TV - Being Erica

Since moving to the boonlands, we don't have tv reception. I refuse to pay for cable, since TV IS SUPPOSED TO BE FREE THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TO ENDURE COMMERCIALS. Okay, off that bender.
So we watch tv on the computer on hulu. We have found some fantastic shows. Rose and I watch "Being Erica" a canadian produced show. Geez Louisey we love this show. AND I feel like I have a mini-therapy session every episode. Who needs therapy? You just watch this show and learn from Dr. Tom. Who I have a minor crush on. Sigh.

Images Courtesy imdb.com

Random - and yet again -Procrastination

I have book material due to a publisher on Tuesday. This Tuesday the 16th. So what am I doing? Writing about how I am not working on that. Writing about how I cannot write on that topic but somehow can blather on about procrastinating on not doing what I 'should' be doing. Talked with Ma this morning for two hours. She doesn't know it yet but I am coming out to Michigan when she has her second hip done. I am not sure I helped with the first hip, but I felt alot better being there since I knew she was fine. And she was seriously drugged up. I am not sure the kids along was a help.... but they had a blast, too. Talked to my aunt and uncle this week. They are snowbirds and head down to Fla. every winter. Except this winter was 'winter' down there, not the usual balmy insect-infested sand in your underwear Florida. They told me they saw a plane crash in the Gulf of Florida. That was wierd news. How being near tragedy is almost like seeing a movie star. There was almost gushing going on. I got the blow-by-blow of every detail.
I know when I saw the Coast Guard accident off of Vashon Island that killed a young man, I was probably gushing. It is so out-of-the-ordinary.. and both these times there was really no reason for the deaths. They were both accidents that came out of 'showing off' - one with a Coast Guard boat, one with a former military training jet that was doing tricks too close to the water. What a sad way to pass to the other side.
Still procrastinating.

Feisty - I apologize now

I can't figure out if having a credit card like this would stop me from spending.... or make me spend more. Since there would be an implication that my spending was condoned from above.
Just for your info - these are called "classic Jesus" and "cool Jesus" I just know whenever I look at the card with cool Jesus I crack up. Is that an iced latte or some sort of fruity drink?
I figured it out. Only "classic" would stop me from spending, since he looks like he is gearing up for a lecture, and that can't be good. Cool J would lead me to overimbibe in iced coffee drinks.



Credit card images courtesy www.datejesus.com

Health Care : something you should know

Did you know that every one of those politicians voting for or against health care get health care for the rest of their life by virtue of their elected office? Seems like a bit-o-hypocrisy going on. And they don't even have to be workin' to receive that benefit.

Bubba and the Big Manure Haul

So at some point in the past gal pal and I dug and built the barn back into shape. Well, when I got sick this winter I let things slllliiiiiidddddeeeeee and the barn was not scooped out religiously as I had been doing it.
And, that *&%t builds up. And up. So I posted a piece of paper at the local feed store for someone to come out and shovel those stalls and move it to the compost bin. And that is when Bubba called. He called 14 year-old Rose "ma'am" on the phone and that tickled her. He has a new baby, no further than an 8th grade education due to dyslexia and is a rodeo man and horse trainer.
I actually thought he had somehow hit cement he shoveled that barn so smooth. (I have never seen it like that) AND the man never broke a sweat. Makes me feel old. I break a sweat just looking at the manure fork and wheelbarrow. Love the cleaned out barn, however! He even swept my porch. Wow.

House - Knob and Tube Wiring

Is this really happening, do I get to delete something from my house repair to-do list? Why yes, yes I do.
We have a light that I wrote about that we supposedly repaired. Well, we didn't. It still shot the bulbs out of the socket like little glass jets. I had it with whatever electrical mess was going on upstairs and had money in the savings account so called the handy dandy electrician. My kids sleep up there, and I am not fretting about possible snafus in the wiring system that could be dangerous. The electrical co. is the same who rewired the main part of the house and put in a new electrical box. When I talked to the 'bidder guy' who comes out to quote a job, he told me that they just did a house like ours with knob and tube and it was $8K. That is NOT how much I had in the savings account. So we talked a bit, and he said he could send my original two electricians out, Greg and Jim for $700 a day and they could figure out what was going on. Greg and Jim came out yesterday and when they were leaving at 3:30 they said "We replaced all the knob and tube and questionable outlets and fixtures." So the price to upgrade the upstairs went from $8000 to $700. I gave them cheesecake and a loaf of fresh bread. I think that worked out in my favor.

Health - Aging Woman - Vitamin D, iron, high blood pressure

This is the real post I meant to type, but I got sidetracked by botox thoughts (looks.)
OK, this is girl stuff to give a survey view of health as I age.
1. Approaching menopause. Seem to not have any iron or Vitamin D in my body.
2. Doctor prescribes hormone.
3. Hormone makes me have rockets of insanity and black anger clouds of mother mood.
4. Doc takes me off hormone. Due to - as she writes in her notes - "mood instability" HAHAHA
5. Still missing crucial elements in blood of iron, vitamin D, calcium.
6. Doc prescribes "menopause drug"
7. Feel calmer, can sleep at night and my ten years of ecxema disappear!
8. Still missing iron D calcium.
9. Doctor adds lower dose progesterone only hormone to my routine.
10. Blood pressure skyrockets 192/132 the next day.
11. Blood pressure barely comes down for a week.
12. Doctor prescribes a hypertension Ace inhibitor drug.
13. I am 45.
14. When I picked up the prescription, I told the pharmacist the other two drugs I was on and he said both those can cause blood pressure to go up.
15. Not impressed with medical solution of layering on medications to deal with the symptoms of the previous drugs side effects.
16. Getting my mom, former librarian, to figure out the solution to all this medical inadequacy.
17. Ask me in 6 months, I will probably be off of all this crap. My normal BP is 122/80 or 72. This is ridiculous. I will not be one of those ladies when I am 80 who is on so many medicines they can't keep track... and half the drugs are to counter side effects from other drugs. Drugs people, are not the first thing to go to, they should be the last.

Botox leads to Neanderthal forehead

I don't mind looking older and get a kick out of all the products on the drugstore shelves that promise to "bring back a younger you." HA. I actually like the worn in laugh lines and the cranky furrowed thing between my eyebrows. It shows that a) I laugh alot and b) I frown alot. I think the frown thing is a vanity since I am supposed to wear glasses and I have taken up squinting instead. (Like right now, I am somewhat squinting at the screen) And, geez, I have a 10 year old and a 14 year old... if I did not have a frown line how would I ever influence them with my steely-eyed mother squint? ??
Since I feel way younger than I look... and I act way younger than I should... I like the veneer of maturity my aged skin and body lets me wear. You can't stop aging, you can't stop death. It really freaks me out to see the neanderthal forehead men and women are willing to wear for the privilege of botox shots. Have y'all noticed your head gets all poochy in the brow region? Not a good look. But again, this is ONLY MY OPINION. Whatever makes you feel outstanding is well worth it. We have too many low self esteem people out there. Do what works for ya! Just don't expect me not to silently think to myself "Neanderthal" when you walk by. Here is a gal that has to squinch her face to get the lines to show she is so toxicized... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLork5-Tan4

Welsummer Chickens Part 2

The welsummer chickens we waited for all last summer at our feedstore arrived and grew up. Three of the six disappeared through various minifarm mishaps. Don't make me type them out loud, even though I was not bonded to them like our old handraised biddies, it still wells my heart.
Overall welsummer report :
They are loud. It cracks me up when they give the big warning hooty henny warning when I am walking across the yard. So I tell them "Shhhhhhhhhhhh ! You girls are making a racket !" and they immediately close their beaks. Smart birds.
They are talkative, they fly better than any of our previous chickens, and lay beautiful dark brown speckled eggs. Our 4.5' foot fence will not contain them and I need to clip their wings if I want them coop and yard bound. I am glad we did not have these in the city, the neighbors would not have liked hearing their incessant fussing. The wyandottes and orpingtons do not make such a ruckus.
Next on our chicken acquisition list is to get the wyandottes again. Our one hen, Lainey, would set the pace for egg laying with the rest of them and we were buried in eggs from just three girls. We have 6 hens now, and there seems to be a couple dud chickens in there for eggs.
Oh -- and only get a golden polish hen if you need humor in your chickenyard. That girl is the dumbest all around creature I have met in a long time. Plus, she just looks rediculous with her fancy tophat of feathers and a total slacker in the egg laying arena.

Blogs - Life is a Soap Opera ... Live

It is fun to search through new blogs, or blogs that you all link to. I have found some hilarious blogs that way and great house restoration resource blogs. Recently, one blog I link to has now become involved in a bloggy soap opera. There is a big issue between three .. and part of that tiff appears to be christianity. Two are sisters that each have their own well-done blogs. The other is a rich by marriage (her words) ranch mom that seems to be well-known in certain circles for cooking ( I think. )(2011 addition: I saw her book in the bookstore so she is definitely known for cooking!) The first blog was one of my very favorites due to her sense of humor. I swear to rippin' GOD that her story of being locked in the henhouse with a sick hen under her arm and a mad rooster attacking her is worthy of peeing your pants. She is a woman with a lot of joy, dancing and laughing that I appreciate. Especially since she works and has 4 kids. I can handle the christianity that weaves throughout when it is not shoved as the one and only righteous path to God. (Learn history, please.) And lately, I believe in response to her sister who went from similar life views to (gasp) ATHEISM the formerly joyful gal and hubby have been reduced to some christian frillery. Their posts of late have gotten a bit... shall we say... narrow? Really parents... the first thing you want your beloved children to look for in a life partner is that they be CHRISTIAN? Really? It's fine if someone goes off and hits your amazing daughter... since they are christian? It is fine if your son marries a two-timing skanky lady as long as she is a christian? I do not mean that "only christians do these things," but that humans do these things, exclusive of their particular faith. Weakness of character is not "fixed" by God. Plus, only marrying a christian means 75% of the world population is ruled out right there, and there are some dang wonderful people in the world. But hey, those are all heathens and non-believers going to hell anyway. Technically, wouldn't there be more people in hell than heaven? Does that seem just? Would a just god really send more people to hell than heaven? This is the main problem -- to believe you have to disbelieve in common sense, wisdom, a moral life and humane behavior. Those very things that religion and law should help guide society. (stepping off the soapbox right now)
The now atheist blogger mom attacks the successful published author blogger gal, and the posters to christian mom blog post attacks on her atheist sister. Here are my questions:
1. Why does atheist mom dislike cookbook lady so much (and they have met according to blog tales) My personal theory is that one is perimenopausal and full of feistiness, but hey, that could just be me projecting.
2. Why does love appear to be conditional in Christianity? That is NOT the christianity I grew up with. Hell (and I say that with all sorts of love) I don't think another person's faith mattered when I was a child... only how we personally treated another person. That reflected on our own faith. It was about us and our relationship to god. Not getting up in everyone else's business about their relationship. When did it become such a cranky narrow scope of acceptance?
3. How will this sort of human interaction (online) change our humanity in the longrun?
NOTE: Cranky atheist mom has closed down her blog. All her archives are gone. Hmmm. My mind says the big guns of media have threatened her with libel, since there is a big hollywood movie being made about the gal she so steamingly roasts and they want no holes in the marketing frenzy. Justified or not, personal opinions aside, at what point do we keep our mouths firmly shut of any feisty opinion about another? If something offends me in the world in blogland.... I don't read it!
Second NOTE: Her blog is back up and renamed. And she is pretty cranky and spinning her wheels about it. Not for the faint of heart. People posting (who am I kidding... it is only women posting) on other blogs say they are praying for her. It is odd that somehow when I read those blog comments way over here 9 states away I feel like I am in the smallest town ever sitting around a big kitchen table listening to gossip.
Third NOTE: I took out all blog names and regular names since I was number three on search results for their names in combination. I don't know any of these people, I am not what should pop up when people want to know anything about this. The folly of search engines... people with personal opinions can get valued more than facts. Keep that in mind with political opinions you read online.

Ferry Riding Guide - Bainbridge to Seattle run

Photo : Arriving Seattle from Winslow... I mean Bainbridge.

Photo : Bainbridge cars unloading. The ferry worker in the bright vest has the city exit lane blocked to let 3-6 end of shift employees escape from the staff parking lot. It adds 1/2 mile to 200 other cars commute, however since they are diverted south past the main city center. U-turns are not legal in this city.

Since riding these big white beasts of sea burden is a requirement to get to my job, I thought I should summarize what you may experience on the Washington State Department of Transportation Ferry Service. This edition shall focus on the Bainbridge Island - Seattle run.
1. The Bainbridge Island run used to be called the Seattle - Winslow run. Do not ask old timers about the name change. They get ruffled feathers and may start spitting when they speak vehemently. Suffice it to say Bainbridge Island is the Bellevue of Kitsap County, except without the highrise buildings. Very caucasian, very middle to upper middle class incomes with Midwest middle-class sensibilities. Many people that aren't comfortable with Seattle due to its DIVERSITY (oh do the research on this, Seattle is also very white) are fully comfortable with this island. So small town living next to the big city of Seattle.
2. The ferry ride takes about 35 minutes. To keep your transit time about 35 minutes, you want your car to be in the center lanes of the boat. Not that you get to decide this. They load the boat in order, and pay attention to weight distribution.
In general, car loading is a first on, first off philosophy. It can differ however, depending on your ferry captain and what they tell their main parking floor staff.
3. You can wave or nod at these workers when driving on or off. For the most part they are a happier bunch than Any Other Boat. I have been told by Bainbridgers that "they take care of their ferry workers" at holidays and such, so supposedly have the nicest boats, nicest employees, yada yada etc. From talking to employees I know that the Bainbridge Islanders have the most clout in the ferry system and other run ferry riders (in particular Bremerton) complain that Bainbridge gets preferential treatment. Bainbridge folks know who "know who to talk to" or they have whiny hissy fits (as only a Seattle-area person can do) about some Bainbridge ferry run issue. Consequently, you may miss that you need to get off the boat...they do not announce in person when the boat arrives at Bainbridge. Residents near the ferry dock complained of the ferry announcement as the ferry pulled into harbor. Many times you will get a recording (which my kids have memorized...)When a Bainbridge ferry breaks down, it takes a Bremerton run ferry to keep its schedule. Bremerton is then down a ferry.
4. Bainbridge comes directly out of Seattle, so can be a mightily loaded boat of walk-ons and cars. In summer it is tourist-filled. Vehicles tend to be more expensive on this run. The generic high end seattle suburb cars - volvo, lexus, acura, sport cars. You will hear the captain or whoever gets on the PA tell the mercedes owner of the blue/silver/black one to turn off their alarm. Work vehicles tend to be for bakeries or trucks that don't look like they work at all. (Unless you see our big white dirty truck on the ferry!)

5. When arriving or departing Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge... the ferry veers very close to the shore to get around some submerged rocks. Do not freak out that the boat is going in the wrong direction even if it appears to be turning away from where you think it should be going. Trust your captain. These waters have been plied by ferries for over 120 years. They know what they are doing. There is only one ferry accident with fatalities.. and that was in 1906 with a teeny commuter steamship.

6. TIP for impatient drivers : How they unload the boat (And I know this because I am one of those drivers and this made me crazy so I asked every dang ferry what their strategy is)

Center two lanes fully offloaded. Center far lanes fully unloaded.

Outside lower level lanes, except they let one car go from the inside lane for clearance issues. Can't trust people to know the size of their cars!

Inside lower level lanes.

Upper level outside lanes, then upper level inside lanes.

Keep an eye on the ferry worker, don't speed on or off the boat.
7. How to be a "Regular Commuter on the Bainbridge Ferry" :
Turn your lights off when driving on or off. Don't blind the employees.

Keep your car alarm off. The ferry movement sets them off and you will be publicly humiliated by the ferry workers over the PA.

Move your damn car as close as possible to the car in front of you. You may be smooshing enough room to fit another car on the boat.
You can open the newspaper recycle bins and take the daily paper out to read.
Coffee is $1 in your own cup any size except hondo. Even if you just have a paper cup. Otherwise $2.50.
Do Not make-out, pick your nose, change clothes, have sex, let your dog defecate or pee on the boat deck, throw things overboard, play your music loud in your car. Not only will the person sitting in the car behind, next to, or in front of you see or experience, but the ferry workers can watch on camera.
And no running upstairs, the ferry staff will get on the PA and tell you to stop.

The Free Market economy does not create Good Cities

that's it.

Bathroom Update - Tear out and Prayin'

Photo: Totally unrelated to the bathroom tear-out job other than these chicks lived in the bathtub for a month.

So I broke down and decided to get some bids to tear out the rest of the bathroom so we can put it back together with all the stuff sitting in the garage. I have been sitting on it for 3 months, doin' nothing, so it is time to bring the big guns in. Or the people who would tear out in 3 hours what I seem to not be able to find time to do.

The first quote was a gal and her dad. They drove up in a minivan, much like mine, but newer and not white. After quoting the job ($250) they hopped in their car. It would not start. I gave them gas since they were on E. It would not start. I hooked up jumper cables. It would not start. I called my neighbor who can fix anything, but talked to his wife since he was at work and she said she would say a prayer for us. I actually love the whole 'say a prayer' thing, it seems like such an easy way to reach out into the ether for random help. And let me tell ya, our neighbor has been saying many prayers for us (but that would be another story.)
OK, so neighbor is saying a prayer over the non-starting car and I say thank you and hang up the phone. Walk outside and the car starts. I love that shit. Called the neighbor back and told her that her prayer did the trick, she said no, it was the "Lord's Work" Well god bless that man. I will say a prayer for him.

The final part of that story is that about 10 minutes later I got a call from these two and am asked if I found a wallet somewhere at my house. Sigh. I don't think it was their day. Can someone say a prayer for them?

Valentines Day - 1st Day of Frog Love

I was seriously beginning to worry that something had happened to the frogs around here. Last February there was a loud raucous party of singing frogs for a couple months, this year I was only hearing three. One of them seems to be under my window and has finally mastered the fine art of tuneful frog burps.
Well, come February 14th and hoila(!)... symphony of frogs. So glad to hear them, and so glad this house has double pane windows. They sing LOUD.

Seattle So Far Away - Land Use

For work, which I don't really talk about much, I ended up at a meeting. A public meeting where elected officials and community leaders spoke. Here is a quick reason why I am so SO happy to be gone from the city.

Seattle City Council members do endless work and need to be on three committees each. One of the options is to join the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee. Only, this year, that committee has been renamed to C.O.B.E. , pronounced like Kobe, Japan. This stands for the Committee on the Built Environment. Built environment. Let's take away the language of "land" use and "neighborhood" and "planning" and change it to we are only supervisors of the built environment, which is all Seattle will be... Buildings, pavement, pocket parks not big enough to throw a ball. Things controlled, designed, created by humans. Ya know, I am fairly sure people move here because it is Seattle. Not New York.

The other point: We have in Seattle a giant public area called Seattle Center. (http://www.seattlecenter.com/)

Leftover from the Seattle World's Fair in 1962, it holds the space needle, rides,(recently sold) science center, and our fave... the Center House with theatre, childrens museum and free public programming. We have seen amazing cultural events and fantastic dance contests. Our kids have even performed on stage.

In this same meeting, it was said that Seattle Center's future would be to become like New York's Central Park. No offense meant, but Central Park is surrounded by nothing but a sea of buildings. You can walk away from Seattle Center and still see trees and single story buildings. Guess my old hometown shall become the name first placed on our shores wishfully by the Terry brothers from 1851... New York.

Photo credit: Bumbershoot Event, Seattle Center. Courtesy Christopher Nelson

1962 World's Fair Postcard

Pics Fort Worden

Oh sure, here they don't look scary. But that is the flash illuminating every nook and cranny. Humans were not made to feel comfortable in pitch black subterranean cold places. The last picture you can barely make out the battery in the background. These are the larger walkways you can go through. There are also ones that are just the width of a human body.

Port Townsend Fort Worden

Images: 1. Battery Walker. Courtesy www.callipygia600.com

2. Mild-looking-during-the-daytime battery www.usforting.com

For my birthday we traveled north 35 minutes to the Victorian seaport Port Townsend. Fort Worden has large homes (former officers houses, NCO houses, and barracks) that you can rent. I gathered a big bunch of folks and we moved into a former barrack with 11 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, giant dining room, which came with everything you could need in a kitchen including 4 coffee pots and two fridges and stoves. I was in heaven. The purpose of this was to go through the batteries at night. This park (and Fort Flagler and Fort.... hmmm the other one) all protected the entrance to Puget Sound during WWI and WWII. The military has long moved out of these (1950's for Fort Worden) What is left is the cement batteries that held the cannons and the large artillery. Former radio buildings. A giant empty underground water tank. Without windows or wood doors they seem like an ancient ruin of some sort except they are still fully intact. During the day you need a flashlight to go through them, at night they are positively eerie. There are narrow passageways, giant steel doors that squeek and clang and of course, friends that run screaming through them. Or silently hiding in corners waiting to scare the piss out of you. I considered buying a bag of "Depends" for myself. I more need it for laughter (terror-filled) than fear based expulsions of fluids. I usually cannot stop laughing through this. We did it once before five years ago, but that was just with gal pals. The stories we amassed during that trek are priceless, and I am beginning to wonder if we have started embellishing them a bit. I can't wait to hear those stories when we are all 80. I am sure their relation to the reality of the moment of 2005 will be loose. But they will be dang good stories!

History - Seattle Totem or Story Poles

Since I have not been posting with pics since I keep freezing my camera by leaving it in the car I am not currently driving and have a bunch of work photos on there anyway I thought I could cheat and treat you to a bit of history.

The unpainted story pole standing in the pic to the right while the fellow is strapping down a painted totem pole is the first pole EVER in Seattle that tells the story of Seattle. Installed in 2007, and carved by a member of the currently federally unrecognized Duwamish tribe.

Chief Seattle lived in the Duwamish River area, and his mother was duwamish. Unrecognized tribe? A major city is named after a respected indigenous leader of whom some of his descendents are unrecognized by the federal gov't as being duwamish? There is a whole lotta conversation to be had on this, as in, who decides 'what' you are? (i know i am in trouble for using this terminology, ms. facci.) How about you are what you are. If you are born to it, if you are raised it, why would that be contested. Why would someone else define your family of origin whether you are born into it, adopted, extended or married. I am fairly sure we are still a free-choice culture. I notice when money, fiscal rewards or property/casino/fishing rights get involved a whole lot more people have an opinion. Ok, done with my wee venting action.

A story pole differs from a totem pole in that from bottom to top it tells a story of something. A totem is just that, totemic figures/symbols representing a community or tribe.

-The replaced horizontal totem pole that is being strapped down was bug chewed and moved away to the local community museum.

The vertical postcard of the single pole and the Seattle city skyline captures an image of the first totem pole ever placed at this park. This photo looks like a 1950's Seattle. This particular totem pole was created for the tourist trade in the early 1900's. The significance of the totem figures is nada, it was created using popular totemic figures, not necessarily significant to the people that carved it. At the top is a beaver, then bear with a salmon, then orca/killer whale. The faces on the side have to do with the orca being this tribes significant creature. But as I said, this is just tourist trade work..

I notice a serious lack of pollution in this photo. The air is no longer this clean in Seattle. Sigh.

And then there is modern day Seattle all the way at the top. What is sad is I remember when the wee dinky Smith Tower, just a bitty point on the far far right was a BIG BUILDING on the skyline. Now you can barely make it out with all the newer larger pointy things rising in the air. We call one of the buildings downtown the "Ban roll-on" building. If you are downtown, you can figure it out. (And I suppose if you are old enough to remember Ban deodorant.....) See the yellowy haze most visible to the right of the pic? This was probably a nice summer day when we had not had rain in quite a while, so the air is full of crap. Did I say I moved away from this city? Why yes, yes I have. And am happy about that since we have an asthmatic child whose asthma has mysteriously been getting much better.

Modern Seattle photo courtesy http://www.alkibeachwalks.blogspot.com/

Children and 'Hicksville"

It is official. We moved out of Seattle to 'the country'... (we all know I laugh at that term since I am 5 minutes from starbucks and home despot....) and my daughter is telling her old Seattle buddies that she needs to get outta this hick town. Hick town? Really? I am worried about this school she is in. I was thinking it would make her a well-rounded adult, accepting of pretty much anything since she has dealt in her short life with folks that are not really like us: extreme liberalism, extreme wealth, extreme conservatives, and now extreme I don't know what to call this. There is the positive side, that kinda low key friendly attitude that can pervade a small town, but the negative side is different than what I grew up with (oh shall I say) 30 years ago in a rural environment?? We were gentle, they are a rough group, full of swearing and fighting.
I think the world changed rapidly and somehow I was left way way behind wearing my rose-colored glasses. Where are those damn things, anyway?
On an interesting side, my favorite jehovah's witness Poppy stopped in this week, giving me a big book on the life of Jesus. She has said she can't quite figure me out, but I have nice kids.
Hmmmm.

Simple Men and Tears

Yesterday, my 10 year old son said he was a "simple man" when I complimented him on solving some issue with a straight forward solution. I was thinking all convoluted on the answer, and he ,came up with something direct. A simple man? Where on earth did that come from?
Today, our 14 year old said she was crying "tears of frustration" not sadness when she was arguing a point with me. And that I was not logical. And she spoke calmly and directly and would not let me divert.
Dang, when these kids grow up they certainly keep things interesting. And as they get older they want to argue points, even if it is the hardest thing in the world for them to do. This growing up is a challenge.