You want FIVE pounds?

Well, we have returned from our trip to Louisville, KY, for the National Bible Bowl competition. My next few posts will be about the experience. While the kids were taking the test, quiz masters in a meeting, two parents and I went to a Kroger store to buy some food for the week. The store was less than a mile from downtown Louisville and not that large. I was amazed that in the bread section there was not one loaf of reduced carb or reduced calorie bread. I don't think they even carry that. When we arrived at the deli counter, the fun began. I requested 5 pounds of sliced ham. The man behind the counter could not believe that I wanted 5 pounds. He questioned me, then promptly told the other man behind the wall. The two of them discussed it for a minute or two, then he returned to me. He had 2.16 pounds of ham and that was all. Would that do? Right in front of me were several hams in the packages, but he said they were for sale. It was evident that he was not going to cut them, so I said yes to the 2.16 pounds. Wish you could have seen the look on his face when I asked for 5 pounds of sliced turkey? He held up a "small" piece and said that it was smoked and honey like the ham. I remarked that it was not ham, but turkey. He stumbled for a word to say, then said that it was indeed turkey, but he had less than 2 pounds of it. That figures. I guess that I am use to the unexpected in actions and reactions, because I just went along with him without becoming upset. One of the parents with me walked away to keep her cool while the other kept backing up the cart and biting his tongue.

Tentative Good News

TT's visit went better than expected. The doctor is fairly sure that it is not cancer. He scheduled TT for a PET scan and surgery on the tongue. We are not "out of the woods" yet, but can see the edge. Thanks for your prayers.

Anxious Day

Please keep my son in your prayers today as he goes to his cancer doctor. Pray that it has not returned. Pray for strength for TT and us. Thanks!

My Baby

Today is the birthday of my youngest child, my baby. TT turns 26 today. The years have gone by quickly. Happy birthday, son.

Horrible Crime

I don't usually talk about politics and war, but I want to say something about the murder of the two American soldiers in Iraq. It is one thing to kill in war, but to deliberately mutilate the soldiers beyond recognition and strap them with explosives is barbaric. I heard on the news that it was an act in retaliation for the recent death of their leader. Pray for an end to the war and return of our soldiers.

Etcetera

I received a bill for my free class--$840.00. Thankfully I also received an email stating that the bill was an error on "someone's" part and will be taken care of with the grant money designated for the course. I certainly hope so! Only three days until my son goes to his specialist. Pray that all will be well. My friend, whose wife passed away with cancer, had a bummer of a week last week. When he and his children returned home after the funeral, the air-conditioner had broken. Two days, later the refrigerator stopped working. Three days later, the lawn mower broke. But none of those things has brought them down.

Want to See?

"Eye Dee" was changing my granddaughter from swimsuit to clothes when the tike said she had to do something in her potty. So they made an attempt and she succeeded. She poo pooed in her potty for the first time! Now this may not be exciting to anyone but the elderly, but it is a milestone in the lives of parents and grandparents. Since her parents were not here, we have pictures!

Just So Sweet

My family went out to dinner last night to celebrate the 30 birthday of my oldest daughter. We rode together in our van to the designated place to eat. I sat beside my granddaughter, who seems to enjoy herself and others most of the time. We (granddaughter and I) spent much of the trip singing. Since she goes to the Christian daycare at our church, she is exposed to many songs, including those with actions. One that she really loves is "The Eensy Weensy Spider." It is not my favorite, but it is a cute song. She likes it much more than that, because she wanted to sing it over and over and over to the point where I wanted the sun to come out and dry up all the spider!

Yeah, I Get Up Early

On a recent Bible Bowl college tournament, my husband asked his roommate is he needed an alarm to which roommate responded, no. Roomy said he usually gets up at 6:25 a.m. So husband explained that he might be gone at that time to do his morning walk but that they would see one another at breakfast. Husband arises early, walks, returns to the dorm at 7:30 to find roommate still fast asleep. WAKE UP. Roommate replies that he needs an alarm to get himself up at 6:25. Okay.

Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?

Got ready for the day, made my bed, and off to school I went. Put my time in, and returned home. While talking to my sister-in-law on the cell phone, I walked into my bedroom. Whoa! I noticed that my bed was disheveled (I've always wanted to use that word). Since my son sleeps days and no one else was at home, I couldn't imagine what had happened. That's when I noticed that the quilt was pulled a little more to one side of the bed with a stream of wrinkles leading to that edge. It wasn't Goldielocks. It had to be my long-haired, black and white cat. Why he enjoys sleeping under the quilt with all that hair is more than I know.

Only Three Hours

My "free" class is almost over. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

Happy, happy, happy birthday!

I'm thinking today of several people who are celebrating their birthdays. I'm sending all of them wishes for a happy birthday. Too bad they can't hear me doing one of the restaurant renditions of happy birthday. But then, why would they want to hear that?

Remember, It's Okay to Cry

At the funeral service today, the minister talked directly to the four children and said that in the days to come, something will stir memories and they may feel like crying. He told them that it is okay to cry. Go ahead and cry. We as the audience needed to hear that, too.

Never Was Heard, a Discouraging Word

But where are the encouraging words?

Blackboard Assignment

As promised, here is more about my "free" graduate class. I have several assignments to do in just 8 short/l o n g days. On the first day of class we were given many handouts as well as "free" textbooks. As any student would do, I quickly looked through to see just how much work was required for the course. I noticed that we would have assignments on the blackboard. Okay. I can do that. Well, by the third day, I still did not see any assignments written on the board. The prof kept saying we had to get our name and password from some office. Some students complained that they could not reach anyone at the designated number. So, we were told that if we had been a student before at this university, we could use our former name and password. I turned to the young thing sitting next to me and groaned. When I was first a student at this university, they didn't have computers, at least not for student use, and internet was not invented. We used the dinosaur called the typewriter. So, where are those blackboard assignments? It's a program on the net! And I need a user name and password to complete 6 of them. Four days left in the class, and I don't have either. Wonder if I can find my typewriter?

Happy Birthday, Friend

I have a friend who has had a busy week. He celebrated the birthday of a son, 26 years of marriage, the death of his wife, and now his birthday.

The Good Ones Die Young

I blog with a heavy heart today. A good friend of mine passed away last night. She left behind a husband and four children. The pre-teen boys decided to go to Vacation Bible School today, because Mom would have wanted them to do that. And they are right. She has done a good job preparing and teaching them what is right. We'll miss you, Deanna!

Looks Like a Cat Did It

For my "free" college class we traveled to Indy to the art museum. Had to look at various paintings as well as other art objects. Wonder if the guy who wrecked his motorcycle knows that it has been painted purple and placed in the museum? Saw one canvas that looked like something the cat painted. And how do they come up with the names? Lavender Mist has nothing close to that color in it. And why would it take some guy over two years to paint one picture? I won't even begin to tell you what they did with neon lights. I skipped that part. One exhibit was CVS prescription bags turned on their sides. Then all were placed in a circle with the bottom of the bags in the center. Each bag had a pill bottle inside or spilling out of it. I think the title was Refillable till Expiration. Gee, all this time I could have become famous by using those bags instead of trashing them. Let's just say that overall I am glad that I did not pay to get into the museum.

FEAR

I struggle to take a breath. My throat refuses to allow my swallows. Please, lift the weight off my chest. Fear has come to hold us prisoner again. Fear, the one who has held the keys to our functioning, has visited us twice before, but is not a friend. It is not easier this time. Stop it! Take control. Do not allow the work of the evil one to govern our lives. Think positively! Please be in prayer that this new episode is not the return of cancer for our son. To be continued----

Take this class. It's free!

Three hours of graduate credit. Only three writing prompts to give to your students. Only 7 1/2 days to attend. All materials are free. Really? More to come.

Last One In...

Well, we finally took the plunge, literally. For the first time this season we got in the above-ground swimming pool. BRRRR! The pool thermometer said 80, but it lied! Maybe it was 80 for the top one inch of water. I only stuck one foot in and promptly climbed out and spent my time in the hot tub instead at 104.

Fluffer Nutter

My granddaughter loves to eat, and she wants to eat all the time. (Fortunately, she is petite.) Yesterday I made her peanut butter and marshmallow on crackers. She turned the gooey side parallel to her face and proceeded to eat the pb and mallow off the crackers. This continued for several crackers' worth, although she never ate the crackers. She ended up with the sweet concoction from the top of her nose to the bottom of her chin. At one point she began painting her forearms with the stuff on her hands all the while peering at grandma to see if it was okay to do it. Of course it was okay. She was at grandma's house. I have several cute pictures of the outcome of the eating excursion that could win prizes.

Small Swimming Pool

Kept the granddaughter yesterday. Since I am afraid to put her in the big pool when I am here by myself, I had to improvise. I found a large plastic bowl (maybe 15 inches in diameter) and decided she could have fun pouring water and splashing in it. And she did! Eventually, she put her feet in it and marched up and down. Then, she sat on the lip of the bowl. The bowl turned over with her weight, spilling much of the water in her diaper. She was delighted. When I get a chance, I plan to buy her a hard, plastic, kiddy pool. She has already shown me that it need not be big. Maybe I should get one just big enough for the both of us. But I promise not to sit on the side of it.