Bike Tunes

Every night about 8:00 I get this song stuck in my head.



So, about 8:30 or so, I go and get Old Betsy, and start peddling down my driveway.

Then this song immediately pops into my head.


(I even have a basket on my bike, and have been known to ride in a skirt.)

After going around the roads in front of my house I come dragging in to my driveway with this song in my head.

A little of this and a little of that.

 

People are so nice.  When you have a baby they bring you food. Sometimes the food is awesome!  I love it when you get a meal that looks like something your mom would make for you. 

Good old comfort food. 

 

It's probably not the greatest idea to try out a new recipe for the first time and then announce that fact when you take the "first-time-you've-made-it" food to someone you're trying to help.

Although you put a lot of effort, resources and thought into this meal,

maybe, just maybe,

it would have been better to use the old tried and true Shepherd's Pie, or Lasagna.

 

Then maybe, just maybe,

the recipient of all your hard-cooking-work

wouldn't have to guess as to the edibility of the food in question.

 

 

Is that melted saran wrap?

 

 

Late Saturday afternoon I got the phone call.

"Mom, can you babysit?"

I loved that phone call.

Ledger and I had a great time.  I threw a sheet over the play mat and made him a tent.  He loved it and kept going in and out

in and out.

 

 

Grandpa took him for a stroller ride and  I fed him dinner and put him to bed at 7:30,

per his mama's instructions.

 

I told Grandpa to listen for him because I was off to buy a pop.

When I got back home I was greeted by a smiling happy Ledger, playing with his Grandpa.

"He was crying." said Mike, sheepishly.

 

Ledger bought himself another hour. 

I put him back to bed at 8:30 and he fell asleep immediately.

 

 

 

Andy tries really hard to ignore Ledger.  His tough guy image won't allow him to show his softer side to a baby.

Ledger doesn't know this about Andy.

Ledger just LOVES Andy and

smiles at, climbs up on, watches,

and does his best to win Andy over.

From the looks of things, I think Ledger is winning.

 

 

It's been hot here.  Joni has taken Ledger to the splash park a couple of times.  Today Lisa and I stopped by to see the fun.  Poor little guy has such tender skin that he has to wear a hat outside, but it just added to the cuteness factor. 

He had a great time!

for about 5 minutes.

 

 

I fell in love again last week.  He only weighs 8 pounds, but he's gripped my heart as tightly has he gripped his mama's necklace right after he was born.

Love you Asher!

 

 

 

Makes Me Smile and Think

I found this today.  Enjoy!

25 Inspiring Stories to Make You Smile

Here’s a selection of 25 short stories recently submitted to our sister site, Makes Me Think, that not only made us think, but made us smile too.  We hope they do the same for you.  Enjoy.

1. Today, my son turned 7 and I turned 23.  Yes, I had him on the day I turned 16.  The choices I made when I was a teenager were foolish, and sometimes I get worried I’m bringing my son up wrong.  But today I took him to the park to celebrate our birthdays.  He played for hours with a girl who has burn scars that cover most of her face.  When my son took a break to eat, he pointed to her and said, “She’s so pretty and cool!”  Which left me thinking, “I must be doing something right as a mom.”  MMT
2. Today at 1AM, my grandma, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, got up, got into my dad’s car and drove off.  We contacted the police.  But before the police could find her, two college kids pulled into our driveway with my grandma.  One was driving my dad’s car and the other was following in their car.  They said they overheard her crying about being lost at an empty gas station 10 miles away.  My grandma couldn’t remember our address, but gave the kids her first and last name.  They looked her up online, found our address, and drove her home.  MMT
3. Today, my 8-year-old son hugged me and said, “You are the best mom in the whole entire world!”  I smiled and sarcastically replied, “How do you know that?  You haven’t met every mom in the whole entire world.”  My son squeezed me tighter and said, “Yes I have.  You are my world.”  MMT
4. Today, my dad turned 91.  He barely has enough strength to speak.  But every time my mom (she’s 84) walks into the room to check on him, he says, “Hello beautiful.”  MMT
5. Today, when I went to pick-up my daughter from preschool she was sitting on the ground in the corner of the after-care area with 3 blind students.  All of them had smiles on their faces.  The after-care instructor told me my daughter has been spending time with these 3 students every afternoon this week, answering questions and explaining to them in vivid detail what different objects, people and animals look like.  MMT
6. Today, when she woke up from a six month coma, she kissed me and said, “Thank you for being here, and telling me those beautiful stories, and never giving up on me…  And yes, I will marry you.”  MMT
7. Today, I found an old hand written note my mom wrote when she was a senior in high school.  On it is a list of qualities she hoped she would someday find in a boyfriend.  The list is basically an exact description of my dad, who she didn’t meet until she was 27.  MMT
8. Today is my 18th birthday.  Just over 18 years ago a woman was faced with the harsh fact that she had already had 4 miscarriages and 1 stillbirth.  As she was pregnant for the 5th time, doctors informed her that her pregnancy was risky.  They said there was a good chance either the baby or her wouldn’t make it.  She chose to give the baby a chance anyway.  My mom and I both made it and are still healthy to this day.  MMT
9. Today, my grandpa keeps and old, candid photo on his nightstand of my grandma and him laughing together at some party in the 1960’s.  My grandma passed away from cancer in 1999 when I was 7.  This evening when I was at his house, my grandpa caught me staring at the photo.  He walked up, hugged me from behind and said, “Remember, just because something doesn’t last forever, doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth your while.”  MMT
10. Today, a week after I donated three bags of clothes to a local homeless shelter, I saw a homeless woman sitting on a park bench wearing a tye-dye shirt I made when I was a teenager.  I walked by her and said, “I love your shirt!”  She smiled and said, “Thank you!  I really do too!”  MMT
11. Today, I sat down with my two daughters, ages 4 and 6, to explain to them that we have to move out of our 4 bedroom house and into a 2 bedroom apartment for awhile until I can find another job that pays well.  My daughters looked at each other for a moment and then my youngest daughter turned to me and asked, “Are we all moving into the apartment together?”  “Yes,” I replied.  “Oh, so no big deal then,” she said.  MMT
12. Today is the 14th day in a row that my nursing home patient’s grandson has come to visit her.  Two weeks ago I told him that the only time I see his grandmother smile all week is when he visits her on Sunday mornings.  MMT
13. Today, as I pulled into my apartment complex I noticed my neighbor, who’s about 8 months pregnant, struggling with her groceries.  I stopped and helped her bring them up the stairs into her apartment.  This evening, when I got home from the gym I found a freshly baked apple pie sealed in Tupperware sitting on my doorstep with a note that said, “I used the ingredients you helped me carry to bake this.  Enjoy!”  MMT
14. Today, a man came in to apply at my restaurant.  He seemed charismatic, kind, knowledgeable, and friendly.  Later, when I went to call him to extend a job offer, I noticed he had written “ask for me” under his number.  The number belongs to a homeless shelter.  But I’m gonna take a risk and hire him anyways.  MMT
15. Today, I found out that my mom and dad have been working second jobs at night so they can continue to financially assist my twin sister and I who are both sophomores in college.  My dad said, “You two will be the first in our family’s history to receive college diplomas.  Two jobs is nothing!  I’d work three if I had to to see you two graduate.”  MMT
16. Today, my 12-year-old son, Sean, and I stopped by the nursing home together for the first time in several months.  Usually I come alone see my mother who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s.  When we walked into the lobby, the nurse said, “Hi, Sean!” and then buzzed us in.  “How does she know your name?” I asked.  “Oh, I swing by here on my walk home from school all the time to say hi to Grandma,” Sean said.  I had no idea.  MMT
17. Today, my mom has been blind for 15 years.  She lost her vision in the same car accident that took my dad’s life.  I am 18 years old now.  She has raised me as a single mom since I was 3, without her vision.  And yes, she did a heck of a job!  MMT
18. Today, I met the prettiest woman on a plane.  Assuming I wouldn’t see her again after we made our connections, I told her how pretty I thought she was.  She gave me the most sincere smile and said, “Nobody has said that to me in 10 years.”  It turns out we’re both in our mid-30’s, never married, no kids, and we live about 5 miles away from each other.  We have a date set for next Saturday after we return home.  MMT
19. Today, my mom received the surgery she needed to remove a malignant tumor.  My family has been struggling without medical insurance since my dad lost his job last year.  My sister and I have been openly discussing my mom’s medical dilemma on Facebook.  Last week, a friend of a friend, who’s a veteran cancer treatment surgeon who owns his own practice, saw our comments on Facebook and volunteered to help my mother for free.  MMT
20. Today, I’m a mother of 2 and a grandmother of 4.  At 17 I got pregnant with twins.  When my boyfriend and friends found out I wasn’t going to abort them, they turned a cold shoulder to me.  But I pressed forward, worked full-time while attending school, graduated high school and college, and met a guy in one of my classes who has loved my children like his own for the last 50 years.  MMT
21. Today, as I was sleeping, I woke up to my daughter calling my name.  I was sleeping in a sofa chair in her hospital room.  I opened my eyes to her beautiful smile.  My daughter has been in a coma for 98 days.  MMT
22. Today, on our 10th wedding anniversary, she handed me a suicide note she wrote when she was 22. It was dated the exact day we met each other.  And she said, “For all these years I didn’t want you to know how foolish and unstable I was back when we met.  But even though you didn’t know, you saved me.  Thank you.” MMT
23. Today, at 8AM this morning, after four months of lifelessness in her hospital bed, we took my mom off life support.  And her heart continued beating on its own.  And she continued breathing on her own.  Then this evening, when I squeezed her hand three times, she squeezed back three times.  MMT
24. Today, the homeless man who used to sleep near my condo showed up at my door wearing the business suit I gave him nearly 10 years ago.  He said, “I have a home, a job, and a family now.  10 years ago I wore this business suit to all my job interviews.  Thank you.”  MMT
25. Today, when I opened my store at 5AM there was an envelope sitting on the floor by the door.  In the envelope was $600 and a note that said, “Five years ago, I broke into your store at night and stole $300 worth of food.  I’m sorry.  I was desperate.  Here’s the money with 100% interest.”  Interestingly, I never reported the incident to the cops because I assumed that whoever stole the food really needed it.  MMT

And, of course, be sure to check out Makes Me Think for more stories like these.

The Proverbial Straw

It's been one of those years.  Everything just keeps happening and I find myself thinking I can't do anything more.  One more of any additional "thing" would break me. Or make me want to break something.

It started in July. I was just sailing along, enjoying life and whammy.

• A job offer that I wasn't seeking, but accepted, which turned out to be a good thing, but still a change and new stuff to learn.
• Health concerns that STILL haven't been explained.  I done with it.  I don't need another expensive test to have to pay for just so I can see "that look" in the doctor's face. You know the one, the "I think you're a hypochondriac" one.

In September I started another class.  Always another class.  Go to work, go to class, go home and do homework, go to bed, go to work, go to........... Well, you get the picture.

October - The birth of LEDGER!!!! My new little buddy. He's definitely a highlight.  Mmmmmmm, I just love me some baby time.

November was one of those months that came in like a lamb and went out like a lion, and I'm not talking about the weather.  The beginning of the month was pretty nice.  I think I was handling things okay, and then Thanksgiving hit. That weekend was like the beginning of the big slide for me. Emily's pregnancy problems started to surface, first with her breathing issues and then the Rh problems. Into  December was when my nephew and his wife lost their premature twin girls.  Because of their similar history, as far as fertility goes, to my own daughter Lisa, this event hit me particularly hard. I still shed tears over it from time to time.  I just could not get myself motivated enough to decorate anything for Christmas. I didn't even put up a tree until 3 days before, and only because Joni had a pre-lit fake one in her house that Mike hauled home and stuck in the living room.  I didn't even decorate that!

And now it's January and so cold! And I'm in yet another class.  This class may be the straw.  You know the one.  The one that broke the down-troddened woman's back.

This class is online.  I thought it would be a great fit for me as I wouldn't have to go to class after work.  Just do the homework.  HA.  and DOUBLE HA!!!
My first clue came from the afternoon mail guy here in my office.  He told me about a very time-consuming class he was just trying to finish. He said there was so much daily reading  he had a hard time keeping up.  And it was the same class I'd just signed up for.

I thought he must be exaggerating, and even if he wasn't, it wouldn't be as bad for me, cause I didn't have any other classes to keep up on.
HA, DOUBLE HA and HA HA HA!!!

I am now in said class.  I haven't even had time to read ANY of the chapters in the book. I did my first quiz and got an "F", I read the philosophical paper, posted to the discussion board 4 times, studied the vocabulary and went through the powerpoint and have scoured the to-do list for class multiple times.  Last night at 9:00 I thought I was finally starting to catch up and then I noticed 2 little links.  We were instructed to view those items.  Okay, I'm thinking they are a clip of something or other.  noooOOOOOOOOO!!!!!They were recordings of full-blown class lectures, each 1 hour long. I watched one of them before going to bed. Just before I turned off my computer I noticed that I still needed to review a tutorial on APA style and review a presentation, review the study guide on Greek philosophers, select and submit a provisional paper topic, and take another quiz, which I will probably again flunk.

I'm breaking..........