The Weather Boy

I remember the "My First Weather Station" thermometer we had in the kitchen when the kids were little. It had an image of a boy in the display that dressed according to the temperature. So when we first plugged it in and it was 80° the little fellow was wearing a bathing suit and a smile ready to dive in a swimming pool. As summer turned to fall the little guy moved from shorts into long pants. In late fall the temperature in Michigan dropped to 45° our little display was wearing a long coat, boots, scarf and wool cap.

At that point we lost all respect for our weather boy. In Michigan we don’t pull out the hat and gloves until it is at least freezing. And the long coat… at 45 degrees? The kids immediately changed his name to “wimp boy” instead of weather boy and every morning they all got up to check to see if he was overdressed. Poor kid, he just wasn’t used to our Michigan weather.

Going hiking on North Manitou Island

I am packed. This was no small feat. I have 39 pounds of things in this backpack…. Including about 3 liters of water. I have no idea how in the hell I will carry it as far as I need to. I put the pack on in my bedroom and walked out to the kitchen…. I thought I was going to die. The first day of my hiking trip we are scheduled to walk 4 miles. That is just to the campsite. These gung-ho women I am traveling with will probably want to go further and farther than that. I may be in serious trouble here.

There were many packing questions I had that I just had to guess at. Like: how much toilet paper does one person go through in 6 days? I have no idea….. maybe I could have Googled it- but I really feel they would just be guessing too. I have one extra outfit in my bag and my bathing suit…. But I insisted on 6 pairs of underwear. I do not think this is excessive. I really like clean underwear, and I just do not want to take fewer pairs and beat them against a rock and wring them out to dry on this trip.

Macy waited until I was all packed and had everything crammed into the bag (for the 3^rd time) to mention that I should fill the water bladder to make sure everything fit with the water in it. So I unpacked everything and filled it. It fit… it just made the bag heavier.

I am concerned that I will not have water, electricity, bathrooms….. and internet for 6 days. I have no idea how I will fill up the time. I’m going to keep a journal but I really dislike handwriting everything. Typing and auto-correct are really the way I like to go now. (My 8^th grade typing teacher would be amazed…. He didn’t think I’d ever learn to type!)

I think I will miss my family even more than flush toilets…. And that is A LOT! I worry about what I will miss at home and what’s going on in the real world. Also, there are no chairs, I really like chairs. I think this island should invest in a few picnic tables. I am not sure if I can even put the pack on from the ground…. And if by some miracle I can get it on, I wonder if I can get up off the ground with the pack on without some kind of rope system… or a crane.

Ok, enough of these thoughts. I’m just going to try my best. Did I mention there are a lot of snakes on this island? Not gonna worry about it, but I will keep my tent zipped tight! Wish me luck!! Good thoughts and prayers are very welcome too! J

“Call Poison Control!!!”

Dill came running from the bathroom yelling, foaming at the mouth and eyes wide.

Me: what’s the matter?

Dill: I just brushed my teeth with itch cream!!

Me: What?! You’re all right. Just rinse your mouth out and brush your teeth with toothpaste.

Pepper: Don’t you people read the tube?!

(I had done the same thing this morning. Pepper put the cortisone cream on the counter where we usually keep the toothpaste)

Dill: (To Pepper) Mom, I’m gonna die!

Pepper: You’ll be fine, Salt did the same thing this morning. She’s fine.

Me: Its true, my teeth haven’t itched all day!!

Follow up- Dill started crying and REALLY wanted Poison Control called. We did. They said IF he swallowed a lot he could have a little diarrhea, but no other issues to be concerned about… they also called our boy a Drama King….  They pegged him!!

J

Bedroom conversation

Pepper: I can't sleep.
Me: Why not?
Pepper: I don't know, I was sleeping fine in the car.
Me: I know. Every time the speedometer went over 45 MPH you fell asleep! Then you didn't wake up again until I went below 45!
Pepper: Remember when the kids were little and you would drive them around until they stopped crying and went to sleep?
Me: Uh-huh.
Pepper: Feel like driving me around until I'm tired?
Me: No
Pepper: Do you want me to drive you around so you can fall asleep?
Me: You mean, get out of bed and back into the car we've been in all day?
Pepper: Uh-huh.
Me: No.
Pepper: ok, good night.
Me: Good night.

At the doctor's today.....

Pepper and I were waiting in the exam room for the doctor to come in for my appointment. It was taking longer than usual and I was getting impatient.

Me: This is taking too long. Where the heck are they? Maybe they forgot we’re in here!!

Pepper: I could run out of the room yelling that you’re having a seizure… I bet someone will come in quickly then.

Of course, just as we both burst out laughing…. In comes the doctor!! :D

Blood pressure

My sister has gotten herself into a mess. Sometimes, as we were growing up, it felt like she could fall into a 100 thorny rose bushes and come out without a scratch but then at other times she would  trip on an invisible crack in the sidewalk and barely recover. This time she did not fair well. She ended up in a dark and lonely place. Her mind, heart and spirit are broken. I haven’t seen her since Christmas 2 years ago. I miss her.

She sent me a letter today. She started with an inside joke only I would get, an old joke from an episode of Laverne and Shirley from when we were kids. Then she offers me words of encouragement and advice. It isn’t bad advice, but I’d never admit that to my little sister. She ended with information about how things are going for her. Its hilarious and I am going to share it here:

“Well, I am working on getting into the boot camp that starts in June. But wait till you hear this... I have to take a physical for it. This nurse went to take my blood pressure and it was really high (I knew it would be because I just came from my shrink and was a wreck). She put the cuff on (of course, she is like 5'5 not even 100 lbs) and the thing flew off and hit her in the face because of my fat lunch lady arms. The doc couldn't stop laughing after he saw that she was ok and didn’t have a flesh wound. I’m like ready to die. Needless to say they are going to call me back when they have the bigger cuff for fat ladies... “

Observations from the back seat

When I was about 13, I remember being over at my Grandparents for a celebration. As we were all leaving (My family and my mother’s brother’s family) David, my 16 year-old cousin got into the driver’s seat. He always seemed so old to me while we were growing up because he was 3 years older so that usually put him into the school just above where I was (jr high when I was still in elementary, high school when I finally made it to jr. high, etc.)

So I watched in awe as we all got into our cars and he got into the driver’s seat. Not only did he get to drive, but my other cousin, Kim, who was only one year older than me got into the passenger seat and my aunt and uncle got into the back seat! At the time, this was very amazing to me.  This never happened in my family. I made the request a few years later once I got my license but both parents gave a resounding no to the idea of me and either of my sisters in the front seat while they sat in the back. Oh well, I tried.

Last night, after a dinner with all 8 of us, the guys took the boys to their house and the girls came home with us. Macy asked if she could drive. I could not say no. The cool awesomeness I remembered my uncle being would finally be mine! Not only did I let Macy, our 17 year old drive, but I had Pepper sit in the back with me and had Dori ride in the front passenger seat.

Here’s what I learned: Pepper was not happy with this suggestion to sit in the back. The door handle in Dill’s spot has something sticky on it. Dori, in charge of the radio, does not like the same kinds of music I do. The speakers in the back are much louder from Dill’s spot. You can not see over the driver’s seat from his spot so I had no idea when turns, bumps, ramps, passing cars, stop lights…. were coming up. Macy likes to “shimmy” the ever-slightest bit like a race car driver as she tools along the highway. From the clothes hook above my head, Dill long ago tied a balloon. The string left behind is long enough to hit my forehead. There is no lumbar support in the back seats of our SUV. I still get car sick in the backseat. My parents were much smarter than my uncle. :)

Power Outage

A big storm rolled through our area recently dumping quite a bit of snow and knocking out power all over. We did not actually lose power when everyone else did, ours was mostly a brown out. We had dim lights, use of the stove, but not the microwave or oven and couldn’t use our pellet stove or TV. We were all home together for a snow day. The kids played games and we all read and hung out. At the end of the day, Dill announced, “Hey, we got through the whole day without technology!” I think he felt like Laura Ingalls!

This reminded me of the first time I ever lived through a power outage. My family lived in Cleveland and I wasn’t more than 3 or 4. It was a big summer storm that knocked out power all over. Our whole neighborhood was without power. On day 2 of the outage, my Dad talked to the neighbor because they were both worried about losing everything in the freezer. They decided to get out their grills and just cook everything. Other neighbors joined in and it became a huge neighborhood party. The outage did not affect us too much since it was summer and when it got dark, everyone just went to bed. On about the 4^th day, Mom was ready to do some laundry and was again talking to some neighbors about how long they would be without power. It suddenly occurred to my mother that the electric company should have given an estimate on how long the outage would last. She asked who had called to notify the company that the power was out and all the neighbors looked at each other and then started laughing when they realized no one had called because they assumed someone else had! Mom called and was told the power would be turned back on within the hour. J

Energy Crisis

As a child I thought the energy crisis had been invented by crazy parents like my Dad who would wander around the house yelling out numbers as he counted how many lights had been left on in the rooms no one was in. (Its horrible because now as an adult I often wander around my own house counting how many lights my kids leave on after they leave a room!)

I long ago proved that the energy crisis was made up. There were commercials on TV when I was 6 or 7 that told kids that to help with the energy crisis we should turn off the water while we brushed our teeth. The announcer told us that there was a water shortage and we needed to do our part to help save water. Pa-leeze! There was no water shortage! .... I really doubted that were true- so one day I turned on the bathroom faucet full blast then went off to watch episodes of Sesame Street, Electric Company and Captain Kangaroo. I came back into the bathroom and the water was still pouring out!!  Since we lived in a city and we paid by how much we consumed.... all I can say now is: my poor Dad!!   :)

Oh no... "Star-get"

Two of Pepper's biggest expenditures and addictions are the store: Target and the coffee house: Starbucks. I was just in a local Target today and saw this sign! Oy, our bank account is in trouble! To make things worse, the store is almost on our way home from work..... and Pepper loves a "long cut" (the opposite of a short cut!)

Giant's lunch

As a group of kindergartners went into the lunch room I noticed the tray included chicken patties without a bun.

One of the kids also noticed what was on the tray and said to me, "Wow! We are having a giant people's chicken nugget!"

:)

I see Old people....

Pepper and I were getting ready for bed one night and she was looking in the mirror. She tells me she notices a wrinkle.

Me: Wrinkles are a sign of a good, long life.

Pepper: I don't like them.

Me: (changing tactics) Well, many cultures honor and respect older people for their wisdom.

Pepper: I respect old people... I just don't want to be one!!

:)

Out of the mouth's of babes

At work my new student teacher has started working with a group of 1st graders. She brought in a Batman and Robin matching game that she found on the internet. The kids loved playing it and it was fun to listen to the conversations they had together, but this one is my favorite....

Student: I'm looking for Robin. He's Batman's wife.

Student teacher: You mean Robin is Batman's friend?

Student: No, actually we call them partners.... that is what they are. :)

Target

Dill: (Just returning from swim practice and finding out all his siblings are busy and doing things he can’t do): I am grumpy. There is nothing to do.  

Pepper: Well, I am running to Target. Want to come with me?

Dill: But I don’t have any money to take to the store.

Pepper: Me either!!  :)

The Doctor Is In

Pepper and I were driving in the car alone together when I started a new conversation...

Me: I think I'd like to try seeing a therapist.

Pepper: What kind of therapist?

Me: You know, the kind you talk to- the shrink kind.

Pepper: We have no money for a therapist- just talk to me.

Me: (5 minutes of just talking about thoughts, worries, hopes etc.)

Pepper says nothing when I finish talking. There is total silence in the car.

Me: Ummm.... I think when a person stops talking the shrink is supposed to say something.

Pepper: I'm thinking.

Me: What are you thinking?

Pepper: I'm wondering what bills we can skip this month so you can see a therapist.

Me: Thanks a lot!! :)

Conversation from School 2

Kindergartener crying outside of the lunch room. 

Substitute: "Why are you crying?"

"I forgot my lunch"

Substitute: "Oh no! How did you do that?"

"I wasn't hungry when I left this morning."

Conversations from School

"My Dad went to the Barbie Shop over the weekend but said I couldn't go.... I didn't even know my Dad liked Barbie's"

Kindergartener crying outside of the lunch room. 

Substitute: "Why are you crying?"

"I forgot my lunch"

Substitute: "Oh no! How did you do that?"

"I wasn't hungry when I left this morning."

Overheard...

Dill: (Just returning from swim practice and finding out all his siblings are busy and doing things he can’t do): I am grumpy. There is nothing to do.  

Pepper: Well, I am running to Target. Want to come with me?

Dill: But I don’t have any money to take to the store.

Pepper: Me either!!  :)

Overheard while standing in a Target line: "I'm not criticizing you, I'm telling you how to do it."

The Pantry Cleaning

The boys decided to clean the kitchen pantry and were very cute as they worked together. I let them do it the way they wanted with no input about how things went in. First they took everything out of the cupboard and wiped off all the shelves. They discussed how everything should be put back in (since everything was now spread all over the kitchen) The conversation went something like this:

Pete: "The top shelf is for water soluble things."

Dill: "Ok, here is some coffee, oh, and sugar that's water soluble"

Pete: "The next shelf is for pasta and noodle-type stuff"

Dill: "Where does onion dip powder go? Is it water soluble, Should it go on the top shelf?"

Pete: "No, its sour cream soluble.... it should go on the third shelf."

Dill: "What goes on the third shelf?"

Pete: "Miscellaneous"

When they came upon the tea selections, they decided that they were "water soluble".... except for English Breakfast Tea- that one went on the 4th shelf--- 'breakfast foods'. I may never find my flour or tea bags again.... but it was worth the entertainment!

Doggie doo

While visiting Jay's sister, she called her daughter into the room.

Mom: I'm wondering what you fed the dog today and how much he ate.

Daughter: He ate his food, not that much, why?

Mom: Well, you cleaned up the yard yesterday like I asked, right?

Daughter: Yep.

Mom: Well, I went out and cleaned it this morning and there were 15 piles out there... So I wondered if he ate lots!