Another Class Completed

Well, it's the last day of my class and I have all my assignments finished and ready to turn in!! What a relief. I am so hoping that this is the absolute last class that I have to take to renew my license, because I am hoping that I can retire before they are due again. Wouldn't that be great? At least I have the hours done for this five year period. I mentally counted up the hours that I have taken in college credit and have about 290 hours. Wouldn't you think that was enough?!?

Finished with the Playset

It's done! Finally! The playset that was to take only 6-8 hours for two people to put together has taken about 68 hours. Well, almost. Toots was so ready to go down the tunnel slide. And we were waiting on her at the bottom. And waiting. And waiting. She was sitting at the top saying, "On your mark, get set, go." But then she just kept talking. The only thing I can figure out is that she enjoyed hearing her voice echo in the tunnel. When she finally did reach the bottom, her grin was from ear to ear. She quickly climbed the climbing wall and did it all over again. Too bad the load limit is 105 pounds cause I sure wanted to try it. By the way, those are complimentary children playing on the set.

Summer School

Did I tell you that I am taking a summer class? Yep, didn't want to, but would rather get it done now than try to squeeze it in with the regular school year and all its baggage. I only have to drive a mile up the road to meet, so I am saving a bunch on gas $. The class is 5 days long, and I have two completed. I think I can do this. I keep telling myself that anyway.

The I Do To Do List for the Wedding

Well, it is done, the wedding dress alterations that is. I had to hem the front of three layers of dress, take in the sides on the bodice, and do a French bustle. Doing the job worried me because the dress belongs to my future daughter-in-law. I surely did not want to mess it it. And I didn't. Thank you, Lord. Now all I have to do for the wedding that is in just 19 days is possibly alter H's bridesmaid dress, alter A's dress, check out Toots's dress, find a suit for hubby, shop and find a dress for me, make the 6 batches of punch, assist my sister-in-law with readying the garden, finish cleaning up the upstairs for guests, buy new sheets, and finish planning the rehearsal dinner. Guess I'd better get busy, right after I take a week-long class to renew my teaching license. Who said I am on vacation?

How Soon He Forgot Me

I had the opportunity to visit the house where my cat, Pepe, now lives. I didn't go there to specifically see him, but checked him out anyway. He came into the room to see all of us, be petted, played with, squeezed by my granddaughter, etc. He did come up to me, but did not do his usually loud, snorty purr. I thought maybe I would have thoughts of wanting to take him home, but alas, my feelings for him had gone also. He is just a pretty cat that someone else must feed, groom, change litter, clean up hair, etc.

The Granddaughter, Again

Toots was so excited yesterday because Papa and her daddy began building her wooden playset with a tunnel slide. She proclaimed that she was going to help. I warned that if she became a pest, Papa would stop working on it. Toots went with me to meet a friend for lunch and the first words out of her mouth were "My Papa is building my swing set and if I ask too many questions or talk too much, he will stop working on it." Guess she listened to me. Anyway, when we arrived home the two had already begun building. Toots was so excited but decided she would take a quick nap so that she would be "fresh." The nap lasted all of two minutes of her rearranging her blanket. Then the fun began when she went out to "help." We finally convinced her that if she sat on the porch and cheered them on, that would be a great help. She was able to get water and green tea from the fridge for the two of them. At one point she came in the house all dejected saying the slide was not there. My future daughter-in-law thought she meant that it was missing from the packaging. But what she meant was that after 4 hours of work, they had not put up her slide yet! It will have to be another day because according to Papa, the projection of two workers needing 6 - 8 hours could possibly mean 68 hours.

Memories and Junk

My sister and I spent all morning at our dad's house, cleaning out more of his things. It is interesting what a person keeps for so many years, thinking that each item is of great importance. For instance, we came across two large paint-by-number pictures that my mom had done circa 1960. Both were frame less, lying on a shelf in one of the bedroom closets. I can remember when mom painted "The Last Supper." I thought she had extraordinary talents. But yesterday, none of us wished to keep the masterpieces. Instead we gave them to a local charity that sells things for a nominal fee to support the charity. The charity is one that my dad had supported financially for many years. I'm sure he would have approved the giving of those paintings. And I am equally sure that someone out there will be thrilled to see one or both paintings and will snatch them up for a bargain price. We did the same with dad's gray felt hat, one of his prized possessions. It might have looked good on the head of one of his descendants had it not been for the fact that dad only wore a size 6 7/8. The hat perched on top of my brother's head, looking similar to a little straw hat the one with elastic to hold it on that you have seen a child wear at a birthday party.) After needing oxygen to revive us from our laughter, we parted with the hat quite easily. Guess we could have kept it around for a few good laughs, but then what would our children find when they clean out our houses?

The Doll Will Have What I Am Having

While keeping my granddaughter Toots yesterday, we had the opportunity to go out to eat with her mom. We met mom at Pizza Hut. Toots asked to take into the restaurant one of her dolls. Of course, Mimi let her take in just one, Dora. Toots carefully placed the doll in the extra chair between the two of us. While getting our salad, we were surprised to see that the doll had been moved into a highchair by the waitress. Toots dutifully fastened the "seat belt" to keep her safe. Throughout the meal, Toots cared for the doll by offering it sips of her lemonade and bites of her food. How cute. If only it were that easy.

Playset On Order

Well, the granddaughter and I did it. We went to Menards and bought a wooden swing/climbing/slide combos for her to play on here at our house. The store had two of them connected and set up for kids to try. She definitely wanted the tube slide, especially after she zoomed down it with eyes wide-open. Of course she wanted to bring it home already assembled. But it doesn't work that way. My hubby said to be sure to get someone to assist me in deciding which one and what exactly came with the whole box. Well, the young boy that they sent was not versed on the playsets. He gave me false information several times. I couldn't resist, so I corrected him in a nice way. He told me they were sold out but that he could order the one Toots wanted. So we followed him to a computer where he punched in all the numbers. After asking an older man for help, he was surprised to see that the store had 4 in stock, somewhere, out there. He left us for about 5 minutes and returned with the good news that there were indeed 4. Hopefully, hubby will be able to pick one up today or tomorrow. The it will only be 6 to 8 hours for two people to assemble the whole thing. I don't know if I get to be the second person or if Tootsie's dad gets the honors. Bet it takes 9 hours for two.

No Coffee for You

I'm having a stress test done around noon today. The pre-test instructions stated that I can have no coffee nor decafe tea until after the test is done. Okay, I am 4 hours into the morning with no coffee. I hope I can pass the test of giving up my two cups of coffee.

Happy Birthday to My Daughter

Happy Birthday, Al! Hope you have a great day! Mom PS Do you want your card with $ sent in the mail or just hand it to you? (I'm a little behind on this month's birthdays.)

Beginner Bible Bowl Finishes Season

We had a successful weekend tournament with our Beginner Bible Bowl teams at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. Team #1 finished the double elimination competition in first place and received a large trophy and medallions. Team #2 was handicapped by having to play without their main player who buzzes in and gets the tossup questions. The team did not win a trophy for their finish, but won the praise and admiration of many coaches and quiz masters for their Christian attitudes and for not giving up. We are so proud of both teams.

Where Is That Rainbow?

I have heard skeptics say that the world could never be flooded like the Bible says happened in Noah's days. Well, after the heavy rains we've experienced this past week, especially on Saturday, some of those skeptics could become believers. Can you imagine what would happen here in this state with just 7 days in a row of the rain we just had? Hey, do you know where I can buy some gopher wood?

Hubby Is the Head of the Data Base

Went to see my ENT doctor today. Since I have not been to his office in years, and they have a new system, I had to be entered as a new patient. The receptionist asked for my husband's name, which I didn't think was too out of the ordinary. But here is how the rest of the conversation went. Receptionist: I need your husband's social security number. Me: I don't know it. Rec: I need to have your husband's number. Me: I still don't know it. Rec: Would your doctor's office have it? Me: No, he doesn't go to the same doctor as me. Rec: (Sitting, not typing, looking at me) I can't go on until I have your husband's information. Me: But the insurance is in my name. I am the carrier, not him. Rec: Yes, I know that, but I must enter you under your husband because this system must be set up with the husband as the head of the household. Me: That's a little archaic, isn't it? (I call hubby on the phone to get his soc. #, promising to explain it all later. I then hand the number to the Rec.) Rec: I see that you owe a co-pay. I'll collect that now. Me: Okay. (I dutifully write out the check.) Rec: (Hands me a receipt written in my husband's name.) Me: (I keep my cool and hold my tongue. After all, the Receptionist just works here.) Thank you. Okay, do you see a problem with this? Since when do I have to have my husband, who does not carry his own insurance, entered into a data base so that I can be seen by an ENT who has been my doctor for more than 30 years? No, I don't get it either.

Bridal Shower

Went to the bridal shower of my future daughter-in-law the other day. My granddaughter was a little confused. She wanted to know when we were going to the bathroom to take a shower.

To Plant or Not to Plant

Okay, where did the cooler weather go? The last days of this school year I was wearing a coat and now we are burning up in 90 degree weather. Where was our spring? I haven't even transplanted my spring flowers yet. I haven't even planted my sunflowers and a few other seeds. Now I am wondering if I dare do it in such scorching heat. I do it anyway.

Take Your Junk Upstairs!

We live in an old house, like as old as 1910 or so. When we purchased it 30 some years ago, it was a basic 6 room house with a complete bathroom. (That must have been added years later.) Anyway, our house is what is called a 1 1/2 story home. The upstairs was not even started. In fact, the only stairs to access it were very narrow and very steep. So we began the task of remodeling and creating more living space upstairs. All of the rooms have slanted ceilings, but are very spacious. We were able to create 3 bedrooms, one full bath, a sitting/tv/library room, and a storage room. Now, the reason for this post. We have a bad habit of just carrying up stuff and stacking it in one of the rooms upstairs now that all of our kids have moved out. We have kept one of the bedrooms fairly cleaned out except for the items not taken by our son. Well, with the wedding coming up this summer, we have guests staying with us during the time of the wedding. I'm excited about that, but then realized, we have to do something about cleaning up the upstairs. So, yesterday, my hubby and I began the arduous task of cleaning, moving stuff from one place to another, condensing, and throwing out. We didn't actually get very far in the process, but it looks like we have done great work already. We have more than a month to finish the project. Perhaps we will be so motivated that we will actually finish painting the walls in the open areas. Then again, probably not. Just getting it cleaned up will be adventure enough.

Rain and Flooding

We are under a deluge of rain with more than 6 inches in 24 hours. Needless to say, many roads are flooded and closed, even part of interstate 70. Our county has declared a state of emergency. While watching the local news, the info crawler declared the emergency and said to travel if needed. Huh? The announcer's words contradicted with do not travel unless an emergency. Ok, I need groceries, I need to see my granddaughter, I need to pick up something in town, so do I get to travel? I asked my wise husband what would happen to people traveling who did not know about the state of emergency. He said that ignorance is no excuse or everyone would plead ignorant. If I do leave the house and am stopped, do you think I can get by with it if I say that the tv said to travel if needed?

Sign Language of a Different Kind

I wore my sign language shirt to VBS yesterday, the one with the universal symbol for I Love You. Many of the children commented about it and asked what it meant. One little boy, Mitchell, was particularly interested in what it meant. After I explained it, he held up his middle finger and asked if I knew what that meant. (I really think he thought he was using sign language, well, I guess it is.) All I could think to say was that it wasn't very nice to do, so he did it again with the biggest smile on his face. Fortunately for me he was ready to leave for his next class or I might have said something that wasn't in tune with our lessons about the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. Looking back on the whole thing, I can anticipate my granddaughter doing something similar in the future. Oh, boy.

More VBS, Storms, and "New" Words

I picked my granddaughter up after VBS and Bible Bowl practice today. She knew I was going to get her so she kept telling the daycare workers that her Mimi was still at church and she was coming to get her. By late in the afternoon, Miss Sharon was surprised to see me still at church and acknowledged that Toots had been right all along. (Of course we won't tell Toots that she was right because she already thinks that at even age 3 1/2.) Toots and I had some errands to run first before heading home. By the time we were driving home, the sky was very dark in the SW. Toots said it looked like a big storm was coming and perhaps a tormado. She is not afraid of storms, which is a bonus now that we are having so many. As we continued our route to grandma's house, we chatted in the van about how VBS went. She said she really loves "Kaytion Bible School." She loves the singing and especially the puppets. I, too, love the singing and the puppets, but I really love to watch Toots!

Friends and Boyfriends

At Vacation Bible School the one-year-old through four-year-old classes come in for the opening for the singing and the puppet skit. The toddlers are so cute as they try to do the motions to the songs and sing. They soon are out of their seats and in the aisles for more room and a better view of the puppets. While observing our granddaughter yesterday, her papa saw that she was sitting by her best boyfriend, Ian. While seated, a little girl on the other side of Ian placed her arm around Ian's shoulders. So, Toots did the same from her side. I am just thankful that she didn't remove the other girl's arm or fight. You never know what to expect from three-year-olds. After all, Ian is the one who bit Toots the most and became her boyfriend. I don't want anyone to explain what that means.

New Snack for VBS

We had a first for Vacation Bible School this year. While in crafts class, a fourth grade boy was playfully, but too aggressively, hitting on the boy next to him. Our minister, a teacher of one of the groups, told the boy to stop. He didn't. Bob told him again, but this time the boy starting hitting the preacher. So Bob wagged his finger in front of the boy's face and sternly told him to stop. Then the boy bit Bob's finger. I haven't heard what happened after that, but the preacher did not bleed and the boy was back today.

A Rite to Passage: VBS Begins

We started Vacation Bible School today with big crowd of over 190 children. I really enjoy teaching VBS. I would have to in order to jump right in with this many children less than a week from the end of school. I saw one of the boys that will be in my class next year. He is more than a handful. He was so excited to see me, and already knows that he will be in my room. By the end of the morning he proclaimed that he can't wait till summer is over so that he will be in my class. Only 71 more days to go. Ugh!

A Day with Toots

I kept my granddaughter on Friday. We had a good time playing together, as we usually do. We had errands to run in the morning, meet my sis and my hubby for lunch, then come back home and play outside. Since Mimi (grandma) was very tired, I talked Toots into both of us taking a nap. She didn't want to, but was fast asleep. After our naps, we were ready to go outside to play when we heard papa start up the lawn mower. Since he mowed near the patio, we could not go outside just yet. Toots said we had to wait until he was done lawn mowering. I just love how a little one acquires a language. I didn't correct her though, because I wasn't ready for more of her stubbornness by saying she was right. We'll work on that term another day.