July 29, 2011 - Msg 84864: Wonderful memories, Hazel. Thanks for sharing them with us! It is a blessing to start life out in a loving home...if only it were so for all children.

You haven't seen a lizard since then?? My lands, we have lizards all over the place here in Texas. I actually saw a baby horned toad yesterday in the yard. Its the first time I have seen one in person since I was a child. We have so many camellions (sp?) running around you wouldn't believe it. I guess they help eat up the bad bugs around the place.

Boo
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84865: Chamileons? Chameleons? better google it..

Boo
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84866:
AMEN Hazel, amen! And I see you still remember how to sweep the porch too! ha Good job.
We used to have water pistol fights, just the little small, usually orange plastic, water guns with a rubber stopper in the back. Long before the big soakers or water balloon craze.
Slip n slide, water wiggle, etc was the early version of "water parks!" ha Red rover, mother may I, and red light green light. Coming home when the street lights turned on, etc. Can you imagine these present days being the "good old days" for todays kids? Seems strange.
Well, Prayers and nite all,
MDC
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84867: Mornin' Honeys. Looks like we might get a little tropical storm here tonight (hopefully)..we could sure use the rain.

Woke up this morning and my laundry room was flooded. Looks like the roofer must have put a hole through a water pipe in the ceiling or something. My walls are soaked through, pain coming off, and the whole thing is going to have to be gutted and redone once the leak is found and fixed...it also seems to be leaking from the garage. I'm just glad its not in the living room or over my bed! ha

Better go.

Boo
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84868: Good Friday morning porch dwellers. Lets make it a great day!

Nice sentiments Hazel. It's always enjoyable to take a journey down memory lane. Especially when we csn edit out the not so good memories (if we choose to do so) and just highlight the good ones.

Boo, Prayers for Sean to get feeling better. What a rotten time of the year to get a cold. Well I guess there ain't a good time, but I particularly hate summer colds. Hope he's doing better today.

How many of you were marble players when you were kids and had your marble collection? If you had what we called them "steelies" your were pretty hot stuff. Those were the all steel marbles. Then there were the big marbles. About the size of a small peach. I hated playing with those cause I didn't want to lose them. Then of course was the ultimate, the big steelie. Boy if you had one of them you was the big man on campus. But you was a marked man also. Because everyone wanted it. Ahhh, such simpler times, weren't they? :)

Hope and pray you all have a blessed day, and show the teacher you got some smarts.

Asa
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84869: Boo, you snuck in on me. Gosh, sorry about the flood. You sure you didn't make that hole in the pipe yourself, just to keep them toolbelt toting men around a tad longer? :)

Asa
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84870: You know me pretty well, Asa, but I didn't make the hole myself this time. ;) I did find out that they put a hole in the line to the hot water heater so sounds like that part is fixable. I just hate to have to fool with the mess of having new sheetrock, etc. Considering the recent disasters in the rest of the country this year and the poor victims of those tornadoes, this doesn't ruffle my feathers. I have air conditioning..that's all I care about!;)

Thanks for those prayers for Sean, he seems to be doing much better this morning.

So funny about the marbles ("but you was a marked man also")..haha.

Boo
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84871: Plumbers came out and fixed the leak already so should have water again soon AND we just had a little rain shower. YAY! It was short but was great to see rain again. Sure hope there is more in the forcast.

Boo
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84872:
Cats-eyes RULE! (:
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84873:
So do "clearies!" ha
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84874:
What did we call those ones that looked like veins of marble running thru them?
Oh yeah, MARBLES! haha
MDC
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84875: One more wheel chair bolt for your collection on that one MDC.... Boo, see what happens when you "CALL THE MAN! It gets done. The roofers must be kins of Gomer. If you want to get it done right you have to go to Mt. Pilot for good help. REMEMBER....... "CALL THE MAN".
Like Aunt Bee, I hope you learned your lesson :) Goober-Fife....
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84876:
Aunt bee, will you please just "Call the Man!"
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84877: Good afternoon, porch! Such good memories! Hazel, I loved your comments. There's just nothing quite like a country childhood, is there? Boo, I'm impressed that you actually saw a baby horned toad, or "hornytoad" as we called them. No comments, please. Check out this link: http://anniescottage.tripod.com/horny_toads/horny1.htm. Poor little critters. Like most kids "back in the day", I played with them, and kept them briefly as pets, but I'm happy to say my cousins and I always released ours after a day or so. I always felt good when the tiny creature scurried off to freedom. I haven't seen one in many years, but my yard is home to zillions of those tiny geckoes. Big Mama and Big Daddy are out there too, and I see them from time to time, but it's the little ones I see the most. The very smallest, a little over an inch long, manage to get into the house. I think they come in through the weep holes in the brick. Anyway, I find two or three a week, and just catch them and put them back outside, where I hope they'll grow up and be good bug-catchers. They are the cutest little things!

Well, guess I'll hunt up something to eat. Today would have been my Dale's 74th birthday, and I'm just hanging around the house, remembering, and feeling his presence. A friend invited me out to dinner, but I really just wanted to stay at home tonight. Sometimes it's good just to be quiet. Maybe a little melancholy, but not depressed. Who can be depressed with a goofy little clown underfoot, doing something funny at every opportunity? I just know that Dale and Sugarplum got together and chose Toye Starr for me. She surely keeps me laughing.

Blessings, friends! --Romeena
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84878: Romeena, I saw a close up photo of a gecho not long ago, and you wouldn't believe how sweet the little face was! I love the little critters.

Hope your evening is peaceful, though melancholy. You are right about Toye Starr. I remember how we prayed for just the right little companion for you. :) Time flies and it won't be long until we are all sharing heaven with our loved ones. The older I get, the faster it gets and the more real the hope. Not even 10 minutes ago I was thinking about Revelation 21:4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there will be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall their be any more pain, for the former things are passed away." :) Lord bless you, Ro.

Boo
July 29, 2011 - Msg 84879: Oh, and thanks for the horny toad link. Very interesting. The baby we saw looked like the one in the picture of the little baby on the man's finger. I guess because we have so many ants out here in the summer, they have plenty to eat so there are some here. I have yet to see an adult, though. It would give me great joy to find one, though. It has been so many years.

Boo
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84880: Hi folks,
We picked up Kai today from camp. The Mrs. took off work early and I have Fridays off so we could go to the little program they do to end the program. Kai had a great time, after that first night, so much so that she asked if she could go there next week. Well, since there isn't camp next week we just had to say no. Or else I would've let her.

I wanted to ask you friends what you thought about something. Kai is in summer school and for this session, which ends this next Tues, she took this stage class, where you learn a play, and I think they act it out. Now, since she went to camp this week she has missed most of it, but she is now back for those two days. Although now I wish she did have camp for another week because I have to bring up to the Mrs. why I think Kai shouldn't go to this particular class. The other night I was reading her script, it is a play called "15 reasons not to be in a play". It was the first time I had picked it up because I just didn't think they would have anything offensive for elementary grade summer schoolers to put on, but I guess I should have realized they may since it is in the public school. Now, there were some potty-style "but(t)" juvenile jokes in there, but they were not real bad. Then there was a character's statement about what if you had to "kiss a boy passionately", which is getting worse. That section also mentions groping(as something they can't do because they are too shy in the play).
They had a number of dialogue with the word "h&ll", and as an exclamation and not the place kind. Which I noticed that Kai, God Bless Her, scribbled out and wrote in "heck". I don't know if she did that on her own or if the instructor told them to do it. But based on the next thing that WASN'T scribbled out I am guessing it was Kai's idea. The "next thing" was a reference to a Vi@gra ad. It stated something like not being in a play because you might not get to check your email but that you usually just get "boring gossip and Vi@gra ads" on there anyway.
Oh, and there is one continuous boy character who always mentions that plays "suck" and at one point he goes off on a tangent as another character walks him out just before he states that "plays suck because they are full of..." and a hand goes over his mouth before he says that implied word. Of course there is a point where he breaks free and states that you can take your plays and "shove them..." before the hand goes back over his mouth. I guess this is supposed to be funny, coming from young kids.

I don't know. Is it me, or is this not an appropriate play for elementary school-age kids?!
I only hope when I bring this up to my wife, that she on the same page as I am. She often says I am "too conservative" and then says maybe Kai shouldn't go to the Christian school because then she might be also I guess. But she'll just have to read over this "play" and we'll see. Hopefully she will be able to see the wrongness of this thing.

Summer memories? Well, when I used to live in the country, my summer memories were of playing on our tire swing(hung from an old tree), going through all sorts of adventures in the big pine tree forest in our "back yard", and looking at ants and other bugs for hours on end. Didn't change too much when we moved into town, except that we didn't have a tire swing and of course we didn't have a forest to run through. Now bugs, we had plenty of.

-Sterling Holobyte
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84881: Well, I see the porch's censor didn't like the word "Vi@gra" neither, so maybe I am on to something.

-SH
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84882: Good evening, porch. It has been a sweet, peaceful evening here. Made myself some pasta and a salad, watched a little TV, cuddled Toye Starr, discovered two packages on my front porch and opened them to find some lovely birthday gifts from my son and DIL in Florida, and now I'm going to go and get a good night's sleep.

Boo, if there are baby horny toads, it's a sure bet that there are adults around there somewhere! Do you suppose the dogs get after them? The little fellers are pretty much defenseless. As for the geckoes, they really are cute. I love their little feet! So tiny, but each little toe is distinctly defined. Now and then one gets in the house and I don't find him, and later will discover him somewhere all dried up. I just hate that. Whenever I find one, I always catch it and put it outside. Today, when I dropped today's visitor into a flowerpot out back, he landed right beside another one, about an inch longer than he was - probably one I had put out a couple of weeks ago. I have the colorful little chameleons around here, the ones that change colors to match their surroundings, then I have the little geckoes, and of course the big old scaly gray tree lizards. I like them all, they're welcome here. No pesticides or chemicals in the yard, so as long as they stay inside my fence, they're safe. I'll admit I don't have many ants for them to eat, but the ants weren't killed by poisons, because I don't use them. The dry molasses makes all the chemicals and poisons unnecessary.

Well, I'm off to bed. Sweet dreams, porch, and thanks for the loving thoughts. You're the cats!--Romeena
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84883: Good morning Porch. I thought I better check in before I get my day started and wish our Possum a Hap Hap Happy Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful one Possum.

And I hope you day yesterday went well Romeena. I know sometimes those special days can be joyful, and sometimes difficult. I hope yours was joyful.

And just in case I don't get on here tomorrow, an early Happy Birthday to Boo. I hope you get a nice cooling rain for your birthday dear. I'm sure you would dig that. :)

Off to fire up the rider and cut grass.

Asa
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84884: Sterling, I would NOT call objecting to the so-called "play" as conservative, but as sane. What a ridiculous bunch of rot you describe. A children's play?! I can tell you now that my child would not waste another minute on it. With so much good literature out there, what kind of teacher would choose that garbage for a children's play? Another reason why my children don't attend public school. Sorry to offend anyone, but that kind of thing really ruffles my feathers. As if most kids didn't get enough junk on TV for who knows how many hours a week, but they should be getting something better at school!

Aw, thanks Asa! I would indeed like more rain. :)

Happy Birthday Possum!! :) :)

Boo
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84885: Sterling, that play would totally offend me too and seems so inappropriate for that age group. And I am, for the most part, a supporter of our public schools. To me it doesn't matter what your religion or school system background is, it's just common sense that kids that age shouldn't be exposed to so many innuendoes. I agree with Boo on this one.
- Hazel

"Okay, all you people assigned to the back seat, load up!"
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84886: My stars, Sterling! I didn't see your post until just now. The porch still delays posts occasionally, so I didn't see mine either until this morning. How on earth can you even begin to question whether that play is right or wrong for elementary school kids? It's wrong and you know it. Please quit trying so hard not to be judgmental or too conservative, and trust your own conscience. Right is right, garbage is garbage, and that "play" is garbage. It would be garbage if it was being performed by adults, let alone by little kids. Shame on whoever wrote it.

Incidentally, it's true that there's nothing new under the sun. When my David was in elementary school - that would be about 35 years ago now - he came home with a book that just floored me. It was required reading, and he had already read the first few pages. He showed the vile little thing to me, saying he didn't like it, that it made him "feel funny." It had to do with two quarreling children, and the solution dreamed up by the adults in their lives. It's been so long, I've forgotten many of the details, but I wish I still remembered the title. Would love to search and see if the hateful little thing is still around. It was mild compared to Kai's play, but I remember it encouraged kids to scream at each other, and eventually pitted them together in a fistfight. Language was an issue as well. Dialogue like "Just shut up!" and "You're a liar!" was common. These were second-grade kids. I was furious. I took the book to school the next day, told the teacher my son would not be reading it, and told her I would be calling the other parents about it. She was grateful, she hated the book, too. I did call, everyone's reaction was the same as mine, and we got the stupid piece of trash removed from the curriculum. No school board, large or small, public or private, is sacrosanct. Their decisions and choices are not law. The parents have a great deal more power than they realize, most of the time. It just takes someone to be the firebrand and get the protest started, in order to remove objectionable material or practices from the classroom. The majority still rules, or should. If your protest is not heard, keep going and don't give up. It took us three weeks to get that wretched little book removed, but we did it. A small victory, but wars can be won, one small victory at a time. If anyone doubts that, just watch Satan. It's how he has won America - one small victory at a time.

Well, Happy Birthday to Possum, and to Boo, I hope you both have many, many more. Guess I'd better get moving around here, finally got an appointment to get my shaggy hair cut. When it's short, it behaves nicely, has enough curl and wave that all I have to do is wash it, add a tiny bit of mousse, comb it and let it dry. When it gets one-eighth of an inch too long, it seems, it stands up on top and separates down the middle and I look like Peter Rabbit. It's now at least a full inch too long, so I leave it to your imagination. Stuff grows like crabgrass.

Blessings, friends. --Romeena
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84887: Well, thank y'all for the nice birthday wishes! I think I must be the oldest possum on record- LOL
Appreciate it, friends!

Happy birthday tomorrow to Boo!

About that play,Sterling- what Ro said! Good grief,who thinks up this junk?!

Y'all have a great day- love to all!

*******************
possum under a rock
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84888: Happy Birthday, Possum! If you think you are an old possum, think how old you'd be in people-years!
- Hazel
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84889: Hahaha! Hazel, you are so funny. People-years! I love it!

Folks, I don't remember if I mentioned this earlier or not, but I had a lovely letter from Ky girl back about the middle of May. She's having computer problems, and had no access to the porch at the time. She said to tell you all she misses the porch and will be back as soon as she can. If she's made it back here since then, I missed it. Anyway, in the letter she said her daughter is doing well, has not had any more seizure activity, but does require constant supervision, so Ky girl has resigned from her job to be with her daughter. We need to keep them on our prayer list.

I'm sorry I didn't report on this earlier, but the letter got shuffled into that towering pile of rubble on my desk. That's my project for today, to actually find my desktop - the real, physical one, not the computer version. Dirty me, dirty me! I'm disgusted with myself! --Romeena
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84890: Thank you, Ro, for the report on KYGirl. I am so glad she wrote to you. She is a sweetheart and I miss her.

Ro, you are so right in your above comment. Parents greatly underestimate their power to change things because they don't realize their rights.

Hazel, I wanted to say, because I know it seems like I blast public schools from time to time, that I do care very much about all chidren and especially those in public schools. I think that's why sometimes I get so mad when I hear about the problems. I want all children to get the best education possible and I have several dear friends who teach in public schools. I have the greatest respect for them and their committment to children. I hope and pray that things don't get worse with the recent cut in funds that the schools receive but it looks like things could get worse.

Thanks for those birthday wishes everyone! :)

Boo
July 30, 2011 - Msg 84891: Thank you all for your comments. I did mention it to my wife tonight and thankfully she agrees with me. She said, "yeah, pull her out of that class." She even said that I should take a copy of that script and go to the school office and ask what the deal is with that "cr@p". That is what I intended to do(well, maybe without the "cr@p" part). I will probably have to do it over the phone. I work Monday so I can't go in person, and I have to call them then to tell them that Kai will not be in that class anymore, as she was a little apprehensive when I told her the news until I told her that I will call the school and tell them she won't be in that class.
And when they ask me why, I will tell them.

I don't know who thinks up junk like that, Possum. The same type of people who think up the stuff in the books I found in the kids section of the library, and the reason I don't take Kai there anymore. I swear, you can't take your kids anywhere anymore.

-Sterling Holobyte
July 31, 2011 - Msg 84892: Good Sabbath porchters. I hope and pray all is well for everyone.

Happy Birthday Boo. My goodness. Another year older.... for all of us. Time moves right along. I hope you have a wonderful day and get a nice bed jacket.

Sterling, I'm glad to read that your wife and you are on the same page where that class is concerned. And don't hesitate to voice your reasons why. These school boards, administrators and teachers need to be reminded they work for us! I realize there are many different views by parents and they cannot please everyone, but if we don't voice our thoughts when the opportunities present themselves, well then shame on us. We must not be apathetic. A pathy! It will bring us down if we have A pathy. :)

Hazel, how's your garden doing? Starting to produce for you about now I bet. My corn is getting mighty close.

Possum, hope you had a great Birthday. Did you do anything special?

Well best get rolling. It might rain here today. That'll be nice. I'll be right out there in it if it does.

Asa
July 31, 2011 - Msg 84893: Mornin' Y'all and Happy Birthday to Boo!! Hope you have a beautiful day- if nobody bakes ya a cake, I'll share mine with you. : )

Asa, I had a nice day,thanks! Didn't really do anything special,but I'm going on a mini shopping spree later today! Hey Boo,if you get a bed jacket,I might want to borrow it on chilly evenings- I got a nice pair of bedroom slippers yesterday that I can wear with it!

Well, better get rollin'-y'all have a good day!

P.S. Ro,thanks for the Ky girl update-prayers for her & her daughter.

*******************
possum under a rock

July 31, 2011 - Msg 84894: Thanks for the birthday wishes! Possum, if I get a bed jacket you can have it...never really understood the need for one of them things...a half a robe?...and I never sit in bed. By the time I get these aching bones into bed at night, I'm out like a light and out of bed first thing in the morning. I don't have the luxury anymore of lying around in bed or I have all kinds of aches and pains in my back from it. It's a shame, really. Now,...where did I put my Geritol??;)

Hey there, Sterling. Glad your wife agrees with you. I thought she probably would...pretty black and white case. As far as the library goes, I still think its ok to take the kids to the library as long as I am along to look at what they are selecting. I know its not possible to sheild them from every bad influence so I try to teach them how to select the proper literature and how to know what is acceptable and not (and why). You might reconsider the library and use it as a teaching tool with Kai. The day will come soon enough when she will be ready to leave the nest and must have the tools to make good choices in books. You are her best teacher, as far as that goes. She is such a blessed little girl to have an upright, loving father like you, Sterling.

Well, got to finish coffee and get ready for preachin'. It won't be easy to get the kids up and rolling. Night before last Sean had an over-nighter for the church youth boys and got little sleep so he will be tired, and Erin was up late with a tummy ache. We had a family gathering here last night to celebrate mom's and my birthday and because we had my nephew, Ben, visiting from California. He is such a neat young man. He is my brother David's (the woman's golf coach) son and he is 26 and has a great career in the air force and is married. There is something special about Ben..hard to describe but I guess he is alot like his very sweet and gentle dad, but seems to have alot of ambition and determination to suceed in life. He has done great but we had our concerns early in his life when his dad and mom divorced. Ben's mom suffers with mental illness and and it was hard on Ben when he was little. The marriage between Dave and his fisrt wife was incredibly hard and David was Ben's primary care-giver. David refused to ever consider divorce, though. David's wife eventually made that decision and left him and Ben but Dave continued be a financial and emotional support to her. He remarried a very nice woman a few years later and they are so good together. I never saw him really happy until he married her. Well, sorry for that long story but just got caught up in it.

Better go. Talk to you all later! :)

Boo
July 31, 2011 - Msg 84895: Happy Birthady BOO! Have a great day.
Big Maude
July 31, 2011 - Msg 84896: I love a story with a happy ending, Boo. I'm glad you shared that one.

About home vs public schooling - there was a time when I was unsure about home schooling. It wasn't very popular when my kids were school age, very little support, little or no literature available, etc. Later, as it became more prevalent, I still had my doubts. Questions about socialization, sports, the parent's ability to teach, such as that. I still think those concerns should be addressed, but the way the public schools have taken a downward spiral, at least here in Texas, I'm more and more in favor of home schooling. Don't get me wrong - I don't blame the teachers. My daughter was a teacher, and got out because she couldn't stand the idiocy anymore. Many of my friends are teachers, one is a retired principal. Ask any of them, and they'll immediately tell you - public school just isn't what it used to be, and is nowhere near what it should be. I don't know about the other states. I only know about Texas, and folks, we've got a mess here. It's not the teachers' fault, they're only doing what is required of them. Those trashy books - they don't choose them, the books are shipped to them and they're told to use them. Period. Also, as Boo mentioned, with the cuts to the education budget, it's only going to get worse. Most Texans will remember when then-Gov. Ann Richards stood before the news cameras and flat-out declared and promised to the state of Texas, that if we would vote in a state lottery, the proceeds would be used to educate the children of Texas. She had all sorts of persuasive figures, how many millions of dollars would be funneled into the state education budget. It was going to just cure our educational woes, our children would be geniuses, and a vote against the lottery would be a vote against the children. Rubbish. Can you guess how much of the lottery money has actually made it to the education budget? Yep, you got it. We're deeply mired in debt, combining classes, closing some schools - it's pitiful. Of course, the crowding has been made worse by the heavy influx of "undocumented" children, and slowed teaching to a crawl, as the children don't speak English. Add to that the chicanery and down-right embezzlement and theft that has taken place in the Dallas school district, by highly-placed members of the board and the whole system, and it's enough to make you want to march on City Hall. So please forgive me and Boo, if we're less than enthusiastic about public schools. From where we're sitting, it's not a pretty picture.

Well, guess I'll go rustle up some lunch. Should be easy. I've got some leftover pasta, I'll add a little cheese sauce to it, and when I stopped for a few groceries after church I picked up one of those rotisserie-roasted chickens the deli always has, and I've got salad makings, so I'm all set. I don't remember it being this easy to put a meal together when I was cooking for a family, but it sure is simple now. Pretty cheap, too.

Blessings, friends! --Romeena
July 31, 2011 - Msg 84897: Garden is doing great, Asa. Although a little behind, but it's catching up. Ate my first cucumber yesterday, and man, it was so incredibly good. I love them best when they are small, like only 5 inches or so, and not too big around. Then they don't have so many seeds. Yummy. Peas were good this year. Eggplant has a lot coming on. Tons of green tomaters, so when they change to red, look out. Overall, it's a good year. Shallots were one of my best years, just harvested them last weekend. And my hot peppers, best year ever. As for my squash, they are just starting to get blooms, so they are way slow this year. I'm going to make salsa here in a few minutes, with everyting fresh except for the tomatoes. I'll use canned for that, and it still comes out pretty good, with everything else being fresh. And my basil this year, beautiful. My daughter, who bought her first house this past March, planted a garden, and yesterday I went over and showed her how to put up pesto. We're a "pesto" family and it was so fun passing on the family receipe. We always make enough to freeze, then you can have use it to get you thru the winter.
Happy Birthday, Boo!
- Hazel

"We're no spring chickens anymore".
July 31, 2011 - Msg 84898: Boy, I need to proofread better... "have use it"? I meant "Have enough to get you thru the winter."
July 31, 2011 - Msg 84899: Thanks, Hazel! Yep, I'm certainly no spring chicken anymore. ;) I've had a good day so far. Went to sunday school and they sang happy birthday and gave me a card and we had doughnuts. I came home, ate leftover enchiladas and took a long nap! Guess we will go out for dinner with friends this evening. Hazel, that garden of your's sounds great. You should see everything down here in south texas...burnt to a crisp. We sure need rain! The cotton farmers were praying for no rain until they get all their crops harvested. There are many acres of mature cotton waiting to be harvested down here and they had better hurry since it is hurricane season.

So right in your assessment of the school situation, Ro. It's very concerning. I know there is no perfect situation, even homeschooling can be a real drag because if you are the only teacher and you get burned out, well, it's tough. I have found myself so worn out at times and wanting so badly to throw up my hands with Sean and his difficulties. I guess if i had the resources, I would send him to a special school, but the nearest that specializes in the kinds of problems he has is in Austin or Houston. If Sean had been the kind to like sports, that would have been tough on him being homeschooled but he has never liked sports. Erin, on the other hand, has been involved in little league but now wants to try Tai Kwon Do. I know nothing about it. Anyone have any experience in that area? Is it a beneficial activity for kids? She also wants to take piano lessons and I can incorporate that into her curriculum. She wants to learn to cook this year, too. I have been watching her to see how she would do this summer, being away from her little friends each day and she seems to be thriving on her own. She keeps herself occupied and just enjoys doing crafts, building leggos and such. I will let her have friends over on weekends and we will be involved in the church activities. Homeschooling certainly doesn't seem to have affected my children's social activities, as far as having friends. They both always have someone over here or are going to someone's house, it seems.

Well, I guess I had better go decide what I want to do this evening. Ya'll have a great evening. :)

Boo
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84900: Looks like I was the last one to bed and the first one up this morning. I wanted to sleep in but that just never seems to work anymore. I guess the roofers will be back again today. They still have a little more to do on the house and the barn. I don't know when work will start on the laundry room and tearing out the wet sheetrock.

Today I will be catching up the laundry, for sure.

The house needs to be cleaned up from the weekend. Better get it in gear. Be back on my breaks.

Boo
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84901: Morning porch, hope all is well this Monday.

Working today, wish I was home,but guess I would just be working there too. Guess, I should be glad there is always something to do somewhere.

I did a really stupid thing yesterday! I was using a kitchen mandolin (sp?) which worked beautifully for the onions I was slicing, but it also sliced a big ole piece of my right thumb clean off. There was not even anything to stitch.
It did not really hurt so much as bled forever. Now I know what Bruce and Barney felt like!

Please pray for my friend. She goes to the surgeon tomorrow to find out exactly what is going on and what the next step will be. Hopefully, this will be something that surgery and treatment can take care of. We have been best friends for about 25 years! Thanks in advance for your prayers.

Breakfast menu will be: scrambled eggs, biscuits,
bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, fresh strawberry cream cheese pastry! coffee, juice, chocolate milk.

Prayers and blessings all around.
Big Maude
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84902: Good morning, porch! Boo, you have my sympathies with all that water damage. Sure can be annoying. I remember when I had a pipe leaking beneath the slab, under the back hallway. Marcy, what a mess! With the leak being where it was, in an area of the house that I may go days or even weeks without seeing, I wasn't aware of the wet carpet. Then I was gone for about ten days on vacation. When I came home, I found it. The water had run down into my den, which is six inches lower than the rest of the house, and was starting to pool there. It had seeped up through the slab, soaked the carpet in three rooms, then ran into the den. Baseboards were wet, and everything smelled moldy. They had to dig a two-foot diameter hole through the slab, then down through a couple of feet of mud to get to the leak. Amazing, though. Once they fixed the leak and filled in the hole, they repaired the slab and then the restoration people came in. They ran fans and de-humidifiers for about three days, until their testers showed that the slab was fully dry. The carpet, of course, was gone - it had to be replaced, but they made sure everything was dry before the new stuff went down. Once it was all finished, you couldn't tell there had ever been a problem, the smell was gone, and I had nice new carpet. I hope your repair goes as well - am sure it will.

Big Maude, I'm so sorry about your thumb injury. You're right, a cut like that will just bleed seemingly forever. It's like when you cut yourself shaving your legs. As you said, there's nothing to stitch, you can't close it up, and those zillions of tiny capillaries are just sitting there, open to the outside, and they will bleed a river. I get a lot of scrape-type injuries while working in the yard, and they bleed a lot too. My remedy is to get a piece of paper towel, fold it to the appropriate size, wet it in cold water and place it over the bleeder. Then a larger piece of dry towel goes on top, and it's all held on with duct tape! The towels are very nearly sterile, the cold wet towel is soothing, the dry towel lets the tape stick, and when it gets too blood-soaked, I throw it away and make another one. It's a sight cheaper than store-bought gauze and stuff, and works just as well - maybe better! I've never had an infection as a result, so guess it's okay.

Well, I just made an appointment for Thursday with the hand surgeon. I had a carpal tunnel release back in 2006 in my right hand, and it was a big success. Now the left is painful, aching, "shock" sensations at times, very uncomfortable. The doc told me when he did the right hand that the left one needed it too, and said it would let me know when it was time to do it. Well, I think it's time. I'm just a mess. Need that hand done, have a big old mole on my right arm that I want to get removed, because I'm tired of people asking me if I've "had it looked at." Yes, I have, it's benign, but it's scary-looking. The doc was reluctant to remove it, said it would leave a noticeable scar. Like the mole isn't noticeable!! At least people won't be asking me if I've had it checked. Also, have an ingrown toenail that needs to be removed. (Sorry, Me-They, if you're lurking.) Ah, the joys of aging.

I'm being spied on. Mr. Bushytail has flattened himself out on top of the nearest squirrel box, just outside my window. He's lying perfectly still, watching me. I guess he thinks I can't see him - or her, probably her.

I just found confirmation of something that I've long thought to be true. Here's the quote: "In the United States the largest concentration of squirrels is in Washington, D.C." Here's my source: http://www.squirrels.org/faq.html#Q22. Hahahaha!

Blessings, friends! --Romeena
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84903:
Possum and Boo, I got you both two dozen preserve jars! lol And Boo, barney may be able to help with the Ti-kwon-do! ha
My 2 cents on the play debate, (since I'll bite my tongue on the budget debate!):
Teachers can make a difference too. One year back in the 80s (no apostrophe)I taught a similar summer course, and even back then they had an inappropriate play on the dockett, and i just went to the principal and said, "I not using this, but there is a really funny 'Honeymooners' episode in the Open Highways reader, and could we do that instead. He looked at both and said fine, no problem.
The key was that I had an alternative at the ready and the decision was made on the spot. Of course nowadays may indeed be different.
Maudie, prayers for you and your friend!
Have a good day all, despite what McCain may say or do! God bless,
MDC
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84904:
HAPPY AUGUST!!
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84905: Good point, MDC. People are much more agreeable to change when you already have an alternative plan to present. Bet you were a good teacher.

REally hot here in south texas, but that is no news this time of year. It won't last forever and I don't want to wish my life away so I try to find the silver lining in all this heat. Bruce bought me some patio furniture for my birthday but nobody wants to sit outside in the heat. We sat out Saturday evening at dusk and with the ceiling fans on the back porch, it wasn't bad.

Well, four loads of laundry down, a couple more to go. I had gotten behind since thursday.

Ro, wanted to ask the opinion of a seasoned parent. We have been having some trouble lately with Erin and a bit of "attitude"...trying to talk back and explain or excuse bad behavior. Bruce grounded her yesterday for two days..no computer or TV or playing with friends. I am wondering if this is the right way to change the behavior or if there is a better way. I know one problem is that we have been very unstructured during the summer and she is staying up too late, being lazy and not keeping her room picked up...let me put that another way...she is messy!! We have to be on her about it everyday and we get attitude. I think I need to get her into a routine and go ahead and start her schooling (I already have the curriculum), and make sure she is following her chores list, etc. She probably is not getting good sleep or the discipline she needs. Any suggestions always welcome.

Boo
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84906: NO BED JACKETS! That just ain't right! You know girls don't turn 25 every day ;)......Do I get 1 wheel chair bolt for that one? How HOT is it in Texas? I'ts so hot a squirrel was offering 1/2 of his stash of nuts just to come inside Romeena's house for 1 hour to get some A/C!
Try to stay cool... They say you will set a record in Dallas @ 106? Goober-Fife......
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84907:
Good one GF, but wheelchair bolts are awarded only for gems like "so hot the cows are giving evaporated milk; or the road is being re-paved everytime another big-tire truck passes by." haha
But it is DALLAS HOT here today too. About 110 and our normal August humididity of about 60 percent!. Even dish towel salesmen, Berts and JWs are off the streets today! ha
Boo- could something on TV or one of her friends be contributing to her "tude"? Maybe a little "why are you suddenly acting like this?" mom to daughter, heart to heart, would help. Just a thought.
prayers,
MDC
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84908: Hey there Porch!

How is everyone today? I hope well. It's been so hot and humid this summer! Is it in your neck of the woods? My youngest and I got a DQ Blizzard today and it helped. My grandmother used to take me to get those all of the time growing up as that was the only restaurant in her tiny town. Speaking of which, I grew up with working parents so I was sent to my two grandparents homes, camps, going to our swim club, and family vacations. I do remember reading a lot, playing kickball with the neighbor boy, and catching lightning
bugs in jars.

Happy Birthday to everyone! I don't get the bed jacket concept either. I hope Aunt Bee enjoyed hers though.

Sterling, I'm so glad that you and your wife are on the same page! I love how involved you are with Kai! My son's school just told me today that none of them have ever met him and that made me sad (he works so much).

I've been busy preparing everything for school and such. They start on the 15th, but I'm having another ankle surgery in Wednesday and my husband won't be able to do it all. I'm pretty much incapacitated for 2 weeks after. Hopefully it will all go well.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
Blessings,
Lucy
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84909:
Hello porch family.....just got in from a 23 hour drive....straight through. Had a concert yesterday up in northern Maine and now I'm sitting in my house in SC. A LONG haul but it's great to be back home for a little while.

I'll have to check out the archives later.....I'm bushed.
Love and prayers for all my porch family!
-REV.
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84910: For cryin' out loud, Lucy, how many of those ankle surgeries are you going to have before it's all done? Bless your little heart! Prayers for you, dear girl!

Boo, to answer your question (the best I can) trust me when I say that attitude is the name of the game with pre-pubescent girls, and it only gets worse. Messiness is very big on the list as well. It's all a part of the adolescent girl trying to separate from her mother and make her own mark on the world. Mom likes things neat? Then I'll be messy! Mom objects? I'll pull an attitude, and if that fails, I'll pitch a big old hissy-fit. Mom issues a neatness ultimatum? I'll storm into my room, slam the door and shout "This is MY room and I'll keep it as I please!" Sound like a script? It is. It played out right here in my house many years ago. Erin is still a bit young for all of this, and you probably need to ride herd on her pretty hard for a while yet, but the time will come when you might want to just step back, declare her room off-limits to everyone, and let her keep it (or not) as she pleases. She's trying to find some autonomy, and her room is about the only thing where she has a degree of control.

Here's what we did. When we finally reached the point where we knew we were winning a few battles, but not the war, we decided to quit fighting. We sat down with our daughter, told her we had decided that she was right, and her room WAS her space, and she could keep it as she chose. We asked her to keep the door closed, so no one else would have to look at it. I vowed not to enter to clean, that would be up to her. In turn, she would agree not to clutter up the rest of the house with her stuff, but would confine her belongings to her space. Laundry was simple. I would wash what was in the hamper, nothing else. I would not enter her room to search through the piles of rubble for dirty clothing. Well, she thought that was just wonderful, thought she had won. I would look in when she wasn't home, and saw the growing piles of clothes, books, shoes, papers, and who knows what else, but I didn't touch a thing. I did notice that in one week's laundry, there wasn't a single thing of hers in the hamper. I just waited. Soon enough, the day came when she was rushing madly about, trying to find a certain blouse, accusing her sister of borrowing it (she hadn't) and finally she located it under her bed, wrinkled and dirty. I was so sad, but had no answer for her, no help. "Mom, could you wash it really fast?" Nope, I was busy. Hmmm. Wheels were turning. A few days later, we had company over, and they brought their daughter, who had not been to our house before. She asked our daughter if she could see her room. Uh, well, uh, um.... Me -- "Why, of course. Why don't you girls just take your burgers to her room and eat there, where you can talk?" Daggers from my daughter, but away they went. Not much was said, but I did overhear "My mom would wring my neck!" at one point. A couple more incidents, and the room was cleaned up, and stayed fairly presentable after that. Sometimes you just have to concede the battle and step back. You'll eventually win the war.

As for mouthy attitude, the little sour, snipey comments and sarcastic zingers - those didn't fly around here. One glare from Dale, and a "You watch your mouth, young lady!" usually took care of that. Two things he demanded from all of our kids - truth and respect. We got it, most of the time. Nothing is 100%, and you deal with the infractions as they come, but you set the bar high and don't give up, not on the core values. A messy room is not a core value. Truth, and an attitude of respect for their elders - that's important.

Don't underestimate the value of a discussion. When she's mouthy, displays attitude or is disrespectful, don't blow up. Wait a bit, then call her in, sit down with a coke or something and say that you want to discuss something with her, and get her opinion. Then recount the offending conversation. Quote her. Ask her how that sounds to her. Ask her if she really feels you deserved to be spoken to in such a way. Ask her how she would feel if she were in your shoes. Ask her to think of some other responses she could have used that might have been better, and make her say them. It doesn't hurt if the "talk" goes on about five minutes longer than her patience can stand. Maybe she'll think twice before risking another "talk". Just an idea.

Well, I don't know if that's what you were looking for, but that's how I remember it from our "teenage" years. The kids weren't perfect, but we could take them out in public and not be embarrassed, and they grew up to be adults that we not only love, but we like them as well.

Blessings, porch! --Romeena
August 01, 2011 - Msg 84911: Very good advice, Ro. Thanks so much for sharing. I hear what you are saying about the autonomy...will think on that one. We agree about the core values. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences...they are priceless to someone like me. While my parents loved us lots, they were very lenient and mom always copped out on the discipline so I don't have the best role model for that. Mom was great in other ways but discipline was something she couldn't seem to figure out and as a result I have a hard time with it, too, sometimes.

Boo
August 02, 2011 - Msg 84912: Good morning porch. I hope you are all well and fine.

Boo, don't rule out an old fashioned "wood shed" out back. :) To be used sparingly for sure, but there when needed.

Good to see you Lucy. I hope your surgery gets you back on your feet.

Glad you got home safe Rev. Do you feel a bit like Dorothy and say "there's no place like home"? That's how I feel when I hit my own bed after being away for a while.

What gives with you women and bed jackets? Boy, next year your getting canning jars then! Or maybe salt and pepper shakers. :)

Y'all be blessed and have a wonderful day. And show the "Teacher" you got some smarts.

Asa
August 02, 2011 - Msg 84913: Well it's Football Hall of Fame week here in Canton, Ohio or as some call it Ohiya! Been here all my life, went to the Museum 1 time the football game 1 time and went to the parade when my kids were in the band. Other than that it is a pain having all the interlopers in town. But for alot of people, & the town is's "BIG REAL BIG!" But no fotball game this year becaus of the "Lock-Out". :(......One good thing, the road that the parade goes on get repaved every other year, so that is a good thing cause I travel it often. I'm not a big football fan,(BROWNS) but thanks to Texas we have Colt McCoy, maybe hope this year?....."WHAT IS WAS, WAS FOOTBALL!...
Goober-Fife....Kicks it thru the uprights!!
August 02, 2011 - Msg 84914: Or maybe stockings or blue handkercheifs, Asa?

Ah, yes, never rule out the woodshed. I tried that the last time and it didn't last as well as this grounding thing. Erin is going to be 10 in a week and I think her woodshed days are over. She did well yesterday without any tv or computer, I guess, but you could tell it was killing her, especially when her best friend wanted to come over and we said no. She was full of respectful "yes ma'ams and no sirs" yesterday! ha

The well digger finally got here and is doing his thing today. Hopefully by tomorrow we will have some fresh well water flowing around here and can get started on the sprinkler system and then get ready to plant the fall garden. :)

Better finish my coffee and get some things done around here. I am getting a slow start this morning. I have my annual check up and waffle iron today, darn it. I hate going. Better scoot.

Boo
August 02, 2011 - Msg 84915:
OUCH! (:
August 02, 2011 - Msg 84916:
Morning porch family......rested up after a good night's sleep. Me and Jake are just hanging out together today. He won't leave my side since I've been home:)

G-F.....Yep, I think Colt McCoy will be a plus to you guys.

Boo....maybe the well digger will hit some Texas oil while he's drilling:)

Race fans.....I've been kinda out of the racing loop over the last month or so while on the road but I see that ole Jimmy J is back lurking near the top again. You can never count that dude out.

Gotta get going.....time for me to donate blood so better get moving. You all have a blessed day!
Love and prayers
-REV.