Turn that Badge Right Side Up!

This past Sunday my 3 boys each received the patch for their current Cub Scout rank. As per tradition the patches went on their shirt upside down to be turned over right side up after performing a good deed. During the long, two-and-a-half hour, 150 minute (did I say long?) ceremony my kids sat relatively entertained. There was actually no hat pulling, finger poking, eye-rolling, loud talking, giggling amongst them. That in and of itself was almost a good deed. It was kind of surprising actually.

The N did his first good deed by automatically getting into clean up mode once the drums stopped banging, and oldest Cubs turned into the youngest Boy Scouts. The J and the M had to leave with dad who was very, very ready to get outta there. So one out of 3 patches right side up on day 0.

To celebrate the new Scouts planning to ascend on that Eagle Trail, Mother Nature, Gaia, decided it would be a great day for Typhon to have his fun by blowing gusts of wind over 50mph. Have you ever noticed the windiest day is trash day? It was extra fun since it was also recycle day. We were able to pull our recycleables back in since we were home, but many, many, many others were not so lucky. Remember when your mom used to ask if a cyclone had hit your room? Our neighborhood resembled that room. When the kids came home from school they were completely awestruck at the level of debris flying around. I bet a few birds were concerned about the plastic grocery bags flying in their lanes. Mother Nature's game was truly impressive.

But what impressed me was the kids. Instead of "Mom, may I have a snack and watch Cyberchase" I heard, "Mom, can I go out and pick up the trash?" A pack of elementary school aged kids (about 8) took to the bushes, the streets, the yards, the ditches and filled 18 trash bags full of recycleables that didn't make it to the recycle center. One of them was lucky and found $20. Not one of mine, though.

All in all, there were many good deeds done. The best part? They asked to do it. They thought of it themselves. No adult intervention required.

Take A Deep Breath...or Maybe Not!

There are so many people in the news that I'm not sure why I even know who they are. The octuplets mom for example. This really shouldn't be news. And what is so ironic is that people are so horrified by her story, so angry that she's trying to get book deals and tv shows and whatever...and yet if those people would just ignore her and people like her maybe we wouldn't have to hear about it.

Another celebrity news feature which has actually affected my household, resulting in the ban of Mini-Wheats and Special-K cereal products is the Michael Phelps bong toking incident. Now we wouldn't have banned these products if Kelloggs hadn't gone all indignant declaring that he isn't morally fit to represent their products. Too bad they're not that concerned about marketing Frosted Flakes and Rice Krispies, both of which are pretty devoid of nutrition, to our kids.

Now I certainly don't condone his behavior and part of me thinks that someone who knowingly behaves so stupidly in public deserves to suffer some harsh consequences. I mean really, certainly he would know that would not be viewed favorably by his endorsers and if you are riding the gravy train you better watch what you do. But it's pretty ridiculous that we feel like we know someone because he won 8 gold metals swimming or because we see a picture of him partying down. Because really. We don't. Respect his athletic talent, but don't make him something he's not. Like a hero.

So how do we know he sees his shadow anyway?

If he sees his shadow, thus predicting 6 more weeks of winter, pretty much like the calendar says, we should have snow in our forecast. Instead we're in the 50's and 60's this week. That just isn't winter!

Has there been research done on the vision of a groundhog? Do they have rods and cones? Are we sure that their little eyes see things the way we do, especially after being awakened in the middle of hibernation? I know I might not be able to see very clearly after being asleep for almost 2 months! Maybe his eyes don't process shadows. How would we know?

One thing I know I'm grateful for...I can't even imagine not seeing my shadow during the day. Even when it's cloudy there is enough light peeking out to cast a soft shadow. If I couldn't see the shadows, maybe I'd start dragging groundhogs or ground squirrels out of their holes and see what they think! At that point I guess anything for a little excitement!

A Month Gone By

Already a month into 2009. My age is showing because it really does feel like it's been about a week since Christmas. In fact I confess to having a few Christmas decorations here and there even though it's February! My little pewter reindeer may end up spending the summer up there!

These guys will eventually be put away, but hey...it's supposed to be winter. We should have a few snowmen around here.

But don't tell that to this little guy:

This sign on our front door may be a little out of date:

It's supposed to be replaced by this, but I haven't gotten very far with it!

In just 2 short weeks I'll have a son who is a decade, that's 2 digits, old. Sometimes it seems like he's already a teen, but then at others ... well sometimes we have to remind him of what good bathroom habits are!

And in just a few short months I'll be one year closer to half of a century. Not quite a half century, but I won't be able to get any closer.

It's amazing how time has been sifting through my fingers. In some ways I find that each grain, like each snowflake, is amazingly complex and infinitely analyzable, but when I look at the whole I just have a pile of sand. I'm still finding the best ways to mold it, to have just the right amount of water that as I dump my pail it comes out lumped in one piece stable enough to build onto, but still moldable so I can cut windows, doors, and moats into it. I hope that once I reach that half century mark I'll have something that I can stick a little flag into. Not something finished. Not something ready to be pulled into the ocean. I'm not nearly ready for that! Just enough of something of my own to show for my time here so far.

Hopeful for a moment

In case you haven't heard, we have a new president today. I was helping out at my sons' school beforehand. All through the halls I could hear the celebration echoing from the TVs in each of the rooms turned on to watch history in the making. There weren't many roaming the halls. Together everyone was tuned in, connecting over this moment in time. It felt very precious to me, being a part of this moment. I rushed home, walking double stride to sit with my husband, to experience this with him, where it was okay for my face to be wet with tears, while we joined our hearts with our nation for now.

Just in time I was there to see our new president take the oath, to experience the surprise at the little stumble between him and the Chief Justice, along with everyone else. As I expected my face filled with tears while our president spoke. His words were eloquent, quiet, strong, and honest. His speech was everything I thought it would be, everything it needed to be.

Though I've seen it criticized in so places, I liked the inaugural poem in all of it's simplicity. It reflected everything I believe about our country where we are now, where we can go, every reason why I voted with such hope for Barack Obama. I loved this:

"In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light."

Talk about hope. Thank you, Elizabeth Alexander.

To me this is not about our country having overcome so much to elect a black man as president. For me it's having this intelligent, well-spoken, considered, thoughtful man as our president.

Although it would be wonderful to live in a world where:

"black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around...when yellow will be mellow... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."

And we can all laugh together with this old black gentleman who probably never thought he'd see this moment in his life. Amen.

My only disappointment was with the boos that accompanied President Bush. I don't agree with the man on so many things. However, I would prefer to follow the example of my new president, behaving graciously, maturely, and respectfully towards the man who did serve his country for the past 8 years. I thought of how bittersweet that helicopter ride over the mall must have been. How painful are dashed dreams and echoing boos?

I am hopeful our new president when his turn at that final helicopter rides comes, will still be triumphant, not battered, confident, not chagrined, and is able to turn and face the crowd with smiles able to savor his success before getting in that one last time.

A few of my favorite things...

When the dogs bite...



When the bees sting...



When I'm feeling sad...



I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad!

It's all part of the process, people... Just part of the process.

My day doesn't start until I have my latte in front of me. Or beside me if I'm on the computer. I may have just gotten the kids off to school. Or it may be as late as noon. I may have gone for a run, had a shower, and cleaned up the upstairs.

Officially, though, until this little gizmo

has warmed up and pumped and frothed, I haven't started my day. I love my coffee. But I don't just drink it to drink it.

I don't roll out of bed and stumble into the kitchen to brew the beans. I don't drink coffee in my bathrobe. Actually I don't have a bathrobe, which is beside the point, but I don't drink coffee in my jammies either. Before I get to have my coffee I have to get ready to move on with my day. I don't like finding my day gone before I've realized it's even started.

I make my bed, including all the little throw pillows (the R doesn't necessarily include putting on the 7 little pillows as making the bed when he does it). I shower unless I'm going for a run after walking the kids to school. I get dressed, dry my hair, put on a bit of makeup before going down the stairs to make breakfasts and lunches. If I don't do this invariably my hair will dry on it's own and be unstyleable until the next morning after my shower. Again, beside the point. But it's part of why I do things the way I do them.

My husband doesn't get my need for this type of trivial order any more than he understands the N wants the blue cup, J wants the yellow cup, M wants to green cup and NO ONE wants the pink cup ( I say, just let them drink out of whatever cups they want! Stop trying to mix it up.). He doesn't see that while I do know it doesn't really matter if the bed isn't made yet (yes I do know that the world will keep spinning regardless) it is something that is hanging over my head. It impedes my ability to relax and to savor the other aspects of my day. I'm a chores first, play later kind of person. I enjoy the playing so much more when I know I've done whatever else I needed to do.

Just like I enjoy the rich, creamy, foamy, cinnamon-y taste of my latte, still warm because I just made it and didn't have to run off to find the lunch boxes, remind people to find their hats, boots, and take home folders, run upstairs to find my watch, only to find the bed unmade, make the bed, run downstairs forgetting my watch, running upstairs again to get it,.... You see...I need routine. I need some order. That and my coffee time help keep me sane and in a little bit of peace with myself and my little corner of the world.