For the Good of Others

This truck full of turkeys passed me on Route 1 just south of Bath this Thanksgiving week. I fear the journey will not end well for them, but I appreciate their sacrifice.

Surprise

I managed to surprise Jim with a partial weekend in North Conway, NH with the Pendletons, Brunks and Redlons. There's nothing more enjoyable to me than laughter shared with dear friends.......these things must be done more often.

Deliriously Disorganized

This morning the sink was so full of dishes that I had to resort to eating my oatmeal from a mug. Not good. The problem has been remedied, however, by five simple words...."Jubal. Come load the dishwasher." I have included a photo of a magnet lovingly given by one of my many friends who know of my houskeeping skills and love to come visit me anyway! (Under the magnet is a self-portrait of Atira that has nothing to do with this post)

A Bed, A Birthday and a Belichick Botch

As I have not posted lately, I will highlight the past couple weeks. We begin high and end low. Atira has had to get used to sleeping in her new loft bed. She misses her old bed, but loves all the space in her small room, and she'll eventually learn not to smack her head on the ceiling when she wakes in the morning. This spring my plan is to strip her old bed of the paint that has clothed the wood since my childhood and stain it for Tell, as he'll soon outgrow his toddler bed.
Another member of the family that is quickly growing is Jubal. We celebrated his 14th birthday this past Saturday and he has finally passed me in height. Though this is only a minor accomplishment considering my stature handicap, it seems to be the start of a major growth spurt which he has been patiently waiting for.
My brother Anthony's birthday was the day after Jubal's and also happened to be the day of the much anticipated Colts/Pats game in Indy. He sat in his very good corporate seats in Lucas Oil Statium, and we sat in front of the HDTV in our cozy living room, with Mom and Dad. Each party was enjoying the great rivalry and the anticipation of victory until an unexplainable 4th and 2 call by Belichick at the end of the game. What was that call all about?! What happened to his genius coaching skills? That was a hard defeat in Bath, Maine so I'm sure it was gut-wrenching in Indianapolis. Well, it's a new game next week..........

The Bare Facts and Plenty of Lies

My four year old would be right at home in a nudist colony. Consequently, it is usually not an easy task to clothe him. As my runaway streaker sped past me for the third time and leapt onto the couch, I glared into his hazel eyes. With a stern voice I threatened, "Tell Gilbert. You WILL stop and put these underwear on or I will spank your bare butt." Without batting an eye, he replied, "I not a bear."

He may not be a bear but he is a habitual liar, much worse than the other kids were in their toddler years.

A couple weeks ago , I noticed the sheetrock on the corner of the hallway, near the stairs, had been chipped a bit with small pieces laying on the carpet. A few days ago, as I walked to the pantry, I noticed Tell quietly standing near the corner, which contained significantly less sheetrock than a few days before. His small fingers were intently peeling away tiny shards of material. "Are you the one doing this?" I asked, pointing at the corner and floor. With his long-lashed eyes looking directly into mine, voice brimming with innocence and fingers still whittling away at the sheetrock, he said, "No. It wath thomeone elth." What do you do with a kid like that?