There is something to be said about rainy days. Especially when it has not rained in such a long time.
Here in Deep East Texas we are experiencing a drought. With a summer of 30 + days of 100 degree weather and no rain and then a normally wet fall with only 3 or 4 days that it actually did rain we tend to dry up. Our poor lake is down several feet. You can walk out about 10 feet from the shore line without touching water. And normally I would be over my head if I walked out that far when the water was up.
But today we have rain. On a tin roof it is music to my ears. The last rain we had was on Christmas morning but before that it was over a month. Rain is to few and far between.
With the leaves on the ground and the rain the air is very fragrant. Almost clean (well as clean as it can get when you live in the country with already clean air). And tomorrow the day will start out fresh.
I love the rain. The way the air smells. The way it helps the plants grow. The way it washes away the dirt and grim. As the song says "Rain is a good thing."
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Hermits
There is something to be said about being a hermit. I am not sure what that something is but I am sure it should be said.
I am slowly becoming a hermit. The only thing I need now is a beard. Wonder how long it will take to grow one?
Do not get me wrong I love living in the middle of nowhere. I love the woods. The animals. The peace. I have always been a homebody. I am a cancer after all. We are all about the home and family. We live for it. However every now and then I need to get out. To let loose...OK so not really let loose because I am not that type. But I love going out and spending time with friends, family, and civilization. I love to eat food that is not fried, BBQ'ed or Mexican. I love to go to museums and zoos. But alas not so much of these things around here.
I have decided to get out of this funk. To get out and do...well, anything. Next week I will be headed to Beaumont, TX. At the Ward McFadden house they will be having their annual Fall Herb Fest. This is right up my alley. They will be fun for me. I know, very Martha Stewart but it is something I will enjoy.
Now to plan the rest of my future of not being a hermit!
I am slowly becoming a hermit. The only thing I need now is a beard. Wonder how long it will take to grow one?
Do not get me wrong I love living in the middle of nowhere. I love the woods. The animals. The peace. I have always been a homebody. I am a cancer after all. We are all about the home and family. We live for it. However every now and then I need to get out. To let loose...OK so not really let loose because I am not that type. But I love going out and spending time with friends, family, and civilization. I love to eat food that is not fried, BBQ'ed or Mexican. I love to go to museums and zoos. But alas not so much of these things around here.
I have decided to get out of this funk. To get out and do...well, anything. Next week I will be headed to Beaumont, TX. At the Ward McFadden house they will be having their annual Fall Herb Fest. This is right up my alley. They will be fun for me. I know, very Martha Stewart but it is something I will enjoy.
Now to plan the rest of my future of not being a hermit!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Football
It is that time of year again. The boys of fall are hitting the fields. And sweating in the lovely 100 degree heat we are having here in Texas. But here in Texas football is a second religion so out they all go to play in the heat.
Camryn is playing center this year. He has never played this position before. But he is willing to give it a shot. They only have 18 players this year. A few more than last year. This year he is on the varsity team. And he is pumped.
They have had 2 scrimmage games and did really well at the second one. This Friday is the first game at Garrison. Looking forward to going to see the boys but not really sitting in the heat.
Camryn is playing center this year. He has never played this position before. But he is willing to give it a shot. They only have 18 players this year. A few more than last year. This year he is on the varsity team. And he is pumped.
They have had 2 scrimmage games and did really well at the second one. This Friday is the first game at Garrison. Looking forward to going to see the boys but not really sitting in the heat.
Friday, July 16, 2010
The dump
Living in the sticks has its advantages and disadvantages. On of the disadvantages is that we do not have garbage pick up. Well, we do if I want to pay $25 a week for it. Guess what? I dint want to pay that much. Considering I usually go every other week to the dump and have only 3 bags. Let us do the math. 1 bag of garbage taken to the dump cost $3. I take 6 bags a month which equals $18...plus gas and about 1 hour out of my time. Hmm I think I would rather go to the dump.
In the summer, though, it is not the best place I like to go. The smell is bad. I mean really bad. Almost to the point that you think you would rather stop breathing then smell the air at the dump. But thankfully when you go it is usually a quick trip. Unless the guy you pay the money too wants to talk.
Now the gentleman that runs this dump is a nice elderly African American man. I would say he is in his late 60's or early 70's. And he loves to talk. And sometimes when you start talking with him it is very difficult to get him to stop. But he is entertaining to say the least. He tells of stories of his crazy ex wife, of black panthers (the animal kind not the group), of dogs and cats and just about anything else he can think of.
Last time I went to take the garbage to the dump I heard of how his crazy ex wife had chased him out of the house on night with a knife. He decided that it would be best to sleep in his car that night. So he went to the company he worked at parking lot and rolled down the windows and went to sleep. In the middle of the night he was woke up by grunting noises. He looked out the window to see a black panther at his front window sniffing the inside of the car. With him in it. He sat motionless more out of fear than anything. After what seemed like a life time but he said was only a minute or 2 the panther left. He decided to take his chances with the crazy ex wife at that point and went home.
Tomorrow it is going to be about 100 degrees outside. I have to make a run to the dump. I hope he is not in much of a talkative mood.
In the summer, though, it is not the best place I like to go. The smell is bad. I mean really bad. Almost to the point that you think you would rather stop breathing then smell the air at the dump. But thankfully when you go it is usually a quick trip. Unless the guy you pay the money too wants to talk.
Now the gentleman that runs this dump is a nice elderly African American man. I would say he is in his late 60's or early 70's. And he loves to talk. And sometimes when you start talking with him it is very difficult to get him to stop. But he is entertaining to say the least. He tells of stories of his crazy ex wife, of black panthers (the animal kind not the group), of dogs and cats and just about anything else he can think of.
Last time I went to take the garbage to the dump I heard of how his crazy ex wife had chased him out of the house on night with a knife. He decided that it would be best to sleep in his car that night. So he went to the company he worked at parking lot and rolled down the windows and went to sleep. In the middle of the night he was woke up by grunting noises. He looked out the window to see a black panther at his front window sniffing the inside of the car. With him in it. He sat motionless more out of fear than anything. After what seemed like a life time but he said was only a minute or 2 the panther left. He decided to take his chances with the crazy ex wife at that point and went home.
Tomorrow it is going to be about 100 degrees outside. I have to make a run to the dump. I hope he is not in much of a talkative mood.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Vacation
Every year we try to go on vacation. Some years it is not a long vacation or one that is far away. And there is other years we try to do a really nice one. This year we did the nice one. we went to Washington.
There are a few places in Washington that truly are touched by God. I thought I would share a few pictures with all of you.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Shhhh!
Shhh it is a secret. I have decided to do something really crafty. So I do not always do things that are crafty..the mood hits and I have to pounce on it...or it will be gone like a summers breeze.
My friend and neighbor is Pete. He is a great neighbor. And the other day he gave me a mess of fish...already filleted. Got to love that. It was great, we had a fish fry with wonderful fish that he had given us.
So here I sit, wondering what I could do to repay him. I decided to make him something. He is only a part time resident here. And at the bottom of his drive he has a piece of wood nailed up to a tree. When he comes he always tacks up a piece of something or other saying that is his place. I have decided to make that sign at the bottom of his drive a little bit more permanent. I ordered a wood cut out of a Bass and a Deer. I am also getting Letters. Going to paint up a sign that says Pete's Place on it.
Now mind you, I have never done this before but it has been on my mind for a while that something needs to be there. And it is not like I am a Martha Stewart type. Not even close. In fact I am the least artistic person in my family. I guess it skipped me.
So wish me luck on my crafty endeavor.
My friend and neighbor is Pete. He is a great neighbor. And the other day he gave me a mess of fish...already filleted. Got to love that. It was great, we had a fish fry with wonderful fish that he had given us.
So here I sit, wondering what I could do to repay him. I decided to make him something. He is only a part time resident here. And at the bottom of his drive he has a piece of wood nailed up to a tree. When he comes he always tacks up a piece of something or other saying that is his place. I have decided to make that sign at the bottom of his drive a little bit more permanent. I ordered a wood cut out of a Bass and a Deer. I am also getting Letters. Going to paint up a sign that says Pete's Place on it.
Now mind you, I have never done this before but it has been on my mind for a while that something needs to be there. And it is not like I am a Martha Stewart type. Not even close. In fact I am the least artistic person in my family. I guess it skipped me.
So wish me luck on my crafty endeavor.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Religion
During one of my many times in college I took an African American History course. We learned a lot about the plight of the African Americans from before slavery to modern times. I am not even sure how we got on the subject of religion in this class but one young lady who was actually African (came here a few years prior to learn in the US) stated she was confused by people who call themselves Christians. I asked why she was confused by Christians. And this was her response:
You have so many different religions claiming to be Christian. You all follow different beliefs but still claim to be Christian. How can all these people say they are Christian and not follow the same religion?
I asked her what religion she was. She said she was a Muslim. I asked her why she did not wear a Burqa? Her reply was that she did not have to it was a choice in her religion to wear one or not. I told her that was not true. Women around the world have been stoned to death for not wearing one in certain parts of countries or they were caned for showing to much skin when their covering slipped. She said that was extremists. I asked her if that was Muslim. She said yes. Is that not what you are then? She said not to that extent. But you are following different paths of the same religion then? She gave me a blank stare.
I asked her where was her Hijab? Again no answer.
I proceeded to ask her about the Sunni, Shi'a, Bektashi and Barelwi. All forms of Muslim but different religions. She had no comment.
I then told her we all are Christians. Just because we belong to different religions does not make us less so. The different religions are just different ways of interpreting the Bible and what it means to us. Just as there are different levels of Muslim and how they interpret the laws of Islam.
I have been 2 different religions in my life. Both of which are Christian. I read about Buddhism and like their beliefs and teaching as well. I have even read parts of the Qur'an and find them intriguing. I try not to judge people by their religion. I try to accept them for who they are. I hope others see this and do the same. That is my prayer for today.
You have so many different religions claiming to be Christian. You all follow different beliefs but still claim to be Christian. How can all these people say they are Christian and not follow the same religion?
I asked her what religion she was. She said she was a Muslim. I asked her why she did not wear a Burqa? Her reply was that she did not have to it was a choice in her religion to wear one or not. I told her that was not true. Women around the world have been stoned to death for not wearing one in certain parts of countries or they were caned for showing to much skin when their covering slipped. She said that was extremists. I asked her if that was Muslim. She said yes. Is that not what you are then? She said not to that extent. But you are following different paths of the same religion then? She gave me a blank stare.
I asked her where was her Hijab? Again no answer.
I proceeded to ask her about the Sunni, Shi'a, Bektashi and Barelwi. All forms of Muslim but different religions. She had no comment.
I then told her we all are Christians. Just because we belong to different religions does not make us less so. The different religions are just different ways of interpreting the Bible and what it means to us. Just as there are different levels of Muslim and how they interpret the laws of Islam.
I have been 2 different religions in my life. Both of which are Christian. I read about Buddhism and like their beliefs and teaching as well. I have even read parts of the Qur'an and find them intriguing. I try not to judge people by their religion. I try to accept them for who they are. I hope others see this and do the same. That is my prayer for today.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Sowing
Since moving to Texas I have decided to get a green thumb. Now mind you that my thumb has always been brown and a tendency to lean to the black. I kill plants. I killed a cactus. I took the advice of some columnist and only watered it when it rained in the desert of Arizona. Yet it still died. I used to say that it was amazing that my kid and my dog have lived this long. Cam said that it was because he learned how to feed himself.
Last year I tried my hand at planting some herbs, peppers (jalapenos, green bell and red bell) and tomatoes. The herbs did great. All except for the dill...it did not take. The Jalapenos went crazy. They did not stop coming. I had crop after crop after crop. I made stuffed jalapenos, hot sauce and a lot of salsa. However my green and red peppers were a bust and the tomatoes did OK and I started to have a really good bunch until the worms got to them.
So this year I decided to try again. Today I started my seeds. They make these really great thing called jiffy puffs. You add water and the grow to about 1 1/2 - 2 inches. They are filled with peat and you put 2 -3 seeds inside and cover it up. Then put the lid on it and it makes its own little green house. You add water when it needs it. And then wait for the seeds to start growing.
Since today is the first full day of spring I thought it would be a good day to plant. So I did. And in a few weeks there will be little signs of life. And it will be beautiful. And I will do my best this year not to kill them. I will try very hard to help them grow and flourish.
It is the greatest feeling though when you do all the work and get the rewards of the fruit of your labor (or in this case veggies and herbs). It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I love growing my plants. I love sharing them with everyone.
So I sowed the seeds today and I await to reap the rewards.
Last year I tried my hand at planting some herbs, peppers (jalapenos, green bell and red bell) and tomatoes. The herbs did great. All except for the dill...it did not take. The Jalapenos went crazy. They did not stop coming. I had crop after crop after crop. I made stuffed jalapenos, hot sauce and a lot of salsa. However my green and red peppers were a bust and the tomatoes did OK and I started to have a really good bunch until the worms got to them.
So this year I decided to try again. Today I started my seeds. They make these really great thing called jiffy puffs. You add water and the grow to about 1 1/2 - 2 inches. They are filled with peat and you put 2 -3 seeds inside and cover it up. Then put the lid on it and it makes its own little green house. You add water when it needs it. And then wait for the seeds to start growing.
Since today is the first full day of spring I thought it would be a good day to plant. So I did. And in a few weeks there will be little signs of life. And it will be beautiful. And I will do my best this year not to kill them. I will try very hard to help them grow and flourish.
It is the greatest feeling though when you do all the work and get the rewards of the fruit of your labor (or in this case veggies and herbs). It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I love growing my plants. I love sharing them with everyone.
So I sowed the seeds today and I await to reap the rewards.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Losses
Sometimes life in unfair. No one ever told you that it would be. It sucks. It stinks. But it is true, it is not fair at all.
We go through our lives. Meet people. Become friends. Some even become like family. And then a someone dies.
It is never easy when someone passes away. Friend, family or a family member of a friend. It is never easy.
My son has a friend, Alfredo, who's grandpa passed away the other night. Richard was a nice person. He was raising his grandson because both of his parents are currently serving time. Alfredo was doing well here. He was doing good in school. Participated in sports. Loved to fish. And just hang out with his friends. He was always welcome here and I always knew where Cam was when he went out with Alfredo. Richard did a great job with Alfredo.
But his passing hurts more than just the loss of him. It is also the loss of a life Alfredo has come to know. Alfredo will probably no longer live here in Hemphill. He will probably go live with relatives in Corpus Christi. where he will be exposed to Gangs, drugs and drive by shooting. Where when he did live there when he was younger he was afraid all the time that he would be shot.
Alfredo is a great kid. I want him to come live with us but that is not up to me to decide. It is up to his relatives. I always told him that he is our adopted son. He is polite and friendly when he is over. He always wants to help out and always eats what I make and loves it.
Camryn will lose his friend because he will have to move away. Alfredo is his best friend. Cam cried when he found out that Richard died. They would talk M.A.S.H. and other old programs that they both likes. They talked football and fishing. Richard like Camryn to hang out there because I think he thought Cam would keep Alfredo out of trouble. Little did he know how much trouble they really went looking for. Or maybe he did know and just looked the other way. Cam mourns the loss of his friends Grandpa because his friend mourns the loss.
So the loss of Richard affects more than just a few people. It affects everybody that knew him and his family.
It sucks.
It stinks.
It is not fair.
We go through our lives. Meet people. Become friends. Some even become like family. And then a someone dies.
It is never easy when someone passes away. Friend, family or a family member of a friend. It is never easy.
My son has a friend, Alfredo, who's grandpa passed away the other night. Richard was a nice person. He was raising his grandson because both of his parents are currently serving time. Alfredo was doing well here. He was doing good in school. Participated in sports. Loved to fish. And just hang out with his friends. He was always welcome here and I always knew where Cam was when he went out with Alfredo. Richard did a great job with Alfredo.
But his passing hurts more than just the loss of him. It is also the loss of a life Alfredo has come to know. Alfredo will probably no longer live here in Hemphill. He will probably go live with relatives in Corpus Christi. where he will be exposed to Gangs, drugs and drive by shooting. Where when he did live there when he was younger he was afraid all the time that he would be shot.
Alfredo is a great kid. I want him to come live with us but that is not up to me to decide. It is up to his relatives. I always told him that he is our adopted son. He is polite and friendly when he is over. He always wants to help out and always eats what I make and loves it.
Camryn will lose his friend because he will have to move away. Alfredo is his best friend. Cam cried when he found out that Richard died. They would talk M.A.S.H. and other old programs that they both likes. They talked football and fishing. Richard like Camryn to hang out there because I think he thought Cam would keep Alfredo out of trouble. Little did he know how much trouble they really went looking for. Or maybe he did know and just looked the other way. Cam mourns the loss of his friends Grandpa because his friend mourns the loss.
So the loss of Richard affects more than just a few people. It affects everybody that knew him and his family.
It sucks.
It stinks.
It is not fair.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Boats
So we took the plunge, so to speak. We finally got a boat. We plopped down a few grand (with the help of my mother in law - Thank you Annette) on a used boat. A 24 ft part barge. A pontoon.
My brother in law, Seth, says that boat stands for Bring Out Another Thousand. Well it is so true.
We took it out for a test ride after we bought it...It was about 40 degrees out and the wind cut right through you. Cold to the bone. But we needed to see what it was like. We launched it, headed towards the Main lake, turned right, took it down aways, turned left, and heard crunch...crunch...crunch. Turned it the other way, got it straight, turned again and nothing. We could not turn any more.
Here we are, Shawn, Cam, Alfredo, Mathew, and myself stuck on the lake. Not even close to the shore. We tried to get another person out on the lake fishing to help us but he never even heard us. Shawn managed to get us slightly turned towards the shore. We could go backward and forward, and that was it. He managed to get us close enough to shore where I could jump out and get to shore and get help.
Ice cold lake (hey just because I live in Texas does not mean the water is a balmy 70 degrees all year...it was freezing) and almost up to my knees I waded to the sandy beach. Went to Rick and Peg's house for help. Rick got his boat out of storage and came to our rescue. He towed us back to the dock and helped us get the boat turned around to get it on the trailer.
We got it out and took it straight to Carlson's boat shop. He looked it over and told us it would be about 300-400 to fix the steering however the Transom was rotten. The transom is what holds the motor up. So we got it over to Price's welding. He looked at it and said it would be about 400 to fix it...OK so we are at 800 now.
However, we also need to replace the captains seat...another 200....ding ding ding...$1000!
So there ya go...Seth was right.
But it will be worth it. Weekends on the lake, with family and friends. Swimming, fishing, grilling (yes I am putting a grill on it), and so much more. Come on summer!
My brother in law, Seth, says that boat stands for Bring Out Another Thousand. Well it is so true.
We took it out for a test ride after we bought it...It was about 40 degrees out and the wind cut right through you. Cold to the bone. But we needed to see what it was like. We launched it, headed towards the Main lake, turned right, took it down aways, turned left, and heard crunch...crunch...crunch. Turned it the other way, got it straight, turned again and nothing. We could not turn any more.
Here we are, Shawn, Cam, Alfredo, Mathew, and myself stuck on the lake. Not even close to the shore. We tried to get another person out on the lake fishing to help us but he never even heard us. Shawn managed to get us slightly turned towards the shore. We could go backward and forward, and that was it. He managed to get us close enough to shore where I could jump out and get to shore and get help.
Ice cold lake (hey just because I live in Texas does not mean the water is a balmy 70 degrees all year...it was freezing) and almost up to my knees I waded to the sandy beach. Went to Rick and Peg's house for help. Rick got his boat out of storage and came to our rescue. He towed us back to the dock and helped us get the boat turned around to get it on the trailer.
We got it out and took it straight to Carlson's boat shop. He looked it over and told us it would be about 300-400 to fix the steering however the Transom was rotten. The transom is what holds the motor up. So we got it over to Price's welding. He looked at it and said it would be about 400 to fix it...OK so we are at 800 now.
However, we also need to replace the captains seat...another 200....ding ding ding...$1000!
So there ya go...Seth was right.
But it will be worth it. Weekends on the lake, with family and friends. Swimming, fishing, grilling (yes I am putting a grill on it), and so much more. Come on summer!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Music and Memories
It is funny how it can stop you in your tracks. You are going about your day, doing your thing and all of a sudden a song comes on the radio and it takes you back.
Now it can be a good memory or a bad one. And the funny thing is you can hear that song 100 times before that day and it does not trigger the memory and then, BAM! You are blindsided by a song. Now, I know smells can do the same thing. The smell of popped corn, a roast in the oven, heck even certain cleaning agents will trigger memories for me. But music seems to bring back the strongest memories for me.
Jim Croce's Time in a Bottle brings back memories of my mom holding me and swaying to the music and singing softly.
Guns and Roses Sweet Child of Mine triggers memories of playing pool in a hole in the whole bar somewhere is North west Illinois with Bobby. Which brings back other memories of Bobby...not any of which are good. But the one was. It was a happy time and I thought it was "real". Boy was I wrong.
Just about anything from the Cars brings back memories of lying in the back of my truck in the early spring when the weather is starting to get warm but the air is still crisp at night and the bugs are few. Looking up at the stars and wondering where I was going in life. Yeah, not so sure where I was going but at that time I knew it was better than where I had been. And I was right.
Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper still makes me laugh. Sandy, Holly and I went out for a girls night out and wound up at a bar on rte 72. I think we were the only women in there. Here we were, the 3 of us, On married lady, one just divorced and one slightly pregnant and showing...but we got all of the attention. It was a total moral boost for all of us. They played whatever we wanted on the juke box, They made sure we had drinks all the time...no mind you not one of us was drinking anything harder than colas that night. We were the queens that night and we milked it for all it was worth. And now every time I hear the song I have to laugh to myself. And I still like having that song as a ring tone for my girlfriends.
The mind is a funny thing. Coming up with the most obscure things...distant memories pop into the mind when you least expect them to while listening to the radio. It is amazing how that happens. Music is a powerful tool and it proves it in the most unexpected moments.
Now it can be a good memory or a bad one. And the funny thing is you can hear that song 100 times before that day and it does not trigger the memory and then, BAM! You are blindsided by a song. Now, I know smells can do the same thing. The smell of popped corn, a roast in the oven, heck even certain cleaning agents will trigger memories for me. But music seems to bring back the strongest memories for me.
Jim Croce's Time in a Bottle brings back memories of my mom holding me and swaying to the music and singing softly.
Guns and Roses Sweet Child of Mine triggers memories of playing pool in a hole in the whole bar somewhere is North west Illinois with Bobby. Which brings back other memories of Bobby...not any of which are good. But the one was. It was a happy time and I thought it was "real". Boy was I wrong.
Just about anything from the Cars brings back memories of lying in the back of my truck in the early spring when the weather is starting to get warm but the air is still crisp at night and the bugs are few. Looking up at the stars and wondering where I was going in life. Yeah, not so sure where I was going but at that time I knew it was better than where I had been. And I was right.
Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper still makes me laugh. Sandy, Holly and I went out for a girls night out and wound up at a bar on rte 72. I think we were the only women in there. Here we were, the 3 of us, On married lady, one just divorced and one slightly pregnant and showing...but we got all of the attention. It was a total moral boost for all of us. They played whatever we wanted on the juke box, They made sure we had drinks all the time...no mind you not one of us was drinking anything harder than colas that night. We were the queens that night and we milked it for all it was worth. And now every time I hear the song I have to laugh to myself. And I still like having that song as a ring tone for my girlfriends.
The mind is a funny thing. Coming up with the most obscure things...distant memories pop into the mind when you least expect them to while listening to the radio. It is amazing how that happens. Music is a powerful tool and it proves it in the most unexpected moments.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Broken Bones
When you have kids every day is a crap shoot. They go out, they play, they play sports, the do stupid stunts...
It is no different when you have a 15 year old son who is supposed to know better and be somewhat responsible. You see he has an ATV. A 400 cc monstrosity that my husband decided to buy him if he pulled his grades up one quarter...not keep them up for a year or make A's or B's for the year...but if he pulls it up to at least C's. No I am not bitter...just little irked that he did not think this deal through.
Well my 15 year old is a speed demon. Not much different from his father or his grandmother. The all seem to have a lead foot. Do a little faster than the speed limit. Or as my husband says "I just drive where it is comfortable." And time after time I have told him he needed to slow down. To stop driving like an idiot. Do you think he ever listened?
Yesterday I received a call. "Mom don't be mad at me." Right then and there my heart sank because I knew something was wrong. A bad way to start a conversation. He had an accident. It turns out he was driving down the road and was rounding a corner. He did not see the other car coming the other direction. You see my son was in the middle of the road and not in his lane. He might have been driving fast but he swears he was not. Any how, he swerved to miss the car over corrected and crashed. The ATV landed on top of him.
He gets home barely able to move. Looks like death warmed over. I took one look at him and decided to take him to the hospital. We get there and they do the normal...are you allergic to any medication, have you had any surgeries....The do the battery of movement tests and xrays. We get put back in the exam room about 2 hours later (one good thing about living in a small town...short waits in the emergency room. If we were still in Chicago we would still be waiting.) and the xray tech comes in and hands me a CD of his xrays. I look at this an know right away that this is not good. The Doc comes in and he says..."You have a broken clavicle and a possible broken growth plate in your wrist. It is more than likely broke the way it is lifted up in your xray." He slaps on a brace on his wrist and a sling on his arm to keep it a 90 degree angle and immobile. And he wants to see him back next week to see how he is doing, to make sure that the swelling comes down and see if they will need to put a hard cast on him.
On the way home he thanks me for making him wear a helmet. He thinks that if he did not have one on he would have been hurt worse. I did not tell him I told you so. I told him I am glad he understands why I wanted him to wear one and that I am not just being a crazy mom. OK sometimes I feel like I am. I worry. About him getting hurt. But he is a kid and he will get hurt.
Cam wakes up in extreme pain. Barely can shower. Can not even put on his socks or button his pants. I spread cream cheese on his bagel, pour his milk. I do however make him go to school. Yeah I am a mean mom, but he did do this to himself. And he was capable of walking. But I do feel bad for him. He is in pain. I know that. I feel terrible for him. When he came home he was in even moire pain. I gave him a pain pill and a glass of Chocolate milk. Made him a pizza for dinner and then sent him off to bed. I will always take care of him whenever he needs me. He is my son and I love him. But there are limits.
I know he is going to have a restless sleep even with the pain meds. He can not get comfortable. He leans back his shoulder hurts. He sits up his shoulder hurts. And he has a tendency to sleep on his side and his left shoulder is fractured and his right wrist is broke....it makes it really difficult to sleep.
But broken bones heal. And he will get better ever day. He might not think so but he will.
It is no different when you have a 15 year old son who is supposed to know better and be somewhat responsible. You see he has an ATV. A 400 cc monstrosity that my husband decided to buy him if he pulled his grades up one quarter...not keep them up for a year or make A's or B's for the year...but if he pulls it up to at least C's. No I am not bitter...just little irked that he did not think this deal through.
Well my 15 year old is a speed demon. Not much different from his father or his grandmother. The all seem to have a lead foot. Do a little faster than the speed limit. Or as my husband says "I just drive where it is comfortable." And time after time I have told him he needed to slow down. To stop driving like an idiot. Do you think he ever listened?
Yesterday I received a call. "Mom don't be mad at me." Right then and there my heart sank because I knew something was wrong. A bad way to start a conversation. He had an accident. It turns out he was driving down the road and was rounding a corner. He did not see the other car coming the other direction. You see my son was in the middle of the road and not in his lane. He might have been driving fast but he swears he was not. Any how, he swerved to miss the car over corrected and crashed. The ATV landed on top of him.
He gets home barely able to move. Looks like death warmed over. I took one look at him and decided to take him to the hospital. We get there and they do the normal...are you allergic to any medication, have you had any surgeries....The do the battery of movement tests and xrays. We get put back in the exam room about 2 hours later (one good thing about living in a small town...short waits in the emergency room. If we were still in Chicago we would still be waiting.) and the xray tech comes in and hands me a CD of his xrays. I look at this an know right away that this is not good. The Doc comes in and he says..."You have a broken clavicle and a possible broken growth plate in your wrist. It is more than likely broke the way it is lifted up in your xray." He slaps on a brace on his wrist and a sling on his arm to keep it a 90 degree angle and immobile. And he wants to see him back next week to see how he is doing, to make sure that the swelling comes down and see if they will need to put a hard cast on him.
On the way home he thanks me for making him wear a helmet. He thinks that if he did not have one on he would have been hurt worse. I did not tell him I told you so. I told him I am glad he understands why I wanted him to wear one and that I am not just being a crazy mom. OK sometimes I feel like I am. I worry. About him getting hurt. But he is a kid and he will get hurt.
Cam wakes up in extreme pain. Barely can shower. Can not even put on his socks or button his pants. I spread cream cheese on his bagel, pour his milk. I do however make him go to school. Yeah I am a mean mom, but he did do this to himself. And he was capable of walking. But I do feel bad for him. He is in pain. I know that. I feel terrible for him. When he came home he was in even moire pain. I gave him a pain pill and a glass of Chocolate milk. Made him a pizza for dinner and then sent him off to bed. I will always take care of him whenever he needs me. He is my son and I love him. But there are limits.
I know he is going to have a restless sleep even with the pain meds. He can not get comfortable. He leans back his shoulder hurts. He sits up his shoulder hurts. And he has a tendency to sleep on his side and his left shoulder is fractured and his right wrist is broke....it makes it really difficult to sleep.
But broken bones heal. And he will get better ever day. He might not think so but he will.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Dancing
There are some thing that I do and I do well...and there are some things I do that I love to do and really do not do well but will do it anyway.
That is dancing.
I love to go out and dance. I will dance with anyone. And yes my husband does not mind as long as I know who I am going home with or to. Now there is a new place in town called the Pickin Palace. They have food, music and dancing. I love to go on Saturday night and listen to the music. And maybe I will get the chance to dance. Sometimes I dance with Don. He just loves to get up and shake his thing. He is fun to dance with. Last night he was there but he brought a "Friend". She was beautiful. Is Beautiful. From Costa Rica. I am happy for him. But I lost my partner for the night.
But that is Ok...I had a new one. Now my husband was there. And JD asked me if he would mind. I laughed and said not at all. JD is a great dancer. He is full of energy. And extremely hard to keep up with. He is also 90 years old. He celebrated his 90th birthday in September and he is still going. We danced several dances together. And he was not even breathing heavy but, I on the other hand, was sucking wind. He was just plain fun to talk to and to dance with.
Now do not get me wrong, I did dance with my husband. We did a slow dance. But he really can dance. And he is not happy when I have a hard time following. I would love to take dance lessons to learn how to do the dance steps. But I do live in the middle of nowhere and there are no dance studios. Plus Shawn is an over the road truck driver. And getting lessons when he is home would be hard to plan. Of course I would want to take lessons with him.
So I dance. Not great at it. But I do shake my own thing to the music and love every minute of it.
That is dancing.
I love to go out and dance. I will dance with anyone. And yes my husband does not mind as long as I know who I am going home with or to. Now there is a new place in town called the Pickin Palace. They have food, music and dancing. I love to go on Saturday night and listen to the music. And maybe I will get the chance to dance. Sometimes I dance with Don. He just loves to get up and shake his thing. He is fun to dance with. Last night he was there but he brought a "Friend". She was beautiful. Is Beautiful. From Costa Rica. I am happy for him. But I lost my partner for the night.
But that is Ok...I had a new one. Now my husband was there. And JD asked me if he would mind. I laughed and said not at all. JD is a great dancer. He is full of energy. And extremely hard to keep up with. He is also 90 years old. He celebrated his 90th birthday in September and he is still going. We danced several dances together. And he was not even breathing heavy but, I on the other hand, was sucking wind. He was just plain fun to talk to and to dance with.
Now do not get me wrong, I did dance with my husband. We did a slow dance. But he really can dance. And he is not happy when I have a hard time following. I would love to take dance lessons to learn how to do the dance steps. But I do live in the middle of nowhere and there are no dance studios. Plus Shawn is an over the road truck driver. And getting lessons when he is home would be hard to plan. Of course I would want to take lessons with him.
So I dance. Not great at it. But I do shake my own thing to the music and love every minute of it.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Donkey Basketball
OK so when you live in a small town sometimes finding entertainment is not an easy thing. But when something does come up you kind of jump at the chance to go. Tonight happened to be Donkey Basketball. The Hemphill Booster club wanted to raise money for their scholarships for students in athletics. So this was the brain child of Stacey.
Stacey saw this once a few years back at another school and thought it would go over well here. She contacted the person that coordinated it at that school and was told they made a ton of money. A ton equals over 4 thousand. That is a ton to a small town. She got the particulars and brought it to the booster club meeting and they voted and it was a definite Yes.
Stacey sent me an email asking if I would be able to help out. I told her I would love to so I was placed in charge of the ticket sales at the door.
I got there at 5:20 PM ready to go. The game did not start until 6:30 so I thought I would have a little peace before things started to pick up. I was wrong. It started right off. People were coming and coming and coming. And I had no help. One of the other ladies saw the mass at the door and was gracious enough to come and help me.
Lets put it this way...I really did not see the first half of the game. The stream of people did not stop. They just kept coming. I did hear the laughter and Ohh's from the crowd though. Every time I would look over to see on of the riders on the floor after being thrown off, bucked off or just plain fallen off their gallant stead.
At half time I took the money bag and counted the nights take. Any one who decided to come after I left my post received the gift of the second half of the game for free. I sold 108 tickets at the door. And took in over 250 pre-sold tickets from people. No for a little town that is pretty darn good. All in all we took in over $2100. And that is not including the concession stands earnings.
I did manage to to see the last quarter of the game. There was one donkey that just decided he was not going to do any more. The rider tried and tried to get the animal to go but he was not going to budge at all. The rider even got off and tried to give him a push but the donkey was having none of that. And not to mention a few that were thrown off because their donkeys were just rebellious and decided to buck.
Now the riders were the coaches from Hemphill High against I really do not know who they were. But they all played a very good game. Well for being on the back of a donkey trying to shoot baskets. I will not mention the fact that the Basketball coach could not make a single basket. Oh wait, I did mention it. Yes it is true. Every shot he attempted missed the basket by miles. My son actually got a kick out of this. Since this is his Drivers ed teacher.
So if you ever have the opportunity to see a donkey basketball game I do recommend it. It is a real hoot. Plus you might also be contributing to a good cause.
Stacey saw this once a few years back at another school and thought it would go over well here. She contacted the person that coordinated it at that school and was told they made a ton of money. A ton equals over 4 thousand. That is a ton to a small town. She got the particulars and brought it to the booster club meeting and they voted and it was a definite Yes.
Stacey sent me an email asking if I would be able to help out. I told her I would love to so I was placed in charge of the ticket sales at the door.
I got there at 5:20 PM ready to go. The game did not start until 6:30 so I thought I would have a little peace before things started to pick up. I was wrong. It started right off. People were coming and coming and coming. And I had no help. One of the other ladies saw the mass at the door and was gracious enough to come and help me.
Lets put it this way...I really did not see the first half of the game. The stream of people did not stop. They just kept coming. I did hear the laughter and Ohh's from the crowd though. Every time I would look over to see on of the riders on the floor after being thrown off, bucked off or just plain fallen off their gallant stead.
At half time I took the money bag and counted the nights take. Any one who decided to come after I left my post received the gift of the second half of the game for free. I sold 108 tickets at the door. And took in over 250 pre-sold tickets from people. No for a little town that is pretty darn good. All in all we took in over $2100. And that is not including the concession stands earnings.
I did manage to to see the last quarter of the game. There was one donkey that just decided he was not going to do any more. The rider tried and tried to get the animal to go but he was not going to budge at all. The rider even got off and tried to give him a push but the donkey was having none of that. And not to mention a few that were thrown off because their donkeys were just rebellious and decided to buck.
Now the riders were the coaches from Hemphill High against I really do not know who they were. But they all played a very good game. Well for being on the back of a donkey trying to shoot baskets. I will not mention the fact that the Basketball coach could not make a single basket. Oh wait, I did mention it. Yes it is true. Every shot he attempted missed the basket by miles. My son actually got a kick out of this. Since this is his Drivers ed teacher.
So if you ever have the opportunity to see a donkey basketball game I do recommend it. It is a real hoot. Plus you might also be contributing to a good cause.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Wildlife
So today I was looking out of my window and saw a woodpecker on the tree. Now this was a Woody Woodpecker Woodpecker. He was beautiful. See them in the winter and early spring. The stop by to say hi on their migration south for the winter.
Living in the middle of no where you see all sorts of wild things. It is kinda cool and I love it. My favorite is my owl...and yes he is my owl. He is a great horned owl and comes to my property in the spring but I hear him sometime early in the morning in the winter. My son said "Mom you cannot own the owl he is not yours." well yeah but I love that owl and I love listening to him and I think he comes to the trees in the back yard to serenade me...lol. And yes he serenades me..Hoots and flies overhead. He is beautiful.
The other great birds of prey I see are Hawks and Bald Eagles. They fly over with full wing span and cast shadows down below it it very impressive. But there are egrets, pelicans, cranes, blue jays (plus other jays), cardinals and so so many more.
But those are just the birds. The hill that I live on used to be called fox ridge...and you should know that it does live up to its name. There is a fox (or maybe there are more) that comes by every now and then, Deer of course. Coyotes. And believe it or not I actually saw a Bobcat. Now I have heard rummer that there is a black panther in the are and also a bear. But I have not seen them.
Now, I have heard a boar. I have not seen them but I have definitely heard them. I was working late and it was really dark out and I head it squealing.
I have no neighbors and a lot of woods so it is ideal for seeing all kinds of wildlife.
Now on Saturday night the wildlife gets a little wilder. There is a new place in town called the Pickin' Palace. Of course I live in a dry town so of course they do not server alcohol but you can BYOB. They have a live band and you BYOB. And things seem to get a little fun the later the night gets the more fun it gets. Always have had a great time going there on Saturdays...might have to go out this Saturday to see the wildlife in action again.
Living in the middle of no where you see all sorts of wild things. It is kinda cool and I love it. My favorite is my owl...and yes he is my owl. He is a great horned owl and comes to my property in the spring but I hear him sometime early in the morning in the winter. My son said "Mom you cannot own the owl he is not yours." well yeah but I love that owl and I love listening to him and I think he comes to the trees in the back yard to serenade me...lol. And yes he serenades me..Hoots and flies overhead. He is beautiful.
The other great birds of prey I see are Hawks and Bald Eagles. They fly over with full wing span and cast shadows down below it it very impressive. But there are egrets, pelicans, cranes, blue jays (plus other jays), cardinals and so so many more.
But those are just the birds. The hill that I live on used to be called fox ridge...and you should know that it does live up to its name. There is a fox (or maybe there are more) that comes by every now and then, Deer of course. Coyotes. And believe it or not I actually saw a Bobcat. Now I have heard rummer that there is a black panther in the are and also a bear. But I have not seen them.
Now, I have heard a boar. I have not seen them but I have definitely heard them. I was working late and it was really dark out and I head it squealing.
I have no neighbors and a lot of woods so it is ideal for seeing all kinds of wildlife.
Now on Saturday night the wildlife gets a little wilder. There is a new place in town called the Pickin' Palace. Of course I live in a dry town so of course they do not server alcohol but you can BYOB. They have a live band and you BYOB. And things seem to get a little fun the later the night gets the more fun it gets. Always have had a great time going there on Saturdays...might have to go out this Saturday to see the wildlife in action again.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Music lessons
So life in a small town has very few things to keep you busy. In Texas Football is king. you go to the field in the fall and root for your team...but when the season is over there is hunting, fishing and nothing much else to do.
So when you get a new music store that opens up in town that offers lessons...you kinda go for it. So I sign my son up for that.
I bought him a guitar a year ago Christmas. I even bought him music lessons on video. But he never did anything with it. So one on one lessons seemed like the way to go.
He had his first lesson was this evening and he actually enjoyed it. He learned the frets, finger numbers and string numbers. And he actually learned 2 chords. And the instructor thought he did very well. Gave great praise...just what a 15 year old needs to hear.
I wait with baited breathe to see if he will actually continue with this or this will go the way of the piano lessons, the rock collection, and various other endeavors.
So when you get a new music store that opens up in town that offers lessons...you kinda go for it. So I sign my son up for that.
I bought him a guitar a year ago Christmas. I even bought him music lessons on video. But he never did anything with it. So one on one lessons seemed like the way to go.
He had his first lesson was this evening and he actually enjoyed it. He learned the frets, finger numbers and string numbers. And he actually learned 2 chords. And the instructor thought he did very well. Gave great praise...just what a 15 year old needs to hear.
I wait with baited breathe to see if he will actually continue with this or this will go the way of the piano lessons, the rock collection, and various other endeavors.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Grill Mexican Chicken Salad
I tried this on on my family the other day and it really hit the spot. And it is good for you to boot (do not tell my son).
4 Chicken Breasts
Lime Juice
Taco Seasoning (see my earlier post)
1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Mexican Corn, drained (you can use regular sweet corn)
2 avocados, diced
1 Mango, diced
1 bag mixed greens
Salsa
Marinade chicken breasts in lime juice, 1-4 hours. Remove and discard juice. Sprinkle with taco seasoning. Grill until no longer pink. Remove and slice into thin strips. Mix corn and black beans. Place mixed greens onto plate, top with Bean/corn mix, add mango and avocado. Use Salsa as dressing.
4 Chicken Breasts
Lime Juice
Taco Seasoning (see my earlier post)
1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Mexican Corn, drained (you can use regular sweet corn)
2 avocados, diced
1 Mango, diced
1 bag mixed greens
Salsa
Marinade chicken breasts in lime juice, 1-4 hours. Remove and discard juice. Sprinkle with taco seasoning. Grill until no longer pink. Remove and slice into thin strips. Mix corn and black beans. Place mixed greens onto plate, top with Bean/corn mix, add mango and avocado. Use Salsa as dressing.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Eating Right
When you work, have a family, clean the house, do the shopping, pay the bills...well you get the picture...It is hard to eat right.
I try to make nutritious meals but sometimes doing the quick thing is the easiest. But quick sometimes means High Fat, Calories, and Salt and very little nutritional value.
Now doing the quick thing is not a bad thing. But doing it often is. There are nights that we do finger foods. These are in the frozen food isle and are things like mini tacos and potato skins. Yeah these things are not good for us. They are quick, and OK I admit it, they taste good.
If you want to eat healthier or even try to lose a few pounds denying yourself will only kill your goals. The idea is to have a little and do not over indulge. So every now and then it is OK to have a small piece of cake. Or go out to eat at your favorite restaurant, skip the appetizers and share your dessert. (that is my favorite way to cut down on calories).
I hope to post some tips that might help you (and that have worked for me) and maybe learn a few things in the process.
I try to make nutritious meals but sometimes doing the quick thing is the easiest. But quick sometimes means High Fat, Calories, and Salt and very little nutritional value.
Now doing the quick thing is not a bad thing. But doing it often is. There are nights that we do finger foods. These are in the frozen food isle and are things like mini tacos and potato skins. Yeah these things are not good for us. They are quick, and OK I admit it, they taste good.
If you want to eat healthier or even try to lose a few pounds denying yourself will only kill your goals. The idea is to have a little and do not over indulge. So every now and then it is OK to have a small piece of cake. Or go out to eat at your favorite restaurant, skip the appetizers and share your dessert. (that is my favorite way to cut down on calories).
I hope to post some tips that might help you (and that have worked for me) and maybe learn a few things in the process.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Hectic Hectic Hectic
Wow working from home can be really hectic. It is so hard and really tempting to do house work that needs to be done. You sneak away for a few minutes to throw a load in the wash or dryer but I really want to take the day of to get the rest of the house clean as well. I know that will be frowned on.
I really think it is amusing when I tell people I work out of my house that they think I have time to do everything else as well. I work a full time job. I have set hours I must work. I can not drop everything to run out and this and that.
But honestly I would not trade this for traffic, office gossip or bad office coffee. I am happy right where I am.
I really think it is amusing when I tell people I work out of my house that they think I have time to do everything else as well. I work a full time job. I have set hours I must work. I can not drop everything to run out and this and that.
But honestly I would not trade this for traffic, office gossip or bad office coffee. I am happy right where I am.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Monday Menu
So, living far away from all the restaurants and fast food joints it makes eating at home a necessity. Plus the economy has been lousy so eating at home makes more sense. But I work a full time job and sometimes I need to do quick dinners. But I like taste too.
So I have decided to share a recipe or two with all of you.
This first one is actually to make Taco seasoning. It can be used it a multitude of different other recipes. And it is easy and cheaper than buying it from the store. And honestly I like the taste of this one better than most of the store. You can make it mild or spicy or in between.
Taco Seasoning
1 Tbs. Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Garilc Powder
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper
In a small container mix everything together. Store in an air tight container for up to 6 months.
Notes: This makes a meduim heat Taco Seasoning. If you want a milder seasoning reduce the Crushed Red Pepper Flakes. If you want it hotter add more.
If you do not have Sea Salt you can use regular salt, but reduce it by about 1/8 tsp.
Hold on to this recipe because it can be used in other recipes that require Taco Seasoning.
Enjoy!
So I have decided to share a recipe or two with all of you.
This first one is actually to make Taco seasoning. It can be used it a multitude of different other recipes. And it is easy and cheaper than buying it from the store. And honestly I like the taste of this one better than most of the store. You can make it mild or spicy or in between.
Taco Seasoning
1 Tbs. Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Garilc Powder
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper
In a small container mix everything together. Store in an air tight container for up to 6 months.
Notes: This makes a meduim heat Taco Seasoning. If you want a milder seasoning reduce the Crushed Red Pepper Flakes. If you want it hotter add more.
If you do not have Sea Salt you can use regular salt, but reduce it by about 1/8 tsp.
Hold on to this recipe because it can be used in other recipes that require Taco Seasoning.
Enjoy!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Hello All
Welcome,
My name is Melinda. I am a married mother of 1 who, one day, got tired of the city life and moved to the country. OK so I do miss a lot of things about the Chicago area. Chinese food, fast food, museums close by and the such. However I do not miss the traffic, drive by shooting (and yes Lansing IL had a few of those), the very noticeable drugs and the schools.
But here in Hemphill, TX we are doing just fine and adjusting. We do not have close fast food places. The nearest McDonald's is 45 minutes away. And the nearest big city is Houston which is about a 3 hour drive. But living in a very small town (pop. 1100) has its benefits.
I know my neighbors. My son is in a school where the class size is about 20 per class and he is is doing great. He is on the football team and gets a lot of play time. I see a lot of wildlife. we live by a lake which is fun to go play on. It is warm pretty much all year with only a little bit of cold time. I could go on and on.
So I am blogging my life here in itty bitty vs. the big ole city. About what I am learning and where I might be going.
Take care,
Melinda
My name is Melinda. I am a married mother of 1 who, one day, got tired of the city life and moved to the country. OK so I do miss a lot of things about the Chicago area. Chinese food, fast food, museums close by and the such. However I do not miss the traffic, drive by shooting (and yes Lansing IL had a few of those), the very noticeable drugs and the schools.
But here in Hemphill, TX we are doing just fine and adjusting. We do not have close fast food places. The nearest McDonald's is 45 minutes away. And the nearest big city is Houston which is about a 3 hour drive. But living in a very small town (pop. 1100) has its benefits.
I know my neighbors. My son is in a school where the class size is about 20 per class and he is is doing great. He is on the football team and gets a lot of play time. I see a lot of wildlife. we live by a lake which is fun to go play on. It is warm pretty much all year with only a little bit of cold time. I could go on and on.
So I am blogging my life here in itty bitty vs. the big ole city. About what I am learning and where I might be going.
Take care,
Melinda
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