Here We Go Again.

Three years ago this morning I sat in church in jeans, a tee shirt, and flip-flops, which I would NEVER wear to church under normal circumstances. I had taken an hour's break from moving lawn furniture inside, mounting plywood, and locking the bikes in the storage room. Katrina would make landfall in less than 24 hours.

The latest 5-day forecast for Gustav shows him passing just west of Baton Rouge at 2 PM Tuesday. (WUnderground.com is the coolest weather website ever.) At least it'll be daytime, and at least we'll have a weekend to prepare. Jeaux will probably have to be at the hospital for the duration of the storm. Nurses don't fall into that "nonessential personnel" cateogry that always gets to stay home for storms. School will, in all likelihood, be cancelled, and the entire population of New Orleans will head this way. Of course "entire population of New Orleans" is a much smaller number than it was in 2005, right?

There are no available hotel rooms in town since LSU plays the season opener in Tiger Stadium Saturday. The governor has prepped us for contraflow and evacuation. my friend Lauryn is clearing out her guest room. Jeaux has packed up all the ice from the ice maker so that we'll have some reserve ice if we need it.

Yuck.

Falling In Love On a Mission Trip

This post made me laugh!

I have a teenager now, and it scares me, because I remember how stupid I was at her age. Every once in a while, though, something comes along to remind me of the up-side of the chemical onslaught of adolescence, and all I can hope is that she comes out of hers with a few good memories.

The blog is called Stuff Christians Like; the blogger is Prodigal Jon. In this post he talks about how teenagers always fall in love on mission trips. I propose that the same is true of church camp, choir tour, or any other time when kids, busses, and sleeping bags are involved.

Reading the post, I remembered my first church camp in 1975. I had just finished 9th grade and was getting ready to move to the High School when my youth director bribed me into going to Camp Istrouma for a week-long Senior High camp. I took my guitar (because I always took my guitar; it was my identity; The Girl Who Always Has Her Guitar) and discovered another guitarist there: Jimmy Phelps. He was cute, and he played well, and all the girls loved him. We spent some time together that week, and even dated once or twice after camp was over, but it didn't take long for us both to realize that any idea that we would have a real relationship was absurd. We had nothing in common other than the guitar, and we lived an hour away from each other. He was conservative, I was more liberal, and last I heard he had headed to a very conservative military boarding school to finish high school.

But man, camp was fun that year!

***

Scan report:

Total slides: 1015
Scanned to date: 692
% complete: 68.2%

Rededication

About five years ago I started scanning in all my old photos. I got my first camera when I was 14, so I've been taking pictures for 36 years now. My first digital camera was about 3 years ago, so 33 years of photos are either on paper or slides. Heaven only knows how I paid to get all these photos processed!

The scanning job has been an on-and-off process. Other things take priority and my photos get pushed aside, then I pick them up again for a few weeks, then something else comes up. But I REALLY want to get these things finished up. Several years ago my sister and her family had a fire in their house, and I don't want to lose these things. Even plowing through them at breakneck speed has brought up memories that I had long forgotten.

I'm working on slides now. I just counted everything, and I've got a total of 1015 slides. Of those, 596, or not quite 59%, are scanned in. I'm planning on blogging my progress, so if you don't see anything posted for a while, send me an email and tell me to get busy.

Addendum: I tend to scan in batches of 12. If I can do a batch a day, I'll be through before I go to San Francisco in September! (Through with the slides ... the paper photos haven't even been counted yet.)

A Trifecta!

Three things that I enjoy:

• A day with no appointments
• Having the house all to myself
• Rain.

Today I got all three. I've gotten so much done, and I've managed to have some time to just enjoy my day at the same time. The task list isn't clear, but it's a little smaller than it was this morning, and I'm satisfied with that.

Elizabeth is job shadowing at the hospital today. She started last Friday job shadowing the Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech Therapists. So far, her favorite has been Occupational Therapy in Rehab. It seems that helping people with ADL (Activities of Daily Living) appeals to her. Yesterday she helped patients bake bread, cut up apples, eat, and take a shower. She's been so excited every day coming home that I think she may be on to something! I told her if she was interested, I'd see if we could get her into Woman's so that she could see how PT's and OT's work with babies.

I remember having a PT and an RT there the first time I fed Elizabeth. I was feeding her breastmilk out of a bottle, and there were two or three nurses, the aforementioned PT and RT, a nutritionist, and about 297 other people standing around monitoring as I gave her a bottle. One of them remarked about how well I was doing for a first time mother, so I told them she was the first one I had given birth to, but she certainly wasn't the first one I'd fed. I'd been feeding babies since Connie was born when I was not-quite-3.

So back to today ... I've still got about two hours before Joe and Elizabeth get home, so I'm going to take a shower and read. Doesn't that sound wonderful?

101 Questions

I saw this on another blog and stole it.

1. How many keys are on your keychain?

• One for each car, one to the house, mailbox, office, file cabinet, and a good friend's house. The trouble is that I also have two remote-entry-devices (again, one for each car), a compass, a stress-ball, a purse hook charm, and a little metal emblem for my networking club.
  

2. What curse word do you use the most?

• Probably the s-word.
  

3. Do you own an i-pod?

• Yep. Don't do much music, but I'm all about the podcasts!
  

4. What time is your alarm set for?

• Usually 7, but it varies from day to day. I'm usually up before that, but that's my absolute latest option.
  

5. How many suitcases do you own?

• Two that can really be called "suitcases" but several tote bags, briefcases, etc.
  

6. Do you wear flip flops even when it’s cold outside?

• I don't wear flip flops at all. They don't give my foot enough support, so my feet hurt after wearing them for more than 10 minutes.
  

7. Where do you buy your groceries from?

• Mostly Albertson's, but sometimes Target or Ralph's. Occasionally Sam's or Whole Foods.
  

8. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?

• Take pictures, definitely!
  

9. What was the last movie you watched?

• I can't remember.
  

10. Do any of your friends have children?

• Nearly all my friends have children!
  

11. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would buy?

• After I paid off all my debt and put up enough money for my kiddo's college (and grad school, if she decides to go) I'd buy the time of a professional organizer to come in and help me get my library and craft areas set up.
  

12. Has anyone ever called you lazy?

• Probably, but not to my face.
  

13. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster?

• Not prescription meds, but I do use over-the-counter meds occasionally.
  

14. What CD is currently in your CD player?

• None. The one in there most recently was Disk 7 of Michael York reading Brave New World.
  

15. Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk?

• Regular.
  

16. Has anyone told you a secret this week?

• Yes.
  

17. When was the last time someone hit on you?

• I was never very good at figuring out what was "hitting on" and what was not. I guess the last time someone hit on me and I knew it was DH.
  

18. What did you have for dinner?

• Fresh green beans and new potatoes.
  

19. Do you wear hoodies often?

• Nope.
  

20. Can you whistle?

• Yes, but not well or loudly.
  

21. Who was the last person to call you?

• My daughter.
  

22. Have you ever participated in a protest?

• Yes.
  

23. What is your favorite ride at the amusement park?

• Space Mountain. (What? There are amusement parks other than Disney? Surely you jest!) (Edited, 7/2/08. That should be "Splash Mountain." The rest of the statement is completely accurate.)
  

24. Do you think people talk about you behind your back ?

• I'm sure they do, but if it's behind my back, how would I know?
  

25. What area code are you in right now?

• 225
  

26. Did you watch cartoons as a child?

• Still do. I have my collection of the best Bugs Bunny cartoons on my iPod.
  

27. How big is your local mall?

• I have no idea. I only go once or twice a year.
  

28. How many siblings do you have?

• Two sisters.
  

29. Are you shy around the opposite sex?

• I'm a little shy around everyone, no matter what their sex.
  

30. What is your biggest regret?

• Probably being to scared to take a risk.
  

31. When was the last time you laughed so much your sides hurt?

• A couple of days ago reading this blog post on mental_floss.com, and the web page it refers to. To which it refers. Whatever.
  

32. What movie do you know every line too?

• None, but Star Wars is probably the closest I come.
  

33. Do you own any band t-shirts?

• Nope.
  

34. When was your last plane ride?

• Chicago, last October
  

35. How many chairs are at your dining room table?

• Four, with two near the wall in case we need them.
  

36. Do you read for fun?

• Yes, whenever I can. Right now I'm reading The Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and The Sunday Philosophy Club series, both by Alexander McCall Smith.
  

37. Can you speak any languages other than English?

• Very rusty French. VERY rusty.
  

38. Do you own your own dishes?

• Well, yeah.
  

39. What color is your bedroom painted?

• Tan, with green accents
  

40. Have you ever cried in public?

• Yes.
  

41. Do you have a desktop or laptop computer?

• Desktop
  

42. Which do you make, wishes or plans?

• Both.
  

43. Are you always trying to learn new things?

• Yes.
  

44. Do you shower on a daily basis?

• During the summer, yes. It's miserably hot here. During cooler weather, it's every day & a half to two days, unless I do something physical.
  

45. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos?

• No, but I've kind of entertained the idea of getting one for my birthday this year. Probably won't, though.
  

46. Do you believe that guys should pay on the first date?

• I believe that stating what other people "should" do is the fast track to disappointment.
  

47. Can you skip rocks?

• Only every once in a while. Usually it doesn't work.
  

48. Have you ever been to Jamaica?

• No, but I'd love to go.
  

49. What do you snack on at the movie theater?

• I usually just get a drink.
  

50. Who was your favorite teacher?

• My daughter.
  

51. Have you ever dated someone out of your race?

• No, but then I haven't dated anyone in over 20 years.
  

52. What is the weather like?

• Hot. Yuck.
  

53. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?

• No, I don't think my husband would approve. :)
  

54. Do you have an online journal?

• I have this blog, but it's not really a journal. My journal is on paper, and NOT online.
  

55. What was your favorite class in high school?

• Choir.
  

56. Do you enjoy traveling in airplanes?

• I don't mind it, but don't love it, either.
  

57. What personality trait is a must have in your prefered gender?

• A sense of humor. As a matter of fact, a sense of humor is a must-have in a spouse, partner, friend, sibling, boss, or employee.
  

58. Have you ever been attracted to someone physically unattractive?

• I think it's hard to even define "physically unattractive." Unattractive to whom?
  

59. When was the last time you slept on the floor?

• Probably sometime in the mid 1980's.
  

60. What is your favorite alcoholic drink?

• Barefoot Wines' Pinot Grigio. It has this really crisp Green Apple-y flavor.
  

61. Does your closest Starbucks have a drive through?

• I don't know. When I want coffee-shop type stuff, I frequent a local one.
  

62. Do you like your living arrangement?

• Yes. A great husband and a really cool teenage daughter.
  

63. What is your mothers hometown?

• She was a preacher's kid. She moved a lot.
  

64. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?

• Function? 5. Function as an adult, without looking stupid? 8.
  

65. Do you eat breakfast daily?

• Yes. Usually a fruit smoothie.
  

66. What was the last thing that scared you?

• Getting a call from my dad's cell phone yesterday during a meeting. My daughter is with them for a couple of weeks this summer, and Dad doesn't call on his cell phone as a rule. I was afraid something might be wrong. It wasn't. It was Elizabeth telling me that she could see seven different states from where she was standing.
  

67. Are your days full and fast paced?

• Yes, too much so.
  

68. Did you ever get in trouble for talking in class?

• Not really.
  

69. What is your favorite fruit?

• Raspberries.
  

70. Do you pay attention to the calories on the back of a package?

• Sometimes. If it's something I'm indulging in, I don't pay attention.
  

71. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?

• 50!
  

72. Are you picky about spelling and grammar?

• Yes. I have to bite my tongue to keep from correcting other people's grammar. Spelling not so much.
  

73. Do you believe in life on other planets?

• I have no idea.
  

74. Have you ever been to Six Flags?

• Yep.
  

75. Who was the last person to piss you off?

• I don't remember, but I'm sure it was very meaningful at the time.
  

76. Do you believe God has a gender?

• No. I think we assign God a gender because our brains aren't really capable of imagining a living thing without a gender.
  

77. What was the last thing you ate?

• A peanut butter sandwich & chips.
  

78. Do you get along better with the same or the opposite sex?

• I get along better with people who don't take themselves seriously, regardless of their gender.
  

79. What did you dress up as on your first Halloween?

• Heaven only knows! I remember a witch costume, though. I was probably 4 or 5, and Mom made matching witch costumes for my sister and me. I think the youngest sister had not been born, or at least she wasn't old enough to participate in Halloween.
  

80. How did your parents pick your name?

• I always believed it was a shortened version of my mom's name, but when I told her that as an adult, she didn't remember that being true.
  

81. Do you like mustard?

• Only mixed with honey and poured on a salad, or dripping from a chicken strip.
  

82. What do you tell yourself when times get hard?

• I try to organize things when times get hard. It usually doesn't work.
  

83. Would you ever sky dive?

• No.
  

84. Do you sleep on your back, your side or your stomach?

• My side.
  

85. What character from a movie most reminds you of yourself?

• John-Boy Walton. Or at least he would if he were John-Girl Walton.
  

86. Have you ever bid for anything on eBay?

• Yes. Got it, too. Then never used it.
  

87. Do you enjoy giving hugs?

• Only to people I really, genuinely care about.
  

88. Would you consider yourself to be fashionable?

• No.
  

89. Do you own a digital camera?

• Yes ... and it's one of my favorite things.
  

90. If someone you had no interest in dating expressed interest in dating you, how would you feel?

• Relieved that I'm married and therefore obliged to say no.
  

91. What celebrities have you been compared too?

• I can't remember ever being compared to a celebrity.
  

92. Who is your favorite Star Wars character?

• Probably Obi-Wan.
  

93. Does it annoy you when someone says they’ll call you but never do?

• Only if I really wanted them to call.
  

94. What books, if any, have made you cry?

• The Red Tent, Memoirs of a Geisha, Bag of Bones (yes, that's right. I cried at a Stephen King book.) Dozens more I can't remember now.
  

95. Do you think you’re attractive?

• See question #58
  

96. What are you allergic too?

• Stupid people.
  

97. Are you a jealous person?

• Not really.
  

98. What is your opinion on sex without emotional commitment?

• It's nothing compared to sex WITH emotional commitment.
  

99. Do you feel guilty about eating meat?

• No.
  

100. If you had been born the opposite sex, what would your name have been?

• The story is that I would have been named Robert Wayne, but see Question #80 for my accuracy for stories about my own birth.
  

101. Is it lunch time yet?

• No, the question is, "Is it bedtime yet?"
  

Warning. Political Content Ahead.

Loved this video!

Where to start???

I'm finally at home after three trips in five weeks! The first was to Chicago for a Vermont Oxford Conference, the second was to my nephew's graduation in Brentwood, Tennessee, and the last one was to the United Methodist Church Annual Conference in Shreveport. There are so many things I want to write about that I'm having trouble getting started. It's just too overwhelming.

While I was in Shreveport, I ran into more old friends than I realized I would. It's been a lot of years since I've attended Annual Conference, so I didn't expect that too many folks from my past would still be around. In the preparation for Conference, though, I ran into John and Betty Blackman, youth counselors from my youth group in high school. Among other things, I learned that they're great-grandparents!