This Ranch Should Be Named Danger Ranch For Sure. And I Need Constant Supervision
Today, I fell through the porch. It's off the ground by 5' 5" I went THROUGH the porch, not down the stairs! That's embarrassing.
My Visiting Teacher was thinking about me when I was alone this afternoon. She was prompted by the Spirit to call me. I cried and talked and cried and talked. Thank you Gloria, for listening to the whisperings for me. She made me feel so much better, in fact she twisted her ankle, too.
It was good... it was "I," who was hurt... and not a grandchild, or my mother, I just thought of dear Larin carrying her precious baby in her tummy, or my husband.... who would not be able to work. I have lots and lots of blessings to consider!
My Steve was here and gave me lots of loves and hugs and laid-down beside me. You do weird things when your adrenaline and shock is going. I took off my capris, right there at the end of the stairs, because I did not want the paramedics to cut my new pants.
And that's all I'm going to say about that.
WHERE ARE ALL THE BATS?
Dallin Is Still Looking For Bugs Before The Movie
We had a big family movie night because Bree and Chip are visiting from Arkansas.
I love our projection machine.
The screen is bigger than just about any TV.
I Have An Arrow Showing Where
"The Bat Cave" Is Hiding.
There's a Fence Post On the
Far Left and a The Gate Is Down
I Can Stand Right There
And See The Cave's Entrance.
I started noticing that there were hardly any bats when the sun started setting last year. Where did they go?
We had an outdoor party with a movie and we all looked for for the hairy, brown bats and the bats were all Swifts (birds) everyone of them! We have plenty of food for them, flying bugs galore. I wish the bats would have eaten the Bark Beetle that came in my bathroom window and into my shower cap. I hate rodents, but these little varmits are so necessary to keep the flying mosquitoes and night fliers to a minimum. Visit....
http://www.californiabats.com/
I'm still afraid of bats not because of the folklore of them biting people or having rabies, but because they really look like mice or rats with wings.
It doesn't seem like summer without them flying around. The house was moved next to a couple big oak trees and we know that some bats probably lived in the trees and for sure in our old big barn. We hear the owls. Do the owls eat bats? I was always afraid the owls would take our baby kittens outside. Does the radar help the bats fly away from predators? I sound like Dallin--Mr. Nature Guide.
As long as I can remember, summertime has been full of playing with bats. I've never been afraid of rabies, but our folks watched us while we took tennis balls in a long stocking. Actually.. it was hosiery--now we have to cut a leg off because "panty" hose changed that. My children have played the-throw-the-ball-up for bats. It was the main reason I saved my runned pantyhose all winter to play with the bats in the summer.
Bats were everywhere and we'd stand out in the open, especially if the arena lights were on. We would throw the ball up in the air and try and catch a bat or trick it?? It's a bit weird to think about now, because we were trying to catch bats? I would have died if I actually caught one and run away screaming. It was still soooo fun to see them jump toward the ball and stocking.
We had a sick bat at the foot of our stairs at the end of the porch. Steve took his heavy-duty fire gloves that were on their way to the trash, to pick the bat up and put it in a canning jar. We took it to the Agriculture Department a few miles away. Santa Paula really is the center of the county's best agriculture. The bat was clean and really not sick. It must had bumped it's face and soooo the Aggie guys released it. We do have strict rules about bats and to never touch one that's on the ground.
My son was on the Federal Fire some years ago and their firehouse was old and on the base. Yes, it was infested with bats. I think a bat came back positive for rabies and Dustin had to have the shots. He said they were no big deal at all. We all hear that the shots are terrible, but he said it was just like any other and Dustin was glad the Navy took the precaution to treat the firemen. Actually, Dustin has a high tolerance for pain, so if he says the shots don't hurt. I'm not sure...it might hurt me!
The Cave Story
I did some mighty stupid things growing up here. "Double-dog -dare-you" was really the thing that got me to do the most mischief that I was always running toward.
The seven evils the Lord "hates" all seem to be associated with the failure to control our thoughts and words. These are "a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren" (Prov. 6:17–19).
I should have no business doing stuff like adventures with a dare. Ha hahaha, I heard that saying in the movie "Sand Lot" or "A Christmas Story" kid movie and thought,"Yeah, that's my childhood."
Okay, I pointed-out on my picture where the cave is on the bluff near the river or "crik" like it's just barely running a trickle of water now. Sooooo, the picture is from really far away, but the cave is still there. All I have to do is line it up. I even did a "three-point-fix" that my dad taught me. The river area was our playground with swimming pool in the deep shale and catching turtles and Helgramites were great. We got money for the Helgramites. That is THE BESTEST BAIT for trout and bass, ever! (Helgramites are the larva of Dobson Flies and you'll have to Google that one. They are about as ugly as the larve--they look like big termites)
Helgramite
Anyway, back to the cave story...it wasn't quite summer, just a foggy, warm, fall Saturday morning and two of my friends and I decided to go to the "River" exploring. Getting wet was always okay, but we hopped the crik and went exploring on the other side. It's a large area of almost pristine wilderness against the overgrown bluff. This bluff is near the "Abrupt and Useless Bluffs" that really are one of the most scenic spots of Santa Paula.
We knew about this legend of the Spanish Gold tucked in the mountain that bordered the Santa Paula Creek. The Spanish were exploring here before the battle of 1812 and wanted to find a route to Ojai and then to Santa Barbara w/o going up the coast. I guess, like a short-cut. Yeah, it it is short-cut, but you have to be able to drive a car.
Okay, I'm a Spaniard and looking for a place to hide the heavy gold. The going is rough and they would come back for it. I actually have big proof that this happened, but my husband would die if he had to give up his cannon. Anyway, we were exploring the sides of the mountain and came across a hidden cave. It was hidden because the water had eroded it away toward the side. A person has to be at the right angle to see it. The cave was a super-large hole and narrow, but really tall and really high on the bluff. I would have to mountain climb in my Keds.
"I wanna' go up there." "But I'm not." Then... the "double-dog-dare-you" came from my friend. I think it was Paula Roina. (not sure) I was scared I would slide down, fall down, or meet-up with a bunch of rattlesnakes like my dad warned me about. I mentioned that and somehow was told by one of my friends, "When was there a rattlesnake in your yard?" Hahaha Do you think my dad told me every time he killed a rattlesnake. I wouldn't have gone outside.
Dollar bills came flashing through my mind and I scampered up the bluff, tennies full of sand and dirt and just pulling on roots and rocks to get me to the cave.
The mouth of the cave was huge! Like the "Cave of Wonders" and I could even smell inside. It seemed musty like our basement, but stinkier. I didn't have a flashlight, I didn't even have a stick, but I thought, "Whoa! This is really it!" and I pulled myself into the mouth of the cave.
Are you in suspense yet? Do you wonder what was there? It was black inside but moving and rustling. I thought maybe a bear was in there but it was a really steep climb. I just had put my body inside and I mean a huge monster of thousands of bats all together came flying out. It was so thick it look like one big animal. I may have fainted. I do remember scooting like a slide all the way to the bottom of the mountain-side. It was an avalanche of dirt that came with me and I sat at the bottom all by myself filled-up with dirt.
I looked across the river and saw our back, metal gate and then did a "Three point fix" my dad wouldn't believe me. I never did that again, but it's still there. Yes, my parents told me I was really dumb. I actually got grounded from a bunch of parties and football games.
We did have a bat in our house a couple years ago. I saw a brown leaf stuck to our center light in the living room. I kept thinking how does that leaf stay there? Then, it moved slightly and I screamed for my husband. I ran out-side. My mother walked up and said you are such a baby. Yes, I can take it now! I am a baby. She went inside and I could hear the scuffle. My mom screaming like a little girl and she ran out. Steve caught it and let it loose outside.
I'm going to try and get some bat houses set-up around the arena lights. Maybe the bats will come back and be fun for my grandchildren. Just watching them dance in the sky is beautiful. The fact that they are eating the West Nile Virus mosquitoes and flies are an extra plus. I need a bat plan!
Holy Bat-plan! Robin! Nah, how about Twilight Boxes? You think I could catch an Edward?
Lovingly Written By Susan For The Susan at 10:06 AM 1 comment:
The Skunk Story
A very long time ago, well in people years--40+ years ago when Steve and I were dating. I told my boyfriend, Steve (my husband, now) that I couldn't smell skunk smell.
That story started when I lied to my mother that I wanted to keep a spotted skunk that I caught in the backyard with a Have-A-Hart Trap. I could get it de-smelled by Dr. Nelson in Fillmore. She told me he wouldn't do it and I told her I didn't even smell it! It wouldn't bother me! She knew that wasn't true because our cat was burned by the smell of a skunk in her face and it was so bad she ended-up at the vet after a tomato juice bath. We all knew the bath probably "stung" more on her burns than the actual burn. yeah...the cat smelled--reeked.
I caught the baby spotted skunk when I was about 10 1/2. My whole family was here including my O'Connor grandparents and my Uncle Frankie. It was Mother's Day May 8, 1960.
I pretended right off... that I couldn't smell the baby skunk because I wanted it so bad. Even when it stood on its front hands (yeah, their feet look like baby hands) and the little baby skunk let out this terrible smell. The skunk family had been raiding our chicken coop, so when my dad woke-up and saw my catch he wanted to well.... it's too harsh to even think about, even with his "tender heart." So, because I loved it I let it go.
I had watched the Disney movie called "Perry" with my heart-throb of my very young youth, Billy Mumy. Remember, "Lost In Space?" He was the character "Will" and he had this robot, called "Robot." Anyway, later he was my Movie Idol and I wanted a wild animal to raise, especially one that looked like a kitty.
I told my future husband--I mean really early in our dating to just be silly. There was some skunk road-kill and Steve said, "Oh, no!" "Do you smell the skunk?" I explained this long drawn-out story about I had this inherited gene that doesn't smell skunk. I was just kidding and I was going to tell him, but I forgot and each time we encountered the smell he would look at me funny like, "I know she smells it!" I would ignore the smell and then conveniently forget again. I carried the joke with me for months.
We got engaged and I kept doing it--it was so fun! And then getting married, I still forgot with all that involves getting really for the wedding. I meant to tell him the truth, really, it was just a joke!
We moved after we were married and went up to San Jose. There's not a lot of skunks in that city, at least in 1971. I completely forgot about skunks, just focused on my real babies, as in new Tressa and Dustin.
1973, Steve and I moved back home to a ranch in Santa Paula. Our home was in a farm house on the country and the west-side. The ranch was out in the middle of avocados, lemons, and orange orchards and critters all around. And.....one night....a skunk visited our house. Yes, he left his "calling-card" under our house. I said, "Oh my gosh, that's the most potent skunk I've ever smelled!" My husband, now of almost 5 years, was super confused!!! "You smell that?" "DUH!" and then I remembered....I forgot to tell him and I got caught. Honestly, now we smell skunk and he says, "Do you smell that?" I usually, meekly say...."wwwhaaatttt?"
And that's the story of the skunk and I still want one!
Lovingly Written By Susan For The Susan at 11:06 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Animals, Get Over It
The Jokes On You. Tatum and Corbin and Anyone Else We Can Think Up.
My son, Dustin, has been hilarious his whole life. I'm glad he recently got back to his old-self and is laughing again and we love hearing it.
Growing up Dustin did have lots of experience entertaining us at Family Home Evenings and very randomly in everyday life. We would have a FHE lesson on the Scriptures and then all the kids would entertain us. Steve and I loved being the audience. His particular talent was always a bunch of really funny jokes that he had made-up (I never got the Santa Claus one) and making us laugh was his big reward. Actually, he's a lot like his Grandpa Doug..Grandpa Gene...me?
Grandpa Gene was over at the dinner table at his house and the kids could see him sitting there eating. They all piled inside and said, "What's this, Grandpa?" "Jerky," my dad answered. "Can we have some?" "I don't care--ask your mom." He knew they wouldn't because I didn't like them eating a bunch of jerky and it was expensive. I found the wrapper in the yard and asked all the kids, "Where did this come from?" "Grandpa gave us jerky." I just about lost it..I was laughing so hard I almost lost my balance and fell down. It was Dog Jerky. Normally, I would have just flipped, but the look on my kids faces when they knew what it was. That was just priceless! How's that for their most memorable moment with their grandfather?
I started playing jokes on Dad, well, he signed-up! I bought a big, rubber lizard with lots of teeth and set it by the different facets, so when he watered the horses he thought he was going to get eaten. I put rubber snakes out on the yard and even have the kids take Blue, the horse over to the dining room and let the horse peer in the large window. Scared him proper!
I know Dustin's group of new rookies on the fire department don't think he's a real funny guy. Just you wait.
Dustin was driving Tatum, his daughter, up to see her other grandparents in Tehachapi, CA and it's a long stinking way to get there. Especially since, it's 2 1/2 hours distance and up in the mountains. Tatum gets really bored because the California desert is pretty darn boring if you don't ride motorcycles.
Dustin texted his dad out of the blue...ELWOOD. A short time later the phone rings and it's Tatum. She asks, "Does my dad have another brother?" "Does he live in Texas?" Kiely jumps on the computer and starts looking for Elwood and Jake pictures. Steve and Kiely knew right away what Dustin was doing. Steve said, "Yeah, he does and he does live in Texas?" Steve hears Dustin say he has another brother that lives with him. He said, "Yeah, and I have another brother named Jake." "Naught-ugh!! Naught-ugh!!!" Why didn't you tell me?" "I did, don't you remember?" Eight-year-olds wouldn't get the whole family thing, especially since "The Mother" has so many relatives that aren't really, really related to her. Not to mention our family is BIG! Tatum was sucked-in.
Tatum said, "I wanna see a picture of them!" Steve already sent Dustin a picture. Then, she says, "I wanna' see a picture of the as kids!" Steve had already got that picture from Kiely forwarding it to his phone and then to Dustin. "Wow!" "I forgot about them."
Just Kidding, not monkeys--I found that picture.
Jake and Elwood As Kids
A couple days later Corbin, Tatum's older brother says, "Tatum says you have brothers...." "Where are they?" All smarty... Dustin says, "You want to see some pictures of my brothers?" "Okay" Corbin is still very skeptical. Corbin looks at Dustin's phone and yells, "NO WAY!!!!" "THE BLUES BROTHERS ARE YOUR BROTHERS??" He was so surprised, Dustin broke a smile and the tale was over. All of them ended up laughing. I wish one of them would have said, "Where in Texas?" Dustin could have said, "Jail." "That's why we never get to see them."
A Brother's Love
What Do Brother's Do When They Want To Give A Present?
I lost quite a bit of Monday...worked-out hard and got pretty sleepy after the swim. I had a bit of a headache only because it was so blazing hot. I could hear Dustin and Tanner digging around in the basement.
There were puffy clouds covering the sky and it was just glaring. This is earthquake weather.
I just meandered toward the window in the kitchen to see Dustin and Tanner drag Larin's old Banana bike out from the basement. It was needing a lot of work. New tires and good shine of the chrome and of course it needed to be repainted. The seat however, was perfect. What a project. Tanner wouldn't give-up and he sanded and painted and painted. My grandson took some stuff Dustin gave him for the bit of rust and he shined it all up. It took a lot of "elbow grease" worth it because what he created out of an old bike was amazing. Yep, a birthday present when a kid has no money to spend--better than store brought! Grandpa Steve helped by buying a new chain and supports for the seat and some other shiny stuff. We were blessed watching the whole experience.
The transformation from dirty basement bike to a birthday present was so extraordinary. He surprised Tatum with it after she came here. Tatum and Adree are BFF and Dustin took all of them to the Butterfly garden in Santa Barbara. Wow, did Tatum have a birthday month or what? This is one grateful and excited girl. She has a light pink bike that no one else has. Tatum is a Princess with a "Happy Scream."
I hear my husband mowing the grass and the sound and smell is as relaxing as hearing the ocean waves break in at the beach.
We had a beautiful, beautiful sunset--Should have been like Bree... and taken a picture. I was in awe of the long "pink moment." The puffy clouds started turning all the warm colors of a sunset, but glowing of summer.
A picture, howdy! I wasn't the only one who thought this was just a beautiful day!
My grandson is only 11 but has the thoughtfulness of a grown man. Tanner loves his family and is an amazing big brother. How could you ask for more? Tanner's a shorter McGyver and just as smart.
Greatest Story Ever Told, Nooo.That's not it! Worth Mentioning, Noooo. That's Not It! Don't You Hate It When...noooooo. Just A Completely Random Life
A reader might think when reading my title to this blog that this person ...not only doesn't know what she's going to write, and she's just posting to be posting something on her blog. You're right. hahahaha. That's Not It! Not today, maybe tomorrow. (I shortened the story with a comment to Larin, and left a link above...really too stupid!!! My grown children, maybe not all, will understand the...That's Not It! But, Turkey, is the country Turkey. And that's the answer! It would be way, way too weird to try to tell that story and it does happen to be, "Pillow Talk." I guess, honestly, "Amazing Life," should be my title. My blog can't recreate the junk that happens to me in my freaky, 24 hours.
I just started an exercise swimming class, rough start with all the activities, but I was signed-up for 3-days a week. Third day, Dave, the instructor gave me a hernia. No, it's not catching...well it is if you' re stupid enough to put heavy weights on your legs and do a kick high enough to hit your nose. (It's hot water, 90-94 degrees, for limberness) I look like I'm pregnant with a belly-button-outie on my lopsided stomach. Small but super uglee and I'm not posting a picture of it.
I had to see the doctor to go back to swimming....
I took a shower and wanted to wear my shower cap, because my hair looked so incredible already. So, I put on the shower cap on and realized when I had it on... I had just glimpsed something that didn't look quite right... inside. You, know those moments, and usually whatever you glimpsed, was really something. I tore the shower cap off my head. "ITS ALIVE, IT'S ALIVE!!" The biggest, ugliest beetle was in my shower cap.
I am so thankful it wasn't a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket. It actually serves me right, because I took a dead Potato Bug and traded it for Baby Jesus in my Nativity during Christmas so the grandchildren would quit playing with the Baby Jesus and losing it. Don't you wish I was your grandma?
My hair got really wet in the shower and I went off to the Doctor's office looking like the "Sea Hag," with red lipstick. What a lovely picture, huh?
Steve picked me up and we met Kiely at the movies. It had to be another cartoon movie with Steve and Kiely. The last movie was on our anniversary trip and titled "Up." The old man looked EXACTLY like Steve's dad. Straight across smile, same glasses, bow tie, clothes, stubble on his chin, and his large, fat, flat fingers. Steve cried the whole movie. Great.
This picture shows Grandpa Doug pondering and wishing for french fries and chocolate shake, his favorite treat! He must get those in Heaven. BTW Larin just brought me a mini Wendy's Shake, while I'm looking at Doug's picture.
Grandpa Doug, Dallin and Adree, great-grandchildren all watching "Up" fireworks at Disneyland.
The movie was "Ice Age" and I thought it was tame enough for my dear husband. Maybe he was going to think he was too old and about to become extinct. Crying again...I thought of all the possibilities. The movie concession area made me my own popcorn, with no salt--they are so good to me. 3-D glasses on--- and I'm ready to launch. Not to the Ice Age. But I was so car-sick from the 3-D, I spent most of the time looking for medicine in my purse and trying to figure out if Kiely and Steve would mind if I "hurled" in their popcorn container. I could hear Kiely and Steve laughing at the movie. Clueless--- that I was going to barf . I couldn't tell them or that would make me actually do it. The only part of the movie I enjoyed was the breathing exercise for Lamaze. The big momma Mammoth was birthing. My prayers were answered! My answer to car-sick...start breathing, "Wooo Wooo Haaaa, Woooo Woooo Haaaa." (I think that's in Finding Nemo, too) I was breathing like I was in labor. The looks from the people around me..I could read their minds: "Tourette Woman" "Very Old Pregnant Woman (with an outie)" "I felt the Mammoth's pain in my heart" or "Those two people are that woman's care-givers" I would have done a tap-dance on the stage if I knew that it would keep me from throwing-up. I hate car-sick. Movie over and I left knowing all the dinosaurs and mammals loved each other. That's a wimpy cop-out.
My Uncle Terry was here visiting my mom (she lives nest next door, well...it's like a nest, I was raised there) from Hurricane, Utah. He says Hurricane like it was in Florida. Yes, he's newly planted, but he thought we wouldn't know the real lingo. Duh! Half the Elders that come to our ward for missions, are from either "Herrakin, "or "Burley, Idaho." I reserved myself and didn't call him a Utard. I'm really, really so glad he came. We have the same heart defect and he shared his ideas. The best part is that he had some names on lines that I didn't have and I was stuck, BECAUSE...the names were spelled wrong! And pronounced wrong, by me. And I was making fun of his pronunciation of his town. I mixed-up trivial with real important stuff. I'm still loving genealogy and I think our whole family does. They aren't members of The Church, but they will be. Last evening....I got burial sites, locations, half-brother to my grandpa... and where he was. I so loved it. We talked outside in the gazebo until we couldn't see each other and the mosquitoes did.
I couldn't eat dinner, but did eat very late--about 10:30. That's when I became nuts. What did I eat? I did have mushrooms on my shish-ga-bob, but the mushrooms were from Ventura.
Steve and I waited for Kiely to come home from FHE at the Singles Ward. Kiely told us there was this white horse and a handsome prince, and we got concerned. I honestly didn't know I was so tired, really tired. I thought we would stay awake and talk to each other. "Pillow-Talk," We needed that. I would start to say something back to him making complete sense and right in the middle of my sentence say, "Whales are swimming in the sky." Steve would say "WHAT?" "Me?" "Wad' I say?" It was like I was on drugs, but I guess I was just tired...but, I only sleep with my MP3 sleepy music. "I'm awake, I'm awake!" Steve egged me on with the conversation. I'd start talking normal and then, "WACKO!" Steve told me finally.... instead of talking, I would start a sentence and then in the middle... start doing my "sleep breathing."
I awoke early to the sound of Banana, our donkey. I'm beginning to love her loud, "AWAKE! YOU BLESSED HUMANS! The sun is going to jump-up over the mountain! I think I'm going swimming today. No leg lifts, no weights and start slow. Yes, I will.
The sun hit my face and I rubbed my eyes. My eyes were filled with "sleepers" (eye sand?) I mean the whole socket. Was I sad? Oh yeah, I forgot there were these large creepy beetles crawling out of my hair and it was in living color. I shouldn't go to 3-D cartoons or catch bugs with my shower cap.
****I sorta' watched the movie, and not one time, did I think that Larin looks like an 'Wooly Mammoth' Oh, no! Pregnant for...isn't almost 2 years? I just got corrected by THE animal science major, Kiely. It's 22 months for elephants, probably the same for Mammoths. Yes, Kiely.... I think all of mine where almost that long.
Lovingly Written By Susan For The Susan at 8:37 AM 3 comments:
Labels: Animals, Family
Preparedness Seminar Saturday. Are You Car Sick Yet?
Preparedness Seminars are always hard to make people come out and attend. The individuals have to be really interested and sometimes it has to be a disaster that scares them into being interested. Sad, it could be too late. It's a subject we all don't want to think about and all say to ourselves, "That scary stuff won't happen to me." There's the Scarlett O'Hara personality, from the movie "Gone With The Wind," Scarlett always says when there's something important or sad to figure out... she's says, "I'll think about that tomorrow." I've actually done that, when circumstances were overwhelming, like impending childbirth.
I brought for my display tables my 72 hour pack (that is way huge and hard to set-up) We keep buying stuff for it! We found that a dolly with two or three rectangular Rubbermaid boxes are the best to keep the stuff in. I had a big trash can with wheels and took it to a "Preparedness Idea Day" a city preparedness event, and I couldn't get the 72 hour stuff out of the car without help. It rolled and kept turning over to each side and then it took "three men and a boy" to get it back in my pick-up. New packaging was required. It's good to take it out for a trial run. One can never know if the pack is just right and a person can handle your packing job, including your children.
My other display was the children's fun activities, organization (hahahahaha), chore charts from when my kids were little, and some other wonderful things I pulled together with the help of my computer friends.
Marnie was in charge of the event with Sally. Marnie is my daughter. Soooo Steve and I really tried hard to have a lot prepared.
The activity directors got an excellent speaker on fiances! Everyone talked about how great he was.
There was the "Smoke House" playhouse to teach children about fires and fire-safety, and even a window ladder to climb down.
Lots of firetrucks for the kids to climb on and a fire extinguisher training spot for everyone to learn to use a fire extinguisher with real fire. Yikes!
Marnie and Sally had an expert cook at the activity to show us Dutch Oven Cooking and how amazing and easy that can be done with a little bit of knowledge.
Our great friends, the "Colvard Family" that owns
"The Painted Pony Farm"
in Santa Paula came down to show us all how to make the grow boxes using the "Square-Foot Gardening Method. Steve Colvard has even improved on whole system and it was wonderful to see his boxes and how he makes them. Pam and Steve also brought clippings to show everyone how to grow landscape plants on a budget. I loved that so much! It's amazing how easy it is and we all didn't know how many beautiful plants can be started that way.
Grow Boxes Miniature for Apartments and Easier To Show How They Are Made
They Have Feet and Cage Under To Keep Out Critters
My Husband Some Hotshot (he just got hurt on a recent Strike Team)
My husband did a short presentation on CERT and taking care of you and your family when a small or large disaster happens. Even... when a disaster happens far-away and then we're all needed to take care of those that need us or help if they arrive here. Many people have ways and are able to go and help them. A person just needs to find the right agency to work through.
There are wonderful inexpensive ideas that came from "Daytrippin' Mom" and it's all written by Aracely Worley from Southern California.
My Young Women's President, Lisa Morgan, also prepared a display and had great ideas. She's a foster mother with tons of energy and two little ones at home. (She already raised her huge family) I loved her table!
I found my old book, "You Could Use A Little Help" by Darlene Merill. Actually, I bought two more used books through Amazon for my own grown children and the charts were not included. I got so ripped-off! But...just by chance... I found another blog that had the charts and the book to download. Bless this guy's heart for posting it on his blog. He's a single dad and also had lots of fun things to do with kids that ideas that don't take loads of money & full of memory-making ideas. His blog is great and he's just about 60 miles south of us. The blog is "Musings... no..."Rantings of a Hollywood Newbie." I've already bought the book three times, so I felt it was absolutely okay that I downloaded the charts for my grandchildren.
The charts were a big hit. Everyone that was LDS and went by my table, picked them up and said. I remember these! Some even said, "Did you have a black bean and white bean jar when you were a kid?" Me..."No, I had the beans for my own children." "I just got spanked." My children all say when they are cleaning their house now, the charts they used as kids, always come to mind on how to clean and the order--it really does make it faster and easier to get done. They love the charts!
I also have a book from Dr. Dobson, who did the radio show. Focus on the Family. I think his wife wrote the book with his help and it's huge with tons of ideas for great memories. It's packed with information for grandmothers and grandfathers, too. Yes, I love that.
A big card fell out of the book when I picked it up. It was my homemade "Car Bingo Card" I couldn't afford all the ones at Bennett's School Supply store so I made my own. We didn't have dry erase markers then, I wouldn't use them in the car anyway! We used purple crayons that never seemed to get worn-out. They did wear-out in the car on a hot day and it was not fun to try and remove from the car seat or floor.
Showing The Bingo Card hahaha
It really cracked-me-up to see what I drew for them. Hahahahaha I 'crack myself up' Nevermind.
All my kids love these cards. Bree even was going to ask me to look for them to use on the way out to see us from Arkansas. Okay, Okay...one is road-kill spat, roller skates?, banana bike?, telephone booth, a police badge. (That was okay to look for an officer, because they knew my mom was a police woman with a badge) Oh, and I had a roll-off bin and a trash truck because my husband owned a trash hauling business. Storage containers are everywhere now, but back then it was hard to find them. The Heil Trash Truck rear-loader... doesn't even resemble the trash trucks of today and the VWs....the kids knew the VW, even though I couldn't draw it right. They knew because it was "Beetle Bop" and could hit the person next to you. The card was really a fun find. I tried to discourage the "Beetle Bop Game"...yeah, it leads to black-eyes... Huh Marnie? "Zits" weren't on the bingo card, just horses. Zits were special white horses and you got money for finding a "Zit."
I always thought "Zits" and "Beetles" were important to look for because some kids (and adults) get really car-sick looking down. Actually, one of my greatest fears as a kid was going on a long ride. I ALWAYS got sick! My mom has the same problem so she had empathy for me and we'd stop as I needed and she'd help me, even though it made her sick to be right there. Quote from Time CNN said, "People who do not get seasick, find seasickness uproariously funny. People who do get seasick want to die. Wit is no longer witty, companionship no longer desirable. They want to be alone. Then they want something to hang on to while they go through the misery of turning themselves inside out." It's not in your head and know that it's really misery. I grew to hate 7-up and Pepto-Bismo. I did learn salty lime chips or a real lime and some soda crackers do help me with baby chewable Tylenol. I don't know why that works. Actually, a small amount of Dramamine is okay for me, but I know it can have terrible side-effects...I don't really care when I'm so sick. So watch it. BTW if you do take that medicine the trip is over and a nap will take its place.
I took that Dramamine stuff on a patch when I went deep sea fishing and was so sick anyway! My eyes got really weird. One pupil opened up all the way and the other when to a pin-prick, everyone thought I looked posessed! The captain knew I was in so much misery, he came down to console me and gave me a fishy-smelling trash can. He went on to say that a lady that was on board his boat this month, and had that patch, got so crazy she took off all her clothes "down-below" and came on deck and ran around naked. I asked my husband to tie my hands to the cover post. Finally, it ended and the Captain said, "You made it and hope to see you better next time!" I said, "The next time I come here is when H*%$ freezes over." My newly called missionary son covered his ears.
Daramine, crackers, lime powder candy (who thought of this great invention), Baby chewable Tylenol, and even Pepto Bismo are in MY 72 HOUR and they are always in my purse and in my car.
"Kids don't look down!" "Hey, did you see that??!!" "I think that was "Big Foot" !!!!
Labels: Adversity, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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