HURRICANE EARL

Hurricane Earl is barrelling toward the US east coast. My heart goes out to those folks that are going about their lives today with such an awful threat in their near future. Waiting for a disaster to appear is nerve wracking to say the least. Unlike when a tornado forms, hurricane time involves days!

We packed up for evacuation twice while living near Savannah. I don't remember the names of those particular winds, but I will never forget the preparation for their arrival.

Days of warning and watching the weather news was surreal. Everyone knew that total devastation was possible while hoping that the global winds would send the hurricane in another direction. All experts declared that it was headed straight for our area.

I walked around the house asking myself, "what can I NOT live without" The answer to that question amazed me as I started taking family pictures off the walls and started wrapping up crystal and china. My car was loaded down quickly and I hadn't even started on clothes or necessities such as water and granola bars!

Honeybuns came home from work after stopping by the lumber yard with several sheets of plywood. He set up the table saw on the driveway and proceeded cutting protective boards to nail up to all the windows. That's what people on the coast do, you know!
That project took hours and hours. While he sawed, I saw many more items I just HAD to get into that car to carry NORTH AND EAST. We worked and perspired into the night.

The rain started coming...SIDEWAYS. That's called the "outer bands" of rain and a sure sign that the eye was getting closer by the hour. Police cars were slowly patrolling through the neighborhood warning those who were still home to "EVACUATE NOW, EVACUATE NOW!" Many had already boarded up and locked up and had been gone for days. Our college son in Texas called to tell us that he was watching the cloud hover near Savannah on the Internet and yelled into the phone, "get out now!" I assured him we were alright and we would call him when the winds had passed by.

It was late and we were exhausted when we looked at each other and said..."we can't do this." The windows were protected, the car was packed up and gassed up and we fell into the bed wiped out! Death by storm sounded like a relief of sorts.

The next morning we woke up to sunshine and dry land...ALIVE! The headlines of the local newspaper declared that the storm had "WINKED" and taken a turn north, missing our town. What a wonderful relief!

I write all that to publicly admit our stupidity. Hurricanes Katrina & Rita have since convinced everyone that "riding it out" is absolutely foolish and irresponsible! And often deadly.

We faced another hurricane after that one with a much wiser attitude that all experienced coastal dwellers embrace. It goes like this, "Put the kids and the dog in the car, drive away, and don't look back." That is SO WISE. Betting on the severity of a hurricane is ridiculous and thinking that staying will protect STUFF is equally stupid.

Spending a couple of days/nights at a motel NORTH AND EAST of the beach can be a pleasant spontaneous mini-vacation. Stuff is meaningless when compared to life.

Today I join my beach friends and say "GOODBYE, EARL" in true Dixie Chick fashion. We've got space if anybody needs a room for a few days.

BED, BREAKFAST & BARN

I don't do cows..pigs..chickens....gardens....or home made bread! BUT, in this months Southern Living they featured articles about several farmers that had decided to open their homes, land and barns to the public. Yep, a Bed, Breakfast and Barn idea. City Slickers are actually paying to visit a working farm for a week or so at a time.

What a concept! Families are actually spending vacation days to get back to nature via these innovative farmers scattered throughout the South. Children and grown-ups alike can watch an egg plop right out of a chicken and then eat it for breakfast. They can feed the cows, slop the pigs and drive the tractor at their leisure. The article made it sound like a Normal Rockwell painting come to life.

After sharing this new concept with Honeybuns his eyes lit up! He proceeded to dream aloud! Since he still has part ownership to the family farm in central Illinois he decided that this new concept of vacationing city slicers was right up his corn row! It took about 1/2 hour for him to visualize a new farm house, bunk house, barn, herd, flock and bank account. To hear him tell it this new idea was sent from heaven above. He seemed to think that this would be a great "retirement" plan for the two of us...nevermind that retirement for him might be when he's 84! How does a senior citizen feed chickens from a wheel chair, or plant corn with a walker?

He continued by saying that the boys and their wives and children could participate, too. It could be a revival of the Waltons! Jamie and Nancy could teach the paying guests how to quilt or demonstrate how to put-up pickles! The grandchildren could milk the cows! We would involve the whole family, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters and cousins. He would invite corporate friends to hunt deer and turkeys and charge them dearly for the right to do so. We could offer day trips to New Salem, IL to visit Abe Lincolns town or Hannibal, MO to learn about Mark Twain and Huck Finn. A trip to St. Louis for a Cardinals game would also be included in the buffet of choices.

Let's not forget the fact that I don't do cows, pigs, chickens, gardens or homemade bread! Minor details!! The "city slickers" would be doing all the work and paying us for the privilege!

I stepped into his dream for about 2 1/2 minutes. I would LOVE living on "Walton's Mountain," with everyone I love near by.... but lots of hard, hard work and tons of money would be needed to make it happen. Not to mention the cooperation of about 50 family members!

His bubble was popped with a strong dose of reality....

And I'm canceling my subscription to Southern Living!

BETTER PAY ATTENTION

The purpose of the trip was to give a group of women a "day away" from the house, the kids, the husband and all domestic and professional duties. What a great idea, right? Much planning had been accomplished by the church Women's Ministry Committee.
It was certain to be a roaring success.

Many ladies registered, babysitters and husbands were given their orders. The chartered bus loaded up for the "surprise destination" amidst speculation of where they were going for the day. They were promised that the trip would not be long and that the experience would be pleasant.

It was only a short distance between the church parking lot and their first stop. The bus pulled into the STRIP mall for the first treat of the day. The sign read: Massage Parlor! Yep, it was going to be the day for muscles to relax and pent up stress to be released. The women would return home ready to face anything!

The group filed into the lavishly decorated offices and were given instructions. They were to enter the individual treatment areas and wait for their therapists.
Anticipation was great! Some had never been to such an establishment and did not know what to expect.

One professional therapist entered her room to greet her client only to find the "church lady" sitting there patiently shivering... in her birthday suit. Yep, no clothes, not one stitch, completely naked! Stripping seemed to be the appropriate thing to do, this WAS a massage parlor. She had somehow missed the bus announcement that the purpose of the day was for each to receive a HAND MASSAGE!

Well, no harm done except maybe to that gals sense of dignity.

It's a reminder for me to "listen up", sometimes people giving instructions DO say something worth hearing.

FRONTPORCH

When I take a few moments to dream, I visualize us adding a front porch onto the house! Nevermind that it is not designed for such an addition and that it would probably cost a ka-billion dollars! I MISS front porches. (Honeybuns has pretty much promised that our next house will have one already installed!)

Younger folks probably do not understand the significance of such an outdoor room because most have never experienced it. Our boys certainly do not grasp it's importance. That's one childhood memory they will never pull out and examine.

My childhood home had one and we lived life on it, probably at the enjoyment of the neighbors. Free entertainment. It was pretty small and was furnished by an old green wooden swing and a couple of old 50's style iron lawn chairs. You know the kind, they're called "retro" now.

The porch was an important living space for that very small concrete house. As young girls my sister and I played house there, learned to sing old fun songs from Granny while swinging, styled and sometimes cut our hair, played our tiny record player and danced and most importantly practiced the art of conversation. In the summer it was too hot to remain indoors, no A/C, so evenings were spent looking at the stars from the front step. In the winter the sun on the concrete melted the snow quickly and it was a perfect napping place for various cats and dogs we owned. Lots of laughter, sharing news and ideas and much needed counseling occurred right out there in view of God and everyone. Friends, relatives and neighbors were very welcome and shared the space from time to time. When the uncles came it was a stage for their band, when I misbehaved it was a place to pout.

Statistics and developers have learned that the disappearance of the front porch has had a direct effect on the closeness of a community. We've all moved to the back patio. And BECAUSE the patio is on the backside of the house we've isolated ourselves from our neighbors. We're protected from prying eyes and we're staring at our 6 ft. board fences. We drive into the garage, put down the door and proceed to our private place. Evidently at one time that was considered a good thing.

Smart investors have for a while now started developing entire communities with houses built close to the front sidewalks and wide open front porches. People walking their dogs can wave and share a bit of news, children are seen and heard, & old people in their rocking chairs are included in the mix.

It's just too hard and expensive to renovate the houses that already exist without them.

But...I'm encouraged. We social creatures always find a way, don't we?

FACEBOOK! It's the new FRONTPORCH and I love it. FB is the new FP and is saving Honeybuns a ton of money. Technology, don't you just love it!

JUMPING OFF A MOUNTAIN???

Sometimes I doubt my parenting skills, but it's a little too late to do anything about it, I suppose. What's done is done and there's no turning back!!

We just got a Skype call from Philip, he's in Brazil! He's working on an international financial deal that I cannot even begin to understand, but his main reason to call was to share pictures and the story of his latest adventure.

Yes, that is our youngest son, hanging by a skimpy harness from a glider. The guy with him is the owner of the business. The marketable service that business provides is the thrill of jumping off a mountain, sailing around at the whim of the wind for a few minutes and then landing upright on a beach. It is true, there are people lining up with their money in hand for that privilege.

This is beyond my comprehension. I run or jog ONLY if there is someone chasing me with a knife. I view NY from the Empire State Building ONLY because of peer pressure.
I ride the high rides at Disney World ONLY to please a grandchild. There is NO way I would jump off a cliff, in a foreign country with just a tiny rope and a web strap as my security.

My sons are made of different genes.

The (crazy) owner of the glider instructed Philip to strap in, hang on and run AS FAST AS YOU CAN RUN off the wooden bridge. OFF THE BRIDGE! INTO THIN AIR!

And he did it!

Evidently the sight was glorious and a memory was made!

My parental instincts urge me to "ground him", "take away his car keys", or "make him vacuum the house for a month!" BUT, how do you tell a grown son that he'd just made a very dangerous decision?

I am truly in the position of giving advice only when asked! And he didn't ask!
That's why we heard about this AFTER the fact!

He had the time of his life!

Maybe we didn't fail after all! Maybe we succeeded! I am so PROUD of him for being brave and experiencing life without fear!

THE FAMILY TREE

Curiosity won! Because I love a good puzzle or a "whodunit" book, movie or TV show it had to happen eventually. I confess, I signed up for Ancestry.com. Yep, that website that I suspected to be a scam took my money, my time, and my mental thought processes for days.

And wow, it's been an interesting puzzle.

It starts out simple enough. You add your own name and the name of known ancestors to the family tree. As the limbs branch out more names are added. There are official documents, faced pictures from an unknown relatives closet, ship manifests, U.S. census results, land purchases, and cemetery records. Oh, my. It IS a little overwhelming, but the dates and places coincide with family lore and it seems plausible.

AND ADDICTIVE!

So far I've learned that my precious grandmother had a sister that died of scarlet fever at age 15. She never mentioned her. Another baby sister lived only three months. Grandpa had a famous relative named Hezekiah South Alexander who actually has a statue of himself planted somewhere in Charleston, SC. Who knew? I doubt Grandpa knew. Hezekiahs ancestors hailed from Scotland where a castle is still located. King Robert Stewart III reigned from that grassy knoll, there are pictures! That tree also includes limbs described as illiterate, divorced, and a murderer or two. There's some in every family, right?

Dad's side of the family is just as diverse. Grandpa Thompson actually crossed the ocean and was processed at Ellis Island. He had to declare his final destination in his new land. That branch ended up in the UP of Michigan. He went there because a friend from his home town in Finland thought it was the place for Finnish people to be. Grandpa's name was NOT Thompson at that time. He changed it AFTER settling in Michigan because his Finnish name was nearly impossible to pronounce. (I reveal that name to close blood relatives only!)

Click after click placed me farther and farther back in time. The farther back the branches reached the more far fetched the stories. Who kept records in the 1200's?
Did those old folks realize that one day far into the future there would be an Ancestry.com interested in all those details?

I think that at last click I'd reached 70 BC with a guy named Titus that lived in Rome. He showed up hours after King Arthur! KING ARTHUR? Are you kidding me?

Well, the moral of the story is that all interested folks WILL eventually click themselves to the same part of this planet. Sooner or later we'll all be reading about life in the garden with Great, great, great, etc. ADAM....and Great, great, great, etc. EVE.

Now that I've come to that conclusion, I think I'm done. I don't want stacks of documents, pictures, forms, ships manifests and US Census reports taking up room in my office closet. The information I've found is absolutely useless, of no value whatsoever. Who cares if my ancestor was a King, a prophet, or a pauper? No body in this household.

Evidently Ancestry.com is a recreational sport. It's a time-sucker for a hot, muggy, August day in OK.

JOY OF THE JOURNEY

The pilot was making his final approach to the runway at Little Rock when our 10 year old son popped his head up three rows in front of me. He turned and our eyes met and he shouted for all to hear, "MOM, He's puttin' it in the river!" Seconds later we all felt the thrust of the engines as the plane lifted toward the sun rather than downward toward the tarmac. The pilot came on the loudspeaker to let us know of the change in plans, "Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to circle around and make another approach, there is traffic on the runway." There was NO traffic on the runway, he actually WAS "puttin' it in the river."

Airplanes are a thrill a minute! I'd much rather spend travel time on one than in a car/truck/train/bicycle/or boat! Well, maybe not boat. I love boats, too.

Most rides through the sky are pretty mundane, but every once in a while a memory is made. And since we've spent our entire "career" in the business we've got lots of those.

Philip knew that flight was on a crash course because we'd landed in Little Rock hundreds of times. The view coming down was always the same. We knew every rooftop, pond, pool, and blade of grass that preceded landing. Crossing the Arkansas river was the last landmark before touchdown. I'm thinking that we had a pilot "in training" on that particular day.

So far in our log of flight memories there have been other near misses, mechanical failures, crying babies, crying seat mates, leg cramps, drunks, spilled drinks and tossed cookies. (literally)

BUT....the fun and convenience outweighs the bad.

There WAS the time I shared fried chicken with a drop dead gorgeous young banker executive from Denver. When it came time for a napkin, he insisted that I wipe my chicken fingers on his blue jeans. What a gentleman! If that flight had lasted longer I would have had to put him on my Christmas card list.

Then there was the time I sat next to Ray Stedman, famous Bible scholar, teacher and author. What a wise and lovely man.

Playing gin with Honeybuns on the flight to Hawaii was fabulous, and sleeping on his shoulder as we flew over the Atlantic to Israel must be mentioned.

Once while traveling with my dog I made 8 new friends and learned of their own puppies brilliant characteristics on the leg from Little Rock to Savannah, GA. Honeybuns was shocked as I introduced him to all of them as we de-planed. There was the guy that owned the lab, the lady that raised poodles, the elderly woman that loved her collie and on it went. If you want attention, just take a dog on an airplane. Size matters, the carrier must fit UNDER the seat and it'll cost you dearly!

And short-term flight friendships are very interesting. I'm amazed at what is revealed and openly discussed with complete strangers that just happen to be seated next to each other on an airplane. The depth of those conversations occur quickly and are intense. Do I have a sign on my forehead that reads, "you can tell me anything and I'll listen?" Evidently there is safety in knowing that you'll never see me again and it is therapeutic to "unload." People are VERY interesting.

I knit on airplanes, too. It is amazing that those long #15 inch metal needles are allowed onboard. I'm always ready to surrender them but no one ever questions this granny. There is no doubt that they could be qualified as a weapon in the right hands. Evidently my hands look safe!

The joy of the journey is as thrilling as arriving at your destination (on time and quickly.)

I think I'll go pack! There's another memory out there in the making!

KIDS SAY....

I was taking my young granddaughters to the public restroom at a favorite restaurant this past weekend. The conversation went like this:
Me, "Girls, be sure and lock the door behind you so you won't be surprised by someone coming in."
Gracie, "BeBe, once Mommy forgot to lock the door and she got sawed."
Me, "Sawed?"
Gracie, "YES, a lady opened the door and saw her."

Another conversation.

Me, "Gracie, you've lost BOTH of your front teeth! Did the tooth fairy visit you?"
Gracie, "YES, I got $10.00 for the first one that came out and $5.00 for the other one."
Me, "Why did you get $10.00 for one and only $5.00 for the other one?"
Gracie, sadly...."I didn't brush the second one so good."

And another.

Gracie, "BeBe, I think we'll need FIVE boxes of candles for YOUR birthday cake."
Me, "not quite!"

PERSERVERANCE AND POWER

Farewell! It was a great party thrown to honor a Japanese colleague that is heading HOME to Japan.

Last Friday night at a hotel ballroom in Dallas speeches were given, cards were signed, gifts were offered and exotic food was consumed. It was a "retirement" party for an aviation co-hort. Noel T. has been in the US for 15 years and now the parent company is re-locating him back to the land of the rising sun. The atmosphere was elegant and gracious but could not begin to match the eloquence of the guest of honor as he spoke. With his warm smile and happy eyes, in his soft voice he reminded his many long-time friends why he'd been so successful in his adopted country.

For years now he has been the inspiration behind his team which led his company to receive highest honors given in the industry. His simple philosophy brought laughter to the room, "if you lose power, your airplane will fall out of the sky."
And, "there are people depending upon that plane staying IN the sky."

As we Americans would say, "well, duh!!"

He went on to explain how that very simple philosophy would carry him through the next phase of life. He's planning to be very busy and no doubt very successful in his golden years. Now, his vision and his power is focused on "giving back to the community." His neighbors in Japan will be blessed. I think he's been "giving to the community" all his life. The respect and unity of his company's employees attested to that fact. He is much adored.

As this elder philosopher leaves us, his new younger replacement is moving to town. He too is gracious and in his elementary English introduced his kimono glad wife. She doesn't speak a word of English. They're leaving everything familiar and entering into the Dallas treadmill of life.

They seemed excited about their new assignment and ready to tackle American culture. Evidently their eyes are wide open to the challenges ahead.

I can't imagine entering the work force in a country that doesn't speak my language or where I must look up to everyone taller than me to even try to communicate. How about getting a drivers license at the DMV? Buying a house? Learning to read labels at the super-center? Missing family that is a world away? Navigating an iphone?
Shopping in the materialist capital of the universe? Understanding slang? TV commercials? Making an appointment with a dentist? Oh, my!

I'm afraid I would "lose power" quickly and fail the people depending upon me.

These lovely people are brave pioneers. I wish them well! WELCOME.

ONCE-A-MONTH COOKING

Have you heard of this concept? I tried it, ONCE! The plan is to buy, prepare, cook and freeze enough food in ONE day that will last the family a whole month. There would be entrees to thaw out and enjoy for every day of the 30.

I bought the book, read it through, made the grocery list and headed for the supermarket. It took two buggy's to carry my supplies to the check-out. Evidently the store manager thought it strange also because he needed to investigate me and my credit rating before allowing me out of the store. (He was sure I was feeding an underground militia and therefore homeland security was involved!) I've never hauled so many groceries to my car, ever! It was an awesome sight!

Cook-day arrived and there was excitement in the air. The boys had never seen such action in the kitchen. The pans and pots were lined up, the book opened to "step 1" and all that food, exotic spices and plastic freezer bags were ready.

I sliced, diced, and boiled all day long.

After about 8 hours of mimicking Julia Childs I was getting weary of the whole mess. And it WAS a mess. That kitchen looked like something you might see in a back alley of a third world country. The health department would never have allowed me to stay open for business had they held an inspection. However, I was still hopeful that the plan would eventually save time, energy and effort and so I carried on. After a death defying, near-miss, potential third-degree burns accident involving draining a huge pot of spaghetti noodles I hung up my apron. The neat little freezer bags of future meals were lined up on the counter, stacked in the freezer and the family headed for the car. I was exhausted. It was time to go OUT for dinner.

As the month wore on I struggled each morning to remember to take the frozen entrees out of the ice to thaw. The Once-A-Month dinners were always a surprise and the boys were patient. Some entrees were tastier than others but all were eatable! And contrary to my understanding of the "no cooking for a whole month", I still had to plan and make salads, vegetable side dishes and the occasional dessert. What a revelation and disappointment! Shopping, looking for recipes and cooking were STILL a part of my schedule!

Everyone remembers the "ham delight" course! That was the night the guys stared in silence at the horrible sight on their dinner plates. The atmosphere was tense. They couldn't face another "once-a-month" meal and yet were afraid to say anything to hurt my feelings. It was a foot race to the car after I'd declared, "let's go to Wendy's"

That was pretty much the end of the experiment. Once-A-Month cooking is a once-in-a-lifetime event. I don't know of ANYONE that has tried it twice!

MASS MUSLIM WEDDING

This is a picture of a recent mass Muslim wedding, 450 grooms with their young brides posing in Gaza. Mohammad himself was married to several women at one time, one of which was nine years old. I have no words for this! Follow the leader, I suppose.

NORTH TO ALASKA!

It's AUGUST in Oklahoma! That translates into a "severe weather warning" as the temperatures soar above the 100 degree mark on the thermometer on my patio. The streets outside my house are deserted as even the children are sequestered into their air-conditioned houses. There are no bicycle races up and down the street today. There is no laughter heard outside. Dogs aren't being walked and no physical fitness runners are racing by my window. Neighbors aren't pulling weeds from their flower gardens or visiting with their friends across the yard. The scene is something out of a sci-fi movie.

It's a lonely picture. Where DID all the people go??

How DID those pioneer folks stand the heat?

Yep, AUGUST in Oklahoma makes me long for ALASKA! That state has to be the most beautiful in the nation. I'm daydreaming about those glaciers dropping huge walls of ice into the sea. I'm wondering if the sled dogs are still happily pulling tourist around on the top of the ice. Are the salmon being grilled on the outdoor pitts?

I remember being wrapped up in a huge woolly blanket leaning on the balcony rail of the cruise ship watching the seal pups playing chase in the water. Whales blew water out their spout on the horizon. Huge black bears caught fish along the water bank. The farther north we went the colder it got! It was wonderful!

The picturesque towns of Sitka, Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau are calling my name.
Those towns were alive with activity and excitement. The locals welcomed the cruise ships into their harbors.

It was COLD that August in Alaska a few years ago. It was the summer dream vacation.

Yep, it's time to pull out the scrapbook of ALASKA!

I wonder what those natives do and where they go in the WINTER!!!

MORNING! GLORY!

The thick green rope is wound tightly. It is attempting to squeeze the life right out of that black metal fence. When I planted those Morning Glory seeds I had no idea of the power that would be unleashed. The picture on the package seemed so innocent.

The flowers are a beautiful purple/blue trumpet-shape that attracts bees and hummingbirds. They flow in the breeze during the morning hours and are a delight to see right outside my bedroom window. I braved the hot sun yesterday afternoon and took a closer look.

The vines of that monster are about 1/2 thick and are wound around all the nearby plants. The lilac bush is choking, the day lilies are bound tight and the fence posts look like they've been painted stripes of green.

How can something so beautiful on the surface be so dangerous underneath?

Reminds me of some of the folks we've seen in the news over the past few years.
Wicked stories of lies, adultery, tax evasion, racism, even murder have been exposed. Lives and reputations that seem so beautiful have been drained of life by those choking deeds done in private. I hope we've learned the lesson that it really DOES matter what we do when no one is watching. Those small little incidental acts of dishonesty and selfishness grow and strangle. Trust is suffocated right out of a relationship.

Redemption is possible, no doubt. But it is painful and recovery takes a long time.

Isn't it just easier to steer clear of such consequences? I've got to be sure those seeds of worry, discontent, selfishness, superiority, inferiority, hatred, racism, greed, entitlement, etc....don't find a place to grow. (I'll be warning my grandchildren about these seeds, too.) I like my glorious life and I want it to thrive.

I don't think I'll be planting Morning Glories next spring.

LAUGHTER IS AN INSTANT VACATION

"Laughter is an instant vacation" Milton Berle
"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul" Yiddish Proverb

If those two quotes are true then my clean soul experienced an instant vacation last night! Honeybuns and I drove to a "mystery" location as he revealed one more birthday surprise. We ended up at the home of good friends where I was greeted with that famous birthday greeting "SURPRISE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" The members of our small group from church had gathered for dinner together. The wishes were genuine, the food was fabulous, and the setting was very beautiful.

There are NO words to describe those extraordinary people.

Talk about a riotous time! It was wonderful. We told funny stories until our jaws and tummies ached with pain. It was an incredible time of transparency. That particular trait often shows up when friends past the age of 35 get together. It's that time of life when everyone has experienced all sorts of personal triumphs and tragedies, raised children through teen-age hysteria, moved around a few times, and known several different employment challenges. In this era no one is trying to impress anyone and everyone knows that boils and warts exist in every family.

Perhaps authenticity is another word to describe the dynamics of that group of people. We've all learned that it's o.k. to be unique and be accepted and appreciated at the same time.

And now it's the "day after" and I am still smiling at some of the visual images those tales impressed upon my brain. Our group will never be the same, we've bonded in a new good way.

I look forward to "doing life" with these people for a long time to come!

And when I need a vacation or a good soul cleansing, I'll just spend a few minutes remembering my birthday surprise party and laugh again!

OLD QUILTS

Who doesn't love OLD quilts? Nothing says comfort like a "bankie" that has been well loved!

I look, touch and admire them everywhere they are displayed or are for sale. It's an art form that is intentionally created to be hugged. There are several stored away at our house, some thrown over chairs and one hung to brighten that dead space above the washing machine. I make quilts, read about them, envision news ones at fabric shops and try to get down to Houston once a year to the annual huge "over the top-only for quilt addicts" International Quilt Festival. I've given quilts away, entered quilt contests and shows and once took a bus trip to Paducah, Kentucky to compare stitches with those ladies there. They are magnets for fabricaholics and those that like to put tiny puzzle pieces together.

Again, I repeat, the OLDER the better.

Old quilts are worn, wrinkly, tattered around the edges and usually have one or two permanent stains. They have embraced babies, comforted new moms, warmed the injured and shielded hurt feelings from the cruelty of the world. They contain stories that no one will hear but that a lively imagination can sense. There is wisdom gained through age interwoven with the binding around the edge. They are all different, made from cloth that once held flour or perhaps clothed a small little girl. The colors were vivid at one time but that was long ago.

Sometimes they are found at flea markets, stored in dusty attics, or displayed at expensive boutiques. The ones that are appreciated the most are priced well beyond the normal budget.

Some things age very nicely.

I'd better remind Honeybuns that I have a birthday this week!

LAS VEGAS

Who ISN'T headed for Las Vegas ? That's the question these days. It seems that everywhere I go someone is telling me about their upcoming trip to "Sin City." Hopefully all these visitors will help those folks get their economy going once again. For it is certain that WHOEVER goes will be leaving a trail of money behind them.



My first glimpse of the casino in the desert happened a few years ago. Honeybuns had a business meeting out there so I tagged along. Seeing that place with my own eyeballs was such an enticing thought that we actually took Philip out of college a few days and flew him from Baylor at Waco, TX to meet us in Las Vegas! As a sophomore in college he was pretty involved with "poker nights" at his fraternity and was feeling pretty lucky! He was shocked that we would invite him along to the mecca of all gambling.



I saved my pennies for several months with the expressed purpose of giving our "lucky" boy some casino money. Never before had I EVER sacrificed anything just to have money to throw down a rat hole. But I was convinced that this was going to be an experiment in the rule that "the house always wins." And thus the fascination with actually "hitting the jackpot" would be buried once and for all.



IT WORKED!!



We stayed at the beautiful Treasure Island Resort, walked the streets of the strip and looked at all the fancy people, shopped in Caesar's Palace (where the statues actually move and talk every 15 minutes!), watched the dancing fountains at the Belagio and ate M&M's at the candy store by the same name. We took in a couple of fabulous shows, one being Siegfried and Roy which was mesmerizing and magical. (That was before Roy became a snack for one of their white tigers. I'm thrilled to report that he is STILL alive and functioning!) The guys rode the roller coaster at New York, New York, we sat in on the humongous show at Circus, Circus and toured the Lexor. One day we took a bus ride out to Hoover Dam! We had a great time in "Sin City." It IS a treat for the eyeballs. I've heard that when the lights are on the city can be seen from outer space!



The time came for the blackjack lesson. Honeybuns and Philip headed off to the tables with their pockets full of coin.


I waited in the hotel room. (I had had my fill of that constant and loud...DING, DING, DING, DING, DING and decided to sit out the big hand.)



They returned after a very short time. Honeybuns had timed the experiment. It took them 12 1/2 minutes to lose every penny they had.



Money disappears REALLY FAST in Vegas. My own roll of nickels lasted about 10 minutes matching wits with the one armed bandit. My sister has adopted the plan of just handing the casino cashier her $20.00 when she first goes INTO the hotel and thus saving her a lot of time and blood pressure worries.



Everybody should see Las Vegas once, I suppose. The trick is to take along "throw away money" because that is exactly what happens.

IT'S A SMILEY FACE KIND OF DAY

It was the craziest thing I've ever seen. We were sitting in the surgery center signing all the papers, getting Honeybuns ready for shoulder repair. (He'd injured his shoulder last Christmas day scooping snow off the driveway! Nothing like WAITING to see if it would heal itself!) There were pages and pages of forms and consents. We read all the fine print which permitted everything imaginable to be done to him within the next couple of hours.

On one such form was the question, "What is your present level of pain?" Easily answered, right? Surely the potential surgical patient would be able to come up with the right answer there. Is there a wrong answer? Evidently it is harder than it seems.

There on the page were 10 cartoon circles with faces drawn in, much like the typical yellow smiley faces you find on children's stickers, WITHOUT THE YELLOW. There were eyes, eyebrows, noses and mouths all penciled in to portray various levels of pain. Pain level 1 was depicted as a happy face. #2 circle showed squinty eyes and a straight line for a mouth, #3 showed wrinkles around the nose area and the mouth bending south. You get the idea. They progressed to #10 which was absolutely scary. I'm still having nightmares about that one.

We looked at each other and laughed aloud! Honeybuns circled #4, drew a little hat on the head and felt he'd answered correctly.

There must be a very good valid reason for the existence of those drawings. Perhaps those faces help folks that can't read English, but then how would they read the question "What is your present level of pain?" Perhaps it helps children relay how they are feeling! Maybe they lighten that moment of pre-surgery jitters for all ages. There is no doubt a very useful purpose that I just don't understand. Are we to the point that we have to communicate by pictures now? Maybe that's a good thing! It just seems a bit odd in this day of super-duper technology.

The shoulder surgery went well. Honeybuns is no longer taking pain medication and physical therapy will probably start in a week or so.

At the moment he's still a # 4 "not so smiley-face" and I'm just thankful to be a #2 today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY!

Every family needs an ANDY! 35 years ago today he entered this world. He had a head full of black hair standing straight up and we were in love instantly! We'd been talking to him for 9 months and waiting for his entrance while decorating the nursery in puppy dogs. (It was the time before sonograms were common but we just KNEW he was going to be a he! )

Holding him for the first time was euphoric! Watching him grow has been nothing short of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

He's IS the adventuresome sort! The first clue that we were in for some interesting times could have been the day he flipped his little circular walker completely upside down from a still position. That happened in his pre-walking days. He was quietly sitting in this little contraption on wheels smiling sweetly, perfectly content to watch the birds fly by and the grass grow. The next minute the thing was upside down, his legs were in the air and his head was smashed on the concrete sidewalk. We never did figure out just HOW that happened.

Next came the usual elementary events, first bike ride, first fight with the neighbor kid, first heartbreak when his new bicycle was stolen. At age 12 he won a trip to England and Scotland as one of the 52 newspaper carriers of the US. We LET him go on that international trip with complete strangers for 10 days. That was his first clue that the world was very large and he needed to experience every corner of it.

Next came Little League tournaments, basketball play-offs, school plays, piano recitals, before and after-school jobs, girlfriends, car wrecks, church camps and graduations.

How did we pack all that into 18 short years? And how did it go so FAST?

Today he is a terrific husband, father of 5, minister, President of his own company, athlete, Christian author and international speaker. He has the ear of today's teen and is sought out by parents for help, advice and comfort. When he speaks the audience is mesmerized because he has something profound to say to them. He introduces them to God and challenges them to think. Lives are changed. It's an incredible sight.

He and his beautiful wife are building a spiritual community in Durango, CO that is a model of the purity of the Christian life, loving God with all their heart, soul, and mind and their neighbor as themselves. Young people are flocking to the message of Christ and rejecting phony religion. His vision now includes reaching teens in Rwanda, the Philippines, China, Saudi Arabia and as of this past month RUSSIA!

Do I sound a little biased? If so, it is because I am filled with pride and immeasurable love. My son has grown in statue and in favor with God and man. And this mom couldn't be more "well pleased." He is now my friend, confidant, and counselor. I can not imagine life without him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY....You have re-defined the word LIFE for this mom and dad. We love you!

THIS OLD HOUSE

Home repairs always take twice as long as you think and always cost twice as much. It happened again!

My elderly uncle lives alone in a tiny block house in central Illinois where I spent my childhood. My sister and I were raised by our grandparents there and this much loved bachelor uncle was part of our family. Time passed and we all grew older. She and I married and moved out. Our grandparents, his parents, moved on to glory. He remained single and stayed.

The house is constructed of sturdy concrete blocks with that new-fangled modern siding attached. It's small and cozy and he wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. It has been home for him for far too long to change things now. His body is wearing out, much like his house, but we're all committed to helping him stay there for the remainder of his golden years.

A recent storm put a limb through the roof of that old house and problems began. This past weekend was the designated time to get the thing fixed. Family members climb on that steep sloping roof to assess the damage. After pulling the limb free it was decided that, yep, a new roof was the solution. Much to their surprise the men removed one layer of asphalt shingles, then another, then a layer of wooden shake shingles and then another! Who knew? Those two layers of old wooden shingles must have been hiding there since that house was built nearly 100 years ago. No one remembers ever even seeing those things.

(I wonder if anyone important ever slept there? George Washington? Abraham Lincoln? Barak Obama? We could have it listed on the National Register of Historic Places, maybe even put up a plaque!)

After much effort on a hot and muggy Illinois day the guys called it quits. They made plans to return to begin again tomorrow. It is a monumental project!

Knowing when to tear something down or when to do all in your power to preserve it takes a great amount of wisdom.

Knowing when and how to care for an elderly family member takes no thought at all.

VISIONS OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

It was my first time to visit the very historic sights in Philadelphia, PA. My best friend and I had visited the Liberty Bell and climbed the "Rock Balboa" steps. The cemetery that held Benjamin Franklin was next on the list. We made our way to Christ's Church Burial Grounds.

His grave was dutifully marked and just right on the other side of a black iron fence. My friend and I stood there peeking through, envisioning that grand statesmen alive and persuasive. We recounted what we knew of American history, recited parts of documents we remembered and re-told old Franklin stories. It was a heady moment.

It was a moment that needed to be preserved in a scrapbook. An elderly man INSIDE the fence within about 10 feet of that famous grave flashed a toothy grin our way. Thinking he was the gardener, I struck up a conversation and before I realized what was happening I was handing him my very expensive camera through the black metal poles of the fence. Why sure, he would take our picture together! We posed and re-posed positioning ourselves at just the right angle to include that famous tombstone in this pictorial memory.

The button on my camera clicked down again and again and again. The gentleman was stepping backwards two steps at a time, father and farther away from us. How nice of him to take such care to capture the moment. It WAS Kodak time!

My friends husband was standing a few feet away and began yelling. We were stunned, thinking he'd lost his mind, or at least been stung by a bee. "He's stealing your camera!"

Yep, I had handed my camera to a homeless man that needed a meal, a drink, or a bed for the night. He was probably inside that cemetery fence because that is where he'd safely spent the evening before.

I couldn't believe this was happening. I quickly faced the "thief " and our eyes met for a long, long split second! He slowly walked toward the fence and handed me the Canon which contained my recorded memories. He smiled and walked away. Evidently even homeless men have pity on idiots!

I was stunned and failed to offer him any monetary thanks. He'd surrendered his chance to make a little money at the local pawn shop and I was so ungrateful. He disappeared into the dark corners of that fenced hallowed ground.

My friends husband repeats that story to anyone that will listen, shakes his head and tears of laughter run down his face every time. He declares it to be one of the most insane moments he'd ever witnessed.

Honeybuns and I have since experienced many other fun times with this great couple. My best friend and I have decided that our purpose in life is to give these husbands fresh stand-up comedy material from time to time. Their lives would be very boring without us!! THEY have visions of Lucy and Ethel!