Thursday, March 31, 2011

Woe is me and my SUV

Back in December, our SUV's brakes went out.  A very good mechanic jerry-rigged the brakes and advised us to get rid of the SUV ASAP.  Here we are, almost five months later and we still have the SUV.  I don't drive it unless absolutely necessary and I never drive more than a mile from home.  We've dealt with a being a one car family before and we've done pretty well this time.  However, we are just too big a family to continue like this any longer.  We've had to rely on the help of friends and while we are grateful for the friends who help us, we don't like having to use our friends so constantly.

The last two days have been rather insane as we've tried to fit seven schedules into one car.  We are searching for a new vehicle, but so far have had no luck.  Gosh I hate these kinds of things.  There is just no good solution to the problem.  At least not without taking on quite a bit more debt.

I could ramble on and on about the problems this lack of a vehicle is causing me.  I can only use the car when Hubby doesn't need it and so that means I can't always use it when I need it the most.

So, we've been a bit down in the dumps about the car situation.  Hubby has some drama going on at work.  It makes him upset and so I am sad for him.  Because of the insane schedules the last two days, we have not had time to watch our favorite TV show and so I've been missing out on my hearty laughs.  I miss them! I need them!  There won't be time for TV tonight either and I'm not allowed to watch any without the rest of the family.  I guess I could watch the ones we've already seen, but I can't skip ahead. 

On top of it all, the house is a mess, again!  I clean and an hour later, it's a mess.  I guess today, I just need to put on some golden oldies music, sing along, dance along and clean the house.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

#445 and an Interview

This is blog entry #445!  It's kind of crazy when you think about it.

In the spirit of the number of postings on this blog, I'm going to share with you things about it's author, who has had so much to say over the last four years.


Celebrity Interview


Have you ever watched an interview of a celebrity? They ask the celebrity all sorts of questions. I really enjoy hearing their answers. I love to see how very much I think like that particular person and how very different I am from them.

What if I were a celebrity and someone actually cared about my opinion? What would I say? How would I answer such questions? These are actual questions from an interview that I heard answered recently by a celebrity. The celebrity had his answers, but what does Molly, a nobody stay-at-home mom of five, have to say? You are about to find out.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Being in a deep forest, surrounded by green trees, green grass, and wildflowers. There would be a small cottage, a spinning wheel, my loom, and a stream nearby where water tumbled over rocks. Birds, the sound of wind and the singing stream would be the only noises. My husband and children would be there to share in the beautiful surroundings, but the kids would not be too noisy.

Who do you admire, dead or alive?

Many people but I really don’t have anyone person in particular. Most of the people I admire are nobody special to most of the world. They are a friend who is wonderful about dropping off a plate of cookies just when you need it the most. They are the woman who raised eight children, had several books published and taught each of her children to play a different instrument. They are the woman who sing and smile even when there are hardships to face. If I were to name these women, you wouldn’t know them, but I do and I admire them.

What is your favorite sound?

Thunderstorms

What is your favorite word?

Vomitory. I just don’t get to use that one very often.

Where would you like to live?

See the answer to the first question. Deep in a forest with green trees…..

What challenges you the most?

Being a mom.  Especially in this day and age. It’s a scary world, filled with scary things, scary people, and scary situations. Raising a kid right is hard. Raising 5 kids right seems like an impossible task.  I'm just going to try my best and hope it's enough.

Which talent would you like to have?

I would like to be able to play the piano well.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Being a mom to five great kids (so far, but we haven’t hit the teens yet).

If you could have another career what would it be?

There are so many…. A camp director. An owner of a themed bed and breakfast. A professional writer. A librarian. Can I do all of that at the same time?

What gives you the most satisfaction?

Finishing a project. I love taking a completed weaving off the loom. I love to finish writing in the last page of a journal. I just love being able to finish any tasks I attempt.

What current projects are you working on now?

Well, aside from being a full time mom, house cleaner, cook, taxi service, etc., in September, I’ll start school again. I’ve always got a project on the loom and I’m always writing stories.
______________
Well, now you know about Molly as questioned by a celebrity interviewer. The real interview had about 20 more questions, but I won’t bore you with those. I don’t even have an answer to some of them.

I guess this is why they interview celebrities and not me. I don’t have very interesting answers.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Great Ideas

I’m a fountain of great ideas. They are all amazing, really.

Unfortunately, there are more ideas than time to do any of them. I don’t know that I’ve completed many of these ideas. Most of them are ideas for stories to write, business to start and weaving projects to try.

If I wrote down every great idea I had, I would have a book the size of the Oxford Dictionary.
(This is my dictionary with a penny, to give you scale.)
LOL

When I thought about that, I got a little depressed. All those great ideas and nothing being done with any of them.

Then, I started to think about all the journals I’ve kept over the years. Doing a quick calculation, I’m sure I’ve written over 2000 pages of journal entries. That’s written in books alone. That doesn’t include the 400+ journal entries I’ve written on my blog and the many bits and bytes in my computer of more writing and journaling.

These are my journals I've kept over the years.  After taking this picture, I realized that
the journal I kept as a kid and teenager aren't in this picture.  All you see
here are journals I've kept since 1994.  They are piled next to the dictionary with the penny.
You know, for scale.

That’s a whole lot of writing. I guess most of my ideas will remain nothing more than ideas, but that’s OK.  Great ideas are fun to think up whether you get to do them or not.

However, when I build my Hobbit-like house and open my themed bed and breakfast, I’ll let you know so you can come to see it.  I'll autograph copies of my latest published work for you. 

See you in dream-land.

Sharing isn't nice

According to my two year old, who will be three in one week, sharing isn't very nice.

At church, she is in the nursery.  It seems every single week, she has an issue with sharing the toys.  The Nursery Leader told me that she will have six or seven toys with her where she is playing.  Even if she isn't playing with a specific toy, if one of the other kids takes it, she lets out a scream.  Every week the Leader has to remind her that she needs to share.

Yesterday, the Nursery Leader and I were visiting.  She told me how she has this problem with Peanut each week.  It seems that Peanut wasn't playing with a toy and another little girl took it.  The Leader reminded Peanut, again, that she needs to share and Peanut said no.  Later, the little girl brought the toy back and handed it nicely to Peanut.  The Leader said to Peanut, "There, isn't it nice to share?"

Peanut replied, "It is for her."

Thursday, March 24, 2011

A Good Laugh

A few weeks ago, we started watching some re-runs of a favorite TV show.  We hadn't seen it in years, but thanks to the wonders of the Internet, we've been able to watch the show again. 

It makes me laugh.

Laugh hard.

Don't be drinking milk or eating food when you watch or else you'll choke kind of laughing hard.

Do you know what?  It feels great.  I've been in a much better mood the last two weeks because I spend so much time laughing each evening.  When they say laughter is the best medicine, they speak the truth. So, I looked up a couple of quotes about laughter:

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings


Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle

Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects. ~Arnold Glasow

Love those!  For me these last few weeks have been better because of a good laugh.  I highly recommend some hearty laughs.  In a great Peter Sellers movie called "The Party", his character at one point in the movie says, "I love laughing, don't you?  Makes the world go round."

Well said.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

American Heritage

Kiss me, my 6th great-grandparents on my mother’s side were Irish.

I am English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, French, German, Swiss, Cajun and Texan!. My kids can boast all of those ancestral countries as well as Norwegian from their father's side. We pretty much cover most of Western Europe, with the exception of the Iberian peninsula. Perhaps if I could track down more ancestors, I would find family there as well.

And yes, Cajun and Texan are listed separately from the rest of the USA. My Cajun ancestors began in France, were exiled into Canada and several generations later moved south to settle in Louisiana. My great- great grandmother spoke only French (Cajun Creole French, anyway).  Texas is, well, Texas.  A place all it's own.  And I'm a born and bred Texan.

So, what does all of that make me? American!

Monday, March 21, 2011

The Platter

For many years, I did not have a platter for serving food on. It didn’t matter too much. A dinner plate worked just fine. Then, several years ago, after my youngest started eating solid foods, I realized that I just needed a bit bigger of a plate for serving food. I began to search for a platter.


I went to a local church yard sale about 2 years ago and found a lovely glass platter for $3. Can’t beat that, right? I bought it. I was so happy to have a platter.

Tonight, as I was preparing to serve dinner, I realized that I needed my platter. I’m always slightly giddy to use the platter and to show how giddy I became, I will confess that I have a little platter dance and song. So, I was dancing about in the kitchen and chanting, “I get to use my platter, I get to use my platter.” I placed the food on the platter and went to call Hubby and the kids to dinner.

When I got back to the kitchen, I picked up the platter of food. It had CRACKED while I was calling the family to dinner! My poor, poor $3 platter. Thankfully, I have another platter. I had, about a year ago, found another great deal on a platter that I couldn’t pass up. I had two, but now I have one.

I guess it is time to keep my eye out for another platter. I might need a back-up again someday.

End note: When you start to say the word “platter” as many times as I have while writing this, “platter” becomes a pretty funny sounding word. Platter, platter, platter, platter……(giggle)

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Inspiration

Sometimes when we are in a rut, it only takes one little thing to inspire us.  Last night, while surfin' the Net, I found a blog.  I haven't done much blog reading lately or much writing, but I read this blogs posts back to December, and it is updated frequently.  It was a fun read.

What I liked most about this particular blog is the way they (2 women) write.  It is very similar to my own writing style. Of course, they are 100 times better than I am because they are professional writers and professional comediennes and I'm not, but their style of storytelling, I feel, is like mine.  This is hard for me to put into words, oddly enough.  Feelings can be so difficult to explain.  Sometimes something clicks and you can't really explain why.

As I laid down to go to bed, my mind was racing.  I was creating fun blog entries.  I think before going to bed, I composed three new blog entries in my mind.  So, this is your official warning:  Blog entries to come!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

New Words

So if a spoon/fork combo is called a spork,
THEN.....

Is a spoon/knife combo called a knoon?

Is a fork/knife combo called a fife?

Is a spoon/fork/knife untensil called a knoork?



The mysteries of the universe.........

Friday, March 11, 2011

Update on the Loom

I've updated my weaving blog.  There are lots of pictures of the last few projects.

Inkle and Weave

Monday, March 07, 2011

The Doc Has Got it Wrong

I recently saw an article that was suppose to be about women's health.  The entire thing hit me wrong and I'll explain why.

The article begins with the good doctor at the gym.  Apparently he was recognized by some other man at the gym.  The man asked the doc, "Why is my wife always so tired?  She doesn't have the energy to do anything."  Several other men heard the question and gathered around the doctor to hear his great wisdom.

The doctor begins to explain that she probably has hormonal imbalance and if not treated, it could lead to worse problems.

DUH!  All women know this about themselves.  With all the lovely things our bodies have to go through during a 50 year time span, of course there is a hormonal imbalance.  The men of course, don't believe their wives, it took a male doctor to tell them these things.

But for me, that wasn't the worse part of the article.  Let's review the beginning.  The doctor and several men are at the gym.  Where are the tired wives the men asked the good doctor about?  Where are those tired women?  They are at home, wrestling with kids, cooking dinner and folding several loads of laundry.  They are helping kids with homework and vacuuming the floor where the toddler dumped cereal.  They are planning how to get teenage son to sports practice, daughter to piano and the youngest to his school play rehearsal.  This is after all the other things they did during the day.

Then, the men return home.  Dinner is cooking, the living room is vacuumed, the kids are done with homework.  He has worked out and is feeling good.  She is exhausted from the million and one things she did while cooking dinner.

Why are their wives tired?  Get home from the gym, let your wife go off on her own for a few hours, then you cook the dinner, clean the dishes, help the kids with their homework, and take the kids to their various activities.  See how you're feeling.  Are you tired?  It's probably a hormonal imbalance.