Last night we went

 

out to dinner at a fabulous Thai place with our sons. Then it was time to say goodbye to husband as he had to spend the night at work (or to be more precise in one of the rooms that the University owns off campus). This was due to ice being forecast overnight. (And the weathermen were right - our world is a slippery, sparkley mess this morning - but we have heat and power so it is more than bearable.)

I put in the movie Julie and Julia and finished up my most recent project. Next week is our Gingerbread week at school.
My belief is that Gingerbread is not just for Christmas. It also gives us a fun week in January when we come back to school. We work on projects, practice our letter G and read a different Gingerbread boy/girl story (or two) each day and then compare/contrast them and decide which ones that we like the best.

With the help of S1, (who suggested the pipe cleaners inside my characters to make them bendable), I finished the three main characters in the book Gingerbread Pirates and I'm pretty pleased with the results. We have a pirate ship at school and I'm hoping that one child will enjoy acting out some of the book during play time. Even if it is a dud these pirates will look cute on my tree next Christmas.

As for the movie Julie and Julia, it was better than the book, but I still skimmed through part of it. I would have to say 2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

No TV News

will be my motto for the new year.

And my reason is this:

I watch different kinds of news. Sometimes it is the conservative cable channel, sometimes it is a more liberal channel and sometimes I swing over to the middle of the road version.

But news doesn't have to be factual/true anymore. It just exists to work on viewer's emotions, get them angry, and then bask in the increase in viewership.

Today I had the conservative station on. Saw what they were talking about. Thought something was wrong. Looked up the topic online.

Part of what was being discussed was true, but a key element had been left out. If it had been put in the story would barely have made a mention. But without the key element the panel discussion could go on at length about it. And blow it out of proportion.

So, in my quest to lead a more peaceful life I am giving up TV news. I may still keep the paper and may still listen to the BBC on the radio (but as my radio in my car has died that will be doubtful).

It will be interesting to see how this all turns out.

Children's Book of Art

 

 

 

 

Every now and then I run across a book that seems to be miscast. (A Book Thief by Marcus Zusak comes to mind. It is marketed as a YA which I believe kept some people from reading it.)

This book is another.

Children's Book of Art gives the impression by it's title that it is a simple book. It is anything but. Yes, the words are few but written on more of an adult level than a child's.
*******

ie. Around 1413, the architect Filippo Brunelleschi developed the rules of perspective. This was adopted by artists such as Masaccio in their work to create the illusion that their paintings had depth. Rues of Perspective is explained by

The Tribute Money, c, 1425 by Masaccio, shows linear perspective, where the eye is drawn to a single vanishing point because many lines appear to meet there. The most important part of the painting, the figure of Jesus, has been positioned here.
********
Children's Book of Art is full of instruction on how to create art using various methods - water color, sculpture, wood carving. Various artists are showcased and told why they are famous and how to create using the methods of the artist.


This is the perfect book to give to a young teenager or adult who wants to draw. Also a great book for homeschooling or for that homeroom mom who teaches the class Art Print each month. With young children it requires the interest/involvement of an adult.

A Christmas gift,

 

this was, given to me by a 4 year old. When I went to hug him he look at me and said,

"When you feel like you want to hug me, hug the bear instead."

I hugged him anyway.

The next day he looked at me as we talked about the bear and said "I'm just messin with ya."

:-)

The Christmas joke -

started with husband who buys me underwear every Christmas.

I love it. Though he gets it from a well known store with a ladies name in the title there is nothing outlandish about the items that I get. Patterned sometimes, pretty always and things that I would not buy myself.

Every year, for many years now, there has been a present of them in my stocking. I carefully take them out, open them up and then yell "Look what I got." And the boys ALWAYS look. And their faces - a mixture of -- I can't believe that I saw my mother's underwear- to- I think I'm blinded for life. (Again I say - the underwear is nothing outlandish.) This year S1 looked again, S2 did not but laughed at his brother and husband and I just laughed -well because.

Christmas 2009 - Words

I am thankful for the 21 year old who still falls for the family joke at Christmas.

For the card at the grocery store that I bought for S2 that plays the Halleluhah Chorus when it opens and the smile that was on his face when he opened it. Money was inside.

For the toy mouse that Heinz loves. Squeeks at the lightest touch.

That all the gifts ordered came before Christmas.

That the UPS men braved our street to deliver.

For a husband who loves his family, works hard and has a good job (and keeps the family joke going that makes his wife so very happy).

Christmas Photos Part 2

 

 

 

 

Christmas Photos

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone the best. Lots of love, happiness, rest, time with loved ones.

To Lisa,

at Groggy Froggy.

I am having trouble leaving comments on your blog for some reason. Sorry that your son could not get out but am glad that he is home safe.

More snow photos

Car update:

Someone hit my car and their hood is under my bumper.

None of the cars (5 in all) can move due to the plows have not gone through yet in that area and the roads are icy. People involved though have dug out their cars and we are awaiting news that the national car towing service can get to our cars and get them out.

Twas 5 days

 

before Christmas
And all through the house
All the creatures were stirring
Heaven forbid any mice.

Husband sits at his computer
Watching the big game
It's been a full day for him
Tomorrow will hopefully not be the same.

For my car is still sitting
Three miles away in a ditch,
With five other cars,
It is really hard not to bitch.

My young men sit at their desks
In front of their computers
Reading facebook, playing games
When spoken to they give no answers.

Bella and Snoopy,
Because of power outage
Got to the next neighborhood and woofed back
"You can't hold us hostage."

I have a cold and a fever
(A dilemma to feed them or let them hunger.)
But after last night with no heat
Today was already better.


**Bella and Snoopy are on an electric dog fence.

We have 16 inches of snow and

it is still falling. Husband was driving my car home from work and went into a ditch 3 miles from home. My car will be there until Christmas? at the rate the snow is falling and our counties ability to deal with it.

I have started to shovel but it will be slow and a family event. But then it looks like we will have days to work on it.

Sport will have to learn to use the litter box instead of doing his business outside.

A lot of people are stuck in cars. I'm hoping that they remember to clear the snow away from their tail pipe periodically.

Pictures to come later.

Last Sunday

 

husband and I officially switched our membership from the little rural church that we have been members of for over 14 years to a large church in town.

It feels odd to divorce ones church and take up with another. A lot of soul searching to make sure that it is the right move. And add a little guilt (at least in the beginning of the transition).

But we have been going to the new one for over a year now and it feels right.

And I don't feel like nodding off during sermons anymore.

I went to

 

 

 

 

the downtown mall today after work. Even though it is only a 10 minute walk from my school I rarely go.

But today I decided that I wanted dumplings. Fantastic little morsels of goodness that are in a slightly thickened soy sauce that is sprinkled with seasonings. Hot and delicious. I sat at the counter which overlooks the walkway and watched small children go by with their parents, and people out for a lunch break. There were an awful lot of people selling cloth scarves, people with body piercings - some that had so many that it was hard to take it all in. Many different countries represented. An interesting microcosm of our world.

A pitiful Santa rang a bell. A couple of young men were singing and playing guitar, with case wide open, trying to raise a little cash. Our temp here was 60 and so a good time to get out before the next cold wave hits.

There is revitalization downtown - a never ending one it seems. New bricks have been laid for people to stroll on. Unfortunately the moisture makes them a little slick. Some store fronts are empty, some are refurbished condos for sale and others, while having a cute storefront on the bottom level, look kind of dismal when your eyes get to the second story.

I looked for hustle and bustle, holiday style, and found it lacking. Maybe it is the economy but I'm not so sure. It just looked tired and lacking.

So. . .

the ride to work takes 20-25 minutes on average.

Today it took 70.

Fog formed overnight and froze on the roadway. People moving very slowly. Accidents.

I have two ways that I can go. Make a left off of my street. Drive to the main road and make a right.

Or turn right off of my street. Drive to different main road and make a left.

I went left. Hit the main road. Traffic slow but doing fine until the big hill. I think that someone was afraid of it as we were not moving and traffic was coming the other way just fine.

So, I turned around and went back the other way.

A coworker, who lives on the next street up, started to work the other way. Hit a 15 minute snag and decided to turn around and go the way that I had originally decided to go.

Probably no one else thinks that this is funny but us.

I got to work 10 minutes after school started and my class greeted me with manufactured scowls on their faces while they tapped the back of their wrists. (My coteacher had put them up to it.)

So funny.

Heinz says

 

no to paperwork this weekend.

So this morning I made Cranberry Muffins:

1/4 cup margarine
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour (1 cup white, 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour)
2 tsp baking pwdr
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream margarine with sugar. Add eggs and beat until smooth. Sift flour with baking pwdr and salt. Add to misture alternately with milk. Add cranberries.

350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

**I rarely use salt in a recipe and cannot tell the difference.
**I run the walnuts through my blender and chop them up fine. I like the taste better, but that is my personal preference.

Today I discovered that it

is time to leave a party when the smile on your face hurts.

Tonight Bella and I went outside - she with a toy, me with a cup of coffee. We looked for shooting stars in the cold sky. All we saw were the blinking lights of so many planes. Scary how close they seem to get.

Bella and I played tug of war with her toy, I spilled coffee on my pants. It was time to go in.

**I was unable to edit yesterday's post and explain the Jinger Bells. You sing what you hear. And one of my students hears Jinger instead of Jingle. She sings it with a smile on her face. I love it.

Jinger Bells

Time moves fast and it seems that I have feet made of lead. But here is what is going on:

S2 came home from college this afternoon and is asleep.

Husband has been sick all week.

I have been sleeping in S1's bed. Heinz is estatic. He has slept with me every night and has to tell me, with purrs and chirps, how much he loves me - several times during the night.

I am tired.

I really should have made all of my cookies last month when I could do no wrong in the baking department.

Yesterday was pajama day for my class. An excuse for me to go out and get new pajamas. Why don't I buy them more often?

The weather has been crummy, cold or crummy and cold. I have not gone anywhere exciting this month. Plans for a variety of things have been scrapped.

But I have been reading The Russia House by John LeCarre and enjoying every minute of it.

Back to regular programming

Thank you for letting me get the last post off of my chest.

I have just put some Gingerbread cookie dough in the refrigerator to firm up and here is the recipe. I love gingerbread boys.

Gingerbread Cookies

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1/2 cup dark or light molasses
3 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup water
5 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt


Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and molasses. Dissolve baking soda into water; stir into molasses mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until firm.

Bake cookies at 375 for 10 minutes.

Interruption

So I had another ultrasound of the ovaries for various reasons. Everything turned out fine. I'm lucky to have a doctor who is proactive and wants to make sure that things happening for normal reasons. I'm normal.

A good friend is 7 months older than me. Breast cancer in one breast was found. Surgery will be in a week or so. But then an ultra sound was done on the second breast. Cancer in that breast also. Biopsy done was done on Friday.

And then this. Blood test numbers showed signs of ovarian cancer.

Shit.

Bella, Snow and the Christmas Tree

 

Husband and I were supposed to go to the mountains this morning to cut down our Christmas tree but the snow came earlier than expected. And if you have ever driven on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with it's lack of guardrails, you know to stay off in the winter if you are not used to driving in that sort of mess.

So we decided to go to the Christmas tree place/nursery about a mile away. And we took Bella.

The snow was coming down in BIG flakes as we walked around measuring trees and trying to decide which one was the perfect tree. We put our decision in the back of the car with Bella and left the back window open. Bella loved it. her nose was really working. After we got home she spent a great deal of time running outside. A good first experience with the white stuff.

On the way

 

home from work today I dropped by the grocery store for pretzels, chocolate and sprinkles.

But by the time I got home interest in doing anything but crawling under the covers was waning. It has been pouring here and it is cold. The dogs got soaked, the one cat got wet - only because he is in one of THOSE MOODS where he cannot believe that he is in a household of inferior beings and therefore must go outside to get away from everyone.


I took a nap. And then made the chocolate sprinkled pretzels. I like the salty taste of the pretzel with the chocolate. And they are so easy to make.

Husband surprised me with a dinner out at the only restaurant in our tiny town. A glass of white wine with salmon and a walnut/spinach torte. Fantastic. All courtesy of a surprise gift card from husband's work.

Tonight I've been working on preschool things. The Christmas excitement is lower right now than I expected with this group. I'm sure that will change soon.

 

Forget everything you've ever learned about the stars and they'll once more be transformed into angels, or into children, or into whatever you want to believe at that moment. It won't make you more stupid – after all, it's only a game – but it could enrich your life.


Paulo Coelho
Source: The Witch of Portobello, Page: 137

The Gift of Sons