Love Notes on the Wall

I've been painting one of our bathrooms.  Actually, that bathroom has been torn up for weeks and weeks.

First, we discovered the shower was leaking into the basement below.  So, we set up for our plumber friend to fix that but decided to replace the whole shower stall.  We waited for the new shower to arrive and for the plumber to be available.

Then, the plumber saw that if we took out an upper cupboard next to the shower we could upgrade to a larger stall.  Our old shower stall was, shall we say, close.  As our plumber friend put it, if we dropped the bar of soap we'd have to open the door to pick it up.  Think about it.

So, they ripped it all out.  The first night I realized I could sit on the potty and look into the attic...

as well as the basement...

That was fun.  

You can't really tell by the photo but trust me, I could see into the basement and the basement could see up to me.

The day the plumber had the new shower installed he contacted a local sheet rocker person to come fix the hole in the ceiling where the cupboard used to connect.  There was some wait time until she could come.  As it turned out she was a single mom doing her sheet rock business after her day job so it took more than a week for her part to be completed.  She warned me ahead of time about that and I agreed to it so it was ok.

Anyway, now, for the first time in a long while, we have no workers inside our house on a daily basis.  So, now it is time to paint!  

 And, as is my custom, I painted a message on the wall.

It was a good thing I took the photo as no one saw it but me and Bode before I was ready to paint that wall.

I like knowing my little love note is under that last coat of paint, though.

Mother's Day Gift Idea Day 3

This is also a very cool idea.  Our son, Ben, made this for us.  I think it could be a very creative Mother's Day gift but really it could be for any occasion.

Ben used an old book...

...and cut out squares through many, many of the pages.

He set a family photo in so that it was framed by the cut pages.

Isn't that cool?

I love it!

I think it was rather painstaking work but I really appreciated it.

Mother's Day Gift Ideas Day 2

You are going to love this idea!

One year, Maria took a round tin (vintage?) and turned it into a treasure for me.  I am sure a variety of containers could be used.  I loved this one.

 She filled it with 356 little slips of paper.

On each slip of paper was one of her childhood memories involving me.  How could she even think up that many memories?

Isn't that cool?  Each was folded in half just once.  It took restraint to read just one a day, but that made it a a gift to last all year.  Truthfully, it will last a lifetime.

After I read each one, I folded it accordion style, just so I could tell which I'd already read.  Of course I saved every single one.

It was so much fun to read through them.  Some of her memories were things I also remembered, but some were thoughts she had that I never even knew about at the time.  It was fun to read all those memories from her point of view.  I knew this took a lot of thought and time but oh my, what a treasure it was, and still is, for me!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas Day 1

I am not always that great at coming up with good gift ideas.  I procrastinate and frustrate myself.  However, I have received some really wonderful gifts from my children over the years for Mother's Day as well as birthdays and Christmas.  I have three children so for the next three days I am going to tell you of some ways they have gifted me.

Sam is our youngest, turning 19 this Summer.  He has always been a sensitive kid.  Even as a preschooler he was a child who quietly watched people, really noticing them.  I know that he paid attention to me because at a really young age he noticed how much I enjoyed wearing cross necklaces.  So, he often finds pretty ones to give me.   Paying attention to what is important to another, rather than giving a gift that YOU'd like, is a sign of thoughtful gift-giving.   I think that's always a way to make a person feel noticed and loved.

When I wear cross necklaces it helps remind me of God's son, as well as one of my own.  

So, if you are stalled out on ideas for your Mom, think about what she really likes.  Does she like to sew?  How about starting a charm bracelet with a charm of a sewing machine?  Does she love the color green?  Maybe she needs a new green scarf.  Is she a walker or runner?  Maybe a gift card to her favorite shoe store.  I don't think mothers are wanting lavish gifts, just gifts that show you notice her as a person.  Lucky for me, my children are really good at that.

 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And now, I want to apologize to Darla Q.  When I did my tutorial/giveaway I said that I'd count Facebook entries as well, since some folks add their comments there.  Well, I think Darla was actually the very first to enter.  I knew it...time passed... I forgot.  I'm sorry Darla!  Send me your address and I will send to you another gift, these earrings that I made...

Kirsten's Kitchen: of vegan creations: Vegan Parenting

My daughter, Maria, is guest posting at Kirsten's Kitchen.  I thought I would share that post here as a lot of people ask me about her vegan diet, especially as it pertains to her 2 yr old daughter as well as the baby she is carrying.  Although I am not vegan, I am proud of Maria and Eric for their diligence as they strive to remain well informed and healthy.  I just thought some of you might be interested in understanding how they do it.

Kirsten's Kitchen: of vegan creations: Vegan Parenting

First Thoughts

What are your first thoughts when you awaken?  Do they follow any kind of pattern?  I want my first thoughts to be something like, "Thank you for this new day, God!" or at least thoughts representing honor and appreciation.  It seems like a pastor's wife should be able to pull that off, wouldn't you think?  Well, it just isn't so in the case of this pastor's wife.

I wake up weird.  When I wake up in the dark I often can't remember where I am.  I don't mean that I can't remember if I am on a trip somewhere; I mean I truly can't think of where I live!  This has been the case for most of my life and I expect it is because I have moved a lot... a LOT.  My most common first thought upon awakening is just that, "Where am I?"  It is usually followed by the vital question, "...and where is the bathroom?"  Sometimes I sort it out quickly but sometimes I lay there in the dark for a few minutes before I am alert enough to at least know where I live.  It's important that I know where I am so I don't bang into something when I do get up.

Mike loves to wake me up with confusing questions.  This usually happens when I've gone to bed before him.  Sometimes he stays up late playing his guitar or something.  When he comes into the bedroom you'd think he'd be as quiet as possible but instead he takes pride and joy in asking me nonsense questions.   He says it is funny to watch me.  I should be responding with something like, "Shut up and leave me alone" but instead I try to be polite and accommodating and I really want to give him the correct answer.  I often don't even remember all this in the morning or it may come back to me later in the day and I have to get clarification from him.  I remember one that I struggled over for awhile had something to do with a question about Elvis being just a few inches tall.  See what I mean?  Nonsense!

After I figure out where I am I often take a little time trying to figure out what day it is and what do I need to be doing.  My job is mostly 12 1/2 hour shifts and no week is the same.  I may work 2 night shifts, be off a couple of days and then work a day shift.  I may be working all weekdays or there may be week-end shifts thrown in. Are you understanding a little more about why I may wake up confused?  Working a mixed bag of shifts can throw a lady off a bit so I may not even know if I've just slept through the night or if I worked all night and just slept through the day.  After working a night shift last week I fell asleep almost instantly.  When I woke up I checked the clock and learned that I'd only been sleeping 25 minutes!  It's all so confusing.

Well, today I woke up and went through all that mental configuring and reconfiguring and realized that I am not going to work at hospice today.  It is a day off and I have a long, long list of errands and projects.  I get to spend time with family.  The sun is shining.  I am healthy.  I've had a cup of coffee and all is well.  Now, I am ready to say it, "Thank you for this new day, God!"

Death Can Bring Out the Best or the Worst in People

One thing I've learned as a hospice nurse is that the death and dying process can bring out the best or the worst in family members.  It is part of our job to educate and comfort family members as well as the patients.  We teach them what to expect, what symptoms may develop, how we will help them and things like that.  Sometimes we have to help family members understand each other.

There are times when family members cause a patient more pain and suffering than their disease process causes.  Two adult children arguing over a parent's possessions, while the parent is still present, is a heart-breaking event.  In some cases there may be one family member who has been the caretaker for the patient for months or even years,  only to be criticized by another who shows up near the end.  There are times when a hospice nurse has to guide people to being their best version of themselves.  Sometimes a hospice nurse has to remind people that they have the choice to forgive or hold on to their anger.  These are not things I expected in nursing, but I find satisfaction in the effort.

More often than not, though, I see examples of remarkable sacrifices and acts of love.  I encounter people who guide me to be a better version of myself.  I see spouses spending all day, every day, at the bedside of their loved one.  I peeked in to check on a patient this week to find her in her bed asleep, with her spouse in a chair pulled up close to her bed.  They were holding hands.  They were both asleep.  Is that not sweet?

I've seen adult children who do everything they can to keep their parent as healthy and happy as long as possible.  I've seen them sacrifice of their own time to care for them when they could not care for themselves.  I've often heard statements along the lines of "I will do whatever needs done."  Sometimes "whatever needs done" can be tasks that are not so very pleasant, tasks that are humbling for both patient and caretaker.  I hear family members telling me how remarkable their loved one was and why they would do anything for them.  I love that.

These are the things I'm thinking about today.  Thanks for "listening".

Looking For a Title

Mike will go to great lengths to entertain Cordelia.  Does anyone have a good title for this photo?

The Good Old Days

Last night started off quite lovely.  One of my nieces, Stephanie, came to town.  It was nice to have her join us for dinner. Maria, Eric and Cordelia joined us.  We were pretty well behaved.

Stephanie had other plans with friends for the evening but since we were all gathered, we decided to play a game of Farkle.  It started out rather ordinary, but somewhere along the way things went wrong... all wrong.

Somebody, I won't say who, decided it was funny to toss a little fake poo into the Farkle Cup.  Actually, it was kind of funny... the first time.  Maria went to roll the dice and out came something more.  It looked pretty gross.  We should not have laughed,  I guess.  Soon, Mike and Eric were trying to outdo each other.  They'd each sneak out of the room and next time they had the Farkle Cup, they'd sneak a new item into it.  It got really weird very fast.  We rolled dental floss, a moustache comb and Bubba teeth, among other things.  Eeeew!  Maria and I laughed a lot but eventually we reached a point of laugh fatigue.  Mike and Eric, however, never ever have laugh fatigue.  It did not cease to make them giggle with pride!

Cordy watched Yo Gabba Gabba with some intensity, but managed some time to hug on Grandpa.

Maria looked beautiful, wearing what Eric called her pregnant Jedi outfit.  I can't wait to meet baby Jedi!

Things are the good old days, aren't they?

I Hate to Complain, But...

Before I complain about complaining, I want to say thank you to the readers who commented on my latest tutorial/giveaway, Kate W. and AKM.  Well, you are both such sweet readers I decided to just make a second necklace and let you both be winners!  Yay!  Watch for your peacock pendants in your mailboxes soon.

Now, onto another topic...

Yesterday I had to make a complaint.  I had paid someone for a service and there was a problem.  I'd thought there was a problem at the time I made payment but I wasn't firm and I wasn't insistent.  Those of you who know me are not surprised by this, I'm sure.  I so admire people who are able to state their needs and get what they pay for.  I have a weakness in this area... a BIG weakness.

I lost sleep this week having imaginary conversations in my head with the person I needed to call.  I fretted and worried.  It was stupid.  When I finally made the call, it took a whole 2 minutes and the person was polite and understanding and agreeable.  It was simply no big deal.

To give you an idea of my weakness, I am going to tell you a story.

When I was 7 months pregnant with Sam, we were visiting my Mom.  As is my nature, I suddenly HAD to have a new haircut.  Mom took me to the place where she got her hair cut.  I was happy when we walked in and I saw a poster with the model wearing exactly the haircut I wanted.  It was something like this:

It's cute, huh?  I liked that it was a short style but the top layers were long enough for plenty of movement  As the lady cut my hair she kept commenting that I certainly had thick hair.  My Mom told me later that she was thinning it as she said that.  I was turned away from the mirror so I didn't really know what was going on.  When she was done, I looked like this:

The top was so short it wouldn't even lay down.  She'd thinned big chunks clear to my scalp, leaving only bristles.  There were virtually no bangs left.  The sides were most definitely up over my ears.

I was so upset!  I wanted to cry.  With my extra large body at the time, I felt like a pinhead.  To make things worse, we were going to a family reunion soon, with Mike's side of the family.  I was to be in all the family photos with a hairdo that most definitely did not feel like "me".

Do you think that when I looked in the mirror at the salon I shrieked?  Nope.  Do you think I asked the woman, "What did you do to me!!!??"  Nope.  Do you think I even pointed out to her that my hair looked nothing like the photo?  Nope.

I gave her a tip.

Paying More Attention Now

If you are one of my close friends, you've probably heard this story before so it's ok if you want to move on with your day.  Come back tomorrow.  Maybe I will have fresh material.  If you are a friend I've only met through this blog, don't be confused.  I am a hospice nurse now.  However, I worked quite a few years as an oncology nurse and this my story of how I made that career move.

I'm a person very in tune with my own strengths and weaknesses.  I'm always very aware of my own situation and I am able to make precise and snappy decisions with confidence and efficiency.  NOT!

Sometimes I just point in one direction, wearing blinders, looking neither left nor right.  This was the case when I was working as a nurse at our local hospital.  I believed that was the only kind of nursing for me.  I was sure I was supposed to be at the hospital.  Hospitals are lively and vital and exciting and that was exactly where I wanted to be.

One January day I was having coffee with a friend.  She told me that she was friends with an oncologist who had been ill and hadn't been practicing for a few years.  This oncologist was better and was planning to open a clinic again.  She was looking for a nurse and my friend said, "I think you should work for her."  I smiled and thanked her and told her that I was happy being a hospital nurse.  I absolutely did not want to be an office nurse and I MOST definitely did not want to give chemotherapy.  Even the thought of being a chemo nurse was frightening!

About two weeks later I was approached at work by a fellow nurse.  She told me that she was friends with an oncologist who had been ill and hadn't been practicing for a few years.  This oncologist was better and was planning to open a clinic again.  She was looking for a nurse and my friend said, "I think you should work for her."  I smiled and thanked her and told her that I was happy being a hospital nurse.  I absolutely did not want to be an office nurse and I MOST definitely did not want to give chemotherapy.  Even the thought of being a chemo nurse was frightening!

Did that last paragraph look a lot like the paragraph before it?  Yep.  I'm sure the conversations weren't quite word for word, but close.  Notice how dumb I was?  I didn't realize yet that I was being directed.

Not long after that second conversation I received a phone call.  It was a bit awkward as I was in the bathroom, about to get into the tub.  My son knocked on the door and when I unlocked the door I reached my arm out to get the phone.  I thought it was a friend calling and stepped into the tub as I answered.  When I realized it was the doctor I stood VERY still in the tub so as not to make water noises.  We talked for a long time.  At the end of that conversation I'd agreed to at least meet with her for coffee.

My rolling "interview" began at a little coffee shop.  We talked and talked.  She then drove me to the office she was preparing.  Realizing it was time to pick up her son from preschool we rode together to get him, then went from there to a daycare to pick up her little girl.  When she dropped me off at my car she said, "The job is your's if you want it."  I told her I always talked such decisions over with my husband then whispered, "But I really want it."

The truth is, I was really afraid that I couldn't do that job.  I had no one to train me.  I had to spend so much time on education!

As it turned out, I enjoyed working for her and count it as a great learning experience.  I grew in confidence in my nursing.  We became friends along the way and went through a lot of things together.  I still treasure her friendship!

Why am I telling this story?  I don't know.  It was just on my mind.  I think  it is one of my best personal examples of how I tried to get in my own way, or maybe God's way.  Looking back, I feel strongly that God was guiding me to where I was supposed to be at that time in my life.  I wasn't very good at picking up the hints but I'm glad he was persistent.  I try to pay more attention now.

Spot On!

Last night Sam walked by just in time to see me in the kitchen doing this:

Sam is technically a teen but he is not and has never been one to act too excited.  He just quietly asked me if he should call the mental institution to come get me.  Funny guy.

In case you don't know, dish washing soap is a GREAT stain removal tool.  Normally I vouch for Dawn but for some reason I purchased Gain last time.  I hope it does the job as well.  You see, I'd not changed out of my scrubs after work and I'd dropped some of my supper down my front.  This is not unusual for me; I really should use a bib.  My scrubs are almost brand new, though, so I was unhappy and determined to take care of the situation pronto.

I suppose you may be wondering why I was still IN the top when I did my spot removal treatment.  Well, it's like this.  I am very lazy.  If I went to the bedroom to change and then came back to the kitchen to squirt the stuff on, I'd still have to return to the bedroom to put my scrub top into the laundry hamper.  See?  That makes good sense now, doesn't it?  

Just Listen

"I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen.  Just listen.  Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention.  And especially if it's given from the heart."

Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.

Happy Birthday to the World's Greatest Son-in-Law!

Dear Eric,

I hope your day is awesome!  You deserve it.

As parents, Mike & I could not have been more pleased with our daughter's choice of husband.  You are a hard worker, a supportive spouse and a terrific father.  Those things alone make us so happy!

You go beyond all that, though.  You are interesting, talented and always up for learning something new.  

I don't want to insult you but the truth is, you fit in well with our crazy family!  You have your own brand of silly that just adds to the fun.

We adore you and are glad to count you as family!

Love,

Sue and Mike (but of course Mike didn't write this...too sappy for him.  He feels it, though.)

Sad Eyes

Bumblebee is our grandog and she's been staying with us this past week while her family is vacationing.  She is not allowed on the couch at her house but she knows the rules are different at the grandparents' house.  I am sure she misses her people but I think she's having a good time.  Trust me, she is having a good time.  Really, she is!  Those eyes always look sad.  

Zz

We are at the end of our ABC's of Bible Memorization!  Yay!  I really don't know if any of you have memorized them all but I appreciate that you've followed along.  If you did memorize them all, please let me know and I will send you a small prize.

So, here it is, the letter Z!



Psalm 97:8 Zion hears and is glad, and the


towns of Judah rejoice, because of your 


judgments, O God.

Tutorial/Giveaway: Repurposing Jewelry into Jewelry

No, I just don't give up with the whole tutorial thing, do I?  You would think this one would have been my last.  I encouraged myself, though, when I discovered that even a not-very-good-cook could produce a cooking tutorial.  At least that cooking tutorial produced something very yummy to eat.  This one was pretty but didn't taste all that great.  Probably the most useful tutorial I've managed to put together was the one about disabling word verification.  I still have a personal vendetta against the word verification junk.  It helps stop computer-generated comments.  Yes, I've had a few of those but they are simple to remove.  It won't help stop comments from creeps unless they are people who have trouble reading the distorted letters as well.  It has stopped me from leaving comments before as I sometimes just give up.  Oh man!  I'm ranting again.  Let's move on...

I enjoy reading blogs and books about people repurposing an unused item into something altogether different.  For instance, there are books about recycling sweaters.  You can make them into scarves and such.  There are entire blogs dedicated to repurposing.  I found one that shows how to turn eggshells into a leather look for covering things like photo album covers.  Hmmm...  Well, I decided I didn't need to stretch quite that far to get in on the repurposing wave.  I'm going to show you how I turned an earring into a necklace.  Yes, you read it right.  This is a tutorial on how to move jewelry from your ear to your chest.

OK, so you think this is a waste of time.  However, have you ever been in the mall (any mall) and stopped in to one of those stores with all the costume jewelry?  They have some pretty mighty earrings out right now!  Unfortunately, not every one has mighty earlobes.  Some of those earrings are so big you would soon be singing, "Do Your Ears Hang Low?"  Well, I really think many of those giant earrings are pretty but I don't want my ears to dangle "to and fro".  So, I repurposed.

I took a beautiful but way-too-large earring and made a pretty necklace.  I think you may agree that it was the humane thing to do.

First, I just opened up the little ring to get the big bobble off the earring.  I can later use the top part of the earring to refashion a more reasonable decoration for my lady-like earlobes.

I set it aside for a few minutes and took out some cotton thread of a corresponding color.  I just crocheted a long, long chain and hooked the ends together.

The only measuring I did was to wrap it around my own neck and decided about how long I thought it should be.

I went for a pretty long dangling type of look.  I then just did a slip stitch around all loops of the chain.

I wanted to make it looked more polished I guess.

I tied off the loose ends and pulled the tails back in to be hidden.

Using little needle-nosed pliers I reattached the ring around the chain and through the top of the pendant.



I can now call it a pendant since it is no longer capable of dangling dangerously heavy from someone's ear.

Waa-la!  I think it is kind of pretty.  It reminds me of a peacock!


Now, I am wondering if anyone wants it?  I am giving it away.  After all, I have the other earring with which I can make another necklace for myself if I wish.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post or my personal facebook page before May 1.  If you have trouble leaving comments here just e-mail me at onlythemanager@yahoo.com and your name will be entered.  I will use random.org to be sure it is all fair.  That's really kind of funny as it is quite possible there will only be a few comments.  That means your chances are great!  Come on, don't let that scare you.  Go ahead, leave a comment.

Checking the Stats

This morning started out kind of lazy so I was indulging myself and messing around on the computer.  I changed the style of my blog about a dozen times.  I kind of want to try all the options so hang on!  Finally, I decided to look in on my blog stats.

For those of you who don't know, we bloggers have access to stats about our own blogs.  I kind of forget that I have the option to look at those numbers but every now and then I like to check them.  This is what I found out today...

One of the stats available is the number of page views.  It is kind of skewed because when I change the style of my blog it changes the way the page views are counted but it gives me a good idea of which posts receive the most attention.

Sorry about the quality of this photo but this shows part of the screen, enough for you to see the most popular posts were A Change of Heart (thanks Allen), A Gentle Donkey Kind of King (based on Mike's children's sermon), and Breath of God.  None of those posts were based on my own fascinating thoughts or observations but I don't really think we need to talk about that aspect of my stats!  

The stat I most enjoy checking out is the one that describes my audience...

This one fascinates me!  I do not know how people from Russia, India or any other countries happen upon my blog but I love it.  As a child I can remember teachers encouraging us to establish pen pals with children in other countries.  I think the idea was that by communicating directly with someone from a different culture we would grow up to be understanding of others.  Maybe that is really a small step toward world peace.  Think of what the internet has done!  We can now so easily communicate with people around the world!  We don't have to be diplomats or foreign missionaries or adventure travelers.  An ordinary American nurse can go online and share thoughts with all sorts of people.

Sometimes I kind of freak myself out when I look at the audience stats.  Knowing that much of language can mean different things to different people, I wonder if something I might write would offend someone from Pakistan or Germany or even just someone in a different area of the United States.  I hope I never do that but if I do, I hope you will be forgiving.

I can see what countries have been represented since I began my blog, how many this week, this day and even at this  moment.  Right now there are 41 people from the United States and 1 person from Australia reading my blog.  I think that 1 person from Australia must be having trouble sleeping.  

I really love receiving comments about my posts.  I suppose some of that is simply pride in knowing I've started a conversation, that people are interested in my topic for the day.  Sometimes it is funny to see which posts draw the most comments.  Between Facebook comments and those left here, I had a lot of feedback on washing out plastic bags! Funny, huh?  When people comment, though, it gives a voice to the thoughts of others, not just mine.  So,  if you have been reluctant to leave a comment, please know that I would love it.  If you are one who has difficulty leaving comments here, you may also e-mail me and I will transfer your comment to my posts.  My e-mail address is onlythemanager@yahoo.com.

I just want to say "thank you" to my readers, from the long-time loyalists to those just dropping in for today.  I appreciate that you've taken the time to stop by.

Drive Safe and Sanitary

Last week-end, when I was headed to Billings, I received a sweet text from our daughter, Maria.  In the text I was instructed to "drive safe and sanitary".  In fact, I received multiple similar messages.  Mike also directed me to drive safe and sanitary as I left that morning.  Actually, I stood there until he remembered to say it, refusing to make my exit until he did.  Those are words of love in our family and they pretty much always make me happy.

Reminding a loved one to "drive safe" probably isn't so weird, but are you now wondering if I am known for driving in an unsanitary fashion?  How would someone do that?  Maybe I drive with the windows down and cough out the window at pedestrians?  Maybe I sneeze into my hand and transfer germs onto the steering wheel, endangering the next driver?  Do I throw used tissues willy nilly around the car?  Well, just in case you are worried about any of that, I try my best to cough into the crook of my elbow, pick up any tissues I may use and I even have hand sanitizer in my car and I know how to use it.  Sometimes, if I am sick, I even put a gob of it on my hands and smear it around the entire steering wheel.

When Maria and Mike commanded the "safe and sanitary" trip they were simply carrying on family tradition.  Here's the story, at least my memory of it...  I think it was my great-grandfather who started the strange send-off.





He was seeing off some relatives, you know, how you all stand awkwardly around a car as you say your "good-byes".  That is also the time when someone remembers that they never took photos of their loved ones during the visit so they snap them just before they leave.  In fact, I was fascinated by how many "leaving" photos I saw in the old family photo collection.  The first two below are my Grandma Rose.  Wasn't she a beauty?

Sometimes those send offs take awhile, huh?  Anyway, he started talking without thinking out his entire sentence.  Of course, I've never done that.  He said, "Drive safe and....." I don't know what he meant to say and maybe he didn't either.  Finally, out came "sanitary".  What?

My great-grandfather's words to "drive safe and sanitary" became part of family lore and is now the send-off for multiple generations of descendants, people who live all over this country.  It's silly, isn't it?  I'm sure it brought laughs for awhile, making fun of the original speaker of that odd phrase.  Now, it is just an expected part of our tradition.  I hope none of us become superstitious, thinking we won't be safe if we don't hear it, but it does kind of make us feel sealed with love.  The funny times are when one of us says it to someone outside the family.  Oddly, they just don't get it.  Trust me, I've done it.

I am guessing my great-grandfather had no idea that his quirky little phrase would only gain steam over the generations.  I'm quite certain he never imaged that phrase being texted to people not yet even born when he first uttered it.  I'm sure he never conceived the idea of someone blogging about it.  Funny, huh?  Today, I am sending the "Drive safe and sanitary!" directive to a loved one via this post...you know who you are!

Now, it is your turn.  Anyone brave enough to share some odd little family sayings or traditions of your own?

Under the Weather

I started out this week feeling a bit under the weather.  Did you ever stop to ponder that phrase, "under the weather"?  Where did that come from?  Anyway, I guess there was weather and I was under it.  Actually, the weather was lovely but I wasn't really enjoying it much.  Nothing dramatic was going on, just a typical upper respiratory infection (nurse talk for a common cold).  It gave me some down time but I couldn't waste it so I crocheted. I did finish the tunisian crochet baby blanket I showed you a week or so ago.  Not to brag, but I was pleased with the final result.

As I crocheted I also spent nearly an entire day watching Netflix.  I just finished the series "Life".  It is about a cop who is framed, spends 12 years in prison, is exonerated and wins a multi-million dollar settlement and then goes back to work as a cop again.  It was entertainment for me anyway.  

Being sick now is sure different than it was for me a decade ago.  Many of you know that when you are raising kids you don't get to just watch tv and crochet when you are sick, you just keep moving anyway.  Also, if my job were different, I'd have kept working.  However, I don't think it would be kind to pass even just a common cold on to our hospice patients.  They have enough to deal with and there were healthy nurses available to take my place.  Anyway, if felt weird to just sit down and relax.