We don't go to church, too much preaching. But we do worship God, pray and meditate every day, and try to live by the golden rule. Part of our morning routine when we're homeschooling is to listen to different types of enriching music; folksongs, classical music, and hymns.
Not to sound cliche' but if you are in a situation where you feel helpless, God may be the only place to turn. During the throes of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln said "I have been driven to my knees many times by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go". Depending on the severity of the circumstances you may not be able to recall scripture to get you through an immediate crisis.
But I can remember a song that I've heard over and over, usually for decades to come! I still shock the heck out of myself by the fact that I can still sing the Preamble to the Constitution some 30 years after I sang it along with "Schoolhouse Rock" on Saturday mornings, not even knowing what it meant. (Just ask me sometime, I'll sing it for you). If you know me you know I have the memory of a rock but like most people, I can retain the words to a song much more efficiently than with any other learning medium.
So, we sing hymns not only to worship our Heavenly Father but to have that resource to fall back on in times of trouble. I recall about a year ago I was having an MRI of my lower back and pelvis. It took almost 2 hours and I didn't know that going in, thankfully, because I was getting anxious just looking at the long, enclosed, breath-stealing, black hole the technician was about to slide my body into. At first she put headphones with pop music piped in on my ears, secured my arms with straps and stuck a "panic button" in my hand. Within 10 seconds of going into the tunnel I was pressing that button so fast and furiously my thumb became sore. I heard a voice over the speaker saying "Do you need something?" and I said "Yes, I need OUTTA here!". She quickly slid me back out and I asked her to take the headphones off of me and get rid of the arm restraints. My heart was racing and I felt weak and the technician asked me if I would like some sedation. I did not.
I told the technician that I would be ok as long as my arms were free and I didn't have the headphones constricting my air-flow (bet you didn't know they did that) and she agreed as long as I kept my arms over my head. I kept my eyes shut and prayed and when I ran out of prayers I started singing hymns, not the contemporary worship songs so popular today but the hymns I sang as a child in Sunday school and church. "Softly and Tenderly, The Old Rugged Cross, I've Got A Mansion, and Jesus Loves Me" just to name a few. It was truly amazing how all of my fears and hysterics were lifted and I was able to complete the test with no after-effects.
We were traveling a few days ago with all 4 kids. It was at the end of a long drive and we were just a few miles from home. We were all exhausted and hungry and the noise level in the truck was deafening.
The 2 older kids were in the back arguing about who-knows-what. DH and DD were having a rather heated discussion about something (probably boys). The radio was blaring and I was counting the mile markers, impatient for the peace and quiet of home! I was worried about Littlewho, who hates it when people are arguing.
Then, amid the din I heard a faint voice coming from the backseat. At first I thought someone had switched the radio station but when I turned the radio down I could hear it plainly. Littlewho was singing to himself, oblivious to all that was going on around him--"Jesus is a rock in a weary land, a weary land, a weary land, Jesus is a rock in a weary land....a shelter in the time of storm!". Everyone suddenly stopped what they were doing and just listened to the song which, by the time we reached home had become a rounding chorus of happy, peace-loving voices!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
UNLIMITED Long Distance Doesn't Necessarily Mean UNLIMITED
"Blackberry Hill" is becoming startling similar to "Green Acres". I have not had to climb a telephone pole to make a call yet and I don't much look like Ava Gabor but we are experiencing some "technical difficulties".
A couple of months ago, I tried for a couple of days in vain to get online. Then my son called the 800 number that was used for our dial-up internet connection. There was a recording that stated there was a problem with the number and could we please call back another time. We waited a few days and were still unable to get online so I called the Internet Service Provider (ISP). The guy who answered the phone replied with a slow drawl that the phone company was no longer letting their company use the toll-free number-he emailed me that information, by the way; need I remind you that I couldn't get on the internet and therefore couldn't get my mail!!?? Anyway, this made dial-up for me impossible (EVERYWHERE is long distance from Seymour).
Then I decided I would just go with AOL until the phone company makes DSL available in our area (tee hee). AOL would have a toll-free number from Smallville, USA, right? I mean, they are ubiquitous, aren't they? Well, after spending 30 minutes on the phone with a very nice and helpful man, and then installing the software, I discovered that AOL DID NOT, in fact, have a toll-free number from Seymour.
Undaunted, I remembered that I have unlimited long distance so dialing a long-distance number for internet access would most certainly not be a problem, I reasoned. Most people would have called the phone company just to make sure but, no, not me. Why do you think I love email and blogging so much? I never have to talk to anyone! I would rather spend an hour on the computer, send a few emails and blog a few lines to let my circle know what's going on in my life than spend 5 minutes on the phone! It's just so inconvenient.....[smile].
So, between my aversion to talking on the phone and my ability to convince myself with some degree of confidence that "everything will work out just fine", I started using the internet which was dialing a long-distance number each time I connected.
I don't spend much time surfing the web but the kids do. Imagine my surprise when I received our telephone bill last week. It was $799.00! Yes, that's right, $799.00! Turns out that internet connections are deemed "data calls" and don't fall under the unlimited umbrella. WHO KNEW?
There is a happy ending to this pitiful tale. The phone company felt so sorry for me and my ignorance that they decided to write off the charges. WHEW!
A couple of months ago, I tried for a couple of days in vain to get online. Then my son called the 800 number that was used for our dial-up internet connection. There was a recording that stated there was a problem with the number and could we please call back another time. We waited a few days and were still unable to get online so I called the Internet Service Provider (ISP). The guy who answered the phone replied with a slow drawl that the phone company was no longer letting their company use the toll-free number-he emailed me that information, by the way; need I remind you that I couldn't get on the internet and therefore couldn't get my mail!!?? Anyway, this made dial-up for me impossible (EVERYWHERE is long distance from Seymour).
Then I decided I would just go with AOL until the phone company makes DSL available in our area (tee hee). AOL would have a toll-free number from Smallville, USA, right? I mean, they are ubiquitous, aren't they? Well, after spending 30 minutes on the phone with a very nice and helpful man, and then installing the software, I discovered that AOL DID NOT, in fact, have a toll-free number from Seymour.
Undaunted, I remembered that I have unlimited long distance so dialing a long-distance number for internet access would most certainly not be a problem, I reasoned. Most people would have called the phone company just to make sure but, no, not me. Why do you think I love email and blogging so much? I never have to talk to anyone! I would rather spend an hour on the computer, send a few emails and blog a few lines to let my circle know what's going on in my life than spend 5 minutes on the phone! It's just so inconvenient.....[smile].
So, between my aversion to talking on the phone and my ability to convince myself with some degree of confidence that "everything will work out just fine", I started using the internet which was dialing a long-distance number each time I connected.
I don't spend much time surfing the web but the kids do. Imagine my surprise when I received our telephone bill last week. It was $799.00! Yes, that's right, $799.00! Turns out that internet connections are deemed "data calls" and don't fall under the unlimited umbrella. WHO KNEW?
There is a happy ending to this pitiful tale. The phone company felt so sorry for me and my ignorance that they decided to write off the charges. WHEW!
Monday, October 30, 2006
We are in TROUBLE!
Sometimes I picture American politicians secretly snickering behind our backs, wondering just how much subterfuge we will endure before there is pandemonium of titanic proportion among the people. It's bad enough that there is so much inherent corruption, that the corporations and their lobbyists are the real "voice" (and that companies like Halliburton determine the kind of world we live in), but the money spent on these campaigns is unconscionable.
The most recent senate races are said to have cost at least 2 BILLION dollars! Something is wrong with people when they choose to put their money into a bid that is going to further their own agenda and ignores the needs of the suffering. Could 2 BILLION dollars not have been better spent?
I have never been so repulsed as I was with the latest senate campaign in Missouri. All of the candidates auspiciously promised that they are what this country needs; offering up some sort of distant panacea as if their words had an ounce of probity to them. More often than not they were maliciously dogging their opponents, as if "we the people" aren't smart enough to see through the CRAP.
The Bush campaign proved in 2004 that [some of] our votes don't really count (contrary to what they would have you believe), that elections can be bought and votes can be manipulated (and even thrown out if the governor of the state happens to be your BROTHER and he chooses to do so, at random). Oh, forgive me, that is all just coincidence, right?
The war in Iraq (and subsequent war on terrorism) is, of course, the biggest issue concerning most of us, or it should be. The Christian right (Bush's greatest fans) push their so-called "moral" agenda, as if the rest of us are incapable of determining what is actually moral, that God is only real to "them" and for all of the love that Jesus was about, they would have us believe that spreading hate and discontent and killing innocents is Ok somehow. Every human is precious in the eyes of God and Christians should be trying to stop this mess, not funding it! I couldn't say it any better than Robin Meyers, a minister and peace activist: "When you claim that our God is bigger than their God and that our killing is righteous while theirs is evil, we have begun to resemble the enemy we claim to be fighting, and that is immoral. We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us."
Most of you middle classers, like me, are sitting at home in your peaceful abodes, eating more food than you should, driving gas-guzzling cars that are dependent on oil that fueled (no pun intended) this war in the first place, buying too much plastic (try researching what goes into that stuff) from a store that imports it from a country who won't help us and who pays children 7 cents a day to make the stuff we're buying that will be in a landfill for millions of years to come. Washington pays no heed to the environmental changes the earth is undergoing due to our pitiful, noxious lifestyles. We are enjoying a prosperity unlike any other culture and are excessively wasteful while the corporations we support with our dollars enjoy record profits. HELLOOOO! There is a WAR going on! Innocent women and children are being killed, starved and tortured but we are fat and happy. How do we stand ourselves?
Sorry I don't have a bandaid to fix our problems. Like most of us, my comfort level is fine, I don't have any family members in politics and I don't have any money so I'll just sit back and watch the nonsense unfold and pray that God has a sense of humor.
The most recent senate races are said to have cost at least 2 BILLION dollars! Something is wrong with people when they choose to put their money into a bid that is going to further their own agenda and ignores the needs of the suffering. Could 2 BILLION dollars not have been better spent?
I have never been so repulsed as I was with the latest senate campaign in Missouri. All of the candidates auspiciously promised that they are what this country needs; offering up some sort of distant panacea as if their words had an ounce of probity to them. More often than not they were maliciously dogging their opponents, as if "we the people" aren't smart enough to see through the CRAP.
The Bush campaign proved in 2004 that [some of] our votes don't really count (contrary to what they would have you believe), that elections can be bought and votes can be manipulated (and even thrown out if the governor of the state happens to be your BROTHER and he chooses to do so, at random). Oh, forgive me, that is all just coincidence, right?
The war in Iraq (and subsequent war on terrorism) is, of course, the biggest issue concerning most of us, or it should be. The Christian right (Bush's greatest fans) push their so-called "moral" agenda, as if the rest of us are incapable of determining what is actually moral, that God is only real to "them" and for all of the love that Jesus was about, they would have us believe that spreading hate and discontent and killing innocents is Ok somehow. Every human is precious in the eyes of God and Christians should be trying to stop this mess, not funding it! I couldn't say it any better than Robin Meyers, a minister and peace activist: "When you claim that our God is bigger than their God and that our killing is righteous while theirs is evil, we have begun to resemble the enemy we claim to be fighting, and that is immoral. We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us."
Most of you middle classers, like me, are sitting at home in your peaceful abodes, eating more food than you should, driving gas-guzzling cars that are dependent on oil that fueled (no pun intended) this war in the first place, buying too much plastic (try researching what goes into that stuff) from a store that imports it from a country who won't help us and who pays children 7 cents a day to make the stuff we're buying that will be in a landfill for millions of years to come. Washington pays no heed to the environmental changes the earth is undergoing due to our pitiful, noxious lifestyles. We are enjoying a prosperity unlike any other culture and are excessively wasteful while the corporations we support with our dollars enjoy record profits. HELLOOOO! There is a WAR going on! Innocent women and children are being killed, starved and tortured but we are fat and happy. How do we stand ourselves?
Sorry I don't have a bandaid to fix our problems. Like most of us, my comfort level is fine, I don't have any family members in politics and I don't have any money so I'll just sit back and watch the nonsense unfold and pray that God has a sense of humor.
Early Retirement
Last April, dh stopped going to work. He simply could not do it anymore. You see, he has a nasty form of arthritis called Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and has had it since he was about 16.
He has had chronic pain ever since I've known him (we were high school sweethearts). His dad had the same disease and was disabled because of it. AS causes loss of disc space in the spine with resulting kyphosis (hunched over appearance) and loss of height. The spinal vertebrae actually fuse together so there is subsequent loss of mobility. AS not only affects the spine, it also affects all of the major joints and causes systemic problems, such as organ damage. There are varying degrees of the severity of the symptoms and dh has had a very difficult time over the years.
After a terrible exacerbation last spring, he was unable to get more than a few hours of sleep at night. He was up during the night off and on, taking hot baths and/or showers, using the heating pad, taking antinflammatory drugs and on more than one occasion I had to get up to assist him up the stairs. He started walking with a cane and was really having a lot of side effects from his medication (he will only take ibuprofen or aspirin, nothing stronger). He started experiencing a lot of stomach cramping, skin rashes, dizziness, weight loss and many other symptoms. He has missed a lot of work over the years due to his disease.
So, after much prayer and discussion, we decided that he would be better off at home where he could manage his disease better (when he's inactive he gets stiffer, so he exercises which results in more pain, a very vicious cycle). Thankfully, he worked for the City of Springfield and they were very accomodating when he gave his notice. He was able to draw all of his remaining ill time which gave him a paycheck for 3 full months, then he was able to apply for partial retirement based on his disability. We have worked for many years toward living without debt so we were in a position that he COULD stay home.
I am happy to say that the LAGERS union approved his disability after reviewing his medical records and Dr's recommendations and he is now officially retired.
DH is now doing better. Not having to get up at 5 am allows him to get more sleep. He no longer has to drive around in a vehicle all day which caused him significant pain and stiffness. He is able to exercise in short stints throughout the day which helps him maintain mobility in his neck, hips, and lower back. He is able to focus on eating wholesome foods and that seems to help keep inflammation at bay. Remarkably, he looks fantastic and has a six pack on his abs that is to die for!
He has had chronic pain ever since I've known him (we were high school sweethearts). His dad had the same disease and was disabled because of it. AS causes loss of disc space in the spine with resulting kyphosis (hunched over appearance) and loss of height. The spinal vertebrae actually fuse together so there is subsequent loss of mobility. AS not only affects the spine, it also affects all of the major joints and causes systemic problems, such as organ damage. There are varying degrees of the severity of the symptoms and dh has had a very difficult time over the years.
After a terrible exacerbation last spring, he was unable to get more than a few hours of sleep at night. He was up during the night off and on, taking hot baths and/or showers, using the heating pad, taking antinflammatory drugs and on more than one occasion I had to get up to assist him up the stairs. He started walking with a cane and was really having a lot of side effects from his medication (he will only take ibuprofen or aspirin, nothing stronger). He started experiencing a lot of stomach cramping, skin rashes, dizziness, weight loss and many other symptoms. He has missed a lot of work over the years due to his disease.
So, after much prayer and discussion, we decided that he would be better off at home where he could manage his disease better (when he's inactive he gets stiffer, so he exercises which results in more pain, a very vicious cycle). Thankfully, he worked for the City of Springfield and they were very accomodating when he gave his notice. He was able to draw all of his remaining ill time which gave him a paycheck for 3 full months, then he was able to apply for partial retirement based on his disability. We have worked for many years toward living without debt so we were in a position that he COULD stay home.
I am happy to say that the LAGERS union approved his disability after reviewing his medical records and Dr's recommendations and he is now officially retired.
DH is now doing better. Not having to get up at 5 am allows him to get more sleep. He no longer has to drive around in a vehicle all day which caused him significant pain and stiffness. He is able to exercise in short stints throughout the day which helps him maintain mobility in his neck, hips, and lower back. He is able to focus on eating wholesome foods and that seems to help keep inflammation at bay. Remarkably, he looks fantastic and has a six pack on his abs that is to die for!
Running--er, JOGGING for charity
The St. John's annual Sunshine Run was October 14th. Part of the proceeds from the 5K went to THE BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION OF THE OZARKS--a charity I am particularly fond of and if you have money to give away, well, they are the real deal. Anyway, I decided to run in the 5K race.
I had not run a race since I ran cross country in high school (just a FEW years ago). Running is something I do to stay in shape, to get the proper amount of aerobic exercise, and you could say I'm addicted to the endorphins. That is enough motivation for me, although I admit I do have a running shoe ad taped on my fridge that reads: I COULD SPEND MORE TIME REDECORATING MY PLACE. It would give me a feeling of accomplishment. And I wouldn't feel guilty if I skipped a few days of redecorating. But picking out paint colors wouldn't make my butt look better in jeans. Keep running....
The 5K race was at 7:30 in the morning-ugh! I never run in the morning; studies have shown that your body does best running in the early afternoon. That should have been my first clue that it might be a little difficult. I don't run for speed, I run for endurance and currently am running for an hour 3 times a week. The distance is between 6-7 miles. And, did I mention that I run on hills? rocky hills? uphill both ways? That may be a little stretch but I figured a short little 3.1 mile race on the flat pavement would be a piece of cake! Boy, was I ever humbled!
First of all, I wasn't sure how to prepare myself. I drink a lot of water every day and so I started by getting up at 4 am to eat breakfast and proceeded to drink three liters of water! Not smart for a 40 year old woman who has had 4 kids, if you know what I mean. I nearly missed the start of the race because I had to pee!
As if bladder control wasn't a big enough problem, I locked my keys in my car. Well, not all of my keys. I had nightmares for days before the race, thinking I was going to lock my keys in my car because, well, that's just me. Sure enough, I took the key off of my keychain, put it in my secret zipper pocket in my running pants, ran to the bathroom with my jacket on because it was so cold, and when I went back to my car to put my jacket inside, the key I had removed was actually the ignition key and it wouldn't open the doors!
So, here I am 2 blocks from the starting line and the race is starting in 2 minutes. I still have my [heavy] jacket on, which I cannot possibly run in so after sprinting to where I'm supposed to be, I see a kindly looking woman and asked her to hold my jacket. She said "sure" and I asked her where I could find her after the race. She said she'd drop it off at the lost and found booth and I told her just to take it to the BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION (BCFO) booth.
It's 35 degrees, I'm struggling for air after sprinting and stressed because I have to be at work as soon as the race is over and I can't get in my car. There are 1500 people crowded onto Walnut street, packed together like sardines and I have to PEE. What was I thinking?
The emcee counts down from 10 and we are off! This is a RACE and I am wedged in between all of these people and start moving my feet but for some reason, I'm not going anywhere. Finally, the crowd starts to thin a little as the "good" runners pull away from the crowd. I am starting to get into a rhythm and look down at the ground and see a wallet, thinking "who would have their wallet in their pants during a race?". Then I looked up just in time to collide with the moron who dropped his wallet and had turned around in the swarm of forward moving bodies to run back for it. AAAAGGHH! We hit so hard that I nearly fell down and I shouted "DAMMIT!" without thinking, amid a group of schoolchildren.
Suddenly, my body started feeling very strange. I don't know if it was the cold, the sudden impact or just the adrenaline rush but I started hurting all over. It felt as if my legs would not hold me up and my chest felt like it was being crushed (and I had to Pee). I slowed my pace and just kept going, running through the discomfort (that's putting it lightly). Little kids and women pushing baby strollers were passing me! This was NOT my idea of fun!
The last half mile of the race I finally regained my strength and kicked it into high gear, but it was too late. I finished 3.1 miles in a little over 27 minutes.
I went to the BCFO booth and the nice lady had, indeed left my jacket there. I then used a friend's cell phone to call POP-A-LOCK. The lady was very helpful but then she said she had to have a credit card number to make sure I was good for the money. I sort of lost it then and took out my frustration on this poor woman who was only trying to do her job. It's not her fault that there are so many LOSERS who don't pay for services rendered. I told her that if I had my purse with me, I would also have my keys and THEN I WOULDN'T NEED THEIR HELP!! SHEESH!
After my little melt-down, she said I could just pay with a check; the man came within 15 minutes, had the car open within 20 seconds and I was on my way. It was an experience I will not soon forget and now that it's over , I can say that I will probably do it again next year!
I had not run a race since I ran cross country in high school (just a FEW years ago). Running is something I do to stay in shape, to get the proper amount of aerobic exercise, and you could say I'm addicted to the endorphins. That is enough motivation for me, although I admit I do have a running shoe ad taped on my fridge that reads: I COULD SPEND MORE TIME REDECORATING MY PLACE. It would give me a feeling of accomplishment. And I wouldn't feel guilty if I skipped a few days of redecorating. But picking out paint colors wouldn't make my butt look better in jeans. Keep running....
The 5K race was at 7:30 in the morning-ugh! I never run in the morning; studies have shown that your body does best running in the early afternoon. That should have been my first clue that it might be a little difficult. I don't run for speed, I run for endurance and currently am running for an hour 3 times a week. The distance is between 6-7 miles. And, did I mention that I run on hills? rocky hills? uphill both ways? That may be a little stretch but I figured a short little 3.1 mile race on the flat pavement would be a piece of cake! Boy, was I ever humbled!
First of all, I wasn't sure how to prepare myself. I drink a lot of water every day and so I started by getting up at 4 am to eat breakfast and proceeded to drink three liters of water! Not smart for a 40 year old woman who has had 4 kids, if you know what I mean. I nearly missed the start of the race because I had to pee!
As if bladder control wasn't a big enough problem, I locked my keys in my car. Well, not all of my keys. I had nightmares for days before the race, thinking I was going to lock my keys in my car because, well, that's just me. Sure enough, I took the key off of my keychain, put it in my secret zipper pocket in my running pants, ran to the bathroom with my jacket on because it was so cold, and when I went back to my car to put my jacket inside, the key I had removed was actually the ignition key and it wouldn't open the doors!
So, here I am 2 blocks from the starting line and the race is starting in 2 minutes. I still have my [heavy] jacket on, which I cannot possibly run in so after sprinting to where I'm supposed to be, I see a kindly looking woman and asked her to hold my jacket. She said "sure" and I asked her where I could find her after the race. She said she'd drop it off at the lost and found booth and I told her just to take it to the BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION (BCFO) booth.
It's 35 degrees, I'm struggling for air after sprinting and stressed because I have to be at work as soon as the race is over and I can't get in my car. There are 1500 people crowded onto Walnut street, packed together like sardines and I have to PEE. What was I thinking?
The emcee counts down from 10 and we are off! This is a RACE and I am wedged in between all of these people and start moving my feet but for some reason, I'm not going anywhere. Finally, the crowd starts to thin a little as the "good" runners pull away from the crowd. I am starting to get into a rhythm and look down at the ground and see a wallet, thinking "who would have their wallet in their pants during a race?". Then I looked up just in time to collide with the moron who dropped his wallet and had turned around in the swarm of forward moving bodies to run back for it. AAAAGGHH! We hit so hard that I nearly fell down and I shouted "DAMMIT!" without thinking, amid a group of schoolchildren.
Suddenly, my body started feeling very strange. I don't know if it was the cold, the sudden impact or just the adrenaline rush but I started hurting all over. It felt as if my legs would not hold me up and my chest felt like it was being crushed (and I had to Pee). I slowed my pace and just kept going, running through the discomfort (that's putting it lightly). Little kids and women pushing baby strollers were passing me! This was NOT my idea of fun!
The last half mile of the race I finally regained my strength and kicked it into high gear, but it was too late. I finished 3.1 miles in a little over 27 minutes.
I went to the BCFO booth and the nice lady had, indeed left my jacket there. I then used a friend's cell phone to call POP-A-LOCK. The lady was very helpful but then she said she had to have a credit card number to make sure I was good for the money. I sort of lost it then and took out my frustration on this poor woman who was only trying to do her job. It's not her fault that there are so many LOSERS who don't pay for services rendered. I told her that if I had my purse with me, I would also have my keys and THEN I WOULDN'T NEED THEIR HELP!! SHEESH!
After my little melt-down, she said I could just pay with a check; the man came within 15 minutes, had the car open within 20 seconds and I was on my way. It was an experience I will not soon forget and now that it's over , I can say that I will probably do it again next year!
I'm SORRY!!
Once again, I've not blogged for weeks, and I broke my promise. To those of you who live to read my entries, God help you. I just haven't been inspired lately--too distracted, too much going on, dh despises when I'm on the computer, etc., etc.
Enough excuses; dh isn't here right now so I better write while I have the chance.....
Enough excuses; dh isn't here right now so I better write while I have the chance.....
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Natural Flea Control
Our dogs have fleas. They have been living outdoors all summer long and now that it's getting colder, Sisterwho is pleading their case; she wants to bring them back inside for the winter.
We have looked for natural flea killers and researched it on the internet. We have bought some of the once- a-month type stuff that you squirt on their back at the feed store. It's active ingredient is Pyrethrin which is derived from Chrysanthemums and so is as natural as I thought we could get. It worked pretty good, even better than the costlier topicals that we've bought from the vet and it has a lovely citrus frangrance. Still, it is toxic to puppies and humans.
Did I mention that our dog is about to have puppies? At least, we think she is. She had a doggie period a couple of months ago and Sisterwho woke up one morning to see something she wished she hadn't. She occasionally lets the dogs come into her room at night through her bedroom window if they cry and beg long enough. This particular morning, when Chewy was still in heat, Sisterwho said that when she woke up our male dog, Beau, had a really satisfied look on his face, smoked a cigarette and rolled over and went to sleep. Or...something like that.
For awhile we didn't think Chewy had conceived. She didn't look or act pregnant (no strange food fetishes or waddling around). However, now she is starting to show some signs, unless it is just wishful thinking on our part.
First of all, our kitten is suckling her. I looked out the kitchen window onto the deck the other day and saw the kitten with it's paws on Chewy's stomach and heard suck, suck, sucking sounds. Chewy was willing to be milked for a few minutes before getting up and walking off. The kitten takes advantage of every opportunity to suckle. Sisterwho insists that Chewy has milk coming from her teats and that her belly is visibly larger and I have to admit, she has been acting a little strange the past couple of days; i.e., not eating much and being a little standoffish.
Anyway, back to the fleas. We didn't want to put anything on Chewy and risk the puppies' health so I read about using Diatomaceous Earth for flea control. You just rub it all over the dog's fur and into every nook and cranny so the fleas have nowhere to run. I only know that it somehow interferes with the fleas ability to breathe and so they jump off or die. We went to the health food store where I had seen it many times and bought a bag.
Believe it or not, it works! We put it on today and the dogs were running in circles while the fleas were doing the same, trying to get to a safe harbor. Within minutes of applying it, the fleas were inactive and there were fewer of them; hopefully they will be completely wiped out and the dogs can come inside. I'm anxious to see how often it has to be reapplied. I'll keep you posted!
We have looked for natural flea killers and researched it on the internet. We have bought some of the once- a-month type stuff that you squirt on their back at the feed store. It's active ingredient is Pyrethrin which is derived from Chrysanthemums and so is as natural as I thought we could get. It worked pretty good, even better than the costlier topicals that we've bought from the vet and it has a lovely citrus frangrance. Still, it is toxic to puppies and humans.
Did I mention that our dog is about to have puppies? At least, we think she is. She had a doggie period a couple of months ago and Sisterwho woke up one morning to see something she wished she hadn't. She occasionally lets the dogs come into her room at night through her bedroom window if they cry and beg long enough. This particular morning, when Chewy was still in heat, Sisterwho said that when she woke up our male dog, Beau, had a really satisfied look on his face, smoked a cigarette and rolled over and went to sleep. Or...something like that.
For awhile we didn't think Chewy had conceived. She didn't look or act pregnant (no strange food fetishes or waddling around). However, now she is starting to show some signs, unless it is just wishful thinking on our part.
First of all, our kitten is suckling her. I looked out the kitchen window onto the deck the other day and saw the kitten with it's paws on Chewy's stomach and heard suck, suck, sucking sounds. Chewy was willing to be milked for a few minutes before getting up and walking off. The kitten takes advantage of every opportunity to suckle. Sisterwho insists that Chewy has milk coming from her teats and that her belly is visibly larger and I have to admit, she has been acting a little strange the past couple of days; i.e., not eating much and being a little standoffish.
Anyway, back to the fleas. We didn't want to put anything on Chewy and risk the puppies' health so I read about using Diatomaceous Earth for flea control. You just rub it all over the dog's fur and into every nook and cranny so the fleas have nowhere to run. I only know that it somehow interferes with the fleas ability to breathe and so they jump off or die. We went to the health food store where I had seen it many times and bought a bag.
Believe it or not, it works! We put it on today and the dogs were running in circles while the fleas were doing the same, trying to get to a safe harbor. Within minutes of applying it, the fleas were inactive and there were fewer of them; hopefully they will be completely wiped out and the dogs can come inside. I'm anxious to see how often it has to be reapplied. I'll keep you posted!
Friday, September 15, 2006
Evaporation Made Simple
We have a rain gauge mounted on a fencepost and every Wednesday the kids check it and record the amount of rain for the week. This week, it was empty. "But", Sisterwho said, "it rained a couple of days ago". "Aha", I thought to myself, "the perfect opportunity to discuss the effects of heat and humidity and resulting evaporation"! But before I could begin, Littlewho said, "It was the sun, it dries up the water". Sister and I both looked at him and I know she was thinking the same thing I was, namely-"How does he know that?".
I said, "Littlewho, you're correct, and how did you figure that out?". He gave us a look that appeared to say, "Ok, you simple-minded fools" and then he said, "Well, you know that song about the Itsy Bitsy spider....."and out came the sun and dried up all the rain.....?".
Duh!
I said, "Littlewho, you're correct, and how did you figure that out?". He gave us a look that appeared to say, "Ok, you simple-minded fools" and then he said, "Well, you know that song about the Itsy Bitsy spider....."and out came the sun and dried up all the rain.....?".
Duh!
Monday, September 11, 2006
The 100 Mile Diet
THE 100 MILE DIET– The typical-American meal is made up of foods that have traveled an average of 2,000 miles to get from farm to table. While this practice is convenient and may provide us with greater variety, it also has a negative impact on energy conservation, greenhouse gases, and oil dependence. In fact, industrial agriculture and long-distance food transportation generate between 20-25% of all climate destabilizing greenhouse gases in the U.S. Given this fact, buying food that is locally or regionally grown can dramatically reduce energy consumption and greenhouse pollution. Enter a new trend, started by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon: the 100 mile diet. "We're the kind of people that ride our bikes everywhere, so we wondered why we were going to all this effort when our food was flying around the world," says Smith. The diet trend, which requires participants to eat only foods grown within a 100 mile radius, is catching on across North America. Philadelphia journalist Elisa Ludwig took up the 100 mile diet for 12 days to learn more about the foods she eats. "If eating local is a moral imperative, then every meal is an opportunity to do the right thing," says Ludwig, who kept a daily journal of the experience. You can read her journal entries at http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_1463.cfm.
"Thank you to Obentec, Inc. for permission to use this copyrighted material. For more information, contact Obentec, Inc. by email at info@obentec.com or by phone at 831-457-0301, or visit their Web site at http://www.obentec.com. Reprint permission granted with this full notice included."
"Thank you to Obentec, Inc. for permission to use this copyrighted material. For more information, contact Obentec, Inc. by email at info@obentec.com or by phone at 831-457-0301, or visit their Web site at http://www.obentec.com. Reprint permission granted with this full notice included."
"Lucky"
Last week I really did a number on myself. I have done some really stupid things over the years and my Mom always says she should have named me "Grace". This last incident sort of takes the cake.
I was playing horseshoes with dh last Tuesday. He was practicing for a tournament and I was trying in earnest to be interested in the game (a big stretch); I thought maybe I would enjoy playing more if I could do it without my horseshoes ending up bouncing down the hill with every throw.
So, I was getting instruction from dh, who, by the way, is good at everything he does and therefore gets frustrated trying to teach someone like me how to do something that requires coordination. It was cool outside that morning and I had a jacket on when we started throwing. I became warm and took my jacket off and tied it around my waist (can you see where this is going?). As I was preparing to throw my horseshoe I was completely and utterly focused on my foot placement, my stance, my grip on the horseshoe, and I had my left arm placed at a 90 degree angle to my body for the utmost balance (who knew there was such technique to horseshoe throwing?). With my right arm I prepared to throw the horseshoe the 40 foot distance to the stake. As I hurled it forward, it became entangled in my jacket and instead of flying ahead of me, was jerked backward toward my face and clunked me square in the forehead.
For the first second I thought, "OW, that hurt!". In the next few seconds I became lightheaded
and sat down on the ground with my hand on my head. In the meantime dh had run into the house for ice and I was sitting there whimpering--it REALLY hurt. Littlewho started crying and said "Mommy, are you oK?". I mustered up the strength to say "Yes, baby, I'm OK". Then he shrieked "YOU'RE BLEEDING! ARE YOU GOING TO DIE??". I opened my eyes long enough to see a puddle of blood forming on the ground between my legs.
Dh came back with the ice and handed it to me so I could place it on my head. I was still moaning and once dh knew I was alright he couldn't contain the laughter. He proceeded with a list of comments-- "How on earth?....I didn't know horseshoes was a contact sport.....this must be a first.....we'll be telling this story 20 years from now". By now I was laughing and crying at the same time.
Dh asked me to remove the ice from my head so he could survey the damage. I assumed I had a small cut but when he said, "Oh shit", that was my clue that it was probably a little worse. When I finally made it into the house and looked into the mirror I was shocked to see a gaping 3 inch long, deep gash to my forehead that obviously needed professional attention.
8 stitches later, I am fine but with yet another scar and 2 black eyes. My parents love to tell the story that when I was a rough and tumble 3 year old, trying to keep up with the boys, someone said, "You're never going to be Miss America if you keep getting owies!", to which I shrugged my shoulders and glibly replied , "Then I guess I'll just be a scratched up nurse!". Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy!
I was playing horseshoes with dh last Tuesday. He was practicing for a tournament and I was trying in earnest to be interested in the game (a big stretch); I thought maybe I would enjoy playing more if I could do it without my horseshoes ending up bouncing down the hill with every throw.
So, I was getting instruction from dh, who, by the way, is good at everything he does and therefore gets frustrated trying to teach someone like me how to do something that requires coordination. It was cool outside that morning and I had a jacket on when we started throwing. I became warm and took my jacket off and tied it around my waist (can you see where this is going?). As I was preparing to throw my horseshoe I was completely and utterly focused on my foot placement, my stance, my grip on the horseshoe, and I had my left arm placed at a 90 degree angle to my body for the utmost balance (who knew there was such technique to horseshoe throwing?). With my right arm I prepared to throw the horseshoe the 40 foot distance to the stake. As I hurled it forward, it became entangled in my jacket and instead of flying ahead of me, was jerked backward toward my face and clunked me square in the forehead.
For the first second I thought, "OW, that hurt!". In the next few seconds I became lightheaded
and sat down on the ground with my hand on my head. In the meantime dh had run into the house for ice and I was sitting there whimpering--it REALLY hurt. Littlewho started crying and said "Mommy, are you oK?". I mustered up the strength to say "Yes, baby, I'm OK". Then he shrieked "YOU'RE BLEEDING! ARE YOU GOING TO DIE??". I opened my eyes long enough to see a puddle of blood forming on the ground between my legs.
Dh came back with the ice and handed it to me so I could place it on my head. I was still moaning and once dh knew I was alright he couldn't contain the laughter. He proceeded with a list of comments-- "How on earth?....I didn't know horseshoes was a contact sport.....this must be a first.....we'll be telling this story 20 years from now". By now I was laughing and crying at the same time.
Dh asked me to remove the ice from my head so he could survey the damage. I assumed I had a small cut but when he said, "Oh shit", that was my clue that it was probably a little worse. When I finally made it into the house and looked into the mirror I was shocked to see a gaping 3 inch long, deep gash to my forehead that obviously needed professional attention.
8 stitches later, I am fine but with yet another scar and 2 black eyes. My parents love to tell the story that when I was a rough and tumble 3 year old, trying to keep up with the boys, someone said, "You're never going to be Miss America if you keep getting owies!", to which I shrugged my shoulders and glibly replied , "Then I guess I'll just be a scratched up nurse!". Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
You know you're a homeschooler when....
Last week we went to the Homeschooling EduFair, the brainchild of Pamela Cooper, one of the homeschooling moms in our community. Pamela (who, I might add, gains nothing financially by doing this) organizes Field Trips for homeschoolers, as well. One never has to look far to find an educational outing to parks, factories, retail stores, government offices, etc. Pamela planned 3 Edufairs this year in Springfield, Monett, and Seymour, recruiting vendors and volunteers to bring resources to all who are interested in home educating.
As we were driving to "South Park" in Seymour, I was coaching the kids regarding their behavior. I asked Littlewho to please NOT say "Son of a..!", which he is in the habit of doing at home. He said "OK, I won't". Then I asked him to remember his manners and if he became upset to avoid performing any Karate kicks on any of the kids. He agreed that he wouldn't do that. I then asked the kids to participate in the Mad Science presentation that Pamela had scheduled and to try to do so with ENTHUSIASM! Suddenly Sisterwho started laughing hysterically and I couldn't understand what all of the carrying on was about.
When she was finally able to speak clearly, Sisterwho said "I was just thinking of that joke book you have". You see, I have a book entitled "The Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons" by Todd Wilson, a homeschooling dad. We bought it at the Homeschooling Convention this year and have been able to relate to the way the cartoons poke fun at what is a reality in our lives.
One of the cartoons has a picture of a mom driving a minivan with the reflection of her face in the rear-view mirror. She is looking back at the kids with eyebrows furrowed as she is lecturing them. The caption at the top of the page reads "You know you're a homeschooler when...." and there is a conversational bubble indicating the words she is saying:
"Now don't mention that we didn't get up till 9:30 or that your little brother can't read...or that we buy our bread from a store...or that you've seen Disney movies...and whatever you do, try not to say the words Batman or Power Rangers...and for goodness sakes try to act SMART!!!!".
The bottom of the page follows up on the previous caption with "...you panic when your kids go to other homeschoolers' homes."
We had a good laugh and for the record, the kids didn't let me down.
As we were driving to "South Park" in Seymour, I was coaching the kids regarding their behavior. I asked Littlewho to please NOT say "Son of a..!", which he is in the habit of doing at home. He said "OK, I won't". Then I asked him to remember his manners and if he became upset to avoid performing any Karate kicks on any of the kids. He agreed that he wouldn't do that. I then asked the kids to participate in the Mad Science presentation that Pamela had scheduled and to try to do so with ENTHUSIASM! Suddenly Sisterwho started laughing hysterically and I couldn't understand what all of the carrying on was about.
When she was finally able to speak clearly, Sisterwho said "I was just thinking of that joke book you have". You see, I have a book entitled "The Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons" by Todd Wilson, a homeschooling dad. We bought it at the Homeschooling Convention this year and have been able to relate to the way the cartoons poke fun at what is a reality in our lives.
One of the cartoons has a picture of a mom driving a minivan with the reflection of her face in the rear-view mirror. She is looking back at the kids with eyebrows furrowed as she is lecturing them. The caption at the top of the page reads "You know you're a homeschooler when...." and there is a conversational bubble indicating the words she is saying:
"Now don't mention that we didn't get up till 9:30 or that your little brother can't read...or that we buy our bread from a store...or that you've seen Disney movies...and whatever you do, try not to say the words Batman or Power Rangers...and for goodness sakes try to act SMART!!!!".
The bottom of the page follows up on the previous caption with "...you panic when your kids go to other homeschoolers' homes."
We had a good laugh and for the record, the kids didn't let me down.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
