A guerilla posting

Hey, Kids! Sorry I’ve been MIA this week- it has been wicked busy the past few days & I haven’t really had time to sit down to string some comprehensible sentences. Never fear- I can’t hold my tongue any longer then I can hold my water, so I’ll be posting before the end of the week. Here are a few highlights to explain my absence:

A visit from my mother-in-law
A family wedding (hence the visit)
Semi-annual audit at work
My semi-annual migraine (curious timing)
Eleven crochet squares & one pair of socks completed
My new camera has arrived

On a more serious note, I do need to ask you for something- my daughter really needs your prayers. She is currently living in a homeless shelter; the situation in the house became unbearable & she has no money to go anywhere else. I cannot express how devastating it is for me to say those words out loud; when I requested prayer at choir practice, I began to sob. Because of her lifestyle choices, she knows we won’t offer her a place here, so thankfully she hasn’t asked. Please pray for her protection, direction, & wisdom; she needs to allow God to do a work in her, but she’s still running from His love & our guidance.

You can change the world

(This is a repost of the entry last week- Blogger has been burping on me)

I began crafting for myself, to fulfill an artistic need I was born with; I enjoy trying new techniques & watching something beautiful come out of assorted scraps of raw material. I've dabbled in many different media, & as you know, have currently settled into knitting & quilting.

As a “process creator”- more interested in the act of creating then using the actual item produced- I am always working on something & often give away the finished product. I know this is a God-given drive & gift, but I’m often surprised & humbly blessed when He brings opportunities for me to put it to a good purpose.

I’ve already talked about the purpose behind my Quilting Circle group (if you missed it, you can read about it here), so donating my time is nothing new. Now, through the wonderful world of blogging, I’ve come across opportunities to use my abilities to benefit worthy causes; I would like to highlight a couple of these projects & challenge you to consider becoming involved.

The first is called “Gracious Parcels”;

started by Firefly at I live on a farm, it is a venture to create blankets for new family homeowners through Habitat for Humanity. The premise is simple- knit a 7 inch square from wool or wool blend fiber & mail it off to Firefly; she & her crew will join them together for a unique & care-filled coverlet to use in their new home. Drop by the “Gracious Parcels” website for more background on the project & the wonderful work done through Habitat for Humanity.

Do you crochet or know someone who does? Then follow this link,

to This Eclectic Life; Shelley wants to create blankets to donate to a cancer camp for children. Her goal is huge- 6,740 six-inch granny squares to create 140 blankets! These will be given to the campers & will help provide comfort during the trials of treatment. Please drop by This Eclectic Life for more information & instructions for the granny squares.

Now, I know many of you claim not to be “crafty”- you don’t knit, crochet, sew, quilt, etc- but you can practice the “craft” of caring, by posting the links or buttons on your website, highlighting the stories, or passing on the information to someone who could help. I've already learned that there are many lovely, caring, & giving people in this Blog Community; let's demonstrate this love to others outside our circle.

I know this sounds a little pissy

I think a bit of clarification on my last post is in order.

Since reaching majority, I never have, nor ever will, give a flying fig about what others think of how I choose to present myself. This attitude is a direct legacy from my Mother (along with my curly hair, love of books, penchant for tea, & inflated vocabulary.) It is also one of the benefits of not being an adolescent anymore- I don’t really care about fitting into society’s current definition of fashion.

I wear the clothes I feel comfortable in (with the added benefit of no VPL & wardrobe malfunctions) &, while not the height of style, are clean, classic, & coordinated. I don’t wear much jewelry- my wedding ring & a watch are my staples, but rarely wear earrings at work, because they just get in my way- the hoops were a birthday gift from my co-worker.

As for my face, at the risk of sounding immodest, I really don’t need to wear makeup on a regular basis. I’ve been blessed with good genes (from where I’m not certain- Mother’s face has more creases than a sharpei puppy) & an aversion to tanning, so other then a little darkness around the eyes, some remnants of childhood freckles, & the occasional pimple, there isn’t much to camouflage. When I do wear makeup, it’s limited to mineral foundation, a little blusher, & some mascara; even that is a bit of a bother- first time I blow my nose (which I do quite often through the day) half of it comes off. My usual concession is when I’m being the “face person” leading worship, giving tours at the museum, or a social event.

No, my objection to these reoccurring exercises in “style intervention” is the disproportionate self-importance, rampant incivility, & unmitigated gall displayed by people who feel they have the right to voice their unsolicited critique of another person’s appearance & choices (Oh my- Mother’s vocabulary is in rare form today!) Now, if I had been fishing for compliments or been foolish enough to ask, “How do I look?” then I admit I would be fair game. But the fact is, I have repeatedly & politely (for the most part) discouraged these discussions, along with other declarations that I should shorten my skirts, color my hair, & “do something” with my fingernails. Now, I’m all for freedom of speech- Lord knows, I “freely speak” my mind on a variety of subjects often enough- but these types of comments are just plain rude. This is a point where the old adage “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” comes into play; if you don’t care for the way someone is dressed, mind your own business- smile politely & get back to work (not that any of you would be this crass or insensitive- the “you” I’m talking to is “out there” in the big, bad world outside my Garden.)

My second point of clarification is much shorter; I’m not worried about my dreams- I understand that my subconscious is still trying to reconcile my Christian beliefs in the sanctity of marriage, with my unbridled joy that I’m no longer tied to the taciturn, inflexible, curmudgeonly father of my two oldest children- I was just curious to know if other ex-wives have the same kind of dreams or am I uniquely individual on this front.

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On a completely different subject, I ordered a new camera on Friday & it should be arriving by the weekend. I put the purchase on Chris’ credit card- which I don’t like doing after what happened before- but after the fiasco Friday morning, I decided to bite the bullet. What was that? I didn’t tell you about Friday morning? Oh, dear~ well, pull up a stool!

Our friend, The Great Pretender, has been running a weekly photo game for several weeks now, & last week’s assignment was to take a picture of your hair care products. She posts the pictures on her Space & people come to guess to which blogger each one belongs. I’ve missed the past couple of weeks (for obvious reasons), but really wanted to do this one, since it had been my suggestion. Unfortunately, I forgot about it.

Until Friday morning.

As I was coming out of the shower.

Shoot! I told her that I’d be posting this week- I wonder if it’s already done?

So, wrapped in a towel, hair still dripping, I scurry downstairs & turn on the computer- there is an email from GP, saying she’s waiting for my photo before posting this week.

Blast! I’ve got to find Sam’s camera right now!

So I creep into his room, followed by Dahlia & Poppy, who proceed to have a hissing match with Violet; fortunately, no blows were exchanged, but it was loud enough to wake a 16-year-old boy on summer vacation. Yep- that loud.

We begin to search his room for the MIA camera; the fact that he didn’t question why we were looking for his camera at 6:45 am testifies either to his inate knowledge of his mother’s idiosyncrasies or his semi-conscious state. It was finally located in his tennis bag (don’t ask me!) & snatching it from his hand, I scamper back into the bathroom to take the photograph.

I then dash back downstairs- still in my bath sheet- to download the photo; problem is, I’ve never used this camera & can’t seem to locate the memory card. I have to call Sam; he stumps down stairs, pops the card out, and then hands it to me with a faintly disgruntled look & a definite growl. I thank him politely (hey- it’s not my fault he stayed up until after 1:00 am watching some movie!)

I readjust my bath sheet & sit down to insert the memory card, when I encounter the second technical problem- this card is a different format then my old camera & I can’t see a media card slot that resembles this one. I briefly considered calling Sam again. Very briefly. Then just started trying different slots, praying it wouldn’t get damaged or sucked into the CPU, triggering a message that flashes “You dolt!” & summons the Geek Squad to my living room.

Finally, success! The slot is located, the photo is downloaded & emailed to GP, with humble apologies for my tardiness, & I go back to the bathroom to finish getting ready for work. Not only have I worked up a pre-antiperspirant sweat running around the house, my hair has dried into some fantastical Vidal Sassoon inspired style, so it’s back into the shower to start over from scratch. Fortunately it was Casual Dress day at work- dressing took less time then usual- but I still had to take care of Daisy’s shot & find something for breakfast, so I showed up a bit late.

Good thing no one chose that day to comment on my appearance- I fear my response would have not been edifying & may have contained less then erudite language.  

 

Bits & Pieces

Wondering what the hot topic of conversation was after our staff meeting Wednesday morning?

It wasn’t the great new mortgage program, with up to a 40 year term.

It wasn’t the “clarification” of the dress code, specifically outlawing flip-flops as business casual attire.

It wasn’t even discussing how big the pregnant lady is & how soon that baby is going to come.

Perish the thought;

This was the subject:

 

Not the earrings themselves, but the fact that I was wearing them, as well as a little makeup & colored lip balm.

At work.

You would have thought it was the Second Coming the way they carried on- and frankly, it wasn’t flattering.

In truth, I was rather annoyed.

Certain people have decreed that staff meetings are “Diva Day” & I am required to wear makeup, lipstick, earrings, & heels.

I think my politest reply to this was “Bugger Off!”

The only reason I was fixed up was because I was going to the Garden Club Tea right after work- frankly, I don’t think these particular clods rate the effort.

Beside, it’s become a point of honor: no one has the right to judge my personal style (or lack of it)

But that’s another blog.

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I dreamt about my ex-husband the other night; this really wasn’t that surprising, as I realized on Tuesday that it would have been our 25^th wedding anniversary that day. Normally, the date goes by without my even noticing; we’ve been divorced for 19 years & haven’t spoken since his Mom died last year. I briefly thought about those two hopeful young people standing at the altar, how sad that their dream was broken; how God brought good out of a bad decision; and about the happiness I’ve found & disappointment he has lived through since then.

I dreamed that we were still married- I was unhappy, but resigned to being there- even though I had memories of being married to Chris. I have dreams like this at least once a year; sometimes, I’m getting ready to re-marry him, even though I’ve been with Chris all these years. Every time, I’m trying to figure out how to get out of it & get back to the life I want. It’s all very disturbing & a little creepy. My question to all the “Second Time Around” wives that drop by- do you have dreams like that?

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Chris & Sam have gone to lunch & the movies for Father’s Day; this is one of the benefits of my children growing older- they can take responsibility for the day, leaving me off the hook. While Chris was on an all-day road call to Redding yesterday (four hours each way, plus working on the units up there), I did a little shopping by myself- finally got around to buying the bras I’ve been needing for months- & surprise! ended up with some more plants, so I begged off on “The Fantastic Four” in favor of replanting one of my hanging baskets. Of course, it’s a bit too warm to be working outside just now, so I’m thinking about going to Costco- then again, maybe I’ll go get a pedicure…  

P.S.~ I did all three (note the potting soil on my pedicured piede)

 

 

 

News from the Menagerie

  

Yes, this is how we are feeling right about now; summer has arrived in all its glory, a full 8 days early, and we are expecting another day of 100°+ weather. Now begins the official season of “Warm Weather Nagging”, during which I thoughtfully remind anyone leaving the house to take a bottle of water, put on sunscreen, & take a hat- “I don’t care how much it makes you sweat, put it on your head!” Being surrounded by blond, green/blue eyed, fair skinned people for over 20 years has given me a fair amount of experience with 2^nd degree sunburn, heatstroke, & the inner workings of area emergency rooms. The warnings come out so automatically now- case in point: the other morning, I was standing in the kitchen, talking to Sam about his plans for the day, while he slathered himself in sunscreen, which I had handed him; 15 minutes later, as he is walking out the door to play tennis, Sam says:

“I’m on my way- I’ve got my hat, key, & phone- see you tonight!”

To which I reply:

“Don’t leave until you put on sunscreen!”

In the ensuing silence, I look over at him to find him staring at me- if you have teenagers, you know that look- then speaking very slowly, he responds with:

“Have you taken your medication today?”

Well, he is his mother’s son.

  

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It seems our run of unfortunate events has run it’s course, & we are back to business as usual in the Garden. Violet has settled in reasonably well; she isn’t leave Sam’s room just yet, spending most of the day either on his bed or sitting on a pillow on the floor, but she has stopped using abusive language every time Dahlia walks by the door & I think she’s enjoying living in relative clean & order. Demeter the rabbit has a custom-made redwood stand for his cage on the patio (yes, Jeane-Margherite, he did manage to finish it, late Monday night) complete with shade cloth covered screens for protection; of course, now with the extreme heat, Mr. D is spending the daylight hours in the laundry room, keeping Wally & Drake company. The car is currently hanging out at our friend’s auto shop & he has offered to let Chris use whatever equipment he needs to work on it; we are fortunately not in need of the additional vehicle right now, but I know Chris would like to get it up & running as soon as possible.

 

 

We had a short, but pleasant visit with Dave & Kristy on Sunday; they came out to Ravenswood with Chris & Sam around 3:00, & I was able to give all of them their first tour of the cottage & grounds since I started as a volunteer. The guys brought a picnic lunch that we enjoyed out in the orchard after I changed back into street clothes, then we all helped close up the property for the day before going our separate ways. They have invited Sam to go camping at the beach with them next month- we’ll just have to see what his schedule will look like, since he’s hoping to find a part-time job soon & has a couple of interviews for tomorrow.

 

 

The past couple of days have been packed with activity; yes, I know- tell you something new. I finished up with the dentist Tuesday morning, having my new crown put in, so I’m free until the first of the year- yippee! Daisy had to go back to the vet for the day- the levels are still wonky & she developed another infection- but she won’t have to go back for almost 2 weeks (Mama says “Amen & Hallelujah!” since this is getting expensive) Tuesday evening found us at the school board meeting, where the tennis team was honored with certificates for their second consecutive League Title- Sam received one also, even though he only played one regular season varsity match. Chris didn’t get home in time, but the meetings are televised on the local public access channel, so we’ll record it for posterity (& the grandparents)

 

 

Wednesday morning, Sam came into work with me, so he could walk down to DMV to turn in his California ID application & help me with some filing. We were having our monthly birthday potluck (I made a bbq meatloaf) so he was well fed in return for his work, & all the ladies got to fuss over him & exclaim how much he has grown. Last night was the Garden Club’s annual tea, for which I was co-hostess; it is done as a potluck, so I was responsible for providing the beverages (ice tea, hot tea, & kiwi-strawberry lemonade) then I oversaw the serving & cleanup, as the hostess is recovering from knee surgery & has limited mobility right now. It was a nice gathering, despite the hot weather; we played some games for prizes (I won some gardening gloves & lotion) & toured Shelia’s garden before dinner, & after eating, scheduled another field trip for next month (I can’t go- thwpht) & had a nice gab-session. I was home & out for the count by 9:30, while the boys polished off the chicken tortellini & brownie bites that I had left over.

 

 

All this talk of food has made me hungry, so I’m going to head home for lunch- the boy is at the movies, so maybe I can sneak in a nap, too.

 

  

More random stuff about me

Since I’m not ready to think about this past weekend without going on a little rant, & I’ve spent the past 3 entries griping about my life, I’m going to take the path of avoidance & do this meme from Jane’s:

1. If you could pick your own name, what would you choose and why? I suppose I’ve already done this- “meg” is a name I picked out for myself- of course, only people in Blogland use it J This is a tough one, because I grew up with the name of “Mary” in a world full of “Rainbow”, “Zephyr”, “Antoinette” (Berkeley thru 60’s & 70’s) so basically anything was cooler then my name.

2. What non-famous person do you admire most and why? I’d have to say my husband, Chris; he is the hardest working, most selfless person I’ve ever met. He is just a truly nice guy, who goes out of his way to help anyone who asks & is fiercely protective of his family.

3. If you had $1 million to donate to a charity, what one would you choose and why? I would donate to a local organization- Interfaith Ministries, who provides food & household supplies to anyone in need,  so they can build their own facility & stock it properly.

4. What is the one thing you really wish you had time to do? I would really like to learn to play the mandolin- there are just not enough hours in my week to devote to lessons & practice.

5. What is your biggest regret and why?  That I didn’t stand my ground with my ex-husband & keep my oldest son with me; he’s an awesome man, but just too serious & worry worn; his dad put a lot of emotional pressure on him because Robb was “all he has to live for” & he’s too old for his age.

6. What is the worst thing you did while growing up that you never got caught for? I’m going to have to plead the Fifth on this one

7. What is your favorite meal and dessert?  Fresh cracked crab, green beans, & sour dough French bread, followed by cheesecake~ oh, my- I gain weight just thinking about it.

8. What is the biggest lesson in life you have learned to date?  I am not responsible for the choices (read- mistakes) my children make.

9. What is your favorite non-domestic animal? Oooo- tough one: otters- they are so fun to watch, they have a natural sense of play & joy; hummingbirds are mesmerizing; tigers are gorgeous

10. If you could do ONE truly selfless thing for someone, what would you do and for whom? I would provide a first-class, full-ride college education for a deserving young person who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend.   

11. Is there anyone in your life you wish you could spend more time with and who is it?  My oldest child, Robb- we really don’t know each other very well, since he lives across country & is busy making a life for himself.   

12. What are your biggest pet peeves?  People who don’t clean up after themselves; small children being allowed to run around in stores; telemarketers calling at any time; the constant use of profanity in normal conversation (wait now- my little diatribe was event specific- I don’t talk like that all the time)  

13. What is the one thing you would like to accomplish before you die? To own my own home. 

14. What was your most embarrassing moment to date and what happened?  See entry for June 5^th, 2007  

15. What is your dream job? Being a silent partner in a highly successful restaurant- no work, free meals, & a steady paycheck.

16. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?  Much as I am now, only with no children at home, traveling more, & 75 pounds lighter.

17. What is your favorite album right now and why? I’m currently loving Chris Botti’s album To Love Again

18. What are your favorite bands? I like Nickel Creek & Célé Dé, but mostly listen to classical or individual artists

19. What kind of books do you like to read and who are your favorite authors? Mysteries for certain- my current favorites are Joanna Fluke, Tamar Myers, & Lillian Jackson Braun; I’m also a huge fan of Jane Austin, Lucy Maud Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables), Garrison Keillor, & P. G. Wodehouse.

20. What is your favorite magazine? Can’t pick just one- Scottish Life, Better Homes & Gardens, & Victoria (it’s coming back in September- YEAH!)

21. Do you collect anything and if so what is it? I mentioned last week that I collect teapots (& plants, which often die); I also collect corny, clean jokes, books, & evidently, cats.

22. If you could have three wishes, what would they be? Sorry- nothing noble: abundant wealth to live the way I want; that all of my children would be living useful, fulfilling lives in God’s will; & that I would be a flab-free, fit 130 pounds for the rest of my life.

23. Do you have any bad habits and what are they?  Sugar- it’s my downfall; impatience; & procrastination- face it, I’m plum lazy!

24. What are you most proud of and why?  That I finished a college degree- two actually- & came out without any school debt. 

25. What do you like to do in your spare time? Read, crafts, visit gardens & museums, sleep.

26. If you could meet any famous person, alive or dead, who would it be and why? Dame Judy Dench: I want to be her when I grow up- she’s beautiful in a real woman way, funny, talented, & lives on her own terms. 

27. If you could live in any time era, what would it be and why? I’m with Jane on this one- despite the drawbacks, the current era is pretty awesome; in the past, I would have no personal freedom as a woman & almost endless hard work just to survive.

28. What was your favorite subject to study in school?  History & Home Economics (ironic, since I don’t cook or clean unless I have to)

29. What extracurricular activities (if any) did you participate in during school?  Drama- I was in several plays & even did a movie in high school- & dancing- ballet, jazz, square (my tastes were, well, eclectic) 

30. Who was your favorite teacher and why? I’d say probably Eric Narveson, my college history professor; he gave the hardest tests- all essays & based on lectures- but was fascinating & passionate about his subject, which made the classes fly by (I took a total of 3 courses from him)  

31. What music and/or bands do you hate?  I am mostly definitely opposed to rap & heavy metal; I am a creature of peace & calm, even in my teens. 

32.  What two people do you challenge to do this?  You & that lady over there.

Good News, Bad News, Weird News

Um, Mr. Conductor- could you stop the roller coaster? I really need to get off now!

That has been my week- up, down, sideways, with a couple of barrel rolls thrown in for giggles.

• öI had a half-day off Wednesday, which was interrupted by a call from Jessica. Long story short: she & the new housemate can’t seem to play nice- arguments, accusations, & now assault (police were called by Jess)- so she has a 30-day notice to move out & needs us to take care of the animals. The ensuing conversation, trying to understand what happened & get details on her plans, resulted in me losing my composure & venting my more perturbed feelings over her life & choices. I know it wasn’t fair to hit her when she was down, but when I heard “I didn’t do anything!” (second cousin to “It’s not my fault”) for the 264^th time in the past 10 years, I admit that I flipped out- I am so incredibly frustrated over her inability to take responsibility for own actions & their consequences. Not productive, I know, but it felt good to speak my mind instead of biting my tongue yet again, & surprisingly, I’ve been sleeping pretty well ever since. So, we will be driving down to San Jose Saturday morning to bring Violet & the rabbit, Demeter, back to live with us for a while.
• öSam started at the new Dojo yesterday; they are in temporary quarters while remodeling is done at the old site, which has been purchased from the city. Consequently, he’ll be training at the same site, the same days, with the same Sensei & the same students- but as a new, independent school. Chris & I both went for the beginning of the advanced class, since Sam was being awarded his new rank belt; Sensei G had it customized with Sam’s name & his 3 rank stripes embroidered in gold thread. After the ceremony, G pulled us off to the side & said that he won’t be charging us for Sam’s training anymore; he feels that Sam’s assistance (voluntary) with the beginners class, as well as the advanced class, more than covers the costs of the regular tuition. What a blessing this is- the tuition is only $50 a month, but now we can direct that money towards his tennis lessons or additional training with Sensei J in Livermore. Mostly, I’m humbled & honored that this man values our son so highly.
• öI got a parking ticket in the mail yesterday; it was for the car that we are letting Jessica use. I went online to pay it (why bother- blood from a turnip) & found there is a DMV hold on our car. There are more tickets. Seven more tickets. One a week. All “Street Cleaning Obstruction”. At $36.00 each. The last one on Wednesday. I called her (surprisingly she answered her phone, even though she knew it was me) & asked- as calmly as possible- why she hadn’t parked the car somewhere else? Her response- the car hasn’t been running since the end of April. *SIGH* So, in addition to picking up the cat & the rabbit tomorrow, we will be having the car towed back to Tracy or maybe to our friend Keith’s auto shop in Dublin (he’s the one who bought her last car- which died in our driveway- sight unseen for $300); depends on the distance- we get free towing for 100 miles with AAA. Oh, well- another project for the guys; maybe they can get it fixed & running by the time Sam gets his license next year.
• öMy first telephone call this morning was from the woman whose job I took over seven years ago; this is not that unusual- when employees leave, they tend to call me to be their personal banker instead of waiting in line like everyone else. Anyway, after finishing the pleasantries, she proceeded to offer me a job! It’s a long story, but she is now a VP at another financial institution, under the CEO who use to be our Accounting Manager, & she’s in need of an experienced accounting person. Evidently desperately in need, because I’ve had two emails in addition to the phone call today. Other than the money (a 40% increase- 25% after factoring in commute costs) I’m not really tempted; the site is a 45 mile commute each way, at the height of traffic; it’s more of a “Jackie of All Dept” position, doing member service, loans, cross-selling, back office- a little bit of everything. She has already poached 3 of our employees in the past 4 years- one of them my longtime partner in accounting- so I would know most everyone already, but to be real truthful, I never cared for this woman when I worked with her before & I think working under her would be a royal pain. Besides, I’m comfortable- I’m a fixture here, with lots of seniority & a certain level of autonomy; my commute is ten minutes & I can go home for lunch, or hit the dentist, doctor, or vet on break. I honestly have no career ambitions- I work for a paycheck, like what I do, & go home in the evenings to have a life. But it was nice to be asked; I’ll have lunch with her next week & let her know I’m not really interested in a change right now, but thanks for the offer.

Friday is here; no dance class tonight, so I’m going to knitting for a while, then home to reruns of “Numb3rs”. Tomorrow morning is the Farmer’s Market & I need to stock up on fruit & squash; our tomatoes are beginning to ripen & we have plenty of carrots for the time being. Sunday is my day at Ravenswood, & we are expecting Chris’ brother Dave, wife Kristy & Baby Tristan to drop in for a quick visit & maybe a picnic on the grounds. You all have a great, restful weekend!

Ivory Soap, if you please

Thank you for the kind words & righteous indignation on my behalf; a few days have past & I have recovered both my sunny disposition & sense of perspective, but not, unfortunately, my camera. While I was already planning to buy a new camera, I really didn’t want to incur the expense before my trip to Canada, & my insurance deductible is higher then the cost of an equivalent replacement *Sigh*    

The feeling of being violated is a natural reaction to being burgled, but the fact that it happened at church, while I was inside singing praises, seems to add insult to the injury. But lest I begin to sound too virtuous, let me share this antidote:

I had been at the church for about 20 minutes, practicing the worship set, when Chris came up on stage to tell me about my car. We walked out to the parking lot, while I was doing a mental inventory of what was in my car. Since I had my purse, briefcase, & knitting bag with me, I came to the conclusion that it was just a malicious act. We arrived at the car to find three ushers & S, our pastor’s wife, standing guard, & expressing outrage over yet another break-in (this was the fourth time this year). I circled the car until I came to the smashed window; it was just then that I realized that my camera had still been in the car. My response?

“SH*T!!!  The hog-humping son of a b*tch got my camera!”  

There was dead silence…6 sets of eyebrows flew up & I clapped my hand over my mouth. I heard Chris mutter, “Classy, Meg- reeeel classy,” while two ushers looked down at their feet & the third turned away. I looked over at S, who grinned wickedly & declared: “Impressive- do you give lessons?”  

Yep- my cover is blown.

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I finished up the quilt last night, but unfortunately won’t have any pictures until after the shower, when I’m hoping someone will think to bring a camera, or Sam will be able to find his in the black hole of his room. I wasn’t crazy with how it turned out, but as Chris observed, I tend to be critical of my own work, often second-guessing my color &/or pattern choices. The only thing that has been keeping me from obsessing over it is the fact that I don’t really like this woman too much- if I did, I would have ripped the quilt apart & redone it several times.  

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Speaking of Sam (albeit peripherally), he finished the school year Friday…by skipping all but one period to play poker in his math class.   Grades were posted on the Parent Access site this morning & he managed to squeak by in Science- his trouble spot all year- with a D; the others were B’s & C’s, so he’s officially made it through his sophomore year. He also putzed around & didn’t get his summer school application in on time, so I informed him this weekend he had best get his hind-end in gear & find a job, or he’ll be spending the summer in Oregon, babysitting his cousins for free & doing grunt work for his aunt & grandmother. 

   

I know he’s a good kid, but too much unsupervised time is an invitation for trouble, particularly since he has a girlfriend. Besides, he could use the money to pay back his Dad for losing his bike (see story here) & to pay for his portion of driver’s training next fall.  He starts tennis lessons tonight, which should continue through the end of the year, when the team starts practicing again for the 2008 season. He’s also moving to a new “dojo” with his karate teacher, who has decided to go independent from the city’s Parks & Recreation department; we’re not certain of the days & times as of yet, but I’m certain Sensei G is planning for Sam to continue to teach the beginner’s classes under him. Sam’s group has already begun their Black Belt training & has been asked to train with another Sensei on the weekends, but we’ll have to work on the logistics of that later. 

 

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Well, I’d best toddle- I have an appointment for a haircut & then need to collect Daisy from the vet’s office; it looks like we’ve finally got her blood sugar under control, but the doctor wanted to do another 12 hour insulin curve monitoring to make certain. I’m suppose to go to quilting group tonight, but I’ll have to see how much pampering poor Daisy needs before I head out again.  

 

Since I'm not real happy right now,

randomness...feed your mind and your blog

week of june 3: name one of each

1. a movie that made you laugh

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" 

2. a book that made you cry

Rilla of Ingleside- the eight book about Anne of Green Gables   

3. a best friend

Lily, my first calico fur friend

4. a favorite childhood memory

 Hiking in the hills behind our house, & coming across a valley filled with yellow flowers

5. your favorite animal

Cats (do you really have to ask?)

6. your favorite food

 A tie between sourdough bread with butter, & Mint Meringue cookies

 7. an item of clothing you can't do without

 Comfortable tennis shoes

8. something you collect

Plants & teapots 

9. your favorite store to shop in

Barnes and Noble

10. your favorite flower

Hydrangeas    

till next time...

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Random weekend events:

working on the baby quilt (the shower is on Wednesday morning);

     going to my Mother's house in Berkeley; a gathering of "important women" for my future sister-in-law to meet;

         my car was broken into at church this morning- all he took was my camera, but left a lot of broken glass & anger behind;

Everyone is napping right now, including the cats, so I'm going to finish putting my plants in the ground before I fall asleep as well.