Urban Legend and other miscellany thoughts...

It is an urban legend that only on the Equinox will and egg stand on end.

Rather harmless I would say of all the events and hoaxes out there - but a myth at best. BUSTED! Searched www.snopes.com where all good facts are found...

My egg stood until sometime Sunday morning when it became compost.

34 Anniversary Cards - how fun is that! Overwhelming and little hand written notes in some. One made tears flow alot. He trusts me with his life... that was a startling statement... always something to learn each day...

Purchased the yarn for Lori's sweater... Gingery persimmon - great color! warm and toasty looking... 3 months to complete a sweater - might me a life time best! I am all about winning the race here.

Working to finish the Shepherd's Bush Shepherd Boy that I started in March 2000. I have only a few flowers and leaves to complete and beads to sew and it will be ready for the framers. I found that when I stopped eating artifical sweetners my vision improved and I can once again see to finish this rather detailed piece.

Life also derailed my finishing this project - plaster dust and cross stitch are not compatible. Neither is moving or mud! Life had been on the wild side for these last six years to say the least! I find that I need a central peace to stitch and if anyone knows me well - the waves have been wild and crazy since I started this piece... but I will finish the boy soon and he will hang next to the herb gathering girl a perfect pair.

Sing a song of prayer and rejoice for this is indeed the day the LORD has made.

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX, September 23, 2006

LOOK MOM NO HANDS

I have always wondered about this legend. Amy Stoehr told me her girls did it one year. My e-herbal friend Michele Brown (www.possumcreekherb.com) said she had an egg on her floor standing there. Well that was all I needed. So here are my results - obviously not all eggs will stand - witness the egg I ate for breakfast on it's side.

The list is getting done!

Dog bath - check

Reservations for nephews wedding - check

laundry - always

Off to accomplish this list

Clean church

Dog food

Shower present for new baby

I have other things to do that are written down on a notecard - because my memory is short and I am so excited that the egg is standing that I can hardly think of anything else!

WOO HOO!

September 21, 2006

It has been a day or 10 in a row. The time has been full lately. No dull moments. No uscheduled time. No time for tuna sandwiches and laughter. Plenty of laughter and plenty of results from diligent work. Travel, planning, thinking, working, dancing, practicing, memorizing, sewing, cooking, loving and being loved, listening and caring. All these activities have filled the days.

John and I agree we are happy this way - full of life - full of activity - we have no clue what boredom is or what it looks like. Like Lori in her one year program - we have kept our heads down and our eyes on the goal.

Here is the sweater that I knit with a few hundred others on line with instructor Janet Szabo who has family in Ohio, but resides in Montana. Tomorrow with any luck you will see pictures of the couches that John and I have upholstered.

Like I said - no dull moments in our life and I have kept my promise to John that I made so very long ago - he is not lonely anymore....

I will get a picture of the sweater on me another day, today I thought something should enjoy the recliner because it sure was not going to be me.

Sleep well my friends

Make plans to visit your God this weekend - she has an amazing story to tell you - one of love and acceptance right the way you are - you will never be the same after you hear the story

while attending soccer practice... Ode to Emily

Mid-week and it had some high and low points I contemplated while attending soccer practice ...

I can retire at age 61 - - 5 years and 71 days but who is counting the days until attending soccer practice will be the highlight of my day!

The weather is definitely made for wearing sweaters while attending soccer practice ...

I got a nap while attending soccer practice...

I knitted a little while attending soccer practice...

Got the news that my Dad is in a regular hospital room and out of ICU while attending soccer practice...

Walked a mile while attending soccer practice...

Had soup and sandwiches for dinner after soccer practice and found out the soccer star probably had pancakes for dinner...

I finally got the last two cushions on Becky's couch correct... I think the material is on crack cocaine or something because it was non-compliant and just down right ugly to sew... I am not usually harassed by sewing - but I can tell you I had nothing nice to say about those cushions... and the material is so soft and pliable - it should not have given me the fits it did! I will appreciate sitting my arse down even more knowing what an effort that they were to sew!

I chatted with some friends while attending soccer practice at the LYS and found out the yarn I ordered is not going to give the affect I want - seems it will argue with the cables - I looked it up after I ordered it and decided that Saturday would be a day set aside to make the decision because I have the cables all worked out and I am ready to knit while attending - - - - soccer practice :O)

Seems what I have been missing was the 90 minutes necessary without distractions other worldly that attending soccer practice affords me. I have not had 90 minutes to myself in weeks and I love the solititude and time to think and sort things out.

I love attending soccer practice! Who'd a thought and I loved watching the game on Sunday also. Very relaxing and good to sit still!!!!

Who'd a thought indeed... off to rest because the bus comes in the morning oh so early and I am ready to get back on it because I had the time to contemplate just how good life really is while attending soccer practice!

OH AH - The MUD has blossomed into a star

This is what I saw when I returned from Grace Mountain Retreat III. It made me smile really large.

John and I saw these stars in Logan, Ohio when we went on vacation in April, 2006, long before we started this project in earnest. I fell in love with them immediately and we talked about when the time came to build the shed/barn there would be a star on the front end. And here you have it sports fans - a star.

So I was just plugging along and thinking about the star and purchased star lights for the deck and star candle holders for the deck - - star dishes - - stars in my eyes - - you get the idea.

It tickled me so to see it hung up already. John is pleased with his work and loves the help he has received from his children, especially when the nail gun misfires and lands in his finger. Becky and Lori unplugged the necessary items and took him immediately to the ER. They called me afterward and I left work pronto. By the time I arrived the ER doc had taken the nail out and x-rayed him again and he was ready to go - no cast - no stitches - prescriptions in hand and things to do on the list. There has been some pain involved and a HUGE bruise. Here is praying that he heals fast and true.

The Grace Mountain Conference was in Lancaster, Ohio and our Deacon, Carol Callahan, invited me to attend and speak on behalf of IPM (InterParish Ministries). All the workshops were great. A local three piece band played and there was an Appalachian author as our keynote speaker, Richard Hague. Interesting thoughts from this conference: 1.) assimilation and transformation; 2.) the ministry of presence is the seed of all other ministries. I will have to write a piece for the newsletter - and when I do - I will post it here.

Lori was in for part of the week - Tuesday nite through Sunday morning. She came by way of Megabus. I miss her a lot more after she leaves - - - alot. She got some bad news about her friend Becky Keltch while she was here. Pray for peace for Becky and a miracle of healing. I annointed Lori and Becky and prayed on them to ease the pain and sorrow.

So much to do and so little time.

I watered the grass for an hour before God kicked in with lightening, thunder and rain...

Jesus love you this I know,
For the Bible tells you so...

BEEN A LONG JOURNEY (within inches of the end)

BEEN A LONG JOURNEY ON THE BODY SHOP SEGMENT OF THIS PROJECT. Throughout this journey all the knitters that did this Follow the Leader Aran Knit (FLAK) told stories about where they were in regards to the sweater - sleeve island - body shop - and we knew what we were talking about without blinking. Lori is getting one of these as a graduation gift and we are starting the last quarter together. Me knitting and she studying - I hope to be done as she is pinned on January 7, 2007 as she graduates. I have been working on this since January 2006 and I am almost finished - how I plan on doing one in 12 weeks is beyond me - - not too many long blogs coming your way... lots of pictures saying I am here now....

Of course while I do hers I will not be sweating through a hot summer nor doing foundation work or building a shed and gardening herbs. I may actually have time to knit - imagine that.

Back at it - hope for 8 more rows tonight so I can try it on - woo hoo!

I have another daughter signing up for college - so there are more sweaters to be made for each grade completed in college.... a four year program would be 4 sweaters! WOO HOO!

Labor Day or We are always giving birth to something at my house

New patio space with a new garden along the drive way. I wanted a garden along that driveway since the day we moved in here and throughout this project it came to reality.

John and I have chatted about how you have to break an egg to make an omlette and the concept of loosing or giving away something or your talents but always gaining something even better in return. I guess if there ever was a picture to explain that concept this whole page of pictures is just that. Luke 6:35 (I think) talks about blessings overflowing in you lap... this is what this looks like in my head - blessing overflowing in my lap.




Then there is the wet dog story. Casey is allergic to summer in Cincinnati and had a severe attack early this week. There were the ususal comments about his weight and then the doctor took the flea comb and John got the dirty dog comments on top of the weight comments and the reason he went to the vet anyway.... needless to say the dog bath got lifted to the top of the pile today


Here is a view from the driveway. Looks tremendous if you ask me. If you go back and see the piles of dirt earlier in the summer and then look today - you can see the miracle.

Yep always some form of birthing going on here. Thanks Sharon for giving me that image. I can use it well over the next few months.


So friends - rest from your labors so you can enjoy what you have accomplished. The family is gathering for meatloaf and potatoe salad and kale and chocolate cake. Tomorrow Lori comes home for the week and John and her will "whip" the shed into shape - - so more birthing ahead.

It is only 11 am and I have done a ton of stuff - so after the shower I will make meatloaf and clean the kale and then knit until 3 or so and then just pop the meatloaf in the oven and toss a salad and wait for the family to arrive. Woo Hoo let the rest and enjoyment of our labors sustain us through the days and weeks ahead.

We who birthed this project should be proud of our accomplishments. Like all birthing processes we were not in this alone. John, Chris, Paul, Jenn, Becky, Felecia, Emily you can rest in knowing your prints are all over this project and that makes it shine even more than any other we have ever done. By the end Lori will have imprinted her love on it and it will be completely our own.

Rest in the love of the Lord - she cuddles real good.

bigger than a bread box and a lot smaller too

First you see what is smaller than a bread box - sprouting grass - woo hoo I say woo hoo! All week long I have been cheering it on saying "Come on grass seed you can do it, I know you can and today the cutest green haze is just peaking through the straw. WOO HOO!
Here is what is bigger than a bread box and also wetter. We sat on it for a few seconds but the rains came. Tomorrow we will sit and have our pictures taken there. Tomorrow I will show you the rest of the patio too. The picture came out a little darkish and did not improve with the auto fix button.

So sports fans this is as far as we are. Oh tomorrow I will also take a picture of my sweater because it is within 6 inches of being done. WOO HOO!

This is Labor Day weekend - let us rest from out labors.... visit your God - she is waiting for you to stop by and chat - and maybe there is another human there that just needs your smile...

"Bigger than a bread box"

"Bigger than a bread box" is a favorite game John and I have played over the years. Tonight on the way back from the pickup at the bus stop we played it again.

Tomorrow the pictures.

Tonight was knitting like the dickens and caring for the big dog because he has chewed himself raw in one spot - seems as though he is allergic to August in Cincinnati! Pictures of sweater done within 6 inches tomorrow too!

Right now rest.

Think about visiting God someplace this weekend. I know it is only Thursday night - but hey - sometimes you need enough time to talk yourself in and out of the answer... That is OK God is a patient and awesome God and I waiting for you to check in and say Hello... really...

Gnite.

The news spread fast

Many people have asked for pictures.

My family in Columbus and Cleveland have been watching very carefully as we take this journey. I can only imagine the conversations. I wonder how many times they have asked about my sanity and whether it was in tact. Without the firm conviction that this project will get finished and lots of prayers and knitting, I may well have gone off the deep end. Did I mention Jazzercise and Chocolate?

I can almost say that life is getting near the edge of normal. That alone is a very scary thought.

Without further ado I present one-half acre of newly sewn grass seed and a full 34 bales of straw that are going back to where they came from... of course this was after my Dad told me that the lawn needed 4 inches of straw cover, not the one or two that we gave it, because lawns like dark, warm (got that covered), moist (GOD is providing that nicely and is said to be providing it all week) places to germinate. I said it will be "just fine" because we did what we did and we can do no more.

This leads me to the feeling that I have delivered a baby. I cannot explain it any other way. Now I want to sit and watch the "baby" grow, but that isn't happening any time soon. Jenn and I did sit for a minute in the chairs way out back until John needed help with removal of the trailer (did you miss it?) and we had to get up.

This process has been interesting - it did tell me that sometimes when you tell the story of events to come and then live through those events that have been planned out - it is a completely different thing. You think I would have learned this from the church construction. Sometimes I am a slow learner.

Plans on paper, tons of gravel, dimensions of ditches, yards of pipe, sizes of block and brick, yards of soil and sand, earth moved, replaced, and unsuspecting things found are real pulsating things. They have a life of their own, their own mass and sense and they convert what you see as a quiet place to rest into a pseudo war zone.

At no time did I feel threatened but just the appearance of things being in such the Wrong place or not there at all was just weird. Especially the moat, that was plan bizarre, no earth at the foundation and water all around. Ladders needed to see level ground and mucky earth ready to suck you in to your knees and keep your shoes. Surreal.

It will be a story that will last into the next generation because of the fantastic help of Felecia and Emily, Jenn and Becky. That alone is enough for me right now.

Next steps, Knit like the dickens on my FLAK, pick color of Lori's graduation sweater when she comes home in a week or so - shed and deck - hot tub season is coming fast... after that, who knows?

Did you go and meet God and his family here on earth today? She was waiting for you.

I went, He was there, and I met some new family and watched as some old friends were reunited. It sure is amazing how God works, almost like watching your new sewn lawn grow in your backyard.

It was quite the day

It was quite the day! WOO HOO!

Began at church cleaning - stopped by Starbuck's to get energized. Woo Hoo!

Becky and I cleaned the church which has been a busy place over the last week.

Two hundred-fifty bookbags were distributed to children in the neighborhood through the program at InterParish Ministries. Monday to organize, Tuesday and Thursday, half day each, to hand them out and serve tea and cookies to the people. Throw in a family picnic after the church service last week and that makes for a very used and dirty church. Woo Hoo!

Call that two hours. Woo Hoo!

I came home and John was ready for a break and I made sandwiches. Becky, John and I had lunch. After that the fun began. Jenn showed up as she promised she would do and we started digging in the stones for the stone border around the shed. That took the starch out of you pretty fast. When that part was finished, and a gallon of tea was consumed by three people in 10 minutes, we moved on to the seeding of the lawn area. Jenn did that with the spreader and several criss-cross trips in the front, back and side yards. Somewhere in there John asked if the girls could come to play and Jenn went and fetched them. That escalated the speed with which things advanced. Jenn spread, Felecia raked, Emily swept the driveway and I began the straw application. Woo Hoo!

Pretty soon stumbling replaced walking and the yard was seeded and strawed. John then drove his truck in the backyard to get the trailer (probably not the best time but the first time there was clear portage since the digging began) and we loaded 34 leftover bales of straw.

The guy at Evans that sold him those bales originally said 100 bales - John got 50 and 34 are going back - I still have about 3/4 of one for spare spots that may need rehabbing later.

Woo Hoo!

We have been watching the weather channel for the last few months like it was our job. Today when it predicted 40% chance of showers we said WOO HOO!

Today as I walked the yard back and forth and around in circles I did some meditation. That always feels good in the end. I was thinking about Reverend Herbert Thompson who passed away last Thursday the 17th and whose funeral was today. He loved us very much and he will be missed indeed. He loved us as a shepherd loves his sheep and we knew we were loved. That does not happen too often in a lifetime. That a Bishop would love you so very much and even call you by name and spend as much time as was necessary to listen and discuss matters of importance. I was blessed to have known him.

There is a Herbert shaped hole in my small world, but I know he is Risen indeed!

Tomorrow pictures.

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME

ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD

Go visit a church tomorrow

Doesn't much matter which one

God is waiting for you there!

WOO HOO!

Another day in Paradise

OK
So I have been patient as can be - almost.
The neighbors were asking about this project and a completion date. They were nice enough in the asking - but kind of silly seeing as Mother Nature has been our worst enemy. The excavtor no more left that the heavens openned up with 6-inches of rain!

We thought we could hire some of the work out to a landscaper and John sent out bid requests. The answers that came back lead me to say "There are a whole lot of $200.00 in that number." $200.00 being the amount it costs to rent a bobcat.

So we will work on it dutifully.

I called my Dad in the hopital and told him about the conversations the neighbors had with John and he suggested we take a picture of the yard and send it as a Christmas card and title the card "Another Day in Pardise" I just about choked because my Dad delivered that line from the hospital bed so calmly and casually... So withoout further ado I will show you another day in paradise...

And then there is the portion of my life that portrays my everlasting belief in HOPE and the picture of what Hope Springs Eternal looks like to me a Tomatoe Plant growing out the side of my Compost bin - surely there is great soil in there and I am going to let it grow and see if inspite of all the chaos of the summer I can boast a single tomatoe...

Blessings of health and peace to you and joyful thanksgiving for prayers answered.

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME

ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD

Life is good

Today was a mini marathon after a full marathon yesterday

Yesterday went from 6 am when I arose to 10 pm when I tried to sleep

One should know that if one runs full tilt for 14 hours

One is not going to be able to fall asleep in any short fashion

So at 1 am the cat and I had a stale Peanut Butter and cracker sandwich

Two Advil

By 2 am I was asleep

Tonight will not be as bad

I did the soccer carpool thing with Emily

John made the dinner I had planned out

I got home ate dinner and then just sat down and read the rest of my book

The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards

When you only have 100 pages to read what else are you going to do

Reading was a hobby when it was summer and it was hot and I was a teenager at my

parents house

I could sit on the cold stone steps and read and it was cool there

I distinctly remember reading my first John Irving novel on the steps at home

Look Homeward Angel was another I remember reading there

Hawaii

There must have been more because in the summer I was a ravenous reader

To this day I always enjoy the summer and fall novels the best

I have soup cooking for my friend Jane, Wild rice, turkey vegetable soup. Smells really sagey

I hope it helps heal her shoulder - torn rotator cuff repaired

I will deliver it tomorrow after work

John and Felecia and Emily worked on the Hutzel couch today

They have become the three mudsketeers this summer

A very easy peace in their relationship

A very big blessing if you ask me

Grandchildren that love their Grandparents

Not a given or a universal

I am certainly glad they are in our lives

I enjoy the humming and tapping and life they bring to each day

I even enjoy driving to cancelled practices because the birds that sing there are different than the ones that sing here

OK Enough

More pictures next time

Progress in mud land and fiber land I hope

Peace and blessings to you this day and all days

Where Fiber Meets Mud II

So here is the fiber part

and here is the mud part

and I think both are looking much better

So much so

That I am now starting the Couch Project

New upholstered couches for my daughter whose dog as done some deeds on the couches

Pictures of that project will be following this week

If anyone knows me - they know that I never have dull moments in my life

For fun this weekend

Go visit your God

SABBATH ATTITUDE

SABBATH ATTITUDE

When I saw the cat assuming this position I decided that it had been a long time since I bathed my self in a 23rd Psalm activity. The psalmist who authored that story talked about a green pasture where one can lie down; a place that restores your soul; head annointed and instruction to fear no evil and a place that was safe from the enemy.

When we first bought the leather couches, which was way back when we did daily devotions, and that particular day had the 23rd psalm as the reading. After one nap in that wonderful leather couch - I nicknamed it the 23rd psalm couch and consider it one of the safest places to rest from the burdens of the world.

It was definitely a Sabbath kind of day.

I did cook a delightful meal for us - steak and green beans and pesto pasta.

We ventured to Borders Bookstore and I went to Meijer's for catfood and ice, ice baby!

The temperatures say 90 plus all week - thinking I will have to leave assuming the position to the cat as I have other things to do.... In my next life I want to come back as a well loved fat cat.

Peace and safety to you and yours...

A NEW TOY, some old news and a good idea

TEE HHEEEE HEEEEE

I have been looking at Dyson vacuums for about a year. They were way too expensive about a year ago - - in the 1000 range - - - but this summer they are half that and I had had enough of the Electrolux stopping because the bag was dusty. Hello you are a vacuum - you are suppose to collect dust.

Needless to say - after some so-so Chinese we went to HHGregg and I knew what I wanted and just bought it. They had the new swanky Electrolux there for sale - and John thought that it was hefty and more vacuum looking vs. the tinker toy look of the Dyson - - but he seldom if ever vacuums - - so what does he care. The cord is a full 36 feet long and the hose pulls out to vacuum all the stairs without hauling the canister up and down each step (I cannot count how many trips the canister of the Electrolux took down the stairs) and it really cleaned the carpet and vacuumed up the mud dust in the basement. Yahoo I am one happy camper. The website is Www.dyson.com and it even has a game to play or two. Way fun - plus I think they make a washing machine too - - - I love toys...

Old news - still getting some water in the basement. I have a complete understanding of what Job felt like. Really.

Good idea: Go outside and see the stars - they are beautiful.

60 ton of gravel

WHEW!

60 tons of gravel is two HUGE mounds of gravel. Space wise it takes up 75% of the driveway that easily fits 6 cars and each pile was as tall as I am which is 5'4". That my friends is a lot of gravel.

Yesterday, Wednesday night, Jennifer and I helped John load the first 30 ton of gravel in the moat after a lovely pizza dinner ala Pizza Hut.

When you consider that the Bobcat dumped it against the far wall of the moat and we had to move it to the house side of the moat - you will know why Jenn felt like she had a really great upper body work out and why it took till the third dose of Advil to get feeling in my right arm.

Today, Felecia helped John fill the rest of the moat and load dirt into the moat - - so I can say for the most part the moat is gone and we are merly surrounded by dirt with two small piles of dirt left to spread around to regrade the front and the back of the house. The down spouts have not been connected yet but the sump is working. Too much settling of the soil to connect the underground lines.

One might consider this getting back to some form of normalcy. The fact that I can walk in and out of the frontdoor is almost as normal as can be. Knowing that any and all actions from this point forward are HUGE steps to conventional living I am thrilled.

The weather is certainly not playing well with others so there will be a few days where chasing raindrops will be the target goal and not so much the progression of the projects... Looking at the weather calendar - I say the next 10 days are iffy at best. Oh well - the mud is out there and we are in here... dry.

And so it goes... I have a beautiful deep orange-red rose that greets me in the morning - - - the cats are less anxious about coming and going and Em is at camp since Tuesday.

God is in her heaven and all is right with this small patch of earth!

It is really rubber, really!

I had many people convinced that the rubber that was going on the wall had a resevoir.

Sweetie told me it did and as weird as most construction stuff is - how it is made to be right and left handed - how it is male and female ends - how it has biscuits in it - a million innuendos and terms that can me construed in several different ways - - - so when sweetie said it was a large rubber with a resevoir I believed him. It is green that is for sure but alas and alack - no resevoir.

I do have two huge piles of rocks, a Bobcat and an extra bucket in the front yard. John is parked across the yard and there is enough room for my car in the drive. I have seen crazy before - but this is taking the cake.

At night lately I have had mercy on Casey who cannot walk about the yard at leisure and I have been taking him for walks. The last two nights the cat, Achia, has been following along. First night we walked to Rumpke which was doable and Casey wanted to cross and keep going - - ah I said - NO we need to go home. Tonight we walked to the dead end of the road and several times I tried to steer him home to no avail. So the dog and the cat and I took a long and leisurely stroll for the better part of 40 minutes... no cardio there just patience making. At one point he just laid down in the grass - oh dear I thought - so I took the leash off him and soon he was at my side. He loves the walks and I am going to keep them up until he can do a whole stretch of the street without a nap.

Speaking of naps - I need a 7 hour one. TTFN.

Just add water and you will have tons of MUD

This is the view from the back backyard toward the neighbors house. Once upon a time there would have been many games of Queen of the Hill - but not now all the children are grown. What we do have is plenty of mud... Thank God that the electicity stayed on and we can pump the trench 24/7. The forecast for today is 100% chance of rain... In the immortal words of Pooh: OH BOTHER!

Just add a few million gallons of water and you can have your own mud pit.

Really.

Pictures of water filled moat at Castle Malone to come later!

NOTHING is ever easy

Nothing is ever easy.

That has been my life story. I remember in High School when I was making hand silk-screened Christmas cards - as I walked home at 7pm in the cold darkness of a Cleveland winter - nothing that I ever undertake is easy. It was a delicate card pattern that I had to cut from the wax, I wanted silver on blue paper - which was a hunt to find the paper and the silver needed really strong solvents and it gave one a buzz and a headache the next day - the likes of which I still remember.

But that has stuck with me - - - nothing that I do is ever easy. Raising three children with a husband that travelled or was on duty all the time - - raising the three children and two being twins - - - moving 10 times in 14 years - - - learning to drive at 21 was not easy - - flying to Germany with a 6 year old was not easy - - rehabbing a house and living in it was not easy - not this time or for our first time - - - all the cross stitch patterns I chose were not easy - - sewing patterns difficult - - - making kites is not easy - - - the Aran sweater is not easy - - - AND HAVING A MOAT AROUND YOUR CASTLE IS NOT EASY.

OK, I heard my husband say CRAP tonight when he looked outside and saw the rain continue to fall and it was filling the moat as fast as it was draining - CRAP indeed.

One good thing from the moat - all the water is outside and it is only slightly damp in the basement even without the Rubb-r-wall installation. We need some dry days before Tuesday so that the foundation can be washed and the ground is dry for the installers... I told John - wait and see - when we plant the grass - there will be no rain from the heavens - we will be on our own.

Seeking boring and normal - do not know what I will do with it - but not living in a mud surrounded house will indeed be the kind of boring normal life I am eagerly seeking.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:
Emily is recovering from her adventures in moat wall scaling. She successfully managed to climb the walls of the moat, but slid down the same face she had just scaled. In her descent she encountered a busted clay tile. It became embedded in the arch of her foot (her mother and aunt know the proper term). Needless to say there were some fast showers taken and a trip to the first ER and then a discharge to a second ER. That was a long 24 hours... 8 pm Wednesday night to 8 pm Thursday pm was a long long time. There are some sweet sweet people at Children's Hospital and some very fine angels walking those halls. Jenn and Becky met them all. I came in as a second wind and John came in at the last inning to round up the bases and get 'er done. We played as a team and did it all. Even learned you only get in the long lines at a Hospital Cafeteria - - - if the regulars do not eat it - - you do not want to either.... Belly Bombs are not good.

Felecia is home from Dance Camp and I can hardly wait to hear the stories...

Like I said - - it has not been an easy week - why I expected it to be is beyond me. The only truth I can tell from all my adventures High School to the present time:

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME

ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD

Going to give sleep a try. Not easy for me either. Exhaustion is through and through me so I am hoping that sleep wins - - and the Valerian kicks in to calm the nerves and too many cups of coffee.