Thursday, September 30, 2010

I’m sure it’s genetic.

I have a little pack rat.

She finds treasures, and really wants to make a home for them especially if they are small and/or shiny.

I can’t really blame her.  I used to be the same way. 

I remember going shooting, and wanting to collect and keep every spent 22 shell.  (They were small and shiny.)  I also made a home for all of my “special things”.  My mom left it alone.  I was organized and quite clean, so there was no need to ever nag me about throwing stuff out.  I usually came to a decision on the matter on my own, but it was a little saddening to part with those things I treasured at one time or another.

Why does it bother me so much then, that Lynn is the same way?

Why can’t I leave well enough alone?

Maybe it’s because the stuff she finds stinks.

Really.

pack rat

Here’s her haul from our trip to the soon to be demolished junior high school:

- the top of a trophy

- someone’s abandoned art projects

- a few fake bills (probably some class incentive)

- a dry erase marker

- another type of marker that should have gone away with everything else in the 80’s/early 90’s..

- a bobbin

- someone’s abandoned sewing project (full of more treasures no doubt, I am scared to see).

- old wax

- part of a Christmas garland

- an ugly basket to go with the ugly garland

- and the smelliest of them all….  some nasty perfume.

I thought that Grandma P. had come in our home when I smelled that scent.  Upon further investigation, I discovered it was my nearly 8 year old daughter, sharing her new-found fragrance with her friends.

I told her to throw it away.

Then I asked where she got it.

(Nice order there, wouldn’t you say?)

When she told me: “At the school.” I prodded her for further information.

Was it found on the ground?  Was it discovered in one of the moldy/dusty gym locker rooms?  Was it in one of the classroom closets?

She couldn’t remember, and honestly, if she answered in the affirmative to any of those possibilities, it probably would have made me dry heave more than I already was, and that wasn’t entirely due to the scent, mostly to my imagination running wild with the possibilities of the location where it was found.

I had to dissuade her from taking many other treasures from the school that day.  For example, there were maxi pads strewn all over the media center floor.  (Un-used of course.)  But she was intrigued by them.  She grabbed a stack to take home with her.  When I told her what they were, she asked what they were used for.  When I told her, and I didn’t mince words, she still didn’t put them down!  I guess she was preparing for the future…

I had her narrowed down to three, small treasures to take home, but then I left to take the younger two home to get some things done, and later returned to pick her and Merrill up after they were done exploring.

She had found more.

Dad couldn’t say no.

“What is it going to hurt?”

Besides my nose?

But really.  I think I need to chill out.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

It’s getting scary around here!

Okay, not so much really.
But it is fun!
(I love decorating for Halloween.)
I have some of the good old stuff still hanging around, and some new creations to add to the mix…
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As you can see, microfine glitter (in an assortment of colors) is my “go to” crafting item lately.
Hopefully I can get my porch together soon.  It’s just that my tomato cages are still being used by my tomato plants!
(Love those tomatoes..  keep coming, I will sacrifice my ghosts this year.)

Meet Alexis…

Sunday, my cousin came up to introduce her new little girl to our Grandpa, and I pretty much told her I was coming too.
I had only heard about this beautiful girl, and couldn’t wait to meet her and take pictures of her (of course).
She is a doll, and the only thing sweeter than her, is her older brother.  He was a sweetheart!
We had fun visiting, snuggling her, and remembering.
At one point, when the hat came off and we were all admiring her hair, her eyes peeped open for just a few seconds, the traditional examination that Grandma would subject all grandbabies and great-grandbabies to, began.  Nothing made Grandma happier than to see the eyes of a newborn baby.  If she couldn’t see the baby in person, a picture would do, but the picture wouldn’t do if that baby’s eyes weren’t open.
Comments came from all around the room that echoed just what Grandma was probably saying.
“Oh, my!  Look at that hair!”
“Look at those fingers…  she’ll be a piano player.”
It was nice to feel her there with us.
(Hard for me not to cry, but good that I had a camera to hide behind.)
It was so sweet to see my Grandpa hold her, admire her and love her.  He was trying as best he could to get her to smile.  I am so thankful that he is here.
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Thanks Bonnie for letting me crash your time at Grandpa’s!
(And I was so good when I came home..  I didn’t even bug Merrill!!)

A goodbye.

We said our goodbyes as we walked around Merrill’s Junior High  one last time before they tear it down.

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I have heard many stories from his days here, but more came tumbling out this day, and even though there was the women's broadcast, I didn’t want to leave…

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We laughed as he tried to remember about where his old lockers were…  some were missing.  I think they can be found in my neighbor’s garage. ;)

We laughed even more as he showed us where all the “hot girls” lockered.  He told us about how if he timed his walk to certain classes just right, his path would cross with some of theirs.

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He told us a story about a book that got placed here, but somehow went missing and never got back on the shelf, and he got to pay for it.

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He stopped us in this hallway, right outside of his English class to tell us of how he narrowly escaped being “anchored” on his last day of ninth grade, and how his older friend helped track down the guys who chased him and then. well, we’ll just say that they “scared” them. ;)

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Visited the old choir room..

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We found some souvenirs.

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Clint and Britney came and joined us.  We got to hear the story of when they met in seventh grade, even snapped a picture of them in that room.

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It made me homesick.  Homesick for those times of life.  Homesick because I wished that I were able to be one of those girls who got to cross his path and flirt with him.  Homesick for just a slow dance at a stomp there with him..

It was a fun time, he said it had made his week.

In all the things we saw, rooms we stopped in, I think the most special was the room where his Grandpa had taught next to Mr. Goody’s room. 

It was fun hearing his stories, seeing the smile on his face as he reminisced, and giving all of this to our girls.

A wedding.

This last weekend turned out to be a busy one..  but SO fun!

I was asked to take pictures of a cousin (in-law) while she got primped and pretty for her wedding day Saturday.  It was so much fun!  Just a bunch of women, sitting around, chatting, and soaking in the joy.

It was such a fun day.

I probably even did something tacky (gasp!), and brought my camera to the ceremony (tacky because they had a photog), but I couldn’t resist…

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Tucking away vows for later..  this is what you do when pockets are unavailable.  (Just ask my cell phone or lens cap.)

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Some of those bobby pins went in too far..

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September 28th..

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September 26th..

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September 27th..

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September 25th..

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September 24th..

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September 22nd..

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September 23rd..

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September 21st..

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