Creating A Drama Monster

Pics from the play my daughter was in came out very cruddy. I hate it when I neglect to check my settings. Obviously I am not photo-minded.

This shot has E as Snow White plus some of the other cast members in their Seventies finery. One of the moms of a cast member said she paid $43 for a black leisure suit at a vintage store. She couldn't rent it, she had to buy it. She could however, take it back after the performance and receive $23 back. I think I am in the wrong profession. Note to self: start vintage clothing business.

My daughter went to the Salvation Army store and spent about 30 minutes and $4 for her outfit. We have been using that method for all dress -up occasions like Halloween and all the programs she and J have had for school. The Community 25 cent store is another cheap route for us. Half the fun of dressing up is about the search. That killer Joan Crawford dress I had from Halloween was a 25 cent store purchase- for 25 cents!

Group shot #2.
The kids had a tremendous blast putting on the show. My daughter is hooked, I am afraid and I am going to have a talk with her drama teacher and tell her to stay AWAY from my daughter. E doesn't need any encouragement to be any more dramatic than she already is.



Have a happy Monday if possible.

Almost As Good As Medication

Subject: Natural Highs



>
> Think about them one at a time before going on to the next one. It

> Does Make You Feel Good, especially the thought at the end of #44.

>

> 1. Falling in love.

> 2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.

> 3. A hot shower.

> 4. No lines at the supermarket.

> 5. A special glance.

> 6. Getting mail.

> 7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.

> 8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

> 9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

> 10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

> 11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry ).

> 12. A bubble bath.

> 13. Giggling.

> 14. A good conversation.

> 15. The beach.

> 16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.

> 17. Laughing at yourself.

> 18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you

> 19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

> 20. Running through sprinklers.

> 21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

> 22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.

> 23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS.

> 24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

> 25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.

> 26. Your first kiss (the very first).

> 27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.

> 28. Playing with a new puppy.

> 29. Having someone play with your hair.

> 30. Sweet dreams.

> 31. Hot chocolate.

> 32. Road trips with friends.

> 33. Swinging on swings.

> 34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.

> 35. Making chocolate chip cookies.

> 36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.

> 37. Holding hands with someone you care about.

> 38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or

> bad) never change.

> 39. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired

> present from you.

> 40. Watching the sunrise.

> 41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another

> beautiful day.

> 42. Knowing that somebody misses you.

> 43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.

> 44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people

> think.

I liked this set of experiences because almost every one has a warm memory for me. To let each one sink in and a memory associated with it rise to the surface leaves me feeling happier. Sort of like a tall glass of red wine or yoga would...if I did yoga.

Did You Really Want To Know?

Ok, Anne, these are the lilacs I dug which are about 4 feet tall, half the size of the bush I took them from. Sorry the pics are sideways. I forgot to rotate before I left home.

I am planning on pruning back the foliage about a third to promote new leaf and root growth plus that should provide more blooms next year. This is an old fashion variety so not much to worry about insect or food-wise. If I were to tackle the lilac in your yard, I would dig as much as I could of the root ball (use the garden fork to keep from cutting as many roots) and go the same route of pruning as I did. I wouldn't try to split the root ball.
It will be a tremendous job, no doubt but I would do it in the effort to save the lilac. Are there a lot of sprouts or shoots? Maybe the better idea would be to go for them and discard the large rooted part. Just up to you.

Necessary and Sentimental

My Chuck Taylor's from 1978, still reside in my mom and dad's house in the shoe bag funny enough right with the pruners. I have kept them there since I moved away in '83. They have come in handy for the many times I find myself digging or transplanting at their house. I used them this past weekend to dig some lilac saplings and canna roots up.
You can see the original gold color from the back nylon strip. I don't believe that color is even offered anymore. And they don't have arch supports anymore either. (I gotta have arch supports and always have so it's not just from getting old) They don't make them like they used to. I have purchased 2 pair in one year for my daughter.

I didn't look at my camera settings when I shot some pics after E's play performance last night so all the dang pics are crap. I also filmed it and I believe I can take a still from that. I hope the film came out. It was so cute and the experience E had as well as the rest of the kids will always be a highlight of the year. I was glad she had the chance to do it.

Raising A Son

That's the title of the book I am reading. I've been started for months now but I can't find enough quiet time to let what I'm reading sink in.
Today I've had some of that time with testing done for the day but no other work waiting.

---

"So often when boys are put down for their aggressiveness, inattentiveness, and unruliness, their souls get lost in the constant coping with their biological drives. It is amazing how spending time with a son, getting to know him, naming his deeper qualities, and taking his concerns seriously, calms him and gives him a sense of being real. Cooperation blooms if we give him meaningful opportunities to display his innermost drives and abilities...
Sons are are starving for adults to see in them what they feel but cannot name (girls too). It requires time, the ability to really look and listen, and trial and error, to name a son's soul qualities truly...But when we name them rightly, our sons will bloom. We will see how deeply they are touched-in a glance, a nod or an expression of glee. We can all remember times when this happened for us. For a moment, we felt seen, heard and known. "

---

I just think of the times this year I've really connected with my son and seen his innermost qualities or realized from a far what he was feeling or thinking. He knows now too that I understand and really accept him for who he is. I relate. He feels that. He loves it and yes, I've had the gleeful expression from him. It makes my heart soar.

It's once again time for the MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) test in our school district. Talk about a knot in my stomach. This year instead of reading and scribing for a single student as in years past, I am in a room with a small group helping keep them on task. It is a bit easier.

---

The medication is helping a great deal but my sleeping pattern is pretty disrupted. I am waking up many times in a night which bugs the crap out of me. I'll give it another week to see if my system adjusts, but I'm gonna change if it doesn't. The funny thing is I keep waiting to get irritated but it just never develops. I like that! No more going over my "Abby line". I 'm thinking my exercise regimen might help if I give it more time. I walk in the morning and ride my bike a hard ride in the evenings. Guess I'll start turning my garden over by hand and see if I can exhaust myself.

---

My daughter has the lead role in her drama class play. "Snow White in the Seventies". I can't wait to see her in it. I have hardly seen her because of the number of practices they have each week. She has two band contests this week as well.
She has prom coming up with Slim and she has been wondering if she really like him enough to keep going out with him. I think attention from a friend and classmate has mixed her up. This friend has been pushing his attraction for her. I told her to wait and relax because after the play next week, things will slow down and she can think more clearly. Besides, she can't back out now. Her prom dress is killer.

---

Happy Wednesday.

Non- Computerized

The fan has gone out on my pavilion. Or at least, my uneducated guess is that's what's wrong. I have a small service shop I am inclined to use but they apparently are doing very well for themselves as they are now taking Saturdays off. So that means I have to make it back there 40 minutes away by 5 pm one day this week.
I am miffed this computer is only under 2 years old. I even allowed more air circulation for the pavilion by cutting a bigger hole in the back of the computer cabinet when I assembled it. Don't know if overheating is a cause or not.
The weekend was uneventful. I chickened out, basically. I thought I would give it a bit more time. Baauukk, baauuukk, bbbkauk. (Yes, that was chicken sounds).

Pondering My Dilemma

So this "space" I've managed to get from Wildman is making him crazy. He is upset and worried, depressed and puzzled. I can't tell him for sure why I'm feeling like I want to be alone. It just seems like I don't want any attention and he can't help but be invasive with attention when he and I are together. He makes me uncomfortable with his constant yearnings for us to be together and his insistence he can make everything better. I've gone to not really talking or texting much because it seems to send a signal that I want attention. Then he will text or email.
Yesterday I did text him to say good morning and a few other things. After that, I didn't text or call him all day or last night so he was upset this morning. We texted some terse words. I asked him to try and relax. That is the last I heard from him.
I get a knot in my stomach trying to figure out what I want to do about him. I have made mistakes in the past so I am paralyzed for fear of making a wrong decision on this.
I honestly would like to have the nerve to ask him if we could stop seeing each other for a while so I could figure out if it's just this time I'm going through or if it's that we aren't right for each other. That makes the most sense to me but I'm not sure if I can do that to him, knowing how he'll react. a big UUUgghh!

---

I've used Baker Creek Seed Co. for several years now for my garden seed. I read an article on heirloom gardening and I'm hooked.

---

My order:

Vietanese Red amaranth

Crooked-Early Golden summer squash

Table Queen bush winter squash

Giant of Italy parsley

Italian Pepperocini sweet pepper

Ping Tung eggplant

Parisian Pickling cucumber

Kansas American melon(cantaloupe)

Siamese Dragon Stir-fry mix

Romanian Hot pepper

Sweet Annie herb

Arikara sunflower

QuadratoD'Asti Rosso sweet pepper

Corn Salad assorted greens

Oriental Scarlet poppy

Mexican Sunflower-Torch

And a free gift: Bull's Blood beet

http://www.rareseeds.com/.

---

I was trying to cut down this year!

Monday, Moody Monday

Blah! How's that for a Monday morning (oh, jeez, it's pm) greeting?

I took today off. We'll be gearing up for Freaking' MAP testing the rest of the week so I figured today or nothing.

I am trying out my prescription (Cymbalta) today during the day since I tried it Friday night and never slept a wink. I feel a bit dizzy today but can't decide if it's because it was a possible side effect or I really am. Or maybe the Bloody Mary I had a few hours back. My thyroid test was normal. So I really AM just a hypochondriac. There is nothing really wrong with me.

Everything has been frozen here. All the leaves on the trees and bushes are wilted and black. I read up and everything should bounce back unless it was struggling last year. We will see. Even my kale which was 2 inches high was frozen.

The trip home for Easter was mind-numbing. I'll spare the gory details. Let your imagination work.

Back to working hard to have a good attitude. Windblownbutterfly posted on that and I was reminded that is a quest I need to remain on. I find myself without an attitude much of the time. Kinda numb and not even cynical. That's pretty scarey.

At least there is sunshine here today. And my seed order.

Keep Your Friends Close and Your Easter Basket Closer

My family of course has some traditions we hate to let go of. Easter Sunday and our dinner is one.
From the time I was little, Easter has been a wonderful holiday. We children still always had an Easter outfit to go to church in, my sister and I in duplicate dresses sewn by my mom, my brother in a shirt, tie and slacks. I remember the church services filled me with wonder. And of course, the promise of an egg hunt was a draw.
My mom would construct crosses out of Milky Way candy bars and decorate them with frosting piped on, one for each of us kids (Walmart now sports those on the Easter candy aisle). She would put them on a fancy tray and showcase them(taunt us with them) a few days before Easter.
Our Easter baskets would always have some small toys or gifts, candy, and an addition of an Easter decoration that would stay in the basket year to year. By the time I was out of school, there wasn't much room for anything but the decorations. I remember a few years when I was young wanting one of those boughten baskets wrapped up in cellophane. I guess it was the cellophane that did it. It looked so gorgeous to me as a kid.
My household still gets out our Easter baskets (even me), arranges our decorations in them and sets them on the buffet. Then my kids take them with us to Grandma and Papaw's since we are almost without fail, there on Easter morning.
In the years since we have all had kids, my mom would collect $2 bills, one for each grandchild and stuff eggs with those plus change in about 75 other eggs for a hunt at her house. Talk about no love lost when these grandchildren are on the hunt! Besides the fact that my dad was in the hospital this week with an ulcer, it's suppose to be 36 on Easter Day so I'm thinking we might not have that traditional hunt. Maybe an inside hunt if I can get the change and bills rounded up.
Of course, we as a family center our holidays around eating (actually any function we have is centered around eating). We pull out our special dishes then. Shrimp salad, broccoli casserole, deviled eggs, scalloped oysters, homemade yeast rolls with the ham and such.
I was going to say our year has been rough and we adults are feeling pretty used up so we might let some of the traditons go for now. But I realize our children will be most definitely be disappointed if we do that. I think maybe it would make us feel better if we go ahead with our traditions even if we don't feel up to it.

We leave for my mom and dad's this afternoon. I need to give my son a haircut since he is looking a bit sasquatchy. A few other jobs await. We have to make a stop along the way so I can pick up an equalizing Easter gift for J since I overbought for E and didn't realize. Plus, my daughter very politely informed me I had been skimpy on the candy in recent years. HHmmmm. I sure don't want to set a precedent with that kind of behaviour! Viva La Candy!

Everyone have a wonderful weekend and enjoy time with your family, friends, alone or whatever you have planned!

Shoot!

The kid's dad just informed me he isn't breaking up with Jenn even though he is moving into another house. I don't know if he thought I was thinking or wondering that. I wasn't ...outloud.

Mother's Little Helpers

Back during spring break I was threatening to force my children to cook supper one night a week. I am happy to report I followed through with that threat. Sunday I required them to submit their menu for my approval, the meal must have one healthy item at minimum and they are preparing and cleaning up with reasonably minimal help from me.
I couldn't believe it but they both were overjoyed with the prospect. WHAT THE HECK?
My son who hasn't prepared his dinner yet, submitted mac and cheese from a box (the heathen), hot dogs boiled, carrot sticks and bbq sauce for the carrots(blech! whatever..I'm not tryin 'em!). I still ok'ed the menu. I believe he is delighted. He is wearing his "CHEF IN TRAINING" apron I made him for Christmas, he told me. I don't buy the "chef " part with that cuisine.
My daughter decided to give paninis a try. Smoked ham and turkey, spring salad mix, mustard, grilled Porto Bella mushrooms, cheddar and pepper jack cheese on good french rolls. She used the electric skillet to cook them in but squished them with my cast iron skillet which was perfecto! She also fixed herself a salad mix with some feta, some of the grilled mushroom and pepperocinis on it.
I was in heaven. And they jumped up and cleaned up, laughing, thanking each other for the help or giving compliments. WOW!

And I'm asking myself why I didn't try this sooner.

These first 3 pictures are of the new outdoor classroom the 5th graders planted in last week. Word from on high is we have the grant. Show me the money- all$1000 of it cause I have a few catalogs to go through!
The little guys are marked with tongue depressors. It's hard to see them all spread out too. About 115 altogether.
We didn't plant every seedling so I had to put them in a little holding nursery till we know where else we want them.

These pictures are of the memorial garden I work in year round. It has burst forth so well that Saturday I felt secure enough in our Missouri weather to start sweeping away the leaves and whacking down the dead stems. Come to find out Sunday, there is freeze warning and frost warnings out until next week. Fabulous.

So I decided I would at least have some pictures of a nice Spring garden because it won't be so great after this weekend, I am afraid.