It's a boy!!

The first pictures of our great-nephew...who will be born in mid-December!! How adorable are these?! Technology is awesome!!

Be Well!!

Time passages...

Another weekend comes to a close. The minutes seem to fly by with amazing speed during time off. It has been a good weekend...albeit fast. We attended a beautiful, garden wedding on Friday evening at Botanica. After the reception, we went for a drive and stopped for a bite of dessert. Saturday was a bit of housework, and an afternoon performance of the displaced Chinese Acrobats formerly of the now defunct Wild West World. They were absolutely fantastic! Performing with them were a Chinese dance troupe (so beautiful), and a Chinese yo-yo group (very entertaining)! We were surprised when the Prairie Rose Wranglers of the now defunct Prairie Rose Chuck Wagon Supper, gave a brief performance as well...it almost seemed like an insult to the Acrobats! Saturday evening we helped Shane unload and install his new washer and dryer, then came home and watched a movie and went for a moonlight swim around 11:30 p.m.

After opting for the late service on Sunday, we went to Pizza Hut for lunch then went to our house and visited for a while. Shane and Candy were absolutely exhausted after their whirlwind trip to Springfield this weekend, so they left early to go home and rest, and Marvin, Chas and I hit the pool for a couple of hours!

This evening found Marvin and I hard at it...he washed his truck, shocked the pool and cleaned the garage out, while I did several loads of laundry and vacuumed the living room furniture and upstairs carpets.

Back to work tomorrow...Council on Tuesday...blah...blah...blah...yada...yada!

Be Well!

Kansas Weed Eater Massacre...

July 17th, 2007, shall go down in the annals of gnomedom as “Red Tuesday”. Once again, “Marvin The Mangler” strikes! Throughout recent history, he has become known and feared around the world for his indiscriminate destruction of flowers, bushes, and now…gnomes! In the late 1970’s, he boldly beheaded his mother’s Peonies…during the mid 1980’s he iradicated his wife’s Iris’s, now it seems that he has developed a “bloodlust” with his most recent tearing off of tiny people’s toes! One can only imagine the maniacal laughter that must have rang from sea to shining sea as his terrible tool of transgression lopped off the magical, mystical digits of this proud little man, resulting in the new nickname…”Gimpy” for this heretofore graceful garden prince.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT…for a 6 foot tall, wild eyed, redheaded madman…roving the neighborhood with tools of grass destruction!

Be Well!

Whirlwind...

The Chinese Acrobats with the Mayor and special Park City Police car and motorcycle during the farewell picnic.

A whirlwind weekend comes to a close! It looks as though the rain has finally abated and hot, dry temps are forecast for the coming week!!!!!! Thank heavens!! Although it passed in a flurry, we accomplished much and managed to get in a bit of rest as well!

We got up early on Saturday and headed to Chas's house to help her with some yard chores. We started about 10:30, and with all three of us working, managed to mow, weed eat, trim some limbs, and blow the driveway and both porches clean. We finished at about 11:45 and by then...the heat had begun to bear down terribly! We had intended to go from Chas's yard to Shane's, but instead we headed for our house and the pool!! After a bit more than two hours in the water, we dressed and drove over to Newton for dinner and a bit of shopping! Chas and I both came home with two outfits apiece, and Chas bought a very cool spice rack!

Sunday morning, we arose a bit earlier than we had on Saturday and met at Shane's around 9:30 (hoping to beat the heat). It only took the three of us an hour to mow, weed eat, and blow the drive, porch, patio, and the front walk clean! By 10:30 the yard work was complete...and the heat was back! We headed for our house and collapsed on the couch in the cool house while lunch cooked (pasta bake, green beans, and peaches with fat free cool whip). After lunch we hit the pool for a couple of hours, then Chas headed home to do laundry and Marvin and I watched a bit of "Como vision". Around 5:45, we drove over to the grocery and bought a cherry chocolate cake, and went to a farewell picnic for the displaced Chinese Acrobats formerly with Wild West World (the short lived, now defunct amusement park in Park City). The picnic was sponsored by the City of Park City and Park City Pride, and turned out to be a very nice event! A total of approx. 77 people attended. The Mayor gave a brief speech, presenting each of the Acrobats with a 'goodie' bag of memorabilia to take home with them. The interpreter for the Acrobats spoke as well, thanking the City and community for their support, assistance and kindness during this stressful time. They are not only very talented performers, but pleasant, gracious individuals as well!

After the picnic, I took Sugar for a short walk (the mosquitoes ate us up), and I think we will hit the pool for a moonlight swim before retiring for the evening!

Shane returns tomorrow, and I hope that the weather cooperates and he doesn't end up sleeping at O'Hare International again! The forecast for Chicago is a 40% chance of thunderstorms...with chances increasing later in the day... hopefully he will slide out between storms. He has had a wonderful time in Kentucky and we are very anxious to see pictures, and have him home again!!

Be Well!!

Fast weekend...

It’s been a great weekend! Saturday we got up around 8:00 a.m., got all of our chores done, and spent two full hours in the pool!! It was luscious!! Afterwards, we went to Kobe (thank you Candy for the Christmas gift certificate), and had shrimp, steak, chicken, fried rice, mushrooms, cucumbers, onions, bean sprouts, and clear chicken soup! It is a Japanese Hibachi establishment and it was so fun! Our cook flung eggs in the air, made an onion volcano, tossed shrimp into our mouths from across the grill, and kept us totally entertained with witty repartee! Afterwards, we did some shopping and got home around 10:00.

Sunday was early service at church, and then we all came to our house for pasta bake, and hot rolls. After lunch we took some pictures and hit the pool for a couple of hours, then watched a Julia Roberts movie, while we ate angel food cake and whipped cream!

I sooooooo hate to see the weekend behind us! It seems as though having fun and relaxing just gets started…when it’s over! The coming week will be the week from Hades…Park and Tree Board on Monday, Council on Tuesday, and of course…work all week. Shane departs for Kentucky on Tuesday; please pray for a safe journey and lots of relaxation and fun for him…he deserves it and needs it!

Be Well!

Sky...

Just a couple of pictures that I took of the beautiful sky tonight...on my mosquito infested walk. I'm afraid that this is the last walk that I will take outdoors for a while. The treadmill and Gazelle will be my mainstays until the bug season passes!

My soul is heavy tonight. Several things on my mind. I actually took my walk tonight for the main purpose of praying, without distraction. My heart is full of things that we Baptists call "Unspoken requests". If you are a praying person...please lift my prayers up with your own?

Be Well!

Wet weekend...

It has indeed been a wet weekend! The rains continue to fall, although they are forecast to begin receding soon. Areas all around us are experiencing flooding problems. I spoke to my dad just a bit ago...he and his friend are members of the Red Cross. It seems his friend is stranded in Fredonia...for at least a couple of days...maybe longer. Not only has 1/2 of Coffeyville been flooded by swollen rivers, creeks etc...but officials have now opened a nearby dam to lower the level in some areas...causing more flooding in the Coffeyville area. My aunts home has approx 4 feet of water inside and it is still rising. She and her husband are now staying with my dad. Sadly, they have no flood insurance...as most people don't. There hasn't been a flood of this magnitude in that area since 1942...and it was considered extraordinary.

I went out a bit ago to check the pool, empty the leaves from the skimmer and put in chlorine. The water is nice and clear...but if the rain continues...I don't know how long that will last! Storms are no deterrent for fireworks...each time there is a break in the rainfall...people venture out of their homes and set off firecrackers and night works!

The coming week is looking somewhat dubious. We have planned a cookout/pool party for July 4th, and the weatherman just announced that the rains could continue through that day. What a mess! I suppose if they do...we shall simply move the party indoors!

Events overseas have been more than a little disturbing this weekend! It has become a frightening world that we live in.

Be Well!

Rain, rain go away...

Raindrops keep fallin on my head! I can't believe that they changed the forecast again! When we got up this morning, the forecast was for rain Friday, decreasing Saturday, and Sunny and dry and almost 90 on Sunday! This evening...it has changed again....it is now forecast to rain Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and most of Monday. I spoke to my brother on the phone this evening...the small town that we are from (and Marvin's family and mine still live in) is on the verge of real flooding trouble. Both underpasses are closed due to high water, several streets have now been closed...and several more will be closed before the night is over. What a mess! According to the news this evening, Wichita is even beginning to see flooding of creeks, and some streets in low lying areas! Here is the flood report for Ark City (our hometown) this was before the weather service decided that the rain will continue until Monday, so the times and depths for rivers cresting will change dramatically:

The Walnut River is right at flood stage (18 feet) and is predicted to crest at 21.6 feet early Saturday morning. The Arkansas River currently sits nearly a foot over flood stage level (17 feet). It is predicted to crest at 19.1 feet early Saturday morning.The high waters on the Walnut forced the closure of Walnut Park on Thursday.
Road closures: Chestnut (West of Eighth to 10th Streets because of pumping;
parts of Sixth Street because of a water backup.Forecast calls for rain until Sunday.

Road closings
Road closings due to high water, according to the county engineer Dale Steward and the office of Emergency Management, are:
*11th Road, north of U.S. 160, the first road east of the Sumner County line.
*Cowley 2 (22nd Road ), west of Rock.
*Cowley 14 (231st Road), south of Dexter.
*Cowley 20 (202nd) Road, west of Dexter.
*Junction of Cowley 3 and 4 ("McClung's Corner,"), five miles west of Strother Field.
*Cowley 1 and Cowley 6 in the Silverdale area.
*Old W. Chestnut Road on the west side of the river, Arkansas City.
*Cowley 1 and Cowley 6 around Silverdale.
*Cowley 3 and 18 intersection 1/2 mile west.
*Cowley 1 and 6 intersection east of Arkansas City.
*Cowley 3 north of U.S. 160.
*11th Road north of U.S. 160.
*All county roads around Dexter are closed. K-15 is open.
*Oxford did not have any road closings, according to the police chief. Water is over the roads, and drivers are discouraged from taking these.

It looks like a good weekend to drink hot coffee and watch movies...while snuggled under a nice soft blanket!

Be Well!

The day after...

Last night’s Council meeting was…interesting. Tempers flared, people yelled, it’s possible that there may be gavel cracks in the counter top and things were hurled through the air. The fun ended at aprox.10:30 p.m. All in a night’s work I suppose. On the upside…I completed the first draft of the minutes before I left today! I turned down the offer of yet another evening meeting at which to take minutes…I hope my reluctance doesn’t cast a bad light on my review…which I’m told is forthcoming.

Another cloudy, gray day is upon us…it seems that it may never end. I’m sick “nigh unto death” of rain…I desperately need some sunny, warm days! My soul and spirit are beginning to feel dreary…and I hate that! I heard a commotion yesterday, in the midst of another downpour, and I went out on the deck to investigate. Across the way (actually two houses over) were six children, jumping on a trampoline…in the pouring rain! The commotion was their squeals and laughter! It was awesome! I soooooo wanted to join them!!

A while back I complimented Candy on a great jacket that she was wearing, and she told me that she bought it and several others at the Goodwill store. So, yesterday as I was driving home from Ultra Modern Pool and Patio…I pulled into the Goodwill store to check it out! I left with three dresses…which I only paid $4.99 a piece for! It was awesome! They are pictured above, First the Gingham checked one, with two pleats in the front at the bottom (just above the knee), then the flowered one (ankle length) with a split up each side, and the black one (middle of the knee) with a split up the left side. The black one has really fun detail on the back…in the form of 22 small, fabric covered buttons (they don’t really button, but are attached to the zipper flap), and all three are simple A-lines, fitted a bit at the waist. Perfect for work, church or just about anything! Thanks for the tip Ms. Candy!

Be Well!

Early morning blog! Everything’s better in the first light of day! That time when the air is fresh and still…and void of the acrid scent of auto exhaust and the shrill complaints of human frailty….ahhh…bliss! I walked under an overcast sky this morning, a sustained wind of about 25 mph cooling my skin as my feet kept time to the tunes in my head…made possible by the miracle of the IPOD shuffle. I left the house a bit depressed…but returned smiling, contented and encouraged. Above are pictures of the pond which has become a constant source of joy and discovery for me over the past year. I have done some “powerful thinkin” and have shed a lot of tension walking around it and sitting beside it! A few months ago it began to take an ugly turn…curly leaf pond weed and an aggressive algae had almost overtaken the calm, tranquil waters. Even though official, chemical treatment of the situation has not yet begun, nature seems to be saying ‘enough’! The weeds and algae are receding! I suppose this constitutes a certain aspect of the natural cycle of life.

Tonight is Council meeting…so I am off until 6:45 p.m. The agenda looks fairly benign…but personalities being what they are…who knows what may develop. Retrospect seems to be tugging at my mind today. I have pondered Poverty Syndrome for several weeks now…in the beginning it was just a curiosity, but the core of it has sparked questions in my brain that I cannot answer. The very state of humanity is such a massive, overpowering thing. Why are we ‘who’ we are? Is it nature or nurture…or something else? Which choices do we really ‘make’…and which are thrust upon us by forces beyond our control? Is anything really out of the realm of possibility…for any of us…if we have the proper motivation? Why do some people dig in their feet and ‘make’ their way…while others are content to be pulled along in the current, bouncing off the boulders of life …offering no resistance? And in the middle of it all….."yet I wonder…still I wonder…who’ll stop the rain?”

Be Well!

Fast trip...

Coffeyville was good this weekend! The Relay For Life was very nice and much more than I expected! There were many luminary tributes to Becky, and the booth hosted by my sister-in-law was at the top of the list of contributors! The theme of the booth was Hawaiian, and in keeping with that...there was a roast pig. I had never seen one before and seeing the head still attached was a bit disconcerting!

We had the pleasure of meeting my dad's new 'friend' this weekend. She is a lovely woman. Not only was she personable, but she had a great sense of humor and kept us all laughing! Everyone liked her very much...and most importantly...she seems to make him happy!

As I watched them together, it was obvious how different she is from my late step-mom. My dad is now doing things and going places that I would have thought completely out-of-character for him before....because he is adapting to someone new in his life. He has never been alone (except for the few months since Becky passed away) in all of his 70+ years. As I pondered these changes...it occured to me that he has spent his entire life adapting to whoever was in his life...and has never really just been 'himself'. I wonder at the confusion and conflict that must surely be swirling around in his mind and heart now, and I realized that it is entirely possible that even he has no idea...what is truely 'in character' or 'out of character' for the man...who even he...doesn't really know.

Be Well!

Busy Monday...

It's good to finally be home for the day! I am really beat! Work was very busy, added to the stress of knowing that I would be tackling things that I've only done once or twice before (and that was weeks ago) if ever! Being the 'fill in' person is harder than it sounds. I don't get to do things often enough to get really good at them, and it is usually weeks between each time that I do have the chance to do them. By this time in any other job...I would have put the 'notes' that I took during the first few days on the job away in a drawer...because I would have learned to do the tasks. But...in this situation...I keep the notes handy...because many of the tasks that I have notes on...I have never actually done yet.

Dinner just wasn't appealing tonight, so I fixed pancakes and eggs, then spent some time on the Gazelle. The table has been cleared, dishes are done, kitchen is clean, laundry is folded, and the bed is turned down. I am looking forward to putting my feet up and watching a bit of TV.

Be Well!

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all you father's out there! This has been a good day, in fact a good weekend! Chas and I took that 'itty bitty drive' to Ark City on Saturday to take my step-dad his gift, and did a bit of shopping on the way home. Chas bought an absolutely fabulous jacket, and the cutest blouse, and I picked up a sundress and pair of shorts that actually fit...pretty much. Marvin and Shane spent Saturday putting in two more windows, and despite a few unexpected complications...they got the job done! Only one more to go!

We went to early service this morning, then came back to the house for lunch and swimming. Lunch was great! Marvin grilled chicken breasts, burgers and ribs outside and I fixed baked potatoes and salad and sliced tomatoes inside! The weather was not cooperative...it was cloudy, cool and windy...not exactly pool weather! So, we watched several old episodes of WKRP and ate cake, then tried to get Marvin's new toy to fly! Unfortunately, there wasn't quite enough room in the house to launch it, and it cannot be flown outdoors in more than a four mile an hour wind. Kansas summers are notoriously windy, it us not uncommon to have sustained winds of 30-35 mph and gusts up to 50 mph...so it may be a while before we get to see it fly! We ate, talked, laughed and watched TV until around 4:30, when it began to absolutely poor outside! It was still a great day! Anytime I get to spend the day with the people most precious to me in the world (my husband and kids)...it is a great day! We have been blessed with the two most wonderful kids on earth...and like Marvin said today, they make it easy to be good parents!

The rain has stopped now...and the kids will be glad to hear that we have turned on the air conditioning! We had to close the windows when the rain began and it pushed us right over the edge! I think this is the latest that we have been able to put off the inevitable air-conditioner for several years. I will miss the fresh air and hearing the birds sing in the mornings...but I won't miss the sticky afternoons.

The coming week will be a tough one, I am working 40 hours this week. It will be good for the paycheck though! Next Friday...off to Coffeyville for the cancer walk with my dad and my late step-mom's sister. It will be nice to see everyone again...but the occasion will be a sad one and Becky will be uppermost in our minds.

Have a great week!

Be Well!

Gazelle...

Chas called this afternoon, one of her friends was trying desperately to give away a Gazelle! How awesome is that?! I have been wanting one, but frankly, since our incomes have been reduced...I don't spend money on many "wants". So I was very happy to take it off her hands!! I offered to pay her for it, but she really just wanted to get rid of it!! It wasn't until after I saw the photo above that I realized why it is called a Gazelle! It's in our family room downstairs...just to the left of the T.V.! I am looking forward to some diversity in my cardio!

In other news...the new neighbors came over to introduce themselves this evening. We had a nice chat on the porch, but I couldn't help noticing that the girl looked a bit terrified. Her husband was totally relaxed and extremely outgoing, so the whole thing was a bit odd.

When I left for work this morning, the sky was grey and heavy with clouds, so I closed all of the windows. By the time I got back at 3:00 it was hot as heck inside! I spent an hour or so in the pool, then at 5:00 I fixed a quick dinner of fish, baked potatoes and carrots, which we ate on the deck where the breeze was blowing nicely! After we got the Gazelle cleaned up and carried downstairs, we got back in the pool for an hour or so! It was great!

All in all...the day turned out a lot better than I anticipated!

Be Well!

Monday

Every other day, every other day,
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes,
but whenever Monday comes
You can find me cryin' all of the time...

(Well...maybe "cryin' all of the time..." is a slight exaggeration...but I do hate Monday! )

Another week is on the horizon! So far it is shaping up to be a 'not so good' week. the forecast is for rain every single day, and Tuesday is looking like it will be the meeting from hell. Our best hope lies in hoping that it passes quickly! Our neighbors of 11 years moved out on Friday, and although I did meet the new owners (briefly), they have not begun moving in yet. Getting new neighbors is always scary...they could turn out to be anyone or anything...from the Adams family to the Cleavers! We'll just have to see how this goes! The old neighbors have moved to Texas, and will be a short distance from South Padre Island (how cool would that be)! I wish them all the best...and we will miss them! The only thing that I really know about the new people is that they have 3 dogs....I am a dog lover...but 3 seems like a lot! Perhaps they are all very well trained and will behave nicely...and perhaps pigs will fly.

Have a great week!

Be Well!

Like a Hoover...

Well, this day sucked like a Hoover. It seems that my car is having issues...possibly a new starter is needed. We will find out for sure tomorrow. While we were at the auto parts store, I was approached by a woman carrying a gas can, and asking for money. I was hesitant to open my purse while standing within reach of her, so I said "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't have any money." I went on in the store and retrieved a dollar from my bag, then headed outside to give it to her...when I noticed that she seemed to be staggering. I decided NOT to give her the dollar. Marvin was standing in front of the car talking with the salesman and when they finished...she approached him. He handed her a $5.00 bill straight away! I felt a bit like a cad...but was glad that he was more charitable than I had been. We got into the vehicles and headed several blocks over to a different auto parts store...and there she was...already that far down the street...carrying her can and panhandling! I was irritated, and at the same time...vindicated.

This has been a long, tired day! We didn't get to sleep until well after 12:30 last night, and then I awoke almost every hour all night long. At 5:30, we were both awakened by a terrible crash inside the house...which scared the heck out of us! We both flew from the bed, and after grabbing the pistol and phone...we 'cleared' each room on both floors. Nothing was amiss. We finally gave up, put the gun away, hung up the phone and headed back to bed. I stopped at the bathroom on the way (I think it scared the pee out of me), and there in the bottom of the shower...lay the source of the crashing sound...the shaving mirror and both razors...and a huge spider! The upshot is...that I'm glad we didn't shoot the shower!

Here's hoping for a better nights sleep tonight!

Be Well!

Just a quick note...

Just a quick note to catch up a bit! The weekend flew like the wind with working at Shane's and church! It was a good weekend, just too short! His window's look great and hopefully the rest will follow soon!

This has been one of those Monday's! Every single thing that I have touched...I have screwed up and had to redo! It happens! Tonight is Park and Recreation Board and Tree Board, and the way that the day has gone has left me a bit apprehensive about the evening! It would be fabulous if a quorum was not forthcoming and we adjourned early...but that probably won't happen...so I will make sure the tape recorder is on and hopefully it will provide the necessary backup for any disasters!

We had neglected the pool over the weekend, and it was a mess today. I vacuumed three times and skimmed repeatedly. It finally looked decent, just as the sky clouded over and it threatened to rain! I decided to go ahead and shock it anyway, so hopefully whatever falls from the sky will be sufficiently neutralized!

Dinner is almost ready, then the second half of my work day begins!

Be Well!

Keeper...

So far the holiday weekend has been very nice! We arose Saturday morning at 6:30, puttered around a bit, showered, then packed food, soda's, swim suits and beach towels, and headed out (at 9:00) to meet the kids and pick up Candy! We got to Kaw Lake around 11:00! The day had started out cloudy and cool, with intermittent sprinkles, but by noon it began to warm up nicely! We sat around a picnic table with lots of family and talked and laughed for a bit, then Marvin and I took a walk along the sandbar. The water was muddy, dirty, filled with bobbing debris, and moving rapidly enough to be scary! It has rained so much over the past two weeks or so that many ponds, rivers and lakes are not only swollen...but above flood stage! The rising waters had deposited lots of 'treasures' on the sandbar, and we took an hour and a half or so to explore a section about a half mile long! Among our finds were several left shoes (no right ones), a pacifier, an auto headlight, a basketball, a tennis ball, two softballs, several buoys, many fishing 'bobbers', a refrigerator, four chairs, a wide variety of bottles, a trot line, and lots and lots of driftwood! We eventually went back to the campsite for lunch and later in the day, Chas, Shane and Candy went with us to check out the beach again! The day passed quickly and before we knew it, we were back on the highway headed home! Our swimsuits were still dry as the waters were too choppy and nasty for swimming, and too full of debris for skiing or tubing!

Marvin and I missed church Sunday morning due to a nasty migraine that I awoke with. Thankfully, it subsided and the rest of the day wasn't ruined! We eventually headed out in search of lunch, groceries and a bit of recreation (not in that order). We had a bite of Bar B Q, then drove downtown to see if we could locate the 'troll in the hole' (a new piece of artwork recently installed below a grate along the river). The top picture above is of the 'Troll in the Hole"...Chas took it earlier in the week. We searched diligently, but failed to locate him! A phone call to Chas (later in the day) provided better directions, so we will try again! During the course of our 'troll hunt', we checked out the newly refurbished "Keeper of the Plains" statue (the middle picture above) outside of the Mid-America All Indian Center . I was not particularly impressed with the sculpture, but I really liked the bridge leading to it (the bottom picture)!

Since it had not begun to rain yet, we put the top down and headed in the general direction of the grocery store. Along the way, we spotted a new antique store/tea room called "The Cup-n-Saucer", so we stopped to investigate! It was delightful! I left with an antique pull toy in the shape of a horse, and a doll rocker that was so unique I couldn't leave it behind!

We concluded our trek with (of course) the grocery shopping. After putting things away, we both fell asleep on the couch for a bit! All in all...it has been a lovely weekend so far!

Tomorrow...a cookout at our house and a special lawn game called "Monkey Bar Golf" (which Shane has promised to teach us)! I am looking forward to another great day!

Be Well!

Friday eve...

Thankfully, it is almost Friday! This week has been excruciatingly long. The days have been fraught with depression, worry and illness, and the night’s mostly void of sleep. I am so looking forward to a three-day weekend!

For the past couple of weeks our plan has been to go to the lake for at least one day and enjoy water sports, day camping and family. The weather is attempting to put a serious ‘kibosh’ on things…but we shall remain undaunted. If indeed it does turn out to be cloudy, chilly and wet…we will find other ways to enjoy this time off!

I have been reading about ‘Contemporary Poverty Syndrome’…it explains a lot of things in our world today. The things that I have always thought of as ‘causes’ of poverty are in fact ‘factors’ of poverty. There is a huge difference. The sad thing is that it all seems to be a vicious cycle…with no foreseeable end. I have been able to clearly identify characteristics of those deeply afflicted by this syndrome…in members of both my extended family and Marvin’s. I am really beginning to question our welfare system. Instead of helping those in need…we have apparently become ‘enablers’. However, as in many other things, perhaps the problem isn't in the system itself, and definitely not in it's original intent...but in the abuse and eventual mutation of it. It would appear that in most cases…the attitude of poverty began many generations ago…and will be perpetuated for many to come. It’s so much more than money.

In any case…a little knowledge is a dangerous thing…so I will continue to study this issue…it is very interesting.

Be Well!

Another one bites the dust...

I can't believe the weekend is already over! It seems as though it's only just begun...when...BAM...it's gone!

Saturday - We rose early (Marvin at 7:00 and me at 7:30 a.m.). We watched about 45 minutes of T.V., then Marvin cleaned the garage and washed the cars while I did some laundry, cleaned the house and cooked breakfast. By 11:30 we were in the car, with the top down enjoying the sunshine! We headed for Riverfest and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying music, people watching, dodge ball (did you know this was an actual sport?), and strolling along the river bank. The weather was perfect and we had an excellent day!

Sunday - We decided on the early service, so we got out of bed at 6:15. For the first time ever...we beat the kids to church!! After what seemed like a very loooooong sermon...Shane and Candy headed to Candy's grandparents house for lunch, and Marvin, Chas and I tried to have breakfast at The Good Egg. We drove into the parking lot and saw that the waiting line was all the way out the door, so we backtracked a bit and had lunch at Chili's instead! After lunch we drove back to Park City to retrieve a Penney's gift card, picked Chas up at her house and hit the mall in search of swim suits! Chas tried on two, and although both looked fabulous on her, she decided to stick with her old one. I tried on twelve (seriously), and finally bought one. It didn't 'knock my socks off', but it wasn't terrible. I'm not sure that I will ever find a swim suit that I am 'happy' with, so all in all it was a successful trip! We are going to the lake next weekend, so I was pretty much down to the wire! After shopping, we met Shane, Candy, Harold and Diane at the Warren and saw Shrek the Third! It was hilarious! My Shrek favorites are definitely Donkey and Puss In Boots!! The evening ended with dinner at Il Vicino and a walk when we got home!

The coming week is already shaping up to be the week from 'you know where'. I will be filling in for the receptionist (she is on vacation), and it is supposed to be one of the busiest weeks of the entire year. Hopefully, it will pass quickly!

Have a great week...take time to laugh!

Be Well!