Yesterday dad decided to take me driving, since my lessons start April 7th. First, we warmed up with left turns in residentials, then we went (for the first time) on the frontage road, from there on to a four lane, then turned right at a major intersection. Whew. Then we went out of town and got on the freeway. My first time going 65 mph. Today, I drove to the little hardware store. They didn't have what we needed, so off to a bigger one. On a bigger street. On the way back we went on the freeway.
Driving is ... so ... well... its one of the few things that I've done that are stressful and exciting at the same time. Its like dancing a dance at a ball, when you don't know it very well and are scared of messing up, yet are so full of exilaration you're about to burst. Only with driving, the stress is dominant. With dancing, the exilaration is.
anyway. toodle-oo.

Frogs are really amazing. The only thing is, when you're disecting, that you get into it, and lean in closer, and then the smell hits you. Yuck.

And now, a word of heartfelt advice to all of you, since my blogging inspiration has run dry, plus I need to go clean the bathrooms: Don't swallow pennies!

I'm going to dissect a frog tomorrow. *furrows brow* I hope I can find the things I'm s'posed to.
Today was a quiet busy homework day. April will be hectic, so I'm enjoying this time, which is, I gather from a glance at the calender, merely the lull before the storm. But busy can be fun. I'm working on my term paper on the farm family and my rhetoric essay on why high school students shouldn't be apathetic, should change the world for the better. Frankly, the thought of many of the high school students I see walking down the street (you ever seen those guys who wear their visors upside down and backwards? whoa, man! *rolls eyes*) trying to change the world is a scary thought. What would Mr. Backward-Upsidedown-Visor-Man's view of a better wold be? So I'm going to make the target audience Christian youths, and if I'm asked about it I'll say that non-Christians ideas of a better world are better left unexecuted. After all, Stalin, Hitler, and Margaret Sanger all tried to change the world.

Here is a quote from my roughest-of-rough drafts of my farm paper, and then I'm going to go help mom with dinner:

The farm family used to be an integral part of our culture, and throughout the centuries it was the mainstay of agricultural and small livestock production. Yet a shift has been made from many small family farms to huge mega-farms created by consolidating family holdings. Because of the widespread disappearance of the farm family in our culture, animals and people alike are living lives disconnected from the soil and each other.

I haven't blogged for a while...but I do have good excuses. Kit was here Thursday afternoon through Saturday evening. We had a great visit. We went downtown Friday and walked around. We found a new favorite little store--a mix between antiques from the 50's and tea things. We took Meg and Ant there Saturday, after all going horseback riding. I was a little worried about the twins and two of my brothers on horses, but they did really well. Honestly, I think they had less trouble with their horses than I did. I'm consoling myself by telling myself that the wrangler gave them easier horses. :-) Mine wanted to eat, and because of snakes their not supposed to. It was lots of fun.

While downtown I went to the racks in front of an incredibly disorganized used bookstore that I really like. There are two sections of shelves out front on the grass ( I never venture into the disaster area inside). One section is $2 and the other is $4. I found Dr. Zhivago which I have never read, and War and Peace which I had wanted to read for a while. They are both nice looking and smell good. I always smell my books. I discovered to my chagrin that War and Peace was an abridged version. Even so, I've been drawn in. (that is one of my good excuses for not blogging.) I'll have to get the whole thing.

It feels like spring break...
...even though I'm still doing school today.
My friend Kit is coming to visit tomorrow! I'm so excited.
I took my history test. I hope I did well. I think I did.
I've decided to write a great short story instead. I think it will be a little easier.
On second thoughts, how 'bout I write a mediocre short story first, for practice. hmm.

Ermetrude
Isn't that quite the imposing name? Kind of a combo between Ermegarde and Trudy. Personally I think its a bit much.

I started crocheting a purse. So far its going ok. It'll be a light khaki color, tannish brown.
I played tennis with a friend tonight. And I threw a tennis ball up straight in the air and stood watching it come down. And it hit me in the nose. Hee hee. So smart. It was too funny to really hurt.

I decided to write a great novel today. Only it will have to wait. Rhetoric reading needs read for tomorrow, and a preliminary outline for a term paper that will be 1/4 *gasps* of my zoology grade needs drafted.

For those wanting to read a few opinions on Gods and Generals, you can check out Chasing Hats
or here.

Don't you love the clean smell after rain? Today is sunny, unlike the last three.

I've been re-reading Wodehouse's A Damsel in Distress. Absolutely great. The world would be a less funny place without Wodehouse.

After reading Tim's post, I thought I'd pose a question of my own to the ladies. What wierd things do you carry in your purse?
During little league last year, I had a cell phone, mystery novel, package of graham crackers, pen and notebook.

I've listened to the Norah Jones cd, now, and like it. It might need a little more pizzaz in places but her voice is very smooth and soothing.

I watched Bush's speech last night.
Then today I read this just war article.

Yesterday the rain started, so today is still misty moisty, and cloudy is the weather. The backyard looks muddy, so the boys will probably be cooped up inside today. Poor kids. I hope the energy doesn't build up to the point of spontaneous combustion.

My mother just came up and pinched me! I was sitting here, thinking about what insignificant tidbit to broadcast to the world, and she pinched me. I realized that, sitting here in my grey and yellow tweety pajamas, having not dressed yet, I didn't have any green on. Resourcefully, I pointed to my eyes, which are, you guessed it, green. Hee hee.

I think I'll sing the Lorica today, in honor of St. Patrick. Our church is starting to learn it corporately, but I've had two advantages. I rode to the Psalm and Hymn sing with a family from Illonois who already knew it well, and we sang it all the way through. The other advantage is that my mother practices it on the piano. It really isn't a hard tune, its just confusing the first time or two because it changes. I remember Steve Wilkins reading from the Lorica a few years ago at a history conference, so when I heard it the words sounded familiar.

Dad just got a Norah Jones cd, Come Away With Me. He said Amazon kept recomending it to him, and after this cd was awarded 8 grammys he ordered it. I've heard it in the background but haven't had the chance to listen to it myself yet. Maybe today. But not if I blog all day. :-)

Cloudy Day
I love cloudy days. They hint at rain, another beloved weather state. It also made playing tennis this morning for two hours more enjoyable. Dottie and Marti, two older (55ish) ladies in my tennis class asked me if I'd like to have coffee with them and with Danielle, a 25ish marketing something. (job titles never seem to stick in my mind). I couldn't do it on such short notice, but was flattered to be asked. Dottie sells insurance, and she and Marti live in the same neighborhood. Two nice ladies.

On a very different note, have you ever eaten spiral cheetos? The only criticism I have is that they are slightly harder to eat, demanding more attention. But that isn't nessesarily a bad thing, since they are much more fun to play with.


Speaking of deals, today after tennis four of the boys, Mom, and I went yard saleing. I found a great one, the kind where everything is either 25 or 50 cents. I bought a rusty old blue suitcase. The proprietor (yardsaler?) was, I think, surprised to see it go, even for 50 cents. lol. I thought it looked fun. I've stacked a picknick basket on it, and a lamp on top of that. It looks good. Old books, a green wine bottle with a plant cutting growing, and two dark wooden jewelry boxes (50 and 25 cents) round out the look. I like it.

Today we went to a bug museum. I expected just bugs, but they had iguanas, snakes, tarantulas, and turtles! My brothers had a blast. They held a garter snake, touched water dogs, and saw scorpions glow under a black light. I let them handle the 'hands-on department', but I did hold the garter snake and touch a lizard. Today I discovered that Algebra takes twice as long and is twice the fun if you do it on the back patio in the sun with your 9 year old brother. The only downside is that in amidst the talking, jokingly kicking under the table ("Who? Me? Surely not!...well...maybe :-) and watching bumble bees, very little math is accomplished. Ah well. It was fun.
Tonight dad has a meeting. I think we're going to go to a used book store. I hope so. Last time we were there I saw some Russian science fiction by Issac Asimov that looked interesting. I've never read any Russian sci-fi or anything by him, but I do like other Russian authors (Solzhenitsyn, Dostoevsky) so I'd like to pick one up and see what its like. Anyone read any of it? Anyone else like Russian novels?

my cat likes oatmeal...
...she always comes in and tries to eat it out of my bowl in the mornings so I gave her a little bit and she ate it all. Odd, if you ask me.

I like Wednesdays

It might just be me but I do. Rhetoric class and (sometimes) Bible studies, besides a feeling of "Oh good, I'm halfway through the week" all combine. I felt like sharing a poem. Endure as best you can.

Ink Smears
The ink smears,
Nearly causing tears,
The ink climbs,
Like black vines.
Splotches spread
Like the chicken pox
That mothers’ dread.

I wrestle the ink to the ground and beat it.
I rub the dust from my hands.
“That will teach it."
So I send it smoothly
In straight lines
Like an arrow.

I glance away for a moment only,
It is far off the path,
Galloping along at a high rate of speed,
Is the ink which I increasingly need.


I feel guilty,
Like I have broken something,
As I stare at my straggly lines.
Was my poor attempt worthy?
Or did my lines involuntarily defile
The pure loveliness of the paper?

Busy day today.
History test, crochet class, tennis with a friend, laundry away, study for Bible test, work on preliminary outline for term paper...
Lest I think that my disorganisation has reached dangerous levels, check this out.
Doesn't that make you feel safe?

I have a comments system! I'm so excited! So far its worked out well, except I'd like to remove one (at least) of the smilies they provided. Until I can work that out (I have posted a question on their site, but its free, so I don't expect quick service) please excuse it. thanx.

Today the boys and I sat on the living room floor waiting for dinner to be ready, and we played story chain. One person starts, then everyone else takes a turn. Three sharks were killed (and two eaten) in the production of this story. Also many french fries and much ketchup. You could tell they were hungry. :-) Growing boys, eh?

Mondays are catch up days
... at least they are for me. The laundry I should've gotten done Saturday? Cleaning my room? Mailing a package? Taking my boots to the shoe repair shop? Picking up my prints at Wal-Mart? You guessed it... on for today!

I couldn't resist sharing this pun... Mr. G. emailed it to me in his ongoing quest to help me appreciate puns. This one helped a lot. Hee hee.

Q: What song did Snow White sing at the Kmart photo counter while waiting for her pics to be developed?

A: "Someday, my prints will come ... "

Rest Day
We went over to another family's home for dinner. Their three children, two boys and a girl, played with our boys in the back yard while the adults ate truffles and told snake stories. Which was fun, but I may look under my chair and bed and in my closet before settling in for the night. Mom is back now to do her online crossword puzzle. I'm going to get my tennis shoes on so we can take a walk.

A fairly typical Saturday at our house. I went to tennis lessons 8am to 10. Then Shawn and I washed the van while Dad and Joshua washed the truck. Then the neighbor boy over came over while his dad and mine went to the car parts store (I think.)
Last night my parents and I watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It was really funny. I don't think its a good family movie, for all ages (our family favorites that everyone can watch tend toward exciting things like Learning to Operate Your Table Saw, or old John Wayne movies). But I did enjoy the craziness of her family...especially vs. the blandness of his.
After the movie was done we stayed up late and played spades. Its almost a family tradition to play spades late at night. While we played we listened to an 80's U2 cd that dad just bought. I hadn't realized that many of the songs were U2 when I heard them, since I had a newer cd, but now I'm recognizing them on the radio all the time. Kind of neat.
And this is one of the reasons I'm not planning on visiting Florida any time soon.

Ever feel like you have too much and nothing to do at the same time? That was my day. I knew in my brain that I had to do History workbook, research for my paper on the dissapearance of the farm family (and why that has been a bad thing) and Math. I just didn't feel any urgency, as I should've. However, despite that, it did all get done. Now I need to clean the bathrooms. But before I do that I wanted to point out a funny/odd news article. :-) I do think duct tape is good for almost everything, but still, I think thats a little extreme.

I'm just having a great week. Yesterday my crochet class took a field trip (to wal-mart, of all places!) and looked at yarn. That was fun. Then I played tennis with a friend, stood in light rain, remembered more odd names to stun my pals with (Aravis and Brunhilde), then today I got gold in the rhetoric quiz. And last week, I got my pictures developed from the ball. :-) They turned out well, so I'm happy.

Today is going well. I told the first person (besides family) about my blog. And I'm going to a used book store later. So everything is looking sunny. Except for the fact that I have to do Algebra. But even that lacks terror because the rest of the day is so great.

Yesterday we took a long drive. Away from the city. Away from the buildings. Onto bumpy dirt roads. Past sheep and cows and horses and geese and bamboo. Near rivers and mountains. Past places with stories we retold. Like the time Mom and I jumped the rattlesnake. Maybe I'll tell ya'll bout that tomorrow. I'm kinda busy today.