Off to SLC!

Tomorrow morning, Bill, Emma and I will fly to Salt Lake City. We will rent a car and drive down to Provo and stay with our good friends, the Harlows. Then on Wednesday, Emma will enter the MTC. So our time with her grows shoreter and shorter. Today Sarah and Loren drove over from Ft Worth to spend the day with us. James and Melissa are here as well. On Sunday Emma got to talk with Stephen in Japan for 30-40 minutes, before getting set apart Sunday night. She has had a good dose of family. As a missionary she will serve for 18 months with no vacations or trips home. We will get 4 phone calls - 2 Christmas calls and 2 Mother's Day calls. We will miss her, but we are very excited for her too, as she begins this new phase in her life!

Flu Shots

So, I have made a brief foray back into the world of working people. I have worked a few flu shot clinics. Last Thursday I gave a little over 100 flu shots at a clinic for Citigroup in Irving. It has been fun to get out and meet new people and make a little money, but I suppose I need to get a real job. At a hospital. I thought the nursing degree (BSN) and the RN would open many doors, but I was mistaken. Without that hospital experience, no one wants me. I am afraid of 12-hour shifts that stretch into 14 or 15 hour shifts. I am in good health, but I am not young.

Population Fluctuation on Sycamore Street

The population of young people in our household has been in a state of flux. In June, Stephen left for Japan and Emma for Minnesota. From no kids at home in July we got Emma back in the middle of August at almost the same time that Joakim arrived. Then a week later we got Annebeth. We were stable at 3 during September. Then Rene came to visit for two weeks in October and we were up to 4. Last Saturday we went down to two when Rene went back to Germany and Annebeth finally got permission to move in with her new host family. Just in time for James and Melissa who will be driving from Idaho Falls to Dallas this weekend and staying with us for... as long as they want to! So we will be back to 4. But then Emma will be leaving for her mission three weeks from today, bringing us down to 3 again. And then when Sarah starts her rotation at Childrens Medical Center at the end of December, we will have her for a few days. It keeps life interesting!

Emma's Going On A Mission!!!

Can you guess where? Here's a hint:



She reports to the MTC in Provo on November 19th. Exciting times!

It was the best of jobs, it was the worst of jobs.

"It was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair." I sacrificed the best of jobs because I could not bear to go back to the worst of jobs.

Habits and Shoes

I have heard that it takes 30 days to establish a new habit. While I was living out of a suitcase for 30 days, I had only 3 pairs of shoes to wear. I've been home for a week now and just realized that I've been wearing the same 3 pairs of shoes since I got back, even though there are plenty more in my closet!

Here We Go Again

Today I got approval for two exchange students to attend the Arts Magnet for this coming school year. One is a dancer; the other is a violinist. They both are excellent candidates for Arts. I'm sure they will enjoy their year. I had been trying to find another family to host one of them, but more and more I am growing attached to both of them, even though we have not yet met. I'm not sure which I would want to give up. I had thought we would keep Joakim, the Swedish boy, and find another home for Annebeth, the Danish girl, but I find myself feeling excessively picky about who would be acceptable. And as I discovered with Rene and SeWon, it is often easier to have two than just one, especially when I have no kids of my own at home. We have Emma now, but she will probably leave in another 2 or 3 months for her mission.


UPDATE: Joakim arrived on August 15th and Annebeth arrived on August 22nd. Here is a picture taken at DFW on the 22nd:

Better Than Chocolate

Blasphemy to some, maybe, but there are a few edible treats that I find better than chocolate. Mighty Mango fruit juice smoothie by Naked is one. Expensive, but worth it! Panda brand licorice with herbs is another. As with anything so delicious and tempting, a little goes a long way... or should. I've found that overindulgance can spoil even the most delectable of treats. I may come back and add to this list. I recall using the phrase "better than chocolate" in reference to other favorites that slip my mind just now. I've eliminated anything with butter - like artichokes or lobster, since I'm trying to eat vegan. Do you have a favorite treat that's better than chocolate??



OK, I just thought of another. Fresh raspberries, right off the bush. Last week, when we were in New Hampshire, Sarah, Loren and I drove to a farm at the end of Tuftonboro neck and picked raspberries and blueberries. I probably ate nearly as many as I saved! And I recall thinking 'better than chocolate'.

Time to Make a List

One of my goals for the next few days, besides staying out of the heat, is to get my house in order. We hope to host another exchange student this year, and YFU will want to make a home visit. I'm not sure we would pass at this point. I've been up since 7:30 or so and have accomplished very little. SO it's time to make a to-do list.

I've been trying to get my 2 students approved since mid-June, but people have been on vacation, Arts has no principal and the people who are there don't want to take responsibility. In the meantine, these kids cannot get a visa because they do not have a school placement confirmed.

HOT HOT HOT ... Hazardous Weather Outlook

Heat Advisory!! I left beautiful, cool New Hampshire to come home to this. It was rainy and cooler than usual in NH, but a bad day at the lake in NH is better than almost any day in Dallas in the summer. I do not handle Texas heat very well. The above images are from the NOAA website. I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot of orange suns on NOAA for the next month or so.

Bullets

While I was in PA, Bill was awakened one night at about 3 AM by the sound of gunshots. He got up to investigate, but it wasn't until morning that he found a bullet hole in the dining room window and a bullet lodged in the wall. That hole is at about the level of my heart had I been standing near the window, or my head had I been sitting at the table. Later he found a second bullet hole that went through the outside wall into the pantry, through the pantry wall into the laundry room and through the wall over the laundry room door. That's right - three entry holes and three exit holes from the same bullet. He found the actual bullet on the family room floor. It's amazing that nothing in the pantry was damaged or broken... and lucky no one was hurt. People are so thoughtless and stupid. Random bullets can and have killed.

What a slouch I am!

I am being a Camp Nurse in Pennsylvania!. So much to write about and yet I don't. I finally have a day off today, so maybe after breakfast. Ill catch up.

It's Over!!!

Yesterday was my last day of school. I had volunteered to go to Anne Frank on Monday and Tuesday but the Powers That Be dictated that I stay at TJ. Because the HS students were having finals, they were only at school for 2-4 hours each day. So I read books and gave out a few bandaids and did some research on the computer. Meanwhile at AF the clinic was crazy and I could have been of real help. At least I got to be at AF for my last day. I have 3 days of staff development during June that count towards next year. Other than that, I am free until August 18th! - Yes, I signed a contract for next year, but I have not yet been assigned to a school. So things are up in the air and I shall be, at least casually, looking at other possibilities.

Shakespeare and Company, Paris

Emma the bohemian is staying at this icon:
In exchange for about 4 hours of work per day, she has a bed in the bookstore and uses the public showers. Soon she will be going to the south of France to stay at her second organic farm. Ahhh, to be twenty and unafraid!! I did a Google entry for Shakespeare + bookstore + Paris and got a lot of hits. Like this and this and this.

Life

Things have been happening in my life... but I have been in such a funk [1 a: a state of paralyzing fear b: a depressed state of mind] that I have not been able to persuade myself to write. I have wanted to, but I have let the negative overshadow the positive. For five out of seven days each week things are fine, but I feel like I am not handling the other two days very well. Bill told me today that it's easy to tell which school I have been to by the kind of mood I'm in in the evening. I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. TEN more days and maybe, hopefully, I'll get a reprieve.



My dear, lovely Emma is in France now - WWOOFing! She begins her adventure at Chateau de Sacy (pictured above), a little north of Paris. The AA flight from DFW to Paris had plenty of space and by one of those strange flukes, her high school French teacher was on the same plane and they sat together! I was not worried about her getting across the ocean. I was more worried about her making her way on her own by bus, train and wit from the airport to this small village 40km to the north. But she managed it. And she has been using a prepaid calling card to call home. That seems to be working well. She will be in France for about 7 weeks, staying and working on 2 different farms. My sister has also been studying French and liked the idea so much that she is going to go WWOOFing too! She is interested in cheesmaking and found a farm in the Pyranees that makes cheese. So since I have been studying Spanish, maybe I should go to a farm in Spain???

Message from the Elders

About two weeks ago, I signed up to feed our missionaries on April 3rd. In honor of the upcoming occasion, I had Bill pack up the rest of the Corelle that we brought to Dallas from my mom's place in Florida. She had about 16 place settings, so I took half of it up to New England to my brother Steve and the other half has been sitting on our dining room table for 3 or 4 weeks. We will get it to James and Melissa one of these days. And it's more likely to happen now that it is packed. And thanks to the Elders, I have reclaimed the back half of my dining room table!

They did not call to confirm and we were uncertain about the appointment. I got home at about 4:20 yesterday and the light on our answering machine was flashing - a message from the Elders. I called back and they said they could only come at 5PM and if that would not work we could reschedule. I said come on over - I am turning on the oven and pulling food from the freezer as I speak. So I managed to pull together a meal and have it ready at 5 o'clock. We had a good meal and a nice visit.

One of the things I look forward to is their spiritual message. Last night they shared this scripture:

D&C 6:36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

It was what I needed to hear. I have had so many doubts and fears about this and that lately. I need to exercise more faith. That scripture brought to mind another that is a favorite of mine:

Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

As a teenager I went to MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) every Sunday evening. This scripture was the motto that we recited aloud every week. It's amazing how some things stick with you for a long, long time. Again, this scripture reminds me that my negative thoughts are unworthy, and I need to concentrate on putting my trust in the Lord.

Eighteen

more Mondays and Tuesdays. I revised my count. I forgot about the Memorial Day holiday and I'm not counting the day I will be going on a field trip with the pregnant and parenting girls. They needed a second nurse for the trip, and I was happy to accept the invitation. It should be a fun day as long as no one goes into labor. They are taking the juniors and seniors to Brookhaven College to try to encourage them to stay in school and set their sights on college. I cannot imagine trying to pursue a degree with a small child, but it can be done. I really admire the PEP (that's Pregnancy, Education and Parenting, I think) nurse at TJ. She really works hard for those kids.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

When I started my job last August I had a photo ID made which I wear anytime I am at the school. This was before I decided to "go natural" or to let my grey hair grow out. So today I was taking care of a small boy who looked at my ID and looked at me and asked "Is this a picture of you when you were YOUNG???"

Max's Wedding

It was the first wedding I have attended at the Arboretum. It was lovely and the weather and the flowers were beautiful! Max and Brooke wrote their own vows and he got all choked up when he was saying them. I was tearing up too. So nice to see them both so happy. So wonderful to see all the support from family and friends. So sad that James was not able to be there. Here is a picture of the happy couple. Don't they look great! Bill and I had fun rediscovering some old friends and connecting with some people with whom we had just one or 2 degrees of separation - not six!

Max's dad did the catering and I decided not to be a vegetarian for the night. I have not had steak for at least 2 or 3 years, but this was a steak worth waiting for! It was delicious as was the rest of the meal. Maybe I'll have Max's dad cater for Stephen or Emma... but that is a way down the road. Then again, maybe I will have a buffet catered by the Spiral Diner people. They serve an excellent vegan BBQ sandwich! And they now have a location in Oak Cliff - just across the river!

There was once an old sailor my grandfather knew

Who had so many things which he wanted to do
That, whenever he thought it was time to begin,
He couldn't because of the state he was in.

And the rest of the poem is Here .

My dad used to read me the poems of A.A. Milne when I was a small child. This has been one of my favorites for years. I identify with the old sailor. Some people call it the "But First Syndrome"; I call it the "Old Sailor Syndrome." It's why I never get anything done. There is always so much to do that I don't know where to begin and of course I can't do A until I've done B which is dependant on my finishing C etc. So like the old sailor, I end up doing nothing at all... Shameful!! Who will save me??!

Then there is the more productive "One More Thing" syndrome that kicks in now and then. Usually it happens as I am getting ready to go somewhere that I don't really want to go to. I decide to finish the laundry before I leave and while it is drying I surely have time to make the bed and wash the dishes and make myself a spectacular lunch to take to work. And before I know it I am late... but look what I've accomplished by trying to fit in one more thing! What I need to do is figure out how to trigger the "One More Thing" state when I have a few hours of time, not a few minutes.

I'm Back

Call it shell shock or PTSD. It took me a while to recover from my terrible, horrible etc. day, but things are pretty much back to normal now. I am enjoying my job from Wednesday - Friday and am counting Mondays and Tuesdays - 22 to go!

Carrie O referred me to mamasource which is an interesting resource. It's mainly for mothers of young children and mine are grown, but I have enjoyed browsing the site. I chimed in on two recent discussions there, if you want to read my responses.

Max is getting married today at the Arboretum. James wanted to come to Dallas from Idaho for the occasion, but was unable to get on a plane out of SLC. D3 standby can be frustrating and James had a very frustrating and disappointing day yesterday. He ended up giving up and going home and will miss his best friend's wedding. I hate it when that happens to my kids. I feel for him... but we will be there to represent the family.

Look for a post soon about the Old Sailor Syndrome. I've been meaning to write about that for some time, but I have so many things to do that I just haven't gotten around to it! HA!

What can I say???

I've really been at a loss. I am wondering if I made the right choice going into nursing. I enjoyed working in Tariff (for AA) and I loved being a programmer. In those jobs, I worked with prople who were logical thinkers. I keep telling myself that I just have to work until I get my student loans paid off and my kids through college. But it would be nice to have a job I really enjoyed again... and so far, this isn't it. I am counting the days until June 5th.

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Yep... that pretty much describes my day at work today. And that is a header that cries out for a rant... which I will resist.

On the other hand, my Spanish class is going well. I like Richland. And now that I am taking college classes again, I find myself wanting to take a math class. Isn't that strange???

The biggest heap -

Bill has received official notice at his office that he is no longer in the running for driver of the "Biggest Heap". So sad. He drives my mom's Florida car these days. We are the third owners, but the first two were Florida retirees who never drove it far or fast. It's a 2001 Buick Century and had just over 26,000 miles when we bought it. It is nice looking - white with leather seats - and in perfect condition! I think we will let Steve drive the heap (1988 Honda) now. We just have to teach him to use a clutch!

Dedicated to Amy!

My friend Amy is in the throes of potty training her firstborn. This gives me a perfect excuse to share with y'all my favorite Japanese potty training video. I've been wanting to post this for ages. For the sensitive among you, the subtitles are a little indelicate in places, but it's pretty funny. Enjoy!

So... I just got back from Mexico..

People at church probably think I've gone inactive... an idea I contemplate sporadically but always have the good sense to reject. Last Sunday Bill and I were on the road, driving from Florida to Dallas; this morning we were traveling as well. Bill's company sponsored a company retreat of sorts to a resort that they designed near Playa del Carmen, just south of Cancun. All of the employees plus one guest each got 3 nights in a lovely room at the resort and transportation on a chartered flight. Such a nice fringe benefit!! We were on our own for most meals and entertainment. Bill and I - skinflints that we are - took instant oatmeal and had breakfast in our room. Our one splurge was an all day trip to the Mayan city of Ek Balam, an archeological site that has been partially restored. Bill and I even climbed to the top of the acropolis! Our tour guide was very good and our group was only 10 people, all from Bill's firm. After Ek Balam we visited a family's home business and saw them making hammocks and hanging chairs. Then we all got on bicycles and rode around this mainly Mayan town. Many of the people in the area are still pure Mayan and speak both Mayan and Spanish. After that we drove out to one of the many cenotes in the area. We hiked about a half mile through the jungle to it. It was not especially commercial. It was underground with a fairly large opening. It looked like the roof had caved in some time ago forming a sort of island in the middle of the pool. The water went around the island like a moat. The 6 younger members of our group rappelled down into the cenote, but we over-50 wimps took the ladder - which was a bit of an adventure in itself, as it was very steep and made of wood lashed to trees and such. At that point we were hot and tired and most of us took a swim in the cool, cool water. Our group was the only tourists there. It was kind of off the beaten path. The dressing room was a three sided little hut made of wood and palm fronds lashed together and open to the sky. I should have written down the names of all the fruits we saw. One was from a cactus I think, and grew in the manner of sunflower seeds, only they were on the ground and each seed pod was about 2-3 inches long. You could slit it open and just eat the fruit from the pod. I wish I had written down the name of it. It was a greenish pod with little brown hairy things on the outside; the flesh was white and sweet with hard black seeds. Very interesting. Lastly we had a home-cooked meal with a Mayan family... not exceptional food, but interesting to see how they prepared it. I told our guide that I got more exercise that day than I normally get in a month. Not too far from the truth. But because I was interested and involved, I did just fine and was not even sore.

Notes to myself - next time, if there is a next time... I hope there will be but it depends on how successful the company is over the coming year... Anyhow, next time I should get more excited and prepare better. I am so used to traveling non-rev that I forgot that normal people wear jeans to travel. I did not take the right kinds of clothes. Actually I do not own resort clothes. So if it happens again, I can use it as an excuse to shop. I took my mom's Florida straw hat... which was fine, but not really MY style and it was a pain to keep track of since it wasn't squashable. So next time: take a hat that I am comfortable with. And next time, if Bill plays in the company golf tournament, DO book a session at the spa. I am not a spa person and it seems a lot of money to invest in something so transient, but if Bill is going to abandon me for most of the day, I may as well have a cool experience of my own. If not the spa, then plan something fun. And I came out of my shell a little and got to know some of Bill's co-workers and spouses. This mostly happened when I was on my own.. not a bad thing. I went to the beach at about 11AM on Saturday and left Bill a note, thinking he would be finished with the golf thing at 12 or 1PM. No such luck. I visited with some of the group during the three or more hours I spent at the beach waiting for Bill. I finally gave up, but I still had a good time. One of the best experiences was dinner Thursday evening at one of the resort restaurants. It was not crowded and there was a great live musical group. Our table was next to the balcony overlooking one of the ponds/canals, and there was a nearly full mooon rising. The food was great and the mood was magical. Very nice. They are now involved in building a new resort in Costa Rica... that would be nice!

Our New Car -

is not really new. And it's not even here - yet. It's in Florida. My mom is selling her Snowbird home in Florida and moving permanently to New Hampshire. Since she already has a car in NH, we made an offer on her Florida car and she accepted. Actually I worked out the deal with my brothers and sister when I was in FL a few weeks ago, and Mom approved. I pay this year's taxes on the camp which we all own jointly; I get the car. Pretty good deal. So this weekend Bill and I will fly to Florida and drive it back while Steve holds down the fort here. We will also load it up with some other stuff from the house that she didn't want or couldn't take to NH. Like her new vacuum for Sarah, a very large framed picture, some vases and lamps, the Kitchenaid mixer... and whatever else we can fit into the car that might be useful. It will be a long trip.

I am officially old

I not only have old-person church callings, I now have an old-person disease or condition. The at-risk population is over 60. I just barely turned 60 and it found me. I have shingles. So far my case is mild. It's a bit of a nuisance, but not as painful as I have heard and read it can be. Since I don't have a doctor, I went to PrimaCare. The nurse said it looked like shingles and told me why; the doctor disagreed, mainly it seems because I am not in excruciating pain. He separated the symptom of blisters near my R eyebrow from the symptom of swollen lymph nodes in the R parotid area, saying the blisters were an infection and the swelling was a diseased parotid gland, not lymph nodes. Even I, with my limited experience, made a connection there. I had looked up the lymphatic system before I went to the doctor and found that the vessels that drain into the parotid lymph nodes come from the area affected by the blisters. I hadn't suspected shingles though. So when I went home after the initial PrimaCare visit, I did some internet research on shingles. Anyone who has had chicken pox can develop this. The chicken pox virus lies dormant in the body for years. If the virus becomes active, it manifests as shingles. It seemed to me that the symptoms fit. Then the next day I had an outbreak of blisters in a vertical line on the R side of my forehead. I was worried because all the articles I read said that anti-viral treatment should begin as soon as possible to be effective and I was losing time. That was on Sunday, so on Monday morning I went back to PrimaCare and asked to see the other doctor for a second opinion. She agreed that it was probably shingles and put me on an anti-viral med. They also took some blood for a test, so we shall see in a couple of days, whether that smart, observant nurse who was the first person I saw was right. I suspect she was. She makes me proud to be a nurse. I hope I will be as good as she was in time.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE my flight benefits???

On the last day of school before Christmas break, December 21st, my mom called from Naples, Florida to say that my brother Rollin and his wife were there from Alaska, my brother Steve and sister Susan were arriving in a few hours from Boston and wouldn't it be nice if YOU could be here too. Well be careful what you wish for! She threw down the gauntlet and I picked it up. I managed to leave work a little early (2:30-ish), drove home and packed a few things and drove to the airport! Actually Bill drove to the airport with me and James and Melissa. J & M had real tickets to visit her dad and the extended Rodriguez family outside of Orlando for the weekend. Anyhow, I managed to stand by and got the last seat on the 5:30 flight to Ft. Meyers; my brothers picked me up that evening! I was glad to be there and my mother really was pleased. She is 83 and her 4 children are 61, 60, 57 and 55. Every time a neighbor came by, she would introduce us and say "all 4 of my children are here! Isn't that wonderful?!" I had a good time visiting with everyone. On Monday I flew home and had all 4 of MY children home for Christmas on Tuesday. I have a great family - I am truly blessed.

The first day of the year

I was up and dressed before 8AM. So far I've eaten healthy foods... like one of Bill's fruit smoothies, yellow dal, an orange and rice cakes (plain). So except for the one TINY piece of dark chocolate with almonds and 3 or 4 potato chips, I'm doing fine... right? I watched the director's commentary on the special features of Pan's Labyrinth with Steve - the whole thing! And I've put some black eyed peas in a pot to soak. I haven't figured out how to cook them yet. Bill's dad used to just toss in a can or two of Rotel, a can of mushrooms and a can of green chilies I think. I'll go recipe browsing on the internet, but I may end up doing the Rotel thing.

The other thing I've done is apply for a coupon for a DTV converter box. We have never had cable or satellite TV and have old TV sets so we qualify for this program. The problem is that I tried to apply twice and got an error response both times. So I'll try again later. I have until February 17, 2009!!