Whale of a Tale

The death of trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld was horrific. It raises the age-old question of whether wild animals should be kept in confinement in marine parks, zoos or circuses.

I'm split on it -- on one hand, no, they probably shouldn't but, on the other hand, an awful lot of study and research goes on at many of these parks -- SeaWorld, in particular -- studies which could not be conducted out in the wild. I suppose it comes down to this question: do the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many? Well, I guess that depends on whether the ACLU gets involved...

But I digress...

I don't want to make light of this tragedy. I'm not sure if anybody will ever really know why it happened. Did the whale grab her ponytail in playfulness, then the hair got caught while the whale thrashed around to free her? Was it just some other kind of playfulness gone wrong? Or was it a full-fledged attack? This whale had been involved in two other deaths -- a huge warning sign or just coincidence? I guess these kinds of questions and others are being asked in all marine parks. I think we can all probably agree that this trainer died doing something she loved.

I've been to SeaWorld in Orlando several times -- not sure how long Tilikum has been there but we may have seen him -- and it's possible I may even have a photo of him but I'd be hard-pressed to tell one whale from another. I do have a whale of a story I can share.

Sometime around 1989, on a visit to SeaWorld, Mark had gone to the restroom so I sat on one of the bleachers, right in front of the orca performance area, to wait for him. At the time, Wesley was about 2 years old and Shannon about 4 (this was pre-Carrie). At that time, after the Shamu show, the stadium was not cordoned off -- visitors could walk directly through the stadium and watch the whales in-between shows. In later years, when there was not a show going on, the stadium was off-limits -- though there was a tank around the other side where you could still watch the whales.

With Shannon beside me and Wesley in my lap, we were sitting only a few feet from the aquarium -- separated only by the walkway. I don't remember how many whales were in there that day but I do know this -- a mother, with her offspring, stopped right in front of us, waiting for her baby to come close to the plexiglass. Maybe I was one-with-the-orca that day but I knew exactly what she was doing -- she was telling me that she saw my babies and here was hers. In our own way, we acknowledged each other and the pair swam on. There is not a soul in this world that can tell me this is not what was happening -- so don't even try!

Now, I admit that I can swear like a sailor under the right conditions but the only time I remembering cursing out loud, in public, also happened at SeaWorld (possibly during this same visit). In the sea lion area, you could buy fish to feed them -- you could almost drop a fish directly into the sea lion's mouth -- nowadays you have to throw the fish. Sea Lions may be adorable but they also are big and have very large teeth. All I remember is that Shannon was leaning over to give one a fish and the dang thing jumped up to get it. I'm talking thisclose to my child's hand. And, yes, I said an expletive. Very loudly. And I dare anyone to blame me for it.

I'd go back to SeaWorld. I can't be the judge or jury about what should be done about that particular whale or any others in captivity. It's very sad when something like this happens and it serves to remind us that these creatures, no matter how long they've been around humans, are still wild at heart.

The Olympics Always Make Me Cry

Back in the summer of 1984, I was newly pregnant and spilled milk could make me cry. Add the Summer Olympics (in Los Angeles -- the one that was boycotted) to the mix and I spent a lot of time bawling. Anytime I heard the national anthem, I teared up. Every time somebody -- no matter from what country -- had a gold medal placed around their neck, I boo-hooed. And the commercials? Forget about it! Sappy and sugary and made to tug on the heartstrings, they could make me sob with alarming regularity.

I remember one commercial in particular to this very day. Two farmers, up at the crack of dawn, look at each other and ask, "is it time yet?" Yes, one says and they make their way to a lonely country road where a lone torch bearer runs by. The two men applaud and the runner continues on his way. Took me down every single time it aired. I don't remember what the commercial was for -- Coke, maybe? I bet it's on YouTube -- but I'd have to figure out exactly what search words to use. Maybe farmers applaud Olympic torch. I know you're going to try that right now, arent' you?

There are a few ads this year that make me weepy -- notably the one where all the Olympic participants are kids and the tag line is "to mothers, they are always children". That one is for Tide detergent -- I know that now but ask me in twenty-five years and I'll probably give you a blank stare. But I'll still want to weep.

I've mentioned that I'm not into sports -- unless I have a child playing. Other than that, I'm just not interested. But there is something about the Olympics that make me tune in -- more so the winter games than the summer ones -- probably because snow is so alien to me (except for last weekend! Whoo-hoo!) I guess winning a medal at the Olympics is sort of like winning an Oscar -- the few...the proud...the spandex...

This year tragedy struck the Olympics with the death of the Georgian luger. Watching his team walk into the stadium was heart-wrenching. And, yes, tears were welling. The team's somber faces said more than any words ever could but I think they did the right thing by attending the opening ceremonies, if for nothing else than in Nodar Kumaritashvili's honor. Looking at some of these sports, I don't see how there aren't more injuries -- or fatalities -- every year. But, I guess those who love the thrill of victory can't dwell too much on the agony of defeat.





















I'll TiVo the figure skating during the Olympics but everything else I'll watch as I have a chance. One thing I do know is that there is way too much talk by the commentators. The other night, the sound went out and for a few blessed seconds there was only the skaters gliding on the ice. True, it meant no music either, but it really didn't matter. I know these commentators are necessary but do they have to be so intrusive? Can't we just see some of this stuff without the never-ending prattle? Can anyone say mute button?

And tell me, really, has there ever been a better name than Apolo Ohno?

I think not.

It's almost enough to make me cry.

Listen

I've never been a romantic -- candlelight dinners and sweet nothings just don't do it for me and never did. Most of the things I find romantic probably wouldn't pass muster with most people -- for example, for me, Dracula (1992, with Gary Oldman as Drac) is one of the most romantic films of all time. It's hard for me to explain why -- beyond my fascination for vampires in general -- but the words Dracula utters to Mina, "I have crossed oceans of time to find you," pretty much says it all. Who wouldn't love a guy like that, fangs and all?!

There's still a little snow on the ground here but the temps are in the low 50s so I don't think it'll remain much longer. It's amazing how bright everything looks when reflected off of snow. I'm glad we got a little of it -- I doubt if there'll be any more for us this year -- but you never know. If there is, we'll deal with it like we always do -- everything will shut down and we'll all get a little loopy. At any rate, if there had been snow today and we had nothing to do but sit by the fire, I probably would've found that romantic.

Perhaps what is truly romantic is whatever is different from a day to day life. That could be, for some, getting flowers and candy but, for others, might be just having your significant other do a load of laundry (and put the clothes up) or empty the dishwasher (and put the dishes up). Nothing really says I love you more than doing something which you don't necessarily want to do but you do it anyway because you know it would make someone happy.

Sometimes I think we spend way too much time in a frenzy of gift-giving that we forget to really figure out what makes a person feel the most loved.

Maybe sometimes, we just need to ask.

And then we need to listen to the answer.

Personally, I'm going to try to do better on that account -- not just on Valentine's Day but every day.

Maybe, here and there, I'll get it just right.

I guess Grumpy is better than Dopey...

It's a rainy, chilly day here in my part of Georgia. Anybody who knows me knows this is my favorite kind of day. In fact, if it were colder, it would be even better. I'm sure there are others who share my point-of-view but I seldom here anything but the desire for warmer weather. Yeah, the flowers blooming in the spring are beautiful but I still prefer winter. I think it fits my leave-me-alone-and-let-me-do-my-own-thing personality.

There's an out-of-town volleyball game tomorrow. I'm trying to get myself psyched about it but am having a hard time. I love watching Carrie play but I'm just not in the mood for traveling or sitting all day long. I'm the team mom this year -- I've done it twice before -- but, for whatever reason, the parents this time are not as cooperative as they really should be. Which means I'll end up taking up the slack -- which I don't mind doing -- it's just time and money, after all. I've actually thought about resigning but nobody else would do it so I'll try to muddle through. It'll be over in April and then I'm free. I'll miss watching Carrie play but won't miss the early morning out-of-town drives.

This is Super Bowl Sunday -- and an excellent opportunity to describe the difference between ignorance and apathy -- I don't know and I don't care. If someone invited me to a Super Bowl party, I'd respectfully decline. Nothing personal, you understand -- I just dislike football intensely. And baseball. And golf. And pretty much anything else that involves a ball, other than throwing one to a dog. And they don't really give a flying fig about one either. They're more into tug of war. The big dog always wins but they haven't figured that out yet -- or either they know it's not whether you win or lose but how you play the game. Which is with a lot of vocalizing -- I thought I heard one of them actually say a word this morning. In English. I don't know -- it could have been the bird. I've heard him bark, then laugh about it.

I'm having a hard time getting through the book I'm reading -- The Endless Forest. It's not the story or the writing -- they are both excellent -- but there are some characters' plotlines I'm barely remembering -- Martha, for one. And Ethan. If anybody can help me out, just give me a holler. If not, I may have to trudge upstairs and look through the previous books. I guess this is why people re-read but, if I did that, I'd never read a new book. I love the character of Nathaniel Bonner in this series -- he's one of my favorites along with Jamie Fraser (Outlander) -- even if he is an "old man" now. If I could have another child and it was a boy, I'd beg to name him Nathaniel. But it's not going to happen -- can anybody say 50 and no working parts left? Well, there's always a future dog to be named -- I guess if I can name one Daphne, I can name one Nathaniel. There's always a story about why I name dogs what do -- I've passed this trait on to my eldest -- and probably the other two, as well. If I ever name a dog "Prince" or "Fluffy", you'll know the end is near.

Well, I'm going to try to have a good weekend -- I'm working up to it. Hope y'all have a good one!

Nothing much

I've been a little silent lately -- what's up with that? Just a lot going on -- nothing major -- but figured this would be a good time for catch-up.

Daphne's surgery went well. The day after, she was her old self -- probably too much of her old self that soon after being spayed but it's hard to contain exuberance. Wouldn't it be great if, every once in awhile, we could have just an hour of seeing the world the way a puppy does?

Last week, my brother, sister-in-law (from Arizona) and niece (from Colorado) came for a visit. My brother is 14 years older than I am -- and my niece is only ten years younger. And most of my first cousins are considerably older than I am (closer in age to my mother than to me). So, when I think about it, our family dynamics are somewhat different, I think, than most people. But it's all I've ever known.

I also had a visit from my friend, Denise. We've known each other since 6th grade. We've been through the Osmond Brothers all the way to KISS. We don't live close to each other now but when we get together, it's like the conversation starts right back up with "as I was saying..."

I've been trying to stay away from politics -- I figure we the people will speak in the voting booth -- and they did in Massachusetts (and they had every right to "speak" as they did). I don't know about you but if I hear the words inherited or transparency again, I might not be held responsible -- since one is used way too much and the other has not been looked-up in the dictionary lately. I've also noticed that when I read things written by liberals about conservatives, they often say the very same things that the conservatives are saying about them. I wish people would remember that all opinions carry the same weight. You may not agree with someone but it doesn't make you right and the other person wrong. Very few things in life are black and white -- most are a lovely shade of gray. All the people I know in "real life" -- whether liberal or conservative -- are very nice, normal, thoughtful people so I wish folks on both sides would stop holding up the far-right or the far-left as "typical."

Carrie, my youngest, went on her senior trip to Disney World. I was extremely jealous, I must say. I love Disney World -- it's only an 8 hour drive from us so I don't know why we don't just pack up and go more often. It's been several years since we've been to Orlando but we are discussing going to Universal this summer. I am not a competitive person but the Men in Black ride gets my juices flowing big-time. The last time we were there, I actually apologized to a "single rider" who got put in with us. We were so into scoring big points that we sort of went overboard -- and knowing where the photo was going to be taken (during the ride) -- and mugging for it -- didn't help. The guy looked a bit shell-shocked when he disembarked.

Seems like a lot of people I know are having medical problems -- or have family members who are. Our across-the-street neighbor, pregnant with her 5th child (they have four boys) is going to lose this baby -- it's not growing but, at the moment, still has a heartbeat. Another neighbor is worried about a possible tumor. A friend's sister has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Another friend's mother has acute leukemia. Sometimes I'm not sure what to pray for -- often it's just for strength in the face of adversity.

I have jury duty coming up in a couple of weeks. It seems that I get called every two or so years -- while some people never get called. I really don't mind it too much -- it is a civic duty -- but it's difficult for people who have to take off from jobs or have to arrange care for their children. I don't have to worry about either of those any more but I don't like the feeling of being herded around like a bunch of dumb cows. I guess they do that because some people just don't listen to instructions but it's another reason why jury duty is not very palatable. The last few times I've been summoned, I never even made it into the "box" but, in the past, I've served on three different juries -- the first one when I was eight months pregnant. The judge told me to raise my hand if I needed to go to the restroom.

Speaking of restrooms -- in mine, there's a place where sections of the mirror come together and if you stand right in front of the crack, you look thinner...so I spend a lot of time in that spot...

Seriously, though, I wish there was a magic wand which made me hate overeating and love exercise. Unfortunately, my emotions on those two things are exact opposites.

Looking forward to a trip to Charleston this weekend. You'll never guess why we're going...

Thoughts to begin the year with...

My first thought -- and prayer -- for the new year -- is please let it be a good one. It's probably too much to ask -- life is seldom good all the time (though God is). Anyway, here are some thoughts, things I'm looking forward to and things which are already bugging me...

Scrubs!

No, not the show (I've never seen it) but just that my husband will be wearing scrubs every day again! Now this may sound like a strange thing to be elated about but bear with me. When he was doing anesthesia, he wore scrubs every day -- anesthesia is a hospital-based service so he didn't even have an office -- he saw patients only in the hospital. When he did a fellowship in pain management, that changed. Though he still does procedures, he also sees patients in an office setting -- and, when he does that, he wears slacks and a button-down shirt. However, now that they are opening a block suite at the office, he will be going back and forth between procedures and office visits -- so he'll be back to wearing scrubs all day, every day -- and scrubs are a lot easier to launder! I am, on occasion, easily amused.

The state of the union

I wish I could stop worrying about this but it seems that things are getting worse day by day. Scary, scary stuff going on in DC. I hardly even know what to say anymore. But I feel really bad for future generations because they are going to get the brunt of all the foolish choices which are being made today.


The Endless Forest

The fifth and last book of the Into the Wilderness series by Sara Donati (penname of Rosina Lippi) is coming out this month -- I pre-ordered from Amazon way back when. As with Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, I hate to see this one come to an end -- Nathaniel Bonner gave Jamie Fraser a run for his money in my book. However, I still haven't read DG's Echo in the Bone but I'll probably jump right into this one. I recommend this series to anybody who loves American history. Or anybody who loves to read.



Ball's up!

We're about to start our last year with the CSRA HEAT. I guess I should say Carrie is about to start her last year. It's bittersweet -- I won't miss getting up before dawn on Saturday mornings or the long days but I will miss watching her play. I'm sure, though, when we have an empty nest next year, we'll think of something to do on weekends. By the way, Mark hates it when someone yells "ball's up" -- it's like, where do you expect it to be? Kinda' goes without saying.

What up with that?

This skit (featuring Kenan Thompson) on Saturday Night Live literally makes me cry. I've seen him do it twice -- and I start laughing during the intro. There are no clips on Youtube. Which also makes me cry.

David Lee Smith on CSI: MIAMI

He has an episode coming up soon and I'm happy. For all my friends who are also DLS fans, here's a little something for you (from Mending Fences). Giddyup. By the way, anybody who wants to discuss DLS can come here and behave completely foolish along with the rest of us. University of Alabama graduate DLS is the only reason you'll ever hear this Georgia girl say, "Roll Tide."

Better

Like a lot of people, I don't really make new year's resolutions. I've discovered that saying you're going to do something is not the same as doing it -- so why bother making a grand statement and then not live up to it? So, the only thing I'm really going to hope for is to be better.

Like better about losing weight -- or maintaining what I've lost already. I really have to do this because of my diabetes -- or else I'll end up having to take a pill every day -- which I'd like to avoid. I'd been doing pretty well but then, well, the Christmas season rolled around -- not only have I eaten way too much, I let exercising slide.

I'd like to be better about making a stab at getting published -- or even self-published. I'm not so sure that's in the cards for me -- it definitely won't be if I don't try. I also need to work on editing the work I'd like to submit -- it makes sense to try to have it as good as I can get it before submitting it.

I also need to write, write, write. If for no other reason than it centers and calms me.

I'd like to work on being a kinder person. I think I'm reasonably kind but maybe I need to be even kinder. While I can't change how others communicate, I can work on my own responses. It's not about trying to be a better person than someone else -- it's really just a matter of thinking before speaking (or typing). And realizing that another person's woes, while maybe insignificant in the scheme of things, are still very real. I need to keep in mind that there are times to add my two cents and there are times to keep my mouth firmly shut.

I need to be better about accepting there are differences between men and women -- especially in how we think. I've spent the better part of the morning being aggravated with my husband -- mainly because I've been expected to be a mind-reader. I'm a lot of things -- and I'm good at reading between the lines -- but a telepath, I am not. Anyway, this is one of those things where he's not going to change me and I'm not going to change him -- so I've just got to work on my attitude. A challenge, to be sure.

I need to work on my patience. I've always heard that you should never pray for more patience because you might end up dealing with something which will really try your soul. So I need to be very specific in asking for the patience to be a cheerful (care) giver. It ain't easy. I was obviously never meant to be a nurse, teacher or counselor and it often shows.

Beyond all of that, I just need to try harder at everything I do. Well, maybe. Sometimes there's a fine line between doing something well and over-doing it to the point of wasting time and energy. The trick is to do what needs to be done but not to miss another opportunity because of being too focused on something that really needs to be let go.

I wish everyone reading this a very happy new year! I hope it'll be fabulous -- and, if it's not, I hope you'll have the blessings of friends, family and faith to get you through.

So, how was it?

Christmas is over and now we're heading full-steam ahead to...next Christmas. That's how it seems to me, anyway. When I was little, it seemed like Christmas was, well, as slow as Christmas but now the years are whizzing by at an alarming speed. I suppose there's both good and bad in that but it is what it is. As we get older, the earth apparently turns faster -- a little detail which isn't picked up by NASA.

We had a good Christmas -- a day of excess any way you look at it -- too many presents, too much food. But that's what it's all about, right? Well, no, but that's what we've made it -- myself included. I'd love to have a Christmas which was spent simply being together -- maybe exchanging small tokens -- and not having it be the all-out frenzy it always ends up becoming.

Our family Christmas gathering usually numbers around ten -- depending on who can come. I mentioned before that when the kids were small, we put a moratorium on traveling so, since then, we've always had Christmas here at our house. But, now that everyone is pretty much grown, who knows? Maybe next year, Shannon will want to host her first Christmas gathering at her own house! And I'd dearly love to experience a white Christmas one day -- never had one of those -- barely have had a white anything. My goal is to ride in a "one horse open sleigh". I'd love to spend a Christmas in Williamsburg, Virginia -- or in New York City.

Anyway, I got a lot of nice presents this year -- the small ones mean just as much as the big ones. Mark told me that he was getting me something I might not use. My first thought was why get it then? But my second thought was that it was probably a Kindle - and I was right. I don't know how much I'll use it right now -- I think it'll be great for traveling or for periodicals but I still like the feel of an actual book in my hand. But I've had fun with it already and I'm sure it'll come in handy. Using the Kindle in bed will probably be a no-no -- the book I'm reading usually hits the floor as I fall asleep. But he did buy insurance on the thing...

So, another Christmas over and done. Now, maybe I can catch up on all of the non-Christmas related things which I let fall by the wayside -- like reading other blogs, posting on my forum -- and, oh, yeah -- laundry.

Hope your holy-days were good! Now, on to a new year...

On the bright side...

I'm not much of a Christmas person -- I don't like the whole "I have to do this...and this...and this..." I'm more the one-task-at-a-time type so the Christmas season can really overwhelm me if there's too much being hurled at me at once. Compared to last year, though, when I was consumed by grief (over the unexpected death of a dog), this year is better by leaps and bounds. However, there has been that small matter of having my house painted...

But, on the bright side...

Not only does fresh paint make things look newer and cleaner but the colors have turned out great. I went with a similar color in the hallways but now it's more grayish than greenish. I painted the kitchen area a light blue -- I was a little worried about that but it looks great with my collection of blue & white plates. The den had the biggest change -- a rose color before, my intention was to keep a pinkish tint only lighter -- somehow, though, when all was said and done, it ended up being a peachy/creamy color -- and somehow that color actually looks good with the furnishings in the room.

More good news is that Neville is seeing out of his injured eye. We still don't know what caused a trauma like that but it was pretty bad. Last week, he definitely couldn't see out of it. At his check-up, the vet said he may not have full vision in that eye but, if not, what would be affected would be his night vision -- and since he's sprawled in the bed at night, it hardly matters.

What else is good around here? Well, the work on the house is mostly finished (with one more thing to be done but it's under the house so shouldn't be a big deal). I've still got a lot to get straight but somehow I will and, if I don't, it's not like the Queen of Sheba is joining us for Christmas dinner. The Queen Mother (as in mine) will just have to get over it.

I haven't had much chance to shop due to the work going on around here. I've done a lot of shopping online but I headed out today and hit four different stores as quickly as possible. I didn't buy a whole lot but I got a few stocking-stuffers. Still trying to think of something to buy hubby -- very, very difficult. I do have one thing for him but that's about it -- he, on the other hand, tends to go all-out for me (because I'm easy!). I am trying to be a joyful receiver but it makes me feel a bit crummy that I can't return the favor -- unless I buy a bunch of stuff he wouldn't care about or ever use -- and I don't like doing that, either. And, by the way, his birthday is in January -- so it's a double whammy as far as gift-giving. And he'll be 50 -- so nonny-nonny-boo-boo.

We got the furniture moved from the old dining room to the new one and tomorrow my new table arrives for the kitchen area -- I haven't gotten a new rug or chairs yet for that room but I will. I hear they have great after-Christmas sales. Of course, this year, they were having pretty good pre-Christmas sales, too. Of course, none of that sale stuff was on anybody's list. Let's face it, if you want a North Face jacket, you're gonna' pay, no matter what or when.

And, last but not least, here's the biggest and best bright side of all...

SNAFU...

I'm trying to be good although Santa has probably already looked at my behavior this year and said, "no dice". But here I am, less than two weeks before Christmas, scratching my head, wondering where the time went. I think I need to make a list and check it twice because I don't know what I have done or have yet to do.

The painting in the house is finished-- now we're just having a few odds and ends fixed. I still have to get my rooms back together -- many are still in turmoil. Not really a good time of year to turn the dining room -- which I've never used as a dining room -- into an actual dining room. I have a smaller table for the room I did use as a dining room being delivered on Friday. I hope it's all going to come together the way I'm seeing it in my head.

We do have a tree up! Yeah! It has lights and, I think, five ornaments on it -- but that's a start. Even though there isn't much time before Christmas now, I'm determined to do a little more decorating.

In the midst of all of this, we took a trip to Asheville, NC, over the weekend -- it wasn't a pleasure trip though I did get a chance to go to my two favorite artsy-fartsy stores. My Aunt Dot, who is my mother's lone surviving sibling, is in poor health and we took my mother to see her. My feeling, leaving my aunt's house, was that we might not see her again. On the way out, she gave me a couple of old Christmas ornaments so that I would remember her when she was gone. Can anyone say "lump in throat"?

We stayed in at the Inn on Main Street in Weaverville while we were there. It's an old Victorian house and I do believe there might have been a ghost in our room. I heard something which sounded like someone, wearing slippers, shuffling around our room but I was so tired I didn't even turn over to see what it was. The funny thing was that another couple heard what sounded like furniture being moved around in the middle of the night. Calling Jason and Grant...

Actually, the innkeeper told us that a ghost-hunting team (not sure if it was actually Ghosthunters) had called them and wanted to stake out the inn but the innkeepers declined because they didn't want a lot of ghost-loving people (I think he may have meant weird people) booking rooms, expecting to find a ghost, then being disappointed. They seemed rather impressed, though, that two different people heard odd noises during the same night -- and also that neither of us had read or heard anything beforehand about the B&B being haunted -- he did share some stories after he heard our experiences. I'm not sure whether I believe in such things but I do believe that there are things out there that we don't or can't understand.

Neville's (Boston Terrier) eye is better -- he does seem to be seeing out of it again -- we really thought he'd lost his sight in that eye but, hopefully, he'll have some, if not all, of his vision. I take him to the vet on Wednesday morning to have him checked out again. It's not like we could do anything if he had lost his vision but I didn't want to do nothing if there was something we could do.

The puppy (Daphne the mongrel) has worms again They keep telling me that tapeworms are caused by ingesting fleas. Okay, I got it but I've never had a dog that we had to keep re-treating -- and, yes, she's on flea control. Hopefully, we'll get it under control soon. The worms don't seem to bother her but all the humans are making faces.

Otherwise all is SNAFU around here as usual...

Say my name, say my name...

Over on Rightmyer Rants, Bobbi mentioned how she'd had an article published in Kentucky Monthly magazine but her name was misspelled because an "e" was added. This got me to thinking about how I've had to go through life spelling my own name(s).

My name should be easy enough, you'd think, except there are multiple ways to spell it -- Lynn, Lynne, Lyn, Len -- and I've even seen it spelled Lin. For whatever reason, most people want to put the e on the end of it -- perhaps most females who have that name use the e -- but I don't -- so I've spent my entire life spelling it out. Lynn is actually my middle name -- and my eldest's middle name is Lynn as well (her daddy's doing) but, unlike me, she doesn't use it as the name she's called. I grew up in the south -- well, I'm still in the south -- where it was often the norm (and still happens to a lesser extent) to call a girl by a double name but I always preferred to be just Lynn. Back in the day, it was common for girls to be given the middle name Lynn -- or Ann -- another name with different spellings.

It wasn't only that name I had to spell. I had to spell Irwin all the time. The more common spelling is Erwin but I've been called everything from Irving to Owen (not sure about that one but it's actually happened). In Tennessee, where my daddy was from, you may see it more with an I than an E and that may be true for other parts of the country as well but, growing up, I didn't know anybody else with that name, whether spelled with an I or an E. It's not that common which is why I stuck it in the middle of my "writing" name in order to set me apart from the gazillion Lynn Stewarts out there. By the way, my blog and forum are often reached because folks are searching for Lyn Irwin -- the mother of Steve Irwin.

When I married a Stewart, I thought, well, now I won't have to spell my last name any more. Wrong. My first clue was at the lake property Mark's family owned. They shared a driveway with the people next door who happened to have the same name - well, sort of. On one side of the driveway, there was a sign which said Stuart and, on the other, one that said Stewart. Looked like folks just couldn't make up their minds.

In any case, I'm still having to spell my last name. And my middle name. And my maiden name -- though I only use Irwin in writing and on the internet, I'm constantly having to spell it when I'm with my mother at doctor's appointments, etc.

We tend to be persnickety about our names. Even if someone else has the same name (and there probably isn't anybody who's the sole owner of one), it's still our name and we want it pronounced and spelled correctly. When it isn't, it's almost like it isn't quite us.

So, for the record, I'm Lynn with no e, Irwin with an I not an E and Stewart with an ew not a u.

So, now that we've got that straight...it won't matter one bit...I'll be spelling for the rest of my life...

Certifiably Insane...

Yesterday, I wrote about how the painting was nearly finished -- today, I asked Lee (we're back to our original contractor, now that he feels better) to paint another bedroom and bathroom. I'm insane, I know, but painting those upstairs rooms won't be as disruptive as the rest of the house has been -- and he needs the work. So, what the hey... I really need the rest of the house painted as well but I probably need to get the already-painted part of the house back together before I start on anything else. Somebody stop me before I tell him to just go ahead...

Yesterday, after everyone had gone, I let the dogs back in the house. Neville (Boston Terrier) came in with a bloody and swollen eye. I don't know if it's because of fighting (there were no other indications of that) or roughhousing or being poked by something but I had to take him to the vet. They were short-staffed and had to work him in so I was there for nearly two hours. He's better today -- he has drops and an antibiotic ointment -- but I'm keeping him with me while the other dogs are having to stay out. Bug-eyed dogs' eyes are easy to injure and I don't want to make it worse.

I'm actually remaining quite calm during all of this. I remember when we added on to this house, I stood in the middle of it and cried my eyes out. Having people here for two months was just overwhelming. This is just Week 2 of painting so maybe I can hold it together awhile longer.

I need to stop watching HGTV, though, before I find something else I want to change around here...

Mark says just so it's not him...

Almost there...

While the guys are here painting (still), I've taken the opportunity to get a few things done around the house -- one of which has been cleaning out my closet. My closet is not a small one -- when we added on to our house several years ago, I sacrificed space in what is my computer area for closet space. My closet -- which I do not share with Mark -- he has his own -- is the size of a small room -- probably something like 10 x 15. The problem with a big closet, though, is that I use it for a dumping ground so you name it, it's in there. This morning, I found several Backstreet Boys books (I was a cougar before being a cougar was cool) which are now posted on Paperbackswap, many items of clothing -- and shoes -- which I haven't worn in I- don't-know-when, and best of all, a ruby and diamond ring which I thought was lost and long-gone. It's been missing for a couple of years -- except that it wasn't missing at all -- it was in the jewelry box all along, on the top level with all the other rings, but in another compartment. Why I didn't search that thoroughly before, I have no idea. I must have given it a cursory pass and then just accepted that I'd lost forever a pretty expensive and unusual bauble. Anyway, it was sort of like getting an early Christmas gift from heaven. So thanks, Big Guy.

My kitchen is being painted today -- which means it's covered in plastic. Which means no cooking. Which is not a bad thing. I went out to lunch with a friend, did a little shopping and we'll go over to my mother's for dinner tonight. Maybe by tomorrow, the kitchen will be open but, honestly, other than the mess, I don't care. Cooking is not my favorite thing -- along with cleaning and all of those domestic duties for which I'm ill-suited. Fortunately, when I married, I made no promises in either department -- so you get what you pay for. It's not like I popped up years later and said I was no longer performing those tasks. I said that pretty much from the beginning. I actually do cook and clean and I even do laundry. But mostly, I don't. Or, I guess you could say, I squeak by. The complaint line forms at the rear -- and stuffing them there is pretty much what you can do with them.

Still no Christmas decorations out, save one Nativity set -- which is only out because it was ordered this year and came in the mail. We don't have a tree yet -- nowhere to put it yet -- the den was almost finished until we decided the trim needed painting since we'd painted the trim everywhere else. I don't envy them painting the kitchen area -- the trim in there is dentil molding (I always thought it was "dental" because it looked like teeth but apparently I was mistaken) and it's not like you can just brush the paint on that. Quite tedious, I'd imagine.

My father was a painter. A working man who headed up the painting crew for the Board of Education in my home town. As a child, I used to help him paint all the time (not at his job but at home, etc.). Nowadays, I'd probably just make a mess. Well, it's as good an excuse as any. Hey, I figure people need work (these folks do) so I'm happy to be able to pay and let somebody else do the job -- and do it better than we ever could.

I think everything will be finished around here by Wednesday and maybe things will get back to normal. Except it's December and what's ever really normal in December?

Not a blessed thing.

This, that and the other thing...

For some insane reason, I'm having most of the first floor of my house painted at probably the worst time of year. It's needed it for a long time and when we called our usual fix-it man, we figured we'd be on his waiting list for awhile -- which was fine since there was no hurry. But, then he called before Thanksgiving and said he had time right now -- so what was I going to do?

Anyway, I thought that this much painting was way too much for one person but he seemed confident that he could handle it though, in the back of my mind, I was wondering just how long it was going to take him. But, then he got sick and had to call in a painting crew -- fortunately, they've worked for us before and do excellent work -- so no problem on my end. It's definitely going much quicker than it would have.

They've been working all week and, on Monday, they'll do the kitchen and that'll be it -- for now. There's still a lot around here that needs freshening up. Apparently, I've been watching too much HGTV. But, hey, I've learned how to make things better by making simple changes -- and painting, while a nuisance, is actually one of those simple things.

I'm bad about putting things off -- and, in fact, after we'd agreed to let him paint, I almost called him and told him I just couldn't deal with it so close to Christmas. But I didn't -- now I can get on with changing the room that is supposed to be the dining room back into a dining room. And just in time for the smaller table I've ordered to take the place of the big dining table which will now be in the other room...well, you get the picture. I have some pieces of furniture which I think have been in every room of the house at one time or another. You should see the looks I get when I say I want to move this to there.

Speaking of procrastination, I put off getting new flooring for way too long -- we finally did it right before our eldest daughter got married. That was a pretty stressful time, too, but the wedding was our impetus to do something that should have been done long before. Now, I'll have to work my way up to getting the wood floors refinished. I can't think about it without shuddering.

I will say, though, that having work done in the house makes me take stock of what needs to stay and what needs to go. My hubby doesn't know yet that I gave away the piano. If I wasn't going to turn that room into a dining room, he probably wouldn't realize it for months. We've had some words about that piano -- I never understood his attachment to it -- it's old, yes, but it's not a piece that was in either family -- and nobody has played it for years. The kids took lessons when they were younger but they went by the wayside when other activities (volleyball, soccer, horses) became more important. Anyway, the last time we had a discussion about it, he said, "do what you want to do". So I did. The idea of someone using it for what it's meant for -- rather than a place to sit photos -- makes me happy.

So, as you can imagine, I haven't done any Christmas decorating. Last Christmas was so bad (because of the unexpected death of a dog), that I really wanted to try to do better this year. But, if I could get away with it, I'd do absolutely zero. What I need, really, is to decorate entirely with disposable items. That way, instead of having to put them back up in the attic, I could throw them out.

This is probably the last year we'll have a live Christmas tree. Next year, our youngest will fly the coop so it's probably back to an artificial one. This makes no sense considering I just said that I would like to use disposable decorations -- but trees have needles and that just makes more work. And, if you forget to water them, they drop even more. Can you tell this might have been a problem for us over the years?

The dogs will be glad when the painting is done. They've had to stay out in the sunroom during the day -- poor babies -- having to stay in a big comfortable room with access to outside whenever they want! They don't see it that way, though -- they want to be where I am.

So, now I've got to get serious about shopping. I've done some online but not enough. And, every single year, I have to wrack my brains to get something for Mark.

It won't be a piano.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow...

Yesterday was a long day. I spent over four hours with my mother in the emergency room. She'd been complaining of stomach pain (along with enough other things that I lose count) on and off but she called me early in the morning and said the pain was much worse. Anyway, at this point, there wasn't much point in going to her primary care doctor because the only thing she could have really done, anyway, was send her over to the hospital for tests. By going to the ER, it was like "one stop shopping" because they did everything right there -- including a CT scan which showed she has diverticulitis. So, she's on medication and a restricted diet for a few days and she should be feeling better soon. This is likely to flare up again but at least now she knows what it is. If she doesn't get to feeling significantly better, we may have to put her in the hospital for one or two nights.

Mark is sick today. Of course, he has to be unable to get out of bed before he'll stay home. If he has to cancel procedures or appointments, then his patients get upset and then he has a lot of catch-up to do, even for one day. This seems to be a cold -- he says he thinks he caught it from Wesley, who he saw last weekend. I reminded him that Wesley was diagnosed with H1N1 (though whether that was what it actually was, I have no idea). Whatever it is, I hope Carrie and I can avoid it.

I got my temporary crown this morning -- it wasn't too bad -- lots of drilling but I didn't feel a thing. The left side of my mouth and lips are still pretty numb but it's getting better. I'll get my permanent crown in 2 or 3 weeks.

We're having a lot of rain around here from the remnants of hurricane Ida. Five or more inches this morning in some areas but, where we are, we're fine. Early this morning, not only was it raining but the wind was blowing. It's kind of scary when I think that we don't know what it's doing outside during the night while we're sleeping. Sometimes I don't even hear thunder.

We got a call from the man painting our house at Lake Oconee -- seems the sewage is backing up -- probably from the rain. That happened once before -- I was there when it happened before and, believe me, you could not stay inside the house. I hope Mark can get somebody to take care of it long-distance because he's in no shape to be dealing with plumbing.

Anyway, yesterday and today haven't been the best of days...and tomorrow isn't looking great either...but we'll make it through. We always do.

Random thoughts on a random day...

And the walls came tumbling down...

I remember the fall of the Berlin Wall -- but I don't remember it vividly. You know how some things seem like they happened yesterday? Well, this is one of those things that seems like it was much longer ago than twenty years. But there's nothing quite like witnessing folks experiencing freedom.

She's a very kinky girl...the kind you can't take home to mutha...

I can't get the song Superfreak out of my head. They were playing it the other day at Zaxby's (it's a restaurant -- fast-food but they take a little longer...). They must have had a 70s songs on a loop but, out of all the tunes, it had to be Superfreak which won't leave me alone.

Uneasy the head who wears the crown...

Okay, it's not my head, it's my tooth. Finally, the insurance company has okayed the crown and I'll start the process on Wednesday. I'm not sure what the process actually is but I have a feeling it's not a one-day thing. My tooth has started to bother me a little bit so I'm ready to get it over with but I'm not looking foward to it at all. But you can't have it both ways so come Wednesday, I'll be in the chair of torture...

Gotta' get through this...

I've been trying for several days now to get through the first chapter of Geraldine Brook's People of the Book. I'm afraid that lately I'm People of the Nap, which is not conducive to reading.

Fall is in the air...

Not around here, it isn't. We had a couple of chilly days a few weeks ago but, right now, the high has been in the 70s during the day. I will admit that that is much better than the 90s we have during the summer but I am ready for cold weather. Or at least cooler weather. Seriously, we're going to have to think about retiring north instead of south. Of course, there's not much farther south we can go.

Volleyball already...

Carrie tried out for the traveling team over the weekend -- try-outs are next weekend, too. She'll make the cut but we're both a little dismayed because there's a girl who wasn't supposed to be playing this year that will be after all. For those old enough to remember, the name Eddie Haskell says it all. And the apple didn't fall very far from the tree. Lord give me the ability to retain my usually pleasant demeanor...

There's always a first one...

I got a book today from Paperbackswap which was in poor condition. PBS has rules set up about what condition a book should be in -- common-sense things like no water damage, the cover can't be torn, no writing inside the book (other than on the inside cover). Anyway, this one looked to be water damaged and the front cover was about halfway off from the spine. I can't, in good conscience, put it back on the site to swap so it'll eventually go in a giveaway pile. It's still readable but that's about it. Anyway, after swapping a lot of books, this is the first one that's really been in less than stellar condition. It always makes me wonder why some people think that rules apply to everybody but themselves.

Just wondering...

Why didn't they call the H1N1 flu virus the H101G1?

But not funny...

The six year old niece of one of the regular posters on my forum is very sick, with what is probably H1N1, and is being transferred to Johns Hopkins. If you are a praying person, please add her to your prayers.

Also, I have an aunt who's not doing well. She's 89 and my mother's one remaining sibling. Hopefully, we'll be able to go for a visit in the next couple of weeks.

And, of course, keep those prayers coming for the folks at Fort Hood and while you're at it...

Call a jihad a jihad...

Political correctness has officially gone too far.

It's my party...

There's nothing like going to a funeral to make me not want one.

Now, I don't mean I don't want to die -- I'm not ready to go yet but I'm comfortable with the idea, if that makes sense. Like most people, I think our fear comes from the dying process, not death itself. For a Christian, death is only the portal to another, better life. And, yeah, I believe that. I also believe I'll see people who have gone before me. And dogs. Lots of dogs. I imagine I'll be put to work in the heavenly kennels. You can imagine what I hope dogs don't do in heaven.

I accompanied my mother to a funeral this afternoon. It was for the son of one of her friends. He'd been found dead several days ago -- heart attack, they think. I was thinking, as I sat there, that it must be the worst thing in the world to lose a child -- no matter how old you or the child was -- and that it was something I absolutely could not -- and don't want -- to comprehend. I didn't know the man and had only met his mother a couple of times but she and my mother have been friends awhile (even though this friend's husband sort of "hits" on my mother -- take into account they are all in their 80s). I guess I shouldn't really mention that but, honestly, it cracks me up. It drives my mother up the wall -- and, yet, I think it sort of flatters her, too. But I digress...

I told Mark -- and the kids -- that I want to be cremated when I go. I also told the children to mix my and Mark's ashes together (eventually) -- along with all the dog's -- then put us all in one big urn together. You should see the faces my (all grown or nearly) children made. But, hey, I'm serious about this. But, as Mark says, are you really going to care at that point? Well, no. But I care now and I think it's important to honor someone's last wishes because they certainly aren't getting any more of them.

Going to a funeral makes me think of my own send-off. I know some folks have a pre-cremation viewing. No, thanks. Don't be looking at me like that, wearing something I'd never wear. Come to think of it, I don't really want a funeral, either -- I want a celebration -- of my life, not my death. I'm not saying there can't be some somber moments but, hey, talk about the good stuff -- and I hope there'll be some good stuff to say, though sometimes I wonder about myself in my worst year-round-bah-humbug moments.

And, here's another thing -- don't break your neck getting to my funeral/celebration if you didn't say "boo" to me while I was alive. I do realize that sometimes we go to funerals for the sake of the living, not for the deceased -- who we may not have even known -- but it seems that folks sometimes attach too much importance to the funeral, not to the life. Sorry -- I know this cute little emoticon doesn't quite work but it's as close as I could get on short notice.

So, when it's my time, I hope those left behind will do as I've requested: Put the fun in funeral.

And, if my wishes can't be followed, do expect some paranormal activity.

Catch-up

We traveled to Asheville, NC , over the weekend. The reason was not pleasure -- I have an aunt there who is elderly and not doing well so we took my mother (and a cousin) to see her. Aunt Dot is the only sibling my mother has left (out of eleven -- thirteen if you count a set of twins who did not survive). My mother will be 85 this month and Aunt Dot just turned 89 -- and they are very close. It's funny -- I know they are as old as they are -- just as I know that, chronologically, I am now fifty -- but it's hard to look at either of them -- or myself -- and think in terms of those numbers. Neither one looks it -- and my mother is actually is in pretty good health, considering.

I love Asheville. It's very artsy-fartsy and I love going to the art stores -- especially those which have pottery -- which is pretty much all of them. I don't know what it is with me and pottery but I adore it. As usual, I bought a lot of it -- much of it actually usable. We also stopped by the Farmer's Market on the way home -- I bought more pottery there -- but also Amish butter and bacon -- and cheese -- as if I can't get cheese at home. Or butter or bacon.

Mark and I stayed at the Haywood Park Hotel. It's an old hotel in the middle of downtown Asheville and it was fabulous. The room -- and bathroom -- were huge -- much more than we needed. What was really great was being able to walk outside and go right into all the shops. Mark grumbled at having to have the car valet parked -- but, hey, sometimes, it's just what you have to do. To make your wife happy.

I also like to visit Malaprops when I'm in Asheville. It's a bookstore with a lot of new-agey type stuff which I don't care for -- but a lot of books packed into a small space. Of course, I was there too early -- author Diana Gabaldon will be there soon in celebration of the release of An Echo in the Bone -- the 6th book in the Outlander series. This happened once before -- we were there the week after she'd been there. Of course, I had a chance to go to Atlanta just recently and hear her speak but didn't -- so it's my own damn fault on that one.

The last six weeks have not been good ones. I try not to carry on incessantly about all the not-so-good things that have been going on. I'm still grieving over Darcy. I'm depressed and can't seem to shake it -- though I was already on medication. And I've had some sort of respiratory thing which will not let go. I've joked that it's the swine flu but it's not -- there's no fever -- just congestion (mostly in my chest), coughing, sore throat and just feeling blah and yucky. I've been on a round of antibiotics but it looks like I may need a different one, which Dr. Mark is going to get for me today.

So, tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day...during the summer of my discontent...

Mondays

I like Mondays.

I know a lot of people don't because it means the weekend is over and they have to go back to work. But as a non-working (outside the home, that is) wife and mother, Mondays mean I have the house to myself again. Just me and the furry (and one feathered) critters.

Monday usually means that I don't have anything on my agenda, either. I try not to schedule any appointments (for me or anyone else) on Mondays (or Fridays), preferring to use the three middle days of the week for all of that. Sometimes it doesn't work and I have to schedule something, anyway, but, if I work it just right, Mondays are free and clear.

Today is a pretty good day. The weather is just as I like it -- cloudy with a good chance of rain -- and I've even heard a rumble or two of thunder. The phone has not rung -- so far -- always a good thing. I should have time this morning to edit the latest chapter of Blue and, hopefully, get it posted. If I buckle down, I may even be able to get another chapter written today, too. If I really buckle down, I'll exercise today -- something which has been totally lacking lately.

And, tonight, David Lee Smith is on CSI:Miami.

A very good Monday, indeed.