Starry Starry Night

Did you miss me, Grainiacs?  Thanks to my terrific parents....especially my amazing travel guide step-dad, Ray, my family experienced the Wild West and I got to cross off a bucket list item!

I think I've told you (maybe not) but I've always wanted to view the universe from the McDonald Observatory.  A certain "ray" of sunshine heard about it and planned out the best West Texas trip. 

Captain's Log Stardate 1: We began our journey at 9:05 a.m.  For lunch "The Rolling Starship Enterprise" stopped in Laredo and we ate in the RV at the extremely beautiful Texas Visitor Center.  The Starship got rolling again and I moved to the back of the bus--hoping to read and get some seminary studies out of the way.  I stretched out on the bed and began to read "Human Growth and Development."  Sidebar: Unfortunately I thought I had one chapter to read.  When I got back to the land of internet I found out I had 4 chapters to read in that course and an extra book to read in the other course!!!  Good Lord and I'm having a tooth extracted this week too.  So glad I was able to blissfully enjoy my vacation!!! Can you say "when it rains, it pours?"  Thank you, Good Lord, for the cleansing rain we had yesterday.

Getting back to the trip:  We traveled up highways and by-ways and 356.5 miles later stopped for the evening at Seminole Canyon State Park. We were excited to hear we'd be able to see the meteor shower that Monday night.  Boy had assembled the telescope so we were good to go...or so we thought.  Although we could view the shower with the naked eye, we didn't expect the moon to be so bright which made the sky so hazy.  We couldn't see a thing except the stars and the moon and the occasional lights off the horizon from a fast moving 18-wheeler.  We could imagine those were the meteor showers passing by!

Good night, Moon (we love you, but don't you think you could have dimmed your lights a bit?  It's not all about you, ya know!!!)

Jelly Bean's Helpful Hints

Today I am pleased to present Jelly Bean who successfully lost 20 pounds as the guest blogger.

Strawberry once asked me what tricks I had up my sleeve to help me succeed on this diet roller coaster called Life.  I want to be healthy in mind, body, and spirit.  As a result, I tried everything:  (1) Pre-packaged meals (you know which ones), (2) Eliminating things that grow on stalks and eating only those things that swam, clucked, and mooed, (3) Not eating, which meant starvation mode, (4) Drinking my breakfast, lunch, and dinner (if it did not fit through a straw, then it wasn't consumed), (5) Drinking hot lemon water in the morning until the dentist notified me that enamel doesn't grow back, and (6) Going to meetings that tried to motivate me, but for me that didn't quite work either.  

My tricks:
 (1) Go to a grocery store that has a sit down deli. See if there are individually packaged  salad dressings.  Marzetti's has a non-fat raspberry vinaigrette, a non-fat ranch, and other non-fat varieties;  the 1.5 oz package is only 1 WW point and they are all delicious.  When I go to the pot lucks at church (PS we are Dutch Protestants and yes we love to eat too) I will have one or two of those packages in my purse.  They make great vegetable dip and a quick addition to the salad. 

(2)   When making salad, I love a lot of color-- red, yellow, and orange peppers, red radishes; my salads are huge with a lot of free veggies.  But my problem is that I don't quite like to spend time cutting up all the veggies (which takes a lot of time).   So this is my solution to that problem.  I bought a salad spinner.  I wash my lettuce really well and spin it till it is dry.  Keep the lettuce in the spinner and keep a couple of paper towels between the bowl and the colander type thingy.  Then take a separate container, you know the round container that is sectioned off into separate little areas to put cheese, onions, peppers, celery, cucumbers, cauliflower, etc, etc.  I use one with a snap down lid and I cut up all my veggies and place them in separate sections in that container.  For the onions I place them in a zip-lock bag so everything doesn't smell and tastes like onions.  Then I place plastic wrap over the veggies and over the edges of the container and I seal it.  For a family it would be great- retrieve it from the refrigerator, set it on the table, open it up and everyone could get their favorite veggies and place it on their salad.  I eat a salad everyday because I know that I don't have to spend time cutting the radishes, cucumbers, celery, sweet peppers, onions, garbanzo beans and black olives.  

 

Strawberry wrote in her "Going Against the Grain Still" blog that everyone needs to find what works for them.  But in order for us imperfect people to become healthy in mind, body, and spirit, we need to have a support system (our buddies) around us to love and encourage us regardless of whether or not we fail and to encourage each other regardless of the circumstances.  Strawberry and Jelly Bean (me) have been friends for 28 years; we have gone through a lot together.  Although the miles have kept us 2,100 miles apart, God keeps our friendship strong.  Prayer keeps us close, and the Christian bond that we have between us keeps us sisters, if not in blood then in spirit.  "Going Against the Grain Still" makes me laugh, cry, and every emotion in-between.  Got to love strawberries, especially on a shortcake or ice cream sundaes or covered in chocolate;  well forget the strawberries- just the chocolate will do.  Keep the faith and God will always give you the strength to follow the road less traveled.   God Bless the Strawberries and Buttercups of life.  Keep life sweet by eating a few jelly beans now and then.  

Can I hear an "Amen!"

Before I begin my random thoughts today, I want to shout out an "Amen" to Jelly Bean.  She lost those last few pounds to make it to 20 pounds gone!!!  Whoo hoo.  She has been using Weight Watchers online and loves it.  She says she did better losing the weight on her own using WW online rather than going to the meetings and feeling bad afterwards!  Strawberry says we have to find what works best for us and go with it.  Congrats, Jelly Bean!

So last night I watched Carousel.  I remember seeing this musical for the first time when my family was on vacation.  We were all tucked into our beds in the motel room- my parents in one and my brother and I in the other.  I believe we were on our way to visit my grandparents in Georgia.  I still can feel the family love and togetherness all these decades later.  Great times; thank you, Mom.  Soon I'll be traveling with Mom and Step-Dad.  Fifty-plus years old and still going on vacation with my parents.  Gotta love it.  Let's NOT watch Carousel, though; I want to keep that nineteen sixty-something memory alive (it includes my deceased Dad).

I love the music but this musical has always been melancholy for me.  Maybe it was because I was of the age when I knew the meaning of mortality.  Parents could die and what kid doesn't worry about that!  Today we are breeding a new kind of fear.  I can't even imagine the fear that the children of terrorist attacks feel-- the Sandy Hook survivors, the children at the Boston Marathon, the children surviving the blast in West, TX (to name the most recent events).  Fear.  It wasn't something we grew up feeling in my household and yet I can't hear "You'll never walk alone" without crying.  The one underlying theme out of all these tragedies is we are not alone.  Help is on the way.  We might get knocked down, but we'll get back up again.  But maybe it comes with a price.  Maybe those kids that are getting knocked down are getting back up fighting.  Billy Bigelow is a fighter; he has been bullied around.  He hits his wife.  He hits his daughter.  And then daughter Louise asks Mom Julie,  "Is it possible for someone to hit you, to hit you real hard and it not hurt at all?"  And Julie replies,  "It is possible; it is possible for someone to hit you hard and it not hurt at all."  Even as a child (who was not hit by the way...just making that clear, dear Grainiacs) knew that was bull-poopy.  Violence of any kind should not be tolerated.  Studies show that people who begin by attacking and hurting animals will grow tired of that and move on to bigger and human varieties.  We are under attack- in our nation, in our communities, and in our homes.  More and more reports are coming out about human trafficking- women and children being bought and sold and all in the name of capitalism--- not in other countries, but here in the USA.  When do you decide you want to start selling children to sick people for sex?  What makes a person think "Now that would be a good career choice?"  You can call them a bully....you can call them a terrorist....but I see it as a call for help. 


A few are getting back up and saying I will not do this to another person; I want to help.  I don't want this experience to happen to another living thing.  They are the ones speaking out at Capitol Hill.  They open shelters and talk all night on help lines.  They have been in the trenches and are there to help.  Stories are coming out about heroism in Boston and in West.  There are a few good guys (read men and women....I'm from Texas...."guys" is a gender neutral word...like God, but that's a different post for another day) out there.

But Billy wants to help his daughter.  Yes, he is redeemed at the end.  During the graduation speech, the old doctor tells the graduating class to not be defined for the sins of their parents.  They should  "keep the faith and your courage and you'll turn out alright."  Then they sing.....  "When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high and don't be afraid of the dark (Billy whispers in his daughter's ear "believe him, darling").  Then he whispers in Julie's ears those words she's been longing to hear "I love you, Julie"...sniff sniff.   Oh Lord, I am so menopausal!!!  But I'm an optimist.

When you walk through a storm
Keep your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At he end of the storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark.

Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown.Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never walk alone.

more waiting

Oh....My....Gosh!!!  I procrastinate.  I know it.  I'm guilty.  But dang it, once I get going, I want things done....like yesterday.  So yesterday was my dental appointment.  I worked myself up into a dither...or dather.  My appointment was 2 p.m.  That meant I had ALL morning and some of my afternoon to worry, fret, bitch, and almost cry.  Root Canal.  It sounds painful.  Thankfully I have very, very good friends who call and write and tell me all will be okay.  My professor even wrote and said she understood and had a root canal gone bad and is now needing an implant.  Well, okay, that wasn't the most comforting greeting but she meant well.  By 3:30 p.m., I was still waiting to see the dentist!  By 4 p.m. x-rays were taken and I was told I waited too long to see the specialist and the whole durn tooth needed to come out!  I told my previous dentist to take them all out-- I could live with my teeth soaking in a glass on my night-table.  I might be getting my wish....one tooth at a time.  I've heard to be careful what you wish for.  The extraction is scheduled for Hubby's BD.  Surprise!!!  You get to take care of me on your big day, guy.  

Ah, who am I kidding?  Yesterday he came rushing home for lunch and said "Talk about procrastination!" 

He then presented me with our tax return.  "Sign on the dotted line."

As he made his sandwich he said "I guess you'll have to stand in line with the other procrastinators."  

I assured him I'd rather have a root canal!

The Gospel According to Strawberry

I am teaching children's Sunday School tomorrow for about 4 weeks.  It has more to do with my seminary class than with being a really nice Christian.  I need a grade, man!  So let's begin with the beginning: Genesis.  As I ponder the majesty and glory of God’s wonderful amazing world and all that God did those first days of creation, I am left with the question “Why did God make teeth?”  I’m serious.  In God’s magnificent wisdom and knowledge and LOVE, why would a compassionate God create a beloved creation with something that could cause… so…. much…. pain???  I ask you; do you relish the thought of 12” needles being stuck up into your gums?  How about a drill?  Since I found out I need a root canal, I am contemplating such questions of God.  The mere name (root canal...not God....well.....yes God too!) sends shivers up my spine and brings my blood pressure up to the nth degree.  Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate dentists but I have to wonder what kind of issues they endured early in their life that they would seek such a sadistic profession!  (I’m also taking Human Growth and Development this semester so maybe Freud will help me find the answer!) 

In Genesis 1:29 God says “I now give to you all the plants on the earth that yield seeds and all the trees whose fruit produces its seeds within it.  These will be your food.”  Now why couldn’t God create a food where teeth are not needed?  You really don’t need teeth to gum manna or gulp down the precious seeds of a persimmon.  I think of my babies.  What did they survive on?  Mother’s milk or some type of liquid diet, right?  I wonder why God didn’t create us humans to just stay on that kind of diet.  Eve would never have eaten that forbidden fruit unless she gummed it to death and by then maybe she could have changed her mind and changed the course of the history.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Hebrews 5 that infants need milk but that mature Christians need solid food.  I still have to wonder what kind of life we humans might have had with just a liquid diet.  Would there be obesity?  I read an article about a girl who has only survived on ramen noodles for 13 of her 18 year old life.  Doctors are claiming she is malnourished and has the inside body organs of an 80 year old.  Wouldn't that scare you if you were 18 years old?  50 years old?

Since I'm stuck with my teeth, I guess I’ll have to trust God and God’s ultimate wisdom because as for me, my wisdom teeth were extracted a long time ago!

Pretzels, Anyone?

Was my body really meant to contort that way?  I haven't danced to Achy Breaky Heart yet but I have pulled out my yoga mat and bought a nice rubberized strap.  I usually use a towel to wrap around my feet and lean one leg to the right and then lean to the left.  Recently, I have experienced great pain when sitting on the floor cross-legged.  My hip just doesn't want to cooperate!  I'm not sure if it ever wanted to cooperate.  I remember long, long, LONG years ago when I took ballet- now that's going back decades!!!  I was new to the class and the ballet instructor was telling us to do the splits.  I must have been 10 inches off the ground from that split.  My legs were bent and my face must have been red from struggling to get into position.  The next thing I know the instructor leans on my shoulders and pops me into the splits.  Sure I heard a pop and something like muscles tearing, but I was so proud.  I know I went home joyous and proved to whomever would watch me as I slid into a ballet splits.  Well now I'm cussing out that instructor who is probably happily  pirouette-ing and Grand jeté-ing all over heaven while I, on the other hand, can't even sit cross-legged!  Where are you now, huh?  Why aren't you here to pop my hip into a happy little cross-legged position?  So much for sitting in "seated meditation."  But that's not stopping me from utilizing the VCR and moving from downward facing dog to mountain pose.  Oh yeah, this Strawberry can move mountains with those pelvic tilts!!

Great time!

This past weekend I experienced love and friendship that only can happen during a mountain-top atmosphere.  I am thankful that the smells and pollen on that mountain loved me too! Even my tooth behaved  (p.s. I do need a root canal.  Boy did that knock me off my mountain top!).  

I enjoyed seeing "old" friends and was thrilled to meet "new" friends.  Sisters in Christ are special people....sometimes.  I traveled to my mountain-top with a new "sister."  So all in all, it was a smashing success.  And as usual I've hit the pavement running.  That's the thing about weekend getaways; schedules and appointments back home are waiting patiently for you.

My seminary classes started yesterday and they are not so patient.  They could have cared less if I had a spiritual retreat.  I took a look at the syllabi and it's time to hit the books and get writing.  Grrrrrrr

Before I get the brain moving, may I tell you about my new favorite exercise?  I told Boy I had a new favorite.  He was happy to hear about it till I mentioned I plan to teach it to him.  What's wrong with Line Dancing?  He didn't seem ecstatic to dance with his mother to Achy Breaky Heart!  Today is his orthodontics appointment.  Can you say "Oh my achy breaky checking account?"

I love to dance; always have but I've lost my happy feet.  I used to turn on The Go-Go's music and dance while I cleaned the house.  I've lost my hip and my hop!  I used to go to bars (shhh, don't tell my Mom) and dance away the hours to Ronnie Milsap, etc.  I've lost my two-step.  So move over Richard Simmons....I've decided to rock and roll and swing to my own drummer, er rather Spotify.  I'm going to find some of these country and western songs and get moving to line dancing.  Another great dancing activity we did was folk dancing via Hill Country style.  I want to look that up on the internet and get moving to the folk dance (it's a little like square dancing, I guess).  How about you?  Any great/ fun exercise programs you care to share?  Let's get moving, Grainiacs!

Pass the bucket

Do you have a bucket list?  

I don't have an official "bucket list," but I do have certain things I'd like to do/ see/ have before..... da da da!  

Last night at choir I mentioned I wouldn't be in church on a certain Sunday because I'll be out of town doing a certain something on my bucket list.  

You wouldn't believe how many people laughed and murmured.  After the practice almost everyone came up and commented that I am too young to have a bucket list.  

I asked "when DOES one start the list?"  

One older adult told me he has already completed his bucket list!  Wow!!! So now what, I wondered?

So hand me that bucket; I'm working on my list.

When it rains, it pours

Unless we are talking about actual rain, then it 1) doesn't come or 2) spits at you and then leaves.  Our poor farmers!  We need rain here, Grainiacs.  Please send precipitational thoughts our way!  Brooks and Cosmos are doing their part.  P.S. Don't eat our veggies unless you wash them off first!

This "rain" statement also pertains to our medical predicament.  Let it be a lesson not to procrastinate!  I knew I needed to see a dentist.  I knew Boy needed to see a dentist.  Heck, Hubby should probably see a dentist.

I knew I was going out of town this weekend to a women's spring gathering.  I knew I was planning to take those classes this spring...I just wasn't planning to have so many dental issues.  Sheesh, what do you think the Good Lord is trying to tell me?  Am I that person waiting for God to rescue me when people are sending out cars, boats and helicopters?

I have other things happening too; so lesson learned God!!!!  I'm going to be proactive rather than reactive.  Wait, where have I heard THAT before?  This going against my grain is really ticking me off!!!  LOL

Happy Hump Day, Grainiacs.  And your lesson for the day is Don't Procrastinate.  Go to the dentist...the doctor....sign up for that class you've been wanting to take....start that exercise program....take off that weight.  Do It and Do It NOW!!!

Double Ouchy!

Poor Boy- not the sandwich...my Boy had his oral surgery yesterday-- all 4 impacted wisdom teeth extracted.  My usual happy Boy is miserable which makes me miserable.  We have been changing gauze and changing gauze and changing gauze!  He was a little goofy after the surgery and then the pain set in.  I think doctors should call in the pain meds before the surgery.  We weren't able to get the prescription filled till almost 2 hours after the surgery.  The after surgery instructions recommend taking pain meds 30 minutes after the surgery.  Are you kidding me?  Both Walgreens and CVS were packed at 5 p.m.  I decided to go to another Walgreens that is close to the house (read- not close to the Dr. office).  By the time I got up to the counter, there was a 1 1/2 hour wait.  I doped Boy up on Tylenol while we waited for "the good stuff."  Just a little thought for you if you ever need oral surgery.  While you are having the work done, ask the Dr. to have the staff call in the meds for you so you can pick them up right after the surgery. Had I known our 3 p.m. appointment really didn't get going till 4 p.m. and then we wouldn't get out till 5 p.m. (a rush hour for any city!), I would have had my A-game on!  Instead Moana sat around asking "why is this taking sooooo looooooonnnnnnggggg?"  A public service announcement from yours truly....Strawberry.

Earlier that day (yesterday to be exact) I went in for a teeth cleaning.  2 cavities and a root canal prognosis later and I'm in pain too!!!!  I'm eye-ing....eying.....I-ing....whatever....I'm looking at Boy's pain meds very longingly.  Nope, I won't do it, but if it were up to Moana...yep, she'd take 'em.  Actually I want a second opinion.  I will not take a root canal lying down (unless I really need it; then I guess I WILL be lying down!).  I plan to fight it...well, tooth and nail!  The dental hygienist recommended a water pick.  It seems I have a hole in my gums and lots of crap gets caught up in there.  (No wise cracks....yes there IS a hole in my head-- You were right, Mom!)  I knew something was wrong.  I've been picking at it and scraping it with my fingernail and dental floss, but I had not thought of a water pick.  Those things aren't cheap either!  While she was cleaning, she kept exclaiming "Oh yes, I see why you are in pain!"  "Oh my goodness, look what was in there too!"  She said it looked like part of a fingernail!!!!  Okay we've got a couple of pack rats out in the yard and Boy has one in his room and obviously I'm so "anal" (remember my Freud comments from a post or two past?) that I'm hoarding fingernail parts up in my gums!

After my appointment I went right over to Walgreens to pick out a water pick.  So they must be a hot commodity....like people want to steal them or something because they were under lock and key.  The hygienist recommended Oral B.  Well, yeah, sure I could think about investing $200.00 if I weren't looking at 2 cavities/ and a root canal.  I opted for the not locked up $38.99 original Waterpik waterflosser instead.  I can't report on it yet.  It is also cordless so it needed 24 hour charge time before I can use it.  Oh waiting--- Moana will not be happy about this!

It's Tuesday, Grainiacs.  Again, have a wonderful....pain-free day.  I'm off to check on Boy.

M-O-A-N-A!!!!

Does anybody have an extra long nail I could borrow?  I would love to jab it up my gums.   Have you ever had a piece of food stuck in between your teeth or a popcorn kernel stuck up in your gums?  It just sits there and festers and hurts to the high heavens.  I've been suffering from a toothache or allergies or allergies AND a toothache.  All I know is my mouth hurts.  I have brushed and flushed and scraped to no avail.  I have popped Tylenol.  I have flushed out my sinuses.  You name it, I've inhaled it, rinsed with it, rubbed Orajel on it, jabbed it, flossed it, and repeated the whole process all over again.  I'm miserable and Moana is squawking.....loudly.

Tomorrow Boy is going to the oral surgeon to have his impacted wisdom teeth taken out (for real this time!).  Moana can think only of herself.  She's ready to push Boy aside and steal his Dr. appt; she's thinking about asking if she can take his appointment and have whatever is causing this pain taken out-- even if it's the sinuses!!! May I borrow a statement from years ago??? This is THE PITS!!!!!!  So this is how babies feel when they are teething.  Hey, there's an idea.  I think I'll bite down on one of those cold squishy teething rings.

So yeah, I'm drugged up on Tylenol, but I have my teething ring so all's good...for the moment!

Happy Monday, Grainiacs, and may yours be a pain-free one!