Our Part

Last week, one of my posts was titled "Our Help" having to do with how God is our help in times of trials and tribulations. The post was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend about what they're facing; by the overall current state of affairs of our nation and how we are affected by it; by a song called All I Can Say; and by Psalm 121.

Around here, most everyone you meet has a woeful story to share. Our unemployment rate is way up, and we have the great distinction of living in the city that is number 1 in the nation for foreclosures. {Zerbert!}

In light of owning a title company in the midst of this housing crisis, Joe and I have been faced with some major decision-making recently (with more on the table). So, it was a timely comfort to me to receive the following email from Turning Point (Dr. David Jeremiah) yesterday.

Our Part

"And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding." ~Daniel 2:21

Dr. Jeremiah said: "Very soon, Americans will go to the polls and vote for the next president and vice-president of the United States. Hundreds more officials in states and communities will also be elected. But in light of verses like Daniel 2:21—"[God] removes kings and raises up kings"—does it really matter if we vote or not? Doesn't He ultimately choose?

Yes—God ultimately chooses everything. And Yes—it matters that we vote. Everything that happens in God's sovereign economy has two parts: His part and our part. Whether it's salvation or a good marriage or a successful career, both God's grace and our activity is required.

From a practical perspective, the Bible is filled with exhortations that depend on our responsibility. The same verse that says God removes and raises up kings says that He gives "wisdom . . . and knowledge." And Proverbs 2:1-8 says that acquiring wisdom is like searching for buried treasure. There is work to be done in order to find it."

The sovereignty of God never excuses us from responsibility. ~Will Metzger

I think it's important to "be still before the Lord" and not charge forth like a frenzied bull. But I think we have to be careful not to be still to the point that we're paralyzed, with our head in the sand (my temptation!) and waiting for answers and/or opportunity to merely drop in our laps.

So, we're pressing on, earnestly desiring wisdom and knowledge! It can be such a delicate process, don't you think?!

...what's it like in your neck of the woods?

Autumn in Windsor

My son-in-law, Nic, sent me this photo on Monday. The subject line read, "Autumn in Windsor," of course. They live in Windsor, VT. {{dreamy sigh}}

Kristiina told me today that the leaves are starting to fall, but that it's still beautiful up there. As a gardener, Kristiina has always loved Spring, but today she said that Autumn is giving it a run for it's money... could take the position of "Kristiina's Favorite Season!"

Last night I was cutting up a Granny Smith apple to have with a few slices of sharp chedder (mmmm!). I took a few bites of the core (because there was still plenty of good apple on it) before tossing it; and had an immediate flashback of Autumn days as a child in Syracuse. Particularly, a memory of a fieldtrip I took in the first grade to an apple orchard.

Warm-fuzzies!

Do you have a food or smell that does that to you.... causes you to think back to a prior time or event in your life?

Oranges and tangerines do it to me, too. The smell of a tangerine, especially, makes me think of Christmas. I think it's because my parents always used to (still do, actually) fill the bottom of our stocking with fruit; apples, oranges and tangerines, so that the toe and heal would stay round. Then candy.... then the presents!

That's a tradition that's carried on. What are some of your silly or simple traditions that have been passed down through the generations?

Happy Wednesday to you...

Oh, can I ask for prayer for Michele, my friend and employee? She's having gallbladder surgery today. Yesterday in the ER they found a huge stone; thankfully, though, they now know the source of her tremendous discomfort. But surgery...ugh.

Thanks!

Microwave Mug Cake

Here's something fun and intriguing... My daughter's father-in-law forwarded this recipe to me via email (thanks, Gary!). Who knew you could make single-serving chocolate cake in a microwave???


5-MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE


4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug


Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).


And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!






Let me know if you try it!

The Culprit

Yesterday Joe and I did the grocery shopping together. I like it best when we do the shopping together. It's more fun to decide with him what to have for dinners for the week. And it's more fun to come home and put the groceries away together. Together, together, together...

When we're away from the house for any length of time, we make sure the dogs have toys to play with... something to keep them occupied. And when I say "make sure they have toys..." I mean that Joe or I have to go on a toy-hunt out in the yard because that's where they all end up.

Well, yesterday I made sure they had rubber kong toys and balls... a softball; some tennis balls.

Apparently, those were boring because I came home to find my bible destroyed. Shredded. Strewn about the bedroom. Parts of it in tiny little bits of pieces... and parts of it clumped in hearty sections, still bound. They had a field day!

Lucky for them, it was just a $10 paperback version of the NIV Study Bible that I picked up on my way to a WOF event years ago.

I have a pretty, leather-bound bible with my name engraved on the front that my parents gave me a couple of decades back. That one, read from time to time, is in a safe place. The ones I study from, however.... the ones I use up and wear out.... and leave on my night stand for puppies to be tempted by.... are typically paperback versions.

I've been meaning to retire that old, worn bible, and have had one on standby for a couple of months. I ordered it recently through Amazon after attending a UCG Women's Conference with Kay Arthur and Alicia Williamson-Garcia. I usually study from an NIV, but Kay made me want to take a look at the NASB, so that's what I got.

The thing is... I've been putting it off for two reasons. I'm used to studying from the NIV... I'm afraid the NASB is gonna seem weird. Plus, new bibles are so naked. No underlines... notes... highlights... reminders. It's just all so new, like starting over. Is that ridiculous?

Anyway, that's why I put it off.

Now, I was very curious last night, and eager to determine, who the culprit is that has forced me to break out of my comfort zone and dig into that new bible...



Emma: "Uh... I'll just lay here next to you, while you crack the binding on your new bible, Mom. Cuzzzzz ... I'm a good girl. ...and I love you..."





Blaze, able to rest easy, doesn't appear to be guilt-ridden.





But, back to Emma. There's something about this good girl... she's always eager to have something in her mouth.



Oh, sure. Now that my bible is destroyed, you find the ball desirable... a little late!



Whether it fits comfortably in her mouth, or not. She just wants to carry things.

But, come to think of it, she never destroys her obsessions.

She has an empty trailmix bag that she's been picking up, carrying around, setting down, and picking back up again for weeks. No, it's not her MO to shred.

(See my hand on her neck? I was just trying to keep her at bay long enough to snap a picture. She kept getting in my face with the ball... all happy and wiggly, as if she wanted me to take it from her with my mouth! Sometimes I think she thinks I'm just one of the pack!)




Ah ha, this little one is sure eyeing that ball suspiciously! She seems to want it badly!






But Riley's laying low.
Riley: "Nope, not me. I'm a good boy. And cute, too. Just look at me."






Emma: "Nah, nah, I've got it and you can't have it!"
(Sorry, I know it's blurry, but I couldn't resist the tongue.)





Emma: "I'm sorry. No, you're right. That wasn't very nice."





Meanwhile, Riley and Sara both want the ball. Riley seems to have the advantage.






Doh! Sara gets it from him. Notice the "little something" on the floor next to Riley's paw, that's a piece of my bible cover...






Sara gets to work. This is serious business. Riley, staying close by, is intent on her hurrying up!






Tenacity - she's moved to the bed! She worked it and worked it. I'm not sure what she thought she was going to accomplish, but she seemed to want to undo the laces.






Emma: "Not me, Mom. I'm the good girl. See? Just precious... you always say so."
(Notice her pink nostrils? How funny. )






Meanwhile, Riley (who has become bored with waiting for his turn with that ball) has decided to shred a tissue. Riley!






Riley: "Aw, Mom! I couldn't help it; she wouldn't let me have the ball."






Hmmm... Sara leaves the ball long enough to see what her naughty brother is up to.
Sara: "Whatcha doin?"






Riley: "Never mind, Sara. Go away. I got in trouble."






The ball... seemingly forgotten, has rolled under the bed.



This is where I say goodnight.




Zzzzzz.


Zzzzzz.


Zzzzzz.






Good morning...!!





Oh! Riley!!







Emma begins to investigate. "Mom, I think I know who your shredder is!"

It appears my bible fell into the paws of one, still-precious-as-they-come...Riley, and I suspect the little princess, Sara, may have been his accomplice!

And to think I just washed these sheets on Saturday. I do enough laundry to make you believe I have seven children!






That's the end of that!




(Dumb camera focused on the background instead of the foreground... grrrr... couldn't be operator error! And the flash shadows in all of these shots drive me nuts, but the manual settings weren't cooperating... groan.)


I'm sorry, Mom, but Luci Swindoll's Alchemy of the Heart met it's tragic end alongside my bible. I'll replace it.

Templates and Backgrounds

Well, I was tired of the fussyness of the prior "script template" I was using, so I've been monkeying around with a new look for the blog.

I like the simplicity of the white background and the wider margins, but the empty space at the top, next to the banner picture, is wigging me out!

I cannot get the thing to center. . .

Suggestions welcome!!

The Express

...comes to theaters today. The Ernie Davis story.

Dad, fiercly loyal to the Syracuse Orangeman and a fan of Ernie Davis, would have loved to see this "story of an American hero that will make you stand up and cheer."

Today, however marks the sixth month since dad went to heaven. Doesn't seem possible.

We'll go see the movie together... mom, Joe and me... John and Helena. I'm sure we'll appreciate the story of Ernie Davis, but I know we'll mostly think of dad and wish he were with us.

In Crystal River

Last weekend mom and I went to Crystal River. It was a quick, but fun trip. We spent all Saturday afternoon out on the boat...

It was funny... after swimming and lunch we went to a reasonably isolated place and anchored. There we did the "detox spa treatment." Knowing we were going to look awfully strange, we were hoping that no other boaters would see us. Well... two guys came rowing up looking for directions to Three Sisters Springs. With no where to run... no where to hide, I told them (with a straight face and as if nothing were unusual) how to get there... "just go staight up this canal then take a left, you can't miss it." They sure were giving me weird looks, though. So, I simply said "we've been mudding."

"Oh, is that what that is...?" And off they went, looking very confused!

Circle of Prayer

“I don’t know if we’ll meet again – only God knows.”

Grandma trusts Him so implicitly; and having found Him faithful in these very matters, she said the words with seeming ease. I know it's true, and I trust Him, too; but it still pained my heart when those words rang in my ears.

Later, it was time to say goodbye. We formed a small circle – grandpa, grandma, mom and I. We stood, holding hands, while grandpa asked God to guard and guide us… for our immediate journey home, as well as Joe’s and my journey to come.

I hugged grandpa – his embrace is so warm and comforting. We said our “I love yous.”

Then grandma… my petite grandma. I wrapped her little frame in my arms and a flood of contentment washed over me. Those warm, satisfying feelings generated all the way from childhood that only a grandmother could evoke.

I kissed her cheek, and she whispered to me that I am a blessing. I pulled back enough to see her face and look into her eyes. I told her she is a treasure in my heart.

It was so hard to let her go. I hugged them 3 more times before driving away, tears threatening to spill.

For reasons I’ll write about at another time, we may never again stand together in a circle, holding hands, heads bowed in prayer –

- only God knows.

May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,

be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
~Psalm 19:14

The meditation of my very full heart this day is all about how my life is enriched because of the godly heritage of my beloved grandparents. And God knows I need His grace to sustain me for whatever the future may hold.

Thank you for them, Lord. I adore them.

Our Help

I talked with a friend the other day over a cup of coffee. She said she's tired. She's swirling in a cloud of uncertainty, and she just wants to feel grounded. You see, her income is extremely sporadic, and her husband is working a temporary job for a fraction of the income he's used to. They're anticipating leaving the area ...know that they have to... but aren't sure yet where they'll land. There's fear, anxiety, sleepless nights, and she's just exhausted.

Unfortunately, that's a common scenario these days.

Later that afternoon I spoke with another friend on the phone. She said she just wishes it would end; the turmoil - the clamoring - the sad stories.

Our burdens seem so overwhelming at times; more than we can bear. The trepidation is suffocating and the sense of impending doom closes in on us. Where do we go for help? How can we get relief?

It reminds me of a song I first heard on Bring the Rain's blog. The song portrays one who also feels tired, overwhelmed, unable to keep going and in need of rest. One who has trusted the Lord in the past, but now feels abandoned by Him; forgotten. He's at the end of his rope... at the end of himself. Weary.

Then, thankfully, realizes the Lord has been there all along, holding him, comforting him, ministering to him; and while still weary, he'll find his rest in Him.

You can click the link and listen - the lyrics are below.

All I Can Say by David Crowder Band

Lord I'm tired
So tired from walking
And Lord I'm so alone
And Lord the dark
Is creeping in
Creeping up
To swallow me
I think I'll stop
Rest here a while

Chorus: And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give

And didn't You see me cry'n?
And didn't You hear me call Your name?
Wasn't it You I gave my heart to?
I wish You'd remember
Where you set it down

Chorus: And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give

I didn't notice You were standing here
I didn't know that
That was You holding me
I didn't notice You were cry'n too
I didn't know that
That was You washing my feet

Chorus: And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give


Life can be so hard. While an occasional rest (in the Lord) is good, it's tempting sometimes to just collapse in a heap. But we're on a journey and have to press on, not become paralyzed by present circumstances.

Let us lift our heads, raise our eyes toward the mountains; realize that our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. While we're on this pilgrimage, He'll not let our foot slip, but will protect us and not slumber.

His protection of us does not mean that difficulty will never befall us. Sometimes we have to live with the consequences of our poor decisions... sometimes we're even affected by the consequences of others' poor decisions. But, we're not abandoned; He journeys with us and is a shelter right by our side (excerpts from Psalm 121).

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you;
he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
~Deuteronomy 31:8

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.

~Matthew 11:28

A Video for Friday

This is beautiful and inspiring.

He lost a leg, she lost an arm – together they perform an amazing ballet routine.

(Scoll down and turn off the blog music so you can enjoy the video music.)

Just Hush

Does it drive you crazy how people don't listen to each other - and are prone to interrupt the one speaking? Ugh. It does me. I'm talking about things like... sports talk shows... variety talk shows... political talk shows... the debates!

Oh, I hope tonight they let each other finish a sentence. The presidential debate was so annoying. I could hardly pay attention to their responses due to the constant distraction from the interruptions, the way they tried to talk over each other, and the childish, "...did not, do to, did not, did to..." Ack!

But I didn't mean to start talking politics... I loathe politics. My point, in general, is that so often people don't listen... whether it's on TV, or around the dinner table.

A devotion I read today from Diamonds in the Dust, Joni Eareckson Tada, makes the point to:

Stop and Listen

"A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered." Proverbs 17:27

When you stop talking long enough to listen, you learn something -- only in silence can what you hear filter from your head into your heart. Only in silence can you hear the heartbeat of God and His still, small voice. In quiet, you realize spiritual insights that reach far beyond words.

Good lesson! Lets all stop, listen (and really hear) before speaking.

Today's Big Debate

How old is Dexter?

Today is his birthday... he's somewhere between 9 and 12. Joe and I don't agree. I believe he's either 9 or 10, Joe thinks he's older.

Kristiina... help us out. How old were you when we got Dexie? I think it was either your junior or senior year of high school.

Since Kristiina graduated in 2000, October of her senior year would have been 1999; October of her junior year would have been 1998. That would make him either 9... or 10!

Well, no matter how old he is - it's his special day and he'll be receiving the royal treatment... that extra pampering and grace I've mentioned before.

I think he'll have a special treat to eat, too. Hmmm... last night we had roasted chicken for dinner and there's a leftover thigh and drumstick. I think Dex might be delighted with the meat from that!

Happy Birthday, Dexie!!

McGladrey Team

Saturday night, Joe and I went to some friends' house for dinner (Hi Tommy and Roberta!).


Mmmm; the pork tenderloin is about to go on the grill. Delicious!


John and Teri were there, too (Hi John and Teri!!)

We had such a good time!
Good food, good conversation, good company... we've been friends with these couples for a long time - Joe has been golfing with the guys for years and years!



Before dinner, the guys went outside to do a little putting. Tommy and Roberta have a putting green out back that they share with their neighbor, the landscaper. How nice!


Not a bad setup for a "backyard green!" Tommy and Roberta's son, Dillan, is taking his shot. He just made the varsity golf team at his high school. Yeah, Dillan!

Tommy wanted to have "the team" over before heading up to Pinehurst next month. These guys won the McGladrey Team Championship Sectionals last April, qualifying them to play in the National Championship at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina next month.



Here are some excerpts from newspaper/magazine articles regarding their win and the event.

Naples Daily News ~
For the second straight year, Arrowhead Golf Course won the South Florida PGA Section’s PGA McGladrey Team Championship title Thursday at Weston Hills Country Club. Pro Mike Dopslaff teamed with amateurs Tom Hinkle, John Ziegler and Joe O’Brien for a 21-under-par total to win by 11 strokes.
The team earns a berth in the national finals, Oct. 20-22 at Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort.

RSM McGladrey ~
Perhaps no competitor in this year’s PGA McGladrey Team Championship will be more representative of the McGladrey tournament slogan – “With the right team, anything’s possible” – than PGA Professional Mike Dopslaff of Arrowhead Golf Course in Naples, Fla. That’s because Dopslaff, who advanced to the inaugural National Championship at world-renowned Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort in 2007, will be making the rare return trip with an entirely different trio of amateur teammates.

Dopslaff and the Arrowhead team earned a second consecutive South Florida Section Championship on April 2 with a runaway victory at Weston Hills Country Club in Weston, Fla. Dopslaff, Tom Hinkle, John Ziegler and Joe O’Brien won by 11 shots on The Tour Course to become the first team to qualify for the National Championship, scheduled Oct. 20-22.

“It’s kind of funny that this is the second year in a row our club won the Section – and this year we did it with three new amateurs. But that’s one of the great things about this format: it’s definitely a team game,” Dopslaff said. “If you have teammates who understand that it’s not all about each person’s score; that it’s about the team, then you can play pretty well. And that’s what we did. We had one other guy who played really well, and the other two showed up when we really needed them.”

Joe, John and Tom, The McGladrey Team.

Pretty cool, eh?!

Dogs in the Bed!

Here's a funny ad for a Sleepnumber bed...

At least Joe and I agree; this guy's looking for wife number 3 and if her number matches the dog's, she's welcome to whatever's left of the bed!

(Often you can hear the video over the music, but you might want to scroll down and turn off the blog music.)

Have a good Friday!

She Loves to Snuggle

Emma, that is. She's a hugger, too. Really. Whenever I'm seated in a chair reading or watching TV, she puts her paws up in my lap and presses into me with her shoulders until we're ear to ear (mind you, she's 65 pounds). She proceeds to stay this way until I rub and scratch and pet and coo for several minutes... finally I have to ask... beg... plead with her to get down (she gets heavy after awhile). Then she's back in 10 minutes for more; and, of course, I comply.

This morning she hopped back up in bed with me when she heard I was awake, eager to cuddle for awhile before I got up. She's a doll. We're those kind of people that let the dogs sleep in bed with us...they're in and out of the bed all night. We're definitely not the kind of people that require 600 thread-count, Egyptian cotton sheets that smell like lavender! Of course, we enjoy that from time to time, but it's not mandatory. Nah... I'd be happy with a sleeping bag on a pile of hay, just give me the dogs to hug and kiss and love on. Joe and I get lost and separated from each other by a mass of paws and tails, but we love it ...and so what if a little hair gets in the bed! Every few days we change it and have clean-sheet night!




Isn't she pretty? Looks like we took her to the beach, doesn't it? No... this would be my backyard! There's a sodless, barren section that is their favorite place to romp. And here, beneath our sod, we don't have soil... we have sand.


She'll melt you with those eyes.

_______

So, what do you make of Dancing With the Stars, so far? Do you vote? I'm not a voter. I just watch and then express my opinion to Joe and the TV on whether "they" got it right. They didn't get it right this week. It was too early for Ted to go home. He had potential to get better... and he's just a nice guy, it seems.

If you could vote someone off, I might be tempted to pick up the phone. There's one whose sarcastic humor I find classless, obnoxious and undignified. It was amusing on day 1, but I'm weary of it already.

_______

And to contradict that critical attitude... I'm very excited that tonight my bible study group is starting back up after taking the summer off. I've been getting together with the same core group of women for a decade and it's really one of the highlights of my week. There's great fellowship and camaraderie among this group of girlfriends... a safe place to be your utter, transparent self.

We're going to study Beth Moore's Stepping Up, A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent. It oughta be a good one!

_______

Oh, and long-sleeved pajamas with the fan on medium was purrrrrfect last night... it was another cool, comfortable night and morning! I actually blow-dried my hair without sweating.
Happy Day! (...by the way, is it blow-dried, or blew dry... ???)

Beautiful Morning

Hi! Pull up a chair and have a cup of coffee and a piece of cinnamon toast with me. I love cinnamon toast. I liked it even better when I was a kid and white bread wasn't my enemy, but I still enjoy butter and cinnamon-sugar on my whole wheat, multi-grain, Publix Premium toast.

It's such a nice morning. It feels like autumn... of course, today's date tells us it is autumn... but I mean it actually feels like autumn. There's a strong breeze; cool and crisp, not warm and heavy, and the sky is cloudless and deep blue. I don't have a thermometer handy, but I think it was actually under 70 degrees when I woke up this morning! I was thinking before I got out of bed that it might almost be time to break out the long-sleeved pajamas, as I was actually a little chilly! Of course, the ceiling fan was on full blast; that might have contributed to the chill.

"Even if something is left undone,

everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."

- Elizabeth Lawrence

Yes, on a morning like this, sit still and take time to enjoy it. For me, in SW Florida, it's not to watch the leaves turn, but to watch the palm fronds gently sway and the fish jump in the canal while the early morning glow of the sun glistens on the water. Those things I can honestly enjoy in any season down here, but on a morning like this when the temperature is cool and the breeze is pleasant...
it's wonderful. {{{ heavy sigh and a wistful smile }}}

Jolt...

Reality check...

Ack! Time to go to work...

Okay, well, that was nice... but I gotta go!

Have a wonderful day - and may it continue to feel like autumn (which, obviously, makes me feel a little dreamy).

Caio.

The Beach

So... yesterday I mentioned that Joe and I were going out to eat for my birthday. We decided to take a drive down to Fort Myers Beach.

We ate at The Beach Pierside Grille... it's right beside the pier, and right on the water. Delicious, too (I had grilled salmon, baked potato, baby carrots...yum).


After we ate we took a walk on the pier to watch the sunset and enjoy the seabreeze, even though the sky was a little ominous.


The sunset wasn't spectacular, but the breeze was great.


There's the restaurant... and Joe... and a stormy sky. Oh, yes, and those are my leftovers Joe is holding, which I'm eagerly anticipating having for lunch today!
See those people walking up the pier on the left? They were from England... vacationing (or should I say on holiday). We talked to them for about half an hour!


The pier's bait shop and gift store were still open, but we didn't venture down that far this time.


Deciding to head back home before the rain starts, here's a look at more restaurants and shops.


And a glance straight down Estero Boulevard.

It was a perfect evening, following an awesome day!

Here's the only negative thing that happened yesterday...

I didn't mail in my tag registration in time to receive it before it expired on my birthday. I also just realized on Friday, that my driver's license expires this year. I decided to take care of those two things on my way into work yesterday morning.

That's not the negative part...

After I provided the DMV clerk all my info, I "swore that the information I have provided is true and correct." I also swore that "I am not 100% mentally or physically disabled." Huh? That didn't make any sense; but is precisely what she asked me. (Yeah... I'm only 75% mentally disabled...!)

Then, the eye test. I put my face up to the view finder and saw about eight rows of letters and three columns. The first column was blank, the second and third columns had 5 letters each. She asked me to read row 5 and I did it without a hitch. Quite satisfied with myself, I looked at her anticipating what's next. She gave me a quizzical look and said, "What about the first column?" What? I looked again... I closed my right eye... I closed my left eye... I blinked... I squinted... There's nothing in the first column... Nothing.

That's the negative part.

I told her there's nothing there and she asked if I "have trouble" with my left eye. Ugh. Yes. I have ridiculously poor eyesight in my left eye. Something like 20/400 or 450. I would have expected some fuzziness in the first column, maybe. But the fact that the letters just plain weren't there was weird.

So, I have two restrictions on my license... 1) corrective lenses. (Yes, of course.) And 2) side mirrors are mandatory. Huh?? Okay, I can abide by that (don't all vehicles come with side mirrors?).

- - - - - - - -

What were your thoughts about Dancing with the Stars? Mine:

~ Cloris Leachman is a nut! And gutsy for 82.

~ Brook Burke has had 4 kids?! She must live in the gym.

~ Susan Lucci is too skinny... and seemed a tad loopy.

~ Warren Sapp was surprisingly good. What is it about big football players and they're ability to dance?

I'm a Happy Camper

It's my birthday.

My mom spoiled me to pieces yesterday with a yummy lunch, presents, my favorite pie (I was craving a berry pie instead of cake)...

My precious Kristiina called me first thing this morning and we talked forever... I love it when we talk forever. Things important, things non-important, and things just silly. We laugh a lot.

A little later, my brother and sister-in-law called me at the office and sang Happy Birthday to me... the whole song! And then we chatted on the phone for a long time.

The girls that work at Beacon Title presented me with a little bouquet of flowers, two birthday cards, and treated me to lunch!

I have received lots of email messages, e-cards, Myspace and Facebook entries from friends and relatives near and far. They all send love and good wishes...

This evening Joe and I are going out to eat... and I'm looking forward to a quiet evening with my dear hubby.

I feel blessed and well-loved!!

True love doesn't consist of holding hands;

it consists of holding hearts.

~O.A. Battista

There's been a lot of heart-holding going on today - and mine's busting! Thanks, All!! XOXO

The Lord's Prayer

Listen to this little 2 1/2 year-old sing The Lord's Prayer.
She really has the timing down! So cute.

(You'll want to scroll down and turn off the music that plays on the blog.)

New York City

Today on Miz Booshay's blog... she's wondering where Ree and MM might be off to... someplace 18 hours away from home (which is Oklahoma). Miz Boo says it could be Wyoming..??? I'd love to go to Wyoming! Someday...

She mentioned that she's never been to New York. I thought, hmmm... I have - I'm from New York! I'll bet she meant New York City, though. I'm from upstate New York, and only visited New York City once. It was 1989 - I'd already been a Floridian for 11 years.


It was during this trip... we were visiting Joe's sister for Thanksgiving in NJ.
Kristiina's first time to see snow was also my first (and only) time to see NYC.

It hadn't snowed in NJ on Thanksgiving in 20 years... yeah! So, Kristiina's snow experience was unexpected! Likewise, my NYC experience was unexpected... in that, I didn't know what to expect! I was bug-eyed, slack-jawed, and white-knuckled just about the whole time!! It's a very busy place, and we were exploring by car!

We surprisingly found a place to park and did a brief tour by foot. It's then that I stepped from the car onto the sidewalk and almost immediately bumped shoulders with Andre Agassi. That was cool. It would have been cooler, though, if he had acknowledged me... said excuse me, or something. But he just kept walking, never looking back, completely unphased by the encounter (unlike me)! For some reason Joe was under the impression that I didn't realize who he was... but I did.

I think we hoofed it past Grand Central Station... maybe St. Patrick's Cathedral... it's fuzzy. I have to ask Joe for clarification. He knows that place.

Later, we stopped at a pizza place for dinner and ran into one of my childhood friends from Syracuse. What are the odds?! That was cool, too.

So, more exploring by car... and we drove by the Twin Towers...




...by then it was dark, and this is about what our vantage point was. This is not my photo. I found it on NYCfoto.com, but this is similar to the image I have in my mind... without the Do Not Enter sign.

So, someday I'd like to visit NYC again. I want to see Rockefeller Center, Central Park, have a delicious dinner and see a play. It might even be fun to be one of the street crowd during the Today Show.

Mount Tom, Faulkner Trail

Kristiina sent this to me from her phone.

We talked on the phone today for quite a while and this was her view the whole time we chatted! Literally!! I called while she was hiking Faulkner Trail in Woodstock. She was just reaching the top of Mount Tom, so she took a seat and enjoyed her surroundings while we conversed.

She said she was wearing her new hiking boots and a warm fleece jacket (cuz it's only about 60 degrees), had her back-pack with a bladder full of water and probably a good snack, and her camera-in-hand. That's my idea of a morning well-spent!

Mid-way through the call, she said, "Mom, let me take a picture for you of where I am right now. I'll email it to you and call right back..."

She sent these two (from her phone, right there on the spot); the one above, and this one which is the view in the other direction.

{{sigh}} I wish I were with her... for the sake of being with her... and to be hiking in 60-degree weather with my camera!!

So, How's the Weather?

Don't you just hate it when you check in here and there's nothing new... sometimes for several days at a time?

It's disheartening to me when I go to my favorite blogs and there's nothing new for a few days...

So... something new... ummm...

What do you want to talk about? (Looking at ceiling... whistling... thumbs twiddling...)

I dunno.

So, how's the weather?

Well. Let me tell you. It's hot. The "weather channel" says that right now in Cape Coral, FL, which is where I'm sitting, it feels like 98. 98!

Shouldn't that be considered too hot for September? I think so. I'm really tired of HOT.

Right now in Windsor, VT, which is where my darling girl and precious son-in-law happen to be sitting right now (or standing... or riding... I'm not sure, actually), it "feels like" 75. Now doesn't that have a nicer ring to it? Doesn't that sound pleasant? [sigh] ...75. Near perfect.

_____

Breaking news... Okay, this is highly unusual. I just searched the weather channel for Crystal River, FL, which is where my grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins are sitting, standing, riding... you get the picture. Anyway, they're 3 hours north of us and it's always at least 10 degrees cooler up there than it is here.

Well! I just learned that right now in Crystal River, FL , it "feels like" (drum roll, please)... ... ... (long, pregnant pause like in those annoying HGTV shows...well, I like the HGTV shows, but I hate the ridiculously long pauses) ...99! 99!!!

Whew. It's true when they say misery loves company. I feel so much better now.

And that's not all, I also went to Virginia... more aunts, uncles, cousins residing up there (... yes, sitting, standing, riding at the moment)... just guess what the temperature is about 14 hours north of us... the pregnant pause, again... "feels like" ...96. 96, just 2 lousy degrees less than us.

hee, hee, hee... mischievious rolling of hands...

But, seriously, wasn't September once cooler than this? I always thought August was our worst month for heat. hmpf...



(Actually, on the subject of weather ...and kidding aside... I'm keeping Texas in my prayers today. It sounds like they got hit pretty hard by Ike. I remember the heart-heavy feeling of Hurricane Charley from a few years ago.)

Take Time...

"The smallest moments can have the biggest impact on a child's life."

This is an adorable video...

Bath-Time

...why do dogs hate it so much?

But first -

It's been raining here off and on since yesterday afternoon. The effects of Ike passing beneath us... we're feeling the outer bands of wind and rain. Here's a look:


FL Satellite Image from Wink News this morning.


Fox News Headline read: Ike Brings Flooding to Southwest Florida

Some of the roads were closed this morning due to flooding.



Okay, so with that in mind, you can imagine that our back yard is a muddy, puddly mess (at least in the dogs' favorite, sodless, play-pit areas), and Zeila and Bruiser were having a blast out there yesterday evening! They were running and splashing through those puddles like giddy children.

By the time we realized that they weren't avoiding the puddles, but rather seeking them out, it was too late... a bath was definitely in the future for at least two (thankfully, the others were in the house or it could have been a bath-time marathon last night).

So, Joe and I let them have their fun outside playing in the mud and puddles while we cooked dinner and ate... the whole time watching and enjoying their antics.

Then, it was time. I did the honors. "Okay you guys... one at a time. Come here, Zeila; you first. No, Boo Boo, you have to wait here for a bit. C'mon Zei, time for a bath... C'mon Zeila. Zeila. Come." She darts past me and leaves Bruiser outside wondering why he can't come in. "It's okay, Boo, I'll be right back." Turn to find Zeila. She's cowering now. I said the B-word and she heard it. We play a brief game of zig-zag chase in our bedroom until I get her cornered... she ducks past me. "No, Zeila! Not on the bed!" Ugh, I'll have to wash the sheets. More chase. Finally, I'm able to scoop her up and carry her to the bathroom, her long legs are stretched out spastically and hitting me in the shins as I try to walk.

We have a pretty roomy walk-in shower with a hand-held shower head which makes the job relatively easy... once you actually get them in there, that is. So, the process begins... nice warm water, a sudsy massage, very gentle with ears and face (never spray them!), I'm cooing and crooning all the while. What's so bad about that?

So, Zeila is done and dried off...unscathed, to her surprise. Bruiser's turn. "C'mon, Boo Boo. C'mon, Good Boy." He's not moving. He doesn't want to come in the house anymore. "It's okay, Booby. C'mon." He's lowered his head. Do you think it's because I just called him Booby? Maybe he doesn't relish that name. (Yeah, we pretty much call him everything but Bruiser... besides Boo Boo, two of my favorites are: Boobalicious and Boobalooba, Booby is short for those two.)

Finally, I persuade him to come in the bedroom. I'm baby-talking him to the hilt! He's not like Zeila. He doesn't dart and dash about trying to avoid the inevitable. He gets low to the floor and hangs his head. I have not mentioned the word "bath" to him since all of this coaxing began. But I know he's been dreading it since he heard me mention it to Zeila. Well, I can't pick him up - he's bigger than Zeila. So, I push and steer him toward the shower. He digs in his heels... he doesn't want to go!

"Geez. What's the matter, buddy? C'mon... It's okay..."
There... he's in! And the same process begins; he's lavished with spa-style treatment and sweet-talk.

So...Why do dogs hate baths so much? !


By the way...




Needs a bath...




Had a bath!