Good Fortune

As I amble towards another New Year I am thinking once again of what I wish for. I gave up with resolutions, it's all a dilusion as I don't have the will power to pass by a Taco joint without stopping in. So, everything I think I might want, once I think about it, can be interpreted so many ways.

Take Good Fortune.

One would automatically jump to Money when you say fortune. Money, in excess can cause problems, and to little can cause even more problems. I wish we had money, lots of it too.....but as with Christmas this year, not sharing it in the form of presents with other family members caused resentment, even being called cheap. So much for teaching my kids empathy and giving of ones self being enough to bring happiness. The rotten part is that it was just one person that had to spoil it for our kids. It made them feel bad when they overheard a phone conversation. Might I add it wasn't my husband saying words, the other person speaks so loud that you can hear everything they are saying.

I digress yet again, but make my point too. The Good Fortune that I am wishing for is the Good Fortune of comfort. Peace of Mind, Peace of Soul and Peace of Knowledge that all will work out in the end. I guess that's what we all wish for deep down, well, most of us. The symbol attached to this post is very eye catching, but as much as I want to believe in amulets, it's just as useful as believing that there are faeries in the woods, or some larger power making all the decisions for you. It's all about free will, and what you put out to the universe and the living things in it coming back to either bite you in the ass or delivering a wad of cash.

Maybe Boy Scouts have the right idea.

Do a good Turn Daily.

Christmas with the family

Turkey.

Yup, it's grilled turkey. Greg, Jeff's brother is a whiz in the kitchen. That's one thing that I wish Jeff was better at.

Greg cooked this turkey in near zero temps outside Christmas Day. Greg also did a brisket with his famous barbeque sauce. It was truly amazing dinner. I wish I would have taken pictures of the set up for 15 people for dinner. Good china, good stemware, even better food. I was so tired, I was thankful that Catherine and Daniel were able to help a little. As usual, my sister in law Stacey had everything in order, a check list even to make sure everything was on the table.

With our tummies full, we headed downstairs to our little area Stacey and Greg always have set up for us when we come. There were 12 people sleeping overnight. Catherine and Daniel grabbed the bunkbeds first. They are old camping ones, and the kids love them!

As we were tearing everything down the next a.m. we realized how much work they put into setting these up. There was at least a dozen blankets, liners and various other padded things to make it more comfortable. The kids and I LOVE Stacey's bedding.

1) it's old, worn in just the right places, soft and comfortable. It's so much like home, actually it's nicer than home.

2) her bedding always smells like it came off the line.

3) it just makes you want to snuggle in and never get up.

4) each blanket Catherine and I pulled off and folded up, we reminisced the stories of each one. Some were Stacey's sleeping bags when she was a teen, some were old throws from the Noble House. It was alot of fun remembering.

The car dog

Barney loves car rides. He's rather good at them. He sits in the seat just like the kids do. On the way back from Greg and Stacey's home in Aitkin, MN he was sooo excited to go on a car ride. He did curl up and take a nap with Steve on the first bench seat. The kids put the seat belt across his tummy and he remained there for the better part of the trip.

He's rather adorable. when he got home he checked out his backyard, peed on the normal 3 spots pretended to chase something, then came in to snoop for a bone. He's so gentle and very patient, but as soon as you mention 'car ride' he's ever so happy. I wish we didn't own Cold Stone. We would have rented a motor home and taken a trip to Florida with this little guy.

Little girl is growning up

Catherine was sitting to me on the couch last night and I looked over. She may be 13 but she looks more like a 17.

When we went to drop off the toys for tots this Private who was collecting toys was hitting on her. She just blew it off, he was doing some major flirting all I could think of was "Hey dude, when you say you want to know which Cold Stone she works at, keep in mind that it's a 13 year old your coming to see." but I didn't and when we left I asked her if she noticed if that guy was acting "funny" . She said yes, but thought he was being nice.

When I guy asks you when you work next, he's looking to see you again.

She just smiled and said "ew, he was old"

That's my girl.

Meat

I was intrigued by the direction Burger King is taking with their "caught you looking" advertising.

I must admit, I wouldn't mind a sniff, and I can see people actually buying the cologne. Even cologne that smells like meat. I almost want to purchase a whopper and sniff it. I can't recall what meat smells like, I am too busy eating it to notice the smell.

The picture really caught my eye. It's great. If you can't find humor in it, please go get your funny bone checked. The expression on the BK head is priceless and can be interpreted in many ways, even the 'come hither' look.

In times where people are looking at doing all they can to get you in their doors to spend money, BK takes the position of not taking ones self too seriously.

The older chicks like me remember Joe Namath in panty hose and the scandal of Burt Renyolds butt naked with a stetson covering up the "naughty parts". This ranks right up there.... very memorable.

Baby, it's cold outside

Yup, it's cold.

After 72 hours in the sub zero we might make it above 10 today. I shouldn't complain, but I will.

I am cold. I am tired. Even though in 5 days the days will get longer, I can't wait. I want spring NOW!

This picture is from our front doors last January when we had a week of sub zero temps. The store heaters couldn't keep the ice off the front doors.

I think I will send a card to my dad asking him "What were you thinking staying in Minneapolis?"

Even worse that this cold is listening to people massacre holiday songs. People who have no business singing in the first place and those "artists" who should stay in the genre. Take for instance the last slaughter of a song I heard this a.m. Dolly Pardon and Rod Stewart singing "Baby, it's cold outside"

It made me want to rip my ears off my head.

It's bad enough Road Stewart went off and recorded oldies, now he wants to be sexy and old. Dolly will never age, plastic surgery takes care of this. At some point the corners of her mouth will reach her ears and her waist will eventually disappear, but that's Dolly. She cute and bubbly. Rod, well I recently saw him in spandex. It reminded me of putting tights on a chicken.

There's a visual for you.

Some things are better left original.

December 27th

December 27.

The last new moon of 2008. Go circle it on the calendar right now. It's the most powerful day of the year. Each new moon I write down 10 goals I wish to accomplish for the month. This is the symbol for good fortune in the Chinese culture. Good fortune can mean, as everyone thinks, Money, but as everyone knows it's whatever you value the most, health, stability or peace the good old Money is what keeps everyone in balance. The source of all disruptions, anger, pain and grief.

I am choosing Peace.

My list this month:

1. Peace in my family and my larger family, the world.

2. Comfort for those who need it most, and for those who don't know that is what they need most.

3. Love for those without it and find that it comes from the simplest places.

4. Health for those who are looking for a cure for mind, body or spirit.

5. Joy for those who lack the ability to open their eyes and see it is there already.

6. Healing for those who have been wounded by those who they trust.

7. The financial means to stay afloat another day.

8. Empathy for those who don't understand, may they not just act, but feel.

9. Patience for family, friends and that everything positive you send out into the world, it will come back 10 fold.

10. The wisdom to see things for what they really are and not react to what seems most obvious. Blessings sometimes are hiding in some really "stinky" packages. Looking past the obvious to find the gem, no matter how small.

Most people choose to lose weight, something that if you can't control the rest of your life, you can't control anyway. Living in moderation and choosing to conciously make decisions, with hope and conviction should be the real goal. Thinking of how your decisions impact others is my focus this month.

Barney

Barney. This dog was born and raised as a beagle named "Lou". He was not good enough to breed as determined by the handler because his one toenail got stuck in a kennel when he was little and it's considered a "defect" because it was torn. We got him when he was 6 months old from a second party who tried to make him into a hunting dog. That didn't take, so for the price of a 1/2 a tank of gas and a collar we went and picked him up and pawned him off as Jeff's birthday present. Jeff griped about having to take care of the dog, but the kids taught him to poop in the flower beds so there's no poo in the yard.

Barney is gun shy, balloon shy and most recently afraid of a can of Redi Whip. He loves what's in it, but the sight of the can makes him cower and head for a corner. He literally shakes. You put a little Redi Whip on your finger and he will come and lick it off, only when the can is out of his sight. We're not quite sure exactly how this dog was "trained" before we got him, but he's the most gentle, patient dog who seldom barks and his only vice is chewing up Catherine's unmentionables and stalking her. Catherine can't leave the room for a minute. If she's in the bathroom, he lays down outside the door. Doesn't whimper or whine, just waits patiently until she comes out.

He fits into our family perfectly. He loves other animals and was pretty upset when he accidentally killed a squirrel. (that's another story) He adopted a bunch of newborn bunnies a year or two back. He cared for them, kept them clean and spent the summer mornings just listening and watching the nest, which was right smack dab in the middle of our back yard. He woudl uncover them,lock them to clean them, then cover them back up. When the bunnies grew and left, Barney still maintained his post waiting for some to come back.

Last Saturday Jeff took the boys to the Monster Truck show at the Metrodome, Catherine was at a sleepover and it was just Barney and I watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, both of us on the floor huddled by the heating duct (the only warm spot in the house.)

Barney got up, went to the patio door and sat, I knew he needed to go out. It was about 10 degrees and the wind was blowing pretty hard. It was the first really cold night of the year. I opened the door and Barney got his two front paws out, sniffed and backed up. He squatted and piddled on the floor, backed up again and laid down, rolled on his back and looked up at me. All I could do was laugh. It was too cold to go outside and when he knows he's in trouble (all you have to do is say his name in a low growl and point) at him he rolls onto his back as to beg for mercy.

Yes, he's a wienie. He sleeps between Jeff's feet completely covered by a sleeping bag, if he's not there, he's in Catherine's room doing the same thing to her. She's getting too tall for the bed, so there isn't enough room anymore. The kids dress him up for every holiday, or just for something to do. Barney can be found walking around in Steve's boxers one day then with a Superman cape the next. Steve's painted his nails, Catherine has "styled" his ears and Dan has put him in his reindeer and Santa outfits and taken him on walks. Catherine had a ball this Halloween. Barney actually walked around the house with this mask on. All in all a very patient dog.

Joy

All my kids bring joy to my life, but as a parent you know the one that you simply can't take seriously, is always reaching for more in an unconventional way.

Catherine reaches for more education and learning, reading everythign she gets her hands on. Daniel reaches for more learning in how to be a leader, teacher and a better person, Steven reaches for another large double shot espresso and keeps me reaching for the asprin.

Steven tests life. He strives to experience everything he can. No, not in the conventional way by reading then doing, but by reaching for 2 cinderblocks, a large plank and his dirt bike. I reach for the box of bandaids and the salve.

Logic says you can't make a jump with a plank at the angle, he is out to experience it before reading the rules. The way he expresses himself makes him one in a million. He can be stone faced, but looking in his eyes, you know something is cooking. His body may be still, but his mind is trying to figure out how he can keep the dog still long enough to paint his toenails. He takes school a bit differently. Once he learns something he hates shoing he can do it over again. Thus, his placement in accelerated math and reading. If it's in print it's a fact, he'd rather learn by trial and error. Yes Steve, gravity is the same as it was yesterday.

Taking pictures with this child is a lesson in futility. He has taught me more about patience, looking at things and getting ideas before I read the rules and patience to try again.

Proud

I know that pride is one of the seven deadly sins.

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.

But the pride that I felt when the twins, Catherine and Daniel came home with thier "Honors" certifcates, I was overflowing with pride. I don't push my kids, I will nag and preach, but not push. I simply tell them that I am here to guide them and teach them, what they do with it is up to them. They get thier grades on thier own.

Catherine was sad because she missed High Honors by .015 and she really tried. I told her that a 3.785 GPA is something to be proud of. Of all classes it was one class in particular that brought her grief. It was what was Home Economics in "my day" and one test that threw everything off. There was only 60 points to be earned all quarter. You have to get every question on every test right.

Daniel proved that you can have Aspergers Autism and be mainstreamed with support and still make Honors. I still have an uphill battle with the school district and teachers, but he did alot of this by himself.

The twins turn 13 in 2 days. What a way to celebrate.

Gremlins

Yes, they are out there. Last week they were inside my cell phone not allowing me to send pictures from my phone to my e-mail. Monday they were in the internet and moved to the credit card machine. It took two (2) Qwest guys to fix the internet and the credit card machine. Alas, they did not "smoke" the gremlins out of the credit card machine line and they had to come back a second time.

Yesterday I had a customer come in and want to purchase $60 in gift cards.

I apologized saying that the Qwest people had not gotten all the gremlins when they were here in the morning. HE laughed and said he was getting out before some jumped in his pockets. (he came back today and bought $100 worth of giftcards.)

Alas, I searched the internet to find a gremlin ridding potion. I found ones for your Libido, tendons, cars, and educational. I have settled on the fact that there are too many kinds of gremlins out there.

So, if anyone knows of a potion for ridding gremlins from an ice cream shop, let me know.

The First Day right?

Everyone has to have a first day. First day of school, first day of work, first day with your newborn.

The best part of a first day is that you it's a fresh start. You can't disappoint anyone because it's your first day, there are no expectations. Just like Steve (pictured) on his first day of Kindergarten. The first day can be a drag. I love Monday's because it is a fresh start, the first day all over again. It's the start of a new week. Sadly, today is Wednesday. Oh well, I can pretend right?

Sometimes you wish you had a better attitude on Monday, because by Wednesday, there's no turning back only waiting for Monday to come again. You could try and pretend that it's Monday, but then tomorrow you find out your even more behind than you were yesterday because you have lost a day or two, or three. I tried this today, then realized that I had two catering events in 48 hours. Starting over is not an option.