Lights ON!

I am writing this during this hour specifically to irritate the environmentalist whackos. They are celebrating Earth Hour by turning off as many power-using devices as possible. Well, let them sit in the dark and try not to exhale their carbon dioxide. I intend to celebrate the alternate holiday: Human Achievement Hour. All the lights are on, the dishwasher is running, and we've got the computer and TV on. Long live electricity!
Jim and I were discussing the cow flatulence tax of Ireland and Denmark this afternoon over coffee. They are levying these taxes to offset the supposed harm these "emissions" are causing. I have to chuckle even as I write that ridiculous statement. I'm quite sure our Creator took this normal body function of expelling gas into account when designing the workings of his world and what it can handle. Liberals love any way to squeeze money out of us and exert power over us. This tax is a perfect example. It clearly does nothing to help solve the "problem" of cow farting, based on their belief that it is causing global warming and therefore is just a way to gain more money and power. If they really feel that cow flatulence is a major issue in our world, Jim has a solution: Fit each bovine with a fart filter. If we could design one and market it to those gullible greenies, we'd never have to work another day in our life.......just some thoughts to chew on.

Abduction

One of the machines at the gym is called HIP ABDUCTION. I really wish it was that easy. Someone, kidnap them, please. No ransom will be paid.

Back to Square 1

I headed to the gym today for my first full workout in about a month. I only made it there twice during the time that Jim was gone and it feels great to get back. I fear that eating out almost every day for the past two weeks has not agreed with my goal of a healthy me. My muscles certainly felt the absence! In the morning it may be worse.......but it's back again tomorrow, and the next day.......and the next........baby steps to the elliptical.

Jet Lag

It's 3 a.m. Do you know where your children are? I do. They're wide awake watching T.V. with their father.

Home Sweet Home

Day 12 Michigan/Indiana Trip

The day began in Batavia, NY and ended at Logan Airport in Boston, MA. Dad drove down to meet us at the Olive Garden in Newington, NH for supper. The food and service was great as we entertained ourselves by wondering how many times the wait staff would step on Tell's french fry before someone actually stooped to pick it up. (About 13, if you're wondering) Atira and Tell rode the hour and 1/2 back to Brunswick with Mom and Dad. I killed a few hours shopping before driving an hour south to Logan. Arriving at about 10:15, I finished half of *The Angels of Morgan Hill* by Donna VanLiere before receiving a text from Jim that they had landed. True to the differences in their personalities, Nolan yelled "Mom!" excitedly as he ran to give me a hug, while Jubal played it cool, grabbing all the bags from the belt before giving me a hug that I had to ask for. We arrived home at 3 in the morning. I set my alarm for 8 and went to pick up Atira and Tell who were very excited to see their brothers and almost as excited to see what Aussie goodies they brought back with them. It's nice to have my Jim home and all the family together again.

Mechanical Issues

Day 11 Michigan/Indiana Trip

Perhaps we have a bolemic van? Tonight, once again it gushed out a bunch of anti-freeze after I filled it up that morning. Jim thinks it's either a hose overheating (not over-eating) or a mafunctioning thermostat. I just keep my handy bottle of coolant in the back and force that van to swallow it again!
I received a text from Jim at 1:45 this morning. Their flight was delayed two hours due to mechanical problems. This will cause them to miss their connecting flight from San Francisco to Chicago. They do have a three hour layover in Chicago, however, so if United can get them on a later flight within that window, they may still arrive on time in Boston. If not, well, you'll find me snoozing at Logan, waiting..........

Ohio Happenings

Day 10 Michigan/Indiana Trip

First leg back home, which included Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and ended here in Batavia NY. In Ohio the state troopers were out in full force and I was pulled over (this is becoming a habit) because the cop saw that I had swerved quickly in and out of my lane. My explanation to him?

Yeah. A kids in the car thing.

He let me go with an admonition to let my passenger worry about those things and concentrate on the road. About a half hour later brake lights warned of an incident ahead. There was a truck pulled over and the driver was hopping out. At the same time, in the lane beside me, there was a young deer that was trying to get up. He clearly had been hit by the truck and his hind leg was unusable. It was very sad. I'd like to think that he did survive and was taken to an animal rehabilitation place.

I talked to Jim very briefly tonight. They were on their way to the airport in Sydneyand will be in the air by about 1:15 this morning. I will pick them up at Logan in Boston at the end of tomorrow's journey, midnight on Wednesday.

Ivanhoe's

Day 9 Michigan/Indiana Trip

Sunday morning meant visiting Anthony and Laura's church, meeting some of their friends, and defacing a Colts bumper stickers that was in the S.S. room :) OK, maybe not quite defacing. I credit my brother with the idea. I put a post-it note over a GO Colts sticker and wrote:

This is not appropriate for a S.S. classroom. GO PATS!

I suspect they will be able to trace it back to me.

Sunday evening meant a trip to Upland, IN which I'm told has only two things to it's credit, Taylor University and Ivanhoe's. Jodi McConnell, one of Atira's favorite people and daughter of my friend Peg, attends Taylor. We couldn't be so close and not see her so we met at Ivanhoe's for some good food and ice cream. They have 200 flavors! The lines were long but the food worth waiting for. After catching up with Jodi, it was back to Muncie to pack up for the trip home.

Muncie Children's Museum

Day 8 Michigan/Indiana Trip

The main event for the day was an outing to the local children's museum. The destination was a hit with all four kids. My anti-freeze problem showed itself again, gushing out in the Meijers parking lot, while we picked up Nicholas' cake for his 5th birthday celebration later that evening. Once the party was over and kids were snug in their beds, exhausted from all their activities, I engaged in a 4 hour game of Settlers of Cattan with Mom, Anthony, Laura and their good friend Andrew Whisler. It was a close one, but Mom pulled off a victory. Bedtime was 1 in the morning. That did not really mix well with the sermon the next morning. I'm pretty sure I made it through without snoring.

Staying Put

Day 7 Michigan/Indiana Trip

It's so lovely to wake up in a house and know you don't have to leave for 3 days! We just relaxed at Anthony and Laura's new home in Muncie, the kids enjoying each other's company and going to Commack Station up the road for delicious ice cream after supper.

Michigan Wrap Up

Day 6 Michigan/Indiana Trip
Morning meant packing the car, AGAIN. My aunt Kendra came over with my cousins, Deandra and Patrick to visit for a short while. Playing with Deandra, who is a couple years older than her, was a highlight for Atira. Kendra always sends me home with clothes for Atira and Tell, which is a highlight for me. I haven't had to buy outfits for Atira yet! After a trip into Bad Axe to say goodbye to Grandpa Carder, we were on our way to Indiana. We arrived at Anth and Laura's at 10:00 that night.

High Winds

Day 5 Michigan/Indiana Trip

We headed back down to the Lower Peninsula after lunch and hit a detour not far from the Mackinac Bridge that took us about a half hour out of our way. We hit high winds all along the route and found that at the bridge, escorts were being used to help some higher risk vehicles safely cross. I drove next to a semi in the inside lane at a speed of 25 mph for most of the way. What took us 5 minutes to cross the day before, took about 10 on this day. The rest of the trip being fairly uneventful, we arrived home about 8:30 in the evening. Tell fell asleep in the car and was transferred to a bed and Atira was asleep by 9:oo. They've held up well in all this craziness.
Jim and the boys are conducting their own whirlwind visits in Australia as their time winds down.

Perfect Pancakes

Day 4 Michigan/Indiana Trip

This day began perfectly as Grandpa Dan offered to make pancakes for breakfast.  This has become a tradition and highlight of Michigan trips for me.  His pancakes, light, thin, and "smooth as a baby's butt" are beyond compare. He has explained and demonstrated the various elements that culminate in these tasty treats but I have not been able to duplicate it myself, and so I just enjoy............

By the end of the day, we were 6 hours north in the U.P. at my Aunt Penny and Uncle Mike's log cabin. 

Bad Axe

Day 3 Michigan/Indiana Trip


Tell and Atira spent the morning playing with the resident little dog, Pippen and all of his squeaky toys. One of my uncle's parting thoughts was directed at Tell. "I'll tell you one thing. He's got a lot of energy." (I've known that for a while.) We left Pontiac, perhaps to my uncle's relief, at about 11 the next morning and drove about 2 hours north to Bad Axe, my mom's hometown. The first stop was to purchase a new camera for me. That done, we headed over to visit my mom's dad and his wife, Grandma and Grandpa Carder for a couple hours before driving another half hour to Bay Port where we spent the night at Grandpa Dan's house on Lake Huron. The overtired kids were in bed at 8 and asleep by 10.

Butterflies, Bananas and Bad Cameras

Day 1-2 Michigan/Indiana Trip

We noticed a pool of anti-freeze under our car about mid day. I topped off the overflow tank and we watched the temperature the remainder of the day, not noticing any overheating. We made it to Buffalo the first day and hunkered down at a Red Roof Inn. I navigated through the downpour and lightning with Garmin's help and returned with Subway supper for all. A guy from the party next door attempted to enter our room. The drenched desk clerk brought us extra towels and shampoo so we didn't have to go out in the driving rain. We awoke the next morning to my car honking and lights blinking outside the motel door, but no pool of anti-freeze.

We enjoyed a leisurely late Sunday breakfast at IHOP and then entered Canada not even having to show our birth certificates, so much for border safety. We spent about an hour at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory, which I highly recommend. Atira and Tell both loved the smaller butterflies but Tell was quite scared of the big blue ones that would dip and dive with one another in groups of three or four. Some butterflies were eating bananas, which I pointed out to Tell. His response was, "Momma, thas jes weird." My camera took about 6 photos and then quit working. We made a quick stop at the Falls, took some photos of a lot of mist and then Mom lost her camera. Four and 1/2 hours later, we crossed back into the U.S. at Port Huron and stopped to see my Uncle Larry and Aunt LaDona. By 9:30 at night we were back in the car and headed 45 minutes away to my Uncle Terry and Aunt Kathy's. Did I mention we have a 7 and 3 year old in all this? They got to bed at 12:30.

No More King

Because of this extremely fast paced trip, I'm a bit in the dark as to what's happening with Jim and the boys on the other side of the globe. He sent me a text and photo the other day. They were headed up to Queensland to see some relatives and stopped at Hungry Jack's for a bite to eat. Guess what they call it here?

A Few Crabs

Mom and I were supposed to be on the road today, traveling to Michigan. Instead she went to the dentist to get the OK on her tooth and I went to the doctor to see about the back of my hand. I had a bizarre sort of blister come up suddenly on Sunday and it got infected after I popped it. It's just been getting worse and my friend Deb, who is a nurse, saw it last night and told me I needed to get it looked at before I left. My doctor was puzzled right along with me as to what it was or what caused it. I got some antibiotics and FINALLY we will be leaving tomorrow. Wednesday was the original departure date so it's just a bit frustrating. So, Mom and I are the first couple of crabs. The other crabs are the ones that Jubal and Nolan caught with their grandfather yesterday out on the lake. Then they cooked them up for tea (supper for us New Englanders) along with some fish they caught as well.

Kangaroos

Atira, Tell and I chatted with Jim yesterday via video. He said that Brooms Head was their destination for that day. As well as the novelty of a different beach to swim at, they were able to get very close to some kangaroos. This morning when I woke up these photos were in my email. I'm not sure who had the idea to take a picture of Kangaroo scat. I would guess Nolan, but it could have been any one of the three. Needless to say, Atira was not impressed.
As for us, our trip has been postponed because Mom chipped her tooth yesterday and can't get in to the dentist until tomorrow. We're going to have the car packed and drive to Portland with her for her appointment, hoping to leave right after. It's all a bit up in the air.

Beach Bums

I just finished a video chat with shirtless Jim again. They had recently returned from the bakery and grabbing some fish 'n chips. I must admit to a bit of envy. Every town, no matter how small has a bakery, and they are fabulous! As I write this, they are heading to...........you guessed it, THE BEACH......again. Since they arrived in Yamba they've managed a minimum of one daily visit. Jim said the boys absolutely love the water with it's huge waves. They can't believe how warm the water is. Having cut their teeth on the Northern Atlantic beaches, which even on a summer day can numb your ankles, this is quite understandable. On the day these photos were taken they saw a turtle about 16 inches across. The view of the shore is from the Yamba breakwall.

Though not as exciting as Australia, The stateside portion of the family have their own trip planned. We will be traveling to Michigan and Indiana in two days. It has been about three years since I've been able to get out there and I will enjoy seeing Mom's side of the family again. Atira is very excited about the trip, and clearly not a procrastinator like myself, as she has been packed for the past day.