Christmas Flu

Two down, ?? to go. The youngest two in our household have been stricken with stomach flu. No fun, but a milestone is passed when they get sick in the night and tend to themselves without waking anyone. I noticed Boy14's trash can in the bathroom in the middle of the night and suspected illness but since it was dark, I couldn't see the contents, nor did it smell. What a wonderful thing not to have to get up, change the sheets, bathe the baby, etc.

Boy14 thought it was from the Banana Cream Pie but I explained it was a virus from his dear brother. Now he'll probably never eat banana cream pie again.

Favorite Version

One of my favorite Christmas songs and an original, beautiful rendition.

Bitter

After the ice storm we have about 1 degree temperatures. Even some churches closed due to cold. It is still somewhat of a minefield driving around town with downed trees and power lines in the streets, with just an orange cone to give warning. It's an absolutely frozen tundra out there.

Nonetheless, I am deeply satisfied now that Boy20 is home safely and we are all together for the holiday. I'm over halfway done Christmas shopping, so that is good. Tonight we watched Batman: The Dark Knight this evening. Not really my type of movie, but okay. Boy15 hadn't seen it before and predicted Dent to be a bad guy based on his having a coin.



Terri and I take a break from shopping at Taste of Thai. I ordered 'hot' and it was absolutely painful-delightfully painful.

Free Day

Today my good fortune was someone else's misfortune. The Ice Storm to beat all storms finally came through last night and rained and froze all night. The sound of cracking trees pierced the night several times, but our home didn't lose power. Lucky for us, certain areas of town did lose power including Pat's and my work. Yea!! Snow day, ice day! Free Day. It felt like Saturday all day, but tomorrow is Saturday and my grocery shopping is done, a little Christmas shopping accomplished and just a nice relaxing day.

Here is a list of my objectives for this holiday break from school:

Write something about my cousin who recently committed suicide for the Family News _done.
Resume exercise_ in progress
Read a book, other than the children's book I've been reading since October_ in progress "An Unquiet Mind" memoir of a psychiatrist who battled Bipolar Disorder most of her life. I love reading books about mental illness. Very compelling. Amazing, brilliant woman.
Place order for group I belong to_ done

That's about it for now. Spaghetti sauce splattered on my white sweater and I am none to pleased about it. Gotta go take care of it now before it sets in (Stain stick is a life saver).

Career Change

I got something off my chest today and I feel great. Ever since Oct. 24 when I registered for Spring classes, I knew I would be leaving my job next summer to pursue my career in school social work. I got approval for my schedule change (I will be off Wednesdays to travel 2.5 hours each way and take 9 hours of classes at the University) shortly after that. This means I will be working later the other weekdays to make up my 32 hour schedule. Grueling.

Anyway, I wasn't sure when to break the news to my boss that I don't plan to continue in the field of mental health at my current place of employment (after 12 years of service). So, I decided today was the day. His reaction? "Oh, I thought you were graduating in May and would be looking for other employment anyway." Needless to say, there were no tears or pleas for my continued servitude. This is my 11th supervisor in 12 years, so no love lost apparently.

I feel better getting it out in the open, even if no one really cares.


"Aspiring Social Worker"

Angie and I can hardly wait to lunch at our new restaurant "Jimmie John's" sub shop tomorrow. Actually, I'm more caught up in her excitement- a cold sandwich and a big pickle doesn't thrill me that much. We've been talking about it all week.

Holiday Pics

Sunday Musings

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. Charles Dickens



My favorite Christmas songs are:
Little Drummer Boy
Carol of the Bells
O Holy Night

I got to hear Carol of the Bells today at the high school band concert. Very nicely done. They also played a very good piece by a Dutch composer that was inspired by Israeli folk songs/dances. Called Rikudim by Jan Van der Roost. Wonderful! I think you can find it on You Tube.





I'm afraid to put much ornaments on the tree. It is seriously tipping and ready for retirement. I found a new item yesterday at Walgreen's. Yes, do invest in Walgreen's it's the best store ever. It is little battery powered tea lights. Perfect for putting behind the Christmas stocking holders so as not to catch anything on fire.

Cookies and Quotes

I got a craving for Russian Tea Cookies (Mexican Wedding Cakes),whatever you call them. Pat observed we only eat them at Christmas though I think there is a stale store version sold year round (Archway?). So I baked a batch, and proceeded to eat about a dozen of them. Had intended to share with my women's group this morning, but forgot to take them, so another dozen I have been devoured by me. Ugh. Good thing I only have them once a year. Something about the butter, little sugar and ground up nuts...

I did a little Christmas shopping today. Like my sister says, two for me, one for you...just kidding. I just go blank when someone asks what I want for christmas but often when I'm out I see attractive things. Our tree is down from the attic but not yet decorated. I'm throwing it out after the holiday. It's really old, really dirty and really ugly. Pat says the stand is too wobbly, also.

Ginnie, I, too, have been told I'm a good proof-reader. Just not of my own work. I know what I'm saying, so I think it's there even when it's not. Or if my mind says "per say" I won't notice I misspelled it. Did you ever have a phrase you thought you knew, but didn't? Like "For all intensive purposes?" I was shocked to learn in the swimming pool one morning during our chlorine klatch, it's actually "for all intents and purposes."

Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want and their kids pay for it. ~Richard Lamm

I can understand people simply fleeing the mountainous effort Christmas has become... but there are always a few saving graces and finally they make up for all the bother and distress. ~May Sarton

Finale, per se

After turning in my last paper, my mom called and told me she found one more typo (yes, I have my parents *one retired English professor* read my papers). Lest you think that cheating, it was recommended by more than one professor that you have at least one outside opinion. Keeps you writing and expressing yourself more clearly. At least in social science writing, there's a tendency to assume others know what you are talking about, and believe me, they don't. I also leave out of a lot small words if you haven't noticed here.

So, my mom tells me the last sentence of my paper contains the phrase, "per say" rather than "per se." There's no way to correct it now, without driving the teacher crazy with revision after revision to clutter up his computer (on-line class, submission process). So, it's done and not perfect like I wanted.

So, our governor is a joke. I thought it ironic Blago made national news the day before his arrest broke, standing with Illinois factory workers who lost their jobs and blasting the Bank of America. Well, only the fourth Illinois governor to go to prison...he could share a cell with Mr. George Ryan.

Finding Peace and Blessings

Finding peace and joy and blessings is sometimes hard for me, especially as winter sets in and things, even little things, don't go my way. I think I have been especially lucky and spoiled in having my way most of the time. Here is some nice things:
gas for $1.65
a job and a holiday bonus of $50
University of Buffalo winning the Mac- Turner Gill
watching the boys play basketball and trumpet
a heating pad on my bed
Boy20 met Iguodaula's cousin at school
putting on my pajamas

GRATE-FUL

Had a great-ful Thanksgiving. Started the day with a walk on the back nine at a local golf course. It was pretty hilly and strenuous. The old man went back with clubs later on in the day so we are having pretty good weather.

Then I did some strenuous eating. We had a nice meal with sister, BIL, nephew, parents, great uncle, and two Chinese friends at my house. We visited and watched Home Alone and it put most of us to sleep.

I have been trying to work on a paper when I have a few moments. Did not participate in the Black Friday chaos. Well, I did buy a couple of things to mail out of state.

Funny Story to be Told Later

Okay, so I'm in Denmark last March and I keep seeing signs on the highways for "Fart Control." I ask Thomas and Anette (shown above lounging on a bench in "Our Town, USA" last month) who are hosting Joanne and me for the day, 'What's with these fart control signs all over.' They chuckle and tell us that 'fart' is the Danish word for 'speed'. Okay, those are speed control checkpoints on the freeways, ah, makes sense, even if it looks quite funny to us.

So, Thomas proceeds to tell us how he is a marathon runner and helps out with his club organizing the Copenhagen Marathon. He is assigned to be a sort of pace setter, every so many miles a guy or girl runs with the group and at a certain speed so they can keep their pace going (I don't entirely understand this since I wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near a marathon). This person wears a brightly colored tank labeled "Fart Holder" so that the runners know who is holding the pace for them, and the English speaking people are just cracking up! So, I tell Thomas that's pretty cool, it would be a riot to have one of those to wear around in the U. S.

Fast forward to October 2008. Thomas and Anette are chaperoning their Danish students in "Our Town" and I invite them to dinner to thank them for the hospitality they showed me in DK. As we are finishing up dinner, I ask Thomas to tell my husband the story about the 'fart' I can't remember the exact details but I remember it's funny. Thomas says, "Funny you should ask" and goes into the hallway and brings back a bag with the above pictured yellow tank top for me. He actually wore it in one of the Copenhagen marathons and has brought it for me as a gift. I guess he was waiting patiently for me to bring it up, as I did see him a few times over the two weeks they were here.

So, that it is the story behind the picture. I wore it over to Joanne's house for a farewell dinner for the Danes and I thought her husband was going to steal it off my back. It was such a hilarious image for him. I haven't had the nerve to wear just out and about for all to see, but maybe when the weather gets warmer and I start training for that marathon...

Random Photo

Since I have nothing bloggable to blog about I am going to my picture file and post whatever my cursor lands on, after twirling it around for awhile. I will tell you what I can about the picture and hope it is interesting, or at least not embarrassing. So here goes:


This is Boy14 at the dining room table looking pathetic. I'm not sure why. He may have been 13. He sits with a paper, pencil and calculator nearby. He must be trying to write a story, having finished his math recently. He wears a Yankees t-shirt which he loved for a good long time. He has a toothpick hanging from his mouth. One habit I don't really like, but don't bother to complain about either. There's much worse. Jugs of Culligan water are behind him on chairs, as they usually are. A Farm King advertisement is lying on the table. That is a local department store, that for some reason the Danish folks love. They like to buy cowboy boots and leather jackets there. We don't do much with decorating around here. I was noticing that tonight as I watched "How Much Can I Get For My House" or some such show. Yeah, our house definitely doesn't belong on TV.

Well, since I have been battling a cold for a couple of days, have gotten next to nothing done, and am going nowhere fast with this post, I think I will retire for the evening. I have two large papers due Dec. 8 & 10 that are barely begun. That should be my activity for tomorrow. I don't plan to do much Thanksgiving weekend, except be thankful I have a lot to be thankful for.

Mon, Denmark: From Whence I Came

This is the Mon Klint, on the island of Mon (the o should have a slash through it but we don't have that key on our keyboards, and sounds like a soft 'moon'). This is kind of a popular vacation destination in Denmark in summertime, and a lot of boats pass by to view the cliff. My great grandfather grew up close to here, and so it is special to me that my host, Ann, brought me here last March. If you recall, Ann and her family live on a large sailboat full time and I'm sure they have since sold my little sailboat. At the top of the cliff there is a park, and about a thousand (million?) steps down to beach. We actually didn't make it to the bottom. I nearly died climbing back up so it's a good thing we shortened the trek.

The next group of Danish students have already come and left our town. This year 24 of our students and four chaperones are going over to DK in March. I have to say, I'm very relieved not to be accompanying that group. We had 14 students and that was plenty to keep track of! Soon there will be a Danish dinner in our town and silent auction to raise money for their trip over.

Madz, you're the best

I got this in the mail the other day and boy is it cute! Now I have to think of something fantastic to send Madz. Thank you, girl.

Has everyone else been inundated with those Japanese beetles (lady bugs) this fall? It seems to be worse again. My friend who works for DNR says the U.S. government released these to help the crops using a natural solution. Most people just think they are a pain in the a--. Are they helping the crops anyway??

Otherwise, we are having a beautiful fall in Illinois. Still time to get out and enjoy the colors and warm weather.

My Political Two Cents

I was supposed to post the video of the Saturday Night Live parody of the McCain rally lady, but I couldn't find it. Oh well, everyone saw that, right?

Springfield Dejavu

I was looking for a different clip from Mr. Crosby and Nash but ended up with this one. I shared a concert with my two older boys last night in Springfield IL on the campus where Boy20 attends. About a 2000 seat beautiful auditorium. Boy15 and I got home about midnight, he helped me drive which was great. I noticed a couple of bouncers near the stage and Boy15 commented, "Do they think they are going to storm the stage, they're a bunch of old people?"

Always the social commentators, I do love this song, and they did play it last night with the full band they assembled. Very good musicians. And this clip shows them as they look now, older and very gray. Nash performed barefoot on a couple of oriental rugs. The two guys sounded good, but I did miss that third voice harmonizing.

I told the boys how my dad decided in the late 60's he would try to like rock music. He asked friends for some recommendations and he bought CSN&Y Dejavu and some Black Sabbath album. He pretty much hated them both, but they ended up in my brother's and my hands a few years later. That was my intro to this music. Interesting tidbit: Crosby claimed 17% of girls who lost their virginity between 1968 and 1972, did so to "Our House."

Missouri

My mom and I went on a little trip this last week to Missouri. My idea was to visit the last home of Laura Ingalls Wilder,one of my favorite childhood authors. On the way to Mansfield, MO we stopped in Columbia where I was born. We saw the hospital but Mom didn't remember it too well, and said it was a much larger complex than in 1963 and 1965 when my sister was born there. Then we went onto the campus of University of Missouri where we lived on campus. Those temporary housing units are gone now, and the VA hospital placed on there.



Here is Laura and Almanzo's home at Rocky Ridge. We were here sometime in the 1970's but nothing was at all familiar,except the Red Chief tablets Laura hand wrote her books on. Those are in a case in the museum area. Now there is a bookstore, too.



Next we have Mom exiting the farmhouse with our tour guide in the background. They had 4-5 employees working on this October day, which is kind of surprising for a small operation in the off-season.



Finally, the big surprise. Laura's daughter Rose built a house for her parents in 1928 aptly named "The Rock House" that they lived in for 8 years down the road from the farmhouse. The LIW association acquired the house in 1990 and had it restored and ready for tours in 1997. It really was beautiful and had all the modern conveniences, however as soon as Rose left the area in 1936, they moved back to their beloved farmhouse that Almanzo had built. Poor Rose.




There's something about this pioneer girl/woman that still fascinates me...
After my big vacation (a week off) I'm more tired than if I worked all week. Does anyone else feel like this?

Here Comes the Bride

And the other Bride:



This was the most traditional of the weddings this fall, since my sister in law. It was a wonderful ceremony peformed by Becky's boss, actually, and assisted by their minister. I was weeping uncontrollably. And no kleenex, of course. I think what got me was Jen's parents being "not present" but her brother was standing up with her, and it must have meant the world to her. Becky's parents are deceased, but her sister stood up with her and sang a song for them in leiu of the traditional toast monologue later in the evening.



I was trying out my new flip video and if a miracle happens I will post a clip of the "first dance." It was hysterical. It started with a slow dance to "Lady" and suddenly the music cracked and one those hip hop humping songs came on (my child tells me it's called "Soldier Boy" and it's like two years ago). Jen and Becky looked really pissed, and then broke into a coordinated dance with sunglasses. Back to Lady, another switch, dirty look and dance team effect.

And no, I did not wear "the dress" again. I picked a out a nice 12 year job with huge shoulderpads I didn't have time to cut out of the sleeves.