Holy cow! As I prepared to go for an afternoon walk...I flipped on the TV to catch a bit of news. I was surprised to see a local channel on...doing the news in the middle of the afternoon! Apparently, there is a large neighborhood 'up the road a piece'...on fire. So far it is a 6 alarm fire (over 100 firefighters have been called in), which started as a grass fire and has grown to encompass at least 4 homes! People have been evacuated to local churches to wait it out! The situation isn't threatening to us or ours...the location is several miles away and to the southeast...but it is frightening! Today is a typical, late winter, early spring...Kansas day...! The temperature is 68 degrees, the sun is shining, and the wind is blowing a steady 35-40 mph...with frequent (every 10-15 seconds) gusts of 50+ mph. When you live in these parts...you become accustomed to a LOT of wind...that's just the way it is! Grass fires are very common place as well...but usually not in neighborhoods...and usually not this large! Preliminary reports are saying that it may have been started by a cigarette butt! Just one more reason to restrict smoking to small, designated, cement areas! I would love to see a law making it illegal to throw a butt in the street or on the ground or sidewalk! I am sooooooo tired of the world being the smokers ashtray!Okay...off my soapbox!
I did go for a walk...and as I leaned into the wind...struggling with each step...my Ipod shuffle literally blowing along behind me...the geese came in to land on the pond! It was a very funny site! The strong winds were causing large whitecaps on the water...and the geese rode them like fine feathered surf bums!
We will head for Coffeyville in a few hours...hopefully it will be a good weekend! The week has been long...and I am so glad to see it end! There have been ups and downs...and in-betweens...but it has all been exhausting!
Catch ya on the flip side!
Be Well!
Friday, February 23, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
What a difference a day makes! The ice is almost gone…and the ducks are enjoying the 66 degree weather! I came home with another headache…but it went away after three extra strength Tylenol and a couple hours of rest on the couch! So…after dinner…away we went…me and my entourage…The Eagles, Elton John, The Beatles, Rod Stewart, Carol King, and a host of others! It was a lovely walk! Above is a picture of the nicest part of the stroll!Be Well!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Long days...
It’s been a long several days! We have run the gamut from praying continually for God’s intervention in a very frightening medical situation…to the death of an aunt. We have been depressed, scared, confused, and finally…elated. God answer’s prayer!
The situation with my step mom, Becky, is beginning to change…very slowly and in subtle ways. For several days, her ability to swallow was almost gone. A new medicine was introduced, which rectified the physical problem…but now she seems to have lost the desire to eat. My dad is taking everything in stride…as much as possible. However, adding insult to injury…his shop was robbed Saturday night while they slept. There was extensive damage to the entry door…and around $1500.00 in cash and merchandise taken. From all appearances, it was done by someone who was familiar with the shop and the location of items inside…which makes it worse really. Everyone who he deals with knows that his wife is inside the house…next to the shop…dying. It is hard to fathom the kind of cold hearted person who would perpetrate such a thing…under those circumstances. What a world we live in! But…at least they weren’t harmed…it could have been so much worse!
Meanwhile, my step dad saw a surgeon today. He is in serious need of a hip replacement…constant pain has been his companion for the past several months. The doctor informed them that, due to his overall health (hardening of the arteries, congestive heart failure) he would most likely not survive the operation. So…the doctor refused to do the surgery. While I must admit that I am relieved that he will not be undergoing such a risky procedure…I can’t imagine knowing that the kind of pain that he is in…will never go away.
I sometimes feel like I am outside of myself…looking in…watching…while I have begun to be fearful of what may happen next…I am also thankful for the multitude of blessings that we have received lately. As I walked around the pond today, the trillion points of light bouncing off of the still frozen center of the pond…were breathtaking. Around this glittering island…flowed a stream of water so reflective...it could have been liquid diamonds…the outer portion of the pond, which has begun to thaw. The air was crisp…but not biting, the breeze was gentle…and the sun warmed my face. Spring is on the way…better times are just in the offing.
Be Well!
The situation with my step mom, Becky, is beginning to change…very slowly and in subtle ways. For several days, her ability to swallow was almost gone. A new medicine was introduced, which rectified the physical problem…but now she seems to have lost the desire to eat. My dad is taking everything in stride…as much as possible. However, adding insult to injury…his shop was robbed Saturday night while they slept. There was extensive damage to the entry door…and around $1500.00 in cash and merchandise taken. From all appearances, it was done by someone who was familiar with the shop and the location of items inside…which makes it worse really. Everyone who he deals with knows that his wife is inside the house…next to the shop…dying. It is hard to fathom the kind of cold hearted person who would perpetrate such a thing…under those circumstances. What a world we live in! But…at least they weren’t harmed…it could have been so much worse!
Meanwhile, my step dad saw a surgeon today. He is in serious need of a hip replacement…constant pain has been his companion for the past several months. The doctor informed them that, due to his overall health (hardening of the arteries, congestive heart failure) he would most likely not survive the operation. So…the doctor refused to do the surgery. While I must admit that I am relieved that he will not be undergoing such a risky procedure…I can’t imagine knowing that the kind of pain that he is in…will never go away.
I sometimes feel like I am outside of myself…looking in…watching…while I have begun to be fearful of what may happen next…I am also thankful for the multitude of blessings that we have received lately. As I walked around the pond today, the trillion points of light bouncing off of the still frozen center of the pond…were breathtaking. Around this glittering island…flowed a stream of water so reflective...it could have been liquid diamonds…the outer portion of the pond, which has begun to thaw. The air was crisp…but not biting, the breeze was gentle…and the sun warmed my face. Spring is on the way…better times are just in the offing.
Be Well!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Spread some love...
Happy Valentine's Day from Frank (aka F. Ace)! Just a reminder, that Valentine's Day is more than just romance and roses! It's an opportunity to spread a little bit of love...to someone who needs it, a chance to tell those dear to you...how much they mean to you, a day to go the extra mile...to share a smile! So go out there today and hold the door open for someone, give up that primo parking spot...to the car that raced you up the aisle for it, wave at the guy who cuts you off on the freeway...with all your fingers! Do something nice today!
Be Well!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Thank you Sparkpeople...
I'm wearing a pair of pants today...that I bought several months ago. I bought them because I really liked the way they are made...but when I tried to sit down in them...let's just say it was possible but highly uncomfortable. I put them on this morning...and they fit perfectly...sitting...standing...bending...!
Be Well!
Be Well!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Move over Howard K Stern...
As I prepared for my morning workout...I overheard a startling conversation...between Shorty and Funguy. Without going into the sordid details...Funguy admitted to Shorty that he is indeed...the father of Anna Nicole Smith's child.
I crawled under the table to get closer to this 'coffee klatch confession'...and managed to snap this candid photo of the two of them. Note the smug grin on Funguys face!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Quick post...
Just a quick post as I am preparing to pack a few last minute things. As most of you know, we have been making the trip to Coffeyville each weekend to help my dad in the care of my step mom. This weekend...is her birthday. The small party of family attending her 'party' has grown somewhat...and there are some dark dynamics at work as well. Emotions are running high, as each day with her may literally be the last. Please keep us in your prayers this weekend. But mostly, please pray that Becky's final transition will be peaceful...and gentle...that she will only feel God's all encompassing love.
Be Well!
Be Well!
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Hump day...
Hump day passed much like the past two weeks have...in a flurry of activity...faster than a speeding bullet. This has not been a good week. I have fought a recurring migraine, since Monday, and a blue funk since last Friday. I know that brighter days are ahead...but the distance seems long right now.
For the last week and a half, Becky was more alert and articulate than she has been in a couple of months. For the last 36 hours...she has hardly spoken a word, and is sleeping almost around the clock again. Sunday is her birthday...we have a party planned. Just a few close family members, and the cake that she asked for a week ago...when she was doing so well. I'm fearful that we have planned a party...and will end up with a wake.
Tuesday was warm and sunny...almost 60 degrees! It was absolutely beautiful! Sugar and I took a walk around the pond...which (to my surprise) was still frozen solid and totally white with snow. The air was fresh...and the promise of Spring enveloped us. It occurred to me how odd it is...that one part of the world can be so 'right'...while the other part is in such chaos. The ironies of life are puzzling.
Today dawned colder than cold. Cloudy skies reigned, and a frigid wind has blown most of the afternoon.
I know that I am rambling...but at least I am writing. I have sat down to blog several times lately...but the sheer emptiness of the screen has loomed like a monster in the closet. I haven't had the energy to organize my thoughts into a cohesive piece...until tonight (and as I read back over what I have written...cohesive may be a stretch). Marvin asked me why I hadn't been blogging...and I knew it was time to get back back in the saddle. I'm glad that I did.
Be Well!
For the last week and a half, Becky was more alert and articulate than she has been in a couple of months. For the last 36 hours...she has hardly spoken a word, and is sleeping almost around the clock again. Sunday is her birthday...we have a party planned. Just a few close family members, and the cake that she asked for a week ago...when she was doing so well. I'm fearful that we have planned a party...and will end up with a wake.
Tuesday was warm and sunny...almost 60 degrees! It was absolutely beautiful! Sugar and I took a walk around the pond...which (to my surprise) was still frozen solid and totally white with snow. The air was fresh...and the promise of Spring enveloped us. It occurred to me how odd it is...that one part of the world can be so 'right'...while the other part is in such chaos. The ironies of life are puzzling.
Today dawned colder than cold. Cloudy skies reigned, and a frigid wind has blown most of the afternoon.
I know that I am rambling...but at least I am writing. I have sat down to blog several times lately...but the sheer emptiness of the screen has loomed like a monster in the closet. I haven't had the energy to organize my thoughts into a cohesive piece...until tonight (and as I read back over what I have written...cohesive may be a stretch). Marvin asked me why I hadn't been blogging...and I knew it was time to get back back in the saddle. I'm glad that I did.
Be Well!
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Get Over It...
I'm thinking of having these lyrics printed on pocket cards...laminated...and passing them out to idiots everywhere. I never realized how lame...John Q public really is. All that nonsense about "Everyone is basically good..." it's really just that...nonsense.It seems to me...more each day...that most of them are just looking for a free ride...while the rest of us pay.
Get Over It
I turn on the tube and what do I see
A whole lotta people cryin' 'Don't blame me'
They point their crooked little fingers ar everybody else
Spend all their time feelin' sorry for themselves
Victim of this, victim of that
Your momma's too thin; your daddy's too fat
Get over it
Get over it
All this whinin' and cryin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it
You say you haven't been the same since you had your little crash
But you might feel better if I gave you some cash
The more I think about it, Old Billy was right
Let's kill all the lawyers, kill 'em tonight
You don't want to work, you want to live like a king
But the big, bad world doesn't owe you a thing
Get over it
Get over it
If you don't want to play, then you might as well split
Get over it, Get over it
It's like going to confession every time I hear you speak
You're makin' the most of your losin' streak
Some call it sick, but I call it weak
You drag it around like a ball and chain
You wallow in the guilt; you wallow in the pain
You wave it like a flag, you wear it like a crown
Got your mind in the gutter, bringin' everybody down
Complain about the present and blame it on the past
I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ass
Get over it
Get over it
All this bitchin' and moanin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it
Get over it
Get over it
It's gotta stop sometime, so why don't you quit
Get over it, get over it
Eagles - From the album Hell Freezes Over 1984
Be Well!
Get Over It
I turn on the tube and what do I see
A whole lotta people cryin' 'Don't blame me'
They point their crooked little fingers ar everybody else
Spend all their time feelin' sorry for themselves
Victim of this, victim of that
Your momma's too thin; your daddy's too fat
Get over it
Get over it
All this whinin' and cryin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it
You say you haven't been the same since you had your little crash
But you might feel better if I gave you some cash
The more I think about it, Old Billy was right
Let's kill all the lawyers, kill 'em tonight
You don't want to work, you want to live like a king
But the big, bad world doesn't owe you a thing
Get over it
Get over it
If you don't want to play, then you might as well split
Get over it, Get over it
It's like going to confession every time I hear you speak
You're makin' the most of your losin' streak
Some call it sick, but I call it weak
You drag it around like a ball and chain
You wallow in the guilt; you wallow in the pain
You wave it like a flag, you wear it like a crown
Got your mind in the gutter, bringin' everybody down
Complain about the present and blame it on the past
I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ass
Get over it
Get over it
All this bitchin' and moanin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it
Get over it
Get over it
It's gotta stop sometime, so why don't you quit
Get over it, get over it
Eagles - From the album Hell Freezes Over 1984
Be Well!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Jammies...
Interesting theory...if one's jammies are inside out...it will snow? I am thinking seriously of canvasing this entire area...and fining people who are wearing their jammies inside out! The weatherman told us that the snow wouldn't start until after noon today...it was snowing heavily by 6:30 a.m., the weatherman said that there would be no accumulation...we got 3 1/2 inches! It's cold, it's dreary, it's wet, it's slick as snot (as Chas will attest to)! If that stinking groundhog doesn't give us good news...well...let's just say that I'm looking up recipes for stew...with mystery meat!
Be Well!
Be Well!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Sleepless in Kansas...
Not much to say today...my mind is on the fast track...to no where. After three sleepless nights...I just need a few Z's.
No ups…no downs…
No rhyme…no reason,
No fancy metaphors…
No poetic season.
Only moving...
Through the day,
Seeking hope...
Along the way.
copyright jschoonover2007 all rights reserved
Be Well!
No ups…no downs…
No rhyme…no reason,
No fancy metaphors…
No poetic season.
Only moving...
Through the day,
Seeking hope...
Along the way.
copyright jschoonover2007 all rights reserved
Be Well!
Friday, January 26, 2007
Water, water, everywhere...but ne'er a drop to drink!
A long and winding week is finally behind us! I will be filling in next week (8 a.m. - 5 p.m.), for the receptionist at work. I have become accustomed to 20 hour weeks lately, so I expect that next week will be exhausting. She is going to Jacksonville, Florida for vacation...and I am sooooooo jealous! I love Jacksonville Beach, and St. Augustine! Oh what I wouldn't give to be 'leaving on a jet plane'! Lying on a sandy beach with the sun warming my face, and the ocean roaring in my ears...bliss!
Work started out badly this morning...within minutes after I arrived, the phones began to ring off the hook! Apparently, a neighborhood at a time, the city water supply was shut off. Several memorable calls came all in a row;
Woman: "I don't have any water...my sister-in-law lives two blocks away and SHE has water...why don't I have water?" (I don't think she was as upset that her water was off...as she was that her sister-in-law's water was still on!)
Man:" I'm a pastor...I have to preach a funeral in 45 minutes...and I am standing in my bathroom...all soaped up...and no water to rinse with!"
Woman: "I have a newborn baby here...and I can't fix formula, or wash bottles, or anything...should I go buy some bottled water?" (At this point I sympathized with her, and told her that we were still in the process of determining what the problem was...and would rectify it as soon as possible) "Oh" she said, "Well, can you tell me exactly WHEN it will be back on?" (I replied that, until we assessed the situation completely and determined why the water was off...there would be no way for us to tell her when it would be back on...but that service would be restored as soon as possible.) "But", she stammered, "Can you just tell me HOW LONG THAT WILL BE?" (I reiterated all of the aforementioned explanations, and refrained from reaching through the phone to shake her.)
Fortunately, the situation was assessed, the problem repaired, and service restored in about 30 minutes.
We are planning to head to Coffeyville tomorrow, to see my step mom...Becky. I'm not sure whether she will realize that we are there or not...but I hope that our visit will lift my dad's spirits a bit. Becky is bed fast now, and sleeps 20/24 hours a day these days. I know it will be a stressful time...but hopefully beneficial in some way.
The sun is shining, and the temperature is around 44 degrees...but it is slated to begin dropping later this evening and the weekend is projected to be very cold! Although the snow was fun...I am tired of being cold. Hurry spring!!
Be Well!
Work started out badly this morning...within minutes after I arrived, the phones began to ring off the hook! Apparently, a neighborhood at a time, the city water supply was shut off. Several memorable calls came all in a row;
Woman: "I don't have any water...my sister-in-law lives two blocks away and SHE has water...why don't I have water?" (I don't think she was as upset that her water was off...as she was that her sister-in-law's water was still on!)
Man:" I'm a pastor...I have to preach a funeral in 45 minutes...and I am standing in my bathroom...all soaped up...and no water to rinse with!"
Woman: "I have a newborn baby here...and I can't fix formula, or wash bottles, or anything...should I go buy some bottled water?" (At this point I sympathized with her, and told her that we were still in the process of determining what the problem was...and would rectify it as soon as possible) "Oh" she said, "Well, can you tell me exactly WHEN it will be back on?" (I replied that, until we assessed the situation completely and determined why the water was off...there would be no way for us to tell her when it would be back on...but that service would be restored as soon as possible.) "But", she stammered, "Can you just tell me HOW LONG THAT WILL BE?" (I reiterated all of the aforementioned explanations, and refrained from reaching through the phone to shake her.)
Fortunately, the situation was assessed, the problem repaired, and service restored in about 30 minutes.
We are planning to head to Coffeyville tomorrow, to see my step mom...Becky. I'm not sure whether she will realize that we are there or not...but I hope that our visit will lift my dad's spirits a bit. Becky is bed fast now, and sleeps 20/24 hours a day these days. I know it will be a stressful time...but hopefully beneficial in some way.
The sun is shining, and the temperature is around 44 degrees...but it is slated to begin dropping later this evening and the weekend is projected to be very cold! Although the snow was fun...I am tired of being cold. Hurry spring!!
Be Well!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
You gotta see this...
Sorry about the commercial...but wait for the video...it's worth the wait!
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/world/2007/01/24/vo.japan.rare.shark.rtv
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/world/2007/01/24/vo.japan.rare.shark.rtv
Priceless...
Feeling better...$1,000,000
Having more energy...$1,000,000
Being in a better mood...$1,000,000
Wearing that skirt (today) that I have NEVER worn...because it was too small when I bought it...PRICELESS!!
Be Well!
Having more energy...$1,000,000
Being in a better mood...$1,000,000
Wearing that skirt (today) that I have NEVER worn...because it was too small when I bought it...PRICELESS!!
Be Well!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
No shoes....
I decided to go to the mall today...to get my walking in. I purposely ended my walk on the upper floor...at Payless Shoes. I went in...lusted after many shoes...even tried some on...but bought nothing! I haven't bought a pair of shoes since late September! I know this sounds like a silly thing to most people...but I LOVE shoes! My closets runneth over...with shoes. Since the downsizing of our income...I have been trying to shop more wisely...and...for the most part...it has been working! (Except for those 'unpoppable' bubbles, which were screaming "FUN, FUN, FUN").
So...perhaps by Spring...a new me. The diet is going well, the exercise is going well, the new attitude about spending...is going, and hopefully, I will have paid off the untimely truck repair in the next three or four weeks...enabling me to incur more debt...at the dentist. So with any luck, I will be able to eat real food by then too!
I am anxious for warm breezes, sunny days, and open windows!
Be Well!
So...perhaps by Spring...a new me. The diet is going well, the exercise is going well, the new attitude about spending...is going, and hopefully, I will have paid off the untimely truck repair in the next three or four weeks...enabling me to incur more debt...at the dentist. So with any luck, I will be able to eat real food by then too!
I am anxious for warm breezes, sunny days, and open windows!
Be Well!
Speedy...
Here are a couple pictures of the snow fort that the kids across the street built! It's pretty cool! It looked even better the day that they built it! It has seen many battles since Sunday!!
I got home on Monday just in time to see the boy next door, loading his clothing and his dog into his mom's SUV. He has lived next door with his dad for several years now. They have always been good neighbors. My first thought when I saw them was..."Oh no...Speedy's moving!" Speedy is his gorgeous black lab. He's also been next door for several years now...since he was a pup. When he first came...he got very lonely at night...and would bark incessantly. I can't count the number of times that I either opened the bedroom window and spoke softly to him...or actually went out on the deck and talked to him...across the fence...in the dark of night. All he wanted was to know that he wasn't alone. At the sound of my voice, he would stop barking...and wag his entire body, as he 'grinned' back at me! I got so used to talking to him...that I rarely stepped out the back door...without greeting Speedy! I will miss him very much! It saddens me to see the dismantled dog run across the fence now.
Be Well!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Wonderland...
What a beautiful morning it has started out to be! Snow is falling softly, on an already white landscape...a clean, pure world awaits...just outside the window. The flag across the way billows gently in the wind. A flock of small birds swoop across the sky...two tiny stragglers, a ways behind the group, play their own game of 'drop and glide'. The snow capped water tower watches over the neighborhood...the words 'Park City'...more like a promise than a name. An almost sacred silence prevails...broken only by the distant rumble of a plane overhead.
Be Well!
Be Well!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Almost there...
Thursday evening. It's been a loooooong week. I am tired to the bone tonight...and very much looking forward to the weekend! My dream weekend at this point would be a full body massage...followed by a sleeping pill...followed by a full body massage...followed by a sleeping pill...you get the picture...!
Be Well!
Be Well!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Hump day...
It's Hump Day. Work was crazy...I only took a 30 minute lunch...I'm beat...I'm cold...and I'm sneezing my brains out.
I just have to share these...the sweetest gnome (thank you Diane!), and a mushroom head to keep him company (he looked lonely)!
I just have to share these...the sweetest gnome (thank you Diane!), and a mushroom head to keep him company (he looked lonely)!
Be Well!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Because I'm an idiot...
Because I'm an idiot...and I can't figure out how to post a snapshot of last weeks progress...here it is...the long way.
Goal = Calories(1200-1550) Fat(27-60) Carbs(135-252) Protein(30-136)
Jan 9 = 631 Calories - 10 Fat - 117 Carbs - 23 Protein
Jan 10= 558Calories - 20 Fat - 77 Carbs - 19 Protein
Jan 11= 508 Calories - 4 Fat - 100 Carbs - 18 Protein
Jan 12= 627 Calories - 23 Fat - 77 Carbs - 24 Protein
Jan 13= 436 Calories - 9 Fat - 65 Carbs - 20 Protein
Jan 14= 936 Calories - 45 Fat - 106 Carbs - 30 Protein
My scales don't work right...so I can't really measure the results in pounds...but I was still recovering from the dizziness of the week before (inner ear infection)...so I did not get to exercise...so I don't expect that it was spectacular. I am exercising this week though...so hopefully, that will help!
Be Well!
Goal = Calories(1200-1550) Fat(27-60) Carbs(135-252) Protein(30-136)
Jan 9 = 631 Calories - 10 Fat - 117 Carbs - 23 Protein
Jan 10= 558Calories - 20 Fat - 77 Carbs - 19 Protein
Jan 11= 508 Calories - 4 Fat - 100 Carbs - 18 Protein
Jan 12= 627 Calories - 23 Fat - 77 Carbs - 24 Protein
Jan 13= 436 Calories - 9 Fat - 65 Carbs - 20 Protein
Jan 14= 936 Calories - 45 Fat - 106 Carbs - 30 Protein
My scales don't work right...so I can't really measure the results in pounds...but I was still recovering from the dizziness of the week before (inner ear infection)...so I did not get to exercise...so I don't expect that it was spectacular. I am exercising this week though...so hopefully, that will help!
Be Well!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Thank you...
Today marks one year since my first blog posting. I have to say…I love it! A chance to express my feelings, reflect on life, love…and everything in between…is (to me)…a little piece of heaven. Thank you Shane and Rich…for encouraging me to blog! If not for that encouragement…I would never have started…and I would have missed out on so much!
As I looked back at the past year…something became apparent. I am not as consistent as I should be…193 posts in a year. However, there have been times when I just had nothing to say…and that’s okay. Part of the allure of the blog, is that it is not obligatory…it’s like an old friend…waiting until you return, and welcoming you with open arms.
I am an aspiring writer. While my file of rejections continues to grow…I appreciate the opportunity to post my poems, etc…otherwise known as ‘babblings and nonsense’. There is much satisfaction in sharing those things…and even more satisfaction in receiving your responses to them! Whether you like them…or don’t like them…I value each opinion…each thought…it helps me to grow as a writer.
And so…I embark on this second year…with a sense of ambition…to be more consistent…to write more…to expand my horizons…and open my mind a bit, to the amazing possibilities of the universe, limited only by imagination.
Be Well!
As I looked back at the past year…something became apparent. I am not as consistent as I should be…193 posts in a year. However, there have been times when I just had nothing to say…and that’s okay. Part of the allure of the blog, is that it is not obligatory…it’s like an old friend…waiting until you return, and welcoming you with open arms.
I am an aspiring writer. While my file of rejections continues to grow…I appreciate the opportunity to post my poems, etc…otherwise known as ‘babblings and nonsense’. There is much satisfaction in sharing those things…and even more satisfaction in receiving your responses to them! Whether you like them…or don’t like them…I value each opinion…each thought…it helps me to grow as a writer.
And so…I embark on this second year…with a sense of ambition…to be more consistent…to write more…to expand my horizons…and open my mind a bit, to the amazing possibilities of the universe, limited only by imagination.
Be Well!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
I remember when...
Sometimes life is so strange. I remember when –
… I was a teenager…and I stood across the street from City Hall, with my gaggle of longhaired, barefooted friends…and yelled insults at police officers. Now I work at City Hall…and smile as I spew forth casual pleasantries to police officers in the break room.
…I grew up in a house where at least one utility was usually off…or in danger of being shut off…and mom parked the family car on the lid of the water meter…so that the city couldn’t turn it off. Now…I call people to tell them that if they don’t pay their water bill by a certain time…on a certain day…we will shut it off…and I wonder…if they have thought about parking their car on the meter lid.
…I viewed anyone with a title…as an extension of ‘the establishment’…and I treated them with contempt. Now…I sit in Council meetings…taking the minutes…trying not to roll my eyes in disgust at those who seem to have no respect for the office of Mayor.
Sometimes I wonder…if I have moved forward or backward. There was a certain satisfaction…in being a rebel. Have I now become…what I disdained…? Or have I simply slipped…an inch at a time…into the bottomless chasm...of society’s groove…unable now to hoist my lost individuality back up the slippery walls of that dark place of 'cookie cutter' beings.
Be Well!
… I was a teenager…and I stood across the street from City Hall, with my gaggle of longhaired, barefooted friends…and yelled insults at police officers. Now I work at City Hall…and smile as I spew forth casual pleasantries to police officers in the break room.
…I grew up in a house where at least one utility was usually off…or in danger of being shut off…and mom parked the family car on the lid of the water meter…so that the city couldn’t turn it off. Now…I call people to tell them that if they don’t pay their water bill by a certain time…on a certain day…we will shut it off…and I wonder…if they have thought about parking their car on the meter lid.
…I viewed anyone with a title…as an extension of ‘the establishment’…and I treated them with contempt. Now…I sit in Council meetings…taking the minutes…trying not to roll my eyes in disgust at those who seem to have no respect for the office of Mayor.
Sometimes I wonder…if I have moved forward or backward. There was a certain satisfaction…in being a rebel. Have I now become…what I disdained…? Or have I simply slipped…an inch at a time…into the bottomless chasm...of society’s groove…unable now to hoist my lost individuality back up the slippery walls of that dark place of 'cookie cutter' beings.
Be Well!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
January 9, 2007
After a two day bout with an inner ear disturbance…I finally got in to see the doctor this morning. I paid the $25.00 co-pay, then listened while she told me to simply keep on taking the medicine that I had already started. I figured that as long as I was already there…and had bought my ticket…I might as well get in any other complaints that I could think of! So…”I’ve been having this uncomfortable ‘stiffness’ in my back and right side for a couple of weeks…” to which she responded…”It’s muscular…I’ll give you a pamphlet with some back and neck exercises to do.” Hmmm…okie dokie. I really didn’t think that the stiffness was muscular…but…I’m not the doctor. By noon, most of the dizziness was finally gone. My side is still bothering me…but I suppose that will take a while.
I’ve been off all day today…due to the council meeting this evening. I will go in at 6:45 and take notes for the minutes…until it is over. I spent the afternoon reading a book that Carolyn had sent to me…and I enjoyed it so much, that I could not put it down! (Thank you so much Carolyn! ) If you get the opportunity…The Memory Keeper’s Daughter (by Kim Edwards)…is an excellent read!!
I also spoke to my dad this morning. The news is not good. My step-mom is not doing well. She is sleeping almost around the clock now…only waking for a little bit to eat…and to ask my dad to lay with her. I could hear the strain and heartbreak in his voice…and it hurt to know that there is nothing that I can do.
I hope that when the time comes…for her to go home…it will be easy and peaceful…and even pleasant…for her. This is in my brain…
Sensing the day
Was coming to a
Close…
Anxiety claimed
Her mind.
Panic filled
Sapphire eyes
Darted from
One unfinished task
To another.
Reaching, holding,
Lifting, moving,
Remembering,
Thinking…
All treasures of the past.
A voice
Clear…small
Audible only to her…
Announced departure
In sweet melodic tone.
One last look around.
Pale flesh curtains
Covered the blue…
A sigh escaped her lips…
Renewed, reborn,
Her journey continued
In a new place…
Copyright©2007 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Be Well
After a two day bout with an inner ear disturbance…I finally got in to see the doctor this morning. I paid the $25.00 co-pay, then listened while she told me to simply keep on taking the medicine that I had already started. I figured that as long as I was already there…and had bought my ticket…I might as well get in any other complaints that I could think of! So…”I’ve been having this uncomfortable ‘stiffness’ in my back and right side for a couple of weeks…” to which she responded…”It’s muscular…I’ll give you a pamphlet with some back and neck exercises to do.” Hmmm…okie dokie. I really didn’t think that the stiffness was muscular…but…I’m not the doctor. By noon, most of the dizziness was finally gone. My side is still bothering me…but I suppose that will take a while.
I’ve been off all day today…due to the council meeting this evening. I will go in at 6:45 and take notes for the minutes…until it is over. I spent the afternoon reading a book that Carolyn had sent to me…and I enjoyed it so much, that I could not put it down! (Thank you so much Carolyn! ) If you get the opportunity…The Memory Keeper’s Daughter (by Kim Edwards)…is an excellent read!!
I also spoke to my dad this morning. The news is not good. My step-mom is not doing well. She is sleeping almost around the clock now…only waking for a little bit to eat…and to ask my dad to lay with her. I could hear the strain and heartbreak in his voice…and it hurt to know that there is nothing that I can do.
I hope that when the time comes…for her to go home…it will be easy and peaceful…and even pleasant…for her. This is in my brain…
Sensing the day
Was coming to a
Close…
Anxiety claimed
Her mind.
Panic filled
Sapphire eyes
Darted from
One unfinished task
To another.
Reaching, holding,
Lifting, moving,
Remembering,
Thinking…
All treasures of the past.
A voice
Clear…small
Audible only to her…
Announced departure
In sweet melodic tone.
One last look around.
Pale flesh curtains
Covered the blue…
A sigh escaped her lips…
Renewed, reborn,
Her journey continued
In a new place…
Copyright©2007 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Be Well
Saturday, January 06, 2007
January 6, 2006
Christmas passed away quietly this morning, at home…surrounded by loved ones. Christmas will be remembered as loving, kind, gentle, exciting, magical…and of course…sparkly. It is survived by distant cousins; Easter, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, and the black sheep of the family…Halloween. A short memorial was held in the living room immediately following its demise. Mourners looked on as a 21 marshmallow gun salute was fired into casks of hot chocolate…by a small brigade of nutcrackers. Interment will be in the basement closet...behind the old toy box.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Big Bertha
I fell asleep thinking about Big Bertha...so here she is...just for fun!!
Big Bertha
I was walking along
All alone one day
I missed the bus
Cuz I wanted to play!
I took off my shoes
Untucked my shirt
I jumped and I ran
Drug my toes in the dirt.
Sun high in the sky
Wind puffed at my hair
The playground was mine
Not another soul there!
I swang on the swings
I slid on the slide
I took a big drink
I rode every ride.
I ran to the middle
To the big Oak tree
I climbed up inside
And hung by my knees.
There I was…
Swinging to and fro
When I saw Big Bertha...
Now, wouldn't you know?!
She scared me so bad
I fell to the ground
I jumped to my feet
And made not a sound.
I watched as she came...
She was almost to the tree
Her big scary eyes
Looked straight at me.
My mind was a whirl
My stomach a knot
If the rumors were true
She would smash me...on the spot!
I'd heard all the tales
All the stories of woe
She would rip out your eyes
While she stood on your toe.
She towered over me
Blotting out the sun
Her hair red and wild
My legs wouldn’t run…!
“Are you hurt?” she inquired.
“You fell a long ways!”
“N…no…” I replied.
As I looked in her face.
“Good!” she exclaimed,
“Would you like to play?”
I tensed and I waited…
“…what did you say?”
She grabbed my right hand
Took off at a run
“Come on!” she yelled.
“Let’s have some fun!”
Well, suffice it to say
Big Bertha was FINE
We ran and played
And we had a great time!!
Don’t listen to rumors
Don’t believe what you hear
Big Bertha heard…that I had a tail
And feet like a deer!
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Big Bertha
I was walking along
All alone one day
I missed the bus
Cuz I wanted to play!
I took off my shoes
Untucked my shirt
I jumped and I ran
Drug my toes in the dirt.
Sun high in the sky
Wind puffed at my hair
The playground was mine
Not another soul there!
I swang on the swings
I slid on the slide
I took a big drink
I rode every ride.
I ran to the middle
To the big Oak tree
I climbed up inside
And hung by my knees.
There I was…
Swinging to and fro
When I saw Big Bertha...
Now, wouldn't you know?!
She scared me so bad
I fell to the ground
I jumped to my feet
And made not a sound.
I watched as she came...
She was almost to the tree
Her big scary eyes
Looked straight at me.
My mind was a whirl
My stomach a knot
If the rumors were true
She would smash me...on the spot!
I'd heard all the tales
All the stories of woe
She would rip out your eyes
While she stood on your toe.
She towered over me
Blotting out the sun
Her hair red and wild
My legs wouldn’t run…!
“Are you hurt?” she inquired.
“You fell a long ways!”
“N…no…” I replied.
As I looked in her face.
“Good!” she exclaimed,
“Would you like to play?”
I tensed and I waited…
“…what did you say?”
She grabbed my right hand
Took off at a run
“Come on!” she yelled.
“Let’s have some fun!”
Well, suffice it to say
Big Bertha was FINE
We ran and played
And we had a great time!!
Don’t listen to rumors
Don’t believe what you hear
Big Bertha heard…that I had a tail
And feet like a deer!
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy New Year to everyone...who ever you are...where ever you are...may this year be the best year ever, and just the beginning of a wonderful 'rest of your life'!
Be Happy!!
Be Happy!!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Dangling my feet from a dime...
I'm in a melancholy mood today...I've felt it trying to grab me for a while now. This poem has been in my head since yesterday. So...here it is. This too shall pass.
A Million Tears
Silent teardrops
Flood my soul…
For those departed
Long ago…
Some I held
In warm embrace…
Bestowing kisses
On each face.
Some…
I only longed to hold.
To love and shelter…
From the cold.
Death came swiftly
Stealing them…
That deep, dark presence
On the wind.
It whispers
These are mine…
Now we seek
But cannot find.
Voices lost
In swirling years
In vain…
We shed a million tears.
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved
A Million Tears
Silent teardrops
Flood my soul…
For those departed
Long ago…
Some I held
In warm embrace…
Bestowing kisses
On each face.
Some…
I only longed to hold.
To love and shelter…
From the cold.
Death came swiftly
Stealing them…
That deep, dark presence
On the wind.
It whispers
These are mine…
Now we seek
But cannot find.
Voices lost
In swirling years
In vain…
We shed a million tears.
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Backward Glance...
As I look back over 2006…I realize how anxious I am to see it become a part of the distant past. This year…as a whole…has been one of the worst on record, for us. Notice that I said “one” of the worst…there were a couple even worse than this. Unfortunately, that doesn’t negate the ‘hideosity’ (I made that up) of this one. Following is a list of just a few of the ‘low lights’ of the year…however, it is in no way an ‘all inclusive’ list;
-Shane’s car was robbed (twice)
-Shane’s home was robbed (quite thoroughly)
-Our truck was robbed
-I spent a night in hospital…and narrowly avoided surgery
-Shane had another hernia repair, and a recurrence of an old heart problem
-Marvin’s job was eliminated…he was unemployed for 11 weeks
-My job was…ended…and I was unemployed for 8 weeks
-We both found new jobs…finally…unfortunately…each of us took a sizable cut in pay
-The homes of both of our kids were damaged by baseball sized hailstones
-Shane was privileged to pay to have his entire house replumbed…after the cable guy broke a pipe…which led to further problems
-Chas discovered that putting starch down her disposal…in mass quantities…is a bad idea
-Marvin discovered that just because the plumbing ‘snake’ isn’t coming out where you think it should…doesn’t mean it isn’t coming out anywhere
-Three weeks before Christmas…we had an $800.00 repair bill on the truck…after making the observation that “we haven’t had a large, unexpected expense in a while” (I won’t say that again)
-I tried off and on for the majority of the year…to have some much needed dental work completed…and due to both stints of unemployment…the inability of the dentist to deaden my mouth (a family trait)…and now, the uncontrollable panic that wells up in me at the thought of going back to the dentist…I have yet to be able to finish it
-Marvin’s mom was rushed to hospital at least twice this year…once for a fall…once for heart irregularities
-My step dad has been at the very brink of death’s door…a couple of times this year…and it looks as though he is headed back that way again
-My step mom…is dying…inch by inch…while we watch…unable to do anything to help her
I realize that in the overall scheme of the world…even this partial list…probably seems petty. To us…it has been miserable.
Many of the things on this list have been resolved…many have not. We have been sustained throughout all of this, by the Grace of God, the prayers of friends…and especially… the love that we share as a family (which I thank God for). The countless times that we have comforted each other…laughed together…cried together…helped each other…prayed for each other…and supported each other…have brought us through the valleys.
It is my fervent hope and prayer…that the coming year…will be a bright one…full of hope, love, laughter, prosperity, good health, and happiness...not just for us...but for everyone!
Take time...to laugh, love, and live!
-Shane’s car was robbed (twice)
-Shane’s home was robbed (quite thoroughly)
-Our truck was robbed
-I spent a night in hospital…and narrowly avoided surgery
-Shane had another hernia repair, and a recurrence of an old heart problem
-Marvin’s job was eliminated…he was unemployed for 11 weeks
-My job was…ended…and I was unemployed for 8 weeks
-We both found new jobs…finally…unfortunately…each of us took a sizable cut in pay
-The homes of both of our kids were damaged by baseball sized hailstones
-Shane was privileged to pay to have his entire house replumbed…after the cable guy broke a pipe…which led to further problems
-Chas discovered that putting starch down her disposal…in mass quantities…is a bad idea
-Marvin discovered that just because the plumbing ‘snake’ isn’t coming out where you think it should…doesn’t mean it isn’t coming out anywhere
-Three weeks before Christmas…we had an $800.00 repair bill on the truck…after making the observation that “we haven’t had a large, unexpected expense in a while” (I won’t say that again)
-I tried off and on for the majority of the year…to have some much needed dental work completed…and due to both stints of unemployment…the inability of the dentist to deaden my mouth (a family trait)…and now, the uncontrollable panic that wells up in me at the thought of going back to the dentist…I have yet to be able to finish it
-Marvin’s mom was rushed to hospital at least twice this year…once for a fall…once for heart irregularities
-My step dad has been at the very brink of death’s door…a couple of times this year…and it looks as though he is headed back that way again
-My step mom…is dying…inch by inch…while we watch…unable to do anything to help her
I realize that in the overall scheme of the world…even this partial list…probably seems petty. To us…it has been miserable.
Many of the things on this list have been resolved…many have not. We have been sustained throughout all of this, by the Grace of God, the prayers of friends…and especially… the love that we share as a family (which I thank God for). The countless times that we have comforted each other…laughed together…cried together…helped each other…prayed for each other…and supported each other…have brought us through the valleys.
It is my fervent hope and prayer…that the coming year…will be a bright one…full of hope, love, laughter, prosperity, good health, and happiness...not just for us...but for everyone!
Take time...to laugh, love, and live!
364 shopping days...
Christmas was wonderful!! I couldn’t have asked for it to be any better! We have some traditions in our family that define Christmas…and this year it took some squeezing of the old time table…but we managed to get them all in! Making candy as a family…before Christmas, Christmas eve together, playing games and laughing, sneaking out to fill stockings and place all of those ‘hidden’ gifts under the tree while everyone sleeps, rising early on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought, then Christmas breakfast…are just a few of the things that make Christmas special for us!
I got a mountain of great gifts…and I thank everyone…for everything…but the greatest gift of all…was being together! Everyone under one roof for Christmas eve…waking up together…is a very special part of all of it for me! I treasure all of these things more than I can describe with mere words…and I am so very thankful for the love that we share as a family!
I hope your Christmas was fabulous too! Only 364 shopping days…until we get to do it again!!
Be Well!!
I got a mountain of great gifts…and I thank everyone…for everything…but the greatest gift of all…was being together! Everyone under one roof for Christmas eve…waking up together…is a very special part of all of it for me! I treasure all of these things more than I can describe with mere words…and I am so very thankful for the love that we share as a family!
I hope your Christmas was fabulous too! Only 364 shopping days…until we get to do it again!!
Be Well!!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
You gotta see this...
Copy and paste the following link...it's amazing! Be patient during the intro...it's worth the wait!
http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/search/jerome%20murat/video/xf9oo_jerome-murat
http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/search/jerome%20murat/video/xf9oo_jerome-murat
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
No net...
Tomorrow will be my first attempt at working without a net (my trainer will be out on vacation). I pity them all. The mail is a major event at work, it must be sorted…among over a dozen departments, some opened…SOME NOT OPENED…some date stamped…SOME NOT DATE STAMPED…some logged in…SOME NOT LOGGED IN. The rules are extremely flexible and depend entirely upon the opener knowing individual things about departments and people. Unfortunately…in my zeal to “get the mail done quickly”…today I opened three pieces of “CONFIDENTIAL” mail. Not a happy thing. I am terrified that I will make an error (out of ignorance) that will cause someone to lose their utility service…or not to get it in the first place. Or that I will make an incorrect entry and it will appear that someone who HAS paid their court fine…has not.
In the final analysis…all I can do is my best…I feel like a cat on a hot tin roof!
Be Happy!
In the final analysis…all I can do is my best…I feel like a cat on a hot tin roof!
Be Happy!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Coffeyville...
It’s a dreary Sunday…cloudy, cold, and windy. Hard to believe it is almost Christmas! We went to Coffeyville yesterday to visit my dad and step mom. It was the saddest trip yet. I knew that she was getting worse…but I had no idea how bad she was. There really aren’t words to describe the feelings that we all experienced…and are still experiencing. It is very difficult to see such a lively, vibrant person, reduced to a shadow. As difficult as it was for us…I can’t begin to imagine how painful…emotionally…and how frustrating it was for her. Unable to stand, or even shift positions without assistance…I watched as my dad took care of her every need. They worked together…as one…to move her from the recliner to the wheelchair. She wrapped her arms around his neck, as he wrapped his arms around her, and lifted…telling her softly what their next move would be. He was patient, kind, and so gentle…but in his eyes I saw exhaustion…physical and emotional. As he talked quietly to me…about how she has gone downhill during the past week…his voice quivered almost imperceptibly with fear, worry, and heartbreak.
It has been a long, hard, horrible road for her. She has fought a good fight…better than most of us could. She is undoubtedly, one of the bravest people I have ever known. As we prepare for the inevitable…some human truths become evident. Even though I have known for many months now…that she was terminal…deep inside…I have not accepted it. As long as she was smiling, and walking, and laughing…as long as her outer self belied her inner illness…I have been able to avoid the reality of her mortality. That isn’t possible now. Very soon…we will be without her. Even as I type those words “we will be without her”…I realize that I am still avoiding the stark truth…she will die.
This has been a hard, emotional day. The image of her, so tiny and vulnerable…swallowed up by the enormous recliner, is imbedded firmly in my mind. The hot tears on my cheeks…are confirmation…that my brain and my heart…are now in one accord.
Please keep her, my dad and all of our family in your prayers. I would ask a special prayer for my husband…who will officiate at her funeral. He is feeling the weight of this responsibility.
It has been a long, hard, horrible road for her. She has fought a good fight…better than most of us could. She is undoubtedly, one of the bravest people I have ever known. As we prepare for the inevitable…some human truths become evident. Even though I have known for many months now…that she was terminal…deep inside…I have not accepted it. As long as she was smiling, and walking, and laughing…as long as her outer self belied her inner illness…I have been able to avoid the reality of her mortality. That isn’t possible now. Very soon…we will be without her. Even as I type those words “we will be without her”…I realize that I am still avoiding the stark truth…she will die.
This has been a hard, emotional day. The image of her, so tiny and vulnerable…swallowed up by the enormous recliner, is imbedded firmly in my mind. The hot tears on my cheeks…are confirmation…that my brain and my heart…are now in one accord.
Please keep her, my dad and all of our family in your prayers. I would ask a special prayer for my husband…who will officiate at her funeral. He is feeling the weight of this responsibility.
Friday, December 15, 2006
That night...
Twas the night before Christmas,
when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The government mandated that all should be counted, in order to be taxed. Joseph and Mary began a long journey to the town of Bethleham to register. Mary, heavy with child, sat atop the donkey, her mind full of thoughts about the miracle of her life.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
Tired, and hungry, the two weary travelers arrived only to find that there was no place for them to sleep. The owner of a local inn…took pity on them and offered them his stable for the night.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
Mary and Joseph gave thanks to God for a warm, dry place to sleep. They snuggled down in the fresh straw, covering themselves with their cloaks. They fell fast asleep, exhausted from the long day behind them.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
Mary woke Joseph, excitement filled her soul as she told him that the baby would be born that night. His soft voice comforted her as she brought forth a son. The Son of God.
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
Mary wrapped her son in swaddling cloths, while Joseph filled the manger with fresh, clean straw. The rest of the night, they held each other and watched as the Savior of mankind slept peacefully.
And then, in a twinkling,
I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
Shepherds traveling in the night, were startled by the appearance of a bright star…as they watched over their sheep. An angel came to them and began to speak…
His eyes-how they twinkled!
his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
The angel told the shepherds not to be afraid. “I am here to bring you good news for all people. This night in Bethlehem a baby has been born. He is the one that will save the world. You will know Him because He will be wrapped in cloths, and will be laying in a manger.”
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
The angel was joined by a choir of angels. “Glory to God, and peace to all people on earth.” they sang. Then…as suddenly as they had appeared…they were gone.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
Following the star, the shepherds soon found the stable…and the baby in the manger…just as the angels had said. They fell to their knees and gave thanks to God for this child…who would save even them.
when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The government mandated that all should be counted, in order to be taxed. Joseph and Mary began a long journey to the town of Bethleham to register. Mary, heavy with child, sat atop the donkey, her mind full of thoughts about the miracle of her life.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
Tired, and hungry, the two weary travelers arrived only to find that there was no place for them to sleep. The owner of a local inn…took pity on them and offered them his stable for the night.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
Mary and Joseph gave thanks to God for a warm, dry place to sleep. They snuggled down in the fresh straw, covering themselves with their cloaks. They fell fast asleep, exhausted from the long day behind them.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
Mary woke Joseph, excitement filled her soul as she told him that the baby would be born that night. His soft voice comforted her as she brought forth a son. The Son of God.
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
Mary wrapped her son in swaddling cloths, while Joseph filled the manger with fresh, clean straw. The rest of the night, they held each other and watched as the Savior of mankind slept peacefully.
And then, in a twinkling,
I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
Shepherds traveling in the night, were startled by the appearance of a bright star…as they watched over their sheep. An angel came to them and began to speak…
His eyes-how they twinkled!
his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
The angel told the shepherds not to be afraid. “I am here to bring you good news for all people. This night in Bethlehem a baby has been born. He is the one that will save the world. You will know Him because He will be wrapped in cloths, and will be laying in a manger.”
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
The angel was joined by a choir of angels. “Glory to God, and peace to all people on earth.” they sang. Then…as suddenly as they had appeared…they were gone.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
Following the star, the shepherds soon found the stable…and the baby in the manger…just as the angels had said. They fell to their knees and gave thanks to God for this child…who would save even them.
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
Christmas Story retold by jschoonover
Thursday, December 14, 2006
An old friend...
I received word yesterday that an old friend…had died. Actually…that isn’t true. He did not ‘die’…he drove himself to a local hospital…parked his car in front of it…and blew his brains out. I hadn’t seen him in several years…but he was a friend to my brother and me. I remember him as a warm, fun loving person…a very ‘laid back’ kind of guy…who would give the shirt off his back to anyone who might need it. He never worried about anything really…just accepted life and moved on down the road.
As I pondered the events that precipitated his death…the inequity of life really hit me. He had apparently been in an accident (at work) several years ago, and had injured his back to the point that he was disabled. I don’t know the financial intricacies of his family…but I do know that his wife was employed at a local nursing home, and that they routinely took in foster children. They had no health insurance. A few months ago, he had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance…a 14 mile trip. The charge for that 12 minute ride…was $600.00. That comes to about $50.00 per mile. Being unemployed and uninsured, they were having trouble paying the bill. Apparently, the weight of the debt, and the constant hounding by the hospital, coupled with other financial concerns…was too much.
He parked in front of the hospital, which had been hounding them for the money, wrote them a note, and then shot himself. I’m sure that in some confused way…he felt as though he would be ‘getting even’ with them. Probably not only for hounding him…but for charging such a ridiculous amount of money for the service as well. Unfortunately, they won’t give a crap. Hospitals routinely overcharge for every freaking thing they do/provide…from $50.00 for a Tylenol…to $120.00 for a $10.00 Ace bandage. I understand marking something up…to make a profit and pay the bills…but please. Regardless of his death…they will continue to overcharge…to hound those who can’t pay because they are truly not able to pay…all the while…ripping off the insurance companies of those who are insured…! NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
Meanwhile, his wife, two children, grandchildren…and extended family are left with wounds that will never heal. Not only will they deal with never seeing him, or hearing his voice, or feeling his touch again…but, they will forever wonder if they should have seen the ‘signs’ of his depression. If somehow they did or said something that helped drive him to that last desperate act. They will wonder if they should have, or could have said or done something to keep him alive. They will feel responsible for his death…and the guilt will eat away at them for the rest of their lives. It will affect every aspect of their lives from this point on.
I’m at a loss for words…or even feelings…except supreme sadness for his family. I won’t publish their name here…but I would ask you to pray for them….God knows who they are.
As I pondered the events that precipitated his death…the inequity of life really hit me. He had apparently been in an accident (at work) several years ago, and had injured his back to the point that he was disabled. I don’t know the financial intricacies of his family…but I do know that his wife was employed at a local nursing home, and that they routinely took in foster children. They had no health insurance. A few months ago, he had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance…a 14 mile trip. The charge for that 12 minute ride…was $600.00. That comes to about $50.00 per mile. Being unemployed and uninsured, they were having trouble paying the bill. Apparently, the weight of the debt, and the constant hounding by the hospital, coupled with other financial concerns…was too much.
He parked in front of the hospital, which had been hounding them for the money, wrote them a note, and then shot himself. I’m sure that in some confused way…he felt as though he would be ‘getting even’ with them. Probably not only for hounding him…but for charging such a ridiculous amount of money for the service as well. Unfortunately, they won’t give a crap. Hospitals routinely overcharge for every freaking thing they do/provide…from $50.00 for a Tylenol…to $120.00 for a $10.00 Ace bandage. I understand marking something up…to make a profit and pay the bills…but please. Regardless of his death…they will continue to overcharge…to hound those who can’t pay because they are truly not able to pay…all the while…ripping off the insurance companies of those who are insured…! NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
Meanwhile, his wife, two children, grandchildren…and extended family are left with wounds that will never heal. Not only will they deal with never seeing him, or hearing his voice, or feeling his touch again…but, they will forever wonder if they should have seen the ‘signs’ of his depression. If somehow they did or said something that helped drive him to that last desperate act. They will wonder if they should have, or could have said or done something to keep him alive. They will feel responsible for his death…and the guilt will eat away at them for the rest of their lives. It will affect every aspect of their lives from this point on.
I’m at a loss for words…or even feelings…except supreme sadness for his family. I won’t publish their name here…but I would ask you to pray for them….God knows who they are.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Second day on the job...
It is 58 degrees outside today…with lots of sunshine! I can’t believe it is mid December! While I totally love the warm weather…it isn’t very conducive to Christmas spirit!
I just got home from the second day of my new job. Day one was scary…confusing…and stressful. Day two was fun! I was plunged into several new things…head first! The pace was quick and filled with a multitude of interruptions! Time passed so quickly that it was awesome! I only hope that I remember how to do the things that I ‘learned’ today…tomorrow.
An interesting thing happened just before I left. The mayor called. For just a moment…after she said “Good afternoon! This is Mayor_______”, I froze. I had no idea how to address her. I put her through to her party…then asked the woman who is training me…how to address the Mayor in the future. I was surprised to find out that we are to simply address her by her first name…?! Isn’t that odd?! I’m not sure that I feel comfortable doing that…but I guess I will. When in Rome…!
I have to relate an experience that I had a few days ago…in my job search. Have you ever seen the movie “Mean Girls”? Well, I arrived at an interview…and was told that the woman who was supposed to interview me was out sick…however, the receptionist said that two of her co-workers would see me in her stead. After about 10 minutes…I was called in to a conference room…where I swear to you…I was interviewed by two of the ‘plastics’ from ‘Mean Girls”! While they were not mean to me…I got the distinct impression that they could be! It was hilarious! The job turned out not to be one that I could accept…even if they did call me…it was too temporary…but the interview was interesting! At one point they asked me how I would respond to criticism…for instance…”If you had been doing something a certain way…for a long time…and we told you that it was wrong and we wanted you to do it in a different way! What would you do?” They seemed pleased with my response. Then, they leaned in toward me a bit…as if to confide…and the one with Tammy Faye’s make-up said…”We’ve had a problem in the past with people who just get mad (pause as she rolled her eyes alllll the way back) when you tell them they’re wrong!” The other one bobbed her head up and down…in agreement. I wanted to say “That seems about right!”, instead…I shook my head slightly…and rolled my eyes too. Every time I think about it…I giggle again.
I have a bit of Christmas shopping left to do…so, I’m going to slip on some jeans and hit the mall!! Catch ya on the flip side!
Be Happy!
I just got home from the second day of my new job. Day one was scary…confusing…and stressful. Day two was fun! I was plunged into several new things…head first! The pace was quick and filled with a multitude of interruptions! Time passed so quickly that it was awesome! I only hope that I remember how to do the things that I ‘learned’ today…tomorrow.
An interesting thing happened just before I left. The mayor called. For just a moment…after she said “Good afternoon! This is Mayor_______”, I froze. I had no idea how to address her. I put her through to her party…then asked the woman who is training me…how to address the Mayor in the future. I was surprised to find out that we are to simply address her by her first name…?! Isn’t that odd?! I’m not sure that I feel comfortable doing that…but I guess I will. When in Rome…!
I have to relate an experience that I had a few days ago…in my job search. Have you ever seen the movie “Mean Girls”? Well, I arrived at an interview…and was told that the woman who was supposed to interview me was out sick…however, the receptionist said that two of her co-workers would see me in her stead. After about 10 minutes…I was called in to a conference room…where I swear to you…I was interviewed by two of the ‘plastics’ from ‘Mean Girls”! While they were not mean to me…I got the distinct impression that they could be! It was hilarious! The job turned out not to be one that I could accept…even if they did call me…it was too temporary…but the interview was interesting! At one point they asked me how I would respond to criticism…for instance…”If you had been doing something a certain way…for a long time…and we told you that it was wrong and we wanted you to do it in a different way! What would you do?” They seemed pleased with my response. Then, they leaned in toward me a bit…as if to confide…and the one with Tammy Faye’s make-up said…”We’ve had a problem in the past with people who just get mad (pause as she rolled her eyes alllll the way back) when you tell them they’re wrong!” The other one bobbed her head up and down…in agreement. I wanted to say “That seems about right!”, instead…I shook my head slightly…and rolled my eyes too. Every time I think about it…I giggle again.
I have a bit of Christmas shopping left to do…so, I’m going to slip on some jeans and hit the mall!! Catch ya on the flip side!
Be Happy!
Friday, December 08, 2006
Jody's Christmas Answers...
Stolen from Shane
Here are my answers to some Christmas questions - what are yours?
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?? Hot Chocolate…followed by Egg Nog …and lots of Lactaid!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wraps them.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White lights on the tree, house, garage, and in the yard
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Sometimes.
5. When do you put your decorations up? As soon as I can get away with it!
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mashed potatoes (with lots of that yummy meat gravy) and stuffing!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Christmas at grandma and grandpa’s…One tree for the people, and always a separate one for the pets, homemade candy, people sleeping everywhere on pallets, eggnog, hot chocolate, a beautiful Christmas table (willow ware china, white porcelain gravy boat, jelly in small crystal bowls, Silverware polished and gleaming), Christmas music in the background (Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Wayne Newton), grandpa’s booming voice and laughter as he ‘played Santa’ passing out gifts, lots of flashbulbs going off, Polaroid pictures drying on the mantel.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? The first Christmas after my parents divorced…dad drove 150 miles, in a snowstorm to see us for a couple of hours (at grandma and grandpa’s house) on Christmas Eve. After he left, I lay awake all night…determined to see Santa. He never showed. It was then that I realized that Santa had delivered our gifts in a broken down, backfiring old Chevy, then drove home in a bizzard to spend Christmas day alone.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope!
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Different every year! This year…white lights, red and gold balls, red garland, gold tinsel…and lots of ornaments…many with sentimental attachments!
11. Snow, like it or dread it? Love the snow…hate the cold!
12. Can you ice skate? Love to ice skate!
13. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with my family!
14. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Fudge!
15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Family time on Christmas Eve, then waking in the wee hours of Christmas morning to open gifts!
16. What tops your tree? More lights and garland!
17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving
18. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I love them all!! My favorite spoof on Christmas music is “Walkin Round In Women’s Underwear”!
19. Candy Canes! yuck or yummy? Yummy! I always thought they should be dipped in chocolate though!
20. Favorite Christmas Movie? It’s a Wonderful Life – Miracle on 34th Street – Elf!
Here are my answers to some Christmas questions - what are yours?
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?? Hot Chocolate…followed by Egg Nog …and lots of Lactaid!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wraps them.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White lights on the tree, house, garage, and in the yard
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Sometimes.
5. When do you put your decorations up? As soon as I can get away with it!
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mashed potatoes (with lots of that yummy meat gravy) and stuffing!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Christmas at grandma and grandpa’s…One tree for the people, and always a separate one for the pets, homemade candy, people sleeping everywhere on pallets, eggnog, hot chocolate, a beautiful Christmas table (willow ware china, white porcelain gravy boat, jelly in small crystal bowls, Silverware polished and gleaming), Christmas music in the background (Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Wayne Newton), grandpa’s booming voice and laughter as he ‘played Santa’ passing out gifts, lots of flashbulbs going off, Polaroid pictures drying on the mantel.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? The first Christmas after my parents divorced…dad drove 150 miles, in a snowstorm to see us for a couple of hours (at grandma and grandpa’s house) on Christmas Eve. After he left, I lay awake all night…determined to see Santa. He never showed. It was then that I realized that Santa had delivered our gifts in a broken down, backfiring old Chevy, then drove home in a bizzard to spend Christmas day alone.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope!
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Different every year! This year…white lights, red and gold balls, red garland, gold tinsel…and lots of ornaments…many with sentimental attachments!
11. Snow, like it or dread it? Love the snow…hate the cold!
12. Can you ice skate? Love to ice skate!
13. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with my family!
14. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Fudge!
15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Family time on Christmas Eve, then waking in the wee hours of Christmas morning to open gifts!
16. What tops your tree? More lights and garland!
17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving
18. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I love them all!! My favorite spoof on Christmas music is “Walkin Round In Women’s Underwear”!
19. Candy Canes! yuck or yummy? Yummy! I always thought they should be dipped in chocolate though!
20. Favorite Christmas Movie? It’s a Wonderful Life – Miracle on 34th Street – Elf!
Be Happy!
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Christmas Magic...
She smiled in the dark
As she pulled up the quilt,
It was all she could do
Not to let out a squeal!
Aromas of Christmas
Tickled her nose,
The thought of sweet goodies
Curled up her toes!
The fragrance of cinnamon,
and cookies, and fudge…
And bon bons, and candy canes,
All the things that she loved…
The smell was so full,
and so rich…and so good…
In a matter of minutes…
On the landing she stood.
Clutching Hairy Bear
Under one arm…
She crept down the stairs
Intending no harm.
As her foot touched the carpet
She breathed a deep sigh,
She looked down at Hairy
Who looked back with one eye.
“We made it”…she whispered,
Her heart pounding hard…
As she tiptoed to the kitchen
Hairy hanging by his arm!
It was then that she noticed
The mud in the hall…
As she slid straight through it,
Right into the wall!
Struggling to stand,
She grabbed at the tree
A morbid mistake,
For
The
Holy Family…
Next to the fireplace, they stood so serene
In the shelter of the stable
Under the Angels spread wings…
Their sheep, and their goats…
All their nice Holy things.
The tree shuddered and shook,
As she danced all around
Her feet coated with mud
Still… she made not a sound…
Losing her grip
On the tall sturdy pine
She slid headlong
Into the divine…
Joseph maintained
A serious aire…
As he crashed halo first
Into the stair.
Mary and Jesus remaining intact…
Came to rest in the umbrella rack…
The sheep, and the goats, and a camel or two,
Plunged into the fish tank…
The Angel askew.
Her eyes wide with wonder
Her appetite gone…
She thought and she pondered…
Where had she gone wrong??
Just then, from the chimney…
She heard a big Whoosh…
A fat man in red…
Plopped out on his tush!!
Her eyes wide with wonder
At what she could see
She crawled away quickly
Neath’ the half fallen tree.
He turned his head slowly
Surveying the room…
The joy in his eyes
Turned quickly to gloom…
“Oh my…” he said softly,
“What a mess we have here…
Mayhem and mischief,
That looks pretty clear…”
“All I wanted”..she sighed,
“Was something to eat…
Some warm apple pie,
Or candy, or…anything sweet!”
With the raise of his hands,
The room came alive…
He turned and he waved,
Bushy brows lifted high.
A mystical breeze…
Ever so slight,
Tousled her hair…
As all…was made right.
Order restored…
The old man grinned wide,
Walking straight to her…
He took her aside.
“Cookies and candy,
In your stocking will be,
Leave the late night carousing…
Only to me!”
With that he escorted her
Up the stairs, straight away…
As he tucked in the covers,
He had this to say…
Merry Christmas my dear one,
And Yes, it is true…
Christmas is magic…
This magic’s…for you!
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
As she pulled up the quilt,
It was all she could do
Not to let out a squeal!
Aromas of Christmas
Tickled her nose,
The thought of sweet goodies
Curled up her toes!
The fragrance of cinnamon,
and cookies, and fudge…
And bon bons, and candy canes,
All the things that she loved…
The smell was so full,
and so rich…and so good…
In a matter of minutes…
On the landing she stood.
Clutching Hairy Bear
Under one arm…
She crept down the stairs
Intending no harm.
As her foot touched the carpet
She breathed a deep sigh,
She looked down at Hairy
Who looked back with one eye.
“We made it”…she whispered,
Her heart pounding hard…
As she tiptoed to the kitchen
Hairy hanging by his arm!
It was then that she noticed
The mud in the hall…
As she slid straight through it,
Right into the wall!
Struggling to stand,
She grabbed at the tree
A morbid mistake,
For
The
Holy Family…
Next to the fireplace, they stood so serene
In the shelter of the stable
Under the Angels spread wings…
Their sheep, and their goats…
All their nice Holy things.
The tree shuddered and shook,
As she danced all around
Her feet coated with mud
Still… she made not a sound…
Losing her grip
On the tall sturdy pine
She slid headlong
Into the divine…
Joseph maintained
A serious aire…
As he crashed halo first
Into the stair.
Mary and Jesus remaining intact…
Came to rest in the umbrella rack…
The sheep, and the goats, and a camel or two,
Plunged into the fish tank…
The Angel askew.
Her eyes wide with wonder
Her appetite gone…
She thought and she pondered…
Where had she gone wrong??
Just then, from the chimney…
She heard a big Whoosh…
A fat man in red…
Plopped out on his tush!!
Her eyes wide with wonder
At what she could see
She crawled away quickly
Neath’ the half fallen tree.
He turned his head slowly
Surveying the room…
The joy in his eyes
Turned quickly to gloom…
“Oh my…” he said softly,
“What a mess we have here…
Mayhem and mischief,
That looks pretty clear…”
“All I wanted”..she sighed,
“Was something to eat…
Some warm apple pie,
Or candy, or…anything sweet!”
With the raise of his hands,
The room came alive…
He turned and he waved,
Bushy brows lifted high.
A mystical breeze…
Ever so slight,
Tousled her hair…
As all…was made right.
Order restored…
The old man grinned wide,
Walking straight to her…
He took her aside.
“Cookies and candy,
In your stocking will be,
Leave the late night carousing…
Only to me!”
With that he escorted her
Up the stairs, straight away…
As he tucked in the covers,
He had this to say…
Merry Christmas my dear one,
And Yes, it is true…
Christmas is magic…
This magic’s…for you!
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
I'm an idiot...again...
I've spent the evening agonizing over whether or not to accept a job that I was offered...because the money stinks. In my manic stew...with psycho broth...I did not stop even one time to consider...that last night, and again before the interview this morning...I prayed a very distinct prayer. I asked God to make it absolutely clear to me what to do...should I be offered this job. In fact...my specific verbiage was "If it is Your will, then please let them offer me the job...if it is not...please keep them from offering me the job at all! Please be in complete control God...Don't let them even offer it...if it isn't your will for me!" Then...I went to the interview...and within hours...they offered it to me. I didn't even calm down enough from what my brain was saying...to remember what my heart had requested.
As I was preparing for bed a few minutes ago...the request that I made of God this morning...flashed back to me. I am such an idiot...again. I don't know why I am supposed to take this job...but at least now...I know that I AM supposed to take it!
Be Well!
As I was preparing for bed a few minutes ago...the request that I made of God this morning...flashed back to me. I am such an idiot...again. I don't know why I am supposed to take this job...but at least now...I know that I AM supposed to take it!
Be Well!
Blogger block...
It’s been a few days…I just haven’t had the…heart for blog. I have sat down several times, intending to write…but just went blank. It’s been a chaotic few days. But finally, things seem to be leveling out a bit…I hope. During the snowstorm last week, Marvin’s truck quit running…while he was at work downtown. On Friday, it started just long enough to get him up onto the elevated road coming home…and Shane right behind him. After heroic efforts…everything but ‘mouth to mouth’ on the engine…they called a tow truck and had it taken to the shop. By Monday evening, the truck was fixed…although the cost was extremely high…thank heavens for Visa. During the time the truck was down…Marvin finally conceded that my heater was indeed broken (it hasn’t worked properly for two years). The bad news is that we drove around all weekend with no heater…the good news is that it turned out to be a simple problem…and very inexpensive to fix! It is now warm and toasty!
I had an interview today…for a job that won’t pay much…but at least it’s a job. I heard this afternoon that they were already checking my references. We’ll see how that goes…I’m really torn.
Shane’s been very sick for two days, and Marvin is on the verge of illness. ‘Tis’ the season for colds and flu! I hope they heal quickly and the rest of us escape it!
I just reread all of this…I seem to be a bit more melancholy than I thought…I think I will sign off for now and go find some chocolate.
Be Well!
I had an interview today…for a job that won’t pay much…but at least it’s a job. I heard this afternoon that they were already checking my references. We’ll see how that goes…I’m really torn.
Shane’s been very sick for two days, and Marvin is on the verge of illness. ‘Tis’ the season for colds and flu! I hope they heal quickly and the rest of us escape it!
I just reread all of this…I seem to be a bit more melancholy than I thought…I think I will sign off for now and go find some chocolate.
Be Well!
Friday, December 01, 2006
To CJ...
I don’t know whether you will see this or not…but just in case you drop by my blog (and I hope that you do), I just want to let you know how much I have enjoyed reading your blog. A glimpse of daily life in a place so far from my own…different customs, different holidays, even different vernacular…has been so interesting! Most of all, it has taught me how alike people are…no matter where they live! We all have the same concerns…and the same joys…and the same need to express ourselves! Even though I regret not being able to access your blog now, and I will miss sharing a tiny corner of your life, I totally understand the changes that you have made….and I applaud you! You have found a way to continue to write and to use your blog as YOU see fit! It makes me smile to know that they did not keep you down…that you had the spunk, tenacity, and rebel spirit…to triumph! YOU GO GIRL!! I wish you the best always!!
Be Happy!
Be Happy!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Do you see...
Do you see snow like this...
Snow fell on the autumn landscape,
white-out
on Monet.
Concealing brilliant hues,
yellow, orange, red, and gold.
Leaving in its wake
a blank canvas,
stark,
sterile,
void of interest.
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Or like this...
Geese cut through
Thick, grey winter skies…
A cold wind blows.
Dancing in the downdraft
Glittering fairies on the wind
Cling to everything.
Cloaked in softness…
The desolate landscape
Becomes a wonderland.
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Be Happy!
Snow fell on the autumn landscape,
white-out
on Monet.
Concealing brilliant hues,
yellow, orange, red, and gold.
Leaving in its wake
a blank canvas,
stark,
sterile,
void of interest.
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Or like this...
Geese cut through
Thick, grey winter skies…
A cold wind blows.
Dancing in the downdraft
Glittering fairies on the wind
Cling to everything.
Cloaked in softness…
The desolate landscape
Becomes a wonderland.
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Be Happy!
Blog log...
6:30 – Got out of bed and stumbled into the living room where Marvin was already snuggled under a blanket on the couch, watching the news. Made my way to the kitchen, where I debated whether I needed to get warm (coffee) or wake up (diet coke) worse. Warmth won out.
7:00 – Packed a lunch for Marvin so that he wouldn’t have to worry about negotiating the icy streets at noon. Put in two extra pieces of banana bread…just because.
7:15 – Made sure the garage door shut as Marvin pulled out…it has a habit of popping back up if the temp is below freezing. Went back in to find that diet coke.
7:45 – Got in the shower…cascading, hot water is sooooo fabulous!
8:45 – Left to run errands before the weather hits. The wind is blowing, and the temp is cold, but the air is dry. Thick, heavy, grey clouds blanket the sky above me. I watch for deer…hoping that they have the good sense to stay curled up in a nice warm thicket somewhere. I pass a opossum pancake in the road…I blink back tears as my heart breaks for his opossum family in the loss of their loved one…I hate PMS.
9:05 – I picked up printer paper at Office Max…where I was offered a cup of hot coffee by a monotone 20 year old…whose mindless inquiries reminded me of an old ‘B’ movie…in black and white.
9:15 – I went through the drive through at the bank to make a deposit. The girl in the window pronounces my name right…I wonder if she knows my son.
9:20 – I am perusing the food aisles in Dillons while I wait for my prescriptions to be ready. People are subdued…most in a hurry…all on a mission. I call both kids to offer to run errands, pick up groceries for them etc, so that they won’t have to brave the snow packed streets after a long day at work…both decline.
10:10 – I finally leave Dillons after correcting a mix-up over prescriptions and insurance. I am reluctant to let a carry out person help me…the weather has intensified while I have been shopping…and I am sure that by the time they leave work today, every carry out person here will be frozen to the bone. I take my own cart out. Once outside, I regret my decision. Not only is it snowing …the wind is blowing so hard that it is snowing sideways. I open the trunk and reach into the cart for a bag…the trunk blows shut. I turn to reopen the trunk and the cart takes off. I retrieve the cart, hook my foot behind the front wheel, hold the trunk open with my left hand and empty the cart with my right. All the while, my purse is beating the crap out of my side as it flaps in the wind…and my face is covered with a thin coating of watery eye goo, running make-up, and snot…and it is frozen. I wonder if this is what a chemical peel is like.
10:30 – I pull into the garage…unload the trunk, and wait again to be sure that the garage door stays shut.
11:00 – The mailman pulls up to the house next door…I watch out the window, hoping that he drives right on by our box. Nuts….he stopped. I pull on my heavy coat, scarf, gloves, and slip my feet into the shoes that I left by the door…then decide that if I am going back out there…I will make it count. I go back upstairs, pull the trash bag out of the kitchen can, put in a fresh bag and tie the full one shut. As the garage door opens, it moans and groans…I think to myself “Shut up you wiener!” Stepping out into the blizzard I am reminded of the trunk incident…as I fight with the garbage bin.
11:15 – Boogie with Stu (Led Zeppelin) helped make quick work of cutting out another blanket! Rock is awesome!
1:13 – After taking time for a bowl of the nastiest chili soup I’ve had in a while (Campbells Southwest Chili), I finish tying the third blanket! It is still snowing…like the very Dickens (whatever that means). I begin to cut the fourth blanket.
2:32 – Just as I finish tying the fourth blanket, “Old Time Rock and Roll” begins to play…and I pause to feel it. Heavy snow is still coming down, though the flakes are smaller (usually a sign that the end is near). Weather.com shows much more heading toward us…we’ll see...but I think they are wrong.
3:36 – The snow has stopped. I think about going out to measure it…but the wind is still blowing…hard. The high winds have drifted the snowfall enough that I think an accurate measurement will be almost impossible…there are huge areas that are barely covered…while the areas next to those appear to be several inches or more deep. It is beautiful.
Be Happy!
7:00 – Packed a lunch for Marvin so that he wouldn’t have to worry about negotiating the icy streets at noon. Put in two extra pieces of banana bread…just because.
7:15 – Made sure the garage door shut as Marvin pulled out…it has a habit of popping back up if the temp is below freezing. Went back in to find that diet coke.
7:45 – Got in the shower…cascading, hot water is sooooo fabulous!
8:45 – Left to run errands before the weather hits. The wind is blowing, and the temp is cold, but the air is dry. Thick, heavy, grey clouds blanket the sky above me. I watch for deer…hoping that they have the good sense to stay curled up in a nice warm thicket somewhere. I pass a opossum pancake in the road…I blink back tears as my heart breaks for his opossum family in the loss of their loved one…I hate PMS.
9:05 – I picked up printer paper at Office Max…where I was offered a cup of hot coffee by a monotone 20 year old…whose mindless inquiries reminded me of an old ‘B’ movie…in black and white.
9:15 – I went through the drive through at the bank to make a deposit. The girl in the window pronounces my name right…I wonder if she knows my son.
9:20 – I am perusing the food aisles in Dillons while I wait for my prescriptions to be ready. People are subdued…most in a hurry…all on a mission. I call both kids to offer to run errands, pick up groceries for them etc, so that they won’t have to brave the snow packed streets after a long day at work…both decline.
10:10 – I finally leave Dillons after correcting a mix-up over prescriptions and insurance. I am reluctant to let a carry out person help me…the weather has intensified while I have been shopping…and I am sure that by the time they leave work today, every carry out person here will be frozen to the bone. I take my own cart out. Once outside, I regret my decision. Not only is it snowing …the wind is blowing so hard that it is snowing sideways. I open the trunk and reach into the cart for a bag…the trunk blows shut. I turn to reopen the trunk and the cart takes off. I retrieve the cart, hook my foot behind the front wheel, hold the trunk open with my left hand and empty the cart with my right. All the while, my purse is beating the crap out of my side as it flaps in the wind…and my face is covered with a thin coating of watery eye goo, running make-up, and snot…and it is frozen. I wonder if this is what a chemical peel is like.
10:30 – I pull into the garage…unload the trunk, and wait again to be sure that the garage door stays shut.
11:00 – The mailman pulls up to the house next door…I watch out the window, hoping that he drives right on by our box. Nuts….he stopped. I pull on my heavy coat, scarf, gloves, and slip my feet into the shoes that I left by the door…then decide that if I am going back out there…I will make it count. I go back upstairs, pull the trash bag out of the kitchen can, put in a fresh bag and tie the full one shut. As the garage door opens, it moans and groans…I think to myself “Shut up you wiener!” Stepping out into the blizzard I am reminded of the trunk incident…as I fight with the garbage bin.
11:15 – Boogie with Stu (Led Zeppelin) helped make quick work of cutting out another blanket! Rock is awesome!
1:13 – After taking time for a bowl of the nastiest chili soup I’ve had in a while (Campbells Southwest Chili), I finish tying the third blanket! It is still snowing…like the very Dickens (whatever that means). I begin to cut the fourth blanket.
2:32 – Just as I finish tying the fourth blanket, “Old Time Rock and Roll” begins to play…and I pause to feel it. Heavy snow is still coming down, though the flakes are smaller (usually a sign that the end is near). Weather.com shows much more heading toward us…we’ll see...but I think they are wrong.
3:36 – The snow has stopped. I think about going out to measure it…but the wind is still blowing…hard. The high winds have drifted the snowfall enough that I think an accurate measurement will be almost impossible…there are huge areas that are barely covered…while the areas next to those appear to be several inches or more deep. It is beautiful.
Be Happy!
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
It's been a day...
A dreary, cold Wednesday. Heavy cloud cover, temps in the 30s, and…believe it or not…thunder, lightening, and hail mixed with sleet…off and on all day! Very strange!
I decided not to risk the icy highways unnecessarily today, so I stayed in and had a very productive day!
1 - After almost 2 hours online, I found another position to apply for, so I did that first!
2 – I got out the gift wrapping paraphernalia and wrapped all of the gifts that we have purchased so far…except one…which I will have to find a box for.
3 – I cut out and tied two blankets (to be given as gifts).
4 – I made a loaf of banana bread.
I usually don’t even turn the TV on during the day…I much prefer music. Today, however, I was working with the blankets on the living room floor, so I turned it on. In my estimation…daytime TV is the most pitiful…absolutely pointless thing possible. I flipped through channel after channel…Tyra Banks and an entire audience in their underwear…Megan Mullaly and some guy doing a sorry Tom Cruise imitation (jumping up and down on her couch)…and three different mock court shows, with outrageous people suing each other for stupid things, while manic judges presided…I finally came across an old movie channel and listened to Cary Grant lament being stuck on the island with all those females (Father Goose)…for an hour or so while I worked. It’s sad that a movie older than dirt…is the best thing on.
The forecast has changed during the last few minutes. We were only supposed to get a little sleet today, then cold but dry tomorrow…now they have decided that we will have a ‘significant winter event’ during the night tonight, and throughout tomorrow! Sounds like a good day to finish the last two blankets!!
Be Happy!
I decided not to risk the icy highways unnecessarily today, so I stayed in and had a very productive day!
1 - After almost 2 hours online, I found another position to apply for, so I did that first!
2 – I got out the gift wrapping paraphernalia and wrapped all of the gifts that we have purchased so far…except one…which I will have to find a box for.
3 – I cut out and tied two blankets (to be given as gifts).
4 – I made a loaf of banana bread.
I usually don’t even turn the TV on during the day…I much prefer music. Today, however, I was working with the blankets on the living room floor, so I turned it on. In my estimation…daytime TV is the most pitiful…absolutely pointless thing possible. I flipped through channel after channel…Tyra Banks and an entire audience in their underwear…Megan Mullaly and some guy doing a sorry Tom Cruise imitation (jumping up and down on her couch)…and three different mock court shows, with outrageous people suing each other for stupid things, while manic judges presided…I finally came across an old movie channel and listened to Cary Grant lament being stuck on the island with all those females (Father Goose)…for an hour or so while I worked. It’s sad that a movie older than dirt…is the best thing on.
The forecast has changed during the last few minutes. We were only supposed to get a little sleet today, then cold but dry tomorrow…now they have decided that we will have a ‘significant winter event’ during the night tonight, and throughout tomorrow! Sounds like a good day to finish the last two blankets!!
Be Happy!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Bad boy...bad boy...
I spent the afternoon running errands, trying to beat the cold, wet, blustery weather that is coming tonight! It is so amazing outside today that it seems inconceivable that by midnight, the change will be so drastic! The temperature right now is 70 degrees…the sun is shining, and a warm breeze is blowing…and it is November 28! How weird is that! By this time tomorrow…heavy cloud cover, COLD winds, temps in the 30’s and freezing rain! Holy cow!
I was pulling out of Sonic (on West 21st), watching the traffic fly by at 40-50 mph, bumper to bumper…wondering how there aren’t more accidents…when the guy in front of me decided to shoot across four lanes of traffic. Unfortunately, the girl on the other side of the street had the same thought at the same time! You guessed it…they hit head on! They had neither one had enough time or space to pick up much speed, so they smashed together with a loud metallic bong…each one bounced backwards a few feet…then they sat there staring at each other as though they couldn’t quite process what had just happened. Finally, after several seconds, they both pulled across into Sonic to survey the damage and exchange info. Thankfully…both were driving POS’s.
Do you ever watch people…and imagine what their theme song should be? As I was going into Wal-Mart today, an aging, tattooed man with a long gray pony tail, sat just inside the foyer. He was wearing a Harley T-shirt, and sporting a doo-rag …obviously appraising every female who entered the store…I chuckled as “I’m a Girl Watcher” by the O’Kaysions ran through my head! Once inside…I was passed in the aisle by a guy who strutted for all he was worth, obviously, in his world, he was all of that AND a bag of chips…I wanted to shout… “You’re So Vain” (Carly Simon). Then…as I tried, unsuccessfully, to reach an item on the rack in front of me, a little boy paraded back and forth (between me and the rack). His mother stood by…oblivious to the child as he prevented me from touching the item in question. He was definitely…”Bad To The Bone” (George Thorogood)! And I had to wonder…”What cha gonna do when they come for you…Bad Boy…Bad Boy!”
My mind is weird.
Be Happy!
I was pulling out of Sonic (on West 21st), watching the traffic fly by at 40-50 mph, bumper to bumper…wondering how there aren’t more accidents…when the guy in front of me decided to shoot across four lanes of traffic. Unfortunately, the girl on the other side of the street had the same thought at the same time! You guessed it…they hit head on! They had neither one had enough time or space to pick up much speed, so they smashed together with a loud metallic bong…each one bounced backwards a few feet…then they sat there staring at each other as though they couldn’t quite process what had just happened. Finally, after several seconds, they both pulled across into Sonic to survey the damage and exchange info. Thankfully…both were driving POS’s.
Do you ever watch people…and imagine what their theme song should be? As I was going into Wal-Mart today, an aging, tattooed man with a long gray pony tail, sat just inside the foyer. He was wearing a Harley T-shirt, and sporting a doo-rag …obviously appraising every female who entered the store…I chuckled as “I’m a Girl Watcher” by the O’Kaysions ran through my head! Once inside…I was passed in the aisle by a guy who strutted for all he was worth, obviously, in his world, he was all of that AND a bag of chips…I wanted to shout… “You’re So Vain” (Carly Simon). Then…as I tried, unsuccessfully, to reach an item on the rack in front of me, a little boy paraded back and forth (between me and the rack). His mother stood by…oblivious to the child as he prevented me from touching the item in question. He was definitely…”Bad To The Bone” (George Thorogood)! And I had to wonder…”What cha gonna do when they come for you…Bad Boy…Bad Boy!”
My mind is weird.
Be Happy!
Monday, November 27, 2006
Aftermath...
It’s over…Thanksgiving has come and gone in a flurry of activity! Here’s a recap –
Thursday – Dinner at Chas’s house! All of the Ark City crew…was invited. We ended up with 11 for the day…not a bad count when you consider how many showed up last year (0)! The meal was spectacular with ‘melt-in-your-mouth turkey’, parmesan garlic smashed potatoes, Stuffing, gravy, and all the trimmings! We ate until we could eat no more, then the men moved to the living room for football on the big screen, and the women gathered around the main table for an afternoon of conversation. As usual, the talk was lively and varied…with lots of laughter! At one point however, my sister made some comments that could not have possibly caught me more off guard…about the past. I have always felt that the three of us were very close growing up…I have always felt a special bond with both of my siblings. However, it seems that she did not feel the same. I now wonder if perhaps my brother shares her lack of those feelings. That could explain a lot these days. I have been saddened in recent months at what seemed to be a lack of any desire (on their part) to stay in contact…to maintain a relationship. I lay awake almost all night on Thursday…her words echoing in my ears. At first I cried…then I replayed the years in my mind…trying to understand how she could not have felt that same connection. Perhaps the closeness that I felt was due to the fact that I was the oldest, the caretaker, and the protector…a little girl playing the part of the mommy. Different people deal with situations in different ways, so perhaps they simply dealt with the ugliness of our childhood by detaching their hearts…while I searched desperately for someone to love and be loved by. I truly don’t know. A part of me hurts deeply…I feel like I have lost something, but I guess it isn’t possible to lose…what you never had. I know that I will continue to consider these things…to try to figure it out…maybe for the rest of my life. One more kick in the gut from the past.
Friday – We celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary on Friday! 33 years, married to the same wonderful man! If I had it to do again…I would do it just the same! We spent the day Christmas shopping, then around 8:00 p.m.; we went out to Botanica and took the holiday light tour…wrapping up the evening at the Hotel in Old Town! It was a wonderful day!
Saturday – More Christmas shopping, then home to unpack, and put up the outdoor Christmas lights! In the evening, we made a Blockbuster run, and picked up The Da Vinci Code (watched it Saturday), and Ice Age, The Meltdown (watched it Sunday). Both movies were very good…Ice Age was hilarious, and Da Vinci Code…was good…but disturbing. I am well grounded in my faith…so to me it was simply a movie…fiction. I shudder to think of the impact that it could have on someone not aware of Biblical truth…someone searching for truth.
Sunday – Church, lunch with the kids, then home to finish those outdoor Christmas lights! By evening, we were both exhausted. We made a late run to return the movies to Blockbuster, then drove through the ‘Lights on the Lake” display at Heartspring. Finally, a hot shower, warm PJ’s, and some IM chat, while Marvin beat me at Deal or No Deal!
28 shopping days until Christmas!
Be Happy!
Thursday – Dinner at Chas’s house! All of the Ark City crew…was invited. We ended up with 11 for the day…not a bad count when you consider how many showed up last year (0)! The meal was spectacular with ‘melt-in-your-mouth turkey’, parmesan garlic smashed potatoes, Stuffing, gravy, and all the trimmings! We ate until we could eat no more, then the men moved to the living room for football on the big screen, and the women gathered around the main table for an afternoon of conversation. As usual, the talk was lively and varied…with lots of laughter! At one point however, my sister made some comments that could not have possibly caught me more off guard…about the past. I have always felt that the three of us were very close growing up…I have always felt a special bond with both of my siblings. However, it seems that she did not feel the same. I now wonder if perhaps my brother shares her lack of those feelings. That could explain a lot these days. I have been saddened in recent months at what seemed to be a lack of any desire (on their part) to stay in contact…to maintain a relationship. I lay awake almost all night on Thursday…her words echoing in my ears. At first I cried…then I replayed the years in my mind…trying to understand how she could not have felt that same connection. Perhaps the closeness that I felt was due to the fact that I was the oldest, the caretaker, and the protector…a little girl playing the part of the mommy. Different people deal with situations in different ways, so perhaps they simply dealt with the ugliness of our childhood by detaching their hearts…while I searched desperately for someone to love and be loved by. I truly don’t know. A part of me hurts deeply…I feel like I have lost something, but I guess it isn’t possible to lose…what you never had. I know that I will continue to consider these things…to try to figure it out…maybe for the rest of my life. One more kick in the gut from the past.
Friday – We celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary on Friday! 33 years, married to the same wonderful man! If I had it to do again…I would do it just the same! We spent the day Christmas shopping, then around 8:00 p.m.; we went out to Botanica and took the holiday light tour…wrapping up the evening at the Hotel in Old Town! It was a wonderful day!
Saturday – More Christmas shopping, then home to unpack, and put up the outdoor Christmas lights! In the evening, we made a Blockbuster run, and picked up The Da Vinci Code (watched it Saturday), and Ice Age, The Meltdown (watched it Sunday). Both movies were very good…Ice Age was hilarious, and Da Vinci Code…was good…but disturbing. I am well grounded in my faith…so to me it was simply a movie…fiction. I shudder to think of the impact that it could have on someone not aware of Biblical truth…someone searching for truth.
Sunday – Church, lunch with the kids, then home to finish those outdoor Christmas lights! By evening, we were both exhausted. We made a late run to return the movies to Blockbuster, then drove through the ‘Lights on the Lake” display at Heartspring. Finally, a hot shower, warm PJ’s, and some IM chat, while Marvin beat me at Deal or No Deal!
28 shopping days until Christmas!
Be Happy!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Just a few of the things I am thankful for…
*My family...the most wonderful husband and children on earth! Their love for me and for each other, and their never-ending tolerance and acceptance of my multitudinous eccentricities... overwhelms me!
*Our faith and salvation…an immeasurable gift.
*Friends…in far away places…caring and sharing…life.
*Prosperity…a warm, dry, clean home…full of love.
*Memories…good ones to warm me…bad ones to warn me. I thank God for both.
*Chocolate…the true angel food.
*Diet Coke…to help alleviate the guilt of the chocolate.
*Sunshine…to warm my skin and lift my spirit.
*Warm breezes...touching my face, tousling my hair, calming my heart.
*Rock and Roll…it really does sooth my soul.
*The written word…it frees my mind.
*Astounding sunrises…which start my day off with joy.
*Amazing sunsets…which give me peace as the darkness comes.
*The Geese…for their beauty and grace.
*Laughter…it really is the best medicine!
Be Happy!
*My family...the most wonderful husband and children on earth! Their love for me and for each other, and their never-ending tolerance and acceptance of my multitudinous eccentricities... overwhelms me!
*Our faith and salvation…an immeasurable gift.
*Friends…in far away places…caring and sharing…life.
*Prosperity…a warm, dry, clean home…full of love.
*Memories…good ones to warm me…bad ones to warn me. I thank God for both.
*Chocolate…the true angel food.
*Diet Coke…to help alleviate the guilt of the chocolate.
*Sunshine…to warm my skin and lift my spirit.
*Warm breezes...touching my face, tousling my hair, calming my heart.
*Rock and Roll…it really does sooth my soul.
*The written word…it frees my mind.
*Astounding sunrises…which start my day off with joy.
*Amazing sunsets…which give me peace as the darkness comes.
*The Geese…for their beauty and grace.
*Laughter…it really is the best medicine!
Be Happy!
To be or not to be...Politically Correct...
I was recently made aware (by a dear friend), that I have been guilty of being politically incorrect. I confess…I am.
In my estimation…”Politically Correct” has come to mean some very disturbing things. To be “Politically Correct”…is to never offend anyone, anywhere, anytime, in any manner…at any cost. I believe that the cost…is too high. In times past, facts were facts…truth was truth, right was right, and wrong was wrong. Not so anymore. Since the rearing of the ugly head of PC…we have become more concerned with verbiage…than with substance. We spend so much time, considering whether a statement is PC…that we fail to analyze whether the event that we are describing, is moral or ethical, whether it is right or wrong. We have sacrificed too much…in the quest to be known as a “Politically Correct” people. Like so many things…this concept has run amuck.
Lady Justice stands proudly…with her blindfold firmly in place. At her inception…she wore the blindfold…in an effort to convey justice and freedom…without discrimination. Perhaps we should add ear plugs and a gag…and a new meaning to her accoutrements. See no evil…hear no evil…and offend no evil.
I submit to you…that life…is not politically correct. While I do not suggest that we abandon all sensibilities…I do suggest a moratorium on “Political Correctness”…and a return to common sense, honest communication, decency, morality, and ethics.
Be Happy!
In my estimation…”Politically Correct” has come to mean some very disturbing things. To be “Politically Correct”…is to never offend anyone, anywhere, anytime, in any manner…at any cost. I believe that the cost…is too high. In times past, facts were facts…truth was truth, right was right, and wrong was wrong. Not so anymore. Since the rearing of the ugly head of PC…we have become more concerned with verbiage…than with substance. We spend so much time, considering whether a statement is PC…that we fail to analyze whether the event that we are describing, is moral or ethical, whether it is right or wrong. We have sacrificed too much…in the quest to be known as a “Politically Correct” people. Like so many things…this concept has run amuck.
Lady Justice stands proudly…with her blindfold firmly in place. At her inception…she wore the blindfold…in an effort to convey justice and freedom…without discrimination. Perhaps we should add ear plugs and a gag…and a new meaning to her accoutrements. See no evil…hear no evil…and offend no evil.
I submit to you…that life…is not politically correct. While I do not suggest that we abandon all sensibilities…I do suggest a moratorium on “Political Correctness”…and a return to common sense, honest communication, decency, morality, and ethics.
Be Happy!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
U S Airways...
As long as Muslims continue to blow themselves up...we will continue to fear for our own safety when confronted with actions such as the ones preceding the removal of the six Imams from the US Airways flight on Monday. What right thinking person wouldn't? How are we to know when they are simply praying for safety as they travel...and when they are 'cleansing' themselves in preparation for a suicide mission? The rest of the world should not be made to feel guilty, or ignorant...for acts of self preservation...such as ejecting suspicious people from a plane. Perhaps the Muslim community as a whole...is not at fault...but they need to wake up...and look at the state of this world in the light of reality. Are they really surprised that we...non-muslim people are suspicious of people who suscribe to a faith which tells them to kill the infidels...when we ARE the infidels? They have the right to believe what they want to believe...but they need to understand that in doing so...they also agree to accept the consequences of that freedom...just as the rest of us do!
Random thoughts...
I worry about things…it’s in my nature.
I worry that I will die, having left undone…all of those things that I keep putting off. That there will remain behind…dust bunnies under the bed, smudged up windows, and an overflowing junk drawer…and I will be remembered as a slob…whose only real attribute was procrastination.
I worry that I will die, having spent my time cleaning the dust bunnies from under the bed, washing the windows, and sorting out the junk drawer…and I will be remembered as that soulless person…who spent all her time cleaning stuff up…and missing out on life.
I worry that I laugh too much.
I worry that I don’t laugh enough.
I worry that I think too much.
I worry that I don’t think enough.
I worry that I will never find a job that I can find pleasure in doing…and be so inspired by…that I look forward to it everyday.
I worry that I will never see my name on the cover of a book…
I worry that if I do see my name on the cover of a book…it will be a sad, pathetic failure.
I worry that “Life sucks, then we die” may be true.
I worry that…that one person in life…who I strive so hard to please…may never be pleased…but will always ask…where the extra 3 points went…
I worry that…I worry...
I worry that I will die, having left undone…all of those things that I keep putting off. That there will remain behind…dust bunnies under the bed, smudged up windows, and an overflowing junk drawer…and I will be remembered as a slob…whose only real attribute was procrastination.
I worry that I will die, having spent my time cleaning the dust bunnies from under the bed, washing the windows, and sorting out the junk drawer…and I will be remembered as that soulless person…who spent all her time cleaning stuff up…and missing out on life.
I worry that I laugh too much.
I worry that I don’t laugh enough.
I worry that I think too much.
I worry that I don’t think enough.
I worry that I will never find a job that I can find pleasure in doing…and be so inspired by…that I look forward to it everyday.
I worry that I will never see my name on the cover of a book…
I worry that if I do see my name on the cover of a book…it will be a sad, pathetic failure.
I worry that “Life sucks, then we die” may be true.
I worry that…that one person in life…who I strive so hard to please…may never be pleased…but will always ask…where the extra 3 points went…
I worry that…I worry...
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
It's coming....
'Tis' the season! Christmas is appearing in our house...a few items at a time!
A remote village...
A Wiseman, a shepherd, and travelers
The Angel, shepherd, and wisemen
The Holy Family
Be Happy!
A remote village...
A Wiseman, a shepherd, and travelers
The Angel, shepherd, and wisemen
The Holy Family
Be Happy!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
What's a Heaven for....
The day dawned partly cloudy and mild, and has gone downhill from there. Weather wise that is…the day as a whole hasn’t been bad. I sat at the computer, taking online assessment tests for an interview tomorrow…until almost noon. Having finally completed them...I had a bite of lunch (baked potato and peas), then started my daily chores. Shane called from Vegas and we chatted for a bit, then I hit the shower about 1:40. After make-up and hair…I sat back down at the computer and made a somewhat lame attempt at a Christmas card list. As I set up my spreadsheet, Sugar sat on the foot of the bed…her chin resting on the windowsill…looking wistfully out. After only 6 entries…I began to feel guilty…she looked so sad! So, I put on my shoes and we went for a walk!
I must say, the walk was much more enjoyable than the spreadsheet! About 10 minutes into our stroll, the wind picked up and we could feel a bit of moisture in the air…although it wasn’t raining. We did not, however, let the unfortunate weather dampen our spirits…we walked the whole mile! Sugar sniffed every single mailbox, tree trunk, garden, water hydrant, pile of poo, and most of the blades of grass along the way! Although she eyed the honking geese at the pond warily, she made no effort to chase them…which surprised me! Along the route we were greeted by a school girl, who was absolutely taken with Sugar, and we paused to allow her to pet ‘that sweet dog’, we passed a group of city workers, who were putting up Christmas lights in the park, and a little ways in front of us was an older couple, walking a huge black lab. As we rounded the corner (almost home), the sun disappeared entirely, and we picked up the pace a bit…anticipating the warmth of the house!
Dinner is now in the oven, and I am strongly considering unpacking Christmas decorations! I have already set out a new ‘long legged’ Santa, and a couple of decorative gift boxes (adorned with Reindeer)!
Just a note…I am changing my tagline…from “Be Well!” to “Be Happy!”…as a personal admonition to everyone…myself included…to strive each day for every bit of joy possible! Of course…there will be days when we don’t achieve our goal…but…as Browning said “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” So…keep your eye on the prize…whatever you judge that to be!
Be Happy!
I must say, the walk was much more enjoyable than the spreadsheet! About 10 minutes into our stroll, the wind picked up and we could feel a bit of moisture in the air…although it wasn’t raining. We did not, however, let the unfortunate weather dampen our spirits…we walked the whole mile! Sugar sniffed every single mailbox, tree trunk, garden, water hydrant, pile of poo, and most of the blades of grass along the way! Although she eyed the honking geese at the pond warily, she made no effort to chase them…which surprised me! Along the route we were greeted by a school girl, who was absolutely taken with Sugar, and we paused to allow her to pet ‘that sweet dog’, we passed a group of city workers, who were putting up Christmas lights in the park, and a little ways in front of us was an older couple, walking a huge black lab. As we rounded the corner (almost home), the sun disappeared entirely, and we picked up the pace a bit…anticipating the warmth of the house!
Dinner is now in the oven, and I am strongly considering unpacking Christmas decorations! I have already set out a new ‘long legged’ Santa, and a couple of decorative gift boxes (adorned with Reindeer)!
Just a note…I am changing my tagline…from “Be Well!” to “Be Happy!”…as a personal admonition to everyone…myself included…to strive each day for every bit of joy possible! Of course…there will be days when we don’t achieve our goal…but…as Browning said “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” So…keep your eye on the prize…whatever you judge that to be!
Be Happy!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Patriot Guard...
We attended the local Veteran’s Day parade today…an annual event honoring veteran’s of all wars. The parade was short…about 20 minutes…but it was nice. I’m not usually a very patriotic person…I love this country…I just don’t feel the need to wave a flag and shout out my loyalties. At any rate…the past two parades which we have attended have evoked a deep feeling of respect in me…for the Patriot Guard. I've been moved...almost to tears...as they ride by. I’ve been asking myself…why? It hasn’t taken long for the answer to become apparent. I have deep respect for them…because they have the courage of their convictions. They don’t just talk the talk…they go out of their way…to walk the walk. They grew tired of people who abuse the intent of our constitution…and instead of sitting around moaning about it…they acted…and continue to act. They rally together; in defense of those who are being harassed…they put themselves between the bully and his victims! I applaud them…and respect them! If only each one of us…could follow that example…myself included!
Be Well!
Be Well!
Friday, November 10, 2006
What a difference a day makes...
We awoke to a cloudy, dreary, blustery day...but the tree in the front yard continues to evolve! It is breathtaking! This photo doesn't do it justice.
Be Well!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
From my desk...
Our baby tree...finally turned red...a bit behind her peers this year! The view from my desk is beautiful!
Be Well!
Be Well!
A Walk In The ...Dark...
My walk last night was a bit hairy. I went alone, and it was dark. I am a coward. Time to begin using the treadmill...for the winter...sigh. I despise daylight savings time...and winter.
My feet moved faster
As I strained to see…
Darkness pressing in
On all sides…an ebony
Weight on my countenance.
Shadowed trees in vague relief
Sinister bushes crouching low
Muffled noises in the night
The wind whispering “Run”
Into my terrified ears.
Heart racing…
Breath ragged and quick
Frustrating fear…one more
Blow to my sagging soul…
Be Well!
My feet moved faster
As I strained to see…
Darkness pressing in
On all sides…an ebony
Weight on my countenance.
Shadowed trees in vague relief
Sinister bushes crouching low
Muffled noises in the night
The wind whispering “Run”
Into my terrified ears.
Heart racing…
Breath ragged and quick
Frustrating fear…one more
Blow to my sagging soul…
Be Well!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Tuesday tirade...
It’s finally here…Election Day! I am definitely interested in the candidates…and I hope all of mine are elected (yes…I can say all of MINE…because I voted)! Moreover…I am anxious to see the mud slinging…the endless political phone messages glutting my answering machine, and the ‘second grade mentality’ commercials…STOP!! If there had been one candidate, whose sole message addressed the issues (as I see them of course)…without any backstabbing, gloating, grandstanding, mudslinging or pontificating…I would have voted for him. Just a simple, “My name is Otis Fudpucker…I am pro life, pro family, pro democracy, pro death penalty, I have a brain, I do possess at least a modicum of common sense, I do not lie, cheat, or steal…and I will stand against those who do.” It would have been a done deal! Enough…thank heavens it’s almost over.
Thanks to the moron whose bright idea it was to ‘fall back’ (daylight savings time), my evening walk is now in total darkness…at 6:00 p.m.! What’s the deal with that? What earthly good does an extra hour of light in the MORNING do anyone? I can certainly drive to work in the dark…and I would rather have it stay dark until NOON…than get dark so early in the evening! This time of year depresses me anyway…but its effect is only worsened by depriving me of sunlight during the only time of day when I can ordinarily take advantage of it! So…to the HIICODST (head idiot in charge of daylight savings time)…WAKE UP DUMMIE…WE ARE NOT NOCTURNAL!
The world is out of control. Newscasters spew forth vitriolic rhetoric in the guise of reporting, casting dark shadows of doubt and betrayal on those foundational things that we hold most dear. One man’s idiocy and moral ineptitude DO NOT doom the entire Christian population to extinction. Child molesters and murderers are released into our society…then the justice system seems shocked and appalled when they molest and murder again. The real solution is to mandate that any future offenses of those pieces of slime who are released…be paid for by the idiot who released him. Thus…if a murderer or a molester becomes a repeat offender…the judge/attorney/doctor…who deemed him ready to walk among us again…would share equally in future guilt and punishment. By the way…I’m certain that Otis would be for this!
Lastly, as my tirade comes to an end…I would like to thank the neighbor down the street for unknowingly lifting my spirits…when I needed it so badly last night. We had walked along in silence for about a mile…the result of an earlier disagreement…which had been resolved…but was still causing that 'kicked in the gut' feeling. Although it was only 6:20…the darkness was thick…and heavy around us. The rhythmic sound of our footfalls, and the occasional barking dog split the night at odd intervals. I blinked back hot tears and wished for yesterday…or tomorrow…anything but now. Out of the darkness…a twinkle caught my eye. As we neared the front of the house down the block…we were caught totally off guard…by Christmas! The big picture window was filled with a glorious, sparkling, fully dressed tree! This magical scene spilled out into the yard, with lights, and ornaments. It was a small display…but so timely! I paused, not wanting to miss any detail, barely breathing, I whispered, “It’s beautiful!” My mate shook his head and rolled his eyes at the very thought that they already had 'that stuff' up. I smiled again…and thanked them…silently.
Be Well!
Thanks to the moron whose bright idea it was to ‘fall back’ (daylight savings time), my evening walk is now in total darkness…at 6:00 p.m.! What’s the deal with that? What earthly good does an extra hour of light in the MORNING do anyone? I can certainly drive to work in the dark…and I would rather have it stay dark until NOON…than get dark so early in the evening! This time of year depresses me anyway…but its effect is only worsened by depriving me of sunlight during the only time of day when I can ordinarily take advantage of it! So…to the HIICODST (head idiot in charge of daylight savings time)…WAKE UP DUMMIE…WE ARE NOT NOCTURNAL!
The world is out of control. Newscasters spew forth vitriolic rhetoric in the guise of reporting, casting dark shadows of doubt and betrayal on those foundational things that we hold most dear. One man’s idiocy and moral ineptitude DO NOT doom the entire Christian population to extinction. Child molesters and murderers are released into our society…then the justice system seems shocked and appalled when they molest and murder again. The real solution is to mandate that any future offenses of those pieces of slime who are released…be paid for by the idiot who released him. Thus…if a murderer or a molester becomes a repeat offender…the judge/attorney/doctor…who deemed him ready to walk among us again…would share equally in future guilt and punishment. By the way…I’m certain that Otis would be for this!
Lastly, as my tirade comes to an end…I would like to thank the neighbor down the street for unknowingly lifting my spirits…when I needed it so badly last night. We had walked along in silence for about a mile…the result of an earlier disagreement…which had been resolved…but was still causing that 'kicked in the gut' feeling. Although it was only 6:20…the darkness was thick…and heavy around us. The rhythmic sound of our footfalls, and the occasional barking dog split the night at odd intervals. I blinked back hot tears and wished for yesterday…or tomorrow…anything but now. Out of the darkness…a twinkle caught my eye. As we neared the front of the house down the block…we were caught totally off guard…by Christmas! The big picture window was filled with a glorious, sparkling, fully dressed tree! This magical scene spilled out into the yard, with lights, and ornaments. It was a small display…but so timely! I paused, not wanting to miss any detail, barely breathing, I whispered, “It’s beautiful!” My mate shook his head and rolled his eyes at the very thought that they already had 'that stuff' up. I smiled again…and thanked them…silently.
Be Well!
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Uno...our way!
Last night was great! The kids came for lasagna and hot rolls, after which we sat around the table and visited for a while. After cleaning up the supper mess…we settled into a marathon Uno game!! It was fantastic!! For the next three hours or so, we laughed, threw marshmallows at each other’s mouths, created an entirely new vocabulary (not for the faint of heart), laughed until we cried, teased, taunted, discussed relatives-movies-news items-politics-religion…all with our own twist, oh….and played Uno too! About half way through the evening, we paused for dessert of fudge brownies topped with melted Hershey bars, with vanilla ice cream on the side! The introduction of more sugar took our already soaring spirits even higher, and our laughter echoed through the neighborhood in a maniac, symphonic cacophony!!
We haven’t had so much fun…since last week! I treasure nights like those, and I wouldn’t give them up for anything in the world!! If every family had times like these…the world would be a better, happier place!
Be Well!!
We haven’t had so much fun…since last week! I treasure nights like those, and I wouldn’t give them up for anything in the world!! If every family had times like these…the world would be a better, happier place!
Be Well!!
Friday, November 03, 2006
Just a thought...
A Footnote…
A footnote in the life and times
Of those we love so much…
Destined to the lonely realms
Of “I remember once…”
Life goes by in a swirling mist
Never slowing down…
A quick, hard ride…of hopes and fears
The end comes fast around.
When they stop to reminisce…
What thoughts will be of you?
A vague remembrance…lost in time
Or the lasting things you do.
The times you came and made them laugh
Or soothed a shattered soul…
Which things will slip away…and which remain
No mortal mind can know.
So do your best, laugh a lot
…If that be who you are.
Forgetting not, that in the end
We’re all just shooting stars.
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
A novel....alrighty then...
A month ago, I was “let go” from my job. The day my employer let me go, he assured me that my job performance had been fine, and that I had been a “good fit” with the other employees…they simply didn’t have time to train me for the position that they hired me for, and had decided to hire a “trained, compliance officer” who had already been through the training, tests etc…and could just step in and take the position and duties over.
There were circumstances in play at the time (which are too lengthy to recount here), but suffice it to say that I strongly suspected that they might be in league with the employer who I had left to take that job…to teach me a lesson…and get even with me for leaving the first employer, and for filing a claim against him with the labor board. The first and second employers were “good buddies”, and had been for years.
Bear in mind that I have been gone for a month now…yet things continue to unfold. Below is the updated list of reasons that they claim for my dismissal, with the dates that each was added:
1– No time to train me (the reason that they gave me, when they let me go). Sept 29
2- Excessive use of internet and email (the reason that they gave the labor board in an attempt to keep me from collecting unemployment benefits).
Mid October
3 – They found out I was writing a novel (the reason they gave one of the brokers recently, when she inquired directly about my dismissal) November 2
Holy cow…I only wish that I were writing a novel! How bizarre is all of this?! To top it off…they posted an ad yesterday…online, for my position…with no mention of compliance training. All of this is, to me, further assurance that my original suspicions were correct. What I don’t understand, is why a group of professional, educated people, don’t have the sense to at least get together and decide on which lie to tell…and stick to it…together.
Be Well!
There were circumstances in play at the time (which are too lengthy to recount here), but suffice it to say that I strongly suspected that they might be in league with the employer who I had left to take that job…to teach me a lesson…and get even with me for leaving the first employer, and for filing a claim against him with the labor board. The first and second employers were “good buddies”, and had been for years.
Bear in mind that I have been gone for a month now…yet things continue to unfold. Below is the updated list of reasons that they claim for my dismissal, with the dates that each was added:
1– No time to train me (the reason that they gave me, when they let me go). Sept 29
2- Excessive use of internet and email (the reason that they gave the labor board in an attempt to keep me from collecting unemployment benefits).
Mid October
3 – They found out I was writing a novel (the reason they gave one of the brokers recently, when she inquired directly about my dismissal) November 2
Holy cow…I only wish that I were writing a novel! How bizarre is all of this?! To top it off…they posted an ad yesterday…online, for my position…with no mention of compliance training. All of this is, to me, further assurance that my original suspicions were correct. What I don’t understand, is why a group of professional, educated people, don’t have the sense to at least get together and decide on which lie to tell…and stick to it…together.
Be Well!
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