Sunday, May 31, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0531



He who throws mud 
loses ground


Lucky Numbers
5,  43,  24,  52,  17,  11





Saturday, May 30, 2015

Friday, May 29, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0529



Feeding a cow with roses
does not get extra appreciation.


Lucky Numbers
49,  50,  48,  20,  42,  25





Thursday, May 28, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0528



Ideas not coupled with action
never become bigger than the 
brain cells they occupied.


Lucky Numbers
56,  44,  10,  42,  22,  51





Wednesday, May 27, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0527



Remember to share good fortune
as well as bad with your friends.


Lucky Numbers
3,  19,  27,  34,  22,  32




Tuesday, May 26, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0526



Early to bed and early to rise
makes a man
healthy, wealthy and wise.


Lucky Numbers
23,  22,  18,  36,  38,  47




Monday, May 25, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0525



Fortune not found: 
Abort, Retry, Ignore?


Lucky Numbers
19,  13,  24,  54,  42,  31




Sunday, May 24, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0524



Cooperation will work better.


Lucky Numbers
35,  22,  48,  34,  42,  46




Saturday, May 23, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0523



Do not mistake temptation
for opportunity.


Lucky Numbers
19,  7,  50,  56,  26,  18





Goodbye Girl

Today I had my first moment of true grief for the passing of our 'puppy' Squirt.

The house has grown quieter without our crazy noisy grey - but she will never be forgotten. And that is what I realized today when I was in the garden weeding and working to prepare it for another season.

With us from the age of 4 months to nearly 12 years old, we said a loving ‘Goodbye’ to our constant spirit of youth - Squirt - on February 27th to release her from the pain that had been a constant but until recently controlled condition.

She has always been a part of the kid’s lives, and the house feels incomplete without her.

Knowing that she isn't suffering any longer is one of the few consolations. Many around River City have had the pleasure of having met, been loved on, or spent time with our gal and being able to share stories of her wackadoo ways is one of the manners by which we've shared her passing.

Today I missed her not for her antics, not for her whining because the kids weren't home and not because she barf'd on the floor for what had to be the 780,090th time. No, it was for the fact that she was always near me, with me even when she was so horribly uncomfortable (often of her own doing, by the way.)

I've spent untold numerous hours in the garden, often with children or Charles clamoring to be with me and share some of the magic of my playground. Rarely do I let them enter - for my garden has become a time and a place where I escape from the demands and rituals of being a mama.  The only one welcome to spend time with me in the garden without question was Squirt.

I'd enter the garden with a large floppy hat, armloads of tools, gloves and the fluffiest blankets and bed that we had for Squirt with the idea that it would be her 'nest' for when she grew tired of standing 'just outside' the garden's gate.

She'd lie in the sunspots of grass and move to the shade when it grew too hot and her panting grew distracting enough that she couldn't sleep. Then she'd mosey over to see how I was doing, 'dig' in her bed a bit and promptly lie down with her butt on the bed and the rest of her in the pea gravel that mulches the garden. It had to be uncomfortable, but that's how she fell into it.

Today, during a momentary break from this unusually rainy spring, I wandered out to the garden to assess the weed count and trim back the raspberries. I didn't think much of heading out there without her blankets - they just aren't around anymore as they've been donated to The Animal House (where we adopted Beans from).

But it was after weeding the strawberry bed that I looked over to AunT's bench per old habits to look to and talk at Squirt only to find that it was my memory of her that awaited me.

She was anxious, eccentric, dedicated, protective, exuberant, stubborn and often outrightly stupid (ask me about the dish soap some time), and I'm so very glad that she suffers no more. But I do miss her. And so do the kids. The loss strikes us when we least expect it, but we've come to recognize that while we've no more memories to make with her, but we do laugh over the multitude we do have.

Squirt's favorite place to nap
- only when we weren't home.
These were taken in her last week with us - always determined to make her own rules…

Always on the lookout when we weren't home.








Friday, May 22, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0522



Better to beg than to steal,
better to work than to beg.


Lucky Numbers
34,  4,  12,  37,  32,  33




Thursday, May 21, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0521



Generosity and perfection
are everlasting goals.



Lucky Numbers
26,   5,  27,  6,  21




Wednesday, May 20, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0520



Don't wait for success,
start ahead without it.


Lucky Numbers
55,  5,  45,  28,  13,  4




Tuesday, May 19, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0519



Think of what you will
think of 10 years from now.


Lucky Numbers
44,  19,  34,  24,  10,  4




Monday, May 18, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0518



Cut through organizational
impediments and get some
real work done.


Lucky Numbers
41,  25,  27,  52,  11,  24




Sunday, May 17, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0517



Constant grinding can turn an
iron rod into a needle.


Lucky Numbers
18,  19,  40,  7,  15,  27




Saturday, May 16, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0516



He who sows courtesy
reaps friendship.


Lucky Numbers
20,  38,  5,  28,  22,  19




Friday, May 15, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0515



Turn off the TV and the computer
and exercise your mind with
a good book.


Lucky Numbers
52,  34,  9,  54,  18,  41




Thursday, May 14, 2015

Instructions not included

They didn't tell me about boys. They being the child rearing books - the ones that, having now raised a girl and a boy, I believe are written solely from the perspective of bringing home a little baby girl.

Even tho I'd grown up as the eldest of four - and two of my siblings being boys, and I'd worked for several summers as a lifeguard - which included the task of cleaning the changing rooms. Being on the team that got the girl's room was a promotion - for the boys room was disgusting in ways that cannot be forgotten.

Even with those experiences of growing up with and having to lord over boys - nothing prepared me for actually raising a boy.

Art on the Walls is one example. Regardless of how many times he has to clean the walls, if there is a location where the Boy will be spending any amount of time longer than 10 minutes, you are guaranteed to find speckles of boogers. One day you'll be sitting at the computer looking up a recipe for dinner and *BAM* you look over to the wall and there is a masterpiece of nastiness.

But the smell. Ho-boy. The smell. I was wholly unprepared for that. It arises from a combination of private stashes of food that's been snuck up into his room, dishes left over from 'snacks' we were unaware of, clothes that fail to make it into the laundry and the general smell of a growing child.

As BW's room is across the hall from the master bedroom, we often look in on it to keep track of the state of his room.

During one spell of 'the boy needs to take responsibility for his area' where he insisted that he was grown enough to tend to his room without prompting and I was exasperated rom tending to his room only to have it tossed within moments of him arriving home.

The week started out well, since I'd spent the day before cleaning his room and restoring it to a loosely organized place. But as the week progressed, the smell in is room deteriorated into a nasty almost putrid state. With each passing day the depth and offensive nature of 'the smell' grew to the point where both Charles and I wondered if a rodent had finally made it's way up to his room and actually died (as we've told him would eventually happen if he kept hiding food in his room.)

Finally, no longer able to withstand the stench, once the kids were off to school, I entered his room with the sole task of finding and conquering 'The Smell'.

After two trips to the kitchen, and another few to the laundry room and airing out his room - the smell remained, growing more pungent with each passing moment.

'What, in the name of all that is holy, is that smell, and what died in here?'

After spending the morning in BW's room, I was no longer able to withstand the stench and turned to leave seeking fresh air. It was then, from the corner of my eye that I saw the source of the death-stench and face-palmed myself.

The Hoya.

We’ve just celebrated Mother’s Day yet the night temperatures are not yet stable enough to remain above freezing so many of the plants that have been overwintered indoors are beginning to bloom.

This particular Hoya is a massive beast with the most beautiful of flowers oftentimes sporting upwards of 30 or so ‘globes’ when in full bloom. Also called wax flower, the scent of these waxy globes is a delicate perfume that entices the senses, unless of course, it’s trapped in a pre-teen boys room.

Then the concentration of so much fragrance in one place smells like death.

Once the offending plant had been relocated to the deck and the boy’s room allowed to air out (for real this time), it was amazing how fresh the house smelled.

When BW got home from school and discovered that his favorite plant had been relegated to the deck for the remainder of the summer - he expressed a mournful sadness - “Mama, I miss how lovely that plant smelled. It gave my room a certain… character. Can I bring it back in?”

Character indeed. Not until fall little buddy. Not until fall. We need the summer to forget just how much character your room had this week.




Simple Rules

Way back in the day when I was working as a Landscape Architect on a regular basis, my deskmate Jay and I came up with a list of rules to work by.

As the years have passed, I've come to realize that they've stood the test of time and thought that I should post them so you, kind reader, can use them and so that they aren't lost to the lovely circular file #13 by mistake.

If after reading this list you have any simple rules that you'd like to contribute - post them on the comments below. Thanks!

Enjoy!

The Simple Rules:

1. Never do anything that makes TheBoss look bad in front of a client or consultant.

2. If you make a mistake, admit it - Be the first to tell TheBoss; don't let him find out from someone else. (This correlates to rule #1.)

3. Be productive; always apprise TheBoss of what you've been working on, and the status of your project(s) ~ don't wait for him to ask, or be ready in case he does... be prepared & organized, know your project, anticipate questions and be able to offer solutions.

4. Listen more than you talk; take good notes.

5. Always be in before TheBoss

6. Remember to turn on your topo.




#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0514



Do not let what you do not have,
prevent you from using what you
do have.


Lucky Numbers
39,  37,  4,  48,  41,  47




Wednesday, May 13, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0513



From a past misfortune,
good luck will come to you.


Lucky Numbers
12,  19,  27,  36,  41,  9




Tuesday, May 12, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0512



Take your time today so you
won't walk in mud.


Lucky Numbers
44,  36,  13,  33,  22,  1




Monday, May 11, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0511



Look for a lost penny that will
bring you luck.


Lucky Numbers
12,  16,  21,  29,  30,  33





Sunday, May 10, 2015

JB's thoughts on Mama

JB wrote this as part of a school project and the only instructions were to think of ten things you like about your mom. She said it was hard to limit it to ten, but wow. I cried when I read it as I didn't realize that somehow, along the way, it seems that I'm doing something right. I hope she still feels this way when the Teen years hit.  Check back in 2 years and we'll see.

===============================


The Tenth Top-Notch Thing
You are awesome because you have wavy hair. Do you know how much I want wavy hair?

The Ninth Nifty Thing
You are always there for me even when times are really tough, like with squirt went to a place.

The Eighth Extraordinary thing
You make awesome blueberry muffins!!! No one can make them better than you.

The seventh Spectacular thing
I really love it when you read with me at night. You do it instead of working and that is just loving and caring.

The Sixth superb thing
You are super because you care for me when I’m sick and you care for me even if you get sick too. You don’t even care just for the family, you care for all people and make everyone feel special.

The Fifth Fantastic Thing
You make me happy every day and you lighten my day when things get ruff.

The fourth fabulous thing
You are always there to hear my nightmares and give me advice on how to get it out of my head.

The Third Thrilling Thing
You are a great storyteller. Even when I have read all of my books, there is a story waiting to be heard and you tell it.

The second splendid thing
You are very encouraging. you make me realize that I can do this!

The best thing ever about my mom!
The best thing about you is that you are very flexible! You make everyone feel loved and appreciated and you try to fit everyone's schedule in at once.

I love ya!






#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0510



Depart not from the path which
fate has assigned you.


Lucky Numbers
10,  35,  21,  36,  22,  15




Saturday, May 9, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0509



Everyone has the right to choose
one's own lifestyle.


Lucky Numbers
55,  30,  41,  56,  10,  9




Friday, May 8, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0508



Every person is the architect 
of his own fortune.


Lucky Numbers
10,  9,  36,  39,  23,  51




Thursday, May 7, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0507



There are lessons to be learned
by listening to others.


Lucky Numbers
4,  6,  7,  19,  31,  43




Wednesday, May 6, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0506



Chance favors those in motion.



Lucky Numbers
27,  35,  31,  23,  24,  51






Tuesday, May 5, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0505



Fortune said a palm can say a lot.
Especially when it smacks.



Lucky Numbers
56,  4,  25,  19,  54,  23




Monday, May 4, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0504



I spent the time prepare the song,
while the song is not being sung.


Lucky Numbers
51,  4,  50,  15,  20,  32




Sunday, May 3, 2015

A huff, and a puff...

Shark, 2014 - JB
Ahhhh.

When the girl gets it in her mind that she’s not going to do something, everyone better watch out - there is a storm brewing on the horizon - cause mama don’t take that shit.

There isn’t any screaming or yelling - just lots of sarcasm (and huffing and puffing on her part.) It'll be tense for a while, but then at some point - a funny face is made, a slip of a word or she recognizes the ridiculousness of the situation and she starts to laugh.

Tonight, it was a 45 minutes argument over whether she had to eat the noodles from her chicken noodle soup or not. 45 minutes. The boy took off early, he saw the clouds begin to darken.

Charles was preoccupied with his project and got caught in the storm of words. For 45 minutes he looked for a break that would allow him to escape without drawing attention to himself, to no avail.

After being called 'stinky moldy cheese-like goo' and 'nasty rubber bands' the noodles were finally consumed and she was on the prowl to track down BW and drive him crazy for a while. But he's onto her and has made his escape yet again.

She's still looking for him.

And to think she’s only in 4th grade right now.

I need to work on my mad mom ninja skills before the teen years get here.

*shigh*




#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0503


We judge others by actions;
we judge ourselves by intentions.


Lucky Numbers
9,  20,  51,  8,  42,  15




Saturday, May 2, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0502


A friend will bring you
a big surprise soon.


Lucky Numbers
25,  51,  37,  29,  10,  23




Friday, May 1, 2015

#DailyFortuneCookie 15-0501


Confucius said: Think no evil,
hear no evil, see no evil.


Lucky Numbers
50,  41,  33,  29,  15,  32