Sorry it's taking me so long to get TSP together! lately it seems like everyone is very busy! So, I'll post this update on life here before too much has slipped by!
Katie and Sergio have the big day planned. It's in a church nearby on May 30th, 2:pm... all family invited! Just let us know! :D
Susan is doing home health nursing... and is really busy!
Mary is in a couple high school plays over here, and a dance recital coming up!
Other than that, all the critters are doing fine, the weather is lovely and everyone is doing well. Lotsa love to all! Until the next update!
Mary <3
Contact number: 540-674-0123, 540-250-2038
April 26, 2009
March 03, 2009
The Spider and the Fly
An Apologue. A New Version Of An Old Story.
"Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."
"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"
Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, "Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"
"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."
The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"
Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue --
Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing!
At last, Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again!
And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly. by Mary Howitt 1821.
"Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."
"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"
Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, "Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"
"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."
The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"
Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue --
Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing!
At last, Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again!
And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly. by Mary Howitt 1821.
March 02, 2009
Editorial, March
Edwin Markham:
He drew a circle that shut me out --
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
My expectation was that I was leaving the hectic emergency room for the calm of home health nursing. It seems I just got there and things started deteriorating. It wasn't me, it was corporate decisions along with a job change for one nurse and the sudden unexpected resignation of another for reasons all her own, but suddenly my 40 hour a week job has blossomed into something far more, with an unsure expectation how the compensation will reflect the extra effort and hours that seem required of me. I hear a rumble of discontent as the load falls on the remaining faithful, and I see folks around me growing weary and wearier, and I feel myself growing. I hear some grumbling, too, since "Corporate" isn't changing their expectations just because we're all working like crazy keeping the patients care needs met, and what has always been a difficult computer system seems almost intolerable in the stress of having to be as efficient as possible - and "Corporate" hasn't seen the light on that one yet.
Circles, and how we draw them, can make all the difference. It's like the foxhole theory, and it seems I come back to it again and again. It's enough to have an enemy outside willing to kill, steal, and destroy. We don't need any enemies inside the foxhole with us! Those bullets and missiles shot at close range seem to hit the target even harder than those we expect from the outside. Thankfully, we're a good team of folks and not many missiles are being launched from the inside. In fact, I find many of us are going the extra to make sure we mention how appreciative we are of the other. It makes a difference.
I love the diverse personalities with whom I have a working relationship, and at the house, I love the diverse personalities of all of us who share the 680 square feet we call home. I want my circles to be drawn broadly, giving each one of these unique individuals an opportunity to blossom into the image of God and His Christ He's created them to be. That, and the blessings He gives His beloved in sleep, His mercies which are new each morning, and the strength He gives those who wait on Him to mount up with wings as eagles, will be enough!
He drew a circle that shut me out --
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
My expectation was that I was leaving the hectic emergency room for the calm of home health nursing. It seems I just got there and things started deteriorating. It wasn't me, it was corporate decisions along with a job change for one nurse and the sudden unexpected resignation of another for reasons all her own, but suddenly my 40 hour a week job has blossomed into something far more, with an unsure expectation how the compensation will reflect the extra effort and hours that seem required of me. I hear a rumble of discontent as the load falls on the remaining faithful, and I see folks around me growing weary and wearier, and I feel myself growing. I hear some grumbling, too, since "Corporate" isn't changing their expectations just because we're all working like crazy keeping the patients care needs met, and what has always been a difficult computer system seems almost intolerable in the stress of having to be as efficient as possible - and "Corporate" hasn't seen the light on that one yet.
Circles, and how we draw them, can make all the difference. It's like the foxhole theory, and it seems I come back to it again and again. It's enough to have an enemy outside willing to kill, steal, and destroy. We don't need any enemies inside the foxhole with us! Those bullets and missiles shot at close range seem to hit the target even harder than those we expect from the outside. Thankfully, we're a good team of folks and not many missiles are being launched from the inside. In fact, I find many of us are going the extra to make sure we mention how appreciative we are of the other. It makes a difference.
I love the diverse personalities with whom I have a working relationship, and at the house, I love the diverse personalities of all of us who share the 680 square feet we call home. I want my circles to be drawn broadly, giving each one of these unique individuals an opportunity to blossom into the image of God and His Christ He's created them to be. That, and the blessings He gives His beloved in sleep, His mercies which are new each morning, and the strength He gives those who wait on Him to mount up with wings as eagles, will be enough!
March 01, 2009
In Merlin's Shadow #2
Roxanne and her father Emrys finished their silent dinner and Roxanne had begun to fill the kitchen sink with hot water when a knock at the door disturbed their usual silence.
"I'll get it!" Emrys said He opened the door to find a young man at the door.
"Yes?" Emrys asked curtly "What do you want?"
Roxanne's curiosity brought her to her dad's side before the young man could respond and her gasp of recognition alerted her father that Roxanne knew him."Who are you and what do you want?" Emrys asked gruffly and glanced at the boy's brilliant blue eyes.
"Dad, please don't be rude." Roxanne pleaded."I'm sorry for disturbing you sir, I realize…" The young man began
"Leave off the flattery please. I know you're here for Roxanne." Emrys interrupted.
"Daddy. Please, your not letting him answer." Roxanne pleaded again as she stepped closer to the screen door that separated her from this fellow she had met in the library earlier that day.
"Well, sir," He began again."I met your daughter in the library today. Oh," He said realizing he hadn't answered the questions, "I'm sorry I'm not answering your original question. My name is Joseph and well, I met your daughter, Roxanne…" He paused after saying Roxanne because he had never said her name before. He wanted to taste it and remember it forever. He smiled to her and for her."It's a lovely name, isn't it?" Joseph said dreamily to her but realized again that her father was the gate keeper so he turned his gaze back to Emrys.
"Roxanne is a lovely name sir isn't it? You named her well" His sheepish grin made Emrys furious."Get on with it. I have allot to do and so does Roxanne." Emrys interrupted again and noticed Joseph's face with sun-tanned freckles across his cheekbones and Joseph's wild red hair sticking up in more directions than Emrys thought legal. Emrys wanted to hate the boy but there was something familiar about him too. Something that made him feel safe and almost warm inside. So, Emrys decided to push him away as soon as the possibility presented itself. "Well, my name is Joseph sir." "I am not deaf?" Emrys interrupted trying to make Joseph look stupid to Roxanne. "You have already established your name for us, Joseph." Emrys emphasized the name Joseph in a nasty way and Roxanne wanted to hit him for it. "Maybe," Emrys added noticing Joseph's attention upon Roxanne. "If you stop undressing my daughter with your eyes you can state your business and leave us the hell alone."
"Dad!" Roxanne said alarmed.Joseph's face reddened as much as Roxanne's.
"Sir, I would never. I …" Joseph stammered uncomfortably."Sir," Joseph tried again after taking a breath." I really thought this would be much easier. Roxanne is attractive and I understand you must have that reaction by others in public when they see her, I know how human males can be, They only have one thing on their minds don't they?" Joseph smiled uncomfortably. "But really, Sir, I wasn't …" Joseph didn't want to say "undressing her". Because, even the words embarrassed him.
"Excuse me." Emrys said in the obviously uncomfortable pause."I know how human males can be?" Emrys asked rudely. "Are you not a human male?"
Joseph reddened again and his hand went to his mouth realizing he must be more careful. Roxanne thought his embarrassment made him even more adorable. He was no movie star. She could see that. She smiled watching him struggle with her father.
"Did I say that?" Joseph asked. Directing the question with his eyes to Emrys but he meant it for Roxanne. He desperately wanted to look at her again but after her dad's embarrassing accusation he feared she would think he was doing exactly what her father suggested.
"You did say that." Roxanne giggled. " Do you not consider yourself ," She paused searching for the right word. "not human?"
"And you don't have to be afraid to look at me." She assured him. And his gaze became all hers. " My father says things before he speaks." Roxanne said.
"Before he speaks?" Joseph asked completely lost to her. She giggled again sending shivers through him. Had Joseph not been so desperate to impress Roxanne's Dad he would have spun around like a lunatic on a mountain top and broke into song at that moment and it reflected in his eyes. Capturing Roxanne further into a web of what she could have never imagined and catapulting Emrys further towards the fury he intended for this boy.
"And?" Emrys said reminding the boy that he was there.
"Oh, yes, sir." Joseph forced himself to appear to look at Emrys again but his eyes darted to the side toward Roxanne intermittently. "There's a carnival in town, sir." Joseph said. "My mom wanted to meet you." Joseph smiled like a little boy with a bouquet of dandelions for his first girl friend.
"Me?" Emrys asked surprised.
"No, sir. Not you, I meant Roxanne of coarse." He said and struggled not to turn back to look at Roxanne when he heard her giggle at his mistake.
"She wants to meet Roxanne, of coarse." He said hoping to steady the direction of this conversation."You told your mom about me?" Roxanne asked. Joseph was glad to have another reason to look at her.
"Of coarse. And she wants to meet you at the carnival tonight.." He said.
"How do you know each other?" Emrys asked.
"The library dad." Roxanne answered quickly. "I tripped in the library today and would have hit my head on a shelf except Joseph happened to be there and caught me."
"I see." Emrys said digesting it all."And now this boy who can't even comb his hair thinks you are fair game for dating? And wants me to believe his mother wants to meet you at a carnival? What's wrong with this picture?" Emrys asked snidely.
"My mother works at the carnival sir." Joseph told him wondering why Emrys wouldn't like his hair.
"We travel with the carnival, sir." " We're all like a family there really. I grew up there. Well, not just there where it is now of coarse but with the carnival I mean and Mom will be there tonight and wants to meet Roxanne and read her palm and stuff."
"No!" Emrys answered."We don't participate in the occult. That's occult. It's not a game for us. So the answer is no you can go away now and leave us alone. And, don't bother coming back!" Emrys said sternly as he placed his hand on Roxanne's shoulder and gave her a gentle tug away from the door so he could close it.Roxanne resisted and stepped closer to the screen door.
"Please sir." Joseph pleaded."I'm sure my mom and I would agree with you. Mom reminds me all the time that occultish things and dark magic is forbidden to humans. I nor she would ever presume to…"
Upon hearing the attempted explanation, Emrys grabbed Roxanne's shoulder firmly and yanked her backward from the doorway. She lost her balance and fell over her fathers foot striking her head sharply on the floor. In a moment too quick for Emrys to see, Joseph was inside helping Roxanne to her feet.
"Are you alright?" Joseph asked her while he examined the back of her head and relieved there was no external injury. She nodded silently embarrassed. When Joseph was sure Roxanne was alright he turned his gaze and glared into Emrys eyes. Emrys could see nothing but boiling blue. "Don't ever hurt her again. Ever." Joseph said then took a deep breath and became a nervous boy again.
Trying to dispel the guilt Joseph had just sent into his heart. Emrys turned away from Joseph. Familiarity struck him again and he struggled to remember when had he seen a gaze just like that before?
"Are you really alright, Roxanne?" Joseph asked again.
"Get out of my house!" Emrys commanded sternly.
Joseph obeyed but only as far as the screen door. He turned back to watch Emrys slam the front door in his face. So, Joseph opened the screen door and put his ear to the inner front door.
"When did you decide you could start physically abusing me, Dad?" Roxanne screamed."Obviously I would be safer with a stranger than with my own father! And what's wrong with that picture Dad?" She emphasized the word "that". Roxanne stormed from the living room and into her bedroom and slammed her door shut. Then, she looked out her window hoping against hope that Joseph hadn't left. She was more than pleased to see him listening through the front door and giggled. When her bedroom door opened again she was dressed in the only dress she ever owned, an emerald green dress with an iridescent sheen she found in the thrift store some time ago without her father's knowledge. She liked it because it brought out the red in her hair which she thought, was her most becoming characteristic even with her freckles which she hated until she saw Joseph's freckles today. Besides that, she that dress proved to herself that she was indeed girl instead of just some lump. Emrys never allowed her to wear dresses or makeup or anything that would revealed herself as female.
Roxanne discovered her father sitting on the couch rocking back and forth with his arms around his chest, "Like a lunatic." She thought, glad Joseph didn't see this. This behavior of Emrys' had been increasing in frequency of late and worsened with stress which was one reason she never resisted his moods, until now.
"He needs his medication increased" she comforted herself with as she chose her words. "I'm going." She said and noticed the bloody bandage on his right wrist was. Further indication of his stress level. The bandage protected an unhealed wound, which resulted from being struck by a car during his childhood. The other result was his mental illness, secondary to a massive head injury. The wrist bled in times when he was the most stressed and the rocking made Roxanne feel angry. "You're bleeding again Dad. This is not something to get upset about. You can't keep me caged up here like I'm your pet or something. I'm going to the carnival and I promise to be back at a reasonable time and he is not going to hurt me dad. He's different. I can tell." She said feeling bolder now than usual because Joseph was at the door listening and she hoped he could hear her.
Emrys looked at her. He hadn't realized that Roxanne had grown into womanhood and found himself rather taken by her beauty."You're very…" He struggled uncomfortably. He wanted to say the word beautiful but it caught in his mind somewhere.
"You look very pretty." He settled on saying and he actually smiled. Roxanne's heart softened slightly toward him.
"I don't really." She said, fishing for another rare compliment from her Dad. "Yes," He smiled again.
"You do. You are very…" He inhaled. "I can say it." He told himself in a struggle he couldn't understand. "Go on and be the man" he told himself."Beautiful!" The word came out rather loud and rigid but Roxanne accepted with a smile.
"Roxanne…" He said wanting also to tell her that he loved her. But that was unthinkable for him. The words stuck in that same sticky place in his mind and when that happened he only wanted to sit and rock. His wrist smarted. Except for Roxanne's blue eyes which were her mother's, she was the exact image of the woman in his nightmares. He knew they were just nightmares, part of his illness since childhood, but he couldn't divorce himself from the fact that Roxanne had become the exact image of the woman in his dreams, except that is, for her eyes. She had her mother's blue eyes, not the vivid green eyes. "Like the color of her dress." Emrys realized to his discomfort.
"Her eyes were green, green not blue" he began to repeat in his mind over and over. In the place where things stick.Roxanne recognized the look on her father's face now. He had slipped into his inner world again and began to rock back and forth..
"I'll be home Dad." She said giving him up again and she left.
"I'll get it!" Emrys said He opened the door to find a young man at the door.
"Yes?" Emrys asked curtly "What do you want?"
Roxanne's curiosity brought her to her dad's side before the young man could respond and her gasp of recognition alerted her father that Roxanne knew him."Who are you and what do you want?" Emrys asked gruffly and glanced at the boy's brilliant blue eyes.
"Dad, please don't be rude." Roxanne pleaded."I'm sorry for disturbing you sir, I realize…" The young man began
"Leave off the flattery please. I know you're here for Roxanne." Emrys interrupted.
"Daddy. Please, your not letting him answer." Roxanne pleaded again as she stepped closer to the screen door that separated her from this fellow she had met in the library earlier that day.
"Well, sir," He began again."I met your daughter in the library today. Oh," He said realizing he hadn't answered the questions, "I'm sorry I'm not answering your original question. My name is Joseph and well, I met your daughter, Roxanne…" He paused after saying Roxanne because he had never said her name before. He wanted to taste it and remember it forever. He smiled to her and for her."It's a lovely name, isn't it?" Joseph said dreamily to her but realized again that her father was the gate keeper so he turned his gaze back to Emrys.
"Roxanne is a lovely name sir isn't it? You named her well" His sheepish grin made Emrys furious."Get on with it. I have allot to do and so does Roxanne." Emrys interrupted again and noticed Joseph's face with sun-tanned freckles across his cheekbones and Joseph's wild red hair sticking up in more directions than Emrys thought legal. Emrys wanted to hate the boy but there was something familiar about him too. Something that made him feel safe and almost warm inside. So, Emrys decided to push him away as soon as the possibility presented itself. "Well, my name is Joseph sir." "I am not deaf?" Emrys interrupted trying to make Joseph look stupid to Roxanne. "You have already established your name for us, Joseph." Emrys emphasized the name Joseph in a nasty way and Roxanne wanted to hit him for it. "Maybe," Emrys added noticing Joseph's attention upon Roxanne. "If you stop undressing my daughter with your eyes you can state your business and leave us the hell alone."
"Dad!" Roxanne said alarmed.Joseph's face reddened as much as Roxanne's.
"Sir, I would never. I …" Joseph stammered uncomfortably."Sir," Joseph tried again after taking a breath." I really thought this would be much easier. Roxanne is attractive and I understand you must have that reaction by others in public when they see her, I know how human males can be, They only have one thing on their minds don't they?" Joseph smiled uncomfortably. "But really, Sir, I wasn't …" Joseph didn't want to say "undressing her". Because, even the words embarrassed him.
"Excuse me." Emrys said in the obviously uncomfortable pause."I know how human males can be?" Emrys asked rudely. "Are you not a human male?"
Joseph reddened again and his hand went to his mouth realizing he must be more careful. Roxanne thought his embarrassment made him even more adorable. He was no movie star. She could see that. She smiled watching him struggle with her father.
"Did I say that?" Joseph asked. Directing the question with his eyes to Emrys but he meant it for Roxanne. He desperately wanted to look at her again but after her dad's embarrassing accusation he feared she would think he was doing exactly what her father suggested.
"You did say that." Roxanne giggled. " Do you not consider yourself ," She paused searching for the right word. "not human?"
"And you don't have to be afraid to look at me." She assured him. And his gaze became all hers. " My father says things before he speaks." Roxanne said.
"Before he speaks?" Joseph asked completely lost to her. She giggled again sending shivers through him. Had Joseph not been so desperate to impress Roxanne's Dad he would have spun around like a lunatic on a mountain top and broke into song at that moment and it reflected in his eyes. Capturing Roxanne further into a web of what she could have never imagined and catapulting Emrys further towards the fury he intended for this boy.
"And?" Emrys said reminding the boy that he was there.
"Oh, yes, sir." Joseph forced himself to appear to look at Emrys again but his eyes darted to the side toward Roxanne intermittently. "There's a carnival in town, sir." Joseph said. "My mom wanted to meet you." Joseph smiled like a little boy with a bouquet of dandelions for his first girl friend.
"Me?" Emrys asked surprised.
"No, sir. Not you, I meant Roxanne of coarse." He said and struggled not to turn back to look at Roxanne when he heard her giggle at his mistake.
"She wants to meet Roxanne, of coarse." He said hoping to steady the direction of this conversation."You told your mom about me?" Roxanne asked. Joseph was glad to have another reason to look at her.
"Of coarse. And she wants to meet you at the carnival tonight.." He said.
"How do you know each other?" Emrys asked.
"The library dad." Roxanne answered quickly. "I tripped in the library today and would have hit my head on a shelf except Joseph happened to be there and caught me."
"I see." Emrys said digesting it all."And now this boy who can't even comb his hair thinks you are fair game for dating? And wants me to believe his mother wants to meet you at a carnival? What's wrong with this picture?" Emrys asked snidely.
"My mother works at the carnival sir." Joseph told him wondering why Emrys wouldn't like his hair.
"We travel with the carnival, sir." " We're all like a family there really. I grew up there. Well, not just there where it is now of coarse but with the carnival I mean and Mom will be there tonight and wants to meet Roxanne and read her palm and stuff."
"No!" Emrys answered."We don't participate in the occult. That's occult. It's not a game for us. So the answer is no you can go away now and leave us alone. And, don't bother coming back!" Emrys said sternly as he placed his hand on Roxanne's shoulder and gave her a gentle tug away from the door so he could close it.Roxanne resisted and stepped closer to the screen door.
"Please sir." Joseph pleaded."I'm sure my mom and I would agree with you. Mom reminds me all the time that occultish things and dark magic is forbidden to humans. I nor she would ever presume to…"
Upon hearing the attempted explanation, Emrys grabbed Roxanne's shoulder firmly and yanked her backward from the doorway. She lost her balance and fell over her fathers foot striking her head sharply on the floor. In a moment too quick for Emrys to see, Joseph was inside helping Roxanne to her feet.
"Are you alright?" Joseph asked her while he examined the back of her head and relieved there was no external injury. She nodded silently embarrassed. When Joseph was sure Roxanne was alright he turned his gaze and glared into Emrys eyes. Emrys could see nothing but boiling blue. "Don't ever hurt her again. Ever." Joseph said then took a deep breath and became a nervous boy again.
Trying to dispel the guilt Joseph had just sent into his heart. Emrys turned away from Joseph. Familiarity struck him again and he struggled to remember when had he seen a gaze just like that before?
"Are you really alright, Roxanne?" Joseph asked again.
"Get out of my house!" Emrys commanded sternly.
Joseph obeyed but only as far as the screen door. He turned back to watch Emrys slam the front door in his face. So, Joseph opened the screen door and put his ear to the inner front door.
"When did you decide you could start physically abusing me, Dad?" Roxanne screamed."Obviously I would be safer with a stranger than with my own father! And what's wrong with that picture Dad?" She emphasized the word "that". Roxanne stormed from the living room and into her bedroom and slammed her door shut. Then, she looked out her window hoping against hope that Joseph hadn't left. She was more than pleased to see him listening through the front door and giggled. When her bedroom door opened again she was dressed in the only dress she ever owned, an emerald green dress with an iridescent sheen she found in the thrift store some time ago without her father's knowledge. She liked it because it brought out the red in her hair which she thought, was her most becoming characteristic even with her freckles which she hated until she saw Joseph's freckles today. Besides that, she that dress proved to herself that she was indeed girl instead of just some lump. Emrys never allowed her to wear dresses or makeup or anything that would revealed herself as female.
Roxanne discovered her father sitting on the couch rocking back and forth with his arms around his chest, "Like a lunatic." She thought, glad Joseph didn't see this. This behavior of Emrys' had been increasing in frequency of late and worsened with stress which was one reason she never resisted his moods, until now.
"He needs his medication increased" she comforted herself with as she chose her words. "I'm going." She said and noticed the bloody bandage on his right wrist was. Further indication of his stress level. The bandage protected an unhealed wound, which resulted from being struck by a car during his childhood. The other result was his mental illness, secondary to a massive head injury. The wrist bled in times when he was the most stressed and the rocking made Roxanne feel angry. "You're bleeding again Dad. This is not something to get upset about. You can't keep me caged up here like I'm your pet or something. I'm going to the carnival and I promise to be back at a reasonable time and he is not going to hurt me dad. He's different. I can tell." She said feeling bolder now than usual because Joseph was at the door listening and she hoped he could hear her.
Emrys looked at her. He hadn't realized that Roxanne had grown into womanhood and found himself rather taken by her beauty."You're very…" He struggled uncomfortably. He wanted to say the word beautiful but it caught in his mind somewhere.
"You look very pretty." He settled on saying and he actually smiled. Roxanne's heart softened slightly toward him.
"I don't really." She said, fishing for another rare compliment from her Dad. "Yes," He smiled again.
"You do. You are very…" He inhaled. "I can say it." He told himself in a struggle he couldn't understand. "Go on and be the man" he told himself."Beautiful!" The word came out rather loud and rigid but Roxanne accepted with a smile.
"Roxanne…" He said wanting also to tell her that he loved her. But that was unthinkable for him. The words stuck in that same sticky place in his mind and when that happened he only wanted to sit and rock. His wrist smarted. Except for Roxanne's blue eyes which were her mother's, she was the exact image of the woman in his nightmares. He knew they were just nightmares, part of his illness since childhood, but he couldn't divorce himself from the fact that Roxanne had become the exact image of the woman in his dreams, except that is, for her eyes. She had her mother's blue eyes, not the vivid green eyes. "Like the color of her dress." Emrys realized to his discomfort.
"Her eyes were green, green not blue" he began to repeat in his mind over and over. In the place where things stick.Roxanne recognized the look on her father's face now. He had slipped into his inner world again and began to rock back and forth..
"I'll be home Dad." She said giving him up again and she left.
Super James #15
The Mansion stood like a giant against the dark of the night. The lone porch-light glowed eerily out, as if to great the catnappers heading for it. No one know that I was out here in the cold, trying to rid the world of evil. If I disappeared my little Donna wouldn’t now where to look. The beautiful Lady Grace would never get a chance to fall in love with me. But that was the life that I had chosen. I had chosen to be alone on my quest, and now I was here, here in this stormy night, against the two last men. I found my next target and flew closer.
Marc was creeping along the edge of the hedge. His eyes were locked firmly on the towering building ahead, and you could almost see all the second-thoughts racing across his face. It wouldn't take much to make a man whose hands are shaking like a leaf in the fall leave and never return (unless possible for a chapter in the sequel.)
So carefully, oh so carefully I crept behind him. He was shouldering a large pack filled with ropes and hook and lock picks. I pulled at the knots holding the straps together, it gave a little. I did the same to the other.
The knots started untying and faster than you could say 'a fat, juicy hamburger with mayo, ketchup, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and twice the cheese, please' the pack fell off.
Marc started, his eyes wide and all sorts of freaked out. He grabbed at the ends of the straps and started muttering insults so bad that I really hoped that the ties wouldn’t hold together. How can you be so low down that you’d call a pour straps mother that! But those strings had had enough, they wouldn’t hold, or even try to hold.
While Marc was still trying to fix his pack, I snuck up behind him, and with a handy tree limb knocked him up-side the head. He fell like bird poop, straight down and with a little splat in the damp ground.
I tied his hands with my last strip of cape.
Then I was off my eyes zooming to the figure of my archenemy. There he was, about to steal away all those sadistic little kittens. And only I could stop him.
Marc was creeping along the edge of the hedge. His eyes were locked firmly on the towering building ahead, and you could almost see all the second-thoughts racing across his face. It wouldn't take much to make a man whose hands are shaking like a leaf in the fall leave and never return (unless possible for a chapter in the sequel.)
So carefully, oh so carefully I crept behind him. He was shouldering a large pack filled with ropes and hook and lock picks. I pulled at the knots holding the straps together, it gave a little. I did the same to the other.
The knots started untying and faster than you could say 'a fat, juicy hamburger with mayo, ketchup, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and twice the cheese, please' the pack fell off.
Marc started, his eyes wide and all sorts of freaked out. He grabbed at the ends of the straps and started muttering insults so bad that I really hoped that the ties wouldn’t hold together. How can you be so low down that you’d call a pour straps mother that! But those strings had had enough, they wouldn’t hold, or even try to hold.
While Marc was still trying to fix his pack, I snuck up behind him, and with a handy tree limb knocked him up-side the head. He fell like bird poop, straight down and with a little splat in the damp ground.
I tied his hands with my last strip of cape.
Then I was off my eyes zooming to the figure of my archenemy. There he was, about to steal away all those sadistic little kittens. And only I could stop him.
February 27, 2009
After an intense high speed chase, an officer finally gets the lawbreaker to pull over."You know," says the cop, "I was originally pulling you over to tell you your taillight is out. Why the hell did you take off like that?""Last week my wife ran off with a cop," the man said, "and I was afraid you were trying to give her back."
As he lay on his deathbed, the man confided to his wife, "I cannot die without telling you the truth. I cheated on you throughout our whole marriage. All those nights when I told you I was working late, I was with other women. And not just one woman either, but I've slept with dozens of them."His wife looked at him calmly and said, "Why do you think I gave you the poison?"
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
A man on a bike, carrying two saddlebags, was stopped by a guard while crossing the US-Mexican border. He had rigged up a primitive rope bridge to by-pass the customs control.'What's in the bags? demanded the guard.'Sand,' the cyclist answered.'Take them off. I need to take a look.' retorted the guard.The guard emptied the bags and found out they contained nothing but sand. The man reloaded his bags and continued across the border. A week later, the same man was crossing again with two more bags. The guard demanded to see them, and again they contained nothing but sand. This continued every week for six months, until one day the cyclist failed to appear. A few days later, that same guard ran into the cyclist in Tijuana.'Hey, where have you been?' the guard enquired. 'You sure had us wondering. We knew you were smuggling something across the border. So tell me and I won't say a word. What was it?'The man smiled broadly and told him the truth, 'Bicycles!'
As he lay on his deathbed, the man confided to his wife, "I cannot die without telling you the truth. I cheated on you throughout our whole marriage. All those nights when I told you I was working late, I was with other women. And not just one woman either, but I've slept with dozens of them."His wife looked at him calmly and said, "Why do you think I gave you the poison?"
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
A man on a bike, carrying two saddlebags, was stopped by a guard while crossing the US-Mexican border. He had rigged up a primitive rope bridge to by-pass the customs control.'What's in the bags? demanded the guard.'Sand,' the cyclist answered.'Take them off. I need to take a look.' retorted the guard.The guard emptied the bags and found out they contained nothing but sand. The man reloaded his bags and continued across the border. A week later, the same man was crossing again with two more bags. The guard demanded to see them, and again they contained nothing but sand. This continued every week for six months, until one day the cyclist failed to appear. A few days later, that same guard ran into the cyclist in Tijuana.'Hey, where have you been?' the guard enquired. 'You sure had us wondering. We knew you were smuggling something across the border. So tell me and I won't say a word. What was it?'The man smiled broadly and told him the truth, 'Bicycles!'
February 17, 2009
In Merlin's Shadow #1 by Jeff and Mary Strong
"We had to come Dad. I told you we have to do a paper for science. I don't see why you have to make it such a big deal!" Roxanne screamed right before she slammed the car door for further emphasis of her displeasure.
After the car sped away Elizabeth spoke.
"What's up with your father, Roxanne? Stressed over the move here?"
"He's always like that, Elizabeth." Roxanne answered with her face growing increasingly redder from her anger, embarrassment and frustration.
"He hates me. He has always hated me. Roxanne directed her gaze toward the pavement unconsciously trying to hold back years of pent up tears and then into Elizabeth's eyes consciously. Roxanne did not want to appear broken in anyway to this new friend.
"Come on, Roxanne, I'm sure he doesn't hate you." Elizabeth smiled hoping to seem the comforting and supportive friend. Elizabeth feared that she had befriended Roxanne against her better judgment. Everyone in school said Roxanne was freaky and odd. She wore flannel shirts and blue jeans to school every day. She never wore makeup or anything sexy and kept to herself in very odd ways. But Elizabeth decided after last Sunday's sermon to befriend someone who was obviously difficult to love and Roxanne came first to mind. She wanted to be like Jesus to love the lowly and down trodden.
"He has hated me for years Elizabeth and I want to apologize for his rude behavior toward you." Roxanne said and turned toward the library.
"We're here to research right?" Roxanne said.
Elizabeth darted to the door. She was embarrassed by Roxanne's Dad's behavior to her in the car but wanted to try and cover it up until she could talk to her friends about it. It would make interesting conversation.
"Let me." Elizabeth smiled as she opened the door for Roxanne to enter.
"Thanks." Roxanne smiled genuinely. "You make me feel special."
"Announcing Queen Roxanne!" Elizabeth heralded with a forced smile.
Roxanne returned the smile genuinely and lifted her head to appear the more regal. "Wouldn't it be nice if I was a real queen." Roxanne said as she entered convincing Elizabeth that this friendship could never work. Not even Jesus could expect it of her.
Elizabeth caught up to Roxanne quickly because Roxanne upon entering had stopped walking and literally had her nose in the air.
Elizabeth more convinced now than ever of the oddness of Roxanne decided she didn't want to be seen to near this person again.
"Do you smell that?" Roxanne asked clutching Elizabeth's arm.
Margaret the lead cheerleader had just walked in and had to squeeze around Roxanne to get in and of coarse saw Elizabeth with the odd new girl. Elizabeth felt horrified.
"Books?" Elizabeth said trying to break Roxanne's clutch of her arm.
"No, Elizabeth." Roxanne said. "It's something else it's like..."
Roxanne searched for the words as she inhaled deeply again. Now an old man had to squeeze around her to get out the door. She was completely oblivious to anything other than her nose. "It's chocolate. Yes It's chocolate." Roxanne said firmly.
"No!" She squeezed Elizabeth's struggling arm tighter and pulled her uncomfortably close. "it's like rose petals after a summer rain. No! Elizabeth!" she said and whispered into Elizabeth's ear. “It's like wood smoke. You know like when a neighbor burns leaves and wood in their yard."
Roxanne finally released Elizabeth's arm and inhaled again. Now Roxanne clutched her own arms around herself.
"No, it's more like lavender. Yes I'm certain it's lavender. That's it!" she announced firmly finally opening her eyes and looking into the surprised and uncomfortable eyes of Elizabeth.
"Are you completely mad, Roxanne?" Elizabeth asked quite seriously.
Roxanne inhaled.
"You're right, Elizabeth. I must be mad. It's nothing like lavender it's citrus. Is that what you think?" Roxanne smiled again a Cheshire cat kind of smile to no one at all and inhaled.
"But then again Elizabeth? Cedar?" Roxanne directed her attention to Elizabeth again momentarily. "What do you think, Elizabeth?
"I think we came to research this thing about symbiosis and we are supposed to have a list of symbiotic relationships for tomorrow. So, let's move on, Please?"
Roxanne and Elizabeth walked together until they reached the steps which led to the children's section. Roxanne stopped and looked up toward the top.
"That's the kid section. We need to go over there." Elizabeth said gesturing ahead of them with a nod.
Roxanne completely ignored Elizabeth. "It's coming from up there." Roxanne climbed the steps and Elizabeth took the opportunity to distance herself and headed for the adult section.
Roxanne didn't even notice that Elizabeth was not with her. She was intoxicated by the fragrance and had to discover it's source. "This must be what it's like for a honey bee" She said aloud to no one. And since she was now at the top of the steps headed towards what she hoped would be the source of that fragrance.
Roxanne's nose was too high in the air to see that from behind a row of book shelves perpendicular to her flight a large foot was about to jut out and collide with her foot and thus she tripped.
"Yikes!" she exclaimed as she realized she was falling. And all eyes turned in her direction.
But the owner of the foot was quick and his arms jutted out just in time to catch Roxanne right before she struck the floor. His beefy hands closed on her arms to lift her and
the honey bee found her flower and both their lives changed forever.
After the car sped away Elizabeth spoke.
"What's up with your father, Roxanne? Stressed over the move here?"
"He's always like that, Elizabeth." Roxanne answered with her face growing increasingly redder from her anger, embarrassment and frustration.
"He hates me. He has always hated me. Roxanne directed her gaze toward the pavement unconsciously trying to hold back years of pent up tears and then into Elizabeth's eyes consciously. Roxanne did not want to appear broken in anyway to this new friend.
"Come on, Roxanne, I'm sure he doesn't hate you." Elizabeth smiled hoping to seem the comforting and supportive friend. Elizabeth feared that she had befriended Roxanne against her better judgment. Everyone in school said Roxanne was freaky and odd. She wore flannel shirts and blue jeans to school every day. She never wore makeup or anything sexy and kept to herself in very odd ways. But Elizabeth decided after last Sunday's sermon to befriend someone who was obviously difficult to love and Roxanne came first to mind. She wanted to be like Jesus to love the lowly and down trodden.
"He has hated me for years Elizabeth and I want to apologize for his rude behavior toward you." Roxanne said and turned toward the library.
"We're here to research right?" Roxanne said.
Elizabeth darted to the door. She was embarrassed by Roxanne's Dad's behavior to her in the car but wanted to try and cover it up until she could talk to her friends about it. It would make interesting conversation.
"Let me." Elizabeth smiled as she opened the door for Roxanne to enter.
"Thanks." Roxanne smiled genuinely. "You make me feel special."
"Announcing Queen Roxanne!" Elizabeth heralded with a forced smile.
Roxanne returned the smile genuinely and lifted her head to appear the more regal. "Wouldn't it be nice if I was a real queen." Roxanne said as she entered convincing Elizabeth that this friendship could never work. Not even Jesus could expect it of her.
Elizabeth caught up to Roxanne quickly because Roxanne upon entering had stopped walking and literally had her nose in the air.
Elizabeth more convinced now than ever of the oddness of Roxanne decided she didn't want to be seen to near this person again.
"Do you smell that?" Roxanne asked clutching Elizabeth's arm.
Margaret the lead cheerleader had just walked in and had to squeeze around Roxanne to get in and of coarse saw Elizabeth with the odd new girl. Elizabeth felt horrified.
"Books?" Elizabeth said trying to break Roxanne's clutch of her arm.
"No, Elizabeth." Roxanne said. "It's something else it's like..."
Roxanne searched for the words as she inhaled deeply again. Now an old man had to squeeze around her to get out the door. She was completely oblivious to anything other than her nose. "It's chocolate. Yes It's chocolate." Roxanne said firmly.
"No!" She squeezed Elizabeth's struggling arm tighter and pulled her uncomfortably close. "it's like rose petals after a summer rain. No! Elizabeth!" she said and whispered into Elizabeth's ear. “It's like wood smoke. You know like when a neighbor burns leaves and wood in their yard."
Roxanne finally released Elizabeth's arm and inhaled again. Now Roxanne clutched her own arms around herself.
"No, it's more like lavender. Yes I'm certain it's lavender. That's it!" she announced firmly finally opening her eyes and looking into the surprised and uncomfortable eyes of Elizabeth.
"Are you completely mad, Roxanne?" Elizabeth asked quite seriously.
Roxanne inhaled.
"You're right, Elizabeth. I must be mad. It's nothing like lavender it's citrus. Is that what you think?" Roxanne smiled again a Cheshire cat kind of smile to no one at all and inhaled.
"But then again Elizabeth? Cedar?" Roxanne directed her attention to Elizabeth again momentarily. "What do you think, Elizabeth?
"I think we came to research this thing about symbiosis and we are supposed to have a list of symbiotic relationships for tomorrow. So, let's move on, Please?"
Roxanne and Elizabeth walked together until they reached the steps which led to the children's section. Roxanne stopped and looked up toward the top.
"That's the kid section. We need to go over there." Elizabeth said gesturing ahead of them with a nod.
Roxanne completely ignored Elizabeth. "It's coming from up there." Roxanne climbed the steps and Elizabeth took the opportunity to distance herself and headed for the adult section.
Roxanne didn't even notice that Elizabeth was not with her. She was intoxicated by the fragrance and had to discover it's source. "This must be what it's like for a honey bee" She said aloud to no one. And since she was now at the top of the steps headed towards what she hoped would be the source of that fragrance.
Roxanne's nose was too high in the air to see that from behind a row of book shelves perpendicular to her flight a large foot was about to jut out and collide with her foot and thus she tripped.
"Yikes!" she exclaimed as she realized she was falling. And all eyes turned in her direction.
But the owner of the foot was quick and his arms jutted out just in time to catch Roxanne right before she struck the floor. His beefy hands closed on her arms to lift her and
the honey bee found her flower and both their lives changed forever.
February 05, 2009
Major Church Bulletin Oops
-The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals
-The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
-Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
-Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
-The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
-Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
-Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
-Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I Will Not Pass This Way Again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
-For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
-Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
-The Rector will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing: 'Break Forth Into Joy.'
-Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24th in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
-At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
-Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
-Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
-Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
-The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
-Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - Prayer and medication to follow.
-The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
-Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the BS is done.
-The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
-Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
-The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
-Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use the large double doors at the side entrance.
-The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours'
-The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
-Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
-Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
-The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
-Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
-Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
-Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I Will Not Pass This Way Again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
-For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
-Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
-The Rector will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing: 'Break Forth Into Joy.'
-Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24th in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
-At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
-Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
-Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
-Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
-The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
-Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - Prayer and medication to follow.
-The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
-Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the BS is done.
-The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
-Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
-The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
-Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use the large double doors at the side entrance.
-The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours'
To My Alarm Clock, © By Amy F. Baker
Every morning I lie there innocently sleeping
When the peace is ruptured by a horrible beeping.
My serenity ripped asunder, sudden and drastic
By this evil, demonic, red-eyed piece of plastic.
I roll over in pain and pound on the snooze,
Groaning, moaning, thinking 'What's there to lose?'
'Don't make me get up, just nine minutes more.
'The same thing I've said every morning before.
It's not that I hate mornings or dread the new day.
It's just that I loathe waking up in this way.
I'd much rather simply rise up with the light,
Glowing in the window, chasing away the night.
But the sudden screaming, the incessant fuss,
Makes me want to yell and cry and simply to cuss.
Especially the knowledge that all of my sorrow
Will be repeated the same time, same way, tomorrow.
When the peace is ruptured by a horrible beeping.
My serenity ripped asunder, sudden and drastic
By this evil, demonic, red-eyed piece of plastic.
I roll over in pain and pound on the snooze,
Groaning, moaning, thinking 'What's there to lose?'
'Don't make me get up, just nine minutes more.
'The same thing I've said every morning before.
It's not that I hate mornings or dread the new day.
It's just that I loathe waking up in this way.
I'd much rather simply rise up with the light,
Glowing in the window, chasing away the night.
But the sudden screaming, the incessant fuss,
Makes me want to yell and cry and simply to cuss.
Especially the knowledge that all of my sorrow
Will be repeated the same time, same way, tomorrow.
February 02, 2009
Editorial- Feb 2009
February
It's actually beyond the appropriate time to think about ordering seeds for the spring garden and the summer plants. The high school called the other day to see if I would be part of their annual early horticulture class, which gives me access to the greenhouse, where the students make sure my plants are watered through the week. Last year I attended this class and really enjoyed it. The camaraderie of the mostly lady fellow students digging in tidy bags of dirt was pleasant, and folks shared seeds and seedlings readily. I brought home far more than I planted!
The temperatures are expected to hit 16 again this week, and we just got out from under a week of frozen water lines and drain lines. Daily life is much more pleasant when the clean water flows in and the used water flows out, but after living off the grid for all those years, we handle these minor inconveniences easily and have figured out ways to keep the usual routines going in spite of them. And we had additional help in the fixing this year, for which I'm thankful. We might make some progress now!
Those two paragraphs tie in with the thoughts of preparation and living in the moment. They both work together in a functional balance. I'm here, now, living in the anticipation of the Lord's appearance, and I'm busy laying up treasure in heaven. But I'm also here now, living today and enjoying the moment. While I'm not always doing the balance right in the garden or the water lines - as in, with some advance preparation, we'd have never noticed the cold weather's potential effect on our house systems, and the weeds in the garden got ahead of me last year (again), I hope I'm doing the living part right. Water lines don't disturb me whether they are frozen or working, although working is certainly more convenient! There's still always the grocery store for vegetables if my ideals of growing most of our own food fail (as it did last year) and I can always work toward improving the garden planning and working harder or smarter. But life is full of joy and anticipation, day by day. Until the Lord steps in with something else wonderful, which He does so beautifully from time to time, it's hard to think how it could be better!
I hope this finds you all well!
It's actually beyond the appropriate time to think about ordering seeds for the spring garden and the summer plants. The high school called the other day to see if I would be part of their annual early horticulture class, which gives me access to the greenhouse, where the students make sure my plants are watered through the week. Last year I attended this class and really enjoyed it. The camaraderie of the mostly lady fellow students digging in tidy bags of dirt was pleasant, and folks shared seeds and seedlings readily. I brought home far more than I planted!
The temperatures are expected to hit 16 again this week, and we just got out from under a week of frozen water lines and drain lines. Daily life is much more pleasant when the clean water flows in and the used water flows out, but after living off the grid for all those years, we handle these minor inconveniences easily and have figured out ways to keep the usual routines going in spite of them. And we had additional help in the fixing this year, for which I'm thankful. We might make some progress now!
Those two paragraphs tie in with the thoughts of preparation and living in the moment. They both work together in a functional balance. I'm here, now, living in the anticipation of the Lord's appearance, and I'm busy laying up treasure in heaven. But I'm also here now, living today and enjoying the moment. While I'm not always doing the balance right in the garden or the water lines - as in, with some advance preparation, we'd have never noticed the cold weather's potential effect on our house systems, and the weeds in the garden got ahead of me last year (again), I hope I'm doing the living part right. Water lines don't disturb me whether they are frozen or working, although working is certainly more convenient! There's still always the grocery store for vegetables if my ideals of growing most of our own food fail (as it did last year) and I can always work toward improving the garden planning and working harder or smarter. But life is full of joy and anticipation, day by day. Until the Lord steps in with something else wonderful, which He does so beautifully from time to time, it's hard to think how it could be better!
I hope this finds you all well!
February 01, 2009
Super James #14
Crashing into a hedge is not a pleasant experience, which you would know if you ever experienced it. Thus, my mood was not overly improved by the time I had worked myself out of it.
Attaching the video camera firmly on my head I turned towards the house once more. P.T., Marc and Dave were halfway across the enormous lawn by now. I carefully adjusted the angle of the camera to catch them in the best light.
Then I noticed something odd. The men were splitting up. Marc and Dave took off running to the left and right, crouching low to the ground, and P.T. kept a steady pace straight for the mansion's imposing door.
I started panicking. How was I supposed to film three different locations, with the same camera, at the same time! I decided then and there that this would not end tears for the Snot family. I swore on my very soul itself that I would do all in my power to keep each hair on the kitten's heads from getting harmed.
That meant that I would have to pick off the guys individually.
I closed my eyes as determination folded over me like a cloak. Then I opened them, and found my first target: Dave.
He had taken the right path, and was making good time with his long legs. Quietly and tearfully I ripped my cape into long strands of ribbon and took off after him. I knew the cape would have rathered flying behind me for the rest of it’s days but at least it could go out with honor. A life in exchange for the greater good.
And then I flew.
Flew with all the speed I had ever had, and moving so quickly that I was a mere blur, I tripped Dave. When he fell to the ground I worked quickly. First I shoved a strip into his mouth, as he was trying to spit it out I tied his hands. Then I flipped him over and wrapped another strip of my lovely yellow cape around his mouth to hold in the gag. He was aware of what was going on now, and terrified. His wide eyes stared up at me, tears leaking out of the corners. He wasn’t fighting yet, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t later, so I tied his legs for good measure.
Dave still hadn’t moved, and the tears were getting faster. Humans are like female dogs. You don’t understand them, but you love them all the same. Silly man. I licked his nose to reassure him and turned my bloodshot eyes to the next target.
Get ready Marc!
Attaching the video camera firmly on my head I turned towards the house once more. P.T., Marc and Dave were halfway across the enormous lawn by now. I carefully adjusted the angle of the camera to catch them in the best light.
Then I noticed something odd. The men were splitting up. Marc and Dave took off running to the left and right, crouching low to the ground, and P.T. kept a steady pace straight for the mansion's imposing door.
I started panicking. How was I supposed to film three different locations, with the same camera, at the same time! I decided then and there that this would not end tears for the Snot family. I swore on my very soul itself that I would do all in my power to keep each hair on the kitten's heads from getting harmed.
That meant that I would have to pick off the guys individually.
I closed my eyes as determination folded over me like a cloak. Then I opened them, and found my first target: Dave.
He had taken the right path, and was making good time with his long legs. Quietly and tearfully I ripped my cape into long strands of ribbon and took off after him. I knew the cape would have rathered flying behind me for the rest of it’s days but at least it could go out with honor. A life in exchange for the greater good.
And then I flew.
Flew with all the speed I had ever had, and moving so quickly that I was a mere blur, I tripped Dave. When he fell to the ground I worked quickly. First I shoved a strip into his mouth, as he was trying to spit it out I tied his hands. Then I flipped him over and wrapped another strip of my lovely yellow cape around his mouth to hold in the gag. He was aware of what was going on now, and terrified. His wide eyes stared up at me, tears leaking out of the corners. He wasn’t fighting yet, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t later, so I tied his legs for good measure.
Dave still hadn’t moved, and the tears were getting faster. Humans are like female dogs. You don’t understand them, but you love them all the same. Silly man. I licked his nose to reassure him and turned my bloodshot eyes to the next target.
Get ready Marc!
January 29, 2009
Editorial Dec/Jan
And we, who probably spent most of our childhood not really believing that there could ever be a turn-of-the-century year 2000 are nearly a decade into it. Back then, in my childish thinking, I remember wondering if things would be different if we saw the other side of it, and they are, but not profoundly. Change is usually slow and subtle, with small bursts now and then that cause a momentary jolt to the routine, but then even the change becomes what we consider "normal."Using the Hinkson family in this "for instance," 70 years ago, Mom and Dad were kids. 50 years ago, Mom and Dad Hinkson were still a young married couple with young children. 30 years ago, they were young grandparents to the offspring of three of their married children. 20 years ago they retired to Florida. 10 years ago saw their grandchildren starting families. In with the additions of people, along the way we've had to face the last day of folks we knew from childhood as the scene scrolls across time and the seasons continue to cycle. We passed through our childhoods, experienced being young married couples with little ones, watched our children get married and have their own children. Bobby heads and Teri Lyn pulls the caboose of the train of Hinkson grandchildren. On the other side, Billy hit the ground running 6 months before Bobby and Noah John has a long way to adulthood since he's only 3 this year. It's a longer span, but there just aren't as many names to remember on my genetic side, besides the fact that Jeff and I contributed most of them!So we were kids once. Then we married, and got used to it. Then the children came and we grew used to the rhythm of a child or children. Some of us have the privilege of being used to the rhythm of having grandchildren around or at least in our consciousness always and in our routines sporadically. And here I am on that often used theme of time marching on, tick by tick and day by day, seeming to speed up as I grow older, just like I heard older folks saying when I was young and time seemed to stretch forever.Speaking of time, it's rushing by and the clock tells me I have to find a phone booth to change into my Super Nurse costume. Don't worry, I don't believe a word of it - it's only a joke we use around here when we're busy and running from one thing to the other, changing clothes to fit the need. Mary has her dance costumes, Katie has her dog-caring costumes, and I have my people helping costumes (better known, as Katie's are, as scrubs). Believe me, I pray often to grasp His wisdom - He who spread out the heavens with His own hand and established the earth - as I work in what I still feel is a good profession with folks in varying degrees of need in my own community.If we have the privilege of experiencing 2009, I hope it's a good one for all of you!
Super James #13, the continuing story...
Mark Snot was the richest guy in New York. His four daughters raised cats that out-stank all others. They were known for their personalities and their price tags. Each one of their kittens sold for a small sum of six thousand, plus shipping and handling. The kitten came with a birth certificate, a house, a brush, cat shampoo and a cat bath tub, a personal feline pedicure kit, and cat clothes. Amazingly they actually sold. Like fish-food for starving fishes. So this would have to be the place that P.T. and his gang would strike next!
The thing for me to do was catch them in the act of the catnapping. Maybe I could even catch it on film! Then I would anonymously leave the video with the police and everything would be fixed! A little piece of the world put to rights.
I flew to the Snot Mansion and patrolled the roof. The sky was darkening in the east, with the sunset sprawled on the west horizon as the crickets began to sing. First it was just light chirping and then they began their full-out balled, the sounds twisting and weaving into and out of each other like a carefully woven shawl. It was so beautiful I could have cried.
But then it stopped.
Not a peep did the crickets make as I crept to the edge of the roof. Not a sound as I peered over. Nothing but silence as I saw three dark forms slinking across the lawn.
It was then that I began to realize my calling. I flew down close to P.T. and his gang and after adjusting the video camera I had borrowed from Donna, in my mouth I began to film them walking up the Snot Mansion. The joys of getting angles and the right lighting really appealed to me, and I found that I was meant to film movies.
But the only problem was that I was so caught up in the adventure of filming my first-ever movie that I forgot where I was going and crashed into a hedge.
The thing for me to do was catch them in the act of the catnapping. Maybe I could even catch it on film! Then I would anonymously leave the video with the police and everything would be fixed! A little piece of the world put to rights.
I flew to the Snot Mansion and patrolled the roof. The sky was darkening in the east, with the sunset sprawled on the west horizon as the crickets began to sing. First it was just light chirping and then they began their full-out balled, the sounds twisting and weaving into and out of each other like a carefully woven shawl. It was so beautiful I could have cried.
But then it stopped.
Not a peep did the crickets make as I crept to the edge of the roof. Not a sound as I peered over. Nothing but silence as I saw three dark forms slinking across the lawn.
It was then that I began to realize my calling. I flew down close to P.T. and his gang and after adjusting the video camera I had borrowed from Donna, in my mouth I began to film them walking up the Snot Mansion. The joys of getting angles and the right lighting really appealed to me, and I found that I was meant to film movies.
But the only problem was that I was so caught up in the adventure of filming my first-ever movie that I forgot where I was going and crashed into a hedge.
The Twenty Commandments
1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walkahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just prettymuch leave me the hell alone.
2 . It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
3. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
4. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.
5. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
6. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
7. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
8. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
9. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
10. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.
11. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
12. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.
13. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
14. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
15. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
16. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
19. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
20. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2 . It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
3. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
4. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.
5. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
6. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
7. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
8. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
9. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
10. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.
11. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
12. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.
13. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
14. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
15. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
16. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
19. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
20. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
Poem- 'Ed'
The actions of my neighbor Ed I simply can�t condone;
Each day his gives his dog a kiss and throws his wife a bone.
The actions of his wife, I fear, are very little better;
She dreams all day of things to buy and hopes that Ed will let her.
The truth of the whole thing matter is, his wife don�t give a heck;
She lets him kiss and kiss the dog while she cashes his pay check.
Each day his gives his dog a kiss and throws his wife a bone.
The actions of his wife, I fear, are very little better;
She dreams all day of things to buy and hopes that Ed will let her.
The truth of the whole thing matter is, his wife don�t give a heck;
She lets him kiss and kiss the dog while she cashes his pay check.
January 26, 2009
Suzie's Snow Story
Colorado News
Howdy ,
Charlie and I had such an eventful weekend that I feel inclined to tell you all about it. As I think I mentioned, we were house and puppy sitting for a friend out in Stagecoach, which is a little lake town about 20 – 30 minutes away from Steamboat. It is a pretty drive in the day time, but at night the winding roads and “passes” (I wasn’t aware that this just means that a road is winding and really steep) are a bit treacherous. We navigated them Friday and Saturday thanks to my having to return to work in Steamboat on both days. We crept along the curvy parts gingerly as they are dangerous and I am in need of new tires (actually that is the main reason that I was doing the house sitting.) On Sunday, after I spent another 5 hours finishing the 7.5 hours of cleaning the house Charlie and I said a sad farewell to the toy poodles and PJ the cat, loaded up the Pathfinder with our turkey day leftovers, and heading back to Steamboat to relax a bit and maybe grocery shop. I asked Charlie to drive as I was tired and my joints hurt from all the stairs and bending to clean….plus I think he is a bit more comfortable driving in the snow to be honest. As we came down what I now know as Yellow Jacket Pass Charlie lost control of the Pathfinder. What I didn’t see at the time was 1. he didn’t have his seatbelt on 2. he was trying to not only not run off the road, but not run into what looked like a Ford Explorer that was in the ditch that we were heading for without passengers. He managed to avoid the Explorer, but we ran off the road and knowing that most of that drive is a couple thousand feet higher than Steamboat I thought for sure we were goners. I have learnt that I do not scream when in the face of what I thought at the time was certain death or manglement. Charlie reached his arm over to me in a mother-ish movement when we left the road with all four tires sliding sideways. As I watched the very small tree line approaching I looked over at Charlie and suddenly the SUV stopped. We were leaning so drastically to the left that Charlie and I sat quite still for a moment as we both thought the smallest move would knock us over the edge of a huge cliff. All we could see were the branches squished against the car. (there is a picture attached.) I tried to calmly call a tow truck once we realized that we were not going to fall off the mountain. It took about 6 friggin’ phone calls, but I finally got someone who knew where we were at and was heading out to us. Charlie and I sat in the car with the windows rolled trying to keep the heat in for about and hour. Charlie was wearing his slippers and a pair of shorts as we didn’t really intend on going anywhere but home. Neither one of us is harmed thanks to Charlie taking that turn at 25 mph. Just over an hour into the ordeal Charlie got out of the car to check out the damage and a Sherriff’s car pulled up. They assessed the situation, reported that we were not harmed, and offered for us to sit in the back of their SUV. I must confess it was the most comfortable back seat of a cop car that I have ever sat in….and if you remember my youth that is saying a fair piece. The tow guy was a moron and drove right past us taking up an additional two hours or so before he returned. His comment in regards to that was, “Well I saw the sheriffs car and you all standing outside, but I didn’t know it was you because you didn’t wave.” My personal opinion was that he was so stoned that when he saw the sheriff car he drove away to “freshen up” before returning. Once they pulled the car out the sheriff started it up and it squealed like it always does in the snow. The sheriff that was training the other sheriff was next to me and said, “Well she is running but your belt is squealing.” I responded that like my vehicle did not like the snow. Long story short Charlie drove us home and the pathfinder only has a few scratches on her. Charlie pulled a couple pieces that go to my bumper out of the snow. He then jumped in the driver seat again and drove us slowly home.
So since I am a camera freak as always I took some pictures from my cell phone and have attached those for you. Charlie and I are splitting the cost for some nice Blizzak snow tires for my pathfinder as well. I should have them on by the beginning of next week and am not driving outside of town until I have those on my car.
Sending lots of love from snowy Co,
Suzie Q
In the Beginning, by Mary Strong
In the beginning there walked in a garden two men. They had been debating for hours if it was better to starve the rich and give to the poor, or starve the poor and bathe the rich in low-monthly-rate-mortgages.
These two men had been made by God to make the world an insane-er place.
And God saw that it was politically correct.
And the men feasted on the green of many tax-payers for the time until elections. But when they saw that they were going to have to choose a candidate for their elections, strife came between them. Thy disagreed on who should starve (the rich or the poor) and they quarreled amongst themselves.
And God saw that they could bring no more peaceful taxes to earth so He turned one man (starve the poor) into an elephant hoping furtively that the man and the elephant would have peace between them.
But he took a tribe of hippies and sent them against the elephant saying: "Kill him and you may feast on his flesh."
When God saw that the elephant was to be destroyed he grew angry and threw his THE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO TAXES out the window bellowing: "You humans are such a pain in the ass!" and turned the man (starve the rich) into a donkey.
Now when the elephant saw that the donkey was smaller than him, he began to scheme.
And then God was mad at both of them and said: "If ye will refrain from killing your sorry butts, I will give unto you all the lands of America to pollute with Political Shit."
And the elephant and the donkey saw that it was all for the greater boredom and agreed.
And God saw that his Popovers were done and went to eat.
And so Democrat (the donkey) and Republican (the elephant) went their separate ways in the world to make everyone's life as hard as possible.
And they saw that it was good.
The End.
These two men had been made by God to make the world an insane-er place.
And God saw that it was politically correct.
And the men feasted on the green of many tax-payers for the time until elections. But when they saw that they were going to have to choose a candidate for their elections, strife came between them. Thy disagreed on who should starve (the rich or the poor) and they quarreled amongst themselves.
And God saw that they could bring no more peaceful taxes to earth so He turned one man (starve the poor) into an elephant hoping furtively that the man and the elephant would have peace between them.
But he took a tribe of hippies and sent them against the elephant saying: "Kill him and you may feast on his flesh."
When God saw that the elephant was to be destroyed he grew angry and threw his THE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO TAXES out the window bellowing: "You humans are such a pain in the ass!" and turned the man (starve the rich) into a donkey.
Now when the elephant saw that the donkey was smaller than him, he began to scheme.
And then God was mad at both of them and said: "If ye will refrain from killing your sorry butts, I will give unto you all the lands of America to pollute with Political Shit."
And the elephant and the donkey saw that it was all for the greater boredom and agreed.
And God saw that his Popovers were done and went to eat.
And so Democrat (the donkey) and Republican (the elephant) went their separate ways in the world to make everyone's life as hard as possible.
And they saw that it was good.
The End.
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