Me!

While I was waiting for a guest list for a New Year's Eve wedding I'm working on, I decided to make some place cards for our Thanksgiving table.  (Not that we don't know where to sit at the family table, but just because I had time and I like to do it.) 

They looked kind of pretty at each place setting but I never expected the reaction I got--from Elliott!  When we sat down at the table, he zeroed right in on the letters.  Me!  He knew right away that that was his name and that place card belonged to him.  He played with it off and on during dinner, showing it to anyone who would look, exclaiming, "My Me!"

Later, when the table had been cleared and reset for dinner, Elliott kicked up a fuss.  His 'me' was gone and he was not satisfied until it was there by his place.

I think I'll make a permanent place card for him to have at Grandma's house, only I think I'll laminate it this time!

Note to Self: Big Storm on it's way

This one sounds like a doozy:

Crystal Lake, IL Weather Advisories, Watches & Warnings

TORNADO WATCH
in effect until Tuesday, Oct 26, 11:00 AM

IL . ILLINOIS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

BOND CHAMPAIGN CHRISTIAN CLARK CLAY CLINTON COLES COOK CRAWFORD CUMBERLAND DE WITT DOUGLAS DUPAGE EDGAR EFFINGHAM FAYETTE FORD GRUNDY IROQUOIS JASPER KANE KANKAKEE KENDALL LAKE LAWRENCE LIVINGSTON MCHENRY MCLEAN MACON MARION MONTGOMERY MOULTRIE PIATT RICHLAND SHELBY VERMILION WASHINGTON WILL

HIGH WIND WARNING
in effect until Tuesday, Oct 26, 8:00 PM

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING...

A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING.

* TIMING...THIS MORNING THROUGH 8 PM THIS EVENING.

* WINDS...WILL SHIFT TO SOUTHWEST THIS MORNING AND INCREASE TO 30 TO 40 MPH...WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH.

* IMPACTS...NON SECURE OBJECTS MAY BECOME AIRBORNE. FALLING TREE LIMBS AND POWER OUTAGES ARE LIKELY...WITH TRAFFIC SIGNALS ALSO EXPECTED TO BE AFFECTED RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL DELAYS. TRAVEL WILL ALSO BECOME DIFFICULT...WITH HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES BECOMING DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Well, we battened down the hatches last night.  Brought the patio furniture in and anything else that could blow away.  Could be an interesting day.

For some reason I'm sort of excited.

Uh, oh.  Here it comes.  Impact 6:29 am.

Musings on a Wednesday in October

October 20th and we haven't had to run the furnace yet.  So far we've been able to leave the windows open (or at least cracked).  It's a brilliant autumn day--64 degrees and sunny. The sky is so blue today.

Elliott and I have been playing outside this afternoon.  Elliott likes me to draw 'choo-choo's' on the sidewalk so he can take a train ride; sometimes sitting in the engine car, sometimes running back and forth the length of the train yelling, "Choo! Choo!"

Grandma got hot and tired so Sam's playing with him now.  He draws pictures for Elliott; Sponge Bob and Gary, Patrick and Squidward, Blues Clues.  Sam's much better at drawing than I am.  Even Elliott has that figured out!

He'll be a chalky mess when he comes in.  Bath time!

Maddie is napping in our room.  She is such a good little napper.  She's crawling all over the place now and pulling up and furniture cruising--she'll be walking before you know it!

Prayer meeting at our house tonight.  I used to worry about getting the house cleaned up before everyone arrived--now I'm just happy if I can get the toys picked up!

Less than two weeks until the election.  I'll be glad when the political ads are over, how about you?

Here comes Elliott!  Off to the bathtub!

Now I've seen it all

Saw these on a girl today, struggling her way into the building from the parking lot.  She looked incredibly uncomfortable.

High heeled flip flops. What will they think of next?

Number 8

Meet Hyatt. 

Hyatt was running loose in our neighborhood, wandering in the street, and clearly lost, so I grabbed a leash and went out and brought him home with me.  Thankfully, he had a tag with his name and a phone number so his 'dad' came and picked him up in a couple of hours.

We're pretty sure he's the 8th dog we've 'rescued.'  Hyatt was a sweetie--quite the little gentleman.  He's blind and diabetic, so it's a good thing he was able to make it home in short order.

Good time to remind you all to make sure your dogs have name tags and phone numbers!  Ours do!

Has it really been a week?

Has it really been a week since I posted?  This past week has sped by!  I missed my Thankful Thursday post and my Saturday quote of the week and never gave my blog a thought all week.

Business is picking up and I'm spending a lot more time at my drawing board.  I've got a small corporate job lined up for next week; a small job but a big corporation--Discover Card International.  I'm pretty excited about this job because it is the largest corporation I've ever worked for, but the pressure is on!

Took Eve to the vet this week for the dreaded 'is it time?' discussion.  No decision was made but we learned a lot.  She has a cataract that has become detached and is floating in one eye. The vet has never seen anything like it. Her fear is that she could develop severe glaucoma in a matter of hours if the cataract blocks the ducts in the eye. Also, there is a dark spot behind her eye which could be a tumor. That could contribute to her stumbling and falling. We thought it was because of her blindness or arthritis. The foot tumor should come off but the vet doesn't want to do it and it's not causing her pain or problems now, so it's really on the back burner. The vet is evaluating her condition for the potential of a sudden onset of emergency conditions. If she is not vulnerable to a traumatic, painful episode, then we will keep her with us for a while longer. But if we learn that it is possible for her to have a rapid onset of painful symptoms, then we'd rather have her go to sleep in dignity and composure with our other dog, Ivy, nearby and all the love of her family around her.  I have to take her back next week after the vet has had a chance to consult with an opthomologist.

I have good news!  Jake is beginning to feel the effects of the changes in his medication and his pacemaker settings.  He's sleeping better at night and less during the day, his stamina is up, and he's coping with symptoms better.  He goes this week for a 24 hour holter which should tell the tale about how the arrythmias are responding.  We are all feeling encouraged and so thankful for his team of doctors!

I'm sure that there are other chatty things I could blog about but it's time to get ready for church.  How about you?  Did you have a good week?

A Visiting Flock

 I noticed a flock of birds gathered in the top of a dead tree that I can see from our house.  Couldn't tell for sure what kind they were, but I could tell they were all the same kind.  I ran in for  my camera and zoomed in:

Cedar Waxwings--one of my favorite birds! 

August Status Report

Disliking the direction in which our nation is heading.
Knowing that God is sovereign.
Sitting on the couch for a change.
Watching Glenn Beck, Thursday's episode.  (GB:  America are you going to bury your head in the sand or draw a line in the sand?)
Fielding questions in our family discussion about who is going to win the Next Food Network Star.  Tom?  Aarti?  Tom? (OK, that was stretch, but I had to think of something.)
Digesting classic macaroni salad.
Drinking a glass of Clos De Bois Savingnon Blanc.
Reading Les Mis, Bartelby the Scrivener.
Thinking eagerly about tomorrow's study in Hebrews 11:13-16
Celebrating 'A believer at death is freed from sin; he is not taken away in, but from his sins; he shall never have a vain, proud thought more; he shall never grieve the Spirit of God any more. . .'
Thanking God for Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Lisa from A Complete Thought kicked it off this month. . .

A (much needed) Lesson in Economics

This really is a must see; a lesson in 'The Profit System' circa 1955.

HT:  New Zeal

I Write Like:

Saw this at Rebecca's and thought I'd give it a go:

I write like
David Foster Wallace

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

(I had to look Mr. Wallace up on Wikipedia.) . . .I'm not sure how I should feel about this. . . : D

Another busy day

The days have been full--full of Bible study, reading, working, envelopes, housework--living!

I'm determined to try to post every day this week but I really have nothing interesting to blog about.  Weird how that happens, isn't it?  My life is full and happy and busy but not particularly bloggable.

But I'll try.

Studying:  I'm studing Hebrews 11:11, 12 so I'm dipping in and out of Genesis, too.  I love studying this book of the Bible.  I am so torn inside--I can't wait to finish it (we've been at it almost three years!) but I feel sad to think that someday this particular study will come to an end.  My love of that book will never end, though!

Reading:  I'm reading Les Miserables, my favorite novel.  This is a new translation by Julie Rose.  So far I'm liking it, but I'm not sure if it will surpass my favorite translation from the Everyman's Library.

Working:  My business really seems to be taking off right now.  I just finished working on envelopes for an October wedding this week, I'm waiting for the delivery of envelopes for my next job which will start next week, and I've got a large seating chart and 4 framed pieces to do before the end of August.

Housework:  I cleaned three cupboards yesterday and plan on cleaning under the kitchen sink and organizing my tupperware tomorrow.  How's that for exciting?

Listening:  I listen to Renewing Your Mind every day.  I listen while I'm working or when I sit down for a cup of coffee.  If I get distracted and miss it I HAVE to catch up!  It's a big part of my day.

Watching:  I've been watching 'The Next Food Network Star' and I was so glad Paul was sent home last episode.  I'm pulling for Aarti but Tom is starting to grow on me.

I've also started watching old re-runs of the French Chef with Julia Child.  What a hoot! 

Gardening:  I need to dead head the flower beds.  Not a bad job, really.  I'd enjoy it if it weren't for the mosquitos in the mornings and evenings and the heat and humidity during the day.

So that's what I've been up to.  Nothing exciting but life is good. 

How about you?

How I spent LAST Friday morning

The printer's trays that hang inside my front door were dusty and cobwebby.  I'd been avoiding taking it all apart but last Friday I finally tackled the dreaded job.  Everything was dumped into the sink, washed, dried, sorted and put back. 

It took the entire morning!  The hardest part, believe it or not, was putting it all back.  It's harder than it looks to arrange 'randomly!'

A Ghostly Visitor. . .

To my daisies:

I don't like spiders, but this one was set free instead of smashed to a pulp.  As spiders go, I think he's pretty.

July Status Report

Sitting…in my comfy leather chair, not reading--yet.

Drinking…nothing. Too late for coffee, to early for my glass of wine before bed.  I'm thinking of a cup of Earl Grey but I'm too tired to get up and make it.

Missing…my old indefatigable energy.

Returning…to my favorite novel, Les Miserables, as soon as my new translation by Julie Rose comes in the mail.

Reading…William the Baptist by James M. Chaney, The Overton Window by Glenn Beck, and Genesis (ESV)

Also reading…Eight Short Stories for the Summer from Daily Lit.  The first story is A Doctor's Visit by Anton Chekov and it's delivered to my inbox every morning.

Loving…the flowers in my window boxes this year.

Pretending…that now that I've got the flower beds and yard all weeded they will stay that way.

Wondering…whether Jake will be able to tolerate his new medication.

Watching…Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (actually, Sam's watching, I'm looking up when Jack Sparrow's on).

Anticipating…Deathly Hallows Part One

Stressing…about Jake's health.

Praying…for Jake to adjust to his new medication and start feeling better so he can get back to work.

Remembering…that God has been so incredibly gracious to Jake and to us throughout all these years full of doctors and hospitals, operations and procedures, and scary times.

Realizing…that God is Sovereign and His lovingkindness endures forever.

Hoping. . .I'll start blogging again soon.

Joining Lisa and others.  (Thanks, Lisa, for helping push me out of my writing doldrums)

On Writers Block and Writers; Life and Work

All you have to do is scan down and compare the monthly tallies of posts in my side bar to see that I have serious writers block.  I have ideas for posts.  I write them in my head.  I even take photos to go along with them but somehow, they never make it to the blog.  Not sure what is going on other than busy-ness, business, and serious writers block.  I don't know how to snap out of it but I feel sure I will someday.

Thankfully, I don't have 'readers block!'  I've been doing a lot of reading and by the size of the stack of unread books beside my comfy leather reading chair, I'll be doing a lot more of it!  Most of the reading I've been doing is the good old-fashioned sitting in a chair, holding a book variety but I still do some reading online.

This morning I read a really wonderful article on The American Scholar: Life and Work by William Zinsser.  I love his views on life and work, particularly the last paragraph; they echo my own.  I considered adding that paragraph here to punch up this post and whet your appetite but, no; I want you to go and read the entire article.

Let me know what you think.  Does he speak for you?

June Status Report

Joining Lisa and others

Sitting….in my comfy leather reading chair; feet on ottoman, computer on lap

Drinking….my first cup of coffee—what else?

Wondering….what the weather will be like in the North Woods of Wisconsin next week.

Surveying….my ‘getting ready for vacation’ lists.

Enjoying….my first cup of coffee.

Reading….Genesis 6. 

Also reading….Piety’s Wisdom.

Painting….our white picket fences when we get back from vacation.

Anticipating….a restful week of reading, talking, laughing, playing games, soaking up sun.

Thinking….about what a comfort it is to know Christ has overcome the world. 

Breaking….my refrigerator has been ‘broken’ since last Friday and it gets fixed today.  Yippee!  We have American Home Shield insurance so all repairs (or replacements) of appliances cost a flat $60.  Sometimes you have to wait to get ‘non-emergency’ services but it’s worth the wait if my refrigerator needs a new motor or even needs to be replaced.  I’ll be happy not to have to go up and down the basement steps every time I need to get something out of the fridge.

Should Christians be on Facebook

To Facebook or not to Facebook?  Read 10 things R.C. Sproul Jr. has to say about Facebook and social networking.

It'll make you think.

Deactivation is not Deletion

I deactivated my Facebook account this morning.

Sort of.

Here's the confirmation email I received:

Hi Kim,

You have deactivated your Facebook account. You can reactivate your account at any time by logging into Facebook using your old login email and password. You will be able to use the site like you used to.

Thanks,
The Facebook Team

So. . .all I have to do is log in like I always logged in and everything is still there, ready for me to move right back in.  I want my account deleted.  Wonder if that is even possible.  Anybody know?

That's not the ONLY hatching. . .

. . .at our house:

I much prefer the Robins.

My Cousin's Take on our Immigration Laws

Let me start by saying that I love lawfulness. I endeavor to obey our laws and accept the consequences if I don't. I do understand why peoples from around the world want to come here. Previous waves of immigrants came when we had little or no immigration laws, so they were here “legally”. Now, we have laws, and whether or not we agree with the laws, they must be enforced. Laws should be enforced or removed from our statutes. We have a poor standard of governmental integrity if we lack the will to implement justice. There can be no true justice when some laws are enforced and others unenforced.

Now, there is no such thing as a “law abiding” illegal alien because it is impossible to come here illegally and abide here legally. Taxes, military duty, driving, education, health care, and the list goes on and on of the areas impacted by the presence of illegals. While the overwhelming majority of illegals desire to live and work in peace, it is very naïve to imagine that crime (drugs, human trafficking, and other violent crimes in particular) are not significantly expanded here because of the activities of various gangs, drug traffickers and others.

Does this mean that “illegals” are second class humans? Of course not! Are they second class citizens? Absolutely! But everyone should be dealt with in accordance with American laws and traditions. We should also enforce the laws when companies or individuals hire illegals. It’s is a national wickedness to employ border patrol and law enforcement and then ask them to a job without giving them the right to defend themselves or to do their duty because of political weakness.

Please do not tell me the worn lie that we need illegals to fill important jobs that citizens won’t do. There is a simple economic rule of supply and demand. Example: if jobs at wage A go unfilled by citizens and legal workers, then the job will have to go to wage B, then C, and so forth, until the job is filled at its proper market wage. These “unfilled” jobs would all be filled by legal workers at higher wages. In fact, flooding any job market with illegal workers just artificially keeps wages down. This impact is also felt in other markets like housing, medical treatment, education, etc.

Please do not misunderstand my belief as any kind of racism. I love all peoples as icons of Christ. I wish for all to come to Christ and His church. I believe that we should endeavor to feed, clothe, and shelter all who need it. America is usually triple any other country in giving to others around the world. We give more to Africa than African nations, more to Asia than Asian nations, more to the Middle East, and on and on. Could we do more? Maybe. Could I do more? Probably.

I believe that it would be wrong for me to endorse lawlessness in the name of Christ. I believe the church (and our government) should work to improve the lives of the people in each country that will work with us. This is very different from crashing our economy and theirs together in a misplaced sentimental gesture of encouraging the violation of our nation’s immigration laws. I am also not convinced that we are doing the countries from which the illegals come any favors. We deprive them of their necessary workers and interfere with their economic development if we encourage a mass exodus of their able-bodied workforce.

I do welcome, with open arms, all who legally endeavor to adopt America as their own! I will show them my love and support. I will be patient with them as they learn our languages and customs. I will not regard their ethnic, cultural, or national background as any kind of baggage of which they should be ashamed. If they arrive in flight of an oppressive regime, I will gladly encourage our state department and judicial system to view them with much leniency. If they are here as a willful violation of our laws, we should send them home.

To which I say, "well said, Ron."