S is for Sheldon and so much more...

This is the 19th day of the A-Z Challenge and the Star feature is the letter S...

S is for Sheldon who never fails to provide me with deep belly laughs each and every week:

S is for the Spectrum Song that our girls still love to sing!

S is for Starfish:

The Starfish Story
Original Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. 

Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. 
The surf is up and the tide is going out.  If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? 
You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf.  Then, smiling at the man, he said…”
I made a difference for that one.”

S is for the Sea that enables our wonderful breezes and calming sounds- except during hurricanes, of course, when it becomes rather frightening. 

S is for Starlings who constantly fight over the suet in the backyard (click here for more photos):

S is for Silhouette (you can see more by clicking here): 

S is for Storm: We had a major thunderstorm yesterday afternoon- after the weather dude lowered our chances of rain from 60% down to 40%.  You gotta love him.

Out the front door and to the left during the storm...

Out the front door and to the left after the storm.

S is for Sisters:

The day after DoodleBug was born in 1991.


AND NOW it's time for the FRIDAY HOPS!!!  I'm linking up with Java's Follow Friday 40 and Over at Never Growing Old  

and  Hilary's Follow Friday Four Fill-In at Feeling Beachie!  

1. If not for my significant other, I’d never have come to love the ocean so much, or had four wonderful daughters, or learned so much about gardening, or known how annoying men can be--I'm kidding, I had three brothers, remember?  Without Hubs, life would be one big boring non-adventure.

2. On more than one occasion, I have been spotted car-dancing in a car.  That's right and it's FUN but it's NOT PRETTY!  

3. The worst meal I ever made was I don't remember...this one will require thought.

4. My guilty t.v. pleasure is- I don't have a guilty tv pleasure.  I have a few programs that I watch each week (like The Big Bang Theory) and I love The Cosby Show and Everybody Loves Raymond reruns...but I don't consider them guilty pleasures. 

A VERY HAPPY EASTER TO YOU ALL! 

R is for Record

The kind of record I'm referring to here is the record album that was played on a hi-fi or a stereo.  Records...LPs...made of vinyl.  Ah, all the time spent listening to records while I was growing up...such memories.  My cousin and I would put on The Supremes (remember them?) and take turns being Diana.  When it was your turn to be Diana, you got to stand on the ottoman and hold the hairbrush (read: microphone) and sing the lead parts.  When your song was over, you just traded places until it was your turn again.  Oh how glorious we were and we sounded JUST LIKE DIANA ROSS every single time.  (Right.).  We belted out "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Baby Love," "Where Did Our Love Go," "You Can't Hurry Love," and the like--and I can hear y'all singing right now!  You remember!  Oh and the Beatles!  We would sing and sing and sing and talk about our crushes- my cousin, along with everyone else was so in love with Paul but I was always a George fan.  Always.  We would even put on my parents' Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass records and pretend to play the brass instruments.  I loved "A Taste of Honey" and we could really play that horn part!    

Since we were in elementary school in the mid-sixties, the very best EVER sleep overs were always at friends houses who had big sisters.  Oh, but this was such a treat!  They would let us hang out in the living room with them for a while.  Everyone was in their babydoll shortie pajamas (remember those?  the little bloomer bottoms and the full little top that just covered them?) and the teenagers had their hair all rolled up on orange juice cans and they would be playing records by The 5th Dimension; The Lovin' Spoonful; The Righteous Brothers; and so many more---they would all be dancing around the room and singing into their hairbrushes (read: microphones), eating popcorn and drinking sodas and just having a blast.  Until the boys showed up.  Then we would have to leave while the girls flirted.  But that was ok because, at the time, we thought that flirting with boys was silly and stupid.  Ha, that didn't last long!    

Ah, "those were the days, my friend we thought they'd never end we'd sing and dance forever and a day..."

This is the 18th day of the A-Z Blog Challenge for the month of April. The hardest letters are withing these last 10 days...thankfully, we're almost FINISHED!  I just might make it!  Until then, I leave you with The Supremes: (if it doesn't work the first time, try clicking a second time)

Q is for Quandary

Why quandary?  Because I have no idea what to write about that could be classified as beginning with the letter Q.  There's quarrel- but nobody around here does that very much and, when we do, it's over really stupid stuff that ends up being the result of someone not getting his or her way.  There's quarter but sharing the fact that we have collected the state quarters embedded in a page containing each state's history is not funny or exciting.  And quartz- but telling you how I loved quartz when I was growing up because I thought they were so pretty is no big deal.  I could post pictures of quail, but I don't have any.  Therefore, I will simply list my top ten favorite words that begin with the letter Q:

1. Queen-because I like being the Queen around here.  No, that's not true.  I LOVE being the Queen around here.  My loyal subject, Hubs, is so very supportive of my role as Queen and he knows that I will never leave him because it's too difficult to train another man I am so appreciative of his efforts. 

2.  Quote- because I love it when I can actually remember a quote I love AND who said it.  It makes me feel all smart and clever and interesting.

3.  Quilts- because they remind me of the America of long ago before we became lazy (which occurred due to the development of leisure time) and women took the time to gather together talking and sharing while they spun beautiful histories and enchanting tales within each hand sewn square.

4.  Quills- because they invoke visions in my mind's eye of the wise poets, amazing composers and classic writers of old as they sat and wrote the most beautiful creations ever produced AND of America's founding fathers and their progressive thought processes; their initiative; their courage...

5.  Quiet- because it allows me the peace to reflect on my cherished memories of growing up and of raising four daughters.

6.  Quirky- because our family is full of quirky and I love quirky...and my family.  Being quirky keeps us far from boring. 

7.  Quay-because I like the word and also because it has to do with the sea and I love the sea.

8- Quaker-because I like their passivity when it comes to war, their anti-slavery views and their support of the women's rights movement... AND because when I played the alphabet game in the car as a child, Quaker State motor oil was about the only Q we could ever find.

9-  Quack- because ducks really do make that sound and I like to hear it.

10- Quartet- because one of my favorite things to do is listen to the soothing sounds of a string quartet AND because I have always been impressed by the harmony carried by a Barbershop quartet.

This is the 16th day of the A-Z Blog Challenge for the month of April. The hardest letters are withing these last 10 days...thankfully, we're almost FINISHED!  I just might make it!


And now it's time for  Wednesday's HOP.  Patrice, at Everyday Ruralty, hosts Wednesday Words of Weight Loss every Wednesday!  It's a fun HOP that offers encouragement and company on the issue of weight.  It's never too late to join!  Come on, this is your week to join in the FUN! 

 

QuestionsFeel free to grab the button for this meme and share the questions in a blog post. Link up with me and we can visit each other and offer words of encouragement. 
1. Can you resist Easter candy?  I am happy and proud to announce that this year, for the very first time in my life, I can answer YES to this question.  It's in the house for baskets and I haven't even given it one little thought...until this question...uh oh.  I'm KIDDING!  Yes, I can easily resist it this year!  It's quite an accomplishment AND, hopefully, one more sign that my mind is finally made up that the weight is going to go and not come back!  

2. Have you ever purchased a piece of exercise equipment?  Yes.  Hubs bought me a treadmill about 4 years ago.  I didn't use it much at first.  Then, beginning May 25, 2009, I used it every single day.  By January 2010, I was walking the dog every day and stopped using the treadmill.  I am still walking Tucker every day and I have given the treadmill to Breezy and BestSonInLawEVER and they run on it every day!  Now I want an elliptical.  HA!  NOT!  

3. When you're in a store, do you use the escalator/ elevator or do you take the stairs?  None of our stores have second levels here.  And, if you go to the malls here, there are only second floors inside two stores and your only choices are elevators and escalators.  Going up I take the escalator but I am terrified of coming down on them so I have to take the elevator.  I had terrible nightmares about steep staircases when I was younger and I am still scared of going down stairs and I am claustrophobic in elevators--mostly I avoid upper levels but, when I cannot, the fear of the down escalator is stronger than the claustrophobia.  IF stairs are an option, I will take them up and down.  Geez, do I need therapy? 

4. Do you promise yourself anything as an incentive to lose weight?  No- because that becomes sabotage for me.  However, I do promise myself that, if I drink all my water every day I can then have green tea.  So, for 34 days, I have been good about drinking my water! (Also a first!)

5. Is there a friend you haven't heard from in a long time that you'd like to connect with? Nope but that's because, in the last two years, I have reconnected with those friends!  And it's been GREAT!

P is for Perspective

Quite often, if not always, things boil down to perspective—how we look at the person, the situation, the event, our surroundings, everything.  Take traffic and male other drivers.  Please.  Let’s say Mr. Neverlooks pulls out in front of me causing me to slam on my brakes and, after I’ve braked and my speed has been lowered to a crawl at best, he takes off and continues down the road at least five miles over the speed limit.  From my perspective he’s an idiot.  And I would love to smack him.  From his perspective…oh, who cares?  He’s an idiot and that’s a bad example. 
 

Let’s try an example from my MIL.  Her perspective was always positive.  It wasn’t a dreaded chore to wash dishes instead, it was great that one had dishes to wash.  Great attitude- especially for someone who never really did any housework to speak of.  She hated housework and just didn’t do it.  She was a Mary as opposed to a Martha, if you will, deeming life so much better sitting and writing or watching PBS or going to a poetry reading or the symphony.  Ok, so who’s going to disagree with that perspective?  Except, from my perspective, how does the house get: cleaned up?  Meals prepared?  Homework assisted?  Kids cleaned? Errands run?-- if one doesn't find a happy medium between their Mary and Martha?

How about the perspective of parents when their babies grow up and go out on their own?  Empty nest, empty hours, empty feelings all coupled with pride, excitement—the sweet lonesomes, if you will…But, from the perspective of the kids it’s excitement, nervousness, thrills, delights, the momanddadwhos?… 

And there’s yesterday afternoon when, right after his bath, Tucker went running outside after a squirrel RIGHT THROUGH THE TOPSOIL MOUND and I, just for a second, perceived having puppy stew for supper.  Instead, my perspective (after I may or may not have blessed out Hubs who has YET to do whatever it is he’s going to do with that mound of topsoil) was more along the lines of-‘so what, he’s a dog doing his doggie thang.’

Finally, this week, I could look at all the cleaning, straightening, tidying, washing, scrubbing, meal planning, shopping, blog posts for the A-Z challenge that I signed up for (please, next time, someone STOP me!), etc. that I have to do as a drudgery.  But I’m not.  From my perspective this means one thing:  EVERYONE is coming home for Easter weekend!  

This is the 15th day of the A-Z Blog Challenge for the month of April. And this thing is getting harder instead of easier...thankfully, we're in the second half!  I just might make it!

O is for Obesity

This time, I'm not referring to my own obesity!  Yesterday, the SSMA (Student Sports Medicine Association--of which Birdie is VP- had to throw that in) sponsored a Kickball Tournament to raise money for the prevention of childhood obesity!  It was HOT out in the sun but they had plenty of sunscreen and water on hand.  Hubs and I went out to get a few pictures and left just before we melted completely away!  Here are some shots from the day: 

Sometimes those college boys go all out, don't they? 

Girls can kick just as good as boys!

The other team for the first game.

Dr. Nguyen (pronounced win)

Talk about going all out!

Oops!  Now, that would have been me out there...LOL

That's my Birdie!

That's my Birdie about to 'sports medicine' someone.  Oh, and Dr. Nguyen's grill.

Great kick Nathan!  Too bad you were OUT.

That's my Birdie telling the dude, "Dude, you need stitches."  And him telling Birdie, "I don't want stitches." And then there's Dr. Nguyen's grill.

Like I said, some college boys go all out.  LOL

Some Athletic Training students...

An assortment of college students...

"If I bite this thing just right, I'll be FREE!  And then I'll show you how to do it!"

Athletic Training majors ROCK!

"GoodgameGoodgameGoodgameGoodgameGoodgameGoodgameGoodgameGoodgameGoodgame" the AT's WON Game #1!  WOOT!!!

Dr. Nguyen fixin' up that dude's ear as Birdie stands by to assist.  

This is the 15th day of the A-Z Blog Challenge for the month of April. And this thing is getting harder instead of easier...thankfully, we're in the second half!  Just click the badge on my sidebar if you want to check it out!  

The Week in the Proverbial Nutshell

Phew--the week flew by!  And that means it's time for my week in a

I completed journal number 2 this week!  Monday's entry was the last one in that journal and I have completed the week in journal number 3!  This is the absolute longest I've EVER kept a journal going.  I have not missed one single night entry since July 19, 2010.  This is quite the accomplishment for me.  Some of you might recall that I started this after my MIL passed away in June, 2010 because we all got such a kick out of seeing our names in her journals.  So, I write an entry every single night regardless of how dull my day may have been.

I wrote about the adrenalin rush excitement I had last week but never posted about the exciting excitement--one of Hub's nephew's and his wife had a baby girl last week.  I had planned on posting about it but: 1.  she had some complications and didn't actually get to go home until Friday and B. getting information from his side of the family is nearly impossible if you aren't blood related.  So, as far as I know, she is home and doing well.  And, no pictures.

Birdie will be graduating in 2 weeks and 6 days from today.  She will be receiving a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training AND a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education with a concentration in Exercise Science!  Let me tell you, the courses and field hours and observation hours (including orthopedic surgeries) would well prepare those kids for med school!  I couldn't have done it--but then, I'm not a science person.  Especially if anatomy, chemistry and physics are involved.  She also took the BOC on Tuesday but it will be 2-4 weeks before she hears about that.  They were told at school that the first time pass rate on the BOC is only 33%.  SERIOUSLY, why do they share that kind of information with those kids?  I told her that that was last year and her group is this year and that they would blow those stats out of the water!

DoodleBug came over for her home cooked meal on Wednesday.  Birdie had her usual meeting and Gibby had to work so DoodleBug took them some downtown.  I made Suzanne Somers' Turkey Taco Wraps and Zucchini fries.  De-lish! The girls and Hubs liked it too!

I'm still searching for something to wear to graduation.  It needs to make me feel hidden and yet, not hot because graduation is OUTSIDE.  That's right.  OUTSIDE.  In the afternoon.  In the sun.  In Charleston, SC.  That translates to HOT.  I've found a couple of tops but haven't made a decision yet.  Probably wouldn't have to stress over this if I wasn't so dang much overweight.  Good grief.  OH and we decided to make our own graduation announcements since the graduation announcement people are asking a RIDICULOUS amount of money for their crappy ones.  Ours look quite nice and cost WAY less.

DoodleBug's ensemble had their spring concert on Thursday.  They hosted it in their rehearsal room and underestimated the amount of people who would come---which means it was crowded and hot.    Anyway, it was pleasant enough...and, of course, percussion ROCKED!  We had to sit in the back so I couldn't get decent pictures.  But I did notice that this guy's hair cut was crooked.  I hope he didn't pay for that.

I told Breezy that I saw her future kid this week while tutoring.  He is in the class that my two students are in.  I hung around on Thursday listening to the math lesson--these are second graders---and the teacher (who was DoodleBug's first grade teacher, BTW) was trying to get them to understand multiplication and that, by drawing arrays, they could figure out the problem:  How many window panes are in 9 windows.  So they, SECOND GRADERS now, had to figure out what 9 x 4 is.  One kid had his hand up.  I looked at his page and he had written 9 x 4 = 36.  The teacher did not call on him even though his hand had been up from the start.  She was trying to make the point that an array would help them.  As the students drew their arrays, they were getting the answer and, one by one, little hands started going up.  The teacher asked what the answer was and, one by one, they told her, "36."  "Did drawing the arrays help you find the answer?" she asked.  "YES!"  "Then DRAW AN ARRAY TO FIGURE OUT THESE PROBLEMS YOU GUYS."  And then she asked Breezy's future child.  "R, how did you get your answer?"  "Well, if you know that 4 x 10 is 40 you just subtract 4 and you get 36!"  I was trying so hard not to crack up- that is just like something Breezy would have said at that age.  So, he doesn't get called on until the end because he always has the right answer.  When I told Breezy about it she said, "That's exactly how I did it!"  And it was.   R's parents better watch it- Breezy is quite brilliant.  They may have one of those on their hands too.  They go around their elbow to get to their nose, but they get there and they get there with the right answers.  Every time.  (Funny that such a math/science person as she is that Breezy majored in Government and English-concentration British lit...go figure!). 

The raised bed garden is doing well!  Some of the tomato plants are already 18 inches tall! The fenced in area is all tilled up and ready for planting.  We haven't done this yet because we were waiting until after the fierce storms (that never came) to pass.  Thank you weather dude, once again, for giving us erroneous information.  Dude, at least you are consistent. 







And that's it for another week!  Wishing all of you a stress free week!  Remember:  look for the laughter!