in the rest of the entire year.
Go team--
:)

Rat Snake

2007-01-09T21:30:00.000-05:00

Just because you look like a rat doesn't mean you are a rat, she said.
Sometimes it means you're a snake.
She had a flair for biology.
--Brian Andreas

Real Reason

2007-01-04T15:56:00.000-05:00

There are things you do because they feel right & they may make no sense & they may make no money & it may be the real reason we are here: to love each other & to eat each other's cooking & say it was good. ---Brian Andreas

A Very Merry Christmas, Indeed

2007-01-01T23:33:00.000-05:00

Here's what Bob and Tommy gave me for Christmas this year. The picture's not great, but I liked how Bob was looking at it. It's a green sapphire. Very nice, in my opinion.

We're planning a ceremony in AR this summer and a reception in Cleveland the weekend following.

Louise

2006-12-15T09:30:00.000-05:00

Flashback to a conversatin that Elizabeth and I had in middle school.

It went something like this:

J: What's your middle name?
E: I'm not telling.
J: Oh come on, it can't be that bad! What does it start with?
E: I'm not telling.
J: I'll tell you mine. It's Anna. What does it start with?
E: Okay, okay. It starts with an L.
J: Linda? Lori? Lola? Lulu?
E: You're being ridiculous.
J: Lou-ISE?!?! No, no, it could not possibly be that cruel.
E: Bingo.
J: (Wild scramble to pry foot out of mouth.)

To middle names!

To all of you marrieds, if/when you legally changed your name, did you drop your given middle name for your maiden name? For example, did Jennie change from Jennifer Evelyn McClain to Jennifer McClain Beard? Or did you keep all of your names? Or do something very different? I had a long conversation about names a couple of weeks ago with some co-workers. I made the assumption that people keep their maiden names, but then I realized that I didn't know with certianty what people actually did.

Spanish, Please

2006-12-13T13:19:00.000-05:00

I'm starting back to Spanish classes again. In late January. I think it's necessary that I brush up my language skills if I want to progress in my career (still not totally sure what direction that's headed...).
So, beginner Spanish at the local high school (Tommy's high school, actually) every Monday night starting in late January for approximately 8 weeks.
If it goes well, I'll tackle part two in the spring.
I suppose it'd be just as easy to watch Dora the Explorer.

Come See Me!

2006-11-08T08:05:00.000-05:00

I am waiting for you, Jennie, J., Troy, and John. I've been saving up kisses for you and also promise to split my time sleeping in each of your laps in a fair manner.

Love, Bob.

Happy Howl-oween!

2006-10-31T19:24:00.000-05:00

Here are the pumpkins that Tommy and I carved. Mine's the one on the right. I wasn't feeling very inspired, so I just embraced it.

Here's a picture from Saturday night. It's the funniest Halloween costume I have ever seen. The person, who shall remain nameless, went by the name Randy Spits throughout the evening.
When asked what he was, I think he described himself as a past-his-prime Olympic swimming champion, I laughed until I cried. Multiple times. Note the USA shaved into the chest---now that's a true American hero.

Bob was a pink poodle for Halloween. He won the most original costume contest at his day care on Sunday afternoon. I didn't have time to make frilly boots for him, or a tail puff, but i'm hoping to get around to it next year. I was just happy to have figured out the body of the suit--which remained on for a surprising length of time. He wasn't too nuts about the little poodle puff on his head, though.

I was an ostrich. I didn't have the sense to take a picture of myself throughout the entire evening.

Bob's Big Day

2006-10-22T15:43:00.000-05:00

Bob Barker was born a year ago today.

We celebrated with peanut butter, dog biscuits, and cheese.

Additionally, we played with three new friends, the Really Mad Cow, Harry Tarantula, and Sylvester Snake.

He was a little anti-social at his party. After snarfing up his cheese plate, he scratched off his birthday hat, grabbed his birthday bone, and ate it secretively in the corner.

When asked how his birthday ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being crummy and 10 being out-of-this-world), Bob deliberated for a minute, then gave his bash a 7, due to the absence of live birds and squirrels and dead rotting things to roll around in. He could tell that his Mommy and Daddy really wanted to make his day special. When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, Bob said that he really wants to be an ornithologist, but he can't stop eating his subjects.

Product Endorsement

2006-10-19T08:08:00.000-05:00

Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser.

Do you know about it?

I picked one up at the grocery store the other day because I remember my friend Marilyn talking about it being the best product she's discovered since returning from work overseas for the past 8 years. What the heck, it's just a couple of dollars, I think to myself.

So, I started with the bathtub, an old ceramic dinosaur sporting water stains that even standing bleach + ferocious scrubbing couldn't remove. And.......THE ERASER WORKED! I don't know where the magic eraser gets its powers, but I'd recommend that you go get one today and give it a try. If you like a clean space as much as I do, you won't regret it.

AMAZING!

What Mr. Clean Magic Erasers Can Do:
remove dried paint from door hinges
remove tarnish from silver
remove mold & mildew from anything plastic
clean & polish gold jewelry
remove soap scum in the tub and shower--TRUE!
remove marks on walls
clean splatters inside the microwave
remove marks on vinyl siding
clean mirrors in the bathroom (keeps shower mirrors from fogging)
remove adhesive residue after removing stickers
remove waterline mark around the pool
remove hair dye from countertops & floors
clean light-colored suede
remove black scuff marks from baseboards (where the vacuum cleaner hits)
clean the outdoor side of window sills stained from leaves, dust and dirt
clean plastic coolers inside and out (...even dirty grimey ones used by men with greasy hands!)
remove rust spots & stains on countertop
remove cooked-on stains in pots and pans
remove soot off the walls near the fireplace
clean within the grooves of lawn ornaments
clean sticky/dusty range hood over the stove
remove nail polish spills or stains
clean airbake cookie sheets & bakeware (the kind with all those tiny grooves)
clean oven shelves & the grates on the grill
remove wet nose marks from pets on the windows (even car windows)
remove toothpaste splashes from bathroom mirrors
remove melted plastic on the side of the toaster oven
remove grimey green algae from cement (bird baths, steps, ponds, etc)
clean stained elbows from dirty work
remove green mildew from siding and gutters
remove paint spills & oversprays
remove toilet bowl rings (just cut a piece off & let it set in your toilet overnight)
remove built-up algae, water deposits, etc from ceramic flower pots
clean dish drainers that are gunked with lime and build-up
remove bird poop from concrete bird bath
remove coffee & tea stains that remain inside a mug, caraffe, thermos even after washing
clean the plastic agitator inside your washing machine
clean window screens (even when they are still in the window)
remove built-up baked on grease inside the deep fryer
clean inside the crock pot
remove melted plastic on a glass top stove
clean swimming pool steps
remove baked on brown spots on cookware
clean antiques & collectibles
polish collectible coins
clean & shine things up before you sell them in a yard sale
clean boat & outdoor furniture upholstery
clean vinyl striping on motorhomes, vans, boats
clean car tires, including white walls
clean pebbled surfaces like the outside of plastic coolers
remove pet & child vomit from carpet or clothing
remove scuff marks on motorcycle & ATV helmets
remove grass stains from shoes after mowing the lawn
remove scuff marks from hangers/shoes in the walk-in closet
clean oven door
remove pollen from patio furniture, cars, etc.
remove soap scum and gunk from around the bathroom faucets
remove hairspray build-up on countertops and vanities
remove soap scum inside porcelain & utility sinks
clean stained caulking along the kitchen sink & countertop
clean your bicycle, even the tires & rims
clean tile & grout
remove mildew from tents, vinyl canopies, awnings, fiberglass items
remove paint overspray that has dried
remove shoe marks from the kickplate of house doors & car doors
clean inside your car (along the handles, window ledge, arm rests, dashboard)
remove scuff marks and dirt from linoleum floors
remove stains on leather seats, purses, chairs, etc.
remove food stains inside plastic food containers
remove brake dust from tire rims
remove dirt and grime on a vinyl convertible top
remove nail polish from walls, carpets, wooden objects, plastic
remove soil or scuff marks from ceramic tile flooring
clean non-skid surfaces with tiny grooves (bathtub floors, refrigerator handles, pool steps, cooler lids)
clean & shine bathroom faucets & fixtures
remove magic marker, permanent marker, and ballpoint ink from virtually any surface
clean doll faces
clean textured handles on major appliances (dishwasher, refrigerator, stove)
remove fingerprints and dirt on light-colored kitchen cupboards
clean inside of the refrigerator
remove crayon marks from walls
remove dirt from plastic trash cans
remove dark paint on light-colored carpet
clean soap scum and oils from hot tub
clean a car's vinyl interior (gets into the tiny crinkles in the vinyl armrest, etc.)
clean white porch railings, columns & pillars
remove bugs from car windshield, grille, and bumper
remove paint scratches on your car from minor fender benders
remove rust and corrosion that's built-up on the outside of pipes (kitchen/bathroom)
clean & shine hubcaps
remove built-up grime on the car steering wheel
remove finger prints & build-up on the keyboard and mouse
remove oxidized paint from an old car
remove built-up gunk from vinyl seats
remove tar from your car's paint
remove set-in stains inside glass and plastic pitchers
remove scuff marks from the back of car seats (from kids' shoes)
clean kids' plastic toys
remove dirt and grime from athletic shoes and shoes with leather uppers
remove stains on the underside of the toilet seat
remove fingerprint & handprints from light-colored doors & walls
remove scuff marks from your patio furniture

The Right Reverend

2006-10-16T11:30:00.000-05:00

Tommy and I went to San Francisco over my birthday weekend. His good friends, Shannon and Dave, asked him to officiate their wedding ceremony. We arrived on a Thursday morning (my birthday) and went almost immediately to City Hall with Shannon and Dave to get Tommy's marrying rights. Then, we split for Sonoma County for the remainder of the day. On Friday, we did some sightseeing and ended the day back in San Francisco for a wedding rehearsal + picnic. On Saturday, we visited Alcatraz and explored the city, followed by dinner with Tommy's good friend Triv at his place in Oakland. Sunday was the big day.

I've attached two pictures. The first is my favorite, Millie the Flower Girl. And yes, she's wearing jewelry. There were actually seven flower girls, including Millie. Apparently Shannon and Dave couldn't decide which niece was best suited for the role of flower girl, so they just made them all flower girls.

The second is Tommy the Reverend, Shannon and Dave, and a photographer, capturing the moment.

I was taking the pictures from my aisle seat, about 5 rows from the front. Can you tell?

The wedding was so much fun, laid-back, and CHILLY.

I love San Francisco. If I wasn't so terrified of earthquakes, I'd move out there in a heartbeat.

Drag out your winter clothes

2006-10-13T16:12:00.000-05:00

The workers at Kelli's K-9 Kingdom put a jogging suit on Bob today because of the cold snap. When Tommy picked him up from day care he couldn't believe his eyes! The lady at the desk said Bob needs a little help in the warmth department because he is so thin-skinned. While the jogging suit was nice and sporty, Tommy felt that Bob could use something a little more sophisticated. So now Bob is ready to brave the winter. He is so interested in his sweater and thinks of it at his second skin:

SNOW!

2006-10-12T16:33:00.000-05:00

Already some snowflakes are falling.
Granted, they only fell for about 10 minutes, but we've had our first snow of the season.
Unbelievable.

Water Babies

2006-10-05T10:01:00.000-05:00

Most of the city pools in the area throw an end-of-the-summer bash for those of the canine variety. Since the pools have to be cleaned after they're drained anyway, someone had the brilliant idea to let the dogs have a go at the water. Bob had an opportunity to visit two pool parties this August. He was a little nervous at his first party. But he was a pro at the second one. He's a little water baby.

The dogs were just simply beserk. They LOVED splashing around in the water. The humans that were there had almost as good of a time watching. VERY entertaining.

I told one of my co-workers about the pool parties a couple of weeks ago. She said, "Bob's a frat boy!!... It's not a party until there are turds in the pool."

Send Back the Moving Truck...

2006-10-04T11:13:00.000-05:00

....I didn't get the job. As you can imagine, I am devastated.
I really wanted to come home and do this job.

Apparently, I am "exceptional," but my international expertise isn't "broad enough" for what they're looking for.

Terribly confused I am.

So, I'm regrouping.

It's a grey day in Cleveland.
Fitting.

Cross Your Fingers...

2006-09-26T06:54:00.000-05:00

...I'm headed off to Little Rock today to interview for a new position.
Tomorrow morning at 8:30.
I have to conduct a training with the interview panel, then de-brief the exercise, then the traditional Q&A.
I'm very nervous.
Because I'd really like to move home, and this is my ticket to do so.

Olympic Hopeful

2006-09-25T08:35:00.000-05:00

I keep having a dream that I am in training for the Olympics in the uneven bars event.
The only catch is that I have to practice on the lower bar of a bunk bed. It is very challenging, but I know I will go far.

Summer Vacation

2006-09-24T21:37:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures from our trip out west this summer. I had to go to Vancouver Island for work. Tommy went along for fun. Then we hung around for an extra week of hiking and exploring Washington STate. There are too many pictures for me to post, but you can see a few here. Enjoy!

We stopped at the Wanapum Salmon Ladder one afternoon in central WA. You could see the salmon swimming up a ladder that they had constructed on the side of this dam pictured behind me. I like that I am sitting up pretty straight...unusual for me.

Me, my friend Colleen (she lives in Ellensburg, WA), and her dog, Sierra. We were taking a little walk together one afternoon. I'm not quite sure what we were doing....

We found lots of cool rock sculptures all over the place.
We were on Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park. That's the Pacific Ocean behind Tommy. Our tent was just about 15 feet behind me. When we first decided to camp there, we knew we'd be about three or four days in with no showers. No problem, we'll just go for a swim in the ocean, says we. The water was about forty degrees F. Maybe that's why Tommy is standing so far away from me.

The Experience Music Project in Seattle was a lot of fun. I'd highly recommend it to anyone that has a day or even half a day to blow there. We were in a little practice room rocking out. The museum is designed to be "hands on." Very cool.

It also shares a space with the Science Fiction Museum, which we didn't buy tickets to, but it loooked pretty cool. They had a special exhibit on E.T. when we were there.

Mt. Rainier. Gorgeous. It was cold up there!! On the way up, Tommy kept saying, I think we're almost at the top...it's just around this corner. I promise...this time, it's just around this corner. No really, this time, the peak is just around this corner....

we made it to the top. well, as far as you could hike without serious overnight climbing gear. notice the sweat.

Suited up for whale watching. The picture was actually taken post-trip by some fellow passengers. The water was so choppy that one of the ladies riding in the front of the boat threw her back out. The captain was really nice about it. He paid for her to have a free massage that afternoon. While I didn't want a thrown-out back, I would have loved the free massage. We sat on the back row and got DRENCHED on the ride back. I saw a baby whale jump out of the water and flap his tail at me.

We visited a totem pole area at the British Columbia Museum of Natural History. It was called Thunderbird Alley. It was amazing.

Tommy found this starfish one day when they were snorkeling. I have never seen a live starfish. He said they were strange and sort of gelatinous. And that they moved very slowly.

Dog Parks in Little Rock?

2006-08-30T15:14:00.000-05:00

I've been reading up on dog parks in the Little Rock area. Has anyone been to the one in Murray Park?
http://littlerock.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=littlerock&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pawsparks.com%2F
Apparently there's one in Burns Park in NLR, too.
And an unofficial one in the yard of the AR School for the Blind and Deaf.

Snakes

2006-08-29T10:50:00.000-05:00

I’ve had two nightmares about snakes over the past couple of nights. I fault Wendy for sending me a canned phone message from Samuel Jackson announcing the movie release of Snakes on a Plane.

I don't remember many of the details of the first dream.

What I remember from the second terrible dream was hiking in a very high place (heights = terrifying), and suddenly brightly colored, HUGE snakes started crawling agressively towards me out of the cracks of the rocks. Dana Grady suddenly appeared. I jumped on her back and she ran with me on piggyback, barefooted, up to a lodge at the top of the mountain. There were a few other drifters there that were strangers to me. Only problem was, the group I was with was catching a plane out of the area the next morning. I didn't have any provisions or clothes or bedding or anything like that. Or, more importantly, an exit strategy. So, basically, she stranded me after rescuing me. The snakes were huge and they were FAST. And they were still slithering around outside of the lodge. It was like a reversal of the reptile room at the zoo. I was trapped inside of these four walls and the snakes slithered around outside, watching me.

My hands are sweating just thinking about it.

I think I’m so terrified because I grew up around copperheads and water moccasins. Does anyone remember the time we went canoeing and a water moccasin dropped from a tree branch into the canoe? I think Alison was there. And Tim Meitzen whacked it with an oar until it was dead.

Absolutely horrific.

Dog Days

2006-08-18T08:13:00.000-05:00

It's Tommy's last official day of summer.
To celebrate, we're going here:
http://www.cedarpoint.com/.

I am terrified of roller coasters.
Not quite sure how I'll navigate the day.
I'm thinking that eating cotton candy to entertain myself is a good idea.

Tommorow we're going to a pig roast at Tommy's aunt's farm.
For her 50th birthday.
All who know me well know that I've been DYING to see a pig roast for my entire life.
Especially since reading about them in Little House on the Prairie.

Do you remember when Papa blew up the bladder for Half Pint and Mary to toss around?
Boy, I do.
What delight!

ugly dresses

2006-08-07T20:53:00.000-05:00

if i knew how to create links, i'd direct you towards a post of sweet jennie's from a year or so ago in which she detailed the finer points of a bridesmaid party that she and lori threw.

this link reminded me of that special occasion: http://www.uglydress.com/.

i laughed so hard that i cried.

Fry Day

2006-07-14T15:12:00.000-05:00

Today, July 14th, is National French Fry Day.

Tommy and I are leaving tomorrow morning for the First Annual Fry Day in Indianapolis, IN.
I'm not sure yet what Fry Day entails, but I do know that it'll entail frying and consumption of a variety of fried foods.

I think the two events' close proximity to each other is entirely coincidental.

I'm sure Jennie and I will have a full report next week.

I propose that Monday be declared National Unclog Your Arteries Day.

Strawberry Bread

2006-07-11T08:43:00.000-05:00

I made this recipe the other day with some leftover strawberries that I had in the fridge:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (55 grams) toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the middle position. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of an 8-cup loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inch) (23 x 13 x 8 cm). Set aside.

Place the walnuts (or pecans) on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in three additions) and sour cream (in two additions) alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries and walnuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about one hour. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 1 loaf.

katrina memorial

2006-07-10T09:42:00.000-05:00

it's hard to believe that almost a year has passed since hurricane katrina ripped through the gulf coast.

in mid-march, my colleagues and i contributed to re-building efforts in rural mississippi. we put in fencing for some of our farmers. our efforts were so small--in comparison to the scale of damage and the amount of work that's already happened.

the resilience of the region, in general, was/is most impressive to me.

this beautiful memorial on the biloxi town green, erected by the Extreme Home Makeover crew, surprised me. it was built to honor the lives lost in the storm:

the shot's not great, but you see a beautiful wall in the middle of a lush, landscaped green park. the wall is about 9 feet tall, i think, which represents the height of the waves at their fullest, decorated with a beautiful mosaic and crowned at the end with the most eclectic curio cabinet you can imagine. all manner of items are housed within the display...dolls, cups, saucers, compasses, watches, books...many items were collected post-storm. there is a quiet sort of hush at this memorial. I don't know how else to describe it other than to say that i've experienced it before at other memorials, like the vietnam veterans' memorial. it's something sort of hovering and hushed and awe-filled.

to resilience, stick-to-itiveness (is that a word?), and the regenerative spirit of nature.

That's so...dude.

2006-07-06T20:02:00.001-05:00

Whilst grilling for the holiday, Tommy discovered this beautiful accident of nature:

I'd liken the experience to a sighting of the Virgin Mary in a waterstain.

Allegedly the sausages curled that way on their own.

Hallelujah.

i uploaded some pictures from my camera...

2006-06-07T07:37:00.000-05:00

These are some portraits that Tommy and I created of each other one day when we were bored. We used a technique I practice in my workshops: Without looking at your paper or lifting your pen, you must draw a picture of the person you're looking at. It's so hard to do! We painted the scribbles afterwards....you wouldn't have been able to tell what was going on otherwise.

Tommy's Uncle Glen is a car fanatic. He restores old muscle cars as a hobby. This Memorial Day, he brought his dune buggy (he's building an exterior shell for it) to Tommy's Aunt Boo's farm for everyone to enjoy. We had to be a little pushy for a turn on the dune buggy (see disgruntled young cousins in the background). Also, we were not allowed to ride without helmets (safety first!). I borrowed an 8-year old's helmet: it's a little snug.

I painted this picture of Bob for the mantel. I thought it would be funny to have a sort-of serious picture of him there. I think it's missing something...perhaps a large gaudy frame? His diplomas are the papers below. They're from puppy kindergarten and his day care. He's a star pupil!

Yes, I've become one of "those dog people."

Bob on the go. He likes to take rides to places because there's usually something exciting when we arrive whereever it is that we're going: parks, other dogs, treats, birds, squirrels.

My new haircut. I decided to go back to bangs. And just a few layers--not too flippy-dippy, just a little more shape than I had. I hadn't had a "real" haircut since last October, so I was due one. My salon is so fabulous. It's a spa and a salon. The experience begins with a head massage, followed by a facial and a hairwash. Then an arm and neck massage. Next is the actual haircut and style....followed by a make-up touch-up. Fun, fun, fun.

As a wavy-haired person, I couldn't believe how straight the stylist was able to make my hair. I LOVED the straight hair. I wish it could be like this every day. Unfortunately, it was raining, so the straightness lasted for just a few hours.

What's playing on your stereo?

2006-05-26T21:54:00.000-05:00

Me, I can't stop listening to Nina Simone.
I just keep her songs on continual loop.
All day long.
That lady can simply sing her brains out.

Of course, I'm very interested to hear who's accompanying your lives?

ABC

2006-05-22T09:55:00.000-05:00

i stole a framework from Jennie and Crystal so that I could begin writing again. I'm out of the habit of posting:

Accent: Yes. Not Arkansan. I tuck that accent away and only break it out when I feel like it. I get "European," "British," and "Canadian" by lots of people who speak English as a second/third language. Also have been called a damn Yankee the last several trips home. I'm not too sure how I feel about that.
Bible Book that I like: Psalms.
Chore that I don't care for: Unloading the dishwasher. I don't mind loading it so much. I'm not a big fan of dusting, either, but sometimes I really like it.
Dog or Cat: Dog
Essential Electronics: Laptop.
Favorite Cologne: Origins Ginger Essence. I had to choose perfume b/c I don't really follow cologne. I'm with Crystal in that department: soap and water.
Gold or Silver: Gold (white), Gold (rose)
Handbag I Carry most often: I have a gigantic pleather brown bag that's been going everywhere that I do lately.
Insomnia: Nope. Only if I have cafffeine mid-day.
Job Title: North America Region Planning, Evaluation, and Training Specialist
Kids: Are fun?
Last Movie Watched: History of the World: Part I with Mel Brooks
Most Admirable Trait: I'm a very nice person.
Naughtiest childhood behavior: I lied a lot
Overnight hospital stays: When I was born.
Phobias: Heights. Snakes.
Quote: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure, it is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us, we ask ourselves, who am i to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t help the world. There's nothing enlightening about shrinking down so someone won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same as we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." --Marianne Williamson
Religion: Don't know if I'd be able to settle on a denomination, but religion, yes. I go to an inner city Episcopal church that I like.
Siblings: Seven (with siblings-in-law). I really like my siblings.
Time I wake up: Lately it's between 10 and 11 a.m.
Unusual Talent or skill: My elbows are double-jointed.
Vegetable I refuse to eat: None.
Worst habit: Procrastination.
X-rays: Not that I recall.
Yummy stuff I cook: Beans and Greens and Fried Chicken. And Cornbread.
Zoo animal I like most: Toss-up between otters and monkeys.

Rain

2006-05-16T09:12:00.000-05:00

It's been raining for about 2 weeks straight.
It's 50 degrees.
I think we're going to just float away.

Szabo

2006-04-21T10:42:00.000-05:00

Bob has a new playmate named Szabo. He is a 6-month old Viszla who lives just down the street. Someone mentioned at the dog park, where they play, that dogs have a sort of "sixth sense" to recognize dogs of their own breed.

It's so interesting to see Bob and Szabo playing together. They clearly play together in a manner that's very different than when they play with the other dogs. Their style is more familiar...I don't know how else to describe it.

I'll take my camera the next time I go to the park so I can take a picture of Bob's kin.

Conehead.

2006-04-07T20:28:00.000-05:00

Bob has to wear a plastic cone around his head so that he doesn't pick at his incisions.

I didn't have my camera with me yesterday when he was on an IV. I did have my phone with me, however, so the next time I'm in town I could show you then.

He was much more springy today during visiting hours and should be A-OK while we're in the islands for vacation this week. St. Thomas and St. John, that is.

Rachel Ray

2006-04-06T11:34:00.000-05:00

Thought you Food Network followers would be interested to know that Rachel Ray was on my flight home from La Guardia last night.

She's very petite in person.

She gave an autograph to the guy sitting next to me.

I'm not the autograph-requesting type. He was. He got really flustered and turned bright red and then called his wife after a little small talk with Rachel.

Celebs.

A Really Expensive Sock

2006-04-06T11:30:00.000-05:00

We had to take Bob to the ER last night....for surgery...to remove a bowel obstruction...which turned out to be a sock.

A very expensive sock, indeed.

I went to the clinic to pick him up this morning. As I was filling out some papework, he leaned on me, drooling and staring into space. I don't think the anesthesia had worn off yet. Bob's in ICU right now recovering.

The medical record described the obstruction as a "sweat sock."

I haven't heard that term used in years.

Poor baby.

Best in Show

2006-04-02T16:18:00.000-05:00

Speaking of Best in Show, I've attached a picture of Bob watching his new favorite TV special: the Westminster Dog Show.

He especially liked the Sporting Dog Class.

A Spuds McKenzie Doggie won Best of Show this year...I forget the breed....some kind of terrier.

Spelling Bee Update

2006-04-02T16:03:00.000-05:00

I got to the auditorium early enough to purchase a promotional poster. I was a bit nervous...I didn't quite know what to expect.

I sat near the back of the auditorium so that I could slip out early (I was leaving for Mexico the next day and hadn't yet packed).

Lots of crazy people were running around sporting bee paraphernalia--"bee"ly-bopper headbands, yellow and black clothing, bee costumes.

Then the local junior high drum corps starting pounding on their drums...a call to order of sorts. But in a crowd of very WASPy white people, one hardly knew how to react to the sudden thundering barrage.

The spellers must have heard the battle cry, because they started streaming in the back door at a wicked fast pace. Costumed, beaming, and greeted by the roaring cheers of their supporters.

After some small talk by the hosting non-profit, the spellers began. Those of you that follow spelling bees would have recognized many familiar sights: A panel of judges, a "caller," the lone microphone positioned center stage, electric anticipation in the air.

However, this bee was a bit different:

Spellers worked in teams, representing a sponsoring local business (who paid a $500 entrance fee/donation for the opportunity to participate)
Spellers had pencil and paper, and could jot down the word as it was called out...and
Could verify the spelling with their teammates before going to the mike.
Audience members had large screens on both sides of the stage, upon the words were spelled correctly, so that they could follow along

How crestfallen we all were to see the first speller fall! Everything was cracking along beautifully when one poor young man, in a fit of over-confidence, decided to spell from memory rather than check what he had jotted down on his paper. Awful.

Then the second one fell. It was the local law firm. Their first year in the bee. Awful.

If one team member misspelled, the whole team was evicted.

So the 100+ adults on the stage thinned out much more quickly than I had originally anticipated that they might.

I kept thinking that I was visiting a set of a movie...like Best in Show, but for spelling! I had a really dumb grin on my face the whole time. The audience appeared to be a fairly tight-knit community. I got more than one sideways glance as they tried to figure out what neighborhood I was from.

How very bizarre and wonderful 'twas the night.

I couldn't stay for the whole thing. I meant to look up the results in the paper, but I've neglected to do so and now it's too late.

Next year I hope to be there.

On the stage.

Spellbound

2006-03-20T19:54:00.000-05:00

So I was walking with some friends to brunch yesterday when I passed a brilliant yellow poster advertising the 15th Annual Adult Spelling Bee of Cleveland Heights.

I can't express my joy over the discovery. And my delight at the very cool poster.

7:00 tomorrow night.

I'll be there.

Happy Birthday, Sirrom

2006-03-17T10:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my Dad.

He means more to all of us than you might ever know.
I can't begin to imagine how many lives he's touched through his wonderful example of how to live life.

I love you, Dad...

...for your three-legged dog jokes
...for your amazing ability to relate to all people
...for your humility
...for your smarts
...for your practicality
...for your pride in your family
...for your example.

I wish our favorite blessing to you on your special day:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind blow at your back,
May the sun shine warmly on your face,
May the rain fall softly on your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hands.

Greens

2006-03-16T15:55:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago, I offered to bring greens to Nanny's for the holiday potluck...I don't recall what holiday it was. That's not so important of a detail. So all of the family members bring a dish...usually a starch covered in baked cheese. I thought I'd give all of our arteries a break and contribute something more healthy (it seems like I was on a pretty healthy kick at the time). So I made greens. Just steamed. With some garlic. Which didn't go over well. I remember being heartbroken that no one ate my greens. Not even sympathy spoonfuls.

Horrifying.

So I learned the secret to cooking greens the hard way: Salt Pork.

Never again will my greens be passed by with a sniff and a sneer.

Here's how I do it.

Saute some onions and garlic in a very large pot on medium heat (I use an old pressure cooker that Nanny gave me). Throw on some salt pork (about a good spilling over handful of it, cubed). Let it all brown. Throw on several bunches of greens (I like to mix collards, mustard, turnip, and kale) that have been thoroughly washed and coarsely chopped. After they have wilted down/sauteed a bit, pour quite a bit of chicken broth over the greens (I usually use about three boxes of broth...i really kind of eyeball it). Add crushed red pepper (for a little kick!) and regular salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for a long time. (the more wilted the vegetable, the more Southern it is!)

Tasty!

Serve it with pepper sauce/vinegar (optional).

Also serve with pinto beans and cornbread.

And fried chicken, too, if you have the time.

Can you tell what I'm cooking for dinner tonight? :)

Tommy's Chili

2006-03-14T09:27:00.000-05:00

I think a few of you had asked for Tommy's Chili Recipe.
Here it is....so delicious! Let me know how it turns out if you decide to make it.

He usually just uses a lot of one kind of chili powder instead of getting so involved with buying the separate chili powders. Also, he cuts the meat into tiny little cubes vs. using a ground meat. It's much leaner that way.

Dog Breath Chili
Source: www.chilicookoff.com

Ingredients:

6 ounces regular breakfast sausage
2 teaspoons Wesson(R); Oil
3 pounds tri-tip beef, cut into small pieces or coarse ground
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) beef broth
1/4 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoon cumin
7 cloves Gilroy garlic
2 tablespoons Gebhardt(R) chile powder
1 tablespoon hot chile powder
1 tablespoon mild chile power
5 tablespoons red chile powder
1 can (8 ounces) Hunt’s(R) Tomato Sauce
1 can (10 ounces) Ro*Tel(R) Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
3 Dried California chile peppers, boiled and pureed
1 Dried New Mexico chile peppers, boiled and pureed
5 Dried Cascabel chile peppers, boiled and pureed
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 teaspoon Tabasco Pepper Sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Juice of one limesalt to taste

Instructions:

Brown the sausage, dry, and set aside. Heat oil in a pot, and brown the beef. Add the cooked sausage to the pot. Add the onion and beef broth to cover the meat. Boil for 15 minutes. Add oregano and half of the cumin. Reduce heat to a light boil, and then add the garlic. Combine the chile powders into a mixture, then add half of that mixture, and cook 15 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and Ro*Tel with the puree from the dried peppers. Add the chicken broth for the desired consistency. Cook for one hour, stirring often. Add the remaining chile powder mixture and the remaining cumin, and simmer for another 25 minutes on low to medium heat. Turn up the heat to a light boil, and add the Tabasco, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, lime juice and salt.

#44

2006-03-01T22:32:00.000-05:00

This just in.

Viszlas ranked number 44 in the list of top dog breeds for 2005. I can't believe that Bob was beat out by 43 others:

For the 16th year in a row, the Labrador retriever is once again America’s favorite purebred dog, according to registration numbers tallied by the American Kennel Club. The AKC released the figures and, as in past years, the Labrador far outstrips the second-most favorite – the golden retriever.

There are 154 AKC breeds totaling 920,804 registrations in 2005. This is down 4% from 2004 when registrations totaled 958,641.

The Entire Ranking of 2005 AKC Dog Registrations
Rank Breed
1 Retrievers (Labrador)
2 Retrievers (Golden)
3 Yorkshire Terriers
4 German Shepherd Dogs
5 Beagles
6 Dachshunds
7 Boxers
8 Poodles
9 Shih Tzu
10 Miniature Schnauzers
11 Chihuahuas
12 Pugs
13 Bulldogs
14 Pomeranians
15 Spaniels (Cocker)
16 Rottweilers
17 Boston Terriers
18 Shetland Sheepdogs
19 Maltese
20 Pointers (German Shorthaired)
21 Doberman Pinschers
22 Miniature Pinschers
23 Welsh Corgis (Pembroke)
24 Great Danes
25 Siberian Huskies
26 Bichons Frises
27 Basset Hounds
28 Spaniels (English Springer)
29 Weimaraners
30 Brittanys
31 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
32 West Highland White Terriers
33 Mastiffs
34 Australian Shepherds
35 Papillons
36 Collies
37 St. Bernards
38 French Bulldogs
39 Lhasa Apsos
40 Scottish Terriers
41 Cairn Terriers
42 Bullmastiffs
43 Havanese
44 Vizslas
45 Chinese Shar-Pei
46 Newfoundlands
47 Bernese Mountain Dogs
48 Pekingese
49 Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay)
50 Bloodhounds
51 Akitas
52 Airedale Terriers
53 Chinese Crested
54 Rhodesian Ridgebacks
55 Border Collies
56 Italian Greyhounds
57 Great Pyrenees
58 Alaskan Malamutes
59 Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers
60 Brussels Griffons
61 Whippets
62 Bull Terriers
63 American Staffordshire Terriers
64 Chow Chows
65 Silky Terriers
66 Shiba Inu
67 Setters (Irish)
68 Japanese Chin
69 Old English Sheepdogs
70 Australian Cattle Dogs
71 Portuguese Water Dogs
72 Parson Russell Terriers
73 Pointers (German Wirehaired)
74 Spaniels (English Cocker)
75 Samoyeds
76 Fox Terriers (Wire)

Dog Parks

2006-02-23T12:53:00.000-05:00

Be it known that dog parks are the greatest inventions that a city-dwelling dog might ever encounter. Dog socialization + green space + community building is a beautiful marriage in my book.

All dogs great and small are let off of their leashes for a few minutes of uninterrupted fetching, barking, leaping, howling good times.

Bob visited his first one yesterday afternoon.

Unfortunately (from my perspective) we were experiencing a winter thaw, so the dog park was more like a mud pit than an actual park.

Fortunately (from Bob's perspective) we were experiencing a winter thaw, so the dog park was more like a mud pit than an acutal park.

About 5 shades of mud brown and 45 minutes later, we decided to call it a day.

The owners of the Golden Retriever planned to take their dog to a doggy do-it-yourself day spa that they had heard about just down the road...it's kind of like a car wash for dogs. You pay a couple of bucks, they provide the soap, towels, water, and blow dryer. You wash your dog and head home clean and fluffy.

We opted for the basement sink. Bob was pretty good about it all. I think it was because he was so pooped from his marathon playdate with the Golden Retriever and the miniature Pinscher named Snoop.

I'm sure we'll return to that happy, happy place off Monticello Road very soon.

I'm a Superhero!

2006-02-20T12:39:00.000-05:00

Your results:
You are Spider-Man

Spider-Man		85%
Wonder Woman		78%
Superman		75%
The Flash		70%
Iron Man		70%
Robin		65%
Catwoman		60%
Supergirl		58%
Green Lantern		55%
Batman		40%
Hulk		40%

You are intelligent, witty,
a bit geeky and have great
power and responsibility.

Photo Album of Bob

2006-02-13T20:13:00.000-05:00

i created a photo album of bob pictures since most of them are too big to post.
you can go here to have a look:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareConfirm.jsp?collid=842274686106

For Jennie.

2006-02-13T17:44:00.000-05:00

Meet the Flower Clown and his assistant (the guy in the middle, not Tommy on the left).

They said they'd make a balloon for you, Jennie, if you like.

Hat Venture.

2006-02-13T17:41:00.000-05:00

I've recently started knitting hats.
I've made two more since this one in different color schemes.
The third one is finally the right size.

Bob snores.

2006-02-13T17:35:00.000-05:00

Turn your head to the left to see my very handsome boy.
When Bob sleeps, he snores.
More to come.
Hopefully this one will keep you satisfied until I can get the others posted.

Update on Bob

2006-02-01T08:50:00.000-05:00

The breeder brought him over yesterday. He is a perfect little gentleman.

His feet are so big that he has to slap them on the ground when he walks.

He gets very excited about treats and especially loves sniffing things like rocks and grass.

I took lots of pictures, but i've got to transfer them to my computer which might take a little bit since i don't want him near my computer and he freaks out if he is left alone.

More coming very soon!!!

bob barker

2006-01-31T15:13:00.000-05:00

tommy and i are getting a dog.

i've always been DYING for a dog, but never knew if i could swing it due to my travel schedule. enter tommy, stage left. he has a more predictable schedule than mine.

i fretted and fretted about whether or not to do it, but i made up my mind after the holidays that i wasn't getting any younger. so i should do it.

right now, i'm calling him bob barker. as a placeholder name.

he should be arriving very, very soon (like, today).

he's the very handsome one wearing the blue collar.

he's a viszla in case you were wondering. grows to about 50-60 pounds in his prime.

The Souffle

2006-01-19T18:01:00.000-05:00

So very delicious it was.

Resolution

2006-01-18T18:57:00.000-05:00

Nearing midnight on December 31st, 2005, I resolved to . . .

1) make a savory souffle in 2006, and

2) read all of the titles A to Z in the children's section of a library.

I've always wanted to do both of these things.

Why a savory souffle, you ask? Because I always choose savory over sweet. Because there was a British lady in the room, and it seemed funny to giggle about savories with her.

Finding a recipe was easy.

Finding a souffle pan was a bit more of a challenge.

The recipe called for 6 eggs, separated.
I botched the first egg separation, so I had to use powdered egg whites as a substitute (I hope this doesn't threaten the final product, though I have a sick feeling that it might.).

The rest was pretty straightforward.

Now, all that's left is a 45 minute wait.

For my Pesto and Ricotta Souffle.

Time shall tell if I'll be adding this one to my list of favorites.

But at least I have, for one of the first times that I can recall, accomplished my resolution.

Only 18 days in.

For Wendy

2006-01-09T09:47:00.000-05:00

My List:

Four jobs you've had in your life:
1. Jell-O maker at WRMC
2. Marble scraper (we used to get paid a penny (or was it a dime?) for each tile that we'd scratch yellowing polyurethane off of the marble in our foyer)
3. Worked in a geriatric psychiatric unit as the nutrition consult
4. Housecleaner

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. The Nightmare before Christmas
2. Big Fish
3. i don't really know. i generally like musicals and don't mind watching them repeatedly.
4. A Christmas Story seems to be one that I watch quite a bit.

Four TV shows you love to watch:
If I had cable, this would be much easier....
1. Six Feet Under (Netflix)
2. Extreme Home Makeover
3. Ask This Old House
4. The Sopranos (Netflix)

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Hilton Head, SC
2. Kona, Hawaii
3. Harbin, China
4. My home (sometimes I take vacation just to be lazy or to organize things)

Four websites you visit daily:
1. www.heifer.org
2. www.google.com
3. www.yahoo.com
4. Blogs of assorted friends and family

Four of your favorite foods:
1. Greens (collards, mustard, kale), Beans, and Cornbread
2. Pecan Pie
3. Olives
4. Stinky Cheese

Four things you would change about your house:
1. Create a much larger kitchen...I'd have to knock out some walls
2. Add a pot-bellied stove and comfortable reading chair in my large kitchen
3. Add a water fountain by the back door
4. Change the wall colors.

Four bloggers you are tagging:
1. Elizabeth
2. Katie
3. Stacy
4. Troy

The Barn

2005-12-20T10:01:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is the annual trek to the barn.

It all started because of the Joy in the Morning costumes. Joy in the Morning was a musical presented by the First Baptist Church adult choir one Easter. Actually, it ran for more than one Easter season. It is interesting to note that both Jennie and I have an uncanny ability to remember all things musical produced by FBC. Even when we weren't in the musicals. This brings to mind several other stories that will surely surface someday.

As I recall, Joy in the Morning required the adults to wear costumes and makeup. I remember thinking that this was the most wonderful and progressive thing a church service anywhere could ever muster. I suppose the choir was able to rock the boat in such a dramatic way manner in that time and place because it was "biblical times." Funny things I remember include everyone in their bathrobes or muslin robes with sashes, makeup, and myopic confusion, as eyeglasses were frowned upon b/c they didn't really exist in biblical times....the only exceptions were made for the severely visually impaired. Palm leaves. There were lots of those, too. Even the piano was moved to make space for the production.

It was a fine time, indeed, for the Baptists on 6th and Main.

But, the Easter pageant isn't the focus of this McClain story, dears.

Never one to want things to go to waste (it's the my-dad's-family-survived-America's-Great-Depression mentality hardwired within), I hatched a plan, come Christmas-time. Within the inner circle of McClains, we were seven-strong. We had access to lots of Joy in the Morning costumes, a barn, lowing cattle, a couple of dogs and a cat (and probably some field mice), and a Jesus and an understudy (Jennie's and my newborn baby dolls...girl dolls for what it's worth, but with some swaddling clothes, who's counting?). What, then, could have been more compelling than our own re-enactment of the Christmas Story?

I don't remember the proposed cast latching on to the idea. To say that my Christmas Pageant was a hard sell is an understatement.

I do remember Dad humoring me enough to walk out to the barn and clear a stage for the production.

I don't think we (I, actually) got much further than a draft of the script.

Which I still have and intend to frame the next time JoAnn runs a 50% off framing coupon in the Sunday paper.

I don't remember really how my plan fell apart.

A compromise emerged. We'd all hike up to the barn...for the experience and the ambience...to hear the account of the birth of Jesus.

So, on Christmas Eve, we all bundled up in warm things and walked to the barn. We nestled into the haybales while Dad read the story by flashlight. O Captain, we heard the story from a new and fresh perspective that evening. Everyone moved in very close together (due to the cold primarily, but I like to think that we all felt it...the magic of the moment, and that we didn't want to let go of it)....including the cows. Although, frankly, I think they were just so confused as to why so many people were huddled together in the barn in the dark on such a cold evening. Plus, they probably thought they'd get lucky with a few range cubes if they feigned hunger. We even sang a carol or two. Though it clearly wasn't as vivid as if we had been wearing bathrobes and turbans, I thought I was able to imagine what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph so many years ago. I remember looking out at the stars in the sparkling sky and thinking that Jesus would surely have approved.

Since that time (sometime in the 80s?), we have never missed a Christmas in the barn. The cast changes each year. One year the Smythes joined us and Miss Katy fell off of the top of a stack of about 5 bales high. After we all realized that she was not dead or seriously injured, we all laughed heartily and complimented her on her acrobatic skills. Some years there are cows and dogs and other animals. Some years there was hay stacked, some years, just a trailer sprinkled with hay (after Miss Katy's fall, we didn't want to take our chances). Some years we walk, some we drive. We always have to warm up afterwards with hot chocolate and a round or two of music around the piano. And gifts! Which we open on Christmas Eve because we have to share our time together with our in-laws.

Always, always, there is the walk to the barn on Christmas Eve.

It's hardly the via Dolorosa, but it is a cold, breathless walk, together, with purpose.

Every last Rockwell-ian drop of the moment is lovingly ridiculed.

And savored.

More than you can imagine.

A Rat in the Pot

2005-12-04T21:52:00.000-05:00

So this guy that I know, Ron, wakes up yesterday morning, stumbles into his bathroom to relieve himself and finds....a live rat in his toilet.

A rat.

A foot long.

Apparently it had climbed up through the sewer.

Well, he didn't quite know what to do, as he had never found a live rat in his toilet before....

...so he shut the lid to think on it,

and started calling around for solutions.

So I pose the querstion to you all:

What would you do if you found a live rat in your toilet?

Christmastime is Here

2005-11-28T12:25:00.000-05:00

I read through Troy's post about Thankschristmas over the weekend. He mulled over the idea of when the holiday season actually started and when it was actually necessary to put up the decorations. It stirred up my holiday spirit.

I really struggle with the season beginning the day after Thanksgiving.

The first day of the holiday season for me is right around Christmas Eve...partially because I want the season to be special, partially because of our upbringing (a combination of procrastination and practicality prevented our decorations from going up...why go to the trouble of putting up a bunch of nonsense when you've just got to take it down in a week's time)...

But there's something to be said for a house that's been transformed for the holiday season. Anything covered in sparkles and lights and baubles is much more apt to ignite a feeling of wonder and delight and promise...a feeling that Good things must surely be around the corner.

For many years Christmas decorations at the McClains seemed to consist of a tree, the nativity set, and Mom's lightup ceramic Christmas tree (like a green ceramic Lite Brite). I remember thinking it was such an honor to set up the nativity...and oh the painstaking placement of the characters! Should the shepherds be in the barn or outside? The wise men...should they form a trail leading into the barn since they came from afar? What about Mary and Joseph? And baby Jesus--front and center or in the corner? Should we mix it up a little from last year?

Though we have established several Christmas traditions, the Christmas tree is perhaps the most vivid. A close second would have to be the Christmas Story in the barn, but I feel sure that that description is substantial enough for another post. Other Christmas memories...Sandra Clark and Chuck and David shooting down misteltoe from the treetops with rifles and then David or Chuck backing over Sandra with the truck...or maybe she was the one that backed over one of them? (If you didn't catch it before, the interesting part of that story is not who backed over who with the pickup truck, which is certainly very interesting, but very simply that we used rifles to acquire Christmas decorations.)

Re: the Christmas tree, the acquisition of the tree stands out in my mind more than the final gleaming glory.

Not all of us, but a handful of kids and Dad would traipse down the fencerow for the perfect tree. Sometimes we'd bundle up and walk up to the orchards, sometimes we'd drive up there. If we were really lucky, Dad would let us steer the truck or tractor while he worked the pedals. After what seemed like hours of inspection, we'd all agree upon a tree that seemed most perfect for us that year. Out would come the chainsaw. Hack, hack, hack, throw it on the back...of the tractor. Drag it through the (usually damp) pasture to the house. After warming up with hot drinks, we'd have to go hose off the tree and get it shaped up to fit through the front door.

Hose off the tree, you might be thinking? Yes. It seems that we had an uncanny ability to dredge our evergreen wonder in every fresh cowpile in the pasture on the drag home. The smell of fresh evergreen was usually the only fragrance that was welcomed from the great outdoors come christmastime. High standards have we? Maybe.

We'd lop away at its stem for a couple of hours and level it solidly with wood scraps into a 5-gallon feedbucket (no tilt, y'see).

We'd also have to cinch up the chandelier in order to make room for the tree....this is no small feat that is working with a two-story foyer, a rickety ladder, and family suffering from a terrible fear of heights.

Dripping and beautiful our tree lived front and center in our foyer.

It was breathtaking.

Literally and figuratively.

We adorned it with homemade felt and glitter decorations and topped it with a star that Dad traced from a KFC box and covered with aluminum foil years ago when Mom and Dad first married (b/c there was no money for ornaments).

Perfection.

And well worth the wait.......the promise of gifts, the fragrance of the season, the twinkling of hope for a new year...what delight!

Now I look at the glitz and glimmer of the season that appears even before we've digested our Thanksgiving feast.....

...and I wish for a time when things were simpler and each and every one of us wished and prayed for a dung-covered tree.

Lady Winter

2005-11-22T15:14:00.000-05:00

Snow and sleet are falling
Dusting everything in its path a pristine white
It's so brilliant and gray at the same time...
It hurts my eyes
I turn inward
Preparing to brace Winter's cold.

No more spiders.

2005-10-25T07:18:00.000-05:00

I woke up yesterday with a weird rash all over my face and body.
Felt like I had spiders crawling under my skin.
Couldn't breathe so well.
Spent the afternoon at an allergist's.
He medicated me heavily.
We don't really know what triggered it.
Now my face feels hot and stretchy, but the red dots are going away.
I'm keeping a food journal.
Allergy profile this Friday.
Hooray.
Did I mention that the allergist stuck this really long Q-tip up my nose for a sample?
Of mucus....
Gross.
No more spiders.

Happy Birthday, Kevin

2005-09-27T23:07:00.000-05:00

Today's also the birthday of our triplet...Kevin Still.
Mad Props to you, Jan.
Very much love, my brother.

Happy Birthday, Jennie

2005-09-27T23:05:00.000-05:00

Where to begin to describe my younger-sister-by-eight-minutes....

After much searching, one might discover that

Such talent
Such humility
Such strength
Such fragility
Such bluntness
Such softness
Such creativity
Such constancy
Such patience
Such kindness
Such brilliance...

Could only be found in the likes of Jennie.

28 years.
28 cheers for J.E.M.
Hip hip hooray.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

autumn

2005-09-23T17:00:00.000-05:00

yesterday was the first official day of fall.
the air is crisp and the sun shines bright.
this is my favorite time of year.

My weave

2005-08-11T10:24:00.000-05:00

Karen Holland, a colleague and friend, came up for a visit several weekends ago. She and Tommy and I went to Hale Farm, a turn-of-the century working farm that's just down the road from us. She took some wonderful photos of the place. Thought I'd share. Cows at the farm, in the picture above.

Tommy's fetchin' water.

Karen and I are were making a rag rug in the picture below.

The blacksmith gave me a rose (I had to give it back to him, though). He scented it with rose oil. Truly remarkable craftsmanship.

Me and Taboo running around the farm/village. I think we were walking towards the attorney's office. Or many just a townsperson's home.

Amazing flowers. Amazing weather. Beautiful day all around.

Troy has a wood-burning stove in his cozy kitchen that reminds me of this one (or vice versa). So homey! Love!

This is the local carriage house. It was boarded up, but I still had to peek.

The women at the farm still raise and shear sheep, boil, comb, card, dye, spin, and weave wool. Very cool.

A typical house (cabin) for the area and era. This is the place where Tommy was fetchin' the water a few pictures ago. There was a stream out back.

Hope you enjoyed our day at Hale Farm as much as I did!

I'll be out of the country for the next couple of weeks.

I'm sure I'll have LOADS of tales upon my return from Zambia and South Africa!

Me: 61-70

2005-08-10T01:22:00.000-05:00

61. Jennie's last blog entry prompted me to think of this one....I L-O-V-E stinky cheese...bleu, stilton, gorgonzola, camembert, feta.... O, deliciousness!! Where do I begin to list the ways of your wonder?!

62. Support your local farmers and producers!!! Okay, that's more of a direct request, not so much a bit about myself, but I do believe in supporting the local economy and what's left of our small-scale, struggling farmers in the USA.

63. Get worms! Another command for you. I have a vermicomposting unit---it's the most fascinating thing...I just give them my food scraps (no meats, they're vegetarians), and the little red wrigglers gobble it up and make rich soil for me. "Black gold" they call it in the worming world. Easiest pets you can ever imagine. Well, maybe a pet rock is a bit more low maintenance, but these are at least living, if not warm-blooded.

64. Charlie and Zach. My nephews. They crack me up. I think they're so swell. I hate that I'm so far away from them while they're growing up so quickly.

65. Asheville is a town that I see as my home in the near future (as in a couple of years). I LOVE it there.

66. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in Cleveland for a while. But I love visitors!!

67. Taking vacation is one of my favorite things to do. I prefer to check out about 20 books from the library and then just stick my nose in a book uninterrupted for one blissful week.

68. A lifelong dream of mine has been to take a week of vacation with the intention of parking myself in the children's section of a library, and reading every title from cover to cover from A-Z.

69. Another dream of mine is to write and illustrate a children's book. I wrote a story in college that I thought was pretty funny about a monster that lived at the bottom of a bathtub drain. The monster's name was Galumph. It didn't go very far, b/c....

70. I am the queen of unfinished projects. Too much closure in my life (while extrememly satisfying) would disrupt something in my core being, I think.

Me: 51-60

2005-08-08T18:20:00.000-05:00

51. Peeling the dryer lint off of the screen is my absolute favorite part of doing laundry.

52. I discovered that I am highly allergic to shellfish this past vacation in North Carolina. I always thought that I was sort of allergic to it, so I generally avoided it...not so hard to do when you're in a landlocked area. I guess I ate one too many buckets of crab legs and oysters on the half shell this time! Red, blotchy, irritated, peeling, scaly skin all over my face for a week! Awful.

53. Skin peeling from a sunburn disgusts and fascinates me.

54. I know I already listed one favorite book of all time, but that's never enough! Also competing for first place are A Prayer for Owen Meany and A Dog's Life. Okay, I don't know about that last one, but it's a really good quick read for anyone that has ever owned and loved a pet. The author's name is Jon Katz. Imagine a book about dogs written by a kat! (the phonetic spelling really hurts)

55. I've been to 31 U.S. states. I really want to go to Utah. And Montana.

56. Vanilla would almost always be my pick over chocolate.

57. I have a hard time expressing any level of deep emotions to others. I'm a bit too guarded for that. Guess I come by it honestly.

58. I practiced the piano for 13 years. I won't say that I was ever very accomplished. But you better believe my butt was sitting in front of that piano every day plunking out music.

59. I'm just getting over my lifetime fear of mayonnaise.

60. I was so relieved to discover my decorating 'style' a couple of years ago. It's country. For some reason, I got a lot of clarity about myself when I realized why I am motivated to surround myself with things the way that I do. I think most people are a bit surprised by my style. They always think I am more eclectic or modern.

BHS Reunion

2005-08-08T00:53:00.000-05:00

Well, it's coming.

10 years.

And I'm ready for it to be over and done with, truthfully.

It's so hard to track down people!! Even with the world wide web.

I had 7 return-to-sender letters waiting for me in my mailbox when I got back from vacation this past weekend.

And several e-mails from folks that are pissed about the price ($35 bucks per individual, $60 for a pair)....for the entire weekend's events.

Planning a reunion is nuts.

And the invitations weren't exactly what I sent off to the printer. The info was there, more or less intact, but the formatting I sent over? Forget about it.

And...

And...

And......I could go on about this for a LOOONNNGGG time.

Sigh.

Can't wait to hop on a plane and forget about all of this stuff for a couple of weeks.

And I especially can't WAIT to delegate the 20th reunion to someone else.
Preferably someone in Arkansas.

Me: 41-50

2005-08-02T23:08:00.000-05:00

41. I don't have a dog yet. But I want one. I have his name already picked out. He/She will be named Bob Barker. I think it's the cleverest name for the cleverest dog on earth.

42. My favorite book of all time is very likely The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

43. I love parties of any shape and form. My most favorite are the parties that Jennie and Lori dream up.....most recently Abe's latest birthday party and a Bridesmaids' Bash. I wasn't able to attend either, but most certainly plan to be at Abe's party next year.

44. I love to dance. No particular style of music or dancing appeals to me more or less than others. When I was in Ghana about 4 years ago, I was named the Queen of Dancing by my colleagues there. Quite a feat, I think....given that these folks dance every day.

45. For several years, the song "A Whole New World" from Disney's Aladdin was stuck in my head. I don't know why. Wendy can vouch for it.

46. I grew up with a remarkable set of friends. Real go-getters. Rocket scientists, physicians, writers, teachers...you name it, I grew up with someone that does it. I think it's unusual--having so many accomplished peers.

47. Tommy / Taboo / T : Anytime you find a big old boy that's willing to call your mother to find out how to cook beans and greens for you b/c you are homesick...you should pay attention to him. Tommy treats me like a princess. Which I love.

48. I went snorkeling for the first time this spring. I couldn't do it for the longest time b/c I'd laugh uncontrollably when the puffer fishies would come my way. They are such ridiculous creatures.

49. For some reason, I get really emotional when I watch the recent Haagen-Dazs commercials. I don't know what it is about them. Beautiful pictures of vanilla beans and pure white ice cream......basket case.

50. Recently I was described as having an impish gleam in my eyes. Which I loved.

Apartheid

2005-08-02T22:24:00.000-05:00

I'm gearing up for my study tour to South Africa and Zambia next weekend.

In preparation for the trip, I checked out quite a few reading materials from the Lakewood Library about all things South African and Zambian.

And how could I avoid the subject of apartheid in my studies of South Africa? I can think of few other issues that have so greatly impacted this modern era. The outcomes of this struggle (the TRC, for example) are an interesting study for the rest of the world.....can you imagine! Peaceful reconcilition of struggle! The Republic of South Africa has made great strides in the right direction, anyway.

The following is a passage from the book that I read earlier today, titled Age of Iron by J.M. Coetzee (won the Nobel Prize for Literature, interestingly). The story is narrated from the perspective of a white woman, later in years, widowed and abandoned by her only daughter, wrestling with a cancer diagnosis and only just understanding the atrocities of the apartheid. Her only companion is a vagrant that has set up shop (his plastic tarp and half bottles of sherry), uninvited, in her backyard. This particular piece is of many that illustrates the complexities of emotion embroiled in this dark era of a nation from a weak, desparate woman's perspective:

"So why should I grieve for [Bheki--son of her "domestic"/maid, recently killed in a shantytown shooting]? The answer is, I saw his face. When he died he was a child again. The mask must have dropped in sheer childish surprise when it broke upon him in that last instant that the stone-throwing and shooting was not a game after all; that the giant who came shambling toward him with a paw full of sand to stop into his mouth would not be turned away by chants or slogans; that at the end of the long passageway where he choked and gagged and could not breathe there was no light.

"Now that child is buried and we walk upon him. Let me tell you, when I walk up on this land, South Africa, I have a gathering feeling of walking upon black faces. They are dead but their spirit has not left them. They lie there heavy and obdurate, waiting for my feet to pass, waiting for me to go, waiting to be raised up again. Millions of figures of pig iron floating under the skin of the earth. The age of iron wanting to return.

"You think I am upset but will get over it. Cheap tears, you think, tears of sentiment, here today, gone tomorrow. Well, it is true, I have been upset in the past, I have imagined there could be no worse, and then the worse has arrived, as it does without fail, and I have got over it, or seemed to. But that is the trouble! In order not to be paralyzed with shame I have had to live a life of getting over the worse. What I cannot get over anymore is that getting over. If I get over it this time I will never have another chance not to get over it. For the sake of my own resurrection I cannot get over it this time. "

How many times are we removed and indifferent to the sufferings of others? It is only when we see their faces that we begin to understand.

It's the faces that I have to look into that worry me. I'm immune to the problems and successes in the world until I look them in the face.

This is why I love and hate the work that I do.

Mary's New Cruiser.

2005-07-29T13:24:00.000-05:00

Mrs. Henderson is the cutest, sassiest little woman I know (next to Dolly Parton).

She's been having a hard time dealing with her husband's death.

Her coping strategy?

A bright yellow bicycle. With flower prints.

She just thought she needed it in case she wanted to take a spin around the neighborhood.

I absolutely cannot stand it.

"The cuteness is evident in the picture, but the sassiness?" you ask.

Exhibit A: During last fall's presidential election, George Bush called the house to ask for her vote. Everyone in the phone book got the same canned calls, I think. She hung up on him.

Exhibit B: Jan went over to check on her recently, and she had heard about a new saloon in town at her knitting group. She insisted that they go there for dinner to check it out. So they did.

Hee.

My Subpoena

2005-07-28T18:46:00.000-05:00

Got a letter in the mail yesterday.

A subpoena.

Like, for court.

For my negligence in paying local income taxes.

My dad uses the phrase "soil myself" when he's being hyperbolic.

I suppose the same was true in this situation.

But I don't know how exaggerated the urge to "soil myself" is in this particular case.

Did I make a mistake on Turbo Tax?

Did I not report something I should have?

Will I go to jail?

.............................................................................................

One lost night of sleep + one workday(one sour stomach) + 3 missed phone calls to the income tax official's office at City Hall = A glitch in the system whereby....

Someone entered my date of occupancy in Cleveland Heights starting sometime in 2003.

This, the director tells me in a kind of condescending way.

Which i don't understand because....it was the data head's fault.

Not mine or Turbo's.

Somehow I felt very dumb and stupid.

And then incensed that he/"they" made me feel so dumb and stupid.

And then just weak b/c all of the adrenaline in my body went away and left me with nothing but a voided subpoena..

This experience perpetuates my fear of numbers.

And taxes.

And anything addressed to me from the City of Cleveland Heights.

Me: 31-40

2005-07-27T22:27:00.000-05:00

31. John Bailey and I (and others) used to climb on top of billboards along I-30 and dance for the truckers that drove by. It seemed silly and fun at the time. Now it just seems dumb and scary (what with my fear of heights and all).

32. I want to learn how to play the banjo.

33. Like my father, I, too, love quotes. I write them down whenever I see them or hear them...on scraps of paper, on the back of my hand, whatever is handy.

34. Jennie and I used to listen to records growing up. My favorite was the read-along version of the Hobbit.

35. Jennie, Robert, and I used to load up in either our van or the Sproles's van and go to the public library for books. The library had the most wonderful bright red foam chairs there that you could curl up in and disappear for hours. I love the library.

36. I'm not very good at sports. Really. My only successful basketball goal was for the wrong team. Terrible.

37. No one can ever figure out my nationality. I get British most commonly, followed by Eastern European, and sometimes with a dash of Asian blood. Nobody ever guesses Scotch- Irish-American.

38. I have a very dry sense of humour.

39. I love all things Muppets. Sesame Street included. I think Jim Henson and his team has done some of the most important work for kids in several decades.

40. Ashley Pillow told me once some advice that her father had given her: The things that annoy you in other people are just amplified versions of the traits in yourself that you aren't satisfied with. It's interesting to think about. And I think it's true.

Me: 21-30

2005-07-26T16:51:00.000-05:00

21. I love office supplies. Particularly pens.

22. I'm afraid of snakes. Very afraid.

23. Spiders don't bother me so much.

24. Cockroaches freak me out. Especially the flying ones.

25. I used to like squirrels quite a bit until I saw one close up. It's tail looks like a rat with really fluffy fur. From that point forward, I decided that I wasn't as keen on them as I used to be. That, and the squirrels at OBU used to pelt the passers-by with acorns. Mean little buggers.

26. Beans and greens and cornbread. That's my death row meal.

27. I've been knitting a (yes, that's singular) scarf for almost 6 years now. Can't decide if I'll ever finish it or not. When I first moved to Ohio, Mrs. Henderson (Jan's mom) saw my knitting in one of my boxes, pulled it out, started shaking her head, and then pulled out about 3 inches of stitches. I almost croaked. It was full of mistakes, she said. I kind of liked the holes. I thought they had 'character.' Hmph.

28. I am a twin. Fraternal. We're nothing alike and everything alike. We get along really well, for the most part, though sometimes I think Jennie just tolerates me. She used to always threaten me and say that when I least expect it she's going to clobber me (I'm sure I prompted the comment with some sort of annoying behavior). . . I'm still waiting.

29. I like order. Especially on my bed. I'm very particular about my bed. Jennie and I shared a bed for a good portion of our lives. When we would fight, she would simply get out of bed in the middle of the night and pull out the corner of the sheets. Pissed me off.

30. Dogs. I love them. Every time I see one, I crack up. I want a great dane, a Visla, a lab, a beagle, a basset hound, and a greyhound for starters. Which will require me to have a large backyard.

Me: 11-20

2005-07-23T14:13:00.000-05:00

11. I love cotton candy. It is my all-time favorite.

12. If I had to choose, I'd say brown is my favorite color. Or possibly green.

13. I really don't care much for air conditioning. I hate being cold in the middle of summer. It's not very natural. I don't know that I'd do away with it completely, but I'd scale overall usage back quite a bit.

14. I'm obsessive about turning off the lights. I think this is a carryover from my dad. Never one to waste electricity (or money, for that matter), he always insists on turning off the light when we're not in a room. But never be caught reading in the dark! He'll turn a lamp/overhead light on so fast you don't know what hit you!

15. I can be unbearably impatient and rude if I'm in "work mode." I don't like being interrupted or told an alternate way of doing something (I'm stubborn.).

16. We used to go fishing and camping with my Nanny and Papaw every summer. For an entire glorious week, all of the grandkids would pile into their camper or tents in state parks all over Arkansas. I specifically remember turkey calling, roasted marshmallows, whittling Shield soap with Papaw's big knives, and watching The Gnomemobile in the back of the Jones's RV on their new VCR.

17. I'm pretty left wing as far as politics are concerned.

18. I like to sing. I've been told I'm pretty good at it. I think Jennie's the better singer of the two of us. She's consistent and not too flashy and has the most pure voice...I like to sneak up and listen to her when she's not looking. Anyway, I miss it. I don't have a piano here. My singing is restricted to showering only, these days.

19. I moved out on my own about 3 years ago. I just decided one day that I wanted to do it. I had shared everything for most of my life (even the womb with Jennie), and I really felt that I needed a place of my own. Financially, it wasn't my smartest move, but the freedom of doing whatever I absolutely wanted whenever I absolutely wanted was nice. I really feel like I grew up a lot as a result....

20. Which enabled me to pack up everything and move from Arkansas to Ohio 2 years ago. A big move. For work. I'm glad I did it, too. But it has been a hard move. I left all of my friends and family and started absolutely from scratch again. Made some friends here, then they moved away. Had to start all over again. I often asked myself, when feeling depressed, do I live to work or work to live? It's been a hard two years. Tommy's been my only consistent bright spot up here in grey Cleveland.

when the dog bites...

2005-07-10T11:19:00.000-05:00

....I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feeeeeelllll sooooo bad.

Jennie inspired this list. I put it on her blog in the comments section. Since I spent so much time typing it, I thought it was blog-worthy.

My favorite things:

1. things that are homemade. i'm not talking about country blue and mauve geese...more along the lines of freshly baked goods, handicrafts, a poem...that kind of thing. i made a vow several years ago that i would never purchase anything for my home unless a) it was homemade (vs. being mass-produced) or b) it had a really good story. point a) is relevant for this purposes of this exercise. why homemade? someone took the time and skill necessary to make something wonderful and unique. hard to come by.

2. sparkly, dangly things---especially said gaudy earrings. i absolutely adore accessories.

3. REAL mail. not bills. just a good old-fashioned letter.

3b. packages in the mail. probably more exciting than real mail, especially if it's got any of the items on my list inside.

4. like katie, gifts from people that just got you something because it reminded you of them (with the ensuing explanation)

5. like troy, consumables. i love getting things that i can enjoy until they're done and not have to worry about finding a place for them.

6. like sweet jennie, practical things (see number 5). laundry detergent, copy paper, fruit baskets, you name it.

7. gift certificates. it's so much fun to spend someone else's money!!

8. books. i love it when people give me books. great entertainment with an added glimpse into the person's interests.

9.along the same lines as number 8, music. i especially love it when someone makes me a mix (see number 1). i listen to the two mixes that jennie made for me daily. tommy, too.

10. i like being taken to dinner. REALLY nice dinners with tablecloths and crystal and good wine and 5 and 6 course meals, and live music if I'm lucky. i don't know where this one came from...it seems we never had too much of this type of frivolity growing up (you can imagine, growing up under practical pat's roof!). but somehow i've found that i just absolutely love to get dressed up and do something very, very... nice. E.B. White once said: "Every Morning I awake torn between a desire to save the world and an inclination to savor it. This makes it hard to plan the day."

11. clothes. it doesn't matter if they come from the salvation army or from really nice
boutiques...they're fun to me. no one article is more exciting. they're all great. but, i should caution that i'm VERY particular about what i wear. which is sort of comical if you know me and the types of garb that i try to pull off.

12. products. carey and i like to call ourselves product whores. just give us 10 minutes in sephora....watch out!

13. hands-on classes. how to carve a pumpkin. how to change a tire. how to tango. how to knit a hat.

14. antique linens. i've picked up a few here and there. love them. i'm not totally shabby chic, but i've been dredged quite a bit with it.

Me: 1-10

2005-07-09T21:12:00.000-05:00

Jennie-on-the-spot started this type of listing some time ago. And I've enjoyed browsing other friends' lists, too. So enough, dilly dallying and on with my own.

(Here's to you, T.)

1. I absolutely cannot stand phonetically spelled things. I make it a point not to support places that advertise themselves with such gross abuse to the Engligh Language: Krazy Kuts, Xtreme Sportz....forget about it!

2. I adore good bluegrass and country music. I think Dolly Parton (among other greats) is pretty much the bee's knees. Good toe-tapping tunes and old country ballads that take you to another place and time.... pure goodness. Gimme a banjo, guitar, fiddle, and a singer that sings from the bottom of her soul. Mmm mmm mmm. That's all I have to say about that.

3. I saw a woman die once. I was winding down a hilly road on a bus in South Africa in the Draakensburg Mountains. We were winding down the mountain. The roads were very narrow and dangerous. As we turned the corner, we saw a matatu struggling up the mountain (that's what we always called the buses in Kenya...you can't imagine how many people and things can be crammed inside...like a clown car...furniture, people, chickens, spare gasoline, water). There was an African woman; she was balancing a basket of bright oranges on her head. The bus hit her. It was an accident. I don't remember how it all happened...the terrible sequence of events. I just remember little snapshots of the scene. It was very still and quiet for a minute. Our bus stopped. The people walking up and down the mountain stopped. The woman's basket of oranges spilled slowly down the mountain. They gradually picked up speed and scattered in all directions. There was wailing. A high-pitched piercing cry. It prickled my eyes. The matatu driver had his hands on his hips and looked at the steaming engine. The scenery was breathtaking. Children were carrying water up the mountain in bare feet. Our bus kept moving. I sucked in the crisp air and disappeared inside of my thoughts. I think that a little piece of my soul died that day. Why? The indifference with which everyone went about their business after the initial moment of shock.... How beautiful the scenery was there.... How hard life is short. Color became very vivid and important to me. I made a vow that day that I'd savor the life I've been given. Every succulent drop.

4. I've been told that I'm a good listener.

5. My green eyes are my most favorite feature. I get quite a few comments on them. Those and my big butt.

6. Storytelling is most important to me. It seems that I've always had a love for stories...I think my friend Twyla Wright might have something to do with this (I'm sure I'll have an entry in my list about Twinkle Toes). I go to a storytelling festival every year. i freak out over good storytelling like my sister-in-law Carey freaks out over good chocolate. Nestled in the hills of Jonesborough, TN, the International Storytelling Festival hosts a 3-day storytelling event that showcases world-renowned storytellers from many walks of life. Huge white circus tents perch on the lawns of this quaint little town and house the most intimate, magical few hours you can experience with 500 strangers east of the Mississippi. In the festival promoters' own word: "Come hear tales unfold beneath big festival tents and nighttime stars." Charming, isn't it? Read more at http://www.storytellingcenter.com/festival/history-fest.htm

7. I think the Society for Creative Anachronism is weird (haven't decided if it's weird good or weird bad). As are its members. I've worked with a few. Once I was facilitating a workshop and asked, sort of jokingly, one such individual to lead an energizer right after lunch. He took his charge quite seriously and led us all in a quick tutorial in broadsword fighting. He didn't have his proper materials at hand, so he just swiped one of the boards from the white picket fence in the front yard of the church where we were meeting. Because we were apprentices, we wielded little branches that we scrounged up from the yard. Ten minutes into it, I had had enough. I would much rather be a wench in the kitchens, fayre ones. http://www.sca.org/

8. I like to read. My mom told me once that reading came easily to Jennie when we were young. For me it was more of a struggle. But once I conquered it...my world was opened to limitless possibilities. Imagine picking up a book and being in Narnia or outerspace or in a suburb in smalltown, USA or the wild, wild west. How perfectly lovely.

9. I love cooking. Things from scratch. I spend hours upon hours cooking. And reading cookbooks. For fun.

10. My mom. Known to many as Practical Pat (after hours). Or Medical Pat (when she's on the clock). Where to begin? Once, when I was in elementary school, I came downstairs feeling rather puny. And determined that I shouldn't go to school. Greeted by a cold bowl of oatmeal and a brisk efficiency acquired after having raised five children, Practical Pat encouraged me to move much more expediently than I was in order to catch the bus in time. "I can't eat the oatmeal. I'm sick. I can't go to school today." Practical Pat, not interested in my histrionics, says, "Eat it." And then something along the lines of "you're not really sick; and don't even think about not going to school today." Undoubtedly, I ate it. And almost simultaneously puked it all up in the kitchen sink. "Well, now that that's out of your system, you ought to feel much better. Now hurry up. You're going to miss the bus." I drug myself down to the bus stop (feeling rather nauseated) at the end of the driveway (which I should mention is about a quarter of a mile from the house). A couple of hours later, the school nurse called her at home and arranged for her to collect me from school. I was very sick, after all.

Hershey, PA

2005-07-07T23:17:00.000-05:00

i was in manheim, PA a couple of weeks ago. facilitating a meeting for a bunch of new and immigrant farmers. a nation-wide initiative. all in all a good week.

much to my delight, the sign next to my hotel signaled that hershey, PA was a mere 14 miles west of town. it had been an intense week, so i decided that on friday, after my work obligations were over, i would swing by the chocolate factory before heading home.

i'm not sure what i expected as i neared Chocolate World (truly the name of the 'how chocolate is made' attraction). i half expected to see little oompa loompas running around.

not the case.

hershey built a giant amusement part...six flags caliber. however, my destination was the smallish type of building just behind all of the exciting rides and vast expanses of parking lots. but i tell you, watching the vacation-weary parents step out of their minivans with their broods was no less exciting than the Chocolate Spiral just down the road.

so, i made my way into the gates of Chocolate World. followed the signs to the beginning of the Chocolate Tour. i told the attendant at the gate of the motorized tour that i was alone. he was taken aback slightly, as Chocolate World is a family friendly joint and NO ONE would savor the joys of chocolate alone. pobresita. i must have been a sad looking sod the way he mooned over me with his piteous eyes. he found a lone bus driver from a tour group in south carolina to double up with me.....

and we were off! through the world of chocolate! a motorized belt whisked me and about 50 other strangers through the story of chocolate manufacturing!...lush rainforests (robotic toucans watching us curiously as we rode through)!...cocoa beans harvested by hand in costa rica and ghana (illuminated maps blinking the locations in case we had forgotten from our geography classes)!....to the shipping docks (now sea gulls were watching)!....beans inspected, collected, and washed (i'd wash my beans, too, if they had been surrounded by so many birds and boats)!...chopped, sliced, diced, roasted to perfection (as our carts were pulled through a tunnel, we were 'roasted' by little heat wires on the ceiling--my personal favorite)!......powdered and mixed with fresh milk from PA dairies (the motorized cows mooed hello as we rode past)!...cooked!...molded!...wrapped!...counted!...shipped!.....and enjoyed by millions all over the world (at this point we passed thorugh a hall of chocolate with happy singing children from all over the world!.....strangely reminiscent of the 'it's a small world' exhibits found at most disney locations-- only difference was that this exhibit piped in the smell of chocolate....not bad. not bad, indeed.).

oh, glorious chocolate! how can i name the ways of your wonder!?

we were ushered out in an expedient manner. on our way out of the door, we were all handed a fresh piece of candy from a hershey's employee. this particular one was a down's kid. not strange in and of itself....it was just the intensity with which he counted and allotted the candies that blew my mind.

all in all a very informative time. as one would expect from an educational exhibit.

it was all so artificial and strange. have we come to a point in our lives that we no longer no where food comes from? beyond that, are we so far removed (as americans, maybe, or just as humans) from learning and knowing that we have to have action figures (life sized hershey's kisses), music, moving parts, and a light show to hold our attention long enough to teach us a tiny crumb of knowledge (or trivia, whatever the case may be)?

as i pondered our nation's food (in)security and learning styles, i popped in my newly acquired piece of chocolate, smoothed some chocolate flavored lip balm on my lips, adjusted the mirrors of my rental car, turned on the radio, and hit the road.

6.5 hours later, i was home.

i'm back!

2005-07-06T09:44:00.000-05:00

i lost my password for the past month or so...but i'm back!
hope to post a blog very soon...so much has happened to me since i last wrote.....
Hepatitis exposure, ensuing 12 hour visit to the El Paso ER, installed a toilet, a 10-hour layover in the miami airport and a weird encounter with a fellow passenger over the fourth....and many, many more.

Addictions

2005-05-31T23:04:00.000-05:00

I've got an addiction.

To Spider Solitaire.

Morning, noon, and night I'm clicking those cards.

I do the easiest level possible (one suit) and cheat (show available moves) my way through the rounds, so it's not as if there is much of a challenge there.

It's soothing to me somehow. Best of all, I don't have to lay out the board.

Sometimes I play until I win, and then challenge myself to win a set or three games in a row.

I've got really interesting stories to share from the holiday weekend, but alls I can think about is playing one more game before I sign off for the night.

Sick.

Mr. Henderson

2005-05-26T09:43:00.000-05:00

I had 7 voice mail messages waiting on me when I got home yesterday. Generally speaking, this is sort of surprising, but not really. I usually get two or three canned messages from Condi Rice (or someone calling on her behalf), two or three wrong calls, and occasionally a work-related message.

But yesterday was different.

The sixth message was from Jan, my boss. She called to tell me that her dad had died yesterday. And to please call her.

Truly

Truly

Shocking.

Mr. Henderson. In his mid-80s, I believe. Worked for American Greetings for most of his adult life. Served in the military for the other part of it. As a typist. Could type an absurd number of words per minute. Passionate about gardening, dahlias especially.

I fell in love with Mr. Henderson after knowing him for just a short time. I was still unpacking boxes from my move to Ohio when the doorbell rang. He was standing at the front door with the biggest bunch of prize-winning dahlias, fresh from his garden, that I have ever seen. Just standing there with a goofy grin on his face like he was coming to call on me.

He was battling with dementia in his later years. It was so hard to know and understand him this way.

He had an uncanny ability to love the unlovely. His (and Jan's) collection of worms. His tyrannical cat, Christina (who terrorized me on more than one occasion, I assure you). All people.

He was raking up oak pollen strands in his back yard when he died. Jan had given him a stop watch to wear. He was only allowed to work for short spurts so he wouldn't overexert himself (he had a weak heart). He'd set it for 30 minutes, then work in his yard. Nearing his 30-minute allotment, he collapsed.

Not too long ago my nephew, Charlie, was in an airplane and wanted to look for Mandy and Dutch (recently deceased family members--one human, one canine) while they were flying around in heaven (the clouds). It is so simple and comforting, his perspective.

Because my work requires me to spend so much time in the air, I like to use that time to reflect on friends and family that I love and miss. Sometimes, I daydream as we float through the clouds. So many soft pretty pictures emerge. Princesses, the shape of an elephant, memories of my childhood, a sihouette of a big cat....

Maybe, just maybe, if I look hard enough, I can find Mr. Henderson there just above the stratus ones and between the two fat cumulus ones, leaning on his hoe in the most beautiful dahlia garden you've ever imagined.

Domestic Disputes Meet the Streets

2005-05-23T12:50:00.000-05:00

So, there's a piano moving truck outside of my window. It's seems strange enough. The walls are so thin in my apartment---I can't imagine anyone wanting to have a piano inside of their place. I just hope whoever is ordering it is good. Bad piano practicing is not as bad as a squeaky violin or a drum set, nevertheless I'm not too keen on having Poor Piano Skills as my newest neighbor.

Aha. The recipient enters stage left. She runs over to the piano moving truck. Looks as if she's out on a morning jog. She has a really springy ponytail.

Enter character number two. Marcus. I'll discover his name later in the story. He's the frontman for the moving company, apparently (he meets and greets the customer). He pulls out his clipboard to verify the delivery with the recipient. At the same time he lights a cigarette and asks the girl signing for the piano if she was associated with the blue Jeep that kept following them on the way over.

She's a little confused. The ponytail bobs left and right. Her grasp of the English language isn't so great. They chat about the delivery; then, I guess, she goes away.

Two moving guys begin to shift things around in the truck to unload her piano. Seems fairly ordinary, so I dial up Jennie (she offered to help me with setting up my blog).

(I should note that I work from my home office, so I spend a lot of time in here, observing the events of my intersection. I enjoy it. I grew up more or less in the middle of nowhere, so it's a bit of a treat to have so much activity 'out there' for me to enjoy. Better than watching grass grow, I assure you. It's nice. I become the silent observer. Three floors of safety between me and the street. It's like I have my own reality TV show every day. The snow trucks drive by, or the lawnmowers and construction equipment kick off the day (depending on the season). Next is a quiet stretch, followed by the lunch rush, a bit of an afternoon lull, and then the kids get off of school. They are always up to something. After a while, things die down, then the 5 o'clock rush hits. I piddle around my kitchen for a while, flip through a book, then return to the front room to hear the goings on at the bar across the street. Sometimes I tune in directly. Sometimes I prefer for it to all unfold in the background.)

Nearing the end of my phone conversation with Jennie, three other characters must have arrived on the scene below me. Two Cleveland Heights police men, and the very husky lady wearing construction boots at stage right that is bellowing all manner of accusations from across the street. "Stop following me! Why don't you stop following me?! Look at me when I speak. Yeah, you."

Randy, one of the piano movers, has somehow gotten involved. Must have happened when I was on the phone. He's wearing one of those croaker things that's made of spongy stuff that hold your sunglasses around your neck. Is that what they're called?

The two policemen aren't doing much. They waffle a bit---what will become their role? Crowd control? Counsel? They pace around and write very important things (apparently) on little steno pads. So, they're present. But not really.

Husky is now pleading her case. "He approached the vehicle!" "He approached the vehicle!" (You have to read that with a very harsh, thick Clevelander accent. Sort of long and drawn out, too. Read it With Strength and Conviction, as Julia Child would say.)

The argument escalates. So, there's some yelling. Randy keeps insisting that she is crazy. She's yelling out a number.

"Sir, I know. 2!1!6!7!4!3! (I'll leave the rest out for her privacy though Randy the mover insists that she's lying about the number, whatever it is, and dials it up on his cell (with flourish) to prove to the cops that she's nuts)"

She beckons Marcus over to her side of the street. He looks back at Randy and sort of dawdles over. She whispers something conspiratorial (it appears) into his ear. He walks away from her and shakes his head.

He motions to his men. They start up the truck and roll away.

She remains with the police men. Still yelling. Other parts of the story emerge that I can't quite piece together...."Danny" got killed. Someone got sued. And now she has 21 million dollars. And she has so much money that she doens't have to worry about her things getting stolen. Now she's clasping her hands and saying, "Sir, I understand that you don't know the whole story. God Bless You. Imagine that you pull into a gas station, swipe your card and then the man steals your credit card. Just imagine with me for a minute...........

The cops grow weary of her babble and walk away midsentence.

She, disgruntled, I think, storms over to her Jeep and drives away.

It's 59 degrees outside according to my desktop weather icon. Lawnmowers cut the grass in the distance. My regular street sounds resume. It's starting to rain. I think I'm cold and am considering heating the kettle for a cup of tea.

Mondays.

Readership, Meet My Pets

2005-05-22T22:01:00.000-05:00

The picture you'll find one or two posts below (I think) is one of my ecosphere (Tommy gave it to me for Christmas this past year since I'm always bellyaching about not being able to have a pet.)

If you'll look closely, you can see three little tiny brine shrimp, Ruby, Onyx, and Pearl (really, you can just see two of them...and that's a stretch. They're no bigger than the white moon-shaped part of your thumbnail).

So my little shrimp(S) live in this totally contained ecosystem on my desk--it's a perfect pet, the ecosystem. Never have to feed or water the thing. Just sit back and enjoy it when I happen to be in town. Only maintenance required is to occasionally scrape a magnet across the outside of the sphere to wipe off the algae that's building up on the inside.

I named them by their coloring. Ruby, not surprisingly, has a reddish tint to her little body, Onyx has a big black vein in his back, and Pearl is sort of see-through. There used to be a fourth shrimp. I went away for several days on a work-related trip. Upon my return, I found the floating remains of Opal's skeleton inside of the sphere. Poor Opal. Ahhh, the circle of life. (Too bad, too, as opal is my favorite (semi-precious)gemstone.)Admittedly, it's not quite the same effect as a warm-blooded pet.

But they're pretty funny, you have to admit.

2005-05-22T22:00:00.000-05:00

Ruby, Onyx, and Pearl.

Meditation on blue

2005-05-22T21:59:00.000-05:00

Why meditation on blue?

About a year ago, Jan (my boss) told me that sometimes she likes to meditate on the color blue.

First thought that popped into my head: Every day you surpirse me with your weirdness. Why did I move to Ohio to work with you?

But.

I don' t know.

Maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.

Blue's never been high up on my list.

Poor old Blue (already, two associations).

When I consider all of the blues I've known, I find such quiet, powerful intensity there....Persons. Places. Music. Time. Feelings. Experiences. Vibrancy of life. Chill of death (on that topic, orange is the color for me).

Blue.

Well, it's interesting enough to consider.

Perhaps I'll share more later.

Toodle-oo.

To Blue.