Today

Today has been a crazy day. I called my mom and wished her a happy birthday. I can't tell you how old she is or she'll beat me up. :) I have been doing a little cleaning in preparation for the children to stay here for Kyla's wedding. I have also been bombarded with thoughts of a baby that should have arrived today. I should have been a Grandma today but it wasn't meant to be. Today, it has been making me a crazy person. I wanted to meet this child and hold it. I wanted so many things for this child and for the child that was to give birth. We will meet some day, I know. Until then, please know, little baby, that you are loved by so many people.

The Most Obnoxious Child in the World

At work yesterday, I got to meet the most obnoxious child in the world. Good times. He was about 3 years old. I am talking to his parents about setting up a tank. Well, mostly his dad, because his mom is chasing him all over the place to keep him out of the water and sumps. He tried to climb in one of the sumps. Not a good idea. He is throwing his toys at the tanks and his mom. She offers no discipline, just retrieves the toys each time and returns them to the child. Anyway, he is running from his mom - again - and runs around his dad into me. To my surprise, he grabs the bottom of the leg of my shorts and raises it as high as he can. Let me just tell you that he, his dad, and his mom saw my underwear with that move. I said, "don't do that" and took my shorts out of his hands. Sheesh! Then the little shit walks around to the other side of me and does it again! Are his parents even trying to control him? NO! So I ask his parents, "Could you please make him stop doing that?". His mom starts chasing him around again to keep him away from me. The kid keeps making a beeline for my shorts at every turn. Finally, after several missed attempts, his mom had to take him outside so he would leave me alone. What kind of children are these people raising? Let's face it, I cannot be the only one he has done that to. He was too well practiced. Not one time did his STUPID mom tell him "no" or "stop it". She just continued to chase him around the store. What fun for a small child. Mom playing "catch me if you can" at every opportunity. I never thought I would have to run away from a three year old to keep him from looking in my shorts. What fine examples of parenting these two were. I swear I could have punted him. (and them)

Book Tag

Booktag

I've been book tagged. So, it is a pleasure to write about something that has always been a great hobby of mine: books.

Total Number of books I own: Wow. I'm not sure exactly. I would guess around 5000.

Last Book I bought: Grimm's Grimmest

Last Book I was gifted: Life Expectancy - Dean Koontz

Last Book I read: The Ocean World - Jacques Cousteau

Five Books that mean a lot to me:

1) War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells - My favorite book of all time.

2) Life of Pi by Yann Martel. A deep book with multiple levels etched with simplicity of words and minimum of fuss. If you did not read this book, you are missing something. One of the best books I have ever come across.

3) The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold - This book truly moved me.

4) The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway - a great story of a man with undying faith in himself and courage to face defeat.

5) Edgar Allan Poe's Complete Tales and Poems - a fantastic storyteller

And, regarding tagging five people, I welcome everyone to pass the torch along.

Summer Solstice

Today - technically yesterday - is the Summer Solstice. For some reason unknown to me, my dad felt I needed to learn this as I was growing up. Here are a few of the facts I learned from Dad. Some of it actually sunk in after the repeated mentions of it. LOL

Solstice, from the Latin for sun stands still, in astronomy, either of the two points on the ecliptic that lie midway between the equinoxes (separated from them by an angular distance of 90°).

At the solstices the sun's apparent position on the celestial sphere reaches its greatest distance above or below the celestial equator, about 23 1/2° of arc. At the time of summer solstice, about June 22, the sun is directly overhead at noon at the Tropic of Cancer.

In the Northern Hemisphere the longest day and shortest night of the year occur on this date, marking the beginning of summer. At winter solstice, about December 22, the sun is overhead at noon at the Tropic of Capricorn; this marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. For several days before and after each solstice the sun appears to stand still in the sky, i.e., its noontime elevation does not seem to change from day to day.

Interesting, yes? I thought so. On a side note, the movie A Midsummer Night's Dream takes place during the Summer Solstice. Shakespeare was inspired by the merrymaking and tomfoolery that traditionally took place during the festival of Midsummer Night. Hence, a fantastic story for us.

Who can?

Who can take a raindrop, sprinkle it with dew?

Now that's funny!

How Logical Are You?

You Are Incredibly Logical

(You got 88% of the questions right) Move over Spock - you're the new master of logic You think rationally, clearly, and quickly. A seasoned problem solver, your mind is like a computer!

How Logical Are You?

Wish I knew which ones were wrong. ;)

Sport? I Think Not.

I recently acquired a copy of Outdoor Life. (Long story) Anyway, I was reading some of the articles in the magazine and kind of had a chuckle. They speak of "conquering your prey" and "becoming invisible" and "hunting animals with a rifle is a challenge". Now, I'm thinking, if you want to make it a real challenge, give the animals a few rifles. Or have a Red team and a Blue team out there. Now we're talking sport folks! Sorry to all you avid hunters out there, but I can't see shooting animals as a sport. Let's check with Webster. Sport (n) a particular game or physical activity with set rules. Hmm...not really a game. Decidedly not physical. You're sitting in a tree for hours at a time. Rules to play? None. Shoot what comes out of the bushes. Nope, I don't see the "sport" here.

We Who Are Free Because of You Will Never Forget Your Sacrifice

He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student,
pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has
a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to
be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and
roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155 mm howizzitor. He is 10 or
15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working
or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.

He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field
strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can
recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and
use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can
apply first aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop or
stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without
spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of
fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens
full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but
never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own
clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water
with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition
with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapon s and weapons like
they were his hands. He can save your life or take it, because that
is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the
pay and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering
and death then he should have in his short lifetime.


He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them.
He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat
and is unashamed. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate
through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning
desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand,
remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out,
far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying
the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the
American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.

He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration
with his blood. And now we have woman over there in danger,
doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls
us to do so.
As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot... A short lull,
a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.......



On a side note, my husband is going to be the new District 8 Commander for the Legion. Congrats! Everyone that knows him, should give him a shout. He's pretty darn happy about it.