Letter Home From School

Several of us have high school Seniors getting ready to graduate this year, and many of them will be going away to college.  The following funny is especially for those parents:

 

 

Dear Dad,
$chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying very hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can`t think of anything I need. $o if you would like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you.
Love,
Your $on

The Reply:

Dear Son,
I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh.
Love,
Dad

Tags: Jokey, Funny Stories

Victory and Tragedy Within Minutes of One Another

Big Brown, a beautiful horse, just won the 134th Kentucky Derby by about 5 lengths.

Coming in second was the filly, Eight Belles, my personal favorite.

Sadly, on pulling up, Eight Belles collapsed.  They just announced that she had broken both front ankles and was immediately euthanized before even being taken off in the equine ambulance.

Thankfully, Eight Belles' jockey was able to walk away. 

Tags: Kentucky Derby, Eight Belles, Big Brown

First Babysitting Jobs and Poll Results

Well, Eler Beth's babysitting stint is over, and, as I thought, she is staying to play a while longer.  Both of H's grandmothers (one of them is my SIL Glenda) and my SIL Maxie called to check on them while she was babysitting, so I think they were pretty well supervised.  All they did was watch a movie and snack, she said.  So now she's graduated to yet another symbol of growing up.

I can remember my first babysitting "job".  I was about 10 years old.  My two eldest and married sisters were going shopping in Louisville for the afternoon and were leaving their three children with my Mom.  Mom woke up not feeling well that day, but said she'd still take them because I was there, and I'd play with them.  They were aged 7 and 4 at that time.  So my sisters asked me to keep them out of Mom's hair.  When they got home they asked me and Mom how the kids had done.  I told them they'd been fine and we'd played all day.  I'd made them lunch, and no one had bothered Mom.  They'd told their kids that if they were good they'd give them a dollar each.  Then they each turned around and paid me $2.00 per kid, which was $6.00.  I thought $6.00 for playing with my nephew and two nieces (with whom I played all the time anyway!) was a pretty good deal! lol

Thomas called, and he is working until 9 p.m.  I'm going to drop by with a bite to eat after a while, since he hadn't gone to work prepared to stay that late.  Haven't heard from Andrew, so I guess all is well with him.

My poll is already starting to garner results.  So far "squats" and "other" are tied.  At Curves we do a pretty good all-around workout, so I hadn't been neglecting any one part of my body.  A couple of the commenters at The Best I Can Be suggested something for my upper body, since women tend to overlook that.  I think that's a good idea, but so are the squats.  I carry extra weight around my abdomen, breasts, and back.  My legs are still really good, just not as toned as I'd like, although with the walking I've been doing, they're getting there!  But, as I said, the Curves work-out hits on upper body, abs, and legs.  So this month I'll concentrate on whatever the poll shows as the general consensus, and next month perhaps I'll concentrate on something else.

Thanks to everyone for participating.

Exercising For Comments -- Update

Last weekend I did not do any crunches because of the intestinal thing I had.  But I resumed them on Monday.  I have still not done 50 on any one day; the most I've done was 40.  And one day last week -- I can't believe I didn't mark it down on my calendar!! -- Thomas looked at me and said, "You must be doing something right, because you're looking really good!"  And I do feel like my clothes are fitting more loosely.  Yeah me!

This month I'd like to try something different.  I think I'll alternate crunches with something else, but I don't know what.  I am going to Curves two or three times a week, and I am still walking almost every day.  I think I should ask for suggestions from the J-Land community, don't you?  What should I do?  Jumping Jacks?  (At my age and after two kids -- do you think I should?)  Push ups?  I have some dumbbells -- perhaps I should do something with them?  (Something exercise-related, I mean.  Using them as paperweights isn't an option here.)

How about a poll!  We all love polls!!  If you think I should do something not on the poll, then feel free to start a write-in campaign.

*Note:  I'm copying this post to an entry on The Best I Can Be, and I will combine the votes from both journals.

aoljpollCreated, aoljpollCreated_1

Revisiting Aprils 2005 and 2006

Pam told me not to spend this free time doing what I should be doing.  So I'm playing.

Last month I forgot to go back to my April archives from years past to highlight entries, so I'm doing that now.  I found this one from 2005 recalling a warm, comforting memory from when I was very young.

2006 saw me feeling a little blue because of my job ending.  But most of that month was full of happy entries, like this one where I share a few "Jewell" stories;  the first time I get called "motherly"; I ask a hypothetical question; and I learn to give up some of the control.

I'll revisit some 2007 April entries later.

Derby Saturday

I have the house all to myself this afternoon.  I should have written that in all caps, shouldn't I? 

I HAVE THE HOUSE TO MYSELF THIS AFTERNOON!!! 

There.  That's better.

Andrew is off being Andrew with some friends.  Thomas is working.  He was supposed to get off at 1, but they asked him to stay later and help them get something finished, so he doesn't know when he'll be done.  And Eler Beth is doing her first babysitting job!!!  She's so excited!!

She's staying with her cousin, H, who is 9, while H's parents and her older brother and sister are at the movies seeing Iron Man.  H didn't want to see Iron Man.  So Eler Beth, when she was visiting yesterday, asked if she could watch her for them.  They agreed.  We gave it some thought, and then we agreed.  They live in an apartment a few doors down from my sister-in-law Maxie, and it's only until about 3:00.

I dropped her off at 11:30, stayed and chatted for a while until they left for the movies, then I went to pick up lunch for the girls and brought it back for them.  When I got there I rang the bell and waited to see if either of them would open the door or look out a window.  Nothing.  So I called, "It's Lori!", and then my daughter came to the door.  So they passed that test. 

They were watching a movie.  I called a few minutes ago, and was told I didn't have to call every few minutes because they were watching a movie!  Apparently Maxie had just called to check on them as well.  Eler Beth is taking this very seriously.  She said she laid in bed last night thinking of the safety rules she'd need to follow, like not answering the phone unless it was me, or H's parents, not going to the door unless I called out, etc.

So anyway, I have a bit more time to myself, and even after they get home from the movie, Eler Beth will probably want to stay over there to play for a while.

It stormed yesterday and last night.  People at The Oaks got drenched yesterday!  Today it is sunny and warm, but I think there is a chance of a few showers this afternoon.  Hopefully it'll hold off until after the Derby.  We were invited to another derby party this year, but I really just wanted to be home, and Thomas wasn't sure about how late he'd work, so we declined.

I have some flowers to plant, if I get up the gumption to do so.  I have lots of housework I could be doing, and journals to catch up with.  I could be reading.  I could be writing.  The list never ends of the things I could be doing.  Guess I'll close for now, but I'll be back. 

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

In Honor Of Guido

 

In Honor of Guido ~ ~

                            Be well, my friend