Gone But Not Forgotten

I've been so bad about blogging lately. I am also bad about keeping my status updated on Facebook. Most of the time, I don't think I have anything blog-worthy or status-worthy to say.

For those few who really care what I've been doing or thinking, here is a list:

- Baby is in my lap right now while I try to type, and she's been there for about an hour.
- I got to tour my old house yesterday and see what the new owners have done to it - it looks awesome! Most of the changes are exactly what Paul and I would have done if we had had the guts to renovate.
- The new owners also tore out all of the flowerbeds - every last bush, tree, and plant is GONE! Even the weeping cherry!!! Even the hens and chickens!!!! I've been pretty sad about that.
-I've been sorting through my scrapbook stuff. Since we moved, it has been boxed up until now.
-Just ordered a bunch of pictures to be printed to get ready to scrapbook. Anxious to see how the pictures develop from the new camera I have.
-People with tongue rings and who play with the tongue ring (as in stick it in and out) really gross me out.
-I get a sick satisfaction from shopping for school supplies. Well, I don't really think it's sick, but I wonder if it's abnormal. Shopping for school clothes gives me a real boost too even though the clothes are not for me.
-My all time favorite pencil (I've probably used these since 1st grade) is no longer made in the USA. For some reason that is a big deal to me. I have since ordered all the original pencils I can find online, and I ordered some of the new ones too b/c I still refuse to write with any other pencil.
-I'm making beef brisket for supper. Never made it before.
-Ran errands all day and that wears me out. I'd like to go back to bed.
-Luckily, one day after we moved, I was back at the old house for some reason, and I swiped a "hen or chicken." It is growing right now in my new flower bed and it has made "babies." So all is not lost.
- Baby is still on my lap - nestled right up on my chest, all 20 pounds of her. We're getting along like peanut butter and jelly.

My Mother's Garden

I went to my mom's this past week. All of her irises and peonies are blooming. We went out to see them and walk among them - it's a tradition.

She likes to point out different ones, tell me their names, point out the ones with ruffles or unique beards, remind which ones are mine (well, they are hers, but I ordered them special for her), etc. We walk and touch them and oooh and aahh over them. Every time I decide I've found my favorite, I find a new one that I like even better.

Same story for the peonies. There is such a nice variety. Different colors and types. Amazing!
Then we went back to the house. She sits in a chair that faces the backyard, her garden, and a road that runs behind her house. She said, "Look, Lorrie, there's a car slowing down to look at my flowers." She said this happens just about every day. And she was right. Not only did the car slow down, they stopped and backed up. I decided to go out and talk to them. They actually stopped in the middle of the road and got out and walked thru the garden with me. This lady was mainly interested in the peonies and wanted to get some pieces of specific ones in the fall. Turns out that my mom recognized this lady and knew her name. She's going to call her in September.

Then the guy in the car got out and asked her about her beautiful, straight, healthy row of tomatoes. My mom plants her tomatoes against a fence (so they're supported) and inside a large can with the top and bottom removed. Can you picture it? Imagine the largest can of pork and beans that you can buy. My mom cuts the top and bottom off and puts that can around her tomato shoots. She says it protects her plants from the cold and the black birds. She also says it's easier to water them if the weather is too dry.

My mom's yard is full of flowers, birds and bird houses, flower beds, lawn art, etc. There's no rhyme or reason to where to puts her flower beds. The beds are not symmetrical or in convenient locations. You have to mow in weird patterns to get around all of them. My step dad has to weed-eat around them too. Some people might even say her yard is just a big mess. I wouldn't have it any other way. I'd like my garden to look just like hers.

I love you, mom. Happy Mother's Day!

1% Chance of NO

Nanner, nanner on me! I don't get to bottle feed the baby goat.

Our friends (owners of goats) took the baby to their house and hand-fed it overnight. Today, when they took the baby to the barn, she went right to her mom and nursed and then went to sleep with her brothers. That is really good news b/c the baby needs to be with its mom - not me. Right? Right?

But these friends are now officially out of town, and I get to go check on the babies to make sure they are all doing well. One mama goat has one baby that is several days old. The other mama had THREE babies (and one of these is the runt that they thought I would have to take care of).

Tonight, while we were at kickball, my friend called and said another female was giving birth as they were leaving and would I please go by and check on it and move it to a new pen.

At about 8:45 pm, we got there and found that the newest mama goat had given birth outside. She had only one baby (didn't find any stillborns, thank goodness). The tricky part was that there was only one way into the barn - a small, square cutout in the side of the barn. I had to carry the baby inside, and it was crying loudly the whole time. Luckily, all that noise made the mama follow us inside. Then Paul grabbed her collar and made sure she followed us into a new pen. We got them some food and water set up, and Paul spread two bags of shavings on the floor. It was all a really fun adventure.

Then we headed to the other pen with the two females and their babies (the ones mentioned above - 2 moms and 4 babies in all). Abbie and Paul got to see the tiny runt who is soooo cute. I held her mom's collar while she nursed. She needs all the help she can get to make sure she gets her fair share. We plan to go back everyday just to be sure the runt is doing okay. And there is another mom that will give birth soon (she's about as wide as she is tall - she's probably got 2-3 babies in there).

Hopefully, I'll remember to take a camera tomorrow.

Nanner - Nanner - Nanner

Not bananas! "Nanner, nanner, nanner" is me saying "too bad, so sad, don't you wish you could be me."

Why?

Cause I'm 99% sure that I will be bottle feeding a newborn nigerian pygmy goat over the weekend. She is new and tiny and needs ME! Even though I'll have to feed her every two hours, I will love every minute.

Try not to be too jealous! :)

Comfort Foods

I've been a little sick this week. Just a little head cold. No fever, no aches. Just stuffy nose and head ache and lack of energy. But I know just how to treat it: mucinex (big ole horse pills that work really well on breaking up congestion in your head or chest), tylenol, and sleep. Rest and sleep work wonders for your body when you're sick.
And cats - that's the wonder drug of choice in my house. The last two days, after I've taken Abbie to school, I come home and go back to bed. The kitties get in bed with me and snuggle close. Going to sleep hearing their purrs is so sweet. When I wake up, I usually have all the cats in bed with me. Angel is usually on top of me, Friday is on one side of me and Little Man is on the other side. Or one cat is at my feet.
In the past, Baby is also one of the caregiver-kitties, but right now, she is addicted to sleeping on Abbie's bed.
Comfort food is also essential to feeling better. Today, I felt well enough to go to the grocery store. I made taco soup (not a comfort food (for me) but it is easy to make when you don't feel like cooking) and baked mac & cheese.
I have tried many mac & cheese recipes - trying to find the best one. I keep coming back to my friend Leslie's recipe, but I have modified it a bit.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese
8 oz elbow macaroni, prepared according to box directions
2-4 cups shredded cheddar cheese; depends on how cheesy you want it
1 cup milk
1 egg
salt and pepper

This recipe makes enough for a regular size casserole dish (2 quart size???).
In a sauce pan, I mix the milk and egg together and add 1-2 cups of the shredded cheese - cook over low heat, stirring often until the cheese melts.
Pour half the cooked macaroni in the dish and salt and pepper it. Pour half the melted cheese on top. Sprinkle with some shredded cheddar cheese. Add the rest of the cooked macaroni - salt and pepper it again. Pour rest of melted cheese on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Tuna Salad

I felt the need to post instructions on how to make great tuna salad, but I also feel the need to say that I really dislike the tuna commercial where everyone is making the fish lips. And I also feel the need to tell you (the crickets) that my mom taught me everything I know about tuna salad.

Recipe:
2 cans solid white albacore tuna in spring water*
6-7 sweet gherkin pickles**
sweet pickle juice
3 hard boiled eggs***
2 spoonfuls of mayonnaise

*Growing up, my mom used the regular tuna which was tan/brown in color. That tuna is okay to use - I'm not sure if there is a difference in taste. Once I tried white tuna, I've stuck with it b/c I like the color of the salad better - to me, it looks more appetizing. Brown tuna salad reminds me of a sandwich you'd get out of a vending machine. Yuck!
** If you and your whole family loves dill pickles, I suppose you could use dill pickles. I wouldn't hold it against you, but DON'T ever serve me tuna salad with dill pickles.

Put eggs on the stove to boil. In the meantime, open and drain tuna (I usually rinse mine too). Dump tuna in a bowl and use fork to break it into smaller bites.
If you buy larger pickles than the gherkin size, you may not need this many pickles. Using a chopper, chop pickles 3-4 at a time. You can chop the pickles fine or medium; I like medium to get a better crunch and taste of pickle in the salad. Pour a little sweet pickle juice in the bowl with the tuna and chopped pickles - about 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons. If the eggs are done, peel and chop them with the chopper. Again, you can chop them fine or medium; your choice. Depending on how "wet" you like your tuna salad, you may want to add just one spoonful of mayonnaise to start. Mix everything together and add more mayonnaise if you like - I almost always add 2 spoonfuls. I don't like a dry tuna salad, but do keep in mind that it will get juicier while it sits in the refrigerator.

You can start eating your tuna salad immediately, or you can let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Tuna salad is great as a sandwich (with fresh, soft, white bread or on toast), served with club crackers, or on celery. I've also eaten it straight.....with just a fork.

Despite being a picky eater as a child, I loved tuna salad and still do. Luckily my daughter does too so I had to make a second batch last night due to her special request.

Confessions

A fellow blogger posted their top ten confessions on being a mother and challenged others to do the same. I'll give it a shot.

1) I remember great things about the baby stage. I remember being a zombie from about 6 months to 2 years old.

2) Lately, I have felt pretty great about my mothering skills. I'm screwing up a lot less!!! :)

3) My child will soon be ten. That freaks me out a little. I'm planning a "ten" themed party. Shhhh.....

4) Abbie knows what she wants to be when she grows up. I can see it happening. I'll be working for her someday.

5) Sometimes, I really think I have been cloned in my child. I can see myself in her (not looks). It's kind of like watching yourself grow up. I hope I can steer her around the backwardsness that plagued me.

6) I love that she likes to read. I just found some books I had in elementary school, and I can't wait to share the stories with her.

7) My one big regret is not having another child.

8) My next big regret is not having a smidgen of patience.

9) I hope she will enjoy scrapbooking and traveling so that we can do it together.

10) If/when she goes to college (she says she's not going - ha!), I secretly plan to move to wherever she goes.

Say What?

Recently, I got some compliments, and I wanted to comment on each one.

A few weeks ago, someone told me I had great hair. Of course, on the inside, I was pleased, but compliments on my appearance make me a little embarrassed. I wonder if I blush? And wouldn't you know that I have NOT been able to recreate how my hair looked on the day I got that compliment! Which is exactly why I have a love/hate relationship with my hair.

Tonight, someone told me that I am the "glue" in a committee that I chair. Again, I think I blushed, but it was nice to know that I've been an important part of the committee and will be missed. Then Paul made a smart ass comment.

And last night, when Paul came to bed, he told me that he was so glad he married me. I was so tired and sleepy that I didn't ask him why he told me that (we had just finished watching "New Moon"). Today, after he got home from work, I asked him what made him tell me that last night, and he didn't remember saying it. I decided he was just delusional when he came to bed. We joked around about it for a little bit. Then I told him that he was my Edward, and he told me that I was his Jacob. :)

I just told Paul that he was in trouble for the smart ass comment he made. But he's still my Edward.

Conversations with My Brother

Without any back story, side story, or long story - here is a conversation I had with my brother, Craig, today.

Craig (yelling), "Lorrlipop, I need a cup of water!"

Lorrie (yelling), "All I got's spit!"

Craig, "Well, I guess I'll go over here to the mud hole."

Pros and Cons of Moving

Well, we're in our new house, and we've settled in really well. Of course, there were moments of "Do I really want to move? Are we doing the right thing? What if I don't like the new house? What if, what if?"
But the transition was fairly easy and once we got here there was no looking back. But of course nothing is perfect. There are pros and cons.

Con - I'm going to miss the countryside.
Con - I'm going to miss the cows and ponds and wild turkeys and pastures and hillsides and woods and donkeys and a bunch of other STUFF!
Pro - I get to sleep 15 minutes longer on school days!
Con that is not a con - I can hear the train a little more here but it is not a problem and not very noticable.
Pro - I do not have to cross the train tracks anymore or get caught sitting at the train tracks while the train is stopped and blocking the road for who knows how long.
Con - I don't have as much storage space and that is the hardest thing to deal with!
Pro - the fireplace in the new house is easier to use so it gets used more and I like that!
Con - the garage is a tight fit for our two vehicles.
Pro - the cats' litterboxes are in the basement and I love that!
Pro but also a con - I like the new flat top stove but it is taking some getting used to and I have already scratched it. I bought some stuff for it tonight that may buff the scratch out...
Pro - I like our media room
Con - I will miss, miss, miss my neighbors
Pro - I'm looking forward to biking in this neighborhood when it warms up
Pro - I like being closer to the grocery store and other stores
Con - I still miss the country and hope to move back there some day
Pro - I like the big roomy shower in the master bath
PRO - I REALLY like having all hardwood floors - I DO NOT miss the carpet. I actually like vacuuming now and like that I can see all the dust bunnies and get them. I like being able to vacuum under the bed and other stuff.
Con - If my knees or Paul's knees go, we're in big trouble!
Con - So far, I can't catch the feral cats at the old house. There is no one else to feed them. Those cats depend on me. I might have to go get hypnotized to make me forget that there are cats out there that need to be fed. But I still have several more days to catch them....I'm praying...
That's all for now!

Couch Potato Olympics

I'm enjoying watching the Olympics. I don't know any of these people, but I like rooting for them.

I think they should have the couch potato olympics. Where they just call up a bunch of 30- and 40-something people (like me) who don't exercise much or have an athletic bone in their body.

Then they put some ice skates on them and tell them to race around the ice rink. Or they put you on some skis and tell you "good luck with those moguls!"

I think it would be facinating to watch. And entertaining!

Right Now

Right now, Friday is sitting on the arm of the couch. He has his little wet nose stuck in my ear - sniffing. ** Sniff - sniff -sniff - snuff ** I love it when he does this. If I could, I'd pay him $5 to keep doing it. Wonder if I could train him with sardines or something?

Criminal Confessions

My mom came to visit for a few days. I have always enjoyed listening to her stories, and she told me some good ones this time too.
She told me a story about when she was little and walked to and from school each day. Near her house lived a family who didn't have any children. My mom usually lagged behind her other brothers and sisters as they walked home. When the lady neighbor would see my mom, she would ask my mom if she would like a "peanut butter cracker." My mom would always accept and sit on the porch and eat the cracker. My mom pointed out that the lady only gave her ONE cracker square with peanut butter - I thought that was interesting - did the lady think one was enough for a little kid or was she being thrifty?
The other interesting part of the story is that my mom told me that if the people weren't home when she walked by, she'd go in their house and make herself a peanut butter cracker! I really laughed at that point. My mom said she didn't know what she would have done if they had come home while she was there. I told my mom that they must have known she had been there - surely she left evidence such as dirty utensils or crumbs.
After that story, I made a few confessions of my own - these happened when I was in elementary school
In my neighborhood, I found out that there was a family that had a push button phone - you know that kind that would go "beep-boop-bleep" as you pushed the buttons. Back then, most everyone had dial phones - you know the kind where you had to put your finger in the hole for the number and dial it around.
So a push button phone was a novelty. My friend and I discovered that these people were not home one day so we let ourselves in their back door, and we tried out the phone. That's all we did. It was cool, and then we left.
My next confession is about Faye, our next door neighbor. Faye had always been our next door neighbor, and she still lives in the same house in my old neighborhood even though my mom has now moved to a different part of town.
Whenever I would go to Faye's house - to tell her something for my mom or to sell something for school - she would come to the door and stand there and never invite me in. The fact that she didn't invite me in was no big deal; I didn't go in most of my neighbors' homes. But one day (probably when I was bored in the summer), I got a wild hair and decided I wanted to see the inside of her house. She had a one level house with a basement. The basement door had a fence around it for her dog. I climbed the dog fence and walked through her basement, up the stairs, and let myself in while she was at work. I don't remember a lot about that visit other than feeling sneaky and worrying that I might get caught. I don't remember being super-snoopy. I think I just walked through rooms and then left.
My mom wasn't shocked; she thought it was funny. I did a lot of other stupid, weird stuff as a kid.

Catching Up

Paul and Angel relaxing while Abbie and I decorate the tree. Paul helped too. He likes decorating for Christmas.

Abbie loves to decorate! Long after Paul and I quit, she keeps going.

Abbie had a tea party and cookie swap and invited her friends from her class.

Enjoying their tea and cookies.

Look how small Abbie is compared to her classmates.

Baby, Little Man, and Angel. It's all love and snuggles here.

My niece, Shanna, and our new batch of foster kittens.

The Weekend

To answer my one and only blog reader's questions: yes, I touched the fish- but they were SUPER slippery so I didn't touch them too much. Paul put his foot on them to hold them down while he got the hook out then we used the net to get the fish in the bucket. The trout farm will clean the fish for you - and they pack them on ice for you too -- all included in the price. You pay per pound, and you can't throw any fish back. You have to keep all you catch. This animal lover [me] didn't particularly care for how they cleaned the fish. The guy sliced them and gutted them before cutting off their head. I thought that was uncalled for - heartless!

How many cats I feed - 3 strays (that I know of - I have a sneaky feeling that something else is eating from my cat feeder (racoon/opposum?). I feed my 4 indoor cats plus 1 outdoor cat. And I feed 1 foster mother cat (not feeding her babies yet). That's 9 cats I think. When the babies start eating solid food, the number will be 15. Fostering cats isn't cheap - I spend a lot on food and litter, but it's very rewarding. Leslie, you all should come over and see the kittens. There eyes are open, and they are much more alert now. But still tiny and wobbly.

This weekend, we didn't do much as usual. We're sort of recluses in some ways. As much as I don't want Abbie to be bored or lonely, I much prefer to have just the 3 of us in the house. I think it's mostly b/c that is what I'm used to. If we lived in a neighborhood crawling with kids, I'm sure I'd be used to have lots of kids around. Abbie had a friend sleep over this weekend, and it was like Christmas for her. I think her friend got up at 5 am though. So I had to get up too. And when you have company, you have to serve meals on time, and you have to constantly make sure they're having fun and ask if they want anything to drink or eat or do something else. Maybe I just put too much pressure on myself, but it stresses me a little. I need to learn to get used to it though. I'm sure Abbie is entering the phase of wanting to have more sleepovers.

I am currently wearing my new scarf from Target. It is soft and purple and white. It does not go with my outfit today, but it's soft, and I'm wearing it.

[Before I tell you this next story, I thought I'd point out that I change socks and undergarments and clothes everyday - the only thing I tend to wear more than once is jeans. Please bury me in my Lucky jeans. I lurve them! And my new socks that I'm about to tell you about.] I bought some new wool socks. They are awesome!! I've worn one pair for 3 days. Why? Because they are soft and warm. Is that too much information? When I told Paul this little tidbit, he was totally grossed out. I told him my feet didn't stink, and it was no big deal. He continued to make a big deal out of it. So I told him I'd bet him $5 that my socks didn't have the least odor. He wasn't going to take the bet, but I MADE him and told him that all 3 of us would smell them and Abbie could be the tie breaker if necessary. Abbie went and got the socks. They were sniffed by all. The skeptic lost, and I won the bet! I washed those socks today. I am currently wearing my favorite brown pair of socks that are not wool, and my toes are cold. Don't bury me in the brown socks.

I *think* we've made a house decision. Not necessarily which one we will buy, but we've rethought our goals - which have been ALL OVER the place (the goals and the houses). I think we're going to buy a house in town/city limits - our orginal goal. And we're going to buy property in the county and start building after Abbie starts high school. That is our tentative plan. Tentative being the key word.

In OTHER Cat News

In an unscientific way, I have determined that I emit a cat pheromone. I'm attracted to cats, and they seem to be attracted to me.
Every time I turn around, I discover a new stray cat coming to my house for a meal.
This summer, I noticed 2 kittens were coming here to eat. I tried to catch them, but they were too wild.
The kittens are still coming here, and I HAVE to catch them. I can't leave them here when I move. Who will feed them?
I told Paul that I need a live trap so I can catch them, try to tame them, and then take them to the shelter. I can't possibly keep them. But taming them would give them a better chance to get adopted.
Paul said he had a better idea for catching them. He tied a string to the door knob of the door to the porch. He brought the string in the window that looks out over the porch. We put food in the sunroom and left the door open. We watch at the window...when the kitten comes in, we pull the string which makes the door shut and then we have the kitten trapped in the house.
It worked! We did that today!
The kitten we caught today is a female gray tabby - we've named her February. She freaked out a little. She likes all my cats, and they like her, but she is still very scared of me. We're going to take it slow. I plan to let her outside tonight and then let her in again tomorrow. Only problem is that she is curled up in a chair in the sunroom - the door is standing wide open - but she seems to have no plans to go back outside.
Her partner is a solid black pretty kitten. The black kitten is twice as scared of people as she is so this kitten will be more tricky to catch.

Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Nov 2 - we picked up our second batch of foster kittens. There are 6 kittens this time. You can follow their story here.

Abbie had a short Fall Break at school so we went to Blowing Rock, NC. We've never been there. It is less than 2 hours away - up in the mountains - a really beautiful area. We went fishing - something she really wanted to do.

You have to hold you mouth just right to catch a fish! Truthfully, when you go to a trout farm, there is no real skill involved. You put the nightcrawler on the hook (yes, I bait my own hook), cast the line, reel the line in slowly, and you'll catch a fish. They were big ole trout too! We caught 4 and ate some for dinner tonight.

Some of my best advice is this: Some things are worth turning around for. We drove past an inn and I caught a glimpse of some bunnies and insisted that Paul turn around and go back. #1 - the inn was beautiful, and I intend to go back and stay. #2 - they have numerous bunnies to enjoy. The caretaker gave us some carrots to feed them. Despite the ongoing rain, we took our time and enjoyed the experience.

We stayed at the Chetola Resort. There is a lake (large pond?) out front, and there were several swans. This one followed us as we walked around the lake/pond.

A section of Chetola Resort is a Bob Timberlake Lodge. And there is a restaurant. The fog lasted until about 3:00, dissipated for about an hour and then came back in full force.

Even with all the fog, I thought the whole area was very scenic.

We had hoped to enjoy some more fall foliage. But with the fog, that wasn't really possible. But I loved all the fog! I did wear a hat the whole trip b/c my hair and fog are not friends.

This male spent a lot of time grooming his feathers. We stole one - super soft (we stole a feather, not the swan)!

At an inn near downtown Blowing Rock. All in all, we had a good time.

And the Pendulum Swings

Our house has sold, and we have 8 months until we HAVE to move. We could move sooner if we want, but we have to find a house first.
We started out with certain goals in what we wanted in a new house. Months later, our goals have changed a bit.
Today, we drove around for about 2.5 to 3 hours just looking at different areas in the county. We're considering not moving into the city limits. Maybe we'd like a house in the country, maybe a mini farm, not in a neighborhood, maybe we should build???? Who knows! We find areas we like, but what we like isn't for sale. Or the house/land is too expensive. Or the house is too old, and we wouldn't want to do all the renovations needed. Or it is too far from town.
Abbie hates the whole process. She just wants to pick up our house and move it somewhere. Or build the exact house somewhere else.

While driving around today, Abbie saw a "neighborhood watch" sign and wanted to know what that meant. Paul and I explained it to her. She got very excited and said, "I'd like to spy on our neighbors and see what they are doing." I don't think she really meant that she wanted to watch the neighbors, but I think she meant she wanted to watch the neighbors' houses for suspicious activity. She does have her own set of binoculars so we'll see if she tries them out...

And in other news, tonight I watched a marathon of "Say Yes to the Dress." I never watch this show. I just turned it on to have something in the background. Eventually Paul said, "You know, I really liked your wedding dress. Every time I see a picture of you in that dress, I get butterflies." Awwww, how sweet! That was the perfect thing to say!

Cussing and Smiling

*Warning - there is NO cussing in this post.*

I am NOT a morning person. Not, not, not!!!

A perfect day for me is to sleep until I wake up (usually 9 - 9:30 am) assuming I go to bed at 11 pm or midnight. I like to wake up on my own - no alarm clock, no one telling me they are hungry, no phone ringing, etc. Even though that doesn't happen a lot, that is my preference, and I don't care who knows it.

The early morning drive to school is not my favorite duty. Many mornings, when the alarm goes off, I think mean thoughts (cuss words or just a general pissed off feeling). Lately, though, I have tried to break myself of the cussing (even if it's quietly in my head), but I still think "that can't be the alarm" every time the alarm goes off.

Some mornings, I'm on the road - about 7 minutes away from the school, and I suddenly realize that I am 1) awake, 2) in the car, driving, and 3) in disbelief that I am awake, out of bed, and in the car driving. Think about that for a minute.

Last week, as we pulled out of the driveway, I remarked "pink sky in morning." And Abbie finished the phrase with "sailors warning." That made me smile. I told her how my dad always recited that phrase to me every time he saw a pink sky.

My dad was my school driver, and he and I had a good time together. Everytime there was fog, he would say, "It's froggy. Someone must have let a frog out." He taught me several little catchy phrases. I continue the tradition with Abbie.

Even though I hate being out of bed so early on school mornings, I enjoy the scenery and conversations with Abbie. I smile when I think of my early school mornings with my dad.

In the Swing of Things

Trying to get back into the swing of blogging. Here is a snapshot of our life right now:

• Abbie is having a great year in 4th grade; better than last year; we like her teacher; she is having math tutoring twice a week and that is working out very well for the both of us
• Abbie is reading the Warriors series (she really loves these books). I recently bought some picture books, and Paul wondered why I would buy books meant for much younger kids. 1) I miss picture books, 2) I liked the art work on them, and 3) I miss getting to read out loud to him and Abbie. So they had to let me read both books to them.
• The 3 of us are proud new bike owners. But there is a complication.
• Paul hurt his back (doctors just think it is a muscle), and that has put a damper on our biking ambitions. Even though his back has gotten much better, he is still having to ice it every day. Sometimes, prolonged activity (such as driving or spending 2 hours in the corn maze), makes his back act up again.
• We saw Zombieland and really enjoyed it. Paul's back problem is really going to make him a liability if we ever get attacked by zombies.
• My dad has a new batch of chicks. Abbie really enjoys visiting and playing with them and naming them (Mango, Pineapple, and Parrot are the names I remember from the recent batch). She likes putting them on her shoulders and one in each pocket (the deep, baggy kind), but she doesn't like chick poop in her hair.
• We haven't found a house to buy yet. There is one we really like...But we're also toying with the idea of staying in the country and having a house that is not in a neighborhood. Paul changes his mind a lot.
• I still have one foster kitten that I need to find a home for. At times, I have hated all the extra litter duties, but I have really enjoyed the experience so much. I can't wait to do it again!
• Paul is off tomorrow. I wonder how we will spend the day?
• We may go to Asheville next weekend (the Fall colors are wonderful) or we may go to the Creeper Trail if Paul thinks his back can handle it.
• I think I know what design I'll use for this year's Christmas cards.
• There is not a lot on my calendar this week, and I love that!