Jumping Through The Hoops

Did you ever wonder why dogs jump through hoops? I mean, it seems rather pointless and wouldn't it be easier to just walk around the hoop? Of course, it wouldn't look as impressive either.

 I feel a bit like I am jumping through hoops. Sometimes to get to an end result, you have to go through a process. Like getting fingerprinted.

For any new job, depending on the job, fingerprinting is part of the process. My question is this: Why do I have to get re-fingerprinted? It's not like they've changed in the last 5 years. There is a little part of me that wants to try to change those unique markers to see if anybody would notice. Let's see....sandpaper might work...

A background check is also part of the process and this I can understand. Who knows what kind of criminal activity I've been caught at since the last check? I mean, besides the random traffic violation.

But why do the "hoops" have to be so complicated? Two weeks ago, I got an email saying certain forms would be mailed out in "24-48 hours". I still haven't seen them and the answering machine message said, "...if it hasn't been 4 weeks yet, please be patient." At least they said please. I called and spoke with a person today and she said, "I'll get them in the mail today." That means the forms were not mailed out earlier as promised.

Hoops.
Sometimes I really do just want to walk around.
With my tongue hanging out and my tail wagging.


But I will go through, hopefully with grace and style. At least there's no flames. Yet.

Love,
Dianne

In the "merry merry month of May."

 There is so much beauty in the month of May; every month really, but especially in May. If I were to pick my two favorite months of the year, the winners would be May and June. 

Here's just a few reasons why:

And now, here is a reason not to like the month of May: 

Would you believe I'd just mowed this a few days ago???

Guess what I'm doing this afternoon.

Love,

Dianne

Today is today, I'll figure the rest out later

My week feels busy already and it has barely begun. My list of "to-do's" needs its own list of to-do's. I like being busy (it's better than being bored), but I don't like being overwhelmed with busyness. This week feels out of balance for me and I need to get it back in line or it could get really long for everyone.

First, make a list of appointments and meetings that can't be missed. Include work times and on-call.

Second, make a list of the household jobs that have to get done this week. Delegate where I need to.

Third, make time to take care of myself. Sleep and exercise need to happen for me to stay positive.

Fourth, but not least important, take care of my spirit. I need to take time to meditate on God, read the Bible, listen to worship music. My faith is somewhat like a plant; it needs watered and nurtured to grow. I think lately, it's been a bit wilted.

There, one list done.

Now, I am going to go spend time with Leo, running to his dad's for a little bit, then putting gas in my empty car. I hope it makes it to the gas station. I am going to enjoy the rest of today and quit worrying about tomorrow and the next day.

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:25-34).

Love,

Dianne

A Lovable Packrat

My boy is a packrat. Let me just clarify.



packrat:
noun
1. a collector of miscellaneous useless objects
2. any of several bushy-tailed rodents of the genus Neotoma of western North America; hoards food and other objects
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Cite This Source

I just don't know where the boy gets it from.

Really I don't.

Just because I have every scrap of fabric I have ever cut, every button I've found, every shred of paper from scrapbooking, doesn't mean I am a packrat.

Surely not.

I mean, what I have saved, stored, and filed away is useful. I may need it. . . someday. Maybe.
Not to mention, that some of what I have saved is sentimental. My great great grandchildren will thank me one day. Right?

I helped Ryan clean his room today. Between the papers, drawings, odds and ends of bits 'n' pieces, he had a lot of clutter. String, pieces from miscellaneous games and Legos, marker caps, and pencil nubs that nobody could feasibly write with were everywhere, along with candy wrappers, the white fringes off of notebook paper and rubber bands.

We swept, sorted and tossed. We wiped grimy farmboy fingerprints off the wall. We sat and ate brownies. (Fresh brownies by the way, not ones that we found in his room.) We talked and actually had fun rearranging what little we could in his small room.

Ryan is happy. He was okay tossing some of his "junk" that truly was junk. Now he feels like playing in his room. I hear him singing too.

Inside his closet/office :)

What can I go clean out? What can I toss? What do I hang onto that I could do without? Today still has a few good hours in it. I am motivated to organize and even toss a thing or two. Maybe put together a box or two for The Salvation Army.

I just may even join Ryan in singing.

My Today Resolution: Clean out one cupboard, one drawer, one file, anything. Just do it.

Love,
Dianne

The Lion May Sleep Tonight, but The Traffic Cops Aren't

Did you know that construction zones in PA are double the fine and double the points on your license?
Did you know that PA has an awful lot of construction zones?

I know.

Yesterday afternoon, Aaron and I went to the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts in Pittsburgh. Other than misplacing tickets (twice) before ever leaving the house, we got off okay. Travel was great until we reached Pittsburgh. I really need to give my GPS an update so it is aware of construction. The 31st Street Bridge was closed (Lori, my GPS was clueless) and we missed our detour. Thanks to Aaron and his map knowledge, we got turned around and found our way back to the detour, and thus eventually finding the Theater. (Lori eventually figured it out too.)

This is my fifth time driving to the Benedum. Just once, I want to make it there effortlessly. I want to get there and also be able to leave after the show and go straight for 376 without getting turned around at least once or twice. Is that too much to ask for? Sigh.

The concert started at 8pm, so even with all the delays, we were still early. Aaron and I made our way to our seats, relaxed for about thirty minutes, and then enjoyed "Straight No Chaser" and their brilliant harmonies.

We-de-de-de                                 (Oh, yeah The Lion Sleeps Tonight!)
De-de-de-de-de
De-we-um-um-a-way
We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
We-um-um-a-way


I loved spending time with Aaron, both at the concert, and during our drive there and back again. Back again...therein lies the construction zone. 


I set my cruise to 65mph once we got on the turnpike and we were homebound. I didn't notice that we were in a construction zone. I mean, don't all of Pennsylvania roads look like that all the time? What's a few orange cones? 


The officer was very nice as he informed me I was going 63 in a 45mph zone. He was also very gracious as he told me he was cutting me a break, a very big break. Instead of the points and a large fine for speeding, I was charged with failing to obey posted traffic signs (or something like that). Still, a fine that I deserved. 


Grace...isn't it great when someone offers it to you? It is a good reminder to me when I have been wronged. I can extend grace and mercy as well. God does this for me everyday. Is is too much to ask that I do the same in how I treat others?


Grace means to get something that you do not deserve; unmerited favor.  Mercy means you do not get a punishment that you deserve; compassion, forbearance. 

Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/20-inspirational-bible-verses-about-grace/#ixzz1tqA0dQrz


Lesson learned. 


Love, 
Dianne We-um-um-a-way

May Day Posies, the next day

Growing up, there was a large sloping field next to our house. In that field, my sisters and I went sled riding, had wild wagon rides through the tall grass, chased little orange and black butterflies, and picked Queen Anne's Lace to color with food coloring.

Yesterday was May Day, a day where the coming of Spring is celebrated. The giving of May Baskets
is an old-fashioned tradition of taking a small basket, or container, filled with springtime flowers. The giving is done by leaving the basket on someone's doorknob, ringing the bell, and dashing away.

Now, my sister, Roxie, and I had our own take on May Day. In fact, it probably wasn't even May. Thinking that it would be nice to do "surprise" nice things for people, we went into the field and picked a bunch of daisies, Queen Anne's Lace and other miscellaneous pretty weeds, wrapped the stems in a wet paper towel and put the bouquet in our neighbors mailbox.

Then we waited. . .
. . . and waited.

All day we watched and waited. We anxiously watched the road for their car, alternately playing in our yard, or lying in the tall grass of the field, hiding, and hoping to catch the neighbor's look of surprise and pleasure at getting an unexpected gesture of good will.

Finally, around dusk, the car pulled in their driveway, the headlights just sweeping over the tops of mine and Roxie's heads as we lay like spies in the grass. Getting out of the car, Mrs. S walked to the mailbox, got the mail and went on her way to the house.

What?!? No tears of joy, no exclamation of astonishment?

We never knew what she thought. It was dark outside after all and the day had been hot. I am thinking that a pile of dead, wilted flowers might have been a little creepy at night.

It was the thought that counts, right?


Love,
Dianne


PS. Here's a link for making May Baskets for those that want to try it next year. You have 364 days to prepare.
http://childparenting.about.com/od/spring/a/maybasket.htm

Banana Peels and Tire Squeals

Our driveway splits by the barn and our part goes to our house, the other part goes back to the neighbor's house back by the woods.

This morning as I left, I was concentrating on peeling a banana as I left the house and rounded the barn. As I went past the machine shed, I decided to throw the banana peel out into the field. I figured that technically it was not littering, as it was on my property and it was biodegradable. Really, it was more like creating a compost pile, if the cows didn't eat it first.

Would the police officer have viewed it in the same way? Luckily, I didn't have to find out.

But I could have. If the golf cart and I would have collided.

Now, it's not everyday that a golf cart is traversing our driveway (from the neighbor's house up to, or back from, the landscaping business at the end of our driveway). Especially a golf cart driven by an Amish man.  But this morning, there it was.

I think the cart pulled out from the side door of the machine shed right after I went by it. I say, "I think", because I didn't see anybody sharing the gravel lane prior to tossing out the banana peel.

I peeled the banana completely and because I wanted to toss the peeling out the window, I slowed way down and threw it. It was then that I heard the gravel spin out and I knew it hadn't been me. I glanced in the mirror, and there close enough behind my car to count the individual hairs in his beard, was the Amishman on the golf cart.

I didn't even wave or acknowledge his sudden appearance by my bumper, I just sped up and hoped he thought it was Leo driving.

Maybe the lawmakers need to add "no peeling a banana" to the "no talking on cell phone" law.
The world would be a much safer place. Just think, not only would there be no distraction while driving, no one would slip on the banana peel either.

(Just wondering...how many people really slip on a banana peel??? And why would they be just laying around? Oh, because someone threw them out their car window.)

Love,
Dianne