Dog encounters

This weekend we had several dog encounters on our walk, Raven and I. I sometimes spend a great deal of time avoiding other dogs--not because I don't want to greet them, but because Raven is so verbal in his greetings and I'm not sure how other dog owners would react to this.

So, I've thought of starting a web page for our neighborhood. I'd put up flyers advertising this service, and ask dog walkers to log on before their walks. The site would have a map of our neighborhood, and the walkers would plot their route--looking to see where others were going, either to avoid them or perhaps encounter them if they like.

Of course, people might be running late after they post their route--maybe the phone rings or they get distracted somehow. Or maybe a non-poster would encroach on a territory they thought would be other-dog-free.

Sigh. I guess I'll just have to continue to improvise on our daily walks. Or maybe we can get everyone to get a GPS system, so we can track each other.........no, no, too Big Brotherish....

Till next time,


Suzi

Attack! (or, the dangers of not being able to hear over loud music)

This morning Raven and I were progressing fairly well on our walk, managing to stay upright on some slippery, icy sidewalks, and I was enjoying Charlie Peacock tunes on the iPod. We were admiring the view of the frozen lake, and as we crossed the street we entered the walkway that encircles Sanborn Park. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a barking, snarling, big dog approaches. Raven of course, responds in kind and I find myself trying to separate these two aggressive beasts.

To my left, I see the owner of said dog, who calls and it finally releases its terrifying grip on Raven (well, maybe it only slobbered on him) and returns to the owner. I can't hear if any apologies are muttered over "I Wanna Be in the Light, As You are in the Light........." but I do catch the owner scolding his dog. I decide just to get out of there as soon as possible. We continue on our normal route, and the owner and dog disappear beyond the snowdrifts. I check out Raven, and it appears he only has a trail of saliva on his backside--no wounds are visible. Whew.

We trudge onward, glad not to encounter any more dogs. I do hear someone approaching from behind, but it's just another gal I see frequently on my walks--today her husband is accompanying her. We exchange greetings and then I go back to focusing on my tunes. We round a corner and start to cross a street, and here we narrowly avoid being hit by a van that is turning right behind us.

Maybe tomorrow I will go iPodless. Then I can catch the singing of the birds (I did hear some in between Charlie's songs today) and be more aware of encroaching dangers. Or, I could just turn the volume down.....

Till next time,


Suzi

Good-bye John, we'll miss you!

Last night Tim and I moved a couch, chairs and some end tables out of our friend John's childhood home. John was at a local restaurant with his godson, Eric, and had just arrived from Miami to close on his mother's home.

While John and Eric grabbed a bite to eat on the way back from the airport, Tim and I hustled to the Bibles for Missions thrift store to get their before closing at 8 p.m. We got their in the nick of time, and even had a moment to join John and Eric for some dessert.

John and Tim have been lifetime friends, even through John's move to Washington D.C., Hawaii and now Miami. John's mom now lives nearby him in Miami, and a couple of years ago joined him in Hawaii--now her house has finally sold. A chapter has ended.

John was anxious to escape the Minnesota chill, so he will be leaving town soon after the closing today. Since the house is sold and his mom isn't here any more, there won't be as much reason for him to return. We'll miss him, with his Hawaiian Macadamia nuts or other special treats from places far away. Hopefully we'll be able to visit him in the southern climes someday. Hopefully in the winter time.

But just not during tax season, unfortunately. ;)

Take care John, and keep in touch!

Till next time,


Suzi

Blogging away.......

This morning I spent more time than usual on my other blog. I'm reading through 1 Corinthians and have landed on chapter 11--about the headship of men and God, head coverings for women, and the Lord's Supper. I read some commentaries today to try to help me collect my thoughts on what can be a controversial Scripture. I am hoping some will leave comments there (or here) to help us gain a better understanding of the text, or to represent various views.

Today I tackled the first part of 1 Corinthians 11--tomorrow is regarding communion, where I know I have a different opinion than my Lutheran friends. We'll see what transpires!

Till next time,


Suzi

Running again

It's Wednesday, so it's time to head out to myBible Study Fellowship class. It snowed a bit this morning, covering some of the ice that melted in yesterday's thaw. Hopefully the commute to class won't be too bad (I'm going against traffic), so I'll make this a short blog so I can get out the door.

I'm healing up from my icy fall, although my neck is still stiff and I've got a couple of small bruises on my back where I encountered the porch. I'm thankful every day to come home safely and for the ability to walk even when conditions aren't ideal. It really is wonderful to enjoy the variety in the seasons in Minnesota, and I know hot humid days really aren't that far off.

Till next time,


Suzi

Taxes, tunes and tumbles

Yesterday was my first day back at work at the tax office. It's still early in the season, but a fair amount of people called to schedule appointments or ask questions. Jeff (my boss, Tim's brother), had me listen to eight saved messages on the voice mail and try to decipher some (a few people tend to go on about unrelated things when they get a chance to record their own voice). I relearned the skip, fast forward and rewind features, and tried not to delete important things.

I left the office a little early, since I'd been up since 5 am to walk the dog, blog, fix lunches, and get the kids out the door (Mark had jazz band at 7 am, and since he's Christina's ride, she had to get up too). Then Mark had a concert last night at school along with the Martin Luther College Wind Symphony of New Ulm, Minnesota. The concert was really magnificent--the college band played a variety of numbers, including an amazing percussion piece with tympany, various chimes, xylophones and bells and other drums and percussion instruments. A favorite piece was a jazz number which highlighted an adult trumpet soloist. We had front row seats, so it was fun to see the incredible talent of all the performers up close.

When we got home, Christina had already gone to bed, but left a note that she had been too tired to take Raven out for his nightly excursion. I got the leash and put my boots on again. We just stepped outside the front door when WHOOSH--I landed flat on my back. Well, not really flat, as my back encountered the bottom step of our porch. I was able to holler for Tim and he came out to help me up. (He almost slipped, too.) It's nice to have warmer weather, but at night when things refreeze, our porch becomes a skating rink. We have talked to the city about putting up some kind of canopy to keep the ice from dripping and melting on the sidewalk, but they want thousands of dollars to get a variance to build what we want. Politics. I would think safety would be more important than the fact that a neighbor might want to do something similar to what we do and perhaps go overboard. Maybe I'll talk to our city councilman--his son is friends with our boys....

Well, I'm a little sore today, but thankfully did not hit my head or break anything. I landed on a good place, I guess--just below the shoulders. I think my head must have snapped a bit, because my neck is a little stiff today. The hazards of living in Minnesota. My walk with Raven this morning was uneventful--slippery spots, but I anticipated them before we got to them.

Let's see, Groundhog's Day is less than two weeks away, then how many more weeks of winter?

Till next time,


Suzi

Choo choo

Before I begin my tale of the choo choo, let me start by saying you can view me in my full snow-shoveling regalia at Tim's blog. We had quite the digging out time, but all is well now and the streets are clear as I start my day working at the tax office.

On Saturday night,we celebrated the snow, Mark's good report card, and his safe return from his winter weekend with his science class by taking Minneapolis' new train line to the Mall of America. We found a park and ride south of downtown and got our tickets ($1.25 each--and if you return in 2 1/2 hours, you don't need to purchase another ticket.) It was fun to ride the multi-million dollar train, though I don't know if I'd say it was worth the tax payer dollars it took to build the thing. But we enjoyed it. I pretended I was back in Chicago, riding the El/subway. It wasn't really much like the Chicago trains though--I could actually hear the announcement of the next stop, and it was posted electronically on the front and back of the train. We didn't have to go through a turnstyle with our ticket--we bought them from a machine and no one ever came to check our tickets--although we did see some transit employees who may have frisked us at any given moment. (...just to warn those of you out there who may think Minneapolis may give you a free ride--they are cracking down! I know this because I heard it on the radio.)

Well, I'm posting early so I can get off to work. Too bad I'm not taking the train--then I could sleep a bit on the way in. I was up at 5 am to walk the dog and get the kids up and out the door before seven (Mark has jazz band on Mondays.) Monday, Monday, gotta love that day.........(that's not how the song goes, is it?)

Till next time,


Suzi

Snow, snow and more snow

We haven't had much snow this winter--Tim's been complaining about it on his blog.
Yesterday we made up for the scant snowfall this season. The day started with predictions of 2 to 10 inches. When all was said and done, I think it was closer to the ten inch mark. I drove the kids to school in the morning, all clear. Mark was packed and excited about his science class overnight at Schwan Center for Creation Exploration in Wisconsin. I told Christina I'd be back to pick her up after school. Little did I know what the day had in store for us.

I drove on to help Tim at the wallpaper removing job on the other side of town. After working there for a couple of hours, I went to Tim's brother Jeff's office to meet Jeff's wife in preparation for our work during tax season in Jeff's office. The snow had begun to fall, but it wasn't too bad yet. Dawn and I talked about changes and plans for the season, and we left before 3 pm.

The snow was coming down pretty good by this time. I was happy to be driving Tim's Tundra truck since he got his new cube van. Confident I could manage the highways and byways with my four-wheel drive, I headed out.

Now, normally it takes me about 30 minutes to get home from the office. I had been planning to pick up Christina, but she called before I left to say that school had been dismissed early due to weather, and she was getting a ride home with a friend. I didn't know how grateful I would be for that ride.

Christina arrived home about an hour after she left school (normally a 20 minute commute). She was able to take Raven out for his afternoon routine. I figured I'd be home soon after.

Wrong-oh. Traffic was moving at a steady pace--A STEADY SNAIL'S PACE that is. If I hit 10 mph the whole way home, I was a happy camper. Fortunately, I was tuned into an entertaining radio program (Garage Logic on KSTP 1500 am) so the time flew by (HA!)

I think I was at the Excelsior Boulevard exit off Highway 100 for at least 30 minutes. Fortunately, there were no accidents and few stalls on the road, but it was sure dang slow. I could not believe that it took me over THREE HOURS to get home. When I finally exited the highway, I was so proud of our Robbinsdale city road crew. Roads were plowed, curb to curb, making my commute home so pleasant after the nightmare crawl on the interstate/highway. I was thankful, however, that the roads, though slow, proved to be safe. Nobody could get seriously hurt at 5 mph.

Tim arrived home just ahead of me. I was again happy for 4wd as I sailed through inches of snow and into the heated garage.

I didn't feel like cooking or driving, so Tim offered to take Christina and me out to Old Country Buffet. I figured it wouldn't be busy, especially since many of their clientele are senior citizens. When we got there, we saw Tim's parents at their regular booth. They had braved the elements in their 4wd, so we exchanged stories about our afternoon.

Today, Tim, Christina and I shoveled the mounds of snow that had drifted overnight--over a foot in many places. Then we took Christina to a friend's to go sledding while Tim and I headed back to the wallpaper removal job. Fortunately, the designer was there, and she was a huge help in getting the wallpaper off soak it soak it soak it--hot water works best). Now it's almost 5 pm and about time to pick up Mark from his adventure. Hopefully it won't take us more than 30 minutes to get to school to pick him up.

Till next time,


Suzi

be back....

Will blog later. Lotsa snow. Everybody a-okay.

Suzi

Retrieving the forgotten

When my kids were in grade school, they would often forget things at home, and I'd run them over to school. This wasn't hard, because we live right across the street from the elementary school. As they've gotten older, it is more of a challenge to bring forgotten items to them, since I actually have to get in the car and drive for at least ten minutes. Fortunately, they are not as forgetful now as teens, or maybe I'm not as willing to run stuff to them. (I'm more willing for them to suffer the consequences of not remembering to bring something.)

Yesterday Mark forgot his lunch at home. The school offers hot lunch, but Mark was not signed up for it and we hadn't paid ahead of time (a requirement). I decided I could run another errand out his way, so I grabbed his bag and headed out. (He did take the time to make it himself, so that gave him some points.)

I got his lunch to school, and the secretary said she would see that he got it. (I'm so glad they are in a small school this year!) I ran my errand, and headed for home. Mark was happy.
When I got home around noon, Tim was there, to my surprise. He had stopped to pick up something, and left shortly after I arrived. Just as he pulled out of the driveway, his cell phone rang--still in the house. He had forgotten it.

I know that Tim gets a dozen or maybe dozens of calls a day, and I'm sure he didn't want to be retrieving all of those messages at night. So, I called our son Luke to discover where Tim was working, and then I grabbed his phone and headed out to find him.
Two more phone calls later and a few wrong turns, I managed to locate the house and Tim. He was surprised to see me but glad to have his phone back. In fact, he had tried to call the phone from the home he was at, thinking I might answer it. (I didn't!)

Mark decided to stay after school, so I'm glad he didn't have to go hungry. Tim still had phone calls after he got home, so I'm glad he was able to answer a few more during the day. And I still had time to make an apple pie and tidy up the kitchen.

Today I'll be wallpaper-removing in a remote location, but I'll be with Tim. Mark is heading to Wisconsin for an overnight environmental field trip. Hopefully we will all remember everything, cause I ain't driving back home or to Wisconsin.

Till next time,


Suzi

Wall paper mess and other challenges

Yesterday I drove 45 minutes to meet Tim at a job. My mission: to remove wall paper from a kitchen wall. He had promised to be there way ahead of me--it turned out that we arrived at exactly the same time. So, that worked out well.

We were greeted by the homeowner's two dogs who took turns running in and out of the house. There was also another team of construction workers stationed elsewhere in the home, doing various carpentry projects.

I went into the kitchen area, armed with spray bottle, empty pie pan, scouring pad, sponge and white vinegar. I proceeded to spray the walls. (I have next to no experience in wallpapering, never mind wall paper removal.) I was able to chisel away at the paper, using the broad knife Tim had given me. But I really didn't make a whole lot of progress in the two hours I was there. Tim had to leave for another job, and it was getting close to rush hour, so I left too. As I went to move my truck so Tim could load up some sheetrock, the black lab followed me, ball in mouth. I threw the ball down the hill in the direction of the house. Unbeknownst to me, the ball went under the dumpster. Fortunately, our son Luke who was also working there was able to find another ball.

The homeowner had left for the week, but hadn't bothered to take the pets. She had also left her vehicle parked in front of the mailboxes at the curb, so the mailman drove up and asked us to bring the mail in, thinking contractors had parked there. I brought it in and dumped it on the piano with another stack of stuff. As I went out the door, I noticed a sign with instructions on it for the workers. It was from the homeowner, telling us to make sure to lock up and be sure that the dogs were inside before we left.

So, it's not enough that we tackle stubborn wallpaper and wind our way around a messy house (I know, I shouldn't complain--look at the log in my own eye.........) but we have to work around her dogs, play with them and take care of them--never mind trying not to hit them as we back into the driveway and they dance around our tires.

Today I'm going to look for better wallpapering tools and fabric softener. (I guess fabric softener helps remove wallpaper.) Tim doesn't want to rent a steamer or use chemicals. He probably won't even get over to the job today, so I'll be there tomorrow and Saturday most likely, in between going to the tax office to get set up for work there next week.

Variety is the spice of life, isn't that what they say?

Till next time,


Suzi

Weather wise

I waited to go grocery shopping until things "warmed up." So yesterday, as the temperatures were soaring into the teens, I decided to head out.

As I went outside the wind whipped through me. When it had been 10 below zero and I was properly attired, and I managed pretty well outside with no wind chill to factor in. Yesterday, the wind whipped at my grocery bags and through my thinly layered self.

Now, I'm not asking for the return of subzero days, but in January, I best be prepared for wind, snow and cold. Just think how I'll long for a cool breeze come July.....

Till next time,


Suzi

The washing machine and other things that spin and spew

This was a fun weekend for my daughter--a long weekend which included sleepovers, a dance, hanging out with friends, etc. etc. She admitted to me last night that she had been coming down with a cold, but I told her she couldn't pull the Monday morning sick routine (even though today's Tuesday) on me.

So, this morning, I go to wake her up. "I'm sick." "No, you need to get up," I replied. Long story short, we had a blow out, and eventually she got up, showered, and blasted her music and locked her door as she got ready. In between songs, I tried to apologize for losing it, but the door remained locked. I had to leave to walk Raven, so I prayed with Mark and listened to praise music on the iPod as we went about our daily routine.

When I got home, the washing machine that Tim has been trying to fix was leaking water all over the floor. It needs a new part, but Tim thought he had fixed it to the point of temporary usability.

Then I went upstairs and retrieved phone messages. Christina had called. "I'm sorry mom, you were right--I'm not really sick. I just needed to get up and move around. Now can I......."

Well, it was an apology with an ulterior motive, but still an apology. The washing machine will get fixed eventually, whether it's Tim or Minnegasco that does it. Emotions are harder to fix, but if we don't anger go on too long, it helps with the healing process.

Now we just have to deal with an angry washer spewing suds and water......

Till next time,


Suzi

Taxi mom

This weekend I was taxi mom. I carted Christina to her hair appointment, to a basketball game, I went to the library to blog, then I picked her up to discover she wanted to get her nails done, then her friend AJ forgot something at home, so we went back there, grabbed some lunch and finally made it home. Her date was 30 minutes early for the dance, but she managed not to keep him waiting too long. She looked very nice and had a good time at the dance.

They went out to dinner and sat at the "kitchen's table" where they were allowed to view and taste food samples before ordering. Her date also brought her a dozen pink roses. Quite a heady evening for a 15-year old going to her first semi-formal dance!

Tim picked up the girls from the dance and then he worked yesterday so I drove to church. Fortunately, a friend picked them up yesterday afternoon for an overnight tonight (no school today in honor of Martin Luther King's birthday). I think it will start to get warmer out today, although it was below zero for our morning walk. We survived, and I'm happily at home--for now. Tim wants me to go scrape floors and do general cleaning at the house on the next block.

At least I'm not playing taxi mom today (that I know of at this point!).

Till next time,


Suzi

Blogging from the library

Today I'm blogging from the library. Christina is going to a school dance tonight, and we just got back from getting her hair done at a beauty school not far from her school. Since we were so close, she wanted to go to her date's basketball game, so I consented--on the condition that I'd be able to go to the library.

So far, so good. I've already posted my other blog. Christina's hair looks really nice, and I'm sure she'll have a good time tonight. I guess I don't mind playing taxi if I don't have to drive all the way back home--the library is only a few blocks from school.

So, now that I know how to do this, maybe I'll try it again sometime--or at least, if I'm out of town, I can blog from another computer. It's still cold--minus 10 F last I checked, but with no wind it doesn't seem too bad.

It should be a bit warmer next time I post--I'll let you know how the dance and the hair went over.

Till next time,


Suzi

Not so bad

Raven and I went on our normal walk this morning in the subzero weather. It really wasn't as bad as I feared--but I was prepared.

Two layers of pants, plus snow pants, a t-shirt, and sweatshirt besides my winter jacket. I stuffed my cell phone into a sock and into my sweatshirt zipper pocket. I wrapped the iPod in a hotpad and put it in my other zipper pocket. I placed my hat/scarf ensemble on my head and carefully wound the scarf around my neck. Then, I pulled my hood up and tied it (after zipping up my jacket of course). I put on a pair of gloves and covered them with mittens. Raven seemed okay to just have a leash.

I actually got a little warm as we walked along. I had put my contacts in (usually I wear my glasses) so I didn't have to deal with fogged up lenses. Raven limped along a few times as the sand and salt in the roads bother his paws. But we made it the whole way, and I eagerly peeled off layers as we got indoors.

January's not so bad after all. Bring on the cold! We can always put on more layers. It's in July that we suffer through heat and humidity--only so many layers can come off at that time.

Till next time,


Suzi

It's January

The cold has come. Temperatures this morning were around 19 degrees, but as Raven and I returned from our walk it was in the single digits. The wind makes it worse, of course, but the temps will keep dropping and should be subzero by tonight.

Last night I went shopping to stock up for the cold snap. Today I can stay inside and catch up, maybe even do a little baking. Tim won't complain about the oven being on today as he sometimes does on hot humid summer days.

Hard to remember those days right now........

Till next time,


Suzi

Finally!

Finally we are dealing with the s-word--"Snow" or "Shovel" or "Slippery!" I shoveled a bit last night and again this morning. Raven did a few snow angels to celebrate the white stuff. It's still not much--maybe an inch or two, but enough to cover the grass and really look like something.

Today we'll enjoy it, because tomorrow it's supposed to get really cold, through the weekend. Raven may have to shorten his snow revelry till things warm up more.

Till next time,



Suzi

Back in drywall--for now

As tax time comes ever nearer, I am getting my last (?) exposure to playing in drywall mud with my husband. For the past few days, I've been walking over to the next block to help Tim put corner beads on and by spotting the screws--I've first and second coated them, and today I'm to third coat them.

Luke is helping Tim today, too (yesterday he was at a job for Tim's brother), so hopefully we can wrap things up on this house. It's been nice to have Tim and the boys close to home, and to be able to walk over and help them. For in just a couple of weeks, I'll be driving 30-40 minutes one way to the tax office, to sit at a desk to answer questions of anxious tax payers. My job will be to sooth their nerves all the while keeping Jeff (my brother-in-law, the tax accountant) free from too many questions so he can get their tax returns completed without constant interruptions.

Hmmmmmmm--doing tiring physical labor on stilts and getting drywall mud in my hair and under my nails orrrrrrrrrrrrrr answering phones and playing guard to the Tax Master. Which do I prefer?

Variety is the spice of life. I'm glad mine is never boring.

Till next time,


Suzi

i think i've got it

The last two days have gone well with the iPod (thanks to Tim for correcting my spelling). I guess all it needed was a charging--and Tim has graciously let me use his earplugs so I don't have to worry about headphones under my hat. Yesterday I listened to Cat Stevens, beginning with Moonshadow, cruising along on the Peace Train, and ending with Morning is Broken. (a favorite of mine, especially on a Sunday morning!)

Today Elton John ended abruptly midway through my walk, but I think I started him too soon in the house before we got going. I was able to switch to Carolyn Arends, while Raven barked and pulled, but I successfully made the transition. Unfortunately, I didn't get the volume adjusted correctly so it was a little hard to hear Carolyn, but I'll try again tomorrow.

It's supposed to get really cold later this week, so I don't know how that may affect my listening ability. Walks may be shorter, so maybe I'll do more tuning in indoors.

Till next time,


Suzi

Trouble Always Comes in Threes, or The Adventures of Walking One's Dog in the Winter with an I-Pod

Okay. I now know how to charge my I-pod. But did I charge it? No. Because I assumed that the I-pod, which worked fine indoors, merely needed to rest in my mittened hand on my walks with Raven--to keep it warm.

So, Raven and I got ready to walk again this morning (Okay, all Raven has to do is wait for me). I got on all the necessary winter gear, and fit the headphones comfortably on my head, underneath hat and hood. I strung the cord for the I-pod down my sleeve, so it would fit easily into my mitten (which covered my gloved hand).

Off we go, so far so good. Well, I can't turn the sound up on the I-pod. If I try, it just advances it to the next song. Oh well, it's good enough, and I'll be off the heavily traveled street soon.

Raven decides to lift his leg to water someone's tire just as two other pedestrians approach. I try to drag him away to a more "appropriate" watering spot, but not before his act is witnessed. I still smile and greet the walkers--one replies cheerfully enough, the other stares at me like I'm an alien.

All right, we have made it up a slippery hill, and now Raven is squatting to do--well, you know what. Just as he finishes his duty, he spots another dog. I don't realize at the time it is my friend who has a chicken Rottweiller. (She told me this one day when she was walking without her dog because he had just had hip surgery. We always wave at each other from a distance, so our dogs don't get too traumatized at their meetings.) I am struggling to get a bag out of my pocket and stay on two feet while Raven is chomping at the bit. It's really slippery, but I manage to keep my balance, and finally scoop up the poop. Meanwhile, the dog and owner trot along on the other side of the road. Raven continues his barking and pulling rant. My I-pod decides to quit. I glance at it, see the "battery low" sign again. Sigh. Discouraged, I struggle to keep Raven in check. My I-pod falls in the snow. Finally I get the I-pod in a zippered pocket. My headphones are still crushing against my ears, but I decide that's the least of my problems. I get upright and ready to walk again, after tying up my bag. I turn to see my friend and her dog, and she waves knowingly at me. I smile and return the greeting.

After we got home, I plugged in my I-pod to charge it (it really did need charging). It still works, in spite of our morning ordeal. I think I'll have to get a water-proof case for it or something.

Oh, I didn't mention that just before this incident, Raven grabbed something distasteful looking and large in his mouth. At that moment, I was looking for something for him to bark at so he'd lose the gross object. No dog, car, bike or human in sight at that point.

Now I'm off to help Tim with some drywall work at a house on the next block. I'm going to leave the dog and I-pod at home.

Till next time,


Suzi

Modern marvels malfunction

Tim got me an I-pod for Christmas. He put lots and lots of songs on it for me. I love it, and today, I decided I would take it on my walk with Raven. I carefully put it in my zippered pocket, put on the headphones (the earplugs that came with it are lost somewhere) and started out with the dog.

I enjoyed many minutes of Rich Mullins and tunes from "Here in America." But, about 5 minutes from home, the I-pod quit. I made sure it was still in my pocket (it was). The headphones had become a bit uncomfortable under may hood and hat, so I adjusted them. Still nothing. Looking at the I-pod, I could see that it read that the battery needed charging.

So, I got home, and tried to find the plug-in. It took some doing, but I located it. But, the plug was too big to fit into the dealy. ( I don't know the technical word for these things.) Anyway, I couldn't get it to charge, so I tried revving it up again (if you can "rev" up something like an I-pod). To my surprise, tunes came forth (after I got the headphones back on). I think that I-pods do not like Minnesota winters, and after being out in temperatures in the teens for 30 minutes, Rich could not continue singing in my ears any longer.

So, I am going to try to find some earplugs to use to make listening more comfortable while walking, and I will borrow Tim's or Mark's charger. And maybe I'll carry my I-pod inside my mitten so it will stay nice and warm.

Stay tuned. (haha)

Till next time,


Suzi

By the way, merry orthodox Christmas--especially to Inga!

PS I'm writing this addendum a day after the initial post. I have just discovered that there are two cords included in the I-pod box. My son Mark was using one of them to download stuff from the computer to his I-pod. This cord is the one I was supposed to be using to charge the I-pod. It has the versatile use of also being able to be used in the computer (although it doesn't work in all computers.) So, the problem was with me (of course) and not with Apple or cord manufacturers. I guess I-pod does not stand for Idiot proof, or at least non-techie proof. But hey, I've never claimed to be a techie. I just like to blog and listen to tunes.

Taking down the tree

Today is January 6, the day before Orthodox Christians in central and eastern Europe celebrate Christmas. I like to think of it as the 12th day of Christmas. Also, the garbage collectors will pick up live trees for free with tomorrow's trash.

So, it's time to take the ornaments off the tree and pack up the decorations. I like to keep the tree up as long as possible, enjoying the lights during the short days and long nights of Minnesota's early winters. And, thinking of those Orthodox believers (including our former exchange student, Inga, from Moldova), I am reminded that they are still celebrating.

As I put away the ornaments and manger scenes, I will not put Christ away, but find room for him in my heart throughout the year. Tax time is coming, and I will need his strength to endure those days through April 15. Then, we can look forward to spring, longer days, and Easter!

Till next time,


Suzi

Back to BSF

Today I'm going back to Bible Study Fellowship after a three-week Christmas break. It will be good to be back and fellowship with other Christian women, to listen to the lecture on the text we've been reading in Hebrews, and discuss what we've learned with others in our discussion group.

As usual, I'm pushing the time limit. I'm dressed, I've eaten breakfast, but my hair is still damp from the shower and I still need to collect my books and make sure I'm presentable before I go out the door. Oh, the lazy days of vacation were nice, but it's time to face the world! Before I know it, tax time will be here, and I'll be working up to three days a week this season.

Up, up and away, to face a new day!

Till next time,


Suzi

Oscar the bulldog

Today Raven and I were charged by a bulldog as we walked the streets of Robbinsdale. I wasn't too worried--he looked harmless enough, overweight and waddling toward us, with his owner right behind. Apparently he had escaped from his yard, and because he had no leash or collar. The owner was straddling him, trying to guide him back to the house while Raven yapped and the lady apologized, yelling, "No Oscar!" and worked on steering her pet back to the house.

I wonder how much I'm like that bulldog. I like to go my own way, do my own thing, and I may be a dead weight when someone tries to bring me back to the way I should follow. I like to think I tow the line most of the time, but once in awhile I like to break free and chase after the German shepherds that may come across my path.

I know I can't take this analogy too far, but I should heed my owner--my Lord--more often. I need to seek him daily and listen to his voice moment by moment. Otherwise, I may find myself charging somewhere I don't belong, and hope that he lovingly finds me and takes me back where I should be--not wandering aimlessly in dangerous territory.

Till next time,


Suzi

Noh is fine

I just got an e-mail from our former exchange student in Thailand, Noh. We were concerned that he may have been vacationing in the area of the tsunami, but he wrote back and let us know that everyone he knows is fine. Even though most Thai people don't celebrate Christmas, they do have a winter break around that time of year, and the beaches of southern Thailand are a popular vacation spot for them.

So, while I'm so saddened by the death of so many people, I'm grateful that our Thai boy, whom we think of as a son, is safe. Our prayers continue for those who lost family and friends, and for the relief workers who are struggling to help the survivors.

Till next time,


Suzi

Should old acquaintance be forgot....

Last night Tim and I went to some friend's house for New Year's Eve. It was really fun to see several couples who attended our church, which closed a couple of years ago. We caught up on their lives and the lives of their children, many of whom are close in age to our kids.

Christina spent the night at a friend's, and Mark's band had a show. He called us after the show to let us know he had a ride home. We chatted with friends, ate good food, and played games till after midnight. When we arrived home after 1 (Tim had had a nap around 8, before we left for the party), Mark was safely at home. Christina had called us a little after midnight to wish us a happy new year.

Today I'm planning to stay home and get ready for Christina's family birthday party tomorrow. She wants lasagna, which I haven't prepared in a long, long time, so I think I'm going to assemble the ingredients today. Tim is leaving to get Christina before an ice storm arrives in town.

Before we know it, tax time will be upon us with its stress and busy-ness. But today, I'm going to enjoy another day of life, another year which is a gift from God.

Till next time,


Suzi