How Rude!

I wasn't sure what I was going to write about today for SOLC.  And then Starbucks happened.

Well, we are in our second Starbucks for the day!  We left "our" Starbucks and drove to Freeport.  Summer Starbucks in Freeport is not good - too busy, but Winter Starbucks in Freeport is doable.  Quiet, no distractions...  oh, and the chairs are better!  It's the whole downstairs of a small house in downtown.

We left our usual haunt.  I will be selective when I am there from now on.

Our usual Starbucks had a lady there, about our age oddly enough, who was playing the radio through her phone loud enough to be heard throughout the place.  It was on so loud that it was kind of hard to understand, being so far in overdrive it was vibrating.  She sat between two tables, with her stuff on both - coat and sweater and coffee on her left, and purse, hat, scarf and some other items on the table to her right.  This is the second time I've seen her in this Starbucks doing this same thing.
We ordered coffees and sat down with our computers to work.  I put earbuds in.  No help.  I put my hands over my ears with the earbuds in...a little better, but I couldn't type that way.
We persevered for a little longer.  But there was going to be no writing done here.
As I listened to the almost unintelligible noises coming out of the radio, I realized it was Christian talk radio.

Now here's the thing.  I'm a Christian. I like Christian radio.  I listen to it in the car.  There is nothing wrong with it, and all who choose to, should be free to listen to it.  But no one should be forced to.  And I was getting the feeling that this is her crusade.  This is a fight she is hoping to pick with Starbucks.  Is Starbucks against Christians?  No.  They are not.  But if they asked her to stop playing her radio, or asked her to use earbuds, they would appear to be - in her eyes and to whomever she decided to spout off to - trying to keep her from freely expressing her Christianity.

Sigh.  Why do there have to be crazies in Christianity?  For some reason, they seem more visible than in the general population.  There are just as many percentage-wise in all groups - I just find the crazy Christians are held up as an example of "why you don't want to be one of them"! Why don't the crazies understand that they are doing Christ, and all his sane followers, an injustice and damage.  Sigh, again.
I'll try to be positive.  Maybe she was just very hard of hearing.  Maybe I should give her that.  Then someone has to tell her to get earbuds because everyone in the whole place can hear this.

Aside from this new development at our Starbucks, we do have another couple of crazies.
There's a older couple who bring in their fake service dog.  Two adults bring in this well-trained dog to sit on one of the easy chairs and feed him ice they get there.  He has an orange collar on, which is readily available in all pet stores.  He is not guiding, helping, nothing.  Service dogs are welcome in Starbucks, but this is not a service animal.  It's a dog.  A regular dog that these people bring in and allow to sit on the chair where people are going to be sitting later.  The dog's owner sits on the table, so maybe that is a good thing the dog's in the chair.  I really would find it appalling if they had the dog sit on the table.

Dogs in a place where there is food (or any store for that matter), used to be just not allowed, unless they were truly in use as a service animal.  And you used to be able to know for a certainty that an animal was a certified service animal.  Not now.  You can't even ask without getting yourself in trouble if you are Starbucks.  Starbucks isn't allowed to offend anyone.  So people take advantage of them, and I'm seeing people all over the place now deciding that rules of decency don't need to apply to them.
I'll try to be positive.  Maybe this dog needs them as the service animals.  Maybe they are emotionally handicapped, and they don't remember to have the animal wear its service vest.

I'm getting tired of rude.  I'm getting tired of entitlements.  I'm getting tired of being tired.  I think I need to take the advice of the Bible:

Philippians 4:8
⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Let it go.  Find new, purer, lovelier things to think on.

Ok.  I'm almost there.  I love having grandchildren.  They always give me purer, lovelier "thinks"!

Sunday - Just so you know

Day 20 of Slice of Life Challenge, and I am on my way to a busy first day of the week.

My Books of the Day

Sunday is my down-time.  Well, it's an up-time, too.  But I just don't blog on Sundays.  I will link this early before setting out to church.  Church is a whole day thing for me and my husband.

We leave the house by 7:30 at the latest, to drive just over an hour - 72 minutes.  We stop for breakfast along the way.  At about 9:15, we arrive at church. If I'm to sing that day, I rush upstairs for a quick practice with my sister-in-law, the pianist.  After that I go back downstairs and I prepare for my Sunday School class of 4 to 6 year olds, getting crayons, scissors, or whatever else the lesson requires, set out for them.

After Sunday School I, go back upstairs to greet people, and nod to my husband who works the soundboard recording the sermons and posts them online.

I file in with the other choir singers to the back room so we can go over the music quickly before the service begins.  I sing in choir, I sing a solo or with a quartet, and then go down to sit and listen.

Because the preacher is also my brother in real life, I am often in his childhood illustrations - like the one about me cheating in school to get good grades because I brought my books home to study in... while his were left at school or out in the rain in someone's backyard.

After the service, we run to the grocery store to pick up a dessert (which I don't eat now), and any other things that might be missing from our meal my sister-in-law has cooked.  Then we head on over to the house to eat.

After eating we talk or start singing.  My brother learned to play the guitar when he "borrowed" mine as a kid.  Now he can play guitar, mandolin, banjo....very well!  I got stuck in elementary guitar and stopped playing in high school.

By 4:30 we are headed back to church for choir practice.  And at 6:00 the evening service begins.  We leave church at about 7:30 pm to head home.  We often stop at Wendy's where I get a Junior Baconator - no bun, single, with cheese, lettuce on top and bottom, so I can pick it up to eat.  Yum!

We get home somewhere between 9 and 9:30 pm.  It's a long day, but somehow I never tire of it.  Somehow I always come home with more energy than I had leaving.

This has been my life on Sundays since 2001... just so you know.

I wish I could do it, but it's difficult for me to leave comments on Sundays.

Robin Alert

Yesterday afternoon the dog started barking as she looked out the window.  It was a warning bark, but her tail was wagging and she was smiling.  She was serious about something being out there, but not unhappy about it.  She seemed pretty excited, so I went to the window.  And there standing proudly on the lawn - though I think it was just listening to potential snacks - was our first robin of the year.

Robin hung around the lawn all day, going from front to side to back yards.  I watched as the wind picked up a few oak leaves and tumbled them across the lawn straight at Robin, who merely stepped forward a few steps to avoid them.  I wondered how Robin knew that the leaves were non-threatening.  But I guess, being a bird and spending lots of time around trees and leaves, they must know everything there is to know about that stuff.

At one point a couple of friendly juncos joined Robin and they all scouted for bugs in the winter-flat grass covering our rain soaked lawns.

It's started.  I've heard that Monday may be a snow day.  But the sun is much too powerful now and the snow won't be here long.


Mr. Robin,

The snow is melting
Rain is pelting

The worms are looking slick
I hope to see you back real soon
I hope you make it quick

The junco says there's lots to eat
Those snacks that rumble 'neath your feet

So come on back
Time to unpack

We wait for your return
With lots of spots to build a nest
No cause for great concern

The sun has promised to be strong,
Come back to sing your ebullient song!

I just can't wait
Please don't be late
The worms are fat and slick.
The snow keeps melting
Spring rain keeps pelting
I hope you come back quick!

©Donna JT Smith, 2016, all rights reserved

SOLC and Poetry

It's the 17th day of the Slice of Life Challenge to write every day this month.  It is also Poetry Friday hosted at Robyn Hood Black.  So I guess it is the day to have a poem as a slice.  Let's see.

Yesterday I had went to our book club meeting at Starbucks.  I leave the house at 5:10 am to pick up a friend by 5:15, and get into town by 5:45.  It is always dark.  It is still cold.  It was foggy, too, this time.


Book Club and a Mug

I got up early to read a book
so early it meant
I forsook
the warmth of bed

Threw back the quilt and next the sheet,
then showered quickly -
naught to eat;
it's still nightdark,

So quietly sneaked past the dog,
out the door and
in the fog;
kept watch for deer.

I drove to town to Starbucks Land
and ordered coffee
just as planned;
paid with my card.

A sip or two of warming joe
and sun had risen
in my soul,
and I woke up.

Perhaps there wasn't really fog
and maybe I had
woken dog
and snoozing cat;

But who's to know what had occurred
or length of journey
I'd endured
as sleep-driver.

©Donna JT Smith, 2106, all rights reserved


See you Saturday!  I'll wake up then after coffee at Blueberry's.

Spiritual Journey Thursday and SOLC

This post is doing double duty.  It's a Slice of Life for Two Writing Teachers and a Spiritual Journey Thursday post.  It is my way of heeding my own advice here - simplify your life!  The Spiritual Journey Thursday link up is on Holly Mueller's blog.  Everyone there is writing on Linda Kulp's OLW "Simplify" and how it pertains to their Spiritual walk.

Me, unsimplified - but simplifying my life today by selecting an old avitar from my files.

Last week I did two posts on a Thursday, separating my two voices - one voice was the everyday Slice, and the other was my Spiritual Journey post.  I realized I cannot and do not have to always separate the two.  My walk with God is a part of my daily life, and I'm not sure I've ever made that clear.

I do not blog on Sunday's.  I will blog the day before and schedule it to post though.  And I have broken my own "rule" a bit for SOLC and linked up on that day early in the morning before I leave for church or late at night after evening service.  I feel a little guilty about that even.  God should be more important than making sure I blog and link 31 days in March!

So, I am simplifying and edifying (I hope that doesn't sound pretentious, but it rhymes, so I'm using it!) with an all in one today.  If you read my blog regularly, then this is no surprise to you as I mix the two types of writing on different days fairly regularly. 


Simplify

So
much to do,
much to see,
much to learn,
much to be

That's
much too hard,
much too fast,
much too heavy,
much too vast!

   Simply breathe -

simplify life
by letting go -
simplify tasks
by saying no -
simplify more
with less to show -
simplify when
you start to slow.

   Simply pray -

For
Faith to see,
Faith to keep,
Faith to save, 
Faith to leap;

A
Faith so right,
Faith so pure,
Faith so bold,
Faith so sure!

   Simplify, selah.

©Donna JT Smith, 2016, all rights reserved

Enjoy your day!  And try to find one way to Simplify your life today.  I just did!

Slice Prompted Memory

It is Wednesday again, and the 16th SOLC day!  Join in the reading fun at Two Writing Teachers where the list of Slices is posted.

Yesterday, someone posted on the funny things kids say, and it put me in mind of a couple of things my oldest said when he was younger…

Here’s one of them:

One summer afternoon, my somewhere between 8 and 10 year old son came in hot and sweaty from playing hard outside.  He asked me if he could have some water, and I, being a wonderful mom, gave him a nice cold glass of water and watched him gulp it down.  He wanted another, being as spent as he was, so I refilled his glass.  Before downing this one though, he looked at me, and in all seriousness stated, “I think I have a drinking problem.”

I assured him that he didn’t, and he should drink all the water he wanted.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

BTW:  Noah had a quiet night.  The monsters must have been too upset to return for a second assault.

Bed Monsters

Noah, attacking a bed monster.

So what was that all about last night?

"What was what all about?"

You know.  That little madness going on at the foot of the bed last night.

"Little madness?  There was a monster in your bed."

There was no monster.

"Oh, there was.  Believe me."

There was no monster.  I would have known.  I was sleeping and my feet would have been touching it.

"Your feet?"

Yes, my feet.  You were jumping all over them.

"Oh, that couldn't have been your feet.  It was too big to be feet, I'm sure.  And too squirmy.  Monsters are squirmy when you jump about on them, and these were definitely squirmy."

Yes, because you were jumping on them and wrestling them.  You got a claw through, too.  See my ankle?

"That is not my claw mark.  That is clearly the bite of a bed monster."

Do not do that again tonight!  I will kick you off the bed.

"If I hadn't been there to subdue the monster last night, who knows if you would even have feet today?  I was only protecting you.  Someone needs to be on guard at night, and I have just the eyes and claws to do that!"

I will be fine.  Just stay on your towel, keep your hairs off my blanket, and leave my feet alone.

"I do leave your feet alone.  We will just have to see what the bed monster has in store for tonight.  A cat has to do what a cat has to do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bed Monster

Toes squirm

Heels wiggle

Calves tremble

Knees jiggle 

Cat scrambles

Then pounces

Legs flail

Cat bounces

Cat monster

Attacks the sheet

But bed monster's

Just my feet!*

*Noah has requested that I add this note about my poem: "This is fictional.  Bed monsters are real monsters; they are not feet.  And I am not a 'cat monster'.  This is clearly a fictitious cat.  Any resemblance to me is purely coincidental, accidental and unintentional, I'm sure."

Walking

It is Day 14 of the Slice of Life Challenge with Two Writing Teachers... plowing onward and Aprilward...

Since losing weight (24 pounds today, but I promise this won't become just a month long weight loss journal), and doing physical therapy, I have found my walk again.

When I say "found my walk again", I don't mean that I couldn't walk.  I could walk.  But my walk had been the walk of the wounded.  It was a walk of stiffness and pain.  It was a walk I could recognize in others as I cruised the grocery store aisles - walk I'd seen but refused to call mine.  It was a walk that enjoyed the rest of a shopping cart for leaning, for stretching, and one that sometimes required breaks at the front of the store to sit out the next dance.

But recently, my back and hip joints seem to have been released, whether from the weight loss or the physical therapy, or both.  Either way, I think I have reclaimed at least a half an inch in height, and have begun to enjoy the pleasures of walking again.  My therapist says I've got a bit of a sashay... or was it swagger... I don't recall now!  Either way, it's a good sway! (and that, was my poem thought starter)

Add to this the fact that the training collar for the giant puppy has been a huge success so far, it means I will be out walking the dog again in no time!  She's a smart one, and it only took using the zapper three times (once for each edge of the woods on the lawn) for her to figure out I meant "Come right now and stop sniffing everything and ignoring me and wandering farther and farther into the woods because there is more deer poop somewhere out there" when I said "Come!"

My son has been helping us on Sunday's when we can't get back to take Ginger out in the middle of the day.  He took her for a walk on the quiet road out here yesterday while we were gone, and was able to have her stay by his side consistently.  I'm so excited!  That is my goal.  I'm not able to make sure she heels on a leash, as I don't have enough strength in my back and arms to force an excited 70 pound puppy to stay by my side.  I need her trained first, so our first foray into society won't look like me being dragged face down on the pavement desperately whimpering "Heel".

I recently met these three well behaved canine citizens.  None of these is Ginger.

We are getting there.  When the dog can be walked safely by me... or when I can safely accompany the dog on a walk, then we are going for a walk.  Me and my dog.  I mean, Me and my husband's dog.  Wait a minute.  Why am I walking his dog?  I'm going to go get myself a 15 pound dog.  I might be able to carry that one.

Walking

Run and skip,
Strut or stagger,
Trot and march,
Sway or swagger,

Trudge or saunter,
Dawdle, amble,
Hike or plod,
Wander, ramble,

Promenade, roam,
Traipse and stride,
Take a stroll
Sashay, glide,


Stretch your legs,
Perambulate,
Mosey on;
Don’t be late.

Take a stroll,
Prowl or tromp,
Jog or slog,
Hoof it, stomp.

Forge ahead
Onward go,
Shuffle off
To Buffalo.

Whatever gait,
Whichever walk -
Boldly step;
Walk the talk.

©2016, Donna JT Smith

And speaking of walks...
Noah says he will be walking on "little cat feet" tomorrow, so I need to take a paws while he talks.  He does look a little like a fog cloud.

Owl Howls

It's a Slice of Life Sunday at Two Writing Teachers.  I'll see if I have time to link!  My comments will be late tonight after I get home.

Wednesday night, March, 8th, a Barred Owl returned.  They stay around all year, but usually I don't hear them in the winter.   But this week he's back in our neighborhood.  Maybe the mice are more plentiful down the road a ways in winter, but spring mice are fresher here.

Friday night, as we were driving home and the crescent moon was so clear and bright, I wondered if we would hear him again.  And right on cue, as we got out of the car, we heard him howling, loud and close by.  I love to hear the lingering "who cooks for you" question.  Suddenly we heard a return call.  So there are two in the neighborhood! The second one sounded a little upset, giving an almost hawklike squawk before commencing to speak politely.  Maybe she was just excited to hear a friendly hoot out there in the dark. I hope they are here to set up housekeeping.  I'd love to hear them every night.

It would be a good place for them to live -  in the woods just above a river that meanders down to the ocean, not too far away.  It's the perfect habitat for Barred Owls, and one of the reasons our cat does not go outside - coyotes and hawks being the others.

Twice I have been startled by owls out here.  Once when I was walking to the car at night, a huge, silent, gray form swooped down, flying right past me like a ghost (not that I've ever had a ghost fly past me, so maybe it isn't like that).  He maybe thought I was prey, or he was on his way to prey and I just happened to walk in between at a bad moment.
The second time was a hot summer night, and I was on the computer up in our loft. I had the windows in the peak open for a breeze as I worked.  Suddenly, the hooting of the Barred Owl came from a tree branch right outside the window, and I jumped.  I couldn't see him, but I certainly heard him loud and clear.  It was like I was sitting right beside him... and I literally was come to think of it!

Last summer, when the grandchildren were here, we saw the pair in a tree in our driveway and our grandson was able to at last see the owls he'd heard.  He was fascinated, but he really didn't like the hooting, until I told him they were talking to him, and asking him "Who, who are you?"

I do hope they stick around for a while; I really want to get a better picture than the one I've got so far.  And another recording.  They often stop abruptly when I start recording.

Barred owl just above our house looking down at me.

Caturday Again

It's Cat - I mean Sat-urday.

"No, you were right the first time."

Well, really there is no day named 'Caturday'; it's Saturday.

"A grievous oversight."

Maybe, but that's just how it is.

"Be that as it may, today is still MY day.  And I'm wondering what wonderful things we  should say about me today."

I can't think of anything yet.  It's been a slow week for you.

"I did Pilates with the ball for a while.  Then I wrestled with that intruder, but you took it away."

Yes, well, that was the cord to charge the dog's training collar, so we didn't need it destroyed.

"Huh.  Really.  I am not fond of that collar.  I'm going to tell her it's you who is pressing a button to make her stop chasing me."

Do not tell the dog anything.  You tease the dog on purpose, and then she gets all excited and crazy.  I need to have her pay attention to me and calm down!

"Why?  She is very good at paying attention."

Yes, to you.

"I can help with her lessons."

Don't help.  You've done enough already - like batting the ball down the basement stairs so you can play with it down there.  You know that drives her nuts!

"She needs to know how to share.  I'm teaching her."

That's not teaching her.  That is harassing her.

"I suppose next you will say playing with the dog treats you keep on the table is harassing her, too."

Yes, I suppose I will.

"Maybe you should not write about me today.  You seem a little out of sorts.  I think I should take a nap until you are ready to write something wonderful.
Could you please open the bedroom door?"

Sure.

"Thanks.  Leave it open.  I may want to come out."

Of course you will.  Would you like the TV on?

"No, I'm fine.  Just top off my bowl while you are out in the kitchen.  It may be low.  I'll be out later to make sure you did."

Saturday-caturday!  Might as well tidy his litter box while I'm at it.

"You must be Claude."

**********************************************

Don't forget to check out D.L. Hammons WRiTE CLUB bouts going on now.  Read and vote over the coming week to narrow the field of writers down from 30 to 15.

And see more Slices of Life at Two Writing Teachers.

I'm Melting...

This is Day 11 in March.  It is a wonderful day to be a Friday, don't you think?
This is my Slice of Life for Two Writing Teachers, AND my Poetry Friday offering at Irene Latham's blog.  Click on either link to read more Slices or some Poetry.  Some bloggers others will also be doing double duty today, I'm sure!
So this is just the best day in the whole world to have a Friday!  Until next week - enjoy!  I am going to!  Yippee!

Photo from: http://hwitblogg.blogspot.com/2010/11/allhelgona.html

Melted

The flame burns hot, stretching,
Its black wick, an island
In a waxy sea that
Pushes its banks
Overflowing
Dripping
Down
To
Ripple.
Dripples
Droop down
Candle’s skin;
Spire shrinking
To join the puddle of
Candle bowels in the bobeche.

By Donna JT Smith, 2016, all rights reserved


I’ll bet you thought this poem was about a lit candlestick burning down.  The photo may have given it away.

It is.

And it isn’t.

It’s about me. (Isn't everything?)

I have been joking lately about being careful not to go tripping over my own skin as I lose weight, and likening my new body to a candle that’s dripping.  It isn’t THAT bad, but I have to come to grips with the fact that as I lose weight in my 60’s, the skin is not going to be as joyfully rebounding as it was when I was in my 30’s (oh, to have that body again).

The fact of the matter is, I was going to have wrinkles and sags everywhere anyway at this age, whether I had been heavy or not!  But when you have a nice fat layer, sometimes that wrinkling and sagging isn’t as evident for a bit longer.

As I lose more weight, I'm feeling a little like I did when I got my cataracts removed and nice shiny new lenses inserted…  oooh, my face suddenly became wrinkly, and, hey, where did that beard come from?  I just have to get used to the "new" me that I see.

I wouldn’t trade the weight loss and the eyesight gain for all those wrinkles and weirdness of getting old, though.  I need to see each of the ugly moles as beauty spots created by something in my life’s story.

And I wouldn’t change my story for the world.

Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre

This is my tenth Slice of Life Challenge post of March 2016.  

Check in at Two Writing Teachers for more Slicers!

 Today's slice is a poem/memory of something my mom used to say when we were working together on the computer.  She's been gone for 12 years, but I can still hear her saying, "Wait, wait, wait!" whenever I type any URL.

Wait!

I used to laugh with my mother

as she learned to use a computer;

she would look over my shoulder

watching the keyboard and screen

and I would hear

"Wait - wait - wait!"

as she tried to keep up 

with what I was showing her.

"Wait, I need you to do that again."

"Wait, how did you do that??"

"Wait, wait, wait!  You are going too fast."

Then I would slow down 

showing her again 

how she could save a file

or print something out.

"Wait, is Spider Solitaire still on here?"

"Wait, where did my pictures go?"

"Wait, wait, wait!  How do I get to that web page?"

"Wait - Wait - Wait!"

I used to tease my mother

that WWW was for

W(ait)W(ait)W(ait),

as in

W(ait)W(ait)W(ait).LoveU.mom

by Donna 

*********************

And as well as part of the SOLC, this is a Spiritual Journey Thursday post that continues after this poem.  For Spiritual Journey Thursday, some writers have chosen to post about someones OLW for the year and write about its influence in their daily spiritual walk or its spiritual meaning to them.
It is your choice as to whether you want to read further; if you are fine with doing the Slice of Life you can stop here at this wonderful picture of my Yellow Lab awaiting the command to get her treat - commenting only on the top portion.

I do feel that this is still a part of my Slice, too, as God is more than a slice of my life.  He's the whole pie. 

"Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre."

This was the phrase I memorized in high school, when our French Club teacher said we must learn a saying to stand up and quote in front of the others members to see if they could translate it into English. I've remembered it all these years. Its English translation is: "All things come to those who wait."  Or - I just noticed -another rendition is found on Holly's blog: "Good things come to those who wait."

Ginger - patiently waiting for a good thing!

At the time I picked that phrase, I was kind of pining away in a swoony kind of teenage way for a boy who really didn't notice me as far as I could tell.  It seemed the perfect phrase to hold close to my heart, waiting patiently for the day he would realize how much he loved me.  Well, that day never came, and I'm kind of... no... I'm REALLY happy that never materialized.  It's nice to have those memories but the fact of the matter is, who knows if I'd ever have married my husband, if he'd ended up my boyfriend?  I had more waiting to do!  I was wise to follow my French advice and to wait patiently at that time.  God did hear my cry and sent me a much better man!

Psalm 40:1

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Waiting is difficult sometimes, or maybe all the time.  You have heard that we must "wait upon the Lord".  I used to think, that waiting upon the Lord meant that I should wait around and see what happens, because he was going to do something amazing shortly, just for me who was sitting around waiting for it (like sending me that boyfriend!).  Then it dawned on me, there's another meaning for "wait".  That other meaning has to do with serving.  Your waiter or waitress waits on you!  They are servers.  They watch until you need something, and then they serve you or wait on you; they make sure you have what you need or ask for.  They do not just hang around waiting.

When I "wait" upon the Lord, I'm not just waiting around until he does something for me, but I am serving him.  I listen to God to see what He wants of me, and keep "waiting on the Lord".

I need to be reminded  - Don't just wait....WAIT!

When serving the Lord, good things WILL come in good time.  So I still keep "tout vient à point à qui sait attendre" close, but I tweak the meaning to remind myself that I don't just wait around to see what he will do (though He isn't opposed to that); I get active and wait ON the Lord.  His goodness will be made known to me as I serve Him.

Psalm 27:14
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and and not faint."

Wait on God today, and see how He will strengthen you.

Thank you Holly Mueller for your OLW, "wait", today.  I remember the day that this other meaning of "wait" became clear to me.  It's one of the things I love about how God "gives" us the Bible - “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:”  Isaiah 28:10.

If I wait upon the Lord long enough, I'm sure he will show me more - and it's going to be goooo-oood!

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Read what others are saying about WAIT at Holly Mueller's blog Reading, Teaching, Learning.

*************************

And if you are in the mood to judge some writing, DL Hammons has the WRiTE CLUB writers competition going on now.  It is the fourth bout today, but it is not too late to go back and vote on your favorite pieces of writing.  All writers are writing under pen names, and won't be revealed until the end of the competition.  Today's writing was a little gruesome for my taste, but I still read them and cast my vote for the best writing - even though it was not the kind of writing I was partial to!  You might want to skip doing it with students, though some of the writing would be for MG and YA.  It's just that you never know!  It's lots of fun though and the bouts run into April.  Check it out if you get the chance and don't have enough to read and comment on already!!

I've Avoided This Post

My old fashioned scale that is incredibly accurate and consistent, and weight a ton!

I have avoided this subject even though it is such a big part of my life, and has been for a long time now.  It was something I could do something about, but it never seemed to work, until recently.  It wasn't something I was proud of, but I'm starting to not feel so bad about it, now that I've found I CAN do it!

Back in December, about the 14th, I decided I would make some changes in my life.  I've struggled with weight for the past 25 years or so.  I was in wonderful shape in my 30's - trim and worked with weights, barely an ounce of fat on me.  But a couple of injuries and stressful moves around the country got me off track, and I did plenty of stress eating and plenty of not getting out to walk or do weights. 

Little by little, ounce by ounce, pound by pound, weight piled on.  A back injury from high school began plaguing me and walking became a painful chore most of the time, and even standing still for too long set my muscles into spasms.  It became difficult to figure out HOW to lose weight, as nothing really seemed to work without hunger and exercise.

This past December though, the threat of being in early Type 2 diabetes and perhaps having cancer, set my mind straight and put me on a better path.  I have been in the process of changing my eating habits and getting physical therapy for my back.  These two changes (and the sudden disappearance of my "two-doctors confirmed" lump) have led me to a different place than I ever imagined I'd be today.

As of yesterday morning I have lost 23 pounds in under 3 months.  I am eating well, and never hungry.  I can stand to iron my husband's shirts without having to take a break to uncramp my back muscles.  And I can walk the aisles of the grocery store without having to take frequent breaks to lean on the cart and stretch my back (ok, maybe a couple - but not as many).

When I fell going up the stairs just a while ago (that I posted about earlier) it was because my long skirt was just a little longer on me than it used to be!  I've discarded it until I can take it in and shorten it!  What a nice problem to have.

I feel better than I have in ages --oOOOOhhhhhhHHH! (does that look excited?  because it is!) My doctor took me off my blood pressure medication!

I still get periods of numbness in my middle back and muscle spasms off and on, but I have more therapy to do, and am optimistic that things will improve even more.  But if they don't, I can live with this.  I just have to remember to limit my lifting to a few dishes and a toothbrush and limit my food to steaks and bacon.  I think I can do that.  Easy-peasy! 

I'm on my way to a healthier, trimmer, me who can enjoy her children and grandchildren better.  Hey!  I'm getting a lap again!  All the better to read bedtime stories on!

************************

PS for those interested in the hows:
If you are interested in what I'm eating, I have pretty much gone by "Eat Bacon, Don't Jog", and it is working amazingly easily!  The pounds come off without any hunger, mood swings, heart palpitations, etc.  And I'm not doing the exercises in the book.

(I don't sell this book or have any interests in it - I just want you to know what has worked for me: Dec. 14 - Mar. 8 = 23 pounds lost) 

And I'm using a "Jawbone Up" wristband to track my sleep patterns and steps (esp. since I have trouble walking long periods or distance and want to see how I'm improving), and I have the app "My Fitness Pal" on my phone. 

The wristband is really not necessary, but I wouldn't have been able to do this as well or as easily without the app "My Fitness Pal".  I'm sure there are others out there. But the free version lets you set your goals, keep track of weight, keep track of foods and % of carbs, proteins and fats, along with the calories.  It is amazing!

Tuesday - Mewsday

Noah thanks you for your kind words on Caturday, and has requested another day.  Today.

My husband was kind enough to hold this roll up for me.

I need wrapping paper.  Where did I put my wrapping paper?

"Perhaps you don't have any."

Yes, I have some.

"Well, maybe you don't.  Maybe you need to get some."

Why would I need to get some?  I bought some just a little while ago.  I just don't remember where I put it.

"Well, it will be too hard to find now.  Maybe you should go buy some more at that store near my cat food store."

Wait.  I remember.  I put the roll under my bed.  Just a minute.

"I think you should not look there.  That's my area under the bed.  It is too dark under there for you to see anyway."

What's this?  This was my new wrapping paper!

"Oh, is that it?"

Yes.  This is my wrapping paper.  It has holes all through it!  What did you do?

"Ripping.  Ripping paper.  I thought you said 'ripping' paper.  So I did."

It's wrapping paper - for wrapping presents so they look nice.

"I think it looks quite festive myself...let the good times roll and all that."

This is going to be hard to put a good spin on, Noah.

"Oh, speaking of "spin", could you put another roll of white paper on the thingy in the bathroom.  We seem to have run out."

Puzzle Pieces

Okay, this is the strangest thing, but when I was writing my post for tomorrow and scheduling it, THIS post disappeared!  Totally, and yet the comments appear to be attached to my Tuesday post.  Now, the Tuesday post is about Noah.  Soooo, I'm wondering if he had anything to do with this.  I've never had a post disappear.  I did not press "delete".  Noah has typed on my computer before and I've come close to ordering things... but never like this!  I noticed something was wrong on the dashboard, so I quickly went to a page I still had open and copied all the text to make another post.  Good grief!  I think I've lost the two comments, but at least this is back...I think.   Noah, where are you?

 

 

Puzzle Pieces

She places the pieces
As she watches life
Unfold before her
It begins to make sense
As she knows the blue of sky
The antics of ants
And snowfall soft on her eyelids
Sounds and colors
Arranged to shape
The puzzle of the world
We guide her hands
and eyes
and footsteps
Handing her pieces
of comfort
of family
of life
of love
And one day she picks them up
on her own
And passes them on.

by Donna JT Smith

Not yet two, my granddaughter, as her brother before her, is following in her mother's, grandmother's, and two great grandmothers' footsteps of loving puzzles.  It may be because early on they saw their mother and me each Christmas spending snowy days and evenings hovering over puzzles of 1000 pieces.  We at first tried to keep brother from "helping" with the puzzle, as we knew he would end up losing a piece by knocking onto the floor.  But after a little bit we came to our senses.
He would beam when two unrelated pieces snapped together.  Who cared if the red piece was in the snowbank?    We would fix that later.   It was, after all, just a puzzle.  Who really cared if we lost a piece?  It was more important and fun to have him join in.  So when sister came along, she was invited to "put the pieces together" as soon as she could kneel on a chair to reach.
We would all sit around my big round cleared off computer table (a second kitchen table in my kitchen) and have a great time finding pieces that fit together - my daughter's and mine, more correctly perhaps but not always!
I love that they love puzzles.  The above picture is my granddaughter's hand placing a piece she found in the right spot.  She has a couple more pieces to go, and had help with most of this one, but as they got to the end, she was able to spot the correct pieces for the remaining spots.  Not bad for under two years old!  But, of course, she's had a couple of pros for mentors!

Horse Ruminations

Thanks, Margaret!

I never thought of using this as a slice today....

Our "horse lives" were mainly in Minnesota, and began as newlyweds. Neither of us had ever owned a horse before that time.  We bought a small farm and began our adventure.

Misty was our fourth horse, a sturdy Appaloosa mare, maybe 15H (hands), so a good height for me at 5'4".  She was level-headed, sweetheart unless she encountered a mailbox.  When one of them would sneak up on her, she would veer out into the road, no matter what speed she was going, which made riding on our country road a bit of a problem.  A gallop by a mailbox meant you could be leaping into the center of the road suddenly.  Slower gaits were safer around mailboxes!  Field riding was the best.  I don't know what in the world had happened in her previous life that set off this reaction.  We got her when she was about 10 and already trained to the Western saddle, though I rode both English and Western. 
I loved her trot.  It was even and pretty easy to sit her trot (which is what you'd do in a Western saddle vs posting in English).  And her canter had a nice rocking motion (oh, yeah, except when the mailboxes attacked).

She had a mostly white coat with flecks of rust all over.  If I had been the one to name her I might have been tempted to name her Cinnamon or Cinnamon Cookie, as she looked like she had been sprinkled with cinnamon! She was a well muscled horse; smooth silk coat, especially on her neck. 

In winter, we left the horses out in the cornfields to forage, and they came by the barn mornings and evenings for water, hay and a bit of grain.  Their coats would grow long, like a fuzzy kitten's.  Misty's coat would be about an inch and a half long and so you could rub your hands in it.  I loved putting my face on her shoulder and loved blowing on her nose; it was like horse kisses.  She'd often blow back softly and nuzzle you so you'd rub her face and withers. 

Bareback in winter... oh, the warmth of the horse's back...

Now I'm craving the smell of a steaming barn and the touch of a soft, warm muzzle!

Maybe I need to write some stuff about those days to tuck away for my grandchildren.  As long as I make a promise to myself NOT to get a horse!

Thanks for nudging these memories, Margaret!

For Noah, about Noah, to Noah

It's Saturday and Noah says that it is his turn.

He has requested a poem, a poem for him, about him, to him...an it had better be good.

"I would like a poem.  A good poem."

What should it be about?

"Me."

Of course.  Um, can I use your name in it?

"That would be nice."

 Would you like a funny poem or a serious poem?

"I think if it were about me, it would be serious. Don't you?"

Yes, I suppose it would.

"I will read it when you are done.  Make sure you say something about how sharp my claws are."

Oh, yes, I think I can do that.  I think I have a picture that can illustrate that.

"Illustrate?"

Yes.  I picture that shows how nice and sharp your claws are.

"We will see.  It must show me in a good light.  Just enough scary in it to be imaginable.  They don't need to see my claws, just what they can do."

 Let's see.  How about this one?

"This is not my sharpest claw work. But I do like the waterfall effect I've created here."

So is this one okay?

"Yes.  You may use that one.  Poem?"

Yes, poem.  Let's see what I can come up with.

"Make it a good one.  I'll wait here."

**************************

A Job Well Done

He came into the bathroom
The room was looking neat
He saw a roll of paper
Right beside a seat
He flexed his claws and stretched them
He stood on his back feet
He placed his front ones on it
And said, "This will be sweet."
With a patter, patter, patter
He began to beat
With motions that unraveled
Each little paper sheet
Until he had a mountain
And unrolling was complete.
He couldn't think what else to do
The paper lay in pleats
His job was done, there was no more
It must be time for eats.

For Noah, about Noah, to Noah - by Donna JT Smith
****************************

Done.

"Yes, that will do.  Now about those 'eats'.  Did you see my bowl?  There are only two pieces in it.  Why are there not more?"

Coming.

2 in One Again

Yesterday I posted twice because it was SOLC #3 and Spiritual Journey Thursday.  So today is another two in one day, but I'm combining the posts this time instead of two separate posts.
It's Poetry Friday with Linda Baie at Teacherdance, AND it's day #4 of SOLC!   So, it's going to be a busy day of posting and commenting.  My SOLC is first, and the poem is at the end.  It goes with the SOLC, though...

Today is the first day of using a shock collar with my yellow lab.  We have avoided that for a long time.  I just didn't want to do it that way.  But she is a different kind of dog than we've had in the past, and I am a different kind of fragile!

About two months ago I almost fell down the stairs at home, wrenching my right shoulder as I grasped the rail to avoid falling the full flight.  I irritated my rotator cuff, of course.  I've done that before and it takes about a year to get over.

I was not finished with the shoulder yet evidently. I was on my way to having less pain, when last week, I fell going up the stairs in the high school - metal edged, concrete steps.  Again, I was holding onto the railing with my right arm and in falling forward I wrenched the same shoulder.  Back to square one with it now.  Plus I bruised both knees and my ankle when I hit the edge of the steps.  My iPad went flying, but seems to have come out with no health issues.

My week was not over though.  A couple of days later, taking the dog out, I did an "Alice in Wonderland whizzing through the forest with the Duchess" move.  I took the dog out for a few minutes on her retractable leash and was letting her run just a bit.  I tell her to stop before she reaches the end of the leash, so that she will slow down before yanking my arm.  She has been pretty good at it until - she saw a stick (maybe?) just out of her reach and charged for it, pulling me right off my feet.  I landed face down in the mostly frozen muddy and dog poopie lawn.

The dog returned to see why I was not in my usual position of uprightness outside.  I had her sit down and she did.  I waited on the cold wet ground, getting colder and colder, catching my breath and making sure I had all my parts working.  When I was quite sure I would be able to work legs and arms, I told her to stay and she did.  I pulled myself up leaning on her.  For a year old pup, she was a champ.  She never moved, but let me use her to balance myself as I got up.  Kneeling on frozen ground was not so wonderful with bruised knees, but we did it.

So now I am trying to train her to pay attention to me without the leash when she is outside.  She was doing that pretty well in the winter, when there was snow on the ground, but now there are so many smells in the old oak leaves and so many sticks released by the winter winds.  She just can't help herself.

I can just hear her talking to herself as I call her to come.  "Yeah, yeah!  I'm coming... wait, what's that smell?  I never smelled that before.  Yeah, I'm coming.  In a minute.  Just one more sniff, okay.  Wait, what's THIS smell?  I've never smelled that before.  Okay, just a little more sniffing over here, and I will be right back.  I think."
And off she goes deeper and deeper into the woods here.

So we are trying the collar today.  So far she she's been very good.  It's almost like she knows what it is, and has chosen to fall asleep.  That's okay with me.

A Dog in Spring and Me

"Yeah, yeah! 
I'm coming back...
But wait, what's that smell?
I've never smelled that before.” 

She’s off and running out the door.

“Yeah, I'm coming. 
In a minute. 
I think I need more time;
Just one more sniff, okay.”

She’s found a stick and needs to play.

“Wait, what's THIS smell?
It’s something new
It has the smell of something good,
Just one more sniff and then I’m through.”

I only wish that that were true.

“A little more sniffing
Right over here…
Wait what just moved?
Oh, this is great, I see some birds!”

I wish that spring weren’t stronger than words!

 © 2016, Donna JT Smith, all rights reserved

Spiritual Journey Thursday

For more thoughts on Admire - go to Holly Mueller's links at Reading, Teaching, Learning.

Today's word for our Spiritual Journey Thursday (more links at Holly Mueller's) is Julieanne Harmatz's OLW (one little word for the year):  "admire". 

1.  to have a feeling of great respect for someone or something
2.  to look at someone or something that you think is beautiful or attractive

Who do you admire?
The first definition is the important one to me, though the second may be the one that grabs the attention first.  However, that is fleeting if what comes out of their mouth is foul, mean or unthinking.  It's harder to maintain a feeling of respect.  We are still commanded to love.  We don't have to agree and be best buddies however.

There are some people in the Bible that I admire.  I don't really even know or have any way of knowing what they looked like, but I can tell from actions that they would be people I'd respect or admire.

Do you remember Ruth?  I love her life story.  I love that she decided to follow Naomi back to her homeland.  And as a reward she found a husband.  Because her husband had died, she was not going to remarry unless it was a relative of her deceased husband, and the chances of that were very slim.  She went about doing what was pleasing to the Lord regardless, and her devotion was rewarded when Boaz discovered her gleaning in the field.

How about Esther?  She was a champion for her people and risked being put to death by her own husband, King Ahasuerus, for speaking out of turn.  But she was able to save Mordecai from the gallows, while sending the scheming Haman in his stead.

You know, I also like Mrs. Noah.... whatever her given name was... she may not have been named in this, but she raised a God-fearing family who was able to accompany them on the ark, and she obviously supported her "crazy" husband who built an ark to float when the rains came - even though there hadn't been any such thing as rain before that time.  And I'm sure that while he was spending all that time building the ark, he was letting a few household chores slide.  But did she nag?

I admire these people and others in the Bible, because they stood by God's principles.  They trusted.  They saw things through even when they didn't look too promising.

These are the people I admire in my present day life.  I look to those that I admire to be my role model in times of strife.  This is the way I want to be living; I want to be strong and steadfast in the Lord, so that when someone is watching, or no one is watching, I am doing what God would have me to do, regardless of the circumstances.  I would want to be known for my extreme faith.  I want to have extreme faith in the Lord, and the good that will always eventually come of pleasing God.  He is the one due all my praise and admiration.   But when I see His qualities in others, His hand in their lives, and their steadfastness in actions, I also admire that.  To be an admirable person, one must first and foremost, have admiration for God and His creation.

Iced tree at night

admirable

AD'MIRABLE, a. L. admirabilis.

To be admired; worthy of admiration; having qualities to excite wonder, with approbation, esteem or reverence; used of persons or things; as, the admirable structure of the body, or of the universe.

SOLC 3 - Yesterday's Read Aloud

Click image to head to Two Writing Teachers

Day 3! 
Basically a tenth of the way through the month...
Just do this ten more times this month, and you are there!  Well, plus a day.

My bag is packed, I'm ready to go...

Yesterday I had a fantastic time at our elementary school talking and reading to fifth graders.  We talked about why we read books and the different types of reading for different purposes.  I pulled out cookbooks, a jewelry making book, a magazine about writing and publishing, and my "The Fall of the Leaves of Fall" poetry book.   We talked about Haiku, and I showed them the postcards I'd made and encouraged them to take a picture sometime and write a Haiku to go with it.  Then I showed them my blog from yesterday with the Tagxedo squirrel and the reversed squirrel acrostic.

It was then that I saw my error!  Somehow, while I was deep in the forest of "Revising Land", I had left off the all important letter Q!  How embarassing!   How mortifying!  How so not to show the way you write an acrostic!

Or was it?

It turned into a mini lesson on taking care revising, making sure you reread your work before "finalizing" it, and resuming the revisions when you find you haven't quite "done it" yet!   I asked if they had ever done that before - written something and thought it was right, only to read it again and find a BIG mistake!  They seemed to know just what I was talking about.
Then I called for words that might be used for the Q, and we tried out some.  As we did so, one student pointed out that now the "treasure/pleasure" rhyme would be messed up!  I wholeheartedly agreed with him - that would definitely be the challenge, but that I couldn't just leave it the way it was for very long!

I told them I might just be in the school parking lot for a while thinking and rewriting!  But I did leave and I drove into town where I sat in the grocery store parking lot.  I finally got it  revised and republished on the page.  Phew!

Before Q (and some of you read it but either didn't notice or were too kind to point it out!):

Leaping from tree to tree,
Enjoying being free;
Running and
Racing;
In secret placing
Underground treasure -
Stores of winter nibbling pleasure. 

You know it's still a good poem - you just can't call it an acrostic...maybe it could be renamed ... an alostic - when you lose one of the letters in an acrostic...

Leaping from tree to tree,
Enjoying being free;
Running and
Racing;
In secret placing
Under ground his acorns-
Quivering in delight at his treasure
Stores for winter nibbling pleasure.

by Donna JT Smith

After the reading and poetry discussions, I began reading "Nuts to You" by Lynne Rae Perkins.  I didn't get as far as I would have liked, but what I did read was well received.  I left them a copy of my "The Fall of the Leaves of Fall", and their very own copy of "Nuts to You" so they could add it to their classroom library, and they could finish the book.
I baked some squirrel shaped cookies in the morning and brought those as a treat.  I'm off sugars for a while, so didn't get to sample them (even though they were gluten free), but the students said they tasted good!

Today is Community Read Aloud

 SOLC Day 2: 

Today is Community Read Aloud, so I am heading in before lunch to read to a small class of fifth graders in my hometown.  Small class means 9 students.  Though the class is small, I'm excited to be able to go in and read for about 30 minutes.  I like getting back into the classroom for a bit - for just the fun part, no testing and recording, etc.  I get to just walk out the door, with no papers to correct, no files, no stuff to do when I get home.

I am going to read some chapters from "Nuts to You" by Lynne Rae Perkins, a humorous story about some squirrel friends.  It has lots of good dialogue in it, and it made me laugh, so I'm hoping the students will get a kick out of it as well.  I'm bringing them a copy of the book for their classroom library, and hoping some will be drawn to the book enough to want to read the rest on their own.

When I first read the book I had checked it out of the neighboring town's public library last fall, which brings me to the subject of libraries.  Is your town large enough to have its own library?

When I was young, we had a bookmobile that came to school probably once a month.  There was no school library, nor did our small town have a library.  We had to go into the larger neighboring town (where I went to check out the book).  I used to imagine getting locked in the library for the whole night.  Wow, all those books and all that time to just read and read and read!

I'm living very close to my childhood area, and this town, small as it is, does have a library.  It's a small building sitting on the side of a steep hill (parking for a couple of cars at the bottom of the hill on the side of the road).  It is inaccessible in the winter, so it closes from late fall to early spring.  People take out a pile of "Blizzard Books" before snow flies and in spring, return them when the library becomes accessible again and reopens.  Everyone can have a nice warm stash of books for the long cold winter nights.  I'm wondering if any other small towns have the same kind of setup we have here on the island.

Upside down squirrel on our bird feeder (not today...not so green this morning!)

SQUIRREL

(an upside-down acrostic, because they spend as much time upside down as right-side up) 

Leaping from tree to tree,
Enjoying being free;
Running and
Racing;
In secret placing
Underground his acorns-
Quivering in delight at his treasure
Stores for winter nibbling pleasure.

by Donna JT Smith

See you tomorrow!
Thank you fifth graders for brainstorming the missing Q word!

March SOLC Has Begun!

Who's ready for breakfast?

Welcome all!  Welcome!  Welcome!

I'm part of the Welcome Wagon for SOLC!

The best and worst thing about March is about to begin!

I say the best because it is full of surprises,

such words to warm your heart!

I say the worst because it is full of surprises,

and I like having a plan to start.

  

One never knows where their day will go, so who knows what your writing will be about?  You just can't plan it.  Wing it, wing it

I know that for all of April, I will be posting in the A to Z challenge, and I already have a handle on my theme and know it will be posting a poem a day for Poetry Month.  That is all set to start thinking about more.
But March?

As I flipped through some pictures the other day, I noticed a few of my pet photos, and that got me thinking about maybe focusing on a daily post of animals - mine and others - we'll see.  They play a big part in day to day living here.  I don't have children to write about so you may be getting a whole earful/eyeful of pets!

We'll see.  Even I may not be able to stomach that.
So I guess that leaves us up in the air - to write about little occurrences that strike me as write-worthy this month.  You will probably enjoy that more anyway.
Pets leave hair.