We are here....we are here...

Coming to you from Whoville, or as Sharon calls it, her little chicken coop.

Ma sits, typing on Sharon's laptop, incredibly remembering all the skills from when she had to use a laptop during the cold winter of 07/08. But that's another story.

Tonight's tale involves chicken in peanut butter sauce, over noodles. Salad and grapes and soon, VERY SOON, Too Much Chocolate Cake.

An oxymoron, if ever there was one. Can one have a cake that is "too" chocolate?

No indeed.

It is just the thing to perk up two lonely travelers who've dodged semis and smokies all the live long day.

However, this is keeping me away from my chocolate cake, and we can't have that, can we?
 

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Off to Indiana

Well folks, the day has arrived for more leavage.

Kendra is off to start her junior year at ye olde stompinge groundes of los parentos.

I noticed the younger kids were dealing with their misery at my soon-to-be-departure by playing computer games.

Poor dears! They are so brave !

Oh sure, on the outside they may seem oblivious and content, but on the inside they are dealing with the burning ache derived by contemplating the gone-ness of Maman and the fact that they'll get to watch a movie every day.

I let each of the four youngest pick out their very own:

Trevor---Godzilla (to no one's surprise)
Nolan---Lion King
Ethan--Cheaper by the Dozen (old version...I think he just likes to see the overbearing attitude of the father)
Carolyn---Heidi (groans from the boys :-)

But wait, what's this? The kids are helping Kendra take her "stuff" out to the car!

Do you believe in miracles???

Don't know how much Internet access I'll have over the next few days, though I imagine I can finagle some time on Sharon's laptop, as we'll be staying there the first night.

After dumping dropping Kendra off at Grace, I'll be winging my way to Goshen and Dunlap to visit with my brother and stay at Mom's house, where I'll get to see my sister.

Planning to hoof it home on Tuesday.

Ciao.
 

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The Modernization of Ma

You know how it is when there's SO much to do and you can't buckle down and do any of it?

That's pretty much why I'm putting up pictures of my new cell phone instead of finishing weeding and trimming strawberry plants, mowing, folding laundry, packing or throwing out the unused squash that's been sitting on the table for two weeks.

Here it is, people...isn't it CUTE?!?!
Sleek and modern, just like me.

We chose a basic phone with basic stuff. This is called the "man" phone, because of the larger numbers (for ham-like hands). I like it because of the different background, so I can FIND the numbers.


It even has a camera. PLUS, I can take video. Now, to find a crime scene...

Just kidding.

Speaking of crimes, the mighty postal system has lost Kendra's Calculus book. She tracked it to Des Moines and then nothing was heard.

HOWEVER, there are simply superdeduper people at our local post office, and our guy thinks he has tracked it to the dead letter office in Atlanta. Something must have gotten defaced during shipment and they couldn't discern the address.

Anyway, if she can get it within a week, Kendra will be most happy. I'm pretty sure it won't get here before we leave, tomorrow, ha ha.

And whilst we're talking of college peoples, Derek is also missing one of his books and has had to file a claim through Amazon. I feel a little bad, since I encouraged him to buy from a newly launched shipper...which I don't usually do, but...anyway.

Also, he made his way over to the doctor's office down in Longview. He had to check in where he was going to get his protimes taken. They decided to do the blood draw right then, even though the paperwork hadn't been sent through and it was the WRONG TIME OF DAY AND WOULD SKEW HIS RESULTS (if you take it at a certain time, corresponding to when the coumadin's been taken, then you get more reliable results)

To add insult to browbeating, the nurse hit a nerve during the lab draw.

Great start to ye olde college weeke for Derek. It has to get better, from now on, Son...

On the home-sickie front, I am feeling rather improved, not perfect, but quite passable. Melinda is also better, though still wheezing. Carolyn still feels great and proclaims, "I will NOT get sick!"

Ethan woke up with the illness, however, so there goes one potential mower.

Enough yakking. I have much to do.

That's why I'm gonna go take a nap.
 

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Monarchial Madness

Arose this morning to find two fresh Monarch butterflies had emerged, one each from Nolan and Trevor's jars.

The boys opted to wait until the conclusion of Sesame Street, before releasing them. First things first, dontcha know.

Pretty exciting to have one of these beautiful creatures hanging from your fingers!


Nolan successfully transferred his to the holly hock by the porch, but Trevor's fell to the ground...
...and he didn't feel good about leaving it by that web...

..so Ma picked it up and put it beside Nolan's. Nolan's is on the left, Trevor's on the right.

Five hours later, they are still there! Guess they don't want to leave the hospitality of the Hoytstead.

In other news, Ma and El Hubbo have huge plans for the Un-Date, this evening. We're going to look at cell phones! Yes, admit it, you are JEALOUS.

Apparently our current ones will soon be out of date and unusable, so we have no choice.

Naturally, I'll be looking for the really important features, such as what matches the color of my purse.

We're not terribly picky, since--GET THIS--all we use our phones for are actual phone calls .

I don't even know how to text. I find the whole idea somewhat obnoxious, in that not using full wordage is part of the reason Americans will soon find themselves hopelessly illiterate and unable to function. But that's OK, the rest of us will be happy to take over.

Perhaps if I were trapped in a cave somewhere, with only moments to spare before the final big earth quake and it looking bleaker and bleaker that Pierce Brosnan could get there in time to rescue me, I might be persuaded to whip out my cellphone and improvise a quick alert, "Doomed. Plez snd choklt."

In reality though, I'd rather pull weeds than learn how to text.

TTYL
 

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Ma's Longstanding Feud With the Gryllidae Family

I used to routinely spray for crickets on the outside of the house, every July or so. That was when they still produced a little toxic number called Dursban.

But seeing as higher authorities banned its production--for some petty reason such as potential neurological damage in children--I had to go with lesser effective potions.

And then, one tired and worn out year, I neglected it, altogether. The result was not as bad as I'd anticipated, so I discontinued my fun exercise of mixing the poison, hoisting the sprayer over my shoulder, walking the perimeter of the house and whapping the nozzle on the foundation to get it to spray, while the children watched in awe from inside, noses impressively flattened against the window panes that could fall out with the least breath of wind.

Last year I even discovered it was possible to fall back asleep with a cricket in the bedroom.

HOWEVER, this year a little trickster has taken up residence, behind a pile of never-ending clutter, DIRECTLY NEXT TO MY SIDE OF THE BED (and don't go harboring high and mighty notions of me cleaning up the clutter. I need a place to store it, first)

It doesn't make a sound during the daytime hours. I know this from extensive napping experiments.

But turn out the light and within 5 minutes...*chrrrrrup*....*chrrrrrup*...

Just a few earsplitting ratchets, and then all is silent for 3-5 minutes. One is lulled in the false sense that quiet has ensued...you feel yourself drifting off to dreamland, when again....*chrrrrup*....*chrrrrrup*....

I stood it for 15 or 20 minutes, and then picked up my pillow and headed for the guest room, where little remains behind which crickets may hide.

Then too, my coughing and nose-blowing doesn't bother Loren.

One of these days, though, I'm gonna have to do some heavy-duty hunting.

I'm just too tired from lack of sleep.
 

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A Fun, Fun Week

Ma has caught something and doesn't feel like doing much.

However, once I get going and take the kids to two libraries today, AND do the shopping, I'll probably feel much better.

If not by tonight, perhaps after going to Waterloo tomorrow for college shopping with Kendra. There's nothing like tons of walking and lunch at Arby's to stimulate the immune system.

Hopefully, things will be on the mend for the trip out to Indiana on Saturday. Otherwise, I may have to curtail the visit to Mom's on Sunday and Monday. I don't want to spread los germos, after all.

In other news, Derek starts his class today, so that should be fun for HIM. One of his electronics books never arrived so he has to file a claim on that and find another to purchase.

Besides that, there are just the many adjustments one makes when going to college for the first time.

OK. Going back to bed.
 

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Khrushchev in Iowa

Ma learned a bit of Iowa history, today. It involves Nikita Khrushchev and an Iowa farmer, Roswell Garst, known seed company executive and pioneer in the development of hybrid seed corn.

Here's a site that tells of this weekend's 50th anniversary commemoratory events. There's also a nice little history video, produced by Iowa students at the bottom of the page.

I'll include the YouTube video in my post, for those that are too lazy to go to another site, ha, ha.

It's interesting. Watch.



Iowa never ceases to amaze me.
 

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She's Ba-ack :-D

Internet is up! The sun is shining!

WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY!!

Oh wait...the sun is shining....that means I have to mow the lawn...

The lawn can wait.

FIRST, I would just like to say, thank you for all your well-wishes and expressions of sympathy, which I couldn't receive because of Interenet downness, but which I did sense with my psychic connection to the universe, nonetheless.

The fact that the phone hasn't been working properly only added to my feelings of withdrawal from humanity, but I managed to cope, with the regular ingestion of chocolate, and by watching the first installment of Masterpiece Theater's Jane Eyre, last night.

It was an all girls event at the Hoyt theater and I just gotta say, this country could really use a few more castles.

I also finished up a couple of books and as previously mentioned, moved the little boys in with Ethan, clearing out the old room to be redone into a guest room (It's really going to be my hideaway, but I tell everyone it's a guest room).

Just for the record, out of that room came 7 mostly full trash bags: two with trash, two with toys and stuffed animals for Goodwill, and 3 with clothes for Goodwill.

We're going with a minimalist atmosphere, until I can get all my books in there, which I'm pretty sure is going to necessitate bookcases.

But first, the painting! I have a basic idea of colors and fabric for curtains and bedspread. When I mentioned these at the table one night, I was met with snorts of derision, so I know I'm on the right track (I don't CARE if they don't like it...they're not supposed to be IN it).

Anyway, duty calls. My mowing togs are clean and dry, just waiting for moi to make them uninhabitable, again.

The important thing is, Ma has returned. You can all rest easy, once more.
 

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In Which God Disables the Internet so Ma Can Clean

I come to you, today, from the hallowed halls of the Iowa Falls Public Library. Our Internet service went down sometime on Wednesday night. I have been sleeping poorly every since, though I'm sure there is no connection.

Even so, Ma had things to do.

There was weedwhacking, as well as getting more junk moved out of the "guest" room.

On the off chance that Nolan and Trevor had missed something in their closet, I gathered the courage of the immortals and dared to enter the area of potential toxicity.

My trepidation was not without foundation. Picking up Nolan's backpack, I sensed that it was not empty. KNOWING I WOULD REGRET MY ACTIONS, I opened said backpack and discovered a brown paper sack.

You know...the kind of sack one uses for lunches. Lunches for Summer Bible School, memories which apparently were soon to return, despite having occurred over two months ago.

My maternal instincts immediately told me that perhaps it would be wise NOT to open this in the bedroom, but to take it downstairs.

It was well that I did, for in one of the not-quite-tightly-closed zip-locks, there appeared before me a vision of oozy blackness, surrounded by gnats.

I'm thinking part of an old banana, but at this point am not sure if DNA testing could even identify it.

Disposing of the decomposing remains, I thought briefly of tossing the backpack, but decided to seek rehabilitation through the washer, instead.

Returning to the room of doom, I moved the bed and cleaned underneath. Behold, besides the remains of other purloined snackage, I found an empty Orange Crush bottle, in which 21...count them TWENTY-ONE jacks and connectors had been safely stashed down through the opening. Most of them were connected to each other, in some way.

In short, we have an electronic pack rat.

I'm sure I don't know where this comes from.

On the good side, Nolan did have a fly swatter hanging up on the wall. For the gnats, no doubt. And on top of that, an old church calendar.

You know, every once in a while you wonder...you hope, you pray....you think, what will this kid turn out to be?

And then, you see the church calendar hanging on the wall, on TOP of the flyswatter, and you think...."Wow...maybe the kid DOES have his priorities straight..."
_______________

So here I sit in el libraro, trying to reconnect with the world and my sanity.

I was hoping for a bit of vacation while Loren was gone, but instead, it seems I am doomed to clean and do other oddments of a beneficial nature.

And it's raining, so I can't even mow the lawn!

Maybe I'll just go take a nap...
 

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La Casa Hoyta

It's August and time to send another Hoyt neophyte to college.

I'd show a picture of Derek setting off this morning, but none of them turned out.

I do, however, have this nice little caterpillar of Trevor's...
Isn't it CUTE ?

Nolan and Trevor now have six potential monarchs in their jelly jar farm. Five are in chrysalis and the little one up there...is still eating and growing.

When Trevor found him, he was only about 1/2 an inch long. Never had that tiny of a creepy crawlie, before.
__________

This just in on the 8:25 update....Loren and Derek are now in Tyler Texas, where they'll enjoy the hospitality of great relatives, only 45 minutes from Longview and LeTourneau University. Dorms open tomorrow.

__________

The kids are listening to "Sing, Sing, Sing," while Ma types out this post with a sore left wrist. Don't know what happened...it was sore last night and is worse, today. Probably just a touch of gangrene or somethin'. I managed to get the weedwhacking done anyway, in-between showers.

Then, THEN, we moved the little boys over into the other boys' room, where Ethan is quick to remind them that he is the "head." (there's not been too much emphasis on chain of authority in church, really....)

That meant moving clothes, washing sheets, sweeping behind things, sorting, and other sneezy stuffs. There is still a lot to do in the old room but something was accomplished.

Also, I took two naps today, so I guess that makes me officially "old."
 

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And....

...they'll be off, tomorrow.

The LeTourneau student is almost packed, and unlike another college bound male from the past, Derek's actually putting all his books and unused stuff away in the attic!

The youngish boys are rarin' to move in, so I think that's what I'll be doing, tomorrow, after Loren and Derek leave.

I'm telling Loren, "Stay as long as you want!" There are relatives down thataway, and Loren's going to get Derek set up with the clinic and doctor that will be checking his blood work. We trust there won't be a need to see the doctor, but Derek did have a funny spell today...probably due to locked knees or hunger....I hope.

In other news, I found an ice cream tub of Lego's at Goodwill, yesterday, and the little boys are in heaven. All kinds of good stuffs from Star Wars. Of course, if they hadn't been WITH me, I could have bought it and saved it for Christmas...ah well.

Perhaps I'll just deduct that from their December allotment.

I got the rest of the lawn mowed, today, and the laundry all done. Loren and Derek are getting up at 5 so they can leave at 6 and go straight to Texas.

As for myself, once they depart I'll be heading straight back to bed.
 

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In Which Ma Argues With Wal*Mart's Self-Checkout Machines

 
The WSCM are to be used, only if:

1) All the REAL checkers are busy with full carts backed up 3 in each aisle

2) You don't have that many items

3) You don't have a large family, therefore you don't have that many items

4) You don't have a lot of BULKY items, such as paper towels and things that have to "skip bagging"

The following is a close approximation of Ma's experience with 4 children in a crowded Wal*Mart:

"Here's a free line, Mommy!"

"It's self check-out...I don't usually go in those with this much stuff..."

Nolan: "I'll help you, Mommy...can I scan something?"

"No, I'd probably just get confused..."

"Well, that's not fair..."

"Here...give me your candy bar...*beep*...now we have to drop it in the bag, or it will think something's funny and not continue..."

(repeat this process 3 more times)

"I'll get it out of the bag once we get back to the car."

"That's not fair!"

Stupid polite machine voice: "Please place item in shopping bag."

"I DID (you stupid, stupid machine)"

*press 'skip bagging' even though item has been bagged, because it won't stop saying "Please place item in shopping bag."

*repeat last 3 lines of dialogue, 4 times*

*Get mad and start raising voice to machine*

*Slam rouge makeup into bag to get the machine to count it, probably breaking make-up*

*Set water bottles on floor to make room for more bags, forget them, so that check-out lady has to bring water bottles to your cart.

*forget rolls of quarters for college-bound son...wait 8 minutes at service desk while they retrieve VERY SPECIAL PERSON with the VERY SPECIAL KEY*

*discover they need CASH to give you quarters*

*go buy batteries so you can get cash back to trade for rolls of quarters*

*cannot find the "cash back" slot because you are a stupid old lady*

*GET 3 ROLLS of QUARTERS*

*drop one so that it starts to break open*

*have checkout lady bring you your bag of batteries which you left at a different self-checkout lane, since you were so wrapped up in getting the quarters*

*Give serious consideration to changing name and moving to Europe*
 

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The Culmination of Seven Years

Well, Ma took Trevor-the-Wonder-Lad down to Cedar Rapids for the ol' tux fitting pour le bearer de ring.

Oh hey...you get to stand on a table!


Hmph. Why is everyone staring at me?


Shades of Awesome-Cuteness-to-Come


Does this seem about right?
Ha, ha! Just a little big. The guy was being funny with Trevor. They were very good with him and I believe he enjoyed all the doin's.

Brother Jason went along for moral support, and then the gang of us, Justin, Ardith, Jason, Trevor and I, went out to Applebee's, Ardith's treat!

From the kids menu, Trevor picked out two mini cheeseburgers, and amazingly enough, chose fries instead of broccoli as the side dish.

Go figure. Kids are SO unpredictable.

Ma had a Weightwatcher offering. Gives one more room to eat chocolate, later.

As if that wasn't enough, we then went over to Justin's house for a tour of where the happy couple will reside after the wedding. Looks like a very nice set-up. Right away, Trevor noticed several video game controllers, not to mention Justin's cats, Lucy and Schroeder.

Then it was off to a small nearby park, where once again, everyone sat around and watched Trevor bask in undivided attention. Boy oh boy, this Only-Child-for-a-day business could get addictive!

At some point, Ma decided reality must be reintroduced, and the trip home was initiated. Trevor, tired out from the onerous task of wound-up cuteness, lay down on the seat to nap.

Unfortunately, this somewhat curtailed the airflow around him in the non-air conditioned car, and he awoke very warm and sick to his stomach.

GOOD THING MA HAD AN EMPTY CUP FROM AN EARLIER DIET COKE! I always knew my obsession would pay off, some day.

After a brief and special moment of upshuckingness, things soon took a turn for the better. Just to be on the safe side, though, I drove the rest of the way home with the windows all the way down.

Got home and marched out to the back yard to finish up yesterday's mowing.

All in all, a profitable day.
 

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Wow

More head-busting hotness, today.

I just came in from mowing--it's my third break--and I don't think I can go out there again!

Perhaps I can finish that section off tomorrow, after returning from Cedar Rapids...yes, tomorrow is the big day for Trevor, when he goes down to get measured for "maximum cuteness," as Ardith so aptly described it.

Trevor's looking forward to it tremendously, because:

a) I told him he could sit right beside me, in the middle of the bench seat (he won't be in front of an air bag, that way)

b) He seems to think there is a possibility of eating out for lunch, or eating at Ardith's place, both of which would be extremely awesome as compared to eating at home.

In other news, Ethan has started digging the second of the three pole holes. These last two don't have to be as deep, since Loren's decided to cut the second pole into two sections.

HOWEVER, about 1 foot before the bottom, Ethan came upon a HUGE stone. It is too big to move by the power of Ma's strength, immense and foolhardy though it be. So Loren's having him tunnel underneath it and we'll put a chain around that baby and haul it up.

Should be one very grand landscaping stone.

Boy. Nothing ever seems to go easy, when you're using leftover utility poles to make swing sets, does it....

I soooo need a nap, but I'm too sweaty to lie down.
 

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Hotting Hill

'Nuther warmish day, and Trevor asked to go under the sprinkler.

I couldn't find the original ice-cream-bucket-with-the-hole-for-the-hose, so I had to make a new one. We have many ice cream buckets, however and a new nozzle, necessitating a larger hole. It was all accomplished without too much labor, including the bricks underneath and inside...

Naturally, it wasn't long before traditional sprinkler play was abandoned in favor of sticking small toys on top of the stream and watching them shoot into the air, followed by further experiments...(no, Trevor, the tennis racket will NOT shoot up...)

I was weeding out some tall plants off to the side, when Trevor sidled up to me...

"So, when are you and Daddy leaving?" (Read: "We know we get to watch a video and we'd like you to leave so we can get on with it.")

"Oh, I don't know. Daddy's busy and probably not even thinking about it....I don't even know where we're going."

"Well, there's always California."
 

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Yesterday

First of all, I find it hard to believe that it is past noon, already. I did get a nap, however, so the morning wasn't a total loss.

Yesterday went pretty well, all things considered. Derek and I left around 9, which was about 30 minutes after the sudden "click" followed by eerie silence, denoting the de-electrification of the Hoyt household.

God's ways are mysterious, and I'd already planned to take Derek to Waterloo for El Biggo Collegeo Shopping Trippo.

It's just always nice to have one's plans confirmed from above...know what I mean?

Well, the first stop was Famous Footwear, where college freshmen from poor families go to get the only decent pair of shoes they've ever had in their life, so far. It's also where they come upon a vast array of choices that make their heads swim, eyes water and thoughts start ricocheting through their brains, such as, "Why didn't I think about going to college sooner "

With their "buy one, get the second pair 1/2 price" standing offer (which they have going all year round but pretend is only in place for the once per year I shop), Ma came away with a nice pair of Dr. Scholl's.

Yes folks, Ma is gellin'!

And if you know Derek, we only had to ask questions of the clerk about 5 times.

On to Penny's, the store of perennial suit sales.

After mucho trying on-o, Derek came away with his very first suit, a nice little black number. It wasn't his most favorite, but it did have pants in his size--the one pair in the store, apparently--and that does seem to be an important factor. I've altered Loren's pants before, both smaller and larger, due to health/medication changes, and all I have to say is, I am 50 years old and I'M NOT DOIN' THAT, NO MORE.

Also at Penny's, the extra long sheets that colleges make parents buy, just because they can.

After those two stores in the mall, conveniently located on opposite ends, I convinced Derek to stop in at Barnes & Noble, to peruse the bargain shelves. I could have bought half my presents for Christmas, but I'd rather do that on my own, as there were several possibilities I would have had to hide from Derek.

By this time, I was nearly starving, but Derek was doing OK, so I FOOLISHLY agreed to go to the Goodwill Superstore. Said store, by the way, is no longer "super," as they've curtailed their space and no longer offer very much AT ALL in the way of books. "Boo" to them.

I did pick up another possibility for Ardith's wedding. Now the big decision...wear the $2.00 dress...or the one that cost $5.25?

Well, no one ever said life would be easy, did they...

Derek, in his usual THOROUGH manner, looked through every single shirt in the mens' racks. Unlike his older brother Jason, who would spend all of 30 seconds by the tried and true method of "Pick up whatever you see first, don't look too closely and whatever you do, don't hold it up to see the size...."

I also snapped up a PERFECT decorative wall mirror for the guest room/Ma's retreat I'll be fixing up, just as soon as we boot Derek out the little boys move over with Ethan. It's got the deep red, the different shades of brown....OOOO, I can hardly wait to start picking out paint!

I did find a seat to sit down on and scrounged up two Dove's chocolates from my purse, without which they'd have had to call the paramedics and given me a cacao bean IV with protein bar chaser, for purposes of revival.

After that, ARBY's!! Ahhhh now, NOTHING like the curly fries with Ma's special 2/5 ratio of horsey sauce and catsup. I did try the "Official summer sandwich," which is BBQ beef-n-cheddar with bacon, lettuce and tomato, and some low-life pickle which I had NO idea was going to be in there.... Next time it's back to the simple Beef-n-Cheddar, thank you.

Derek's Bleu Cheese whatchamacallit was...OK, but he wouldn't get it again, either.

You have been WARNED, people!

The last and longest stop was reserved for Wal*Mart, where we got all the necessaries such as shampoo, toothpaste, and a few more clothes, like new socks, which for some strange reason, cannot be had at Goodwill.

As I was also getting our weekly groceries, you can imagine the full cartage we were toting around. Some of the time I stayed with Derek, checking the list and asking helpful questions like, "Do you need highlighting markers, or are you not wanting the geeky look?" and then I would run off to get groceries and come back to find he was still trying to find his first pair of jeans.

AAAARRRRRGHHHHH! Deliver me from clothes shopping!

It all worked out, except for the part about stopping at Culver's for ice cream on the way home...by that time Derek had taken his heart medication and couldn't eat for another hour (it's OK, Derek....I'm not bitter, REALLY).

The Green Dragon Lady Lincoln of Power behaved pretty well, only lurching 3 times going and 3 times coming back. That's good, actually. And best of all, she started right up, every time! Of course, it gets kinda hot without the air conditioning, but we can't have everything, can we? At least I don't live in Texas, ha, ha.

I was half hopin' that the car wouldn't start, because Loren showed me this nifty technique where you pop the hood, take out the fuel pump relay, crank the engine to empty the lines, put the relay back in and then fire 'er up again....I had to do this once at home, and it really works!

I guess we'll hafta save that little bit of female-mechanic impressiveness for a later date.

In the end (did you think I'd never get there?), we did return home, laden with many bags, packages and stuffs for the kids to carry in.

I think it all went pretty well. No accidents, no denials of debit cards and lunch at Arby's.

And next week I get to take Kendra :-D
 

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You'd think it was Sunday morning...

...the way people are rushing around, scrabbling to get in the shower before the workmen turn off the electricity for the morning.

Imagine: no computer, no videos, no Sesame Street...no bagels after 8:30.

Oh, and Loren's decided he may as well work on the water while the electricity's off, so flushing will definitely be curtailed.

Isn't is sad that this is the day Ma has to take Derek in to Waterloo for the BIG COLLEGE SHOPPING BASH?

Someone must be livin' right, is all I can say :-D

However, Derek and I are not without some semblance of human compassion. We'll definitely have them all in our hearts and prayers, particularly while we're eating lunch at Arby's.

Toodles...
 

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I don't care WHAT the weather guys say....

...it's drippy hot out there.

As in, mowing-with-sweat-running-down-into-your-eyes hot.

And, weedwhacking-with-more-dampness-all-over, hot.
_____________

Tonight we shall celebrate Loren's 58th birthday, two days early. Kendra has today off, and Thursday is another of our Un-dates. Also, tomorrow I am taking Derek in to Waterloo for El Biggo Shoppingo pour Collegeo. Should be an ALL-DAY event, with the traditional luncheon at Arbyo's.

Also tomorrow, the electric dudes--who have been working on putting in new poles all down the line, for several weeks--informed us that the electricity will be off from approximately 8-12, in the morning.

I'm definitely getting up by 7 to take my shower! After that, the family is on their own, as Derek and I take the Green Dragon Lady Lincoln to acquire much stuffs, including the weekly shopping.

But first, the meatloaf. Meatloaf is the poor man's steak, and it looks like Loren is having steak for his birthday dinner, tonight.

Oh, and Green Tomato Pie.
 

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Monarchy and Despotism

It's been a good year for finding and raising Monarch caterpillars.

Nolan found two in one day and kept them well fed and their jar cleaned.

Then, on Saturday, barely a week after going into chrysalis, the first one emerged!
Doesn't Nolan look happy? All nurturey and sublime, in his Bible verse T-shirt?

Nolan was happy to show Trevor "his" butterfly. "I can see the proboscis!"
What a good big brother he is, no?

The second caterpillar had gone into chrysalis the day after the first, so we were keeping a close eye...and shortly before church on Sunday morning, Trevor, with face peeled to the jar, shouted, "It's coming out....I see the head!!"
It happened so fast--less than 20 seconds, that by the time I got out the camera, it had fully emerged. Still, I've never seen one this new :-)

By this time, Trevor's caterpillar had started hanging from the lid of HIS jar. Trevor had also been exemplary in caring for his critter. We enjoyed watching it go from a rather small larva, shed it's skin, and then grow quite huge, with a ravenous appetite. We left for church....
...and when we got home, I glanced at the jar..."Hey, there's a green spot on the bottom...C'MERE, YOU GUYS!"

It was pretty thrilling, let me tell you. We've never seen them "go green." It actually sheds the last skin and all that lovely jade is what's left. It wiggled and wiggled and more and more green appeared. What a sight!

Later that day, however, Nolan got the bright idea of experimenting with cooking spray through the holes of Trevor's lid, completely encasing Trevor's chrysalis in non-stick goo.

When I thought to try washing it off, it was probably too late. Now it's somewhat concave and well....I told Trevor he might want to start looking for a new caterpillar.

It's my fault, really. I didn't actually TELL Nolan not to spray cooking spray on Trevor's caterpillar. I mean, I should have done that, right?

Someone hasn't grasped the whole idea of consequences, yet.

Of course, the above is not necessarily a typical, everyday occurrence.

It's just very, very close.
 

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Hot off the Press

The Big Wedding.

It rained buckets earlier in the morning, but the waterworks held off for the 6pm wedding itself, though it was cloudy. Actually, it was quite comfortable without hot sunshine.

54 photo Picasa album. Let me know if I need to make corrections with names, etc.

Sarah & Micah's Wedding

 

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Rain, Rain, Rain

Glorious refreshment from the sky :-)

It's been so very dry, the grass was starting to mimic that fake brown stuff they call "turf," down in Texas.

On the other hand, Pastor's oldest daughter is getting married today, and I think it involves a tent and chairs out on the lawn.

So now that we've had a coupla nice deluges overnight and this morning, TIME FOR THE SUN TO COME OUT FOR SARAH'S WEDDING!
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Loren is on his way up to Mason City to pick up the Pin-Striped-Suit-of-Power. Should be nice, particularly if he can stay awake, not having slept well last night.

On the Ma-Side, I picked up a little beige number for TWO BUCKEROOS, yesterday at Goodwill. I can almost wear it, even. Only a little bulgy in a few places, but I should be able to lose that EASY, just as soon as I stop eating these chips...*munch, munch*...no, I'm serious. I can DO this!

And here's the really funny part....do you know what size is on the label?

(now, keep in mind that I am 20-25 pounds overweight and haven't been pumping iron for over a year)

Size Zero. Yes, I am not kidding! Size Zero and Ma can get that baby on.

It's restored my faith in humanity and the cosmos, not to mention the whole free market system.

Adam Smith, we luv ya !
 

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The Hours Be Done!

With an extra 90 minutes, to boot.

Course, I'm still going to fulfill a promise to a lady for flowers at the Butler County Fairgrounds, but basically, Melinda and I are done with the 40-hour requirement.

It wasn't as hard as I thought. Just a matter of leaving the kids parked in front of a movie once or twice per week. Sort of the summer vacation of their dreams.

Schoo's a commin', though, and much work there shall be :-D

And speaking of preparing for the future, I've promised the two youngest boys that when Derek goes off to college, they can move from the double bed they share to bunks in Ethan's room. Then I'll be fixing up their old room as a quest room/hideaway-for-Ma. I have the colors planned and EVERYTHING. Can hardly wait to get goin' and make a cosy place to put my books. I can also use their closet to stash my clothes, freeing up the closet in our bedroom for Loren. Currently, half of my clothes are laying here and there, along with my books...but I don't really want to get into that.

In preparation, I bought each of the 3 younger boys their very own Hefty tub, in which to put their treasures. They've been told they will ONLY have this and nothing else (exception to be made for Ethan's basketball, which takes up 3/4 of the containter). The rest is going to Goodwill, with a few things stashed in the attic.

I noticed that Trevor's already packed a bunch of his loot, with his Sunday shoes right on top. I may have to supervise him, a little....
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Tonight will be something special for supper, in that WE ARE NOT HAVING GREEN BEANS! Other than the evening we returned from the lake--when I was too tired to pick or snap--we have had green beans for supper, every night....I don't know exactly how long, but it seems like a coupla years, at least.

Instead, CORN.

Corn is much more humble than beans. Beans will start coming and then they will mock you, as if to say, "Pick me, PICK ME, PICK ME, foolish human who should not have planted this many beans!"

"MHAH, HAH HAH, HAH HAH!"

Corn, on the other hand, simply whispers, "Come. Eat. Feel the crispy, buttery crunch of golden decadence."
 

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Pictures for Mom

After careful deliberation, I've culled the 42 pictures down to six, for Mom's benefit. I don't think she gets down to the basement to use the computer, so I'm counting on my older sis to copy these off and show them to Mom :-)

It shouldn't take more than a half hour, with the modem, heh, heh.

Pine Lake fun includes throwing the younger ones off the shoulders of older ones.
Nolan is in mid-air, with Kendra, Ethan and Derek, left to right.

The kids played Frisbee...
(Derek and Kendra)

...and I took Trevor off for a little nature walk.


And that worked up an appetite...here he has begged a few of my Almond M&M's.


Trevor, Carolyn and Nolan engaging in more water fun.


Sand: the perfect medium for Derek to practice engineering skills.

 

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Eating From the Garden

Tonight's menu:

Mustard Green Beans, complete with Greek oregano and parsley from Ma's herb haven.

Sour Cream Cucumbers, Carolyn's cukes and store onions, in a sauce of sour cream...to die for.

Summer Squash Avec Cheese, and the "avec" means "with." I just threw in that French to make it sound extra hauteurish. The squash are "cue ball," and come in little round balls of dk green, lt green and yellow. "Oooo, d'ere so cuuuuuute.

Homemade bread, mixed, kneaded and baked by Melinda and Carolyn, because they have to. Not strictly from the garden, but fresh and yummy, and sure to impress people with Ma's all-around dedication to being the good little homemaker.

With all these veggies, there's no room for meat. I don't think the guys like it all that much, but then, perhaps if men did eat so much meat, there wouldn't be all this violence in the world....OK, I'm not kidding :-D

In other garden news, I pulled out all the extension cords I could find and put the boom box out betwixt the sweet corn. Those nasty raccoons are not gonna get my sweet corn if I can help it!

I put on something that sounds like it might be a Rock station, though being the tender and upright morals-type person that I am, could I even recognize such music?

Oh yes, I forgot one item from yesterday when I took the kids to the lake. Due to extensive eye-sweeps of the water and counting kids heads and all, I don't read a book or even do my crossword puzzles. I keep my eyes peeled on the lake.

I do find solace in the local oldies station, from Marshalltown, however. It used to play Big Band, but someone got wind that too many people liked it, and they switched to a canned set-up of "Timeless Favorites."

It'll due in a pinch, I have to say. Regrettably though, I missed hearing an old-and-goldie from my callow days of youth, Your Mama Don't Dance and Your Daddy Don't Rock and Roll.

Maybe next time.
 

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Swimming with Dogs

 
Well, here it is...the first outing to Pine Lake, this year.

For those who don't like to access Picasa albums (42 pictures, here), I'll try and put up some individual pictures, tomorrow.

2009 Pine Lake, first visit

 

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As the Summer Turns

We successfully (read: no one drowned) made it through the first of two expected trips to the lake, yesterday. Pictures to come, most assuredly.

The summer is waning and we now have three potential monarch butterflies in waiting.

Nolan found two caterpillars in one day, and they are both in chrysalis, even as we speak/type.

Their names are "Stripes," and "Stripey."

Trevor, most appropriately, found a much smaller version, a few days ago. He has just replenished new milkweed leaves, much needed since the little critter immediately made an instar change, shed it's skin and will, no doubt, be looking toward larger epigastric horizons.

Trevor's worm-beast is called "Strippy."

My boys...achieving new heights in vocabulary, one caterpillar at a time.

*sniff*...It just makes me so proud.

There was an earlier attempt at caterpillar captivity, but a very strange thing happened: it attached to the lid of the jar, elongated and dried up, its silken threads extended beneath....helpless....a harsh reminder, symbolic, sad and shroudy.

But we're over that, now, and everything's good.
 

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For the Love of Green Beans

 

How do I hate love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee morning, noon and night,
Which times I am forced to pick thee,
Searching out of sight amongst the greeny leaves of doom.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, because indeed, I have to eat you,
EVERY STINKIN' DAY OF THE WEEK.
(not that I'm complaining)
I love thee freely, because you're cheap.
I love thee purely, being so wicked organic.
I love thee with the passion put to use
from grief of creaky knees and back.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose...

Oh who am I kidding? 'Tis sick to death of thee, I am!
If God so chose, a blight of deer should ravage amongst thy beany fronds.
Frankly, my dear,

I prefer corn.

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And Tomorrow, THE BEACH!

Or in reality, a small strip of sand on Pine Lake.

Our family stumbled on this place by accident, one day. It's usually nice and quiet because I don't think that many people know about it. Say...did I say Pine Lake? I meant Lake Tahoe...yes, it's definitely Lake Tahoe.

(can't have hoards of people coming to our private spot)

Pretty much all the stars are lining up:

1)Kendra doesn't work
2)It's going to be in the 80's
3)Partly sunny, with no chance of rain

We could have gone today, which was fairly hot, but:

1)Kendra is working
2)chance of rain (nothing happened, naturally)
3)the stars were not aligned

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In goodsome news, Derek went back into a proper heart rhythm, some time on Sunday afternoon. Things had sounded like they were trying to go normal, with sinus beats coming in every so often, in between weird rapid stuff that you can't even count properly.

A similar thing happened back in January, when we had a virus going through the family. A couple of the kids have been sick this past week, too. And, coincidentally enough, when Derek went into A-fib for the first time....yes, a virus was going through the family.

And people wonder why I seem paranoid around sneezing and coughing bodies :-)

There is only so much you can do, though. But I wish to thank people for praying for Derek. Guess he dodged the big shockeroo, one more time.
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In Weeding News, (yes, I KNOW this is exciting stuff...why do you think I talk about it?) I pulled up the extraneous green material on the north side of the garage. There is a mound of dirt along that side, and no grass planted, and no way to mow it, so I have to pull weeds every so often. One of these days I shall plant it all up, though I'm half afraid "someone" might decide to add on to the garage or something, and it would all be for naught.

Also on the weed-front (now CALM DOWN! No matter how thrilling, just take it EASY...) I went on the other side of the south fence and destroyed the wicked Giant Ragweed which grows and hangs over the old wire, mocking me with it's hundreds of thousands of evil seeds.

I have to put on gloves and long sleeves, to prevent nasty red welts from showing up in two days. Besides the awful discomfort, they take at least 6 months to fade away and that puts a real damper on my modeling activities.
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In addition to "taking out" the weeds, we pulled down the scaffolding by the utility pole. It now stands nobly by itself, just waiting for a companion to settle in beside it. They needed "The Great White Weight," once again, to perform that essential task of being-the-heaviest-in-the-family-and-keeping-things-from-falling-on-people.

I like to think of it as a ministry. It might mean that God never intended for me to lose weight, after all. I'm going to have to give this serious consideration...

...very serious consideration.
 

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Al-righty

The first pole is in the hole!

I would have had this done earlier today, but part of the morning was taken up with snapping pictures to aid in any unfortunate trips to the ER, and well, you know.

Also, I went grocery shopping this afternoon, and people WILL want to eat supper (yep, I can't understand it, either), so I was delayed.

Still, here is the pictorial documentation of the process: "How To Put Up a Utility Pole in Your Yard, in 47 Easy Lessons."

The Great Iowa Utility Pole Adventure

On another note, Derek seems to be "out of rhythm" again, heart-wise. Probably a-fib.

I know, I KNOW....I keep telling him to "KNOCK IT OFF!" but he's a teenager, and....well, what can you do?

We hope and pray he will convert back to sinus rhythm on his own, as he did after a similar two-day experience, earlier in the year.

The excitement just never ends, around this joint.
 

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