"Nobody on the road Nobody on the beach" - Don Henley Yes, this morning was the first day of the fourth grade and the beginning of the new school year for "The Boy". He was not excited. He had had a wonderful summer and did not want it to end. After waking him up early, I gave him a breakfast of fried eggs, juice, and milk. "I feel it in the air The summer's out of reach" There were no first day of school pictures taken this time around. He is a veteran now. However, for... Read Full Story

Last night's party was great and just as nice as the one the night before. This was a pleasant surprise, as the snobbish behavior we expected from a few of the invited guests never materialized. However, the hosts for each night were all down-to-earth family friends who have always gone out of their way to make us comfortable...and so we were. Each night, there were lots and lots of people, as well as lots and lots of food. I have never in my life seen that much cooked swine served in... Read Full Story

"You know it feels good to be alive... I was alive and I waited, waited I was alive and I waited for this" - Jesus Jones It is early Sunday morning and I am sitting in a hotel suite located only moments from Washington D.C. Sure, I've been to this town many, many times before. However, this time it feels different. Hurricane Gustav is brewing as I find myself less than a few miles from the seat of where policy is being made. The President appears on television and I again self... Read Full Story

"I'm coming up so you better get this party started I'm coming up so you better get this party started" - Pink My sister called. "We will be leaving at 11:15", she says to me, "I'm putting you in charge...make sure that y'all are ready". Long story short: We weren't. I made sure that "The Boy" was dressed and ready. This was something over which I had complete control. However, my husband seems to always be the holdup whenever it is time to go...anywhere. He had just taken a shower and... Read Full Story

"Two kinds of people in this world Winners... losers I lost my power in this world Cause I did not use it" - Lindsey Buckingham" Morning came and I found myself "all over the place" mentally. Mom called and gave me The Speech about how I had not called and that she and Dad will not be around on this earth for very long. The guilt finally got to me. After rolling my eyes, I decided that she was indeed right and so I got myself and "The Boy" ready to head out for the day. I decided to first... Read Full Story

"Oh no, it's raining again and you know it's hard to pretend" - Supertramp I woke up this morning to the brief low growl of thunder, a quick display of lightning and a continuous pouring rain. The picture is the view from my sunroom. Documented proof that the day is indeed nasty. Today is also trash pickup day. Sure we need the rain, but couldn't it have waited for a while? At least until I got the trash to the curb. To motivate myself, I put on a pot of coffee, then go around the... Read Full Story

"When you walk through a storm hold your head up high And don't be afraid of the dark" - Rodgers and Hammerstein Yesterday, my brother told me that my niece inadvertently left her cellphone behind when she went back home. He had been looking all over for it. It was eventually found lodged between the seat cushions of the couch in my parents' sunroom. Now it makes perfect sense. I had been getting her voicemail each time I tried calling her this week. I am relieved. The reason she did not... Read Full Story

"Night like a river beginning to flow I felt the beat of my mind go Drifting into time passages" -Al Stewart & Peter White I slept in late this morning (after 8:00am). This is not something that I am proud of, nor is it a habit that I intend on adopting. In fact, I feel almost guilty even blogging about it. However, it is truth, and truth (as perceived by me) is what this is all about. "The things you lean on are the things that don't last Well it's just now and then my line gets cast... Read Full Story

"It's been a long, long time coming But I know a change gonna come Oh, yes it is" - Sam Cooke Today I woke up minus the sense of dread that I normally have on Mondays. Yes, I did have a "moment", but all in all, it felt like a normal day. My husband chose to wash the car today. "The Boy" joined him, but more as an observer than a "helper". This gave me a bit of quiet time. I looked around the house and could not understand how it could go from clean to totally disorganized within... Read Full Story

"There's an awful lot of breathing room But I can hardly move" - Matchbox 20 This morning we got up and went to Sunday service. We were late... and so the three of us made spectacles of ourselves as we paraded single file into the room, in bridal procession formation. I had on no hose, along with a pair of "wickedly" high heeled shoes; and so had to calculate each step so that I wouldn't be performing alternate deep knee bends... and appear to have all the grace of a bucking horse. "I... Read Full Story