Things that go *Bump* in the Night...

Since we are approcahing the "spooky" Halloween holiday, what better topic?
I had the opportunity to visit Cape May with my sister a couple of years ago. We went in October, and the highligt of that trip for us was the "Ghost Tour"
(And what better time for it?)
It's a fun walking tour where they take you around to some of the "most haunted" old places in town, and tell you stories about who (or what) is huanting them.
I love a good ghost story, and our tour guide was such a hoot! We had so much fun.
...But is it all real?
I have a sister who claims that her house is haunted. Her two boys both say that they have seen thier resident ghost on several occasions. She is a lady, with long dark hair, who appears at the side of thier beds and watches them sleep. They claim they've never been afraid of her, rather that they felt she was protecting them. Other strange things have happened in the house. My sister says the "ghost" must have issues with laundry, because that seems to be where she hangs out much of the time. Sometimes they will come home from work, and find the batch of wash they put in that morning sitting on top of the washer dripping wet. Another time, they were tidying up before going to bed, and while her husband was sweeping the kitchen floor, one of the glass shades on the light fixture went sailing across the room for no aparent reason.
I can't say I've witnessed anything when I've visited there, except that, a few times I have closed the door to the guest room to go to sleep at night, and awakened to find thier pets next to me. How do they get in? The door is always still shut tight!
Is it true? I don't know. I prefer to think of "spirits" as benevalent creatures, that are here to protect, or to warn of danger. "Ghosts" whose soul (ha ha) purpose it is to just hang around and cause a ruckus doesn't make much sense to me - but then there are a lot of things in this world that I don't understand...
Ahem...it's past midnight, and I'm scaring myself - I'll be going to bed now!

Scullery Woes

...Did I ever mention I hate to cook?
It is by far my least favorite chore in the entire galaxial expanse of the universe.
I would rather change diapers, scrub toilets - what have you - than spend another minute in the kitchen.
I never aspired to do it, I've never been any good at it, and would certainly discontine it, if only my family could be convinced to stop eating!
I hate planning meals, I hate shopping for meals, I hate cleaning up after meals - and I especialy hate preparing meals.
I have recieved fewer rewards, and sustained more abuse (ie: negativity, complaints, & indifference) over this one chore than any one other thing I've been required to do in this life.
My favorite day in the whole year is Mother's Day, simply because my family KNOWS that it is my DAY OFF - and I refuse to even enter the kitchen!!! (although they usually leave the mess for me to clean up the next day!)
... I am most likely not destined for heaven, and if by some miracle I do end up there, will probably spend eternity as a mere "ministering angel" - a fate that I can totally live with...as long as they don't put me in the kitchen!!! (please let me be in the choir..please please please!)
If by chance I do find myself in the kitchen - I'll know I've gone to the other place...

There - I've said it.

Friday the 13th

I noticed on the calendar that we are due for one of these days again this month.
From now and forever more, I will always think of my youngest daughter on this day.
A few years ago, I had the privilege of teaching her class at church along with one of my good neighbors (there was a fairly large group, so they picked two of us - it was great, we took turns!)
Anyway, on the first day of this new experience, my neighbor decided it would be a good thing to just get to know the girls. She gave them a little questionnaire to fill out, and then they got to read it to all of us. One of the questions she asked was "what is your favorite holiday?"...well, when it came my daughter's turn - she said "Friday the 13th." I rolled my eyes at her and gave her one of those "mommy harrumphs" (you all know what I mean...like, why must my child always be the weird one sighs.) But Chantelle was intrigued, and wanted to know why such a day like this would be her favorite. She answered that it was because she was unlucky 364 days of the year, so on this day when your luck is supposedly reversed - it would be a good day!
Well, when we got home, I gave her a talking to - and gave her that "why can't you just be normal" speech.
...Later on toward the end of that year, when we were contemplating the end of our teaching together, Chantelle shared with me what a special and unique person she thought my daughter was, and used this experience to illustrate what a creative and free thinker she is!
Imagine my astonishment!
I have since viewed this child in a different light - and yes, she is a creative thinker - with really big ideas! Maybe some day, she'll be the next J.K. Rowling, and I can finally retire and go live with her!

*She's older now, but this photo was taken at the time I was teaching her class.

"Narcissist Day"

(Gosh I hope I spelled that right!)
My daughter has not lead a charmed life. No,(especially while she was in school,) things were usually pretty rough for her. She invented a "tool" to help her get through these days - she called it "Narcissist Day" she would proclaim one of these days anytime things got particularly hairy, and she needed to "boost' her self-esteem.
On Narcissist day, you are not allowed to say anything negative about yourself...you are only to rend the air with praises to your own beauty, wisdom, and glory.
She was really good at it too! She would absolutely have us all believing that she was an amazing and wonderful human being! (which in reality, she is!) But I think it did help her to feel better about life, and about herself (and to laugh about how silly life can be!)
I've been pretty down on myself all this weekend. In fact, during a chat that I had with a friend last night, I beat myself up pretty good. There are a lot of things I'm not feeling too great about at this point in time (most obviously, the way I look), and I decided as I lay in bed waiting for sleep to come, that maybe it was time to proclaim a Narcissist day for myself. However, when I tried the next morning, I found that the words just caught in my throat and wouldn't even come out! I can't even pretend to be "Fabulous!"
Goddesses do not waddle to and fro when they walk, or have to buy their clothing at "Buckets & Barrels," or wear 3 inch thick glasses just to see what time it is!
They do not have to beg Prince Charming for a minute of his time, or get asked to jump in the pond because their croaking is disturbing the choir.
So, sadly, Narcissist day did not happen today, nor is it likely to anytime soon!

Pumpkin Prayer

One of my nieces sent me this as an e-mail forward. I thought it was so cute, I wanted to share it here. (sorry, I don't know where it origionated, so I can't give credit.)
Quote:
"Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you
in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you
deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of
doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and
puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see."

...sure hope He can do something with this old gourd!!!
Have a Happy day!

This day...

Providence has seen fit to bestow upon me a surprise day off today!!
What to do....what to do....the mind reels with possibilities!
...There's that painting I've been wanting to start - and the ingredients for a scrapbook layout that have been calling my name for days!
There's that library book that I need to get started on for my book club,
and - oh! a nice looonngg bubble bath would be heavenly!!!

But then again, there's the laundry I didn't get to last weekend because the kids were here the whole time, and there are at least 3 loads worth of dishes in the sink.
The bathroom floor needs a going over, and that pile of mail on the coffee table that needs sorting....
*Sigh* Gilead where is thy balm???

Still Crazy After All These Years!

When my son was little, he was always building "friends" for himself, out of clothes, balloons, blocks, whatever was handy. (photo on the left)
He's married now, and "grown up"(?) but one night last weekend, after he had been here to change for work, his dad went down to his room, and this is what he found.
(photo on the right)




He's still doing it!