Autumn Blog Challenges - past...

I didn't start this Autumn Blog Challenge (ABC) until Sept. 19th, so I thought I would just answer the previous prompts all in one post! Happy reading.

 

September 1 – Why have you decided to participate in the Autumn Blog Challenge (the ABC)?

I really like blogging - I love writing - I love journaling. Sometimes though, I get writer's block and need a prompt to get me through the day.

 

September 2 – What is your favorite thing about Autumn?

The color. I love the color. I'm thankful every year for my eyesight - which is hindered due to a drunk driving accident I was in as a child. I DO NOT take my eyesight for granted.

 

September 3 – What toys do you remember playing with as a child?

A doll I named Nancy, my Winnie-the-Pooh, Uncle Wiggly board game and Bonkers board game. I also had Hollie Hobbie Colorforms! They were awesome. The board was shaped like her house and then when you put a lamp behind it, the windows lit up!

 

September 4 – Have you ever met a celebrity?  If not, which one would you like to meet?

I met LeRoy Butler from the Green Bay Packers - actually I met several of the Green Bay Packers. I also met Paul Poberezny - the creator of the EAA Museum in Oshkosh, Wis.  I had the awesome blessing of meeting and talking with (and having them sign my Bible by their favorite Bible verse) the Christian band, Sidewalk Prophets!

 

September 5 – Write about a favorite play or concert you’ve attended.

The best (and my favorite) concert I attended was a Duran Duran concert in 1984.

 

September 6 – Make a list of books you want to read next year.

I'm a librarian, so there are way too many for me to list! I do want to read a Janet Evonovich book though - I haven't yet!

 

September 7 – Where were you when…?  Describe what you remember.

I don't remember - My memory has the amazing ability to block out all things traumatic. It's because of my childhood - so much trauma and dysfunction... my mind protects me with situational amnesia.

September 8 – What is your favorite, “go to” cooking recipe?

Hot dogs and rice!

 

September 9 – Who was your favorite teacher?

Mrs. Dorothy Weber from 1st grade. Ms. Ronnenberg from Creative Writing in high school. Mr. Woznicki from 9th grade English - just because he was so flippin' cute!

 

September 10 – What was your favorite subject in school?

Art, English Lit. and Creative Writing.

 

September 11 – What was your least favorite subject in school?

Accounting and Algebra - in both classes I got a D- just because I tried so hard. I should have flunked, but I did try - I even went in before and after school!!!  It just didn't click!

 

September 12 – What was your high school reunion like? If you haven’t been yet, do you plan on going?

I think I've been to 2-3 of them - the first one was alright - typically clique-y yet. The next one... a bit better and yet still the same. The third one... I went to for about 30 min. and left. I don't know if I'll attend another. I see who I want to anyway and we are all on facebook.

 

September 13 – What do you think about our current educational system?

We homeschool our children. I know that there are wonderful teachers out there - I just wish that every child could have them as their own teacher.  I'm a bit concerned about what I see in the young adults that come through the library where I'm employed...

 

September 14 – When has being right been wrong?

One of my sons told a lie - just before his birthday party. I had to discipline him... I cancelled the birthday party. He took his punishment with grace and dignity.  Discipline is right. Lies are a problem.  Then we found out from his sibling that the birthday boy didn't lie - the sibling did.  By this time the party was cancelled and there wasn't time to "re-do".  We used it as a learning experience to stand up for yourself. Say something! When there is a misunderstanding - speak up!  It was also a painful lesson for the son that told the lie - he saw what his lie could do.  It was a hard lesson for both sons and us! However, they both learned that I will keep my word when it came to following through with discipline.  We really did not have any problems (that I know of) with lying after that!

September 15 – I am a people person except for people….

... that are outspoken and angry sounding when they are "sharing" their beliefs. I wish they would just shut-up! I tend to stick up for the underdog and get angry when others are so closed minded that they can't see straight.

 

September 16 – Do you think we’ve made our lives more complicated by trying to make thing more convenient?

No, but I do think that we've poisoned our food supply.

 

September 17 – What did/do you want to be when you grew/grow up?

I had to answer this one for the SBC. In that post, I mentioned that I didn't have any dreams of what I would be when I grew up.  In about 4th grade I wanted to be an architect, but w/o any parental encouragement that one fizzled out. Then, in high school, I discovered writing. I wanted to work for a magazine agency in New York, but then I fell in love and didn't go. As much as I wanted to be in NY, I'm very happy to not be there. As much as I wanted to write for a publication, I'm very happy to be where I am. As much as I THOUGHT I wanted something else, I am so happy and content to be where I am now.

 

September 18 – What was the most profound thing to happen in your life today?

Let see, that would have been yesterday, actually! LOL Nothing profound. I had to go to the doctor due to some intestinal pain. It could be endometrioma tissues closing in on my intestines; or it could be "hot-spots" due to gluten allergy; or it could be polyps; or anything else that I don't want to think about. Future appointments are made.  However, can I please just say that on Monday, September 17th I was given notice that I will be promoted in January!!??!! YAY! I will be the new Audio/Visual Librarian in January. I will be going full-time! It will be nice to have the money to pay off my medical bills. Thank you Lord.

 

Daddys & Their Little Girls

I was at the coffee shop one night. It's a christian book store and coffee shop.  

Well, when I was there on this particular evening, I was sitting facing the storefront windows.  I happened to look up when a young man was walking in with his little girl.  She was probably about 7 years old, not much older than that.  They were holding hands and she was chatting away in the manner that I assume all little girls chat.  The young man looked down once in a while, smiling and responding with words that I could not hear.  She was all bouncy and skipping her way across the parking lot, all the while holding tight to her Daddy's hand.  He came to the traffic lane, put  his hand on her shoulder to stop her, looked both ways, took her hand again and they crossed the lane and entered the store.

He bought her a sweet drink and a coffee for himself and then they looked around a bit and left.

I was thrown back into memories and longing at the same time. Memories of a walk that I took with my Dad at a tender young age; and longing for those memories to be tender like the moment I had just witnessed.  The one walk I do remember with my Dad was not a tender moment.

So, as not to become a bitter and angry woman, I decided that I needed to really search for a good walking memory for Dad and I. I can choose to be happy and full of joy or I can choose anger.  There aren't too many memories, however, I do have a few...

Pescadero

Walking along Pescadero beach.

Shopping with him in 1995 - we were looking for a fun shirt for my newborn baby - a trinket to remember the trip later.

Walking with him, while holding his hand, to his Father's funeral.

Walking through the marsh with him when he came to visit us in our home here in Wisconsin.

Not many walks, not many at all, but these few that I do have I have decided to hang on to. I have decided to put them at the front of my memory banks.  I am happy for the little girl that I saw. Happy that she will have some young memories of happiness and togetherness with her Daddy.  I may not have had the best role models, but there are good role models out there that I can use as examples and conversation starters for my own sons.  I may not personally have had the best, but God puts people in my path, thereby showing me some of the best that is out there; and for that I am thankful.

940 Saturdays

There are approximately 940 Saturdays in the life of your child, before he or she reaches the age of 18 years.  I have 16 Saturdays left...

How did we spend all of those Saturdays?

In the early years, I was working a 9-5 job Monday thru Friday, therefore, my Saturdays consisted of laundry, shopping, cleaning and baby duty. Hubby worked some of the Saturdays in 12 hour shifts.

We bought a house and I still worked 9-5, Monday thru Friday.  My Saturdays now included laundry, shopping, cleaning, baby duty and yard work.  Hubby still had the job with 12 hours shifts.

Then baby #2 came along with bed rest. Hubby still had the job with 12 hour shifts.

A few years later we added a puppy and I was a SAHM.  Everyday felt like a Saturday!

Then I worked opposite of hubby. No more 9-5 job, but still a Monday thru Friday job. Saturday chores were done on whatever day of the week I had off.

Then we started homeschooling the boys. Saturdays became a day for chores and sleeping in.

Then we started Sunday School.  Saturdays were spent doing chores and any final preparing for left over Sunday School messages and lesson plans.

Fund raising activities happened on Saturdays.

Saturdays went thru many changes: Family Movie Night - Family Game Night - The Day We Will Celebrate Your Birthday Night - Bath Night, etc.  The daytime hours were still spent doing chores and errands.  

Saturdays were sometimes the day I did all sorts of cooking for the upcoming week.

Hubby changed jobs! No more 12 hour shifts, but sometimes Saturdays. That was alright. Our Saturday switched to Sunday afternoons!

Our Saturday/Sunday activities for several years and into the now include: Big Family Breakfasts - Family Movie Time - Family Dinner Time - Visiting Gramma and Grampa Time - Road Trip Day - Baking Day - Game Day - Disposable tableware Day(s) - Sleeping in Late Day(s) - The-day-we-will-celebrate-your-Birthday Night - Eating all the Leftovers Day - Pulling-out-the-futon-and-sofa-sleeper-and-watching-movies-all-day-and-night Nights. Anything and everything we can squeeze into the weekend we do. I try to get all the chores done before the weekend so we can just relax.

I guess we didn't really waste 924 Saturdays! We did lots and lots together. It just so happened that our "Saturday" didn't always fall on a Saturday. We took advantage of any and ALL downtime we had. So, actually, we had more than our fair share of "Saturdays"! I'm so glad we did. I treasure it all.

A Sanctuary I Can Always Go To

I heard my first mourning dove of the season today.

It's a beautiful day. We have some very noisy wind, but the temp is 62* and the sky is a gorgeous spring-time blue and cloudless.

The house was quiet. It was just me and our zoo of 4-legged creatures.  The 4-leggeds were all sleeping. Outside the wind was blowing like only March winds can blow -- LOUD.  

Whipping everything in it's path, the wind shudders against the skin of my home.  Whistling through the window screens and rattling the exterior doors, the winds dry up my winter moistened garden beds.  The leaves are coming loose and find their way into a neighbor's yard. My wind chimes, that hang in the budding lilac tree, are made of bamboo tubes.  They are singing their hollow tune along with the noisy wind.

Amidst all of this noise, I hear the distinct, "Oo-wah-hooo, hoo-hoo" of the mourning dove.  In the rattle and shudder of the wind, the mourning dove's call is steady and gentle.  Clear and distinct, the dove doesn't sound at all flustered in the 30mph wind gusts.  His mournful song cries out and I hear it.  Amid all the noise of nature and man-made rattling, I hear the soft, gentle call of the dove.

The five notes of the mourning dove take me back to childhood memories...

Once again, I am a small child in my grandparents' yard. I am hiding amid the evergreens.  Laying down on the forest floor, I am watching the sunlight play among the branches of the evergreens.  The ground beneath me is soft with fallen brown needles.  The scent of pine sap is strong and it sticks to the tips of my fingers.

I float through my memories and I am a young girl, laying awake in my room on Juneau Street.  I am trying to fall asleep during the twilight of evening.  I lay there, awake, watching the path of headlights on my ceiling as the cars go by. I watch for such a long time, that I can tell if they are traveling East to West or West to East.

The sound of the mourning dove continues to carry me to days more recent - sort of... I am a young mother. I am tired and nap when I can - usually when the children do.  Laundry is piled high and probably needs folding, but I am a  young Mommy with sleeping babes.  I am sitting in our living room and it is filled with blankies, stuffed animals, toys and lace filtered sunlight on a wonderful summer evening. I am listening to both babes and doves, "coo-coo" as only babes and doves can coo.

Each memory is one of peace and tranquility. The song of the mourning dove was heard during those still and peaceful times of my life. The memories become a haven in my mind; a sanctuary I can always go to. Doors always unlocked, as in the days long passed, because I hold the key.




We used to play Pooh-Sticks when you were little.

 

Fast Freddie ~ 1978/1979 and 1984

People have a hard time believing some of my stories. However, I swear that this one is true. You can ask Mindy anytime and she will tell you the same thing.

When we were younger, Mindy lived on Elm Street in Horicon. We'd often spend long weekends at Gramma's house and since it was well before MTV, video games and the internet, we had to invent our own games. Some of the games reflected TV shows we watched; others were more simple like Hide and Go Seek or Toss Across. Incredibly enough, there was one game that we played that was a scary game. We didn't tell ghost stories, instead we'd play scary games. One such game was called Fast Freddie. Now, it doesn't sound scary, but Fast Freddie was a child killer. For some reason he was scary to look at, like he was ugly, burned, disfigured or something. He had razors for fingers that cut you into pieces. Sometimes he'd stab you with his fingers and always, he'd chase you until you no longer had the strength to keep going.

Eventually, our pretend games gave way to the other things I mentioned. Table top video games were invented - miniatures of the arcade games that sat on your table at home. MTV first began - with videos by Rick Springfield, Duran Duran, Wham, Cindy Lauper and Madonna. We turned towards the things that teenagers turned to in the early 80's and kept going.

Suddenly we were old enough to babysit at someone else's house and we got paid for it! This meant that our free weekends were spent going to the mall, eating at the food court and then to a movie. All this on $5.00 or so for the whole weekend. The 80's were awesome! Totally!

The year was 1984. I was in the 9th grade. It was a cold autumn weekend - a Friday night. My best friend, Cheryl, her sister, Heather and myself went to the Fond du Lac Mall. Of course, Cheryl's parents had to drive us. We went to see a scary movie called, Nightmare on Elm Street. I could not believe what the story line was!!! A creepy burned man named Freddie killed kids with his razor hands!!!!!!!!! I was so freaked out by the movie. On the way home I told Cheryl's parents about the game we used to play. Cheryl's Dad, being the forever prankster, slowly put his hand down along the side of his seat... we never noticed... and then in the middle of our jabber, he suddenly grabbed my foot! I SCREAMED!! Then Cheryl and Heather SCREAMED TOO!!! Cheryl's Dad just kept on laughing at us, but I think I peed my pants! He didn't even know who's foot he was gonna get, but he said my reaction was great!

When I got home after my sleepover, I called Mindy and told her the whole thing. At first I don't think she believed me, but eventually news of the movie got out. She was just as creeped out as I was!

Mindy and I like to think that someone heard us playing and turned our game into their own movie idea. How else does something that horrible come to be???

Creeepyyy!!

Warm Oranges ~ 1985

When I lived in California with Dad and his family, it was 1984/1985. I met Mario for the first time. I spoke with him for the first time. He was 3 years old by the time I knew about him. I think Dad tried to tell me, but my Mom never let me know. I loved Mario so much. He was so cute! Claudia had three other children, Anthony, Greg and Shauna. Me the oldest and Mario the youngest. (By-the-way, I got the orange tree photo from lovethatfeeling.com, they were very nice and said I could use it! ~ special thanks to them!~)
It was when we lived on Poplar Street in Vacaville that we had an orange tree and a lemon tree in the backyard. Claudia and I sang a song for the lemon tree. It went like this: Lemon tree, very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat. But the flowers did smell beautiful in the Pacific breeze.
Our orange tree, now that was something! That tree was taller than the ranch-style home we lived in! The oranges were bigger than softballs, but smaller than volleyballs.

I asked Claudia if we could eat them, she said we could. So, I climbed up on the picnic table and picked oranges for all of us. We ate them fresh off of the tree. They were the juiciest oranges - the sweetest and they were sun-warmed. It was wonderful! The best oranges I've ever eaten.

Here in Wisconsin, we don't get to grow orange trees, nor do we get to experience fresh oranges off of the tree that are sun-warmed. That's why I wanted to include this memory in my blog.