Letting go of January

Normally it's not too hard to say good-bye to January. Snow and cold, terrible driving conditions, and huddling inside for hours are typical of January days. But not this year. This year January was the warmest on record (at least I think that's what the weathermen around here are saying.)

There have been hints that cold weather may be coming the second week in February. We've certainly experienced cold February days in the past. Groundhog's day may be anti-climatic this year, since we've had spring like weather before the new year had a chance to begin.

Is it global warming? Is it the hurricanes' doing? Or is it George Bush's fault? I would say, none of the above, it's just the cycle of things. I'm not going to complain because I'm not a big fan of below zero temps, and I'd gladly do a winter without them.

Now, if I see flowers blooming, trees budding, and robins returning in the next couple of weeks, then maybe I'll agree that things are a little haywire.

But more likely than the above would be snow in July.

Till next time,


Suzi

It is Monday

Poor Mark is sick. So, not only are we sad he's not feeling well, we have the added dilemma of how to get Christina to school. Tim was sort of available, but I decided I would tackle the challenge of getting her to the other side of town then driving in traffic to get to Jeff's office an hour later than I had planned. Oh well.

Of course, Christina insisted on driving. (She did a fine job.) When we got to school and were switching positions, my friend Theresa pulled behind me (her daughter and Christina have attended school together for over 3 years now).

"Suzi, you may have more hits today!" (I heard this as "Suzi, you may have more kids today!" Confused, I approached Theresa and she repeated her exclamation. Apparently she was live on the radio today discussing blogging. I am her "blogging mother"--and a proud one at that. She blogs on a variety of topics and links to some very interesting places. You can read all about her here.

Once I got to work, I wrestled with a new coffee maker, rescuing the floor from grounds and liquid just in time. I finally figured it out, then listened to messages, pulled files, made appointments, etc. etc. I called Mark, he is feeling better now that he has, um, gotten rid of whatever he ate yesterday.

I forgot my cell phone at home, and I'm going straight from work to BSF tonight since we have a supper/fellowship before our meeting. I have already tried to post this once before it got lost in cyberspace. The afternoon is going pretty well, though, so I hope this post gets out okay.

Tomorrow I take a breather before I go back to my "real" job. Now I better post before something else happens.

Till next time,


Suzi

Latin phrases

On the comments the other day Lori issued a challenge to find out the meaning of certain Latin abbreviations. Here's what I've discovered:

The Latin abbreviation i.e., which stands for id est, means that is, that is to say, or in other words. The letters e.g. stand for the Latin phrase exempli gratia, which means for example.

I found the above information at this site.

"Etc." is et cetera which means and the rest, and so forth at this site.

There are lots more listed almost ad inf., ad infin. (ad infinitum) {to infinity).

Thanks for getting us started, Lori!

Till next time,


Suzi

The thaw is sometimes thawful

Temps are to skyrocket into the upper 40s today. So, as I have the day off, I decided to walk Raven after the sun came up and enjoy a nice spring-like morning. I was almost looking for robins--it's that nice out, with a nice sunrise and not too many clouds.

I donned my tennis shoes (who needs boots when it's above freezing?) and Raven and I headed out. As we crossed the street, I knew we were in trouble. The snow had melted in many places, but there were many patches of ice on the sidewalk.

As we walked along, I wondered what I would do if I fell and were incapacitated. I always carry my phone with me, so I figured I could call Tim. If not, I could call Luke, and he could probably get me home or to the hospital. As I was pondering this, a dog across the street barked. Raven barked back, pulling on the leash. Fortunately it wasn't too icy there so I lucked out.

But I had a few more close calls. Once I really almost lost my balance, doing that waving one hand in the air thing to desperately try to stay vertical. You know how your heart flips around when that happens. But, we made it past that patch.

Then, we were almost home free. We were coming to the end of the sidewalk, and about to enter the parkway where the path was wide and dry. After that I'd be walking on the street, where there was plenty of salt and sand to keep me upright. Just as I was about to cross the street to safety, I hit another icy patch. Voom! (Is that the sound of a fall? Maybe SPLAT would be better.)

I landed on my back, catching myself a bit with one hand. Raven looked back, but didn't seem too concerned. I didn't feel too hurt--I felt my neck snap a bit so I might be a little stiff later. My back is already stiffening up a bit, but a good shower might help a lot.

Well, we managed to get home without any more scares. Luke is coming over today to help organize and clean. I'm glad I can be home, too. Luke worked his magic in the kitchen the other day, since drywall is kinda slow now. He cleaned and got things looking really nice. Tim has assigned him the laundry room next.

After the slip sliding I'm happy to stay home, but I've got to go out and grocery shop. Plus, I want to enjoy the nice temperatures from the safety of my car. The sidewalks may be bad for now, but the roads are nice and dry and clear.

And, with Luke's help, our laundry room will soon be nice and clear. Who knows, maybe we'll tackle Tim's office next!

Till next time,


Suzi

No post again?

I'm thinking about not posting again today, since the comments yesterday seemed to take on a life of their own. However, I guess I'll have to introduce some sort of topic for discussion--ummm--the temperatures are supposed to soar up into the 40s today, which will wreak (sp?) havoc with those creating ice sculptures for display during the winter carnival at Rice Park in St. Paul.

Other possible items to comment on: dogs and their adventures and/or daily routines, tax stuff as it is the season, kids and school, other weather related topics, husbands and their many virtues, house cleaning tips, the rain in Spain, and whatever may be falling on the plain. (No, Lori I am NOT singing right now...{but give me a sec})

Go at it!

(Of course, I'm assuming that people actually read this...)

Till next time,


Suzi

Nothing new, but wait...

Nothing really to say today, so I probably won't post. No blog today, maybe tomorrow. Well, there is the news that I came home yesterday to bikes in the driveway and access to my nice parking spot in the garage blocked. But it was for a good reason. Terry and John (Tim's helpers) were spraying the ceiling and walls of our garage. It was best not to be driving in while the white stuff was flying everywhere. It was enough to find that Raven had some taping mud on his whiskers and tail. I think he thinks it's edible.

Today Mark goes to the dentist. Mark and Christina got their report cards yesterday, and they did pretty well, if I do say so myself. Christina needs to work on Algebra, but she aced Western Civilization. Who'd a thunk. Mark did well in all his subjects--A+ in Latin. Woo hoo!

So, maybe I'll have something to say tomorrow. Although I'm happy about the garage and even more pleased about the kids' school report.

Till next time,


Suzi

Back to the other office

Now I'm back at my south Minneapolis office. So far I've answered the phones correctly (Northwest Conference). We weren't down here on Friday because of the conference off-site, and now I'm here through Thursday.

Just found out my co-worker may be leaving in a couple of weeks (!) to adopt their second child. We are so thrilled for them, but it may mean a lot of scurrying around here with our annual meeting coming up in April (she may be gone up to six weeks).

With tax stuff going on too, this makes life interesting.

Better get back to work!

Till next time,


Suzi

Back to taxes

Today I start my four-day stretch at work. I went back to the tax office, and it seems like I never left. It doesn't take too long to get back in the saddle. I was just afraid I would answer the phone "Northwest Conference" instead of "Nelson & Associates," but I think I did all right.

I helped Jeff do a spread sheet, sent a fax, did input sheets for two clients who either dropped off or mailed in their tax returns, scheduled several appointments and took messages for Jeff. Tomorrow it's back to work at the conference office--through Thursday. On Friday I can kick back and maybe take Raven to the vet. He's almost due for rabies shots, as well as having his anal glands expressed (how pleasant) and trying to find out why he is still itching in the middle of winter. Maybe a dog shrink can also explain why he like to bark incessantly at night. (Two am is his favorite time.)

Well, I'm off to BSF now. Wednesday Mark is going to the dentist (long overdue)--his tooth is bothering him. I know Luke and Christina should get in too. One kid at a time--besides, Luke is grown up now and can go at any time. (But I suppose it always helps if Mom makes the appointment and pays the bill..._

Till next time,


Suzi

Conquering conflict

Sorry there was no blog yesterday. I was at an all-day conflict management Leadership Forum for work yesterday. My main conflict was taking pictures with the digital camera from work, and taking notes so I can do a write-up for our newsletter. It was a good session--we had over 100 people attending from our regional churches, and many people were quite grateful for the opportunity to come and learn.

We learned about 5 styles of dealing with conflict:
Avoidance
Accommodation
Compromise
Competition
Collaboration

Collaboration is the best method, where all parties sit down together and discuss the needs of each individual in order to address the conflict in a healthy way. Once needs are determined, the group can work together to see how best every person's needs can be met.

I found out that I, like most of the church workers/pastors who were in attendance, am an avoider of conflict. I'd rather walk away from a fight than deal with it. I learned that conflict isn't bad, just the ways we deal with conflict.

So, I avoided blogging yesterday. What does that say? Compromise, which I thought was a good thing, is really not--because each party involved loses something. I'm definitely not a competitor, but I am quite a bit of an accommodator as well--trying to make sure other parties are happy.

Anyway, today I am avoiding housework, and I will try to compromise by cleaning one area while having someone else clean another. Instead, we should collaborate by discussing the needs of our family to have a clean house and determine how we can all meet each others' needs.

Or something like that. Maybe I should go over my notes again. Right now, Raven needs me to take him for a walk. And I guess he is Top Dog around here, so his needs always get met.

Till next time,


Suzi

A free-flowing pipe

Tim spent the morning at home today, working on cleaning up stuff. First order of business was our clogged pipe. He got a new hose hooked up and, since this one did not burst, it was able to unclog the problem. Hurray! Now I have my kitchen sink back. But maybe I should still order some earthworms to eat their way through future clogs. Can they live in pipes with detergent, water, and other nasty stuff floating by?

At work I'm calling churches to remind them to fax in their attendance data forms. We have lots of rural churches, some of which do not have fax machines. Some do not even have voice mail. So I'm hoping that somehow, they will complete their forms to send to us. I talked to one woman today (the pastor had me call her) who said it is long distance to call her pastor, and she only gets her mail three times a week because that is how often she goes to the post office. We did not discuss fax machines and e-mail. And I complain about having to walk to the curb to retrieve the mail instead of getting it right by my front door. Rural American is certainly not suburbia.

I guess it's snowing in the north metro or at least north of the Twin Cities, but here at work in south Minneapolis it's only lazy flurrying. We'll see how traffic is later. In rural America, they probably have to do a lot of fending for themselves in snow storms--not relying on the convenience of city plows.

I may get clogged pipes once in awhile, but I guess I like suburban life.

Till next time,


Suzi

The return of the clog

It's back. I guess I should have been pouring a gallon of white vinegar down the kitchen sink each week. Or maybe every day. But I noticed a foul smell coming from the sink in the heated garage. The dishwasher/garbage disposal was backing up into the sink. The cause: a stubborn clog many feet away in the laundry room.

Tim and I were up till after 11 plunging and snaking. (Well, Tim did most of the work. I had plunged earlier before he got home from his Bible study.) Tonight, Tim is trying to snake from closer to the source, but that's not going so well. The next step is opening the pipes under the sink and running a hose through it. When the clog finally does break loose, there will be a mess in the laundry room.

I see now why plumbers make such good money. This is nasty work. Of course, if we had an electric snake (or whatever they call those powered ones) it would be easier work.

I suppose I should be jealous of my folks and my sister who don't use a garbage disposal because they don't have one, and who compost all of their leftover food instead of grinding it down the drain. Sometimes more primitive life can be a timesaver in the long run.

Stay tuned on the unclogging of the Nelson pipes...

Till next time,


Suzi

Winter is back

Last night on my way to BSF it started to snow. I wasn't too worried, because I was driving my trusty Highlander. I made it to and from without any problem, and even used the ECT feature. By the way, does anyone know what ECT is? Tim says it must stand for Extra Control Traction but I'm just not sure. Maybe I should Google it.

Ha. The beauty of the internet. I just answered my own question. Here's what I found at this site:

Toyota Highlander
Power Train/Chassis:
• 3.0-liter double overhead cam (DOHC) 24-valve VVT-i V6
• 4-speed electronically controlled automatic (ECT) with Snow Mode
• Front engine front-wheel drive (2WD) or full-time 4-wheel drive (4WD)
• Rack-and-pinion steering with power-assist

So, ECT stands for Electronically ConTrolled AuTomaTic. I guess you can choose which T you want to use. It seems to me it should be ECA, but what do I know. It's probably named by Japanese manufacturers, and they are pretty smart dudes, so I will not question their abbreviations.

Anyway, today it was quite a bit cooler, and there was a fresh blanket of snow to walk through. It's always fun to see the tracks of those who've gone before us, and I'm always thankful that the doggie prints are not too fresh or I'd be straining at the leash while Raven "protects" me from a neighboring dog out for the same morning stroll.

It's nice to have a bit of a change in weather--I heard one meteorologist complain that the forecast was beginning to seem like the Bill Murray movie "Groundhog's Day"--you know, where he wakes up every morning and it's the same day it was yesterday--February 2. I can't remember now how he ever got out of the cycle. (Okay, I guess it was when he gave up his cynicism and became a nice person that he finally landed on Feb. 3.)

So, I guess for Minnesotans, monotony is not acceptable, even in January. Bring on the snow, cold and we'll just bundle up. Twenty-one straight days of 32 degree highs will not cut it. We need to enjoy our ice fishing, our snow mobiling, our cross country skiing.

As for me, I just love pushing that ECT button. Whatever that means.

Till next time,


Suzi

The tax man cometh

Now, most people noted that today is Martin Luther King Day, the day when we remember that great civil rights leader and honor his day of birth and his life and legacy. I, too, am grateful for this man and for his fight for equality for all. I celebrate with the kids, enjoying a day off school to remember this man. But mid-January also brings another perennial occasion: TAX TIME.

Today I went down to the tax office and saw some friends I only see between January and April. I gazed at the phone which will become a fixture to my ear in the coming weeks (at least on Mondays). I looked at the rows of file cabinets, knowing that soon they would be crammed with 2005 tax returns, while 2003 returns would be shredded. (2004 remains in the file till next year). I let my fingers glide across the keyboard where I'll type notes of clients, all clamoring to see The Man, aka Jeff, my brother-in-law, the accountant.

The fax machine, the desk, the phone, the postal machine--they are all there as they were last year. (Well, postage has gone up.) But things change every tax year--there are new laws, new clients, new questions. The day goes fast, for which I'm grateful, but it often seems I can't get enough done--there is always filing to be finished, phone calls to return, notes to pass on to Jeff, etc. etc.

But being busy during tax season has it's upside too. When we lift our heads from the computers, phones and paperwork, we find that daylight savings time has arrived, robins have returned, and the snow is mostly gone--sometimes temperatures even soar to 60 degrees (but not too often). Spring has sprung by April 15, (this year April 17) and we rejoice that we survived another tax season.

But before we can enjoy the end of tax season, we take a day or two to rest and recuperate. Spring has to wait while sleep takes over.

I'm getting ahead of myself, however. I'll gear up now for taxes, look forward to meeting new people and getting reacquainted with old, and keep Kleenex on my desk for those who owe big time and didn't know it.

Of course, it's always fun to celebrate with those who get unexpected refunds. Funny, though, they never seem to share their fortune with those of us at the tax office....

Till next time,


Suzi

The northwoodsers have arrived!

Cheri arrived last night right at 5 pm. When Tim got home with cousin Terry, we decided to go out to eat, with Mark joining us as well (Christina was out with Pete). We had a good meal and ended up at Northwestern bookstore where we cashed in our Christmas gift cards on books, CDs and DVDs.

This morning Cheri and I went out to Crown college to collect Daniel. It looks like it may be the school he'll attend next year. Yay! Now I should see more of my sister and Daniel and family.

Today we're attending Tim's uncle's funeral. He was 64 and had suffered from cancer, so we are glad he is now with the Lord, even though it's very sad for those left behind. This family gathering will take us away from Cheri and Daniel for a time, but we hope to be home early evening to have some more fun.

Tomorrow the Shields will be leaving, all too soon and all to quick a visit. But another visit is planned to Crown in the future, so we'll look forward to that!

Till next time,


Suzi

Cheri's coming!

Today my big sis is coming to visit. Actually, we are a stop for her as her youngest, Daniel, is checking out a local college. Daniel will spend the night at the school and join us for a quick overnight tomorrow. Then, alas, they are leaving around noon on Sunday.

I wish she could stay till Monday at least since I'm off then (and it is a holiday, Martin Luther King day). But Daniel wants to get back for Sunday night youth group. Ahh well. I'm working today, but I guess that's okay since Cheri won't arrive till supper time anyway.

It's a quick trip to the big city for them, but I'm glad they can make a little time for their "urban" (rather "suburban") cousins. It's always fun to have a little country--or rather northwoods--in the city. I just hope traffic doesn't get to them.

Till next time,


Suzi

Who's (what's) in control?

The beauty of having Tivo is that you can easily record favorite TV programs, skip through commercials, and come home late to shows that you can rewind (up to 30 minutes). This way, I am in charge of my TV viewing. That TV doesn't control me, no sir, I choose exactly what I want to view and when I want to view it.

Until the Tivo doesn't work. And the DVD player doesn't work. And the TV doesn't work. And my husband can't fix it. And my husband has his own technology problems to deal with, having a cell phone that won't ring and numbers he can't dial.

So, I call in the reinforcements. "Luke, can you come over?" Count on a 20-year-old son to be able to figure things out. It took him a little while though. But he persevered, got the right wires reconnected, and Tivo and DVD player were back in service.

Now, if I were ever to have a major computer problem, I'd be in deep trouble. But hopefully I could call on Luke again and avoid expensive techie repairs.

This is why we have kids. (Well, maybe only one reason, but it's a really good one!)

Till next time,


Suzi

Small group

Last night we met with some friends from the Well, our church plant. We are hoping to start a small group, perhaps meeting on Fridays and Sundays (Friday social night, Sunday study night). It seems like a good group of people and I'm looking forward to our next gathering.

After our meeting we went over to Tim's cousin Terry's place. Terry had been working on taking apart/fixing/drying out Tim's cell phone which had an unfortunate encounter with a bucket of water. The latest is that the "7", "8" and "9" key do not work. He still has his numbers saved on the phone, but he can only scroll up, not down. Also, when the phone rings, it doesn't make a noise, although it does still light up.

Looks like it's time for another new phone. Well, after all, it is a new year.

Till next time,


Suzi

Pick up the Pace

Today I've decided I need to pick up the pace (no, not the salsa). Raven and I were being followed for about two blocks by a young lady and her two dogs, and I thought if I just walked a bit faster it would distract him and he'd settle down. But he kept twisting and jumping and barking, as if to say "hey there's two ferocious animals back there waiting to devour you and I'm not gonna let that happen. Let me at 'em."

Finally he settled down, and I thought it was due to my great control and handling methods (yeah, right). But actually it was because they had turned a corner and were now out of sight. I realized that I was out of breath and frankly, pooped.

So, it being a new year and all, I've decided it would be a good thing to pick up the pace around here. I should walk more briskly, exercise on my walker-thingy at night, sort the mail when it comes, filing it, tossing it, and acting on it right away, I should empty the dishwasher immediately, sort clothes, wash and dry them, taking clothes out of the dryer as soon as the buzzer buzzes, etc. etc. Then I'd have time to start writing that great American novel I've dreamed of writing since I was a kid...

Whew! I'm tired just blogging about this! Maybe the first thing on the agenda should be a nap. Then I can be rested up for all these tasks I'm going to perform.

On the other hand, there's always tomorrow. I just watched "Annie" this weekend on TV. I love that song, "Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you're always a day away....the sun will come out, tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow....." etc--always knowing that if today isn't going well, after all, tomorrow is another day.....

Till next time,


Suzi

Back to blogging

Apparently Tim has come back to blogging in full force, while I played a little hooky. He's got great pictures of our time in Tennessee.

Christina's party went well--although I guess there was way too much food. I made four pans of lasagna, but there were 18 people here, so go figure. Well, I did also have garlic bread, two lettuce salads, one chicken cashew salad (left over from the potluck at church yesterday), orange banana jello--and then Dairy Queen cake, which managed to go completely. I sent home lasagna with Jeff & Dawn, Tim's cousin Terry, and Luke. There was still enough left for Mark and Christina to take to school for lunch and for us to have for supper tonight.

Jeff made a wonderful DVD of old pictures. This was a gift for his parent's wedding anniversary in November, but he just completed it recently, so there were Christmas pictures on it too from 2005. It was fun to see pictures from Jim & Gladys' childhood to the present--and even a couple of their parents and grandparents. They were sure a dashing young couple--especially in Jim's old cars. There were pictures of our kids as they grew, and it was fun to relieve those memories. There were even pictures of exchange students Noh and Inga.

Well, I've got more to do around here--mainly sorting papers since things are pretty well still picked up from the party. Never a dull moment. Tonight I'm back to BSF after being off three weeks. Tomorrow I'm home again and back to work on Wed.

Till next time,


Suzi

zzzzzzzzzzz

Sorry no blogging this weekend. Too busy and tired. Had Christina's 16th birthday party for family. Cooked lasagna. Lots of work. Off Monday and Tuesday--more then.

Till next time,

Suzi

A new dog

To celebrate Grandma's good health report, our son Luke went out and bought a dog last night. I went over to visit, bringing the vacuum with me since Luke doesn't have one yet (he's been borrowing them). Apparently, Callie, a Siberian Husky mix (6 months old) was eating everything she could see (or smell) on the carpet.

Callie was rescued from a farm residence where the elderly owner had died. His children, who were unaware of any pets, found two dogs in the garage. It seems the dogs had lived off the land or whatever they could find.

Callie seems friendly and curious. Luke has wanted a dog since before he got his own place, so I think he is ready.

I wonder if Callie and Raven will get along--after all, they are now related. Raven is, ummm--Callie's uncle?

Till next time,


Suzi

Update on Mom

My dad called me today and told me that Mom's tests went well--no polyps were found in her colon, and an offending vessel that was discovered was cauterized to stop the bleeding. So, if all goes well, she should come home tomorrow.

Dad sounded good--he said my brother fell asleep at my folks' watching a ball game (he spent the night in case he was needed). Dad said he would be careful to eat enough to avoid low blood sugar so we don't need to worry about him, too.

Thanks for all the prayers--we surely appreciate it!

Till next time,


Suzi

A long day

Five am came early this morning--especially since I didn't really get to sleep till somewhere around midnight after I took some Nyquil-type stuff for my cold. Then I think it had the opposite effect and acted more as a stimulant than a drowsy-like medicine. Anyway, I got up, stumbled out the door with Raven, and dragged along on our walk. When I got home Christina was already up and in the shower, Tim was ready for me to make his lunch, and Mark hopped in the shower right after Christina got out. Good thing Christina doesn't like my new hair dryer--ha!--or so she had said. I had to wrangle it away from her so I could dry my head in time to get out the door to my first day back at work after our holiday break.

We had a good staff meeting at the office this morning and I've got plenty to keep me busy now--which is good, because December was sort of slow. Then around lunch time my cell phone rang. It was my Dad.

"Mom's in the hospital," he said. Just then the extension on my office phone was buzzing, so I had to put my dad off for a minute only to find it wasn't for me and I had to look for the correct extension number to give the caller.

Apparently my mom's lost almost 20 pounds off her 5'2" frame recently, and when Dad had mentioned it, I guess I could not recall her sitting down to eat a meal with us when we were visiting over Christmas. She was busy fussing over everyone else, and always making sure my dad was eating at the right times so his blood sugar didn't sink through the floor, causing a scary reaction complete with sweating, dizziness and confusion for Dad.

But now it's Dad's turn to be the care-giver. Don't get me wrong, he is a great care giver and a wonderful domestic helper as well as provider and fixer-upper. He and Mom make a great team. But I guess I've always pictured my mom as the healthy one, the one who would make sure Dad was fine and of course she always took care of us kids. When I went away to college and was sick for the first time, I sure missed my Mom's cool touch, reassuring words and pampering. She knew just what to give me to eat or drink and how to make me comfortable on the couch or in bed. Even after I was married, she nursed me back on my feet when I had two C-sections after our boys were born.

My brother Roger is staying with Dad for tonight at least, which is a great comfort. I hate being so far from them. Mom is having lots of blood transfused--I think 4 units, so she'll be in for a couple of days. Her chest x-ray was clear, but tomorrow they will give her an upper and lower GI. Not exactly a picnic.

I talked to her late this afternoon, and she sounded good--in fact, even better than she had at Christmas. The new blood must be doing the trick. So now it's time for others to care for Carole, to mother the mom, to gladden the grandmother. (well, I couldn't think of one for grandmother--got something better?)

I'm grateful for friends and family who can be there or if they can't, who can pray. Right now that's what I'm doing, and I am thankful for all the times my mom has cared and prayed for me. I guess it's all right that we take that turn now.

Till next time,


Suzi

Big sis says

I talked to my sister Cheri today, and told her I'd be working tomorrow for the first time in two weeks. She reminded me to blog the night before, so, as a dutiful younger sister, I am doing that. Really, I am grateful that I have at least one loyal reader, and I want to keep her. My husband reads my blog too, but it is usually more like once a week or less, and then he has to catch up on all my blogging, which, I'm sure, can be a bit overwhelming since I can go on and on and on.

Tonight we had dinner with some old friends. There's nothing quite like spending time with people you've known for years, who have kids the same age and have lived through many life experiences with you. We had a great meal, too--my contribution was green bean casserole. Tried and true, but still good I think. Cindy brought an amazing broccoli salad and Alyson made meatballs, twice baked (or something like that) potatoes, and noodles. I had a Diet Cherry Coke, so I was very happy. There were Christmas cookies for dessert as well as more good conversation and coffee for those who can tolerate (and even enjoy!) that kind of thing.

I may be wishing for caffeine tomorrow. Today I've felt a cold coming on--the first one I've had in months and months. I better get to bed soon since I'll get up early to walk and get the kids off to school and Tim off to work as well.

It's back to reality.

Till next time,


Suzi

A big goal

One of the main goals Tim and I have for 2006 is to organize paperwork. This includes the painful process of going through files and tossing out stuff we've saved for years to make room for current, more important stuff that is currently trying to hide on Tim's desk.

Tim assigned me a drawer yesterday. In it I found scripts for Vacation Bible School from the 80s. I had written one-- the "Adventures of Paul." Greg Bodin, Tim's lifetime friend (and mine, since our marriage--and especially his wife Cindy) had written others--Noah, the life of Jesus, and Moses. I carefully filed these together in a VBS folder.

I found a magazine assignment (rough draft and correspondence) which I had been asked to redo. Why was I holding on to this? I know I have the final copy somewhere. I decided to toss it. Then I came across a folder that Tim had entitled "Suzi's term papers." Actually, they were mostly short (six pages or less) papers I had written for various linguistic classes I'd taken in college. A favorite one was simply titled "Variety"--less than two pages typed, double spaced--back in the days before computers. I explained how I enjoyed learning the varieties of the English language--the different dialects in America as well as the variations in Australia and England. I went on to say how much I enjoyed learning the different sounds and formations of words in languages like Shua, Buka, Nharo and Nama (I have no idea where these languages are spoken).

But at the top of the page I saw the main reason I had saved this paper. It said, "Well-written=Blue ribbon, if I had one."

As I sort and clean, I plan to toss out stuff that has bad memories attached to it. Not that I don't want to learn from my mistakes, but I have a tendency to remember the negative too easily. I hope I can get to the point with stuff in my house that my husband can look around and say, "Well done. Blue ribbon, if I had one."

Till next time,


Suzi

Slipereeeee

We woke up this morning to rain. Yes, it's January 2, and it's raining.

Raven and I slipped our way around the neighborhood--he saved me from falling more than once as his taut leash helped me stay vertical. (I won't mention the other occasions where his jerky movements could have flattened me.)

Side roads are slick, but I guess the main roads aren't too bad. Parking lots, however, are another thing. This isn't supposed to be happening in January--it's more of a late winter thing, when the promise of spring isn't far so we can tolerate patches of ice here and there.

This winter has already been different from past years--we've had mild Decembers with little snow for quite a while. This year we've had more snow already than most recent winters. December started out cold, but ended up with an early winter thaw.

Well, as I've said before, I enjoy variety. We just need to be cautious, and enjoy the warmer temps. After all, this beats a blizzard and sub-zero temps.

It will be interesting to watch the January weather patterns. At least we don't have to worry about hurricanes.

Till next time,


Suzi