Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Rah Rah Ree, kick 'em in the knee...

Believe it or not, this is my baby girl. You know, the one that I tried to give away last week, but no one would take? Yep. That's her.

Know how I can tell it's my little girl? Cause her mouth is open. The smile is foreign though. Well, I take that back...we do see it occasionally.



These are the Junior High Cheerleaders. They all look pretty good. But, what's with that one girl, looking off to the left? Maybe she's watching those hot Jr. High Football players.

Is there such a thing as a "hot" Jr. High football player? A couple of those boys are so small they have to tape their pants to their legs to keep their pads in the right spot.

Maybe she's not looking at boys...maybe she's really into Football and is watching the team to see if they should start their "first and 10 do it again" cheer....yeah, that's what she's doing.


Oops, she watched too long, and now she's out of step. Or maybe she was never IN step. Maybe she's totally uncoordinated and can't get in step with the rest of the girls...





Holy cow! Is that MY little girl up on top of that pyramid? What happens when they drop her? What happens when they fall? O dear...


Friday, September 25, 2009

Free...one 13 year old girl...REALLY

FREE to a good home...one 13 year old girl. Cute, blond, big eyes. Housebroken. Doesn't eat much. Requires only a computer and constant care and attention. Has short term memory issues. Doesn't cook, clean, or do any chores willingly. Can throw frequent...I mean occasional temper tantrums. Within 60 seconds, can also be quite the charmer. Would be a good addition to any home.

It's a long story.

Short version:

Kev and I will be home late tonight, we have a "date" with another couple. Andy will be out of town for the weekend. Miss Kat has plans to spend the night with a friend. Tomorrow, Kev and I plan on getting up early and going hunting followed by chopping wood. We don't intend to be home till sometime in the afternoon. Miss Kat is supposed to work a concession stand at the Youth Football game at 2, but, she can stay at her friends till then.

Sounds really good, doesn't it.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

This morning, on the way to work, I received 2 phone calls...

"Mom, I need money for the game tonight."

My thoughts as I heard this statement: What the heck! Haven't we had these conversations before? Crap kid, I'm 1/2 way to Dodge! 15 miles away. How on earth am I supposed to give you money? Can't you ask the night before? Don't you know how to plan ahead? Fer-cryin'-out loud. Who is your mother and why didn't she teach you how to plan ahead? SHE does...why don't you. Sheesh a Pete KID.

What I actually said was: "Well, just how am I going to get you any money? Is there any in the egg money jar? O, wait. Dad says he has a 5 in his dresser drawer. Get it."

Ten miles further down the road, my phone rings again...

"Mom, I just remembered. I have to bring cookies to sell at the concession stand tomorrow."

My thoughts as I heard THIS statement:









sorry, I can't print those thoughts...

Actually, I thought. FER CRYIN' OUT LOUD. Can't anyone do anything without me doing it for them? Do I have to solve every one's problems? Can't I have a life? Can NO ONE tell me anything BEFORE it's to late to do anything? What in the world am I supposed to do about stupid cookies? I suppose I can bake stupid cookies tonight. And, if I could, how would I get them to you--I'm leaving the house at SIX IN THE MORNING. GRRRRRRRRRRRR.

What I actually said was: "FER CRYIN' OUT LOUD. What am I supposed to do? I'm leaving the house at 6 in the morning! There's a pan of Lemon bars on the counter. Take them to school with you today so you'll have them tomorrow."

What she said: "MOM...Those are yucky. I can't take those with me when I'm going to be running around at the game tonight! Can't you just BUY some?"

At this point, I just started banging my head against the steering wheel.

If you are interested in the free girl child that I'm giving away, please call...SOON. Otherwise, I can't be held responsible for her health, welfare and future.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

what to do...what to do...

I'm torn.

In the evenings, after the supper dishes are done, and the house is back in order, and I have time to relax; I like to either stitch or read.

But, right now, I'm torn.

I have, in my hot little hands, Echo in the bone. (It's the book that was counting down to it's release date.) I've waited 4 long years to read this book. I've read every excerpt that Diana has posted on the web. (Diana's the author. We go wwwwwaaaaaayyyyy back. So, I can call her by her first name. We're tight, Diana and me...even if she doesn't know me from Adam.) I've read spoilers, interviews, hints, everything I could about this book. Cause, see, Diana is a wonderful writer.

She writes the "the smartest historical sci-fi adventure/romance ever written by a science Ph.D. with a background in scripting Uncle Scrooge comic books." (Quote from Salon.com) That's the best endorsement I've seen!

So, I have Diana's nice thick book to read but I also have a stitching project that I've been working steadily on and I'm making real progress. It might just be finished by Christmas! And then, it is premier week on TV this week. I could watch TV. I usually watch TV and stitch...but there's that book... I could read during the commercials and watch TV, or I could read during the commercials, watch TV while stitching...

Can I juggle both? All three?

Oh, what to do, what to do...

Monday, September 21, 2009

Fall's arrived

Yesterday afternoon, Kev and I ran down to Mom and Dad's. We kidnapped them, and went cruising around in the country. We went up to the Sand Creek Ranch to check it out for hunting. Kev was given permission to hunt it, but he just wanted to look it over, and since Daddy knows that area pretty well...we drug him along. Mom too.

Then we went by the farm to check out our tree stand there--to make sure it was in good condition, and that no critters had chewed away any ropes holding it in place. All well and good. A few branches need to be trimmed, but all in all, it's in good shape.

Then, we checked in the trees for some scrapes and rubs. Didn't find any of those, but did find hundreds of Monarch Butterflies. When Kev and Dad walked through the trees, Mom and I just stopped and watched the butterflies fly around. We counted at least 40 resting on branches, they'd move around and fly all around us. They were beautiful! Sure would have been nice to have a camera, but of course I didn't have it.

Imagine...hundreds of butterflies flitting around your head. It was a wonderful sight.

We decided that Fall must be here as they had to be migrating south. Which fits. The roads have been full of migrating caterpillars and tarantulas. Fall has arrived a few days early to SW Kansas.

Friday, September 18, 2009

What I want, what I need, and what I'm actually going to do.

This weekend, I want to stay home and clean my house.

I want to clean my carpets, get the floors mopped, the bathrooms cleaned, sheets changed, all laundry caught up. I want to get the jalapenos canned and out of my refrigerator. I want to pick more jalapenos and get them canned too. I want to bake. I want to actually cook a good meal for my family--one where we are all home, and where we can all sit at the table. I want to find time to read my book (Dan Brown's new one, The Lost Symbol) and I want to embroidery.

I need to get my bow out and practice. I need to sight my bow in. I need to get out and get a salt lick made. Archery season starts next week. I am not ready. I should use this weekend to get ready!

Instead...Andy has a trap shoot tomorrow that will take all day. Since Kev will have to work this weekend...I'm the parental representative. I like watching Andy shoot, but dang, we've been busy for the past few weekends, and I just want a break!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Prayers please--UPDATE

My BIL, Steve has been missing since Monday morning. He left at 5 a.m. to serve as a guide for a hunter. The pickup with all the gear was found yesterday? Late Monday? I'm not sure of the details (Kev talked to my MIL, not me, and you know guys and information...)

Anyway, It's now Wednesday. He's still missing. Search & Rescue have been called in. Steve's pretty Mountain savvy, and finding the pickup with ALL the gear is worrisome...

So, if you are so inclined, please, say a prayer that Steve is found.

(And, remember, this Steve is my BIL, not my brother, who is also named Steve.)

UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE

The lost have been found, safe, whole and tired, but healthy. Basically, the hunter Steve was guiding...well...he wasn't one to listen to his guide. His guide, Steve, stayed with the common senseless hunter and well, that's why they were lost. But, they walked out yesterday afternoon. Safe.

Thank you all for the prayers. It was pretty scary for the entire family. I'm sure that today, Steve is being lectured by his wife on how to keep himself out of trouble!

Monday, September 14, 2009

A day at the State Fair

We went to the State Fair on Saturday. It's the first time Kev has gone to the Kansas State Fair. Last time I was there was 4 years ago, one week after Andy got out of the hospital from his scary bout with Pneumonia. And before that, it had been 20 years! I used to go to the fair all the time when I was in 4-H.

This time, Andy drove up with his girlfriend, while Kev, and I drove up with Miss Kat and one of her friends, Gen. We met Kim & Bob and family at the fair since they live near there. The kids spent their time (and my money) on the Midway, while we adults cruised the commercial exhibits. (Does this mean that I'm getting old, that I'd rather not be on the Midway?)

Kev and I did go in the Domestic Arts building, which I probably enjoyed more than he did. I saw one cross-stitched picture that would look perfect in my kitchen. I just need to find it, buy it and stitch it up!

We looked at domestic solar water pumps (which we could afford), and wind generators (which we can't afford.) We looked at PTO stuff for tractors (which we don't need) and we looked at campers (which we don't need, and can't afford) and we looked at 4 wheelers (which Kev is seriously considering.)

We also walked through the commercial buildings, watching the vendors hawk their merchandise. (How many different kinds of waterless cookware are there? I saw at least 5 vendors!) My favorite vendors? The locally grown honey and the Watkins booth. I dropped some cash at the Watkins booth and stocked up on Clear Vanilla, Double strength Vanilla, Butter flavoring and Almond extract. Now, I'm ready to bake.

We also made a point to go see the Butter Sculpture. It's beautiful, a horse being shod, and the horse just bit the farrier's patootie...but I can't help wondering what happens to all that butter once the fair is over. If they just throw it away, well, I wish they'd call me then, I'd use it! Don't know where I'd store it...and I can just imagine the comments I'd get when it was time to use the butter from the horse's "hindquarters", or the farrier's patootie...

One thing we planned on doing, but didn't, was to ride "Ye Old Mill."

Ye Old Mill is the oldest ride at the fair, built in 1917. It's one of those water rides where you sit in the boat and ride around viewing different vignettes. Some nice, some scary. I wanted to ride it with Kev, cause it's one of those "love canal" rides, and I wanted a smooch on the ride. I got the smooch, but we were just too tired to stand in line for a chance to ride "Ye Old Mill."

Ya know, back when I was in high school and college, I could walk around all day long, and far into the evening at the fair and be ready to go for more the next day. Not anymore! I was pooped by 7:00 when we left! And I was still tired yesterday too. Man, I must be getting old!

All in all, we had a great time at the Kansas State Fair.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Words of Wisdom...learned the hard way

Never have a big 'ole bowl of Watermelon for lunch on the day that the City turns off the water main to the campus.

Let's just say it makes for a rather long, uncomfortable afternoon.

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Glimpse

There are times when I'm really not sure that my daughter will become a good adult.

Heck, there are times when I'm not sure she'll become an adult. There's a good reason why some animals eat their young, and at times...I've been tempted myself! And then, at times, I get these glimpses of the person she's becoming; and I think to myself that maybe there is hope after all.

Last night, I got several of those glimpses.

Miss Kat and I had appointments with the hair dresser. I arrived first (she was in town already at a friends house.) I was sitting there in the chair, getting my hair cut when I caught a glimpse of this pretty, young girl walking by. Long legs, easy confident stride. Then she stopped by my car and threw something in the back seat. Oh! It's my girl!

My mental image of Miss Kat, the one I carry with me, is not quite what I saw, and seeing her look more like a young lady than a young girl is quite a shock to the system. Then she saw me, and smiled. She's got a beautiful smile. One of those heart stopping smiles that makes you warm inside.

She came in, and was just bubbly and chatty and happy. And, she stayed that way all night long. No mood swings, no temper tantrums, no anger. She was just so full of life and light.

It gives me hope for the future seeing this glimpse of the woman that my daughter will someday become.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

The garden

The garden is winding down.

Kev and I went out last night and picked the last of the green beans and all the cantaloupe. Kev found 2 final cucumbers for us to enjoy. There are still some peppers, and the carrots are still in the ground.

And then there are the tomatoes.

The vines are beautiful. But, it's the first of September, and we have yet to get to eat a tomato. There's fruit there, it's just greener than green. With the cool weather we've been having, I'm not sure we'll get to eat any tomatoes from our garden.

I was so looking forward to a Bacon Tomato Sandwich made with home-cured bacon and a home grown tomato.

Maybe I can have one...next summer.