Ice Cream

I thought Moose Tracks was my favorite kind of ice cream. That was until I tasted Extreme Moose Tracks.

Another Empty Nest

Wow, isn't Google maps great? Got to love those satellite photos. Last Saturday we visited Joe Pool Lake and found a nest of bluebirds. Today I found on the satellite image the very tree where we saw the full nest. Start at the westernmost parking spot, walk to the picnic table covered with a red roof partially shaded by trees, then walk 5 yards further west and there they will be.

Or so we thought. Late this afternoon Gary finished writing a paper he's been working on, so we made a picnic and took off to see if the bluebirds were still there. We were quite disappointed. The nest was completely empty, but it hardly seems those babies were old enough to fledge.

Then we found another spot to have our picnic, and Gary complained that I brought salad with chicken on it instead of hamburgers or sausages to grill. Turns out the previous occupants of this picnic site had left their coals burning, so to stop his complaining I took one thin strip of chicken breast off my salad and roasted it for him. :-)

There wasn't a lot of wildlife to observe at this location, unless you count all the speedboats and waverunners, but there were a few butterflies.

My Astuteness is Commendable

Really, it is. Ms. Tricia said so.

Dear Ms. Simons,

Thank you for inquiring about the fee postings on June 30th and July 3rd. Your astuteness to your accounts is commendable.

Through notifications such as yours, we discovered that EC*Web is reporting the fee twice, however, the fee actually posted to your account only once. We are working to resolve this as quickly as possible.

I hope that this information is helpful. Please let me know if I may be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
Tricia
Member Services

And this is yet another example to my kids who think they don't need to balance their checkbooks, "because it is all online."

Let It Rain

We've had very little rain here for a couple years, so when our plans for celebrating Independence Day were interrupted by rain, I could hardly complain.

The rain also caused Gary a problem yesterday. He faithfully watched 113 minutes of scoreless World Cup soccer--in Spanish, no less--and then got up to shut down his computer because a lightning storm was passing through. Just then, Italy scored. So he ran back to watch the rerun, then went back to finish with his computer, and Italy scored again.

Am I Bugging You?

Ugh--bad joke, I know.

I would have said this was a mayfly, but the books says mayflies have tiny antennae.

I think this is a true bug, order hemiptera, but I can't find it in my book.

Leaf-footed bug, order hemiptera.

Grasshopper.


Overheard:

Do you have a tissue? You know I can't chew gum and drive at the same time.

Old People Can't Sleep

OK, I give up. I tried to sleep, but it appears there will be no nap for me this afternoon. The phone keeps ringing with people calling to wish me Happy Birthday.

:-)

Sundown

The Texas heat doesn't seem so bad once the sun goes down.

Overheard:

If you cross a blue bird with a cardinal, do you get a purple martin?

Sunflower

We're hoping the few sunflowers that Gary planted will all mature and provide lots of seeds for the birds next winter. The first one opened up a day ago.

My Brain's Gender

I suppose this is just another one of those dumb internet quizzes, but sometimes I think I think less like a woman than many women. But I can find things, and men can't, so I know my brain is not entirely male.

Your Brain is 47% Female, 53% Male

Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female You are both sensitive and savvy Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve

What Gender Is Your Brain?

Tarantula

James 2:1b You must never treat people in different ways according to their outward appearance.

I was just minding my own business last night, photographing this tarantula who was walking along Sarah Drive with me, when along comes an MK boy who just had to pick it up, didn't he?





He claims he used to have a much larger one for a pet.

Overheard:

Most people aren't intentionally out to get you. And even if they are, it is better to pretend that they aren't.

Are You Ready Yet?

Ecclesiastes 11:4 If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never sow anything and never harvest anything.

I've posted from Proverbs for a month, so now I think I'll leave that for a bit.

I've been thinking about timing lately. There are things that happen to us that have either a big impact or small depending on their timing. For example, it might not be such a big deal to find a quarter on the ground unless you just happen to spy it while you are fishing around in your purse for a coin to put in the parking meter.

I've been thinking about a friend of mine who has been having a hard time finding a job. He (he could be a she, but I'll use "he" for now) is fully educated yet inexperienced in his chosen field and he seems unable to find a job that suits him. He keeps looking and looking, but none of the jobs seem quite right, so he looks some more. Or he gets discouraged and quits looking and plays computer games instead. Is it foolish impatience that makes me think he should just get any job in order to get on with life, or is it actually a good strategy to hold off until the perfect job presents itself?

I've had similar thoughts about a number of young people I know who are looking for the perfect mate. They look and look, and there is always some problem with the potential candidates for the position. Is that because they are too picky, or is it because they really haven't found the right (dare I say "perfect"?) person yet? Or perhaps they are paralyzed with fear of rejection to even take the first step, so they wait some more, hoping the conditions will change so they can move forward. They wonder, is it just "settling" to marry a person who is less than the dreamed-of ideal? Or is it better to wait until the as-yet-unidentified perfect person takes the initiative to make the first move (or two, or three)?

And this thought extends to all kids of situations in our lives. Maybe we hesitate to speak to our neighbor in order to befriend them because, well, there will likely be a better time later, we say. I know personally I have failed to do good many times because I said the time wasn't right. Really, that was probably just laziness or procrastination or just plain disobedience.

Some of us have the personality trait that we like things to be all figured out and a firm plan in place before we are willing to even take the first step. Is this a Biblical attitude? I really don't know, because it seems that Scripture at times encourages us to wait upon the Lord (Lamentations 3:26) and at other times encourages us to step out in faith without knowing where we are going (Hebrews 11:8).

Overheard:

May you never look like your ID photo.

He's Too Young For Me

Following the theme of yesterday's post, I want to share an excerpted version of the sweetest email I got today:

Dear Family & Friends,

Do any of you still remember me?? This past year I've not written many letters and no group letter. My excuses are poor vision, faulty memory and general slowing down in all areas of my life, But I still enjoy a good laugh, a happy greeting, and my meals. Many people my age (101) just quit eating but my appetite is A.1.

I praise the Lord that I've missed going to church only 3 times this year and I have a little ministry on Sundays. Our pastor prints out his Sunday sermons and I deliver 25 of them to members who can't get to church.

Some of you have been told by others about my Gentleman Friend. Well, I'm not afraid to tell you abut my John S. He's been coming to visit me almost every day. He loves to read to me and I like to be read to. We both have macular degeneration, but his is worse than mine. We love to walk outdoors and we do it often, but not this week when temps ran 100-106 degrees. Tonight John was reading a book which had some unusual words neither of us know. (John has a great vocabulary) so I had a Webster's College dictionary on my lap and looked them up. We enjoy learning together and laughing a lot. He even says he likes my sense of humor.

Well, I could fill this whole page about John. But he's only 93, so there will be no marriage. We do enjoy each other and haven't had one quarrel yet.

Overheard:

I was trying very hard in yesterday's email not to say "you made your bed, now sleep in it" or turn it into a rant about standards
compliance. I used my delete key a lot :-)

True Love

Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich. 23:4

Today I talked Rachel into going to the pool with me. When we got there, we found a family she babysits for was there.

Cute little boy, jumping up and down: "Miss Rachel is here! Miss Rachel is here!"
Rachel: "Aw, Mom, it is so nice to be loved. Even if it is a three year old's love."
Me: "Three year old love is the best kind--completely unconditional."

Overheard:

Did you get new carpet?
No, I vacuumed.

A Visit to the Dallas Police Station

Be generous and share your food with the poor. You will be blessed for it. 22:9

Yesterday I took the day off work (not being hard to do since both my bosses were out of town) and went downtown Dallas to do an errand for Andrew. The Dallas Police Records building is on our side of downtown, so it wasn't hard to get to, and amazingly, no line to stand in either. I was able to secure Andrew's letter of good behavior, which he needs to apply for residency in Honduras, with only a few minutes of fast talking to explain why it wasn't possible to have the request letter notarized. After they agreed and started to process the thing, the lady asked me who Andrew worked for and I proceeded to explain about Samaritan's Purse. Then she went on to say that she thought she should take up a donation for missionaries, at which time I, never wanting to miss an opportunity to secure more supporters, told her who I worked for :-) Then she asked me for a business card, which, naturally, I didn't have. But I wrote down the company URL on a post-it note with my name.

Anyway, this vintage police car was inside the building, and the entry way was studded with bronze mosaics about the history of the Dallas police.


Overheard:

You don't know what something is until you know what it is not.

The Trouble I've Seen

Be kind and honest and you will live a long life; others will respect you and treat you fairly. 21:23

Well, it was close, but not quite enough--the Dallas Mavericks lose the Finals.

Would you like to hear the special music Gary played for offertory last Sunday at church? (This song may sound appropriate for the Mavericks, but that is just a coincidence.) If so, click here. The song is 4 minutes long. And if anyone out there knows how to make that song go into my iTunes player, please tell me how (now it starts up with Quicktime and doesn't let me put it into iTunes as far as I can tell).

Gary arranged this song in honor of colleagues who were going through a big struggle at the time--the mom in this family had been stuck by a needle during her job as a nurse. The person she was trying to medicate was drunk, boisterous, and both HIV and Hepatitis C positive. I think 6 months have passed and she is thus far not infected, for which we thank God.
Overheard:

The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

Happy Father's Day

Some friendshops do not last, but some friends are more loyal tht brothers. 18:24

Gary observed that the Mother's Day sermon was about the virtures of mothers and the Father's Day sermon was about the vices of fathers. In other words, the pastor reviewed the sad statistics and results of absent and abusive fathers, statistics provided by the US Census bureau (not by a right-wing Christian group).

The proportion of children living with just one parent rose from 9 percent in 1960 to 28 percent in 1996. Currently, 57.7 percent of all black children, 31.8 percent of all Hispanic children, and 20.9 percent of all white children are living in single-parent homes.

--Source: Saluter, Arlen F. Marital Status and Living Arrangements: March 1994., US Bureau of the Census, Current Population Report. p28-484. Washington, DC: GPO, 1996. US Bureau of the Census. Statistical Abstract of the United States 1997, Washington, DC: GPO, 1997.

My kids are blessed to have a good father.

Overheard:

Fathers are not optional accessories for children - they are an essential part to raising the next generation.

Obscene or Not?

Trust in the Lord and you will be happy. 16:20b

Today I spent an obscene amount of money on a swimming suit. I justify this expenditure due to the fact that I am trying to prevent myself from looking obscene while swimming.

Overheard:

Acodrnicig to smeboyd's crkcaopt teorhy it is pssbiloe to raed a mgsesae lkie this with flul ustednannirg eevn tuoghh the lteters are mxeid up, as lnog as the bngeninig and ednnig lreetts of ecah wrod are ccrreot. Is trhee a lgnsuiiitc eatlpxanoin for this pneohmnoen? Or is it a bcnuh of beoalny?

Don't Believe Everything You Read

Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit. 15:4

Today's Game
Mavericks 74
Heat 98
Final

Our Mavericks have just lost bad to Miami, but I have a funny Mavs story to tell anyway. Tonight we had dessert with friends whose son had dressed up with three of his friends to see if they could win free tickets to get into the first Mav's game of the finals. We saw the home video of these boys dressed with their graduation caps, aviator sun glasses, and bare bellies that spelled out M-A-V-S. Their winning audition included a song and dance routine and they added a dramatic touch by turning to the camera and saying things like, "Grandma, I'm sorry you came all this way to see me graduate, but I really wanted to watch the Mavs win tonight, so I won't be there."

Well, the gullible Miami Herald reporter picked up on this, and wrote the following story.

Miami Herald, The (FL)
June 9, 2006
Section: Special Section
Edition: Final
Page: 2NB
Memo:NBA FINALS


WHAT'S HOOPENING? GO TO GREAT LENGTHS
CAMMY CLARK, Miami Herald Staff

When Pomp and Circumstance was played at Rusk High School in Rusk, Texas, on Thursday night, the friends and family of senior Troy Harrison were in for a shock.
Beloved Troy and his three buddies were playing hooky from their own graduation. Instead of getting their diplomas, they were three hours away in Dallas - wearing their caps, but not their gowns. Their stomachs were bare, spelling out: M-A-V-S.

``I didn't tell them I was coming,'' Harrison conceded. ``We got other friends they can cheer for.''

The teenaged quartet was among about 250 people who looked like they were going to a Halloween party and acted like they had just escaped from the Cukoo's Nest.
...

And the followup to this story: when the Miami Herald actually printed this story, the boys were shocked. One of them told his mom, "I've really learned a lesson here." She then expected him to say something like, "Surely your sins shall find you out." But no. He said, "I've learned not to believe everything I read in the newspapers."

Overheard:

There's a lizard in my bathroom.

Why Didn't We Do This Sooner?

If you refuse good advice, you are asking for trouble; follow it and you are safe. 13:13

It has been two weeks since Rachel moved "out" of our house, and "into" her own apartment. Now, if you've ever actually been in our house, you realize why those words in the previous sentence were in quotes.

It has been a very good two weeks. It has been good for us, and it has been very good for Rachel. We are enjoying our privacy, less talking, and having less mess in our space. She is enjoying cooking for herself, playing with her new kitty, going places without discussing it first, and in general making her own decisions. So far, I think she hasn't even gotten very lonely since she's found some new friends and had some friends over for her birthday. Also, I've been pleasantly surprised how she is finding her way around in her car to new places and also being responsible with her limited income. All in all, this has been a good move.

The main remaining issue for her at the moment is a lack of a full time job; she is hoping to hear soon about her most recent application to teach at a Christian school. In the meantime, she is babysitting some nearly every day.

Overheard:

How can I help you?

Stupid and Sad

Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal. 12:18

I really should have repeated the proverb from last Tuesday for today's post.

*rant*
I heard a sad story today of a marriage that is falling apart. Joe and Sally (not real names) have been married for 23 years. Their 17 year old daughter overheard a phone conversation Joe was having with the other woman and reported it to her mother. When confronted, Joe's response was to complain that his daughter betrayed him. How stupid is that?? Has he not yet figured out that he is the one who did the betraying? Oh, and his complaint about his wife? "She laughs too loud."

I'm afraid this is a classic case of mid-life crisis (not that that excuses him in any way): Joe has been buying lots of fancy audio visual equipment, a new Lexus, and refuses to let others call him grandpa since his older daughter just had her first baby a couple months ago.

Adultery doesn't just affect two people. The ripples move out and hurt many, many others too.

*/rant*


Overheard:

As long as you are here, I won't, I can't. So leave.