Reviews
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
a Year in Review
the 2009 calendar from the door of the fridge is about to be stored up on the high shelf, so I am looking through for the highlights
JANUARY was typical winter weather for the prairie, yet I had TA Sub jobs the first week. Schools and ISU were closed on the 15th because we got 5.4” snow and -11o overnight. On the 20th I told SubFinder that I was Unavailable so I could stay home and watch the President Obama Inauguration. There were several meetings pertaining to Family Fun Nights for church, which I did not sign on as a Volunteer this year. I might do an item donation or two, but not the time and energy of the last couple years.
FEBRUARY I went to a funeral service for our friend Tom Yoder on the first Wednesday. Family Fun Nights preparations kept me and the kitchen committee quite busy. Both cats got their teeth cleaned on Thursday the 12th. We went out to movie theaters 4 times! Geo hooked up the new box so we could receive the different type of television signals.
MARCH sons Lucas and Chris both had birthdays! and their mother did not send cards. There were several days of TA Sub jobs, even with Spring Break began the fourth Monday. Lucas went to California to see his sweetie. Geo’s unicycle arrived in a box on the porch. Many yarny items donated for the Mennonite Relief Sale. I finished a bedspread cotton baby blanket for a friend due in April, and began to crochet granny squares for the Lucas and Milly wedding gift.
APRIL My car went into the shop and came out a week later. I don’t like driving Husband’s car. Goodness, my month was boring. Apparently too much rain, we were mopping water in the basement. I was a volunteer at a Blood Drive at church. Crocheted several granny squares.
MAY Early on, I worked TA Sub jobs 5 days. On May 9, Geo mowed the grass in the morning, we rode our bicycles to an Open House at the bicycle shop, for lunch and so I could buy a helmet.
He mentioned he had a bit of pain, so I pedalled back home and fetched the car. That night, we were in ER, and at dawn my husband had major surgery. The rest of the month is a blur of phone calls, visitors, crocheted items done at his bedside, and drives to Urbana for son Lucas.
I told SubFinder I was Unavailable until the end of the school year. He was discharged on the 18th, yet still needed care, so I cancelled a trip to my high school reunion in Ohio. One fun afternoon event was an adoption party for our Youth Minister’s daughter.
JUNE on the first day, when there were thunderstorm warnings scrolling at the bottom of the television screen, son Lucas went on an airplane to live in California for good, and Husband was re-admitted to the hospital with an infection. He was in 4 days, then home again on strong antibiotics, with a couple follow-up medical appointments. on 15 June, Geo gratefully returned to work on Short Hours/ Light Duty, with his boss being a chauffeur since bicycle riding was out of the question.
I had my mammogram, which I try to make the appointment near my birthday, and a colonoscopy because I’m getting older. I’m told I don’t need to have either one again for years.
There was much watching of dvds in our own living room, and yard work being done by friends.
JULY son Chris went away on an airplane to visit Aunt Stephanie in Washington DC. He came home on the train 10 days later, having had a wonderful time. I had 7 dental appointments in 5 weeks, with one being a root canal. The cats got their birthday check-ups and shots. They are doing fine for being 14 years old. Fastened off last stitch of the Lucas and Milly aphgan on the 29th. (It seems I still need to put its tale on the blog)
AUGUST Being done with a huge pile of granny squares all sewed into a queen-size aphgan, I decided to master the Diagonal Box Stitch crochet pattern, and proceeded to work up 2 baby aphgans, several dishcloths, and a pair of potholders. They all found sweet homes. Geo began riding his bicycle to the job again, and went to the park for practice on the unicycle. Lucas and Emily legally married with signatures on paper in California.
I was a Teacher Sub for the Pre-K Sunday School class, and the church picnic at the water park was a fun time.
Rehearsals began for the play The Women of Lockerbie, which we would perform at Camp Friedenswald during Women’s Retreat. School Started, and I had TA Sub jobs during the very first week.
SEPTEMBER The weather was lovely. I wrote that word 7 mornings in a row, then rain and overcast, then Lovely another 7 mornings. Which was greatly appreciated because we travelled to the eastern shore of Great Lake Michigan, aka Harbor County, state of Michigan, for son Lucas to have a ceremony for everlasting love to Emily Coogan (she’s keeping her name). A wonderful time, getting to know some great people, all of whom I wished lived on our street so we could chat more often.
The next weekend, I was crowded into a van with many supplies for Women’s Retreat, including full suitcase of yarny donations with sale proceeds going directly to Camp. Being on the program committee was an amazing experience when I had to pull up energy and charisma I never realized is in me.
OCTOBER Rain..Rain..Rain. Several TA Sub jobs, much activity in church kitchen, many knitted baby hats for the hospital. Much mopping of water in basement. Our wedding anniversary came and went, then dinner at a new place a week later. Got the news that a childhood friend had died from complications of diabetes. Last day of month I wrote “Lovely Morning!” and we rode our bicycles to breakfast.
NOVEMBER First day of the month also says “Lovely Morning!” and I went to a jewelry party after church. First Monday of the month, I got a root canal, on the tooth next to the one done last summer. Volunteer at church Blood Drive. Few TA Sub jobs, for various reasons. Thanksgiving turkey ordered and picked up, and just 3 of us had a nice feast. I sewed a couple gift bags, having gotten the idea from pals at church. Shopping in craft sales at high schools.
DECEMBER Four dentist appointments in 4 weeks. Holidays upon us. End of College Semester Stress. Programs at church. Newsletter Preparations. House Decorations few but sentimental. Lucas here for a couple days. Snow..Snow..Snow.. Cats bickering. Husband brings bicycle into house to get warm for repairs.
This Week Craft Supplies Box Arrives. School Semester Starts. No Jobs Available. Crochet 3 bookmarks. Knit baby hat. Sweep kitchen floor. Crochet 2 potholders.
Sit in chair nearly 2 hours to read my notes
and Type Year’s Recap.
Why are we still here?
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Update:
my spouse wrote about our year at Decrepit Old Fool
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Machine Fixed, Now I Gotta Fill It
Dishwasher Repairman just leaving.
Sez the problem was the Fill Valve not closing, therefore the machine kept having water flow in, which causes overflow. Old Fill Valve corroded because of our hard water and old pipes. The shut-off valve to the kitchen sink is not adequate, so I had to turn off the intake valve (water meter) of the whole house.
Replaced the Fill Valve,
and cleaned out a little copper connector,
under Warranty, saving us $198 parts and labor.
Also adding to the problem, the drain connection is too small, perhaps also clogged, therefore machine not getting empty quickly enough. The pump sounds like it is working a bit too hard.
The U sewer pipe under the sink is not his concern, but advises us to replace as soon as possible, to help the machine do its job properly. Sez water should not be backwashing into the machine, this machine is new enough and designed well enough to not expect that.
One dishwasher flood is bringing on a whole new remodel need.
Just ask any homeowner about the money pit.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Jam is A-cookin’
Teresa’s Aronia Berry jelly makes a large batch, but the market is too far away from my house.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
the School Year is come, with Prayer and Songs
In case you didn’t notice the announcement written on hundreds of signs in yards all over town, this evening was the service for Opening the School Year in Prayer out at Eastview Church.
I got there early enough to find a nice seat away from anybody wearing perfume, near a light so that I could see well enough to use my crochet hook and yarn, yet still be able to read a screen (I sure do miss a hymnbook).
This is Year 11 for the meeting (I’ve been to 9 of them) where folks gather to pray for a good school year. Nobody gets missed, prayers are for the students, their parents, the teachers, aides, cooks, bus drivers, administration, college professors, the neighbors of the buildings—we all get a phrase and a blessing.
There is a Praise Band, with words to the songs projected on screen(s), a couple solos, a scripture reading, and open microphone so anybody can be heard talking to the Lord. The song leader was our newspaper carrier many years ago, but I didn’t know then that he has such a nice voice and musical talent.
Just before the opening music, a family came and sat down in the row where I parked myself. The mother’s perfume was sweet but not overwhelming, so I stayed put. A little boy about 7 years old sat with one seat between him and me.
I stayed sitting for the first several songs, working my crochet hook on a light blue dishcloth. The little guy would glance over to watch, but as soon it seemed I might notice him, he would look away.
I finished the border during the last verse of the last song. When the lights came up, a principal of a junior high school came over to say Hi, and to ask if I’m gonna be a TA Sub again this year. Well, Sure, See Ya There!
The little boy was moving away with his family, so I made my excuses and caught up with him. I handed over the dishcloth, saying he watched me crochet it so he could have it. His mother looked stunned, which made me backtrack my thoughts a bit. In a church service I cannot talk to a child? Is Stranger Danger really too crazy?
The dad realized my intent, nudged the boy who was examining the cloth. “Say Thank You” He looked up at me in hero worship. “You made this, just tonight! Thank You!” then he turned to let his little sister about 5 years old touch it.
the dad nodded his own Thanks, while I leaned over and told him that the crochet hook keeps me from biting my fingernails, so I’m glad to have something useful at the end of the evening
When I got home, Husband asked if we have made sure the whole community has prayer support so that school can start.
Sure Thing, we’ve got showers of blessings, and I’m still humming Shine Jesus Shine.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Movie(s) watched so no chores done
Over the weekend, we rented a dvd movie of Gran Torino starring Clint Eastwood
Husband wrote about it at Decrepit Old Fool.
there is much much cussing in the movie, the use of guns,
and a girl with bruises implying worse
but I just know that my dad would have related with it
because he was a Korean War veteran, liked to keep our property all spiffy, worked in a steel mill for years, lived in a house full of women
and he loved Clint Eastwood movies, saying that he and Clint were born the same year so their lifetimes overlapped (Clint being only 10 months older)
Monday, I watched Charlotte’s Web on a vhs tape purchased at a rummage sale for 50¢
while crocheting the last few rows of the body and the first row of the border for the baby blankie
so I guess today should be doing some actual household chores or sumthin….
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Movie found while looking for something else
this morning I went out to get a haircut
and I asked for it to be really short for two reasons
1) our current heat wave of 94ºF
2) I’m having a medical procedure done next week when I have to go under anesthesia and I don’t want anybody to have trouble moving me around and worrying about my hair sticking out from under the cap
Years ago I decided the best way to ride out a heat wave is to stay inside where the air conditioning we pay so much for will get used, and today is one of those times.
this afternoon, I’m indoors watching
a rented dvd title Snow Cake starring Sigourney Weaver,
and iffen I didn’t know otherwise, I might be thinking she actually has high functioning autism, which proves what a fine actress she is.
I picked this movie up thinking I might find it interesting, given my line of work being in classrooms full of kids with Special Needs. Every so often, a person should take some sort of small chance, and at $1.75, this was quite a find for some good viewing.
There’s much more to it than what I say here, but the plot is a guy stops off in a small town to deliver a package to the mother of a young woman who died in a car accident, then ends up staying awhile to help with the funeral arrangements.
the part that made me laugh knowingly was in the Deleted Scenes with the title Actually, she’s my Wife.
So if you are in the mood for a people-to-people story, this one is a great way to while away a couple hours.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Monday, June 15, 2009
Newly Found Author
It’s Noon, so I came over to read
the new Writer’s Almanac poem (a link in my sidebar) and was introduced to Ilene Beckerman, author who had her first work published at age 60.
Now I will go see if I want to purchase any of her books.
I suspect I might….
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Shopping and Folding have Made My Day
This week brought some birthday bucks which were burning a hole in my pocket.
First on the list was slippers. Partly described in my comment at M C, on Saturday, I went to the store which promised the proper brand name I had grown up with.
It is difficult to describe to a chirrup younger than my son exactly what I mean by slippers. Definitely not the wall she led me to, which had row after row of scuffs (the kind of footwear without heel support or warmth).
At least there was something to choose from, at other stores I was told that slippers are a Holiday Seasonal Item.
At long last, after she grew bored with a non-sale, on my own, I found a row near the floor of actual slippers,
which have cloth going over the top of my foot, along the sides, and blessed be, covering the heel.
Also stopped to look at socks (4 pair), because a nearby red sign said 25% off, and socks are my second weakness (after yarn) when it comes to shopping. Still, the receipt showed my purchase total was a little more than $30, so I got fine bargains.
Since that store was just acrost the street from the craft store, I definitely had to stop in. My New Year’s resolution about zero yarn purchases did nothing except have me feel guilty about making it in the first place.
As it happens, yes, I did buy stickers, yet I did not buy yarn. I’m busy with yarn already in the bin, and sewing together granny squares.
I was amazed at the lovely selection since the re-organized shelf spaces.
This morning’s advert in the paper tells me why there was such a plentiful supply of yarn—there is a most wonderful Dollar sale going on. The week ahead may find me there again.
Also ordered a book, which arrived on time. Desperately Seeking Humor written by Virginia Minick, who has a real job as a Substitute Teacher, so I figured it would be alright with me and my job. Some of the stories are fine, others seem like she is trying too hard to turn in something by deadline. And some of the situations should have been much more of a teachable moment.
On the other hand, she often mentions Erma Bombeck, which reminded me of a time when I was in Study Hall as a Junior in high school and reading Erma’s book with the word ‘cherries’ in the title. I might have chuckled a bit under my breath, which is not supposed to happen in the sacred silence of Study Hall.
The guy across the table, someone I had known since Fifth grade, reached over and pushed upward on my book so he could read the title and author. Just then the bell rang the end of the period, so he walked out with me, saying he did not understand why I would be reading that saying, “Shoot, my MOTHER is reading that book!!” I replied that it is really funny, and his mother has good sense.
He reached up and rubbed the back of my hair to show he was just teasing and moseyed off down the hall. A year and a half later, he and I would end up sitting next to each other at graduation ceremony.
so anyway, I’m halfway through this book and haven’t felt the need to cast it away, so I guess it was a worthy purchase as Used, Good Condition
Today, my tummy symptoms have subsided a bit, and while I’m feeling better, I folded towels.
This is always a major undertaking, I tend to wait until the linen closet in the bathroom has bare shelves before I empty out the 4 baskets full and waiting in the corner of the laundry room. One pile is still teetering on the coffee table, yearning to get stuffed into the dark and dreary space until the next shower allows it to see the light of day and hung on a hook again.
Chris came by to use his computer. I asked him if he would finish off the strawberries since I have no more shortcake to dump them on. He seemed quite pleased to help out, putting them on some vanilla ice cream.
And now he’s off on his bicycle, helmet and headlight in place, away in the dark back to his rental house.
Gonna go, cat between me and screen.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
With Great Admiration for her Efforts
Over at Gifts of the Journey
and took pictures of the workers who must have highly coveted spatial reasoning skills to be able to get all the stuff into a crate
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Thursday, April 30, 2009
a Link to G K
One of the small pleasures I allow myself is getting a newspaper delivered to the front yard a few days a week. Although there are times when I find that I am reading news from Sunday on a mid-week morning, and the comics are easier to navigate on my computer.
Still, there’s nothing quite like folding the page “just so”
putting it beside my breakfast plate
and reading a column written by Garrison Keillor.
It’s like having a friend without the slurping of coffee.
today, he says we should not get sidetracked by the past
so here is a link to his homepage
Now you don’t have to go out in the rain to bring in the paper
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Looks like folks having fun with Do Re Mi
When the choir director at church told me to write down a place to go on the Internet, I had no idea what to expect.
Having known her for many years,
I figure she won’t do me wrong 
Well, here it is on You Tube, and you can enjoy it also…..
There are several camera angles, but this one seems to have the least blur.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Thursday, March 26, 2009
More about Braille for students
If you go HERE you will see that I have written before about my small knowledge of Braille.
As a teaching assistant working with special needs students, I know how much we rely on gadgets to help them get through the school day.
In one classroom, an entire drawer is devoted to battery storage, with labels saying whose device uses which size.
We don’t have blind students in the local school system (I believe we pay for their education elsewhere, rented services perhaps?) but this article makes sense to me.
Braille literacy is needed more than reliance on technology for self-sufficient blind persons.
No Child Left Behind is falling behind with programs.
Just because Braille is old does not mean it is useless.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Two Down, One for reading
Sometime about the middle of January, there were two books with red covers drifting around in my kitchen. One would be on the center table where I ate breakfast, the other on the shelf next to my chair in the nook.
Sometimes they switched places.
I don’t usually begin one book without finishing the last, but I felt obligated to get going on one, even though it was not holding my interest, and the other is a children’s book suitable for a Second Grade kid. More recently, I read a couple chapters of my latest purchase, and it promises to be most interesting of any.
Then Husband began reading the first, using a different color bookmark, so we kinda helped each other along with plots and thoughts and notes. He finished before I did, so for awhile the book had disappeared to near his computer.
He brought it back last evening, leaving it sitting on the nook table.
I checked this morning for a TA Sub job, showing only two, and both were under consideration by other users.
Soon the No Jobs Available message was flashing.
That might be just as well, for the first time in weeks,
I had to apply IcyHot to the achy arch of my left foot.
After breakfast, I decided I might as well buckle down and get reading in those two red books. Their names are not needed right now.
Having finished the first one, I wrote an e-mail message to Husband, while he’s at work, to tell him my thoughts.
We’re gonna have some ‘splaining to do.
The kid’s book is about a little lost kitten, and so sweetly predictable it is full wonder that I bothered at all, but my dollar was for a worthy cause. It will most likely go into the library donation box, to be purchased again by somebody yearning for a happy ending.
Now I can settle in for a good tale about love lost in a vehicle accident and hidden stocks and upset customers.
Stay Cozy 
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
He’s Moved Up!
the very first e-mail I opened this morning was from
my friend Mary Ann (the lady who bought my knitted hats for the grand-daughters and their dolls at Christmas)
saying “I don’t know if you remember our son, Jon”
quickly bringing too many years of memory flashbacks
The scenes stuck in my mind are of a teenager with dark curly hair handing over to me a large serving bowl of food to put on a buffet table, and that same kid up on the stage saying lines with confidence.
Many years ago, when three little sons were in every part of my world, somebody at church gave us tickets to a play in the park starring a kid from the church.
I grew up in a steel mill and coal mine town, where the Arts were usually an afterthought, often due to the efforts of the high school music department.
As a mother of youngsters, I thought it would be real nice for us to see a play with live people, especially since we could not afford movie tickets.
It was a hot summer evening, and my boys are not the type to sit still for long. Every blade of grass and bug bite called for examination. Being outside, the rest of the audience were fairly understanding.
I don’t even remember the title of the play, I just remember watching the teenager become somebody else that I couldn’t see on Sunday mornings. After awhile, my oldest son sat down awhile to watch the story unfold.
Looking back from now, I think that may have sparked his interest in doing Drama in high school.
Coming out of my reverie, I read the rest of her message.
Jon is an actor and is currently in a play at the Ford Theater in D.C. Last week was an exciting one for him when the reopening of the renovated theater was celebrated. There was a huge gala held on Wednesday night with President Obama and his wife along with many other important people attending.
The message provides a link to You Tube where you can see President and Mrs. Obama shaking hands with the actors. Jon says “for those who haven’t seen me in a while, I’m the one with the goatee and mustache, standing next to Kelsey Grammer.” I also spotted Richard Thomas aka John Boy Walton in the receiving line.
So now I suppose I can say that ‘I knew him when’ even though we are of different ages and seasons of life.
Thanks, Mary Ann! You cheered me up on a gray morning.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Our Holiday Date
After seeing Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia twice at theaters and then again on Christmas Day’s dvd viewing, I got to thinking about her latest movie DOUBT, a new release on Boxing Day.
There is no way I can understand the schedule of movie production, but she’s had two come out this year, and that means a whole big bunch of memorizing lines and getting inside the head of characters.
I cannot give you links to other places because my computer is not behaving very well these days.
My Computer Support Tech is keeping it running so I can check e-mails and post on the blog, but copy and paste is a NO, and a couple websites are bringing in annoying pop-up adverts.
Husband and I decided to use some more of our holiday time and loot to go see a movie in a theater, first showtime of the day. We were the second car to park in the public lot, with 8 cars in the employee lot.
So, back to the movie review. It takes place in the mid-1960s, in a middle class neighborhood of a city.
There is a nun who is the Principal of a Catholic school, a much younger nun who loves being the History teacher, students, and a priest who has been assigned to be the Boss of the parish, whose jobs include being the preacher at Mass, and the boys’ basketball coach.
The plot has no cussing or race cars or guns.
The Principal believes that inappropriate behavior has occurred between the priest and a male student. Nobody ever says exactly, but implications are discussed in the Principal’s office.
Just a bunch of people thrust into a situation and trying to make sense of it. There is no way I could be working on a yarn project because to look away from the screen would mean I would miss some raised eyebrow or pursed lips.
Both Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman have won Academy Awards before, and this movie should be on that path again.
Husband and I walked out of the theater still wondering about the whole truth.
Then we went to lunch at a nice little restaurant in Uptown Normal, leaving the server a 20% tip (yes, she was good) plus we were living large on gift money.
We used the last of it at the bakery connected to the restaurant. I believe the guys who built it that way were hoping for folks just like us to be coming in the door.
So put on your thinking cap and go see the movie DOUBT.
It’ll give ya somethin’ to talk about.
~~love and Huggs, Diane