Temporarily Out of Here

Duane and i are going on our first fall vacation in twenty-five years. We are going to Montana on the bike. I'll post some pics as soon as i can!

The Difference Between Boys and Girls

When my girls were little, like-toddlers-in-the-high-chair-little, they would do things like pick up a piece of spaghetti off of their plate and rock it between their fingers and hum, “Rock a Bye Baby”. When my boy was little, even littler , like-a-just-sitting-up-baby-in-a-high-chair-little, he would move cheerios around on the high chair tray making blubbering boy “putting “ noises with his mouth like they were cars. Yes, before he could even talk.

I didn’t teach them that.

They are no longer little. Now they are 20, 26, and 28. So last Friday I found a mouse head on my nice flagstone patio. My daughter Ashley’s very unique long haired black cat, Edgar, sat nearby looking very full and contented. (My son, Jeff, says Edgar is just biding his time until he can take over the world.) So I texted the kids a message about the mouse head, and got these replies:

Daughters: Eewwww.
Son: Take a picture!
And upon receiving the picture: That’s AWESOME!

…the difference between boys and girls…

Birthdays

I'm so bad at birthdays. Not the remembering them part, just the celebrating them part. I always remember them, like the day before. Then i don't have time to mail a card or buy a thoughtful gift or really plan a fitting celebration. Or sometimes i buy a card weeks early, with all the good intentions in the world, but never look up the address or buy the stamp to put it in the mail timely.

I think my birthday dilemma began way back. All of the significant birthdays in my life are too close to other holidays, so everything runs together...especially when i have to get finished with one thing before i can concentrate on another. My CPA husband, Duane -- his birthday is during tax season. My kids --Kari's is right before Valentine's Day, Ashley's is the day after Halloween, and Jeff's is Christmas Eve. My Mom's is Columbus Day, grandbaby Titus' is the day after Ashley's, and so on. And mine...December 23. Sigh. My apologies to all of you. I think i just prefer Christmas. (Maybe because it's always a set date, and i have a month to work on it.)

So i have an idea. I've been having some good ones, lately. Like, for instance, renaming the fall festival at church "Pumpkin Palooza". My birthday idea is extraordinary, though. I've decided to buy and send birthday cards whenever i see one that reminds me of someone. Whether it's their birthday or not. Yes, maybe it's a little weird, but on the other hand... i'll never be late with a birthday card, again. Kari said that was just fine with her, as long as i remembered to include the money!