Thinks By Me

Little Chic's school did a spin-off of American Idol to celebrate reading. She and a friend wrote a song about the library and performed it in front of the school. They made it through the initial round, and then on to "Hollywood" where they performed in front of the whole school yesterday. They didn't win the contest, but they were the only ones whose picture was printed in the local paper! Also shown in the picture is "Principal" playing Randy Jackson, "Gym Teacher" playing Paula and "Reading Teacher" playing Simon Cowell. It's a nice effect that that Reading Teacher happens to be from England. The accent works.

If I were more technically savvy than I am, I'd figure how to post this video directly to my blog. But I'm not. So I can't. But, if you want to hear about the funniest Birthday Greeting an auntie can get, click on THIS HERE LINK and hear Cameron singing to .... well, he really has no idea. And how clever is it that Dear Brother conveniently leaves out the fact that he shares the experience of growing a year older along with me. It's the two year old who has to remind him.

I regret the sorry volume of posting lately, but thought you might be interested to know that Muh Main Man recovered this unfortunate young man from the river this evening. There. I've posted.

It's not often that I get surprises, but when I do, I love 'em. Especially when they come from Hawaii. Huh-wah-yee, People! The lovely Laura & Michael Perry from Withinhisgrace.com emailed me and told me I could pick out some stuff from their web site and they would mail it to me. Just because they like my blog! How sweet are they?! I. Love. Them. Not wanting to impose, I had Little Chic pick out her two favorite items. I could have picked a dozen, let me tell ya. I love all that kind of stuff. Anyway, I told them that we wanted the Romans cap and the pink Name shirt. I don't think I've ever gotten a package from Hawaii. Well, before now. Yay! It came, and not only was the super-cute shirt and hat in there, they sent more. I love bonuses almost as much as I love surprises. So here's just a teeny-weeny sampling of what they have. Go take a look around. Return the favor to the Perrys. Order some stuff.

She's younger than me, but that's okay. I LUV her! Go wish her a Happy Birthday!

#3 is False. Although I am one to force myself to face my fears i.e., I'll run out to the car to retrieve something I've forgotten without a flashlight, even though I'm afraid of the dark; AND I always ride the roller coasters at amusement parks even though I'm afraid of heights; AND I always squish the spiders myself even though they give me the heebie-jeebies....I have not and have no plans to bungee jump. I' had the opportunity once and passed on it. I thoroughly convinced myself that I do not need to prove that I can. That would be unless the Amazing Race comes calling. Then I'd do it. But that's the only way. Not because I'm afraid. I just don't need to.

Back in my working-full time-outside-the-home days, one of my jobs was as a corporate facilitator and I conducted classes in management and interpersonal skills. At one point, I had to facilitate a class in interpersonal skills to a group of hairdressers for a continuing education seminar they were taking at a local SUNY college. I can honestly say that I hope it is a very long time (as in, never again) before I am surrounded by a group of 75 hairdressers role playing how they'll handle their more "difficult" clients in the future....

When I was about 17, I was on a bike-a-thon with my high school class (probably raising money for our infamous European Senior class trip, or something). But anyway. We rode the length of Jupiter Island and were on our way back -- and as we were crossing a highway, we had to stop in the median to wait for traffic. But traffic did not wait for us. Great-Grandma Moses an her equally ancient companion careened into the median and the car bumper hit me squarely behind the knees and in the lower back, hurling me across not only my bike, but the bikes of several of my riding companions. The look of horror on GGM's face revealed that her family had probably been threatening to revoke her driving privileges at any moment. She wasn't taking any chances and after a slight pause of conscience, she decided to stay in the dark as to whether she was a murderer or simply the cause of a few scrapes and bruises. Fortunately for us all, I suffered no more than some sore muscles and a scrape

It's not Starbucks, but hey, it just might fit the bill if you are in to the emotional eating thing. To make you feel better if you owe taxes--or to celebrate if you're getting some back. But I won't be partaking as I don't need any excuses to put back on even one of the 20 pounds I've lost.

The story behind it... When I was about 11 years old, in sixth grade, we were living in Greenville, South Carolina. One afternoon during a huge thunderstorm, I was sitting in front of our large picture window waiting for my mom to get home from work. I was sitting backward on our couch with my arms on the back of the couch, head propped on my arms, looking out the window. Suddenly a huge bolt of lightening struck a big tree right outside the window. Somehow a flash of the lightening came through the window and caught the edge of a metal watch I was wearing. I was left with thin red burned streak down the back of my hand. If I remember right, my sister was sitting alongside me, but I'm not sure. I have no scars to show for it, but my mother's word will have to corroborate my claim ;)

In an effort to be intriguing, I decided to bring this popular game to the blogdom. If you wanna play along, you have to guess which three "facts" are true about me and which one is not. It's simple....or not. 1) I've been struck by lightening....with no scars to show for it. 2) I was hit by a car while biking....and the driver looked at me in horror and sped off. 3) I mustered my courage and went bungee jumping...but due to my fear of heights, I vowed I never would again (well-unless I'm required by the Amazing Race WHEN I compete some day). 4) I taught a class at a SUNY college...and I have no college degree. Answers will be revealed under separate post at my next whim ;)

Mary E. Olsen went to her heavenly home on April 10, 2008. She was born in Middleburgh, NY on June 1, 1917. In 1938 she married J. Francis Olsen and moved to Binghamton, NY where they lived until moving to Hobe Sound, FL in 2002. She graduated from Middleburgh High School and Oneonta Normal School (now SUNY College at Oneonta) and became a highly respected elementary school teacher in the Binghamton school system. She also used her teaching skills in her church of more than 50 years, the Community Bible Church of Binghamton, NY, where for many years she was responsible for the elementary department of the Sunday school. Her students and her grandchildren remember her as an outstanding storyteller who provided all of the appropriate emphases to make the stories most interesting. Above all, Mary Olsen had a true servant’s heart which was expressed in many deeds of kindness and caring for people. The large number of guests to her home often enthusiastically testified to he

Tomorrow, April 8, Starbucks is introducing a new coffee and will give away 8 oz. cups of its new Pike Place Roast brew beginning at Noon EST. The new coffee is named after the location of Starbucks' first store, which opened in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971. And we all know how I like me a lil' Starbucks now and then. And now.

One of the unfortunate aspects of my growing up years was that my parents moved a lot. For that reason, I never have really had a place that I considered myself "from". The closest hometown I have would probably be where I spent my Jr. High and high school years in Florida since I have kept in touch with many of the people I went to High School with. But the first place I really considered home is definitely Greenville, SC. Before I moved to Florida, my parents lived in South Carolina where I attended the Bob Jones elementary and junior high schools from 3rd grade until halfway through 8th. Some of my dearest memories are of the friendships I had during those formative years but I had completely lost contact with everyone I ever knew from that time. It was devastating when we moved halfway through my eighth grade year and I have dreamed of getting reacquainted with some of the kids I knew back then. A few months ago, (in a really roundabout way that is way too complicat

After 13 years of service, my dishwasher (that I've been hating for the last year) has sprung a leak. Hallelujah! I like the way it looks. I even like how it fits all my stuff in nicely. I just don't like residue. I've been experimenting with different detergents and pre-rinsing and good gravy...I've even taken the dad-blame thing apart twice. Myself. With my Tomboy Tools and the directions I found on the Repair Clinic . I got it all back together too-the right way. But it's just not been working right and I've been whining about it. Muh Main Man has valiantly been ignoring my blubbering, but tonight the sorry thing had mercy on me and sprung a leak. It landed on Muh Main Man's head in the basement and wah-lah...he's commissioned me to pick out a new one tomorrow. Weird that just as the thing is heading out the door, I'm starting to like it!

We have a tree on one side of our house that has been...we'll just say struggling...for a while now. Muh Main Man has threatened to chop it down which is fine with me. I'm all for wide open spaces. Less leaves that way, not that I rake or anything. But anyhow, this afternoon Little Chic was out in the rain and decided to jump on the trampoline. Playing in the rain, by the way, is the most favorite pastime of both of my kids. Bar none. It is usually mid-summer before they're allowed to do this, but we had an unusually warm 60-degree day today. And Muh Main Man gets grumpy every time I let them. On account of it being ridiculous, or something (I suspect it's the mud). But I digress. Anywhooo, Little Chic went to jump on the trampoline and found that something else had taken a turn first. Compliments of her are 2 pictures. One is of the detached appendage and the other is where it used to belong. Or so she tells me. I suppose this means Muh Main Man has yet an

I am not one who is generally clever enough to think up funny April Fool's Jokes that will actually work. However, one year I pulled the best, and I'll be reliving that for your reading pleasure and my own self-satisfaction. Since today I could not think of one. About nine years ago, Muh Main Man had a .... procedure ... to ensure we would not have any more children. He did not, however, go for the recommended follow up to verify that the procedure was successful. If you get my drift. I hounded him and threatened him for months, to no avail. About three years later, a close girlfriend of mine found out she was pregnant. This happened just a couple of months before April 1, so she still had her pregnancy test. Those things show the positive lines for EVER. Just for your future reference, in case you ever need to know. So I borrowed it. I waited for the big day to arrive and sneaked into the bathroom and laid it on Muh Main Man's side of the counter. I can't ev