Neita is doing pretty well, considering she had multiple mini strokes. We've been lucky that "the big one" the docs were predicting did not occur. They said the longer between episodes the better her chances of not having another one. Her left side was affected; she couldn't move her left leg, had trouble with the left arm, could speak three or four words after thinking hard about it, but has all her faculties.
The local hospital said she qualified for a swing bed there and they would do the physical therapy twice each day. Next thing we knew she was transferred to the adjoining nursing home for her therapy and was getting PT only once a day. Plus, she was now paying for this out of her own pocket.
Thank goodness for small towns - everyone knows everyone else. We heard from her physical therapist that she, nor the nursing staff, had been consulted, and they didn't agree with it. (BTW, her PT person is adopting a daughter from China.)
I reminded Mark that when my aunt had her stroke and was at Madonna Rehab, the doctor, nursing staff, physical therapy staff, social worker, and family were a team and met weekly to evaluate her progress and discuss options. None of us were happy about this turn of events for Neita. The brothers began seeking alternatives and found a rehab facility in Yankton, SD. This is close to Jack & Linda, plus Steve works in Yankton.
After a meeting with the sons and the doctor, the Creighton medical facility claimed there had been a "miscommunication" and would return her to the hospital side and get her back to twice-a-day therapy. Once the sons mentioned moving her to Yankton, suddenly the hospital couldn't do enough for Neita. By now we were impressed with the Yankton facility and the trust level at Creighton was gone, and Neita herself chose to transfer to Yankton.
And guess what happened at Yankton? The doctor, nursing staff, physical therapy staff, social worker, and family met as a team to evaluate Neita. Just as it should be! And they continue to meet each week. And her PT is at a higher level and really giving her a workout. The sons are very pleased. I'm hoping that the three weeks we lost at the Creighton facility, which was at a lower level, didn't mess with our window of opportunity for getting a stroke victim back in shape.
I'm no longer going to PT twice a week for my shoulder. My therapist felt I could do my exercises at home and should continue to see progress but if not, then I'm to see an orthopaedic specialist. After a month on my own I'm not getting any better and after consulting with the workman's comp people for the City, I will be seeing an orthopaedic surgeon in early October.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
New City Directive for Beggars?
On the southeast corner of 14th & P streets was a little alcove next to The Post & Nickel clothing store. It was just the right size for two or three people to sit inside, out of the way, yet still be seen holding up homemade, cardboard signs requesting money of passersby. I walk by there on my way to eat at Amigo's, so the regulars at that corner and I are nodding acquaintances. They are also regulars at the library. I don't ignore them, I'm not rude to them, and they don't pester me for money. We just nod at each other.Recently, one of the financial institutions installed an ATM at that spot. My co-workers and I wonder if that was done to make it easier for us to donate to the beggars. :-)
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Back To School
Cassie is officially a First-Grader. The public schools began on Wednesday, August 20. (I didn't remember to transfer money into her school lunch account until Monday, August 25, but fortunately the little kids are allowed to eat for a few days before a reminder note is sent home.)She still fits into all her clothes so I didn't do any back-to-school shopping for her. That Fourth of July outfit is her favorite and she chose that for her first day.
The school Open House was the Monday-Before and we met her teacher. Mrs. K was on-the-ball and already had name tags made for the kids and put on their desks so Cassie could see where she'd be sitting, and who'd be sitting with her in the group of four. This went a long way toward alleviating Cassie's worries about where to go and what to do.
We chatted with her teacher and learned homework would be sent home in the Wednesday folders! So far it hasn't happened. Mrs. K assured us it would take just a few minutes to complete, would be emphasizing what they'd already learned in class, and it would be due on Friday. I can't believe she'll have homework already.
I took 30 min of vacation from work that morning to give myself leeway for getting to work just in case Cassie had a sudden attack of nerves. She asked that I accompany her into the building, but otherwise she strutted in and did fine.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Book Display - Singing Cowboys
The title says it all. Here're books and music cds about and by Singing Cowboys.Books
The Cowboy and the Senorita: A Biography of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans by Howard Kazanjian and Chris Enss
For a Cowboy has to Sing: A Collection of Sixty Romantic Cowboy and Western Songs by Jim Bob Tinsley
Horse Opera: The Strange History of the 1930’s Singing Cowboy by Peter Stanfield
How the West Was Sung: Music in the Westerns of John Ford by Kathryn Kalinak (boy this one was really interesting)
Public Cowboy #1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry by Holly George-Warren
Singing in the Saddle: The History of the Singing Cowboy by Douglas B. Green
Tex Ritter: America’s Most Beloved Cowboy by Bill O’Neal
Music CDs
Gene Autry: The Essential Gene Autry
Gene Autry: Sing Cowboy Sing vol 2
Gene Autry: Sing Cowboy Sing vol 3
Tex Ritter: Tex Ritter
Roy Rogers: Roy Rogers
Sons of the Pioneers: Sons of the Pioneers
Sons of the Pioneers: Tumbling Tumbleweeds
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Mike, The Headless Chicken
I recently learned about Mike, The Headless Chicken.
In a nutshell, in 1945 a farmer tried to leave as much neck as possible on a chicken when he chopped off its head (his mother-in-law liked the neck). In doing so he inadvertently missed the jugular and left the brain stem. As a result, this chicken really did remain alive for another 18 months. He even appeared in Time and Life magazines. See the website for the full story.
Now the town holds a yearly festival in Mike's honor. They serve chicken, have a chicken recipe contest, hold a 5K "Run Like a Headless Chicken" Race, have games such as "Pin the Head on the Chicken," and other chicken-themed activities. You can buy tee shirts too.
Also on this website are chicken jokes (click on "Mike's Fan Club"). Some are quite inventive. My all-time favorite is as follows:
Why does a chicken coop have two doors?
Because if it had four doors it would be a chicken sedan.
HA!HA!HA!
In a nutshell, in 1945 a farmer tried to leave as much neck as possible on a chicken when he chopped off its head (his mother-in-law liked the neck). In doing so he inadvertently missed the jugular and left the brain stem. As a result, this chicken really did remain alive for another 18 months. He even appeared in Time and Life magazines. See the website for the full story.
Now the town holds a yearly festival in Mike's honor. They serve chicken, have a chicken recipe contest, hold a 5K "Run Like a Headless Chicken" Race, have games such as "Pin the Head on the Chicken," and other chicken-themed activities. You can buy tee shirts too.
Also on this website are chicken jokes (click on "Mike's Fan Club"). Some are quite inventive. My all-time favorite is as follows:
Why does a chicken coop have two doors?
Because if it had four doors it would be a chicken sedan.
HA!HA!HA!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Book Display - Tour Nebraska
When I put up this display summer was winding down, gas prices were going up, and there was still time to whisk the family away for a short getaway. So many of us forget to look in our own backyard for holiday ideas that don't cost an arm-and-a-leg for transportation. Here's a list of local places to tour, ideas for day-trips, and other places you can visit for a span of just a few days.Brevet’s Nebraska Historical Markers & Sites, published by Brevet Press
Complete Roadside Guide to Nebraska by Alan Boye
Day Trips in the Heartland: A Get-Away Guide to Unique Places and Fun in the Heatland by Elizabeth Wells
Discover Nebraska Travel Guide by Nebraskaland Magazine
Fort Robinson Illustrated by Nebraskaland Magazine
A Guide to the Ghosts of Lincoln by Alan Boye
Haymarket Landmark District: Walking Tour by Lincoln Haymarket Development Corp
Historic Places: The National Register for Nebraska by Nebraskaland
Historic Sites and Markers Along the Mormon and Other Great Western Trails by Stanley B. Kimball
Lincoln City Guide by Federal Writers’ Project
National Geographic’s Driving Guides to America: The Heartland – Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota by Dan Whipple
Near South Waking Tours Volume 1: Franklin Heights and Environs by Near South Neighborhood Association
Near South Waking Tours Volume 2: Mount Emerald and Environs by Near South Neighborhood Association
Nebraska: Off the Beaten Path: A Guide to Unique Places by Hannah McNally
Nebraska Historical Tour Guide by D. Ray Wilson
Nebraska Nuggets: A Guide to Interesting and Unique Shops, Restaurants, and Attractions by Nebraska Home Economics Association
Nebraska Travel-Rama: Handbook of Nebraska’s Historical Sites, Cultural Points, Natural Beauty, Parks, Camp Sites, Map, Information by Elinor L. Brown
Roadside History of Nebraska by Candy Moulton
A Self-Guided Tour of Wyuka Cemetery by Wyuka Cemetery
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Cassie's Secret Identity
During one of Cassie's sleepless nights with her hives, we had a hysterical conversation.
I commented that all those hives made her look like a leopard. She agreed and thought she also looked like a cheetah. And a bear (don't ask me where she came up with a bear). And she announced that those animals were her secret identities while fighting crime. Batman Begins had been on TV all that week so I assume that's where this came from.
I asked how she changes into those animals - does she have to concentrate on the animal or what? She informed me that her magic watch reads her mind and automatically knows what she wants to change into without her having to actually think about it. (A magic watch? "I" only have a Timex...)
She went on to say that she can't change into a bear during the winter because that's when they hibernate.
Okaaaay; good thing to know when you're fighting crime.
I commented that all those hives made her look like a leopard. She agreed and thought she also looked like a cheetah. And a bear (don't ask me where she came up with a bear). And she announced that those animals were her secret identities while fighting crime. Batman Begins had been on TV all that week so I assume that's where this came from.
I asked how she changes into those animals - does she have to concentrate on the animal or what? She informed me that her magic watch reads her mind and automatically knows what she wants to change into without her having to actually think about it. (A magic watch? "I" only have a Timex...)
She went on to say that she can't change into a bear during the winter because that's when they hibernate.
Okaaaay; good thing to know when you're fighting crime.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Book Display - NASA
July 29, 1958, President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act which created NASA. So being a "spacey" I volunteered to do this display (okay, I ran over little children and tripped old ladies to get to the front of the sign-up line for this one).The Architects
Aiming for the Stars: The Dreamers and Doers of the Space Age by Tom D. Crouch
Blueprint for Space: Science Fiction to Science Fact, Video
Countdown: A History of Space Flight by T.A. Heppenheimer
October Sky, DVD (based on Homer Hickam's book, Rocket Boys)
The Rocket Team: From the V-2 to the Saturn Moon Rocket – The Inside Story of How a Small Group of Engineers Changed World History by Frederick I. Ordway III and Mitchell R. Sharpe
Wernher Von Braun by Christopher Lampton
Wernher Von Braun: The Man Who Sold the Moon by Dennis Piszkiewicz
The Astronauts
Deke! By Donald K. Slayton and Michael Cassutt
For Spacious Skies: The Uncommon Journey of a Mercury Astronaut by Scott Carpenter and Kris Stoever
Friendship 7: The First Flight of John Glenn - The NASA Mission Reports edited by Robert Godwin
Heroes in Space: From Gagarin to Challenger by Peter Bond
The Mercury 13: The Untold Story of Thirteen American Women and the Dream of Space Flight by Martha Ackmann (I didn't know!)
We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves: M. Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper, Jr, John H. Glenn, Virgil I. Grissom, Walter M. Schirra, Alan B. Shepard, Jr, Donald K. Slayton
The Apollo Program
Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon by David West Reynolds
Apollo XI…The Eagle has Landed, Video
Apollo 13: To the Edge and Back – A Thrilling Struggle Against All Odds, DVD
Destination Moon: The Apollo Missions in the Astronauts’ Own Words by Rod Pyle
In the Shadow of the Moon, DVD
Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell & Jeffrey Kluger (one my favorites)
A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts by Andrew Chaikin
Men from Earth by Buzz Aldrin and Malcolm McConnell
Moon Shot: The Inside Story of the Apollo Program, Video
Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth by Andrew Smith (he finds the men who walked on the moon to see what their lives are like now)
To the Moon by NOVA, DVD
The Shuttle Program
Challenger: The Final Voyage by Richard S. Lewis
Comm Check…The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia by Michael Cabbage and William Harwood
Space Shuttle Log: The First 25 Flights by Gene Gurney and Jeff Forte
Too Far From Home: A Story of Life and Death in Space by Chris Jones (remember, Challenger was on its way to the space station to bring home three men and replenish supplies. Here's their harrowing tale)
NASA
America in Space: The First 40 Years, DVD
America in Space: NASA’s First 50 Years edited by Steven J. Dick (great browsing book)
Failure is not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond by Gene Kranz (he was the NASA Flight Director during Apollo 13)
The Pictoral History of NASA edited by Bill Yenne (this was a blast to browse through too)
The View from Space: American Astronaut Photography 1962-1972 by Ron Schick & Julia Van Haaften (another fun tablebook)
Space Exploration
The Coming of the Space Age: Famous Accounts of Man’s Probing of the Universe edited by Arthur C. Clarke (fascinating)
The Complete Book of Spaceflight: From Apollo 1 to Zero Gravity by David Darling
Conquest: A History of Space Achievements from Science Fiction to the Shuttle by David Baker
Destination Space by National Geographic Society, Video
Do Your Ears Pop in Space?: and 500 Other Surprising Questions About Space Travel by R. Mike Mullane
Murmurs of Earth: The Voyager Interstellar Record by Carl Sagan (ever wonder what was on that recording that NASA sent into space on Voyager? This has the photos and greetings used and explains why each photo was chosen. I'm buying a used copy for myself)
Space History by Tony Osman
The Two Sides of the Moon: Our Story of the Cold War Space Race by David Scott and Alexei Leonov
Aiming for the Stars: The Dreamers and Doers of the Space Age by Tom D. Crouch
Blueprint for Space: Science Fiction to Science Fact, Video
Countdown: A History of Space Flight by T.A. Heppenheimer
October Sky, DVD (based on Homer Hickam's book, Rocket Boys)
The Rocket Team: From the V-2 to the Saturn Moon Rocket – The Inside Story of How a Small Group of Engineers Changed World History by Frederick I. Ordway III and Mitchell R. Sharpe
Wernher Von Braun by Christopher Lampton
Wernher Von Braun: The Man Who Sold the Moon by Dennis Piszkiewicz
The Astronauts
Deke! By Donald K. Slayton and Michael Cassutt
For Spacious Skies: The Uncommon Journey of a Mercury Astronaut by Scott Carpenter and Kris Stoever
Friendship 7: The First Flight of John Glenn - The NASA Mission Reports edited by Robert Godwin
Heroes in Space: From Gagarin to Challenger by Peter Bond
The Mercury 13: The Untold Story of Thirteen American Women and the Dream of Space Flight by Martha Ackmann (I didn't know!)
We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves: M. Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper, Jr, John H. Glenn, Virgil I. Grissom, Walter M. Schirra, Alan B. Shepard, Jr, Donald K. Slayton
The Apollo Program
Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon by David West Reynolds
Apollo XI…The Eagle has Landed, Video
Apollo 13: To the Edge and Back – A Thrilling Struggle Against All Odds, DVD
Destination Moon: The Apollo Missions in the Astronauts’ Own Words by Rod Pyle
In the Shadow of the Moon, DVD
Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell & Jeffrey Kluger (one my favorites)
A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts by Andrew Chaikin
Men from Earth by Buzz Aldrin and Malcolm McConnell
Moon Shot: The Inside Story of the Apollo Program, Video
Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth by Andrew Smith (he finds the men who walked on the moon to see what their lives are like now)
To the Moon by NOVA, DVD
The Shuttle Program
Challenger: The Final Voyage by Richard S. Lewis
Comm Check…The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia by Michael Cabbage and William Harwood
Space Shuttle Log: The First 25 Flights by Gene Gurney and Jeff Forte
Too Far From Home: A Story of Life and Death in Space by Chris Jones (remember, Challenger was on its way to the space station to bring home three men and replenish supplies. Here's their harrowing tale)
NASA
America in Space: The First 40 Years, DVD
America in Space: NASA’s First 50 Years edited by Steven J. Dick (great browsing book)
Failure is not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond by Gene Kranz (he was the NASA Flight Director during Apollo 13)
The Pictoral History of NASA edited by Bill Yenne (this was a blast to browse through too)
The View from Space: American Astronaut Photography 1962-1972 by Ron Schick & Julia Van Haaften (another fun tablebook)
Space Exploration
The Coming of the Space Age: Famous Accounts of Man’s Probing of the Universe edited by Arthur C. Clarke (fascinating)
The Complete Book of Spaceflight: From Apollo 1 to Zero Gravity by David Darling
Conquest: A History of Space Achievements from Science Fiction to the Shuttle by David Baker
Destination Space by National Geographic Society, Video
Do Your Ears Pop in Space?: and 500 Other Surprising Questions About Space Travel by R. Mike Mullane
Murmurs of Earth: The Voyager Interstellar Record by Carl Sagan (ever wonder what was on that recording that NASA sent into space on Voyager? This has the photos and greetings used and explains why each photo was chosen. I'm buying a used copy for myself)
Space History by Tony Osman
The Two Sides of the Moon: Our Story of the Cold War Space Race by David Scott and Alexei Leonov
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Swimming Lessons
Cassie began swimming lessons the end of July at the YWCA next to the library. We initially scheduled her for Saturday morning lessons because I was concerned the evening classes would get her to bed too late. Some Saturdays I work so it would fall to Mark to get Cassie to class.Class day went fine until we were leaving. Since Cassie is too old now to follow Mark through the Men's locker room, it was imperative that she learn her way through the winding halls of the Women's locker room. Ol' confident me was demonstrating the EXIT sign and out we went. Except, we ended up in a stairwell and all the connecting doors were locked! Nor could we get back the way we came!! What if there were a fire?! What if Cassie had done this by herself?!?!
Fortunately I had my cell phone so I called the Reference Desk at the library and Scott S. answered. I explained our situation and asked for the phone number to the YW so I could inform the person at the front desk about our predicament and get rescued. Scott said to call back if we couldn't get through at the YW and he'd go over to tell them. As it was, Leon M., the guard, ran over to the YW.
I was able to reach a person and she said she knew exactly where we were. So if this happens with regularity, why isn't a sign posted on the door indicating that it locks behind you? AND WHY IN THE WORLD CAN YOU NOT EXIT A BUILDING!!!!! Wait until I inform the fire inspector. A few minutes later we were rescued and found the proper way out of the locker room. I suggested a red line be painted on the locker room floor so kids could be told to follow that line to the pool and follow it back out again. So far there's no line...
Cassie is now taking classes on Mondays, 6:30pm, because there weren't enough enrolled on Saturday. She loves blowing bubbles and gets her face mostly into the water. So far she's a little wuss about swimming, but then I was afraid of water too and didn't learn to swim until I was 11. But at this point I'm not overly thrilled with the YW.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Book Display - Summer Activities
During June I put up a display, per a patron's suggestion, of activities one generally participates in during the summer - BBQ's, picnics, ice cream recipes, vacations, the proper way to hang the flag, and how to make that patio you've talked about all winter. Since I'm so late in blogging, save this list for next year!Barbecues & Outdoor Kitchens by Steve Cory and the editors of Sunset Books
Beautiful Wooden Projects for Outdoor Living by John Marckworth
Beer-Can Chicken: and 74 Other Offbeat Recipes for the Grill by Steven Raichlen (surprisingly, some good recipes)
Beyond the Lawn: Unique Outdoor Spaces for Modern Living by Keith Davitt
Bicycle Across America by Barbara Siegert
The Big Book of Family Fun by Claudia Arp and Linda Dillow
Big Ideas for Small Gardens by Emily Young and Dave Egbert
Build a Kids’ Play Yard by Jeff Beneke
Celebrate the Seasons: Four Seasons of Recipes, Decorating Tips & Easy-To-Make Gifts by Gooseberry Patch (always a favorite)
Complete Patio Book by Sunset
Crafts to Make in the Summer by Kathy Ross
Fun & Games for Family Gatherings: With a Focus on Family Reunions by Adrienne Anderson
George Foreman’s Big Book of Grilling, Barbecue, and Rotisserie: More than 75 Recipes for Family and Friends by George Foreman
Homemade Ice Cream and Sherbet by Sheila MacNiven Cameron
Ice Cream by Hilary Walden
Lowe’s Complete Patio & Deck Book by Steve Cory
The Magic of Jell-O: 100 New and Favorite Recipes Celebrating 100 Years of Fun with Jell-O by Jell-O
Making Ordinary Days Extraordinary! By Gloria Gaither & Shirley Dobson
Mountain Biking The Great Plains States: Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota by Andy Knapp
National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States by National Geographic Society
Our Flag by United States, Congress, Joint Committee on Printing
Parents’ Guide to Hiking & Camping by Alice Cary
Picnics: Outdoor Dining for the Patio, Park, and Beach byLouise Pickford
Porch Presence: Interior Design for the Exterior Room by Sally Fennell Robbins
Rainy Day Fun by Gillian Souter
Sentimental Living from the Porch: Four Seasons of Hospitality by Alda Ellis (lots of neat photos for decorating ideas for a porch or backyard for picnics; fun to browse through)
Squirrel Wars: Backyard Wildlife Battles & How to Win Them by George H. Harrison
Summer: A User’s Guide by Suzanne Brown
Top 100 Most Beautiful Rustic Vacations of North America: Ranches, Lodges, Cabins and More! By Dusty Dave
Top Rated Western Adventures: Guest Ranches, Pack Trips & Cattle Drives in North America by Maurizio Valerio (make your own "City Slickers" movie)
The Ultimate Ice Cream Book by Bruce Weinstein
The Well-Organized Camper by Linda Frederick Yaffe
Bicycle Across America by Barbara Siegert
The Big Book of Family Fun by Claudia Arp and Linda Dillow
Big Ideas for Small Gardens by Emily Young and Dave Egbert
Build a Kids’ Play Yard by Jeff Beneke
Celebrate the Seasons: Four Seasons of Recipes, Decorating Tips & Easy-To-Make Gifts by Gooseberry Patch (always a favorite)
Complete Patio Book by Sunset
Crafts to Make in the Summer by Kathy Ross
Fun & Games for Family Gatherings: With a Focus on Family Reunions by Adrienne Anderson
George Foreman’s Big Book of Grilling, Barbecue, and Rotisserie: More than 75 Recipes for Family and Friends by George Foreman
Homemade Ice Cream and Sherbet by Sheila MacNiven Cameron
Ice Cream by Hilary Walden
Lowe’s Complete Patio & Deck Book by Steve Cory
The Magic of Jell-O: 100 New and Favorite Recipes Celebrating 100 Years of Fun with Jell-O by Jell-O
Making Ordinary Days Extraordinary! By Gloria Gaither & Shirley Dobson
Mountain Biking The Great Plains States: Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota by Andy Knapp
National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States by National Geographic Society
Our Flag by United States, Congress, Joint Committee on Printing
Parents’ Guide to Hiking & Camping by Alice Cary
Picnics: Outdoor Dining for the Patio, Park, and Beach byLouise Pickford
Porch Presence: Interior Design for the Exterior Room by Sally Fennell Robbins
Rainy Day Fun by Gillian Souter
Sentimental Living from the Porch: Four Seasons of Hospitality by Alda Ellis (lots of neat photos for decorating ideas for a porch or backyard for picnics; fun to browse through)
Squirrel Wars: Backyard Wildlife Battles & How to Win Them by George H. Harrison
Summer: A User’s Guide by Suzanne Brown
Top 100 Most Beautiful Rustic Vacations of North America: Ranches, Lodges, Cabins and More! By Dusty Dave
Top Rated Western Adventures: Guest Ranches, Pack Trips & Cattle Drives in North America by Maurizio Valerio (make your own "City Slickers" movie)
The Ultimate Ice Cream Book by Bruce Weinstein
The Well-Organized Camper by Linda Frederick Yaffe
Thursday, August 21, 2008
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Thief! Quick, call the police! It's gone! Where in the world did this summer get to? Lincoln Public Schools has started already! I was terribly busy all summer (I didn't even get out cards for birthdays and graduations from May through August 16) but can't really give you an indication of any actual progress in getting the house in order, quilting projects done, or my photo albums put in order. But here's a quick review of the highlights of my speed-of-light summer.
Garden Party
Deb H. and I hosted the 2nd Annual Garden Party at her house for Quilt Group June 22. Members of quilt group take turns hosting group for our monthly get-togethers to sew. But Deb and I each own cats (can you ever REALLY own a cat?) and several members are allergic so we don’t have to clean house and, um…I mean, um, SADLY we miss out on the joy of taking our turn having our buds over. But Deb wants to share her garden so she and I put up a giant tent in her backyard and treat the crew to a picnic luncheon in her backyard surrounded by the flora. They enter her house only to fill their plates from the spread on the buffet table. The theme this year was Shabby Chic and we served chicken salad and cucumber sandwiches, fresh fruit, deviled eggs, and strawberry cream cheese pie on mismatched china, with vintage tablecloths and napkins. We gave everyone a floral fat quarter as a party favor.
Courtyard Book Chats...In the Garden
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 I had the opportunity to participate in the downtown library's book talk series held over the noon hour during the summer. Usually they are held in the courtyard at Bennett Martin, but this year we rolled our book carts across the street to the Lincoln Foundation Garden and held the book talks there. They ran 12:15-12:45pm, and participants ate their lunches while listening to staff discuss their latest reads. My topic was Cooking Adoptive Royal Killers." Intrigued? That's what Book Chats Organizer Scott C. was hoping when he acquiesced to my choice of title.
Workman’s Comp
I injured my right shoulder at work on June 26. I tried lifting a box filled with bound periodicals and the box won. I had a sling for my arm for the first month but it was darn hard to type and use a mouse when I was hog-tied like that. I go to Physical Therapy twice a week and do exercises 3x/day. I finally have full-range of motion but it’s painful and I have no strength when I do manage to fully extend that arm. Drat, my Major League pitching career is over (no wait, I’m a southpaw). Cassie enjoys doing my exercises with me. Who knew I did so much with my right arm? Showering is difficult. Cassie likes to carry the laundry basket for me. I can’t iron. I drag a grocery cart behind me with my left arm. I easily lose my balance now that my right wing is unable to help stabilize me. All my household projects are still waiting for me.
I’m surprised at the number of library patrons who ask about my arm and inquire as to how I’m doing. Even the cranky, rude ones who barely grunt at me when I inform them we’re closing in 5 min, or the ones I'm always kicking out, and even the ones I REALLY wish to avoid. The days I go without my sling they notice and ask if that’s a sign that I’m getting better. I work in a fish bowl.
FAMILY GATHERINGS
Father’s Day
I was too busy to pull together the 20th annual Father’s Day Picnic held at our place, so I initially postponed it, then just flat-out cancelled the affair for this year. But we did gather at Mom’s and gave Mark, and brother Scott, some gifts.
July 4 was held at Mom’s. I took over the hamburger (but Scott mixed up the burgers so I didn’t have to do that), the dogs, the buns,
pickles, taco chips, Fritos, and Pringle’s Salt & Vinegar potato chips (Cassie loves those. Bleah.). I made a taco dip, deviled eggs and a pasta salad, and we used my colorful July 4 paperplates, cups, napkins, and tablecover. Mom made her yummy potato salad, and Scott and Cassie made the ice cream. Scott also grilled kabobs and chicken pieces in his special breading. We didn’t suffer for lack of food.
Earlier in the day, Cassie and I took Mom to the cemetery. We arranged a patriotic spray of flowers, and we shot off a few fireworks at Dad’s grave – July 4 was one of his favorite holidays. We picked up after ourselves but deliberately left a few smoke bombs on the headstone.
Back at Mom’s we shot off a ton of snakes, parachutes, tanks, and fountains. Cassie still doesn’t like loud noises and kept her hands
over her ears but she did much better this year. Cassie spent the night at Grma’s for her first sleepover. I don’t know which of them was more excited. Grma got ready for bed while I helped Cassie shower, then I tucked them both into bed. I peeked in on them a few min later after I got the picnic paraphernalia packed in the van and found Cassie reading to Grma. Home was too quiet without her around.
Mark's mom had a stroke. Or rather, a series of strokes before she finally got to the hospital. Three Saturday's ago she felt weak, even lost conciousness, but stayed home thinking that if she took it easy she'd feel better. By Tuesday when her card group met, they recognized that she needed medical aid and called the ambulance. She continued to have several small strokes (as if any kind of stroke can be considered inconsequential) while in the hospital and they warned a Big One was on its way. So coworkers rearranged schedules so I could leave town and we headed up to Creighton. The Big One hasn't occurred and the smaller strokes have stopped. The docs say the longer between each episode the better her chances. She can't move her left leg, has partial movement of the left arm though her grip is firm, and she has difficulty speaking - she can get out only three or four words at a time and you can see she's working hard to form the words. But she has all her faculties. She's currently undergoing physical therapy and has been moved to the nursing home while undergoing treatment.
Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg but you get the idea that this summer has been jam-packed with activities, occasions, and drama. No wonder I'm so tired.
Garden PartyDeb H. and I hosted the 2nd Annual Garden Party at her house for Quilt Group June 22. Members of quilt group take turns hosting group for our monthly get-togethers to sew. But Deb and I each own cats (can you ever REALLY own a cat?) and several members are allergic so we don’t have to clean house and, um…I mean, um, SADLY we miss out on the joy of taking our turn having our buds over. But Deb wants to share her garden so she and I put up a giant tent in her backyard and treat the crew to a picnic luncheon in her backyard surrounded by the flora. They enter her house only to fill their plates from the spread on the buffet table. The theme this year was Shabby Chic and we served chicken salad and cucumber sandwiches, fresh fruit, deviled eggs, and strawberry cream cheese pie on mismatched china, with vintage tablecloths and napkins. We gave everyone a floral fat quarter as a party favor.
Courtyard Book Chats...In the Garden
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 I had the opportunity to participate in the downtown library's book talk series held over the noon hour during the summer. Usually they are held in the courtyard at Bennett Martin, but this year we rolled our book carts across the street to the Lincoln Foundation Garden and held the book talks there. They ran 12:15-12:45pm, and participants ate their lunches while listening to staff discuss their latest reads. My topic was Cooking Adoptive Royal Killers." Intrigued? That's what Book Chats Organizer Scott C. was hoping when he acquiesced to my choice of title.
Workman’s Comp
I injured my right shoulder at work on June 26. I tried lifting a box filled with bound periodicals and the box won. I had a sling for my arm for the first month but it was darn hard to type and use a mouse when I was hog-tied like that. I go to Physical Therapy twice a week and do exercises 3x/day. I finally have full-range of motion but it’s painful and I have no strength when I do manage to fully extend that arm. Drat, my Major League pitching career is over (no wait, I’m a southpaw). Cassie enjoys doing my exercises with me. Who knew I did so much with my right arm? Showering is difficult. Cassie likes to carry the laundry basket for me. I can’t iron. I drag a grocery cart behind me with my left arm. I easily lose my balance now that my right wing is unable to help stabilize me. All my household projects are still waiting for me.
I’m surprised at the number of library patrons who ask about my arm and inquire as to how I’m doing. Even the cranky, rude ones who barely grunt at me when I inform them we’re closing in 5 min, or the ones I'm always kicking out, and even the ones I REALLY wish to avoid. The days I go without my sling they notice and ask if that’s a sign that I’m getting better. I work in a fish bowl.
FAMILY GATHERINGS
Father’s DayI was too busy to pull together the 20th annual Father’s Day Picnic held at our place, so I initially postponed it, then just flat-out cancelled the affair for this year. But we did gather at Mom’s and gave Mark, and brother Scott, some gifts.
July 4 was held at Mom’s. I took over the hamburger (but Scott mixed up the burgers so I didn’t have to do that), the dogs, the buns,
pickles, taco chips, Fritos, and Pringle’s Salt & Vinegar potato chips (Cassie loves those. Bleah.). I made a taco dip, deviled eggs and a pasta salad, and we used my colorful July 4 paperplates, cups, napkins, and tablecover. Mom made her yummy potato salad, and Scott and Cassie made the ice cream. Scott also grilled kabobs and chicken pieces in his special breading. We didn’t suffer for lack of food.
Earlier in the day, Cassie and I took Mom to the cemetery. We arranged a patriotic spray of flowers, and we shot off a few fireworks at Dad’s grave – July 4 was one of his favorite holidays. We picked up after ourselves but deliberately left a few smoke bombs on the headstone.Back at Mom’s we shot off a ton of snakes, parachutes, tanks, and fountains. Cassie still doesn’t like loud noises and kept her hands
over her ears but she did much better this year. Cassie spent the night at Grma’s for her first sleepover. I don’t know which of them was more excited. Grma got ready for bed while I helped Cassie shower, then I tucked them both into bed. I peeked in on them a few min later after I got the picnic paraphernalia packed in the van and found Cassie reading to Grma. Home was too quiet without her around.Health Issues
I finally got around to scheduling my annual doctor appointment. You know you've hit 50 when you have to schedule a colonoscopy and bone density scan along with the usual blood work-up and squishing (mammogram). And while I liked hearing "your hips are thinning" it turns out my doc had a completely different opinion than I of what that meant. Drat. So I'm taking a calcium supplement and we're discussing HRT.
Then I had a root canal. My dentist sent me to the UNL Dental College and it turned out to be an easy procedure. Textbook. I was surprised. He drilled a narrow opening through the crown of the tooth, did what he needed to, and resealed the opening. The crown didn't break, I had no subsequent infection or swelling, and no pain - just tenderness for a couple of days while eating.
Then I had a root canal. My dentist sent me to the UNL Dental College and it turned out to be an easy procedure. Textbook. I was surprised. He drilled a narrow opening through the crown of the tooth, did what he needed to, and resealed the opening. The crown didn't break, I had no subsequent infection or swelling, and no pain - just tenderness for a couple of days while eating.
Cassie turned up with Strep Throat. She had a fever for three days that ran between 99 and 103 but otherwise no other symptoms. I averaged three hours of sleep a night while sponging her down with a cool cloth - of course her fever topped out during the night - but the upside was we had some interesting conversations (more on that another time). Doc prescribed amoxicillin and two days later she returned to daycare.
A week later Cassie awoke with what looked like little spider bites. I wasn't concerned since it's the season for spiders to get inside a house, so we headed out to First-Plymouth for Vacation Church School (I was volunteering with the Second-Graders and she was with the First-Graders). By the time VCS ended three hours later she was covered with hives. The doc wanted to see her and in the end he determined her strep was gone, she's allergic to penicillin, and we were to treat the hives. Poor kid, it took another two days for the hives to peak and the Benadryl to kick in, and she was miserable. (Her poor mother got no sleep either...)
A week later Cassie awoke with what looked like little spider bites. I wasn't concerned since it's the season for spiders to get inside a house, so we headed out to First-Plymouth for Vacation Church School (I was volunteering with the Second-Graders and she was with the First-Graders). By the time VCS ended three hours later she was covered with hives. The doc wanted to see her and in the end he determined her strep was gone, she's allergic to penicillin, and we were to treat the hives. Poor kid, it took another two days for the hives to peak and the Benadryl to kick in, and she was miserable. (Her poor mother got no sleep either...)
Mark's mom had a stroke. Or rather, a series of strokes before she finally got to the hospital. Three Saturday's ago she felt weak, even lost conciousness, but stayed home thinking that if she took it easy she'd feel better. By Tuesday when her card group met, they recognized that she needed medical aid and called the ambulance. She continued to have several small strokes (as if any kind of stroke can be considered inconsequential) while in the hospital and they warned a Big One was on its way. So coworkers rearranged schedules so I could leave town and we headed up to Creighton. The Big One hasn't occurred and the smaller strokes have stopped. The docs say the longer between each episode the better her chances. She can't move her left leg, has partial movement of the left arm though her grip is firm, and she has difficulty speaking - she can get out only three or four words at a time and you can see she's working hard to form the words. But she has all her faculties. She's currently undergoing physical therapy and has been moved to the nursing home while undergoing treatment.Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg but you get the idea that this summer has been jam-packed with activities, occasions, and drama. No wonder I'm so tired.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Updates and a Correction
Cassie got a new dresser (well, new to her). It's of a style that I love with a mirror and is the perfect size for her. I found it at an antique shop for a very reasonable price (have you priced new furniture?). Cassie's comment was, "Thank you for my new mirror Mommy." I knew that would be her favorite part.I came down with bronchitis this spring. I developed a cough and after my bout with pneumonia earlier this year I didn't hesitate this time to see my doc. She prescribed cefuroxime (I can't even pronounce it) and after a couple of weeks I seemed to perk up.
I no longer have an orange porch. All the severe thunderstorms we've had lately have managed to wash off the orange paint. If only I could get rid of the snake residue on the sidewalk left from four July 4th's ago.
BlogLikeItsTheEndOfTheWorld takes place annually on June 13, not on Friday the 13th. They just happened to coincide this year, hence my error. So Feb 13 will not be the next event. I hear there were some imaginative zombie stories.
Cassie has finally warmed up to taking showers. Several times over the past two years she was going to shower with me, then backed out at the last second. My back appreciates not having to lean over a tub.Adoption of Daughter #2 is still on track, but proceeding so incredibly slowly. The China Center of Adoption Affairs is working on referrals for families with Log-In Dates (LID) of January, 25, 2006, and it's taken them a couple of months to do January. Our LID is April 20, 2007. Additionally, our federal paperwork is beginning to expire. We'll be doing our paperwork two and three times before all is said and done, and of course paying the same fees all over again too. Our fingerprints expired in June and our homeland security papers will expire in September. Fees have increased as well so to re-file with the Feds will now cost $800 plus fingerprint fees. If we were following the same timeline for this adoption as we had for Cassie's, we'd be in China right now. This is so frustrating.
Book Display - Transitions
I was browsing through my photos, and discovered I hadn't shown you one of my book displays put up in early May.That's the month for graduations, but there are other life events as well that can occur at anytime. So here's a listing of books to help you define yourself, get your act together, survive college, get that first job, find your first apartment, and find a balance between work and home (Ha! Like any of us have really done the latter...).
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum
Chicken Soup for the College Soul: Inspiring and Humorous Stores About College by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger, Dan Clark
College Survival: A Crash Course for Students by Students by Greg Gottesman and Friends
Congratulations! Now What?: A Book for Graduates by Bill Cosby
The Experts’ Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do by Samantha Ettus
First Things First: To Live, To Love, To Learn, To Leave a Legacy by Stephen R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill, Rebecca R. Merrill
Getting Ready for College: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go by Polly Berent
How Full is Your Bucket?: Positive Strategies for Work and Life by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton
Job Interviews for Dummies by Joyce Lain Kennedy
Keys to Better College Reading by Carol H. Bader and Harley F. Anton
Life’s Little Instruction Book: 511 Suggestions, Observations, and Reminders on How to Live a Happy and Rewarding Life by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Live Your Best Life: A Treasury of Wisdom, Wit, Advice, Interviews, and Inspiration from O, The Oprah Magazine
Making a Life, Making a Living: Reclaiming Your Purpose and Passion in Business and in Life by Mark Albion
The Modern Girl’s Guide to Life by Jane Buckingham
The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke by Suze Orman
Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
The Power Years: A User’s Guide to the Rest of Your Life by Ken Dychtwald and Daniel J. Kadlec
Resumes for College Students and Recent Graduates published by VGM Career Books
The Smart Girl’s Guide to College: A Serious Book Written by Women in College to Help You edited by Cristina Page
Success is a Journey: 7 Steps to Achieving Success in the Business of Life by Jeffrey J. Mayer
The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield
The Ultimate Student Handbook by Alice & Steve Lawhead
Why Won’t the Landlord Take Visa?: The Princeton Review’s Crash Course to Life After Graduation by Tara Bray
Your First Job: For Students and Anyone Preparing to Enter Today’s Tough Job Market by Ron Fry
Chicken Soup for the College Soul: Inspiring and Humorous Stores About College by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger, Dan Clark
College Survival: A Crash Course for Students by Students by Greg Gottesman and Friends
Congratulations! Now What?: A Book for Graduates by Bill Cosby
The Experts’ Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do by Samantha Ettus
First Things First: To Live, To Love, To Learn, To Leave a Legacy by Stephen R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill, Rebecca R. Merrill
Getting Ready for College: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go by Polly Berent
How Full is Your Bucket?: Positive Strategies for Work and Life by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton
Job Interviews for Dummies by Joyce Lain Kennedy
Keys to Better College Reading by Carol H. Bader and Harley F. Anton
Life’s Little Instruction Book: 511 Suggestions, Observations, and Reminders on How to Live a Happy and Rewarding Life by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Live Your Best Life: A Treasury of Wisdom, Wit, Advice, Interviews, and Inspiration from O, The Oprah Magazine
Making a Life, Making a Living: Reclaiming Your Purpose and Passion in Business and in Life by Mark Albion
The Modern Girl’s Guide to Life by Jane Buckingham
The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke by Suze Orman
Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
The Power Years: A User’s Guide to the Rest of Your Life by Ken Dychtwald and Daniel J. Kadlec
Resumes for College Students and Recent Graduates published by VGM Career Books
The Smart Girl’s Guide to College: A Serious Book Written by Women in College to Help You edited by Cristina Page
Success is a Journey: 7 Steps to Achieving Success in the Business of Life by Jeffrey J. Mayer
The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield
The Ultimate Student Handbook by Alice & Steve Lawhead
Why Won’t the Landlord Take Visa?: The Princeton Review’s Crash Course to Life After Graduation by Tara Bray
Your First Job: For Students and Anyone Preparing to Enter Today’s Tough Job Market by Ron Fry
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tornadoes All Around
We've had quite a season of severe weather already. June 4 saw two EF1 tornadoes strike Ulysses, Dwight, and Valparaiso, and two EF1's hit Ceresco and surrounding areas. June 5th we were downstairs again for severe thunderstorms.
At midnight on Saturday, June 7, my weather alert radio went off indicating a severe thunderstorm was on its way. I was in my standard Bad Weather Mode (dressed, tornado box ready, etc) and sprawled on the couch. I alternated between all the local TV stations to track the storm. It looked like a bad one but I was going to wait until the wind started up before waking Mark and Cassie to head downstairs. Fortunately it JU-U-U-ST missed us, but I kept watching. I switched to Channel 7 and could tell from their map that it had become two tornadoes and I knew Millard (southwest Omaha) was getting pummeled. Even scarier, all of this was occurring between midnight and 3:00am.
Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flash floods, flooding. But through all these storms there had, thankfully, been no fatalities. Until Wednesday, June 11.
That night I finally became scared. The storms were running in a long band from central to south central Nebraska and maintained their strength, even growing stronger. Cassie and I were in the basement with continual tornado warnings for three hours. As soon as one would end, another warning would be initiated. We only had enough time to make a dash to the laundry room.
Cassie had no idea it was this bad. Even when I had her practice kneeling on the floor between the wall and the bed, and demonstrated how I'd kneel over her and keep her covered, and that I'd pull a 20" square pillow next to us, and pull the mattress on top of us, she was still having a grand time. She wanted to practice pulling over the mattress, and asked when I'd do all of this. I said we'd listen for loud wind and then we'd take cover; and when we heard a train sound that would be the storm going over us. She was so excited and couldn't wait for all of this to occur. She imagined that the people at Culver's were in the giant refrigerator and she was sorry to be missing that. In the meantime she continued to read to me.
At midnight on Saturday, June 7, my weather alert radio went off indicating a severe thunderstorm was on its way. I was in my standard Bad Weather Mode (dressed, tornado box ready, etc) and sprawled on the couch. I alternated between all the local TV stations to track the storm. It looked like a bad one but I was going to wait until the wind started up before waking Mark and Cassie to head downstairs. Fortunately it JU-U-U-ST missed us, but I kept watching. I switched to Channel 7 and could tell from their map that it had become two tornadoes and I knew Millard (southwest Omaha) was getting pummeled. Even scarier, all of this was occurring between midnight and 3:00am.
Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flash floods, flooding. But through all these storms there had, thankfully, been no fatalities. Until Wednesday, June 11.
That night I finally became scared. The storms were running in a long band from central to south central Nebraska and maintained their strength, even growing stronger. Cassie and I were in the basement with continual tornado warnings for three hours. As soon as one would end, another warning would be initiated. We only had enough time to make a dash to the laundry room.
Cassie had no idea it was this bad. Even when I had her practice kneeling on the floor between the wall and the bed, and demonstrated how I'd kneel over her and keep her covered, and that I'd pull a 20" square pillow next to us, and pull the mattress on top of us, she was still having a grand time. She wanted to practice pulling over the mattress, and asked when I'd do all of this. I said we'd listen for loud wind and then we'd take cover; and when we heard a train sound that would be the storm going over us. She was so excited and couldn't wait for all of this to occur. She imagined that the people at Culver's were in the giant refrigerator and she was sorry to be missing that. In the meantime she continued to read to me.Even Eli the cat sensed something was different about this storm. Usually I have to close the bedroom door to keep him in the room with us (he doesn't like all the noise between the weather alert radio, the TV, and the AM radio), but this time he was hunkered down next to me.
Finally at 9:30 the warnings ended for Lincoln and Lancaster County. We got up off the floor and sprawled on the bed while I watched the TV reports. Cassie fell right to sleep and stayed there until 11:00pm when Mark carried her upstairs for me. We got her undressed and into jammies and she went right back to sleep.
But the storm had ravaged eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, where at 6:30pm it turned into an EF3 tornado at Little Sioux Boy Scout Ranch near Little Sioux, Iowa. Four boys scouts attending a leadership camp were killed.
Finally at 9:30 the warnings ended for Lincoln and Lancaster County. We got up off the floor and sprawled on the bed while I watched the TV reports. Cassie fell right to sleep and stayed there until 11:00pm when Mark carried her upstairs for me. We got her undressed and into jammies and she went right back to sleep.
But the storm had ravaged eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, where at 6:30pm it turned into an EF3 tornado at Little Sioux Boy Scout Ranch near Little Sioux, Iowa. Four boys scouts attending a leadership camp were killed.
The previous weekend the parents were helping them plan their trip. The next weekend the parents were planning funerals.
Mom's Birthday
Mom's birthday is June 8, but we held her party on Saturday the 7th. I worked that weekend so poor Mom had to bake her own spice cake. Cassie and I picked up the choc mint ice cream, and Cassie chose Mom's birthday plates/cups/napkins (which explains why Mom had the Disney Princesses for her birthday theme).We held the party at my aunt Betsy's condo after I got off work. She lives on the fourth floor and commented how she could look out her windows and see the Wednesday storms approaching in the southwest. She said it was a very dark wall cloud and that this was the first time she'd been afraid (and rightfully so, that storm spawned four tornadoes). So she was more than willing this time to head downstairs when the tornado sirens sounded. Apparently, I'm the only member of my family who heads to the basement when we have weather warnings. (Confession: I'd rather be outside with my camera gazing at the sky, judging for myself when to take cover, but I have to be a good role model for Cassie. Sigh.)
Our package for Mom was actually empty except for a color photo of her gift. We're giving her Ted Sorensen's new book, Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History. He's a Nebraska native who was chief speechwriter and special counsel to JFK. He's doing a book signing at Lee Booksellers on June 18. I'm getting an autographed copy for both Mom and me.
Everyone was in attendance at Mom's party, except my brother's 17yo daughter, Paige. After the festivities the guys turned on the Husker's baseball game, and we girls played "Tico's." Mom, Betsy, and I sat at the dining room table and Cassie was our waitress. But for a server, she's quite demanding. I was constantly admonished for having elbows on the table, and she thought we were asking for too many refills. She also informed us her name was "Annie" - our favorite waitress at Tico's.The evening ended soon enough to get Cassie to bed at a relatively reasonable time, and before the next round of storms hit.
Book Display - D-Day, June 6, 1944
Here're the materials put on display to mark the 64th anniversary of D-Day:The 101st Airborne at Normandy by Mark A. Bando
The Boys of Pointe du Hoc: Ronald Reagan, D-Day and the U.S. Army 2nd Ranger Battalion by Douglas Brinkley
Citizen Soldiers: The U.S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany June 7, 1944-May 7, 1945 by Stephen E. Ambrose
D-Day by Brigadier Peter Young
D-Day 1944 edited by Theodore A. Wilson
D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climatic Battle of World War II by Stephen E. Ambrose
D-Day: The Story of the Longest Day by Duncan Anderson
Dwight D. Eisenhower: Commander-In-Chief by Biography Channel, DVD
The First Men In: U.S. Paratroopers and the Fight to Save D-Day by Ed Ruggero (excellent!)
Fortitude: The D-Day Deception Campaign by Roger Hesketh
Hitler Slept Late: And Other Blunders that Cost Him the War by James P. Duffy
The Invasion Before Normandy: The Secret Battle of Slapton Sands by Edwin P. Hoyt
June 6, 1944: The Voices of D-Day by Gerald Astor
The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan (of course this had to be included...)
The Man Who Never Was by Ewen Montagu (book was FASCINATING; movie was awful)
Overlord D-Day, June 6, 1944 by Max Hastings
Ten Days to D-Day: Citizens and Soldiers on the Eve of the Invasion by David Stafford
The Boys of Pointe du Hoc: Ronald Reagan, D-Day and the U.S. Army 2nd Ranger Battalion by Douglas Brinkley
Citizen Soldiers: The U.S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany June 7, 1944-May 7, 1945 by Stephen E. Ambrose
D-Day by Brigadier Peter Young
D-Day 1944 edited by Theodore A. Wilson
D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climatic Battle of World War II by Stephen E. Ambrose
D-Day: The Story of the Longest Day by Duncan Anderson
Dwight D. Eisenhower: Commander-In-Chief by Biography Channel, DVD
The First Men In: U.S. Paratroopers and the Fight to Save D-Day by Ed Ruggero (excellent!)
Fortitude: The D-Day Deception Campaign by Roger Hesketh
Hitler Slept Late: And Other Blunders that Cost Him the War by James P. Duffy
The Invasion Before Normandy: The Secret Battle of Slapton Sands by Edwin P. Hoyt
June 6, 1944: The Voices of D-Day by Gerald Astor
The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan (of course this had to be included...)
The Man Who Never Was by Ewen Montagu (book was FASCINATING; movie was awful)
Overlord D-Day, June 6, 1944 by Max Hastings
Ten Days to D-Day: Citizens and Soldiers on the Eve of the Invasion by David Stafford
Monday, June 16, 2008
2nd Week of Tornadoes
The forecast for Wednesday, June 4, included severe weather. Unfortunately, Cassie and I had haircuts at 6:30. Mark was to have given her her supper, then I would be off work at 6pm, tear home and pick her up, and then fly to 70th & Van Dorn. Well, I can't exactly "fly" anymore since a little voice in the booster seat in the back inquires, "Mommy, are you speeding?" Or, "Ooooh Mommy! That light was yellow!"Haircut nights usually take up the entire evening. By the time we finish our appointments we stop at Culver's at 70th & Pioneers for a quick supper for me and another supper for Cassie because she hadn't eaten enough at home. Once we're home I insist we wash her hair because you know you have to wash out all those little hairs that are still on your scalp from the haircut. (Or else you shed on your pillow. Ick.) Then after her bath add hair-drying time as well as two or three books, and suddenly the evening is gone.
At Culver's we watched the clouds come rolling in and this reminded Cassie of a previous trip to Culver's on north 27th street. She had asked then what we'd do if a tornado hit while we were at Culver's. I'd looked over at the children staffing the restaurant and knew they would have no idea what to do. I told Cassie I carry a flashlight in my purse during tornado season, and that if Culver's had a basement we would go there, or else we'd stand in the walk-in refrigerator until the tornado passed. She thought standing in a giant refrigerator would be fun.
In the meantime, the ominous clouds continued to build. We managed to finish our meal in record time and actually made it home, got her bathed and dressed again, hair dried, and were on our way to the basement when the first alarm sounded. The photo at right was taken out our backdoor.
At Culver's we watched the clouds come rolling in and this reminded Cassie of a previous trip to Culver's on north 27th street. She had asked then what we'd do if a tornado hit while we were at Culver's. I'd looked over at the children staffing the restaurant and knew they would have no idea what to do. I told Cassie I carry a flashlight in my purse during tornado season, and that if Culver's had a basement we would go there, or else we'd stand in the walk-in refrigerator until the tornado passed. She thought standing in a giant refrigerator would be fun.
In the meantime, the ominous clouds continued to build. We managed to finish our meal in record time and actually made it home, got her bathed and dressed again, hair dried, and were on our way to the basement when the first alarm sounded. The photo at right was taken out our backdoor. 
By now, Cassie thinks these evenings spent taking cover in the basement are fun and is very disappointed when we don't have to go downstairs. This night she read all her library books to me for two hours. She's making great progress on meeting her Summer Reading requirements thanks to these storms.Sunday, June 15, 2008
Tornadoes and Severe Thunderstorms in Nebraska
The past two weeks have seen severe weather work its way through Nebraska. May 29, Black Thursday according to the Kearney Hub, saw tornadoes rip through the Kearney area spawning tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm warnings, and flash flood warnings for much of central, south central, and southeast Nebraska.
So while I was concerned for the folks in Aurora and Kearney, I thought family and friends were safe. That is, until cousin John S. sent the following photo taken with his cell phone. Turns out he had a group of Lexington athletes with him at a tournament at Kearney Catholic High School while F1 and F2 tornadoes roared through town (though some argue that F3s were involved as well).
We had a grand time that evening reading to each other, sorting my fabric onto new shelves (hint for quilters: cd storage units are PERFECT for holding fat quarters, charm packs, and jelly rolls), we did a couple loads of laundry, and Cassie thought it was fun to press the button on the weather alert radio when the alarm sounded. By the time the weather warnings had ended and we came back upstairs, it was passed Cassie's bedtime and I just tossed her into bed. Now she understood why she'd had her bath early.
I spent the rest of the night on the couch, dressed, napping in between weather alerts, ready to drag everyone downstairs again if necessary. The weather conditions didn't calm down until three or four in the morning. But with the weather alert radio at least I was always informed.
I usually view our weather with an eye toward where family and friends are located, and hoping they are doing okay. The Nebraska towns of Holdrege, Lexington, Hastings, Norfolk, Creighton, Crofton, Martell, Crete, Seward, Milford, Eagle, Bennett, and Omaha keep me interested.
So while I was concerned for the folks in Aurora and Kearney, I thought family and friends were safe. That is, until cousin John S. sent the following photo taken with his cell phone. Turns out he had a group of Lexington athletes with him at a tournament at Kearney Catholic High School while F1 and F2 tornadoes roared through town (though some argue that F3s were involved as well).Cassie, Eli the cat, and I spent the evening in the basement bedroom. Initially Cassie was unhappy at my plans for she thought I was getting her ready for bed early. But I managed to get her bathed and dressed again in street clothes, socks, and shoes. Then we headed downstairs with important papers wrapped in plastic garbage bags (such as Cassie's adoption paperwork and our paperwork for Daughter #2), flashlights, weather alert radio, books, Cassie's Pooh blankie and stuffed bunny, my purse, cellphone and keys in my pockets, and my meds in my purse. A TV and ac/dc am/fm/cass/cd player were already downstairs.
We had a grand time that evening reading to each other, sorting my fabric onto new shelves (hint for quilters: cd storage units are PERFECT for holding fat quarters, charm packs, and jelly rolls), we did a couple loads of laundry, and Cassie thought it was fun to press the button on the weather alert radio when the alarm sounded. By the time the weather warnings had ended and we came back upstairs, it was passed Cassie's bedtime and I just tossed her into bed. Now she understood why she'd had her bath early.I spent the rest of the night on the couch, dressed, napping in between weather alerts, ready to drag everyone downstairs again if necessary. The weather conditions didn't calm down until three or four in the morning. But with the weather alert radio at least I was always informed.
Too Freakin' Much To Do
I can't believe it's mid-June already, it should only be the beginning of May. I'm a month behind on blogging and have a long list of items I wanted to blog about. Sadly, that means I'm not able to comment in a timely fashion about events (read: bore you to death with details), nor was I able to participate in BlogLikeItsTheEndOfTheWorld so I can't tell you how I survived this year's zombie uprising (but I'll be there Feb 13, 2009). And several of you have written to inquire about my blog, so I know it's wa-a-y past time to write. So here's a summary of events since last we met.
May 3. Lincoln City Libraries Staff Association held a bowling event. After lots of trading back and forth, teams were finalized at the last minute. I was part of Support Services Strikesters, and hadn't done that poorly at bowling in years. Since we weren't going to win, I was hopeful we would take last place, but we were ranked in the middle somewhere. Drat!
May 15. Hartley School at the Zoo. I was working that Thursday night for a colleague so Deb H. was kind enough to take Cassie to the event for me. I added Deb to the list of people authorized to pick up Cassie from her after-school program, so Mark was able to go directly to his part-time night job. Free admittance to the zoo for the kids and their families, and a free ride on the train - can't beat that. It was actually an event to promote Math, but Deb tells me the math stations were pretty well ignored by the kids. After the zoo, they headed out to Village Inn for a late supper.
Memorial Weekend. I worked that weekend so Mark and Cassie headed up to Creighton without me on Saturday. I had the house to myself Saturday and Sunday night. Monday I finished my denim quilt! For the quilters among you here're the stats: 59"x83", blocks are 4" finished, 15 across, 21 down. Denim blocks were cut from my jeans as they wore out and Cassie's as she outgrew them. Backing is anti-pill fleece, folded over to form the binding as well. Tied with perle cotton.
Lincoln Public Schools ended Friday, May 30. Cassie enjoyed school but couldn't wait for it to end so she could call herself a First Grader. Here she is on the penultimate day of school. Now that it's summer, the neighborhood is filled with foul-mouthed, bratty kids roaming the streets at all hours of the day and night. No kidding. A small group of 'tweens stood arguing at the alley drive at 2am on a weeknight. I gotta move.
May 3. Lincoln City Libraries Staff Association held a bowling event. After lots of trading back and forth, teams were finalized at the last minute. I was part of Support Services Strikesters, and hadn't done that poorly at bowling in years. Since we weren't going to win, I was hopeful we would take last place, but we were ranked in the middle somewhere. Drat!
May 15. Hartley School at the Zoo. I was working that Thursday night for a colleague so Deb H. was kind enough to take Cassie to the event for me. I added Deb to the list of people authorized to pick up Cassie from her after-school program, so Mark was able to go directly to his part-time night job. Free admittance to the zoo for the kids and their families, and a free ride on the train - can't beat that. It was actually an event to promote Math, but Deb tells me the math stations were pretty well ignored by the kids. After the zoo, they headed out to Village Inn for a late supper.
Memorial Weekend. I worked that weekend so Mark and Cassie headed up to Creighton without me on Saturday. I had the house to myself Saturday and Sunday night. Monday I finished my denim quilt! For the quilters among you here're the stats: 59"x83", blocks are 4" finished, 15 across, 21 down. Denim blocks were cut from my jeans as they wore out and Cassie's as she outgrew them. Backing is anti-pill fleece, folded over to form the binding as well. Tied with perle cotton.
Lincoln Public Schools ended Friday, May 30. Cassie enjoyed school but couldn't wait for it to end so she could call herself a First Grader. Here she is on the penultimate day of school. Now that it's summer, the neighborhood is filled with foul-mouthed, bratty kids roaming the streets at all hours of the day and night. No kidding. A small group of 'tweens stood arguing at the alley drive at 2am on a weeknight. I gotta move.Saturday, May 31, 2008
Book Display - Photography
May is National Photography Month. I'm a big fan of "Life" and "National Geographic" so I tossed in a few of those publications, and included some info on how to organize, restore, and preserve family photos. And, along with breathtaking nature shots, of course I put out some beautiful Nebraska collections.Early Photography
Antique & Classic Cameras by Harry I. Gross
Collector’s Guide to Early Photographs by O. Henry Mace
Early War Photographs: 50 Years of War Photographs from the Nineteenth Century by Pat Hodgson
Land’s Polaroid: A Company and the Man Who Invented it by Peter C. Wensberg
Photographs for the Tsar: The Pioneering Color Photography of Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii
The Big Guns (and Other Well-Known Photographers)
The Best of Life by Life Magazine
Down in the Garden by Anne Geddes
Humor in News Photography by National Press Photographers Association
Life Photographers: What They Saw by John Loengard
Life’s Picture History of World War II by Life Magazine
Moments: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographs: A Visual Chronicle of Our Time by Hal Buell
Moments of Vision: The Stroboscopic Revolution in Photography by Harold E. Edgerton and James R. Killian, Jr (this has the cool, slow-motion photos of water dropping into a puddle, or bullets going through apples)
National Geographic: The Photographs by Leah Bendavid-Val
How-To
50 Fast Digital Photo Techniques with Photoshop Elements 3 by Gregory George
Build Your Own Home Darkroom by Lista Duren & Will McDonald
Conservation of Photographs by George T. Eaton
Creative Photocropping for Scrapbooks by Michele and Ron Gerbrandt
Digital Photography Bible: Desktop Edition by Dan Simon
iPhoto 6: The Missing Manual by David Pogue and Derrick Story
Jim Zuckerman’s Secrets to Great Photographs: Digital Effects by Jim Zuckerman
Make Your Own Digital Photo Scrapbook by Roger Pring and Ivan Hissey
New Photos of Old Stuff: Photographing Historic Structures by Joel Sartore, Video
Photographing Your Baby: Tips for Taking Great Pictures by Eastman Kodak
Preserving Your Family Photographs: How to Organize, Present, and Restore Precious Family Images by Maureen A. Taylor (for your family history...)
Shooting & Sharing Digital Photos for Dummies by Julie Adair King
Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs: How to Identify, Interpret and Preserve Your Family’s Visual Heritage by Maureen Taylor (more family history)
Using Your Autofocus 35mm Camera: Exposure, Lenses, Film, Composition, and More by Eastman Kodak Company
Regional
Architectural Wonder of the World: Nebraska’s State Capitol Building by Elinor L. Brown
Nebraska 24/7: 24 Hours, 7 Days: Extraordinary Images of One Week in Nebraska by Rick Smolan and David Elliot Cohen
Nebraska: A Photographic Celebration published by American & World Geographic Publishing
Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky by Joel Sartore
Time Pieces: Photographs, Writing, and Memory by Wright Morris
Unforgettable: The Photos of Our Lives: A Pictorial of Southeast Nebraska by David Swarzlander
Visions of Lincoln: Nebraska’s Capital City in the Present, Past and Future by James L. McKee
Nature
Forever Wild: The Adirondacks by Eliot Porter
Yosemite: The Original John Muir Text by Galen Rowell
Yosemite and the Range of Light by Ansel Adams
Zane Grey: A Photographic Odyssey by Loren Grey
Thursday, May 29, 2008
An Active May
Cassie has had a busy month. (Which means I've been running in circles too.)
We also had Mother's Day. Cassie and I skipped Sunday School/church and visited Betsy in the morning. Then I worked that afternoon and we headed to Mom's that evening. Here's our three-generation photo:
April 30 she lost her second tooth. It came out while at lunch at school. She carefully wrapped it in a napkin, put it in her backpack and brought it home. We placed it beneath her pillow and the Tooth Fairy left her $.25 (though my brother tried to convince Cassie she should get $100).
She had a playdate with Alyssa S., daughter of friends Brian and Claire S. Cassie had a blast playing dress-up, putting on nail polish with cool dots, running around the backyard, and playing on the swingset. She can't wait to return and play some more. I told her Alyssa could visit and play at our house when she gets her room cleaned up.
Cassie had her six-year pediatrician appointment. She's 46.75" tall (75 percentile), and weighs 49.2 lb (50-75 percentile). She was very relieved she didn't need a vaccination this time around. Dr. Applegate sat back and looked at her, and seemed to be mentally comparing this young girl who was chatting away with him to the baby we first brought to him two days after we got home from China.
We also had Mother's Day. Cassie and I skipped Sunday School/church and visited Betsy in the morning. Then I worked that afternoon and we headed to Mom's that evening. Here's our three-generation photo:And finally, Deb H. and I held a garage sale on a Friday and Saturday during the Highlands Neighborhood Garage Sale. Cassie joined us 
on Saturday. She and Deb ran a quick errand and along the way saw an Estate Sale. There they found a gown that was the right size for Cassie to use for dress-up. Does she look like a debutante or what? (Okay, ignore the temporary tatoo...) She wears it for all her tea parties and uses her porcelain tea dishes from Betsy and her silver tea set from Tom and Anne D.
on Saturday. She and Deb ran a quick errand and along the way saw an Estate Sale. There they found a gown that was the right size for Cassie to use for dress-up. Does she look like a debutante or what? (Okay, ignore the temporary tatoo...) She wears it for all her tea parties and uses her porcelain tea dishes from Betsy and her silver tea set from Tom and Anne D.Sunday, May 25, 2008
Orange Porch
I now have an orange porch.
Cassie loves it (and looks adorable in those green glasses) and put it to use right away the next day, and the next day, and the next, and the next. We have the prettiest sidewalk in the neighborhood. She soon ran out of paint so I hit Target and bought her a selection of small bottles of washable paint in 10 bright colors.
My house is a bungalow built in 1900 with two bedrooms on the first floor and a non-conforming bedroom in the basement. When I bought this house in 1987 it was one of the few homes in my price range that didn't have a dirt floor in the basement and had a shower. As a matter of fact, I didn't have to do a darn thing to this house except clean it and move in. The basement was fully usable including a laundry room and had plenty of storage space. On top of that, the gorgeous oak trim, oak doors, and French doors hadn't been painted.
Well, there was one thing I had to do. The house was painted mustard yellow with brown trim. A few years after I bought the house I qualified for a neighborhood grant program that reimbursed the homeowner for the cost of paint and supplies. So I chose a pretty blue color with white trim. Not the usual color one associates with an Arts & Crafts style home, but I like it.
Last month Jim L. and Kathi S., friends from Las Vegas, came through on their annual visit to Nebraska to see friends and family. What with their tight schedule and my work schedule we could get together only one Sunday evening for dinner at Tico's. But we had a nice visit. We didn't have to do a lot of catching up due to email and cell phones with national coverage, but it was nice to talk face-to-face. A couple of days later they ran by the house again with a gift for Cassie. They'd found a 3-D artwork package with stencils, paint, sidewalk chalk, and 3-D glasses to view the resulting artwork.
Cassie loves it (and looks adorable in those green glasses) and put it to use right away the next day, and the next day, and the next, and the next. We have the prettiest sidewalk in the neighborhood. She soon ran out of paint so I hit Target and bought her a selection of small bottles of washable paint in 10 bright colors.I came home from work the following Saturday to find a giant orange design painted on the porch floor.
It never occurred to me to remind Cassie to paint only the sidewalk because she's been so good all these years about doing her artwork only on the cement. But I figure the paint is washable and will, EVENTUALLY, wash off. Plus, this is part and parcel of having kids and will be a great story to add to family lore. As one relative replied when a neighbor couldn't believe they allowed the kids on the lawn, "I'm raising kids, not grass." In that vein I'm not going to blow a gasket over something that can easily be repainted. Though I did email Kathi S. "blaming" her for my orange porch but she felt no remorse at all and indicated she'd do all she could to encourage Cassie's artistic endeavors.
After a month of rain the orange design is still there, though it is beginning to fade. But I haven't the heart to remove it myself.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Shopping with Cassie
The day after the Shop Hop ended, I was still seeking black and white plaid flannel fabric. So after Sunday school, Cassie and I headed to Hancock’s. She was busy learning to use her cell phone to “send” a text message. It’s really my old phone that still holds a charge, but has no service – as long as she doesn’t dial 9-1-1!!! (In case you don’t know, by law any cell phone can dial 9-1-1 as long as it’s still charged-up. You can’t place any other calls, just calls to 9-1-1.) So essentially she was busy learning to spell while riding in the cart and playing. She also asked to have fabric spread over the top of the cart like a tent. All other shoppers could see was me pushing a cart, spelling words out loud to myself.Then we hit the grocery store. I piled the groceries onto the conveyor belt for the clerk to scan and then I noticed that Cassie was at the end busily sacking them all. She’s barely tall enough to see into the sack, but there she was filling sacks and trying to place them into the cart (I kept the carton of eggs). Too bad the sacks are too heavy yet for her to help carry into the house…
Friday, May 9, 2008
Denim Quilt Update
I really am trying to get my denim quilt done. Long-time readers may remember that I finished putting the top together during retreat this past March. Easter morning I went to Deb H.'s and got half of it tied. Here I am working on my quilt, with her cat, Vincent, supervising me. Eli, my cat, gave the quilt a good sniffing when I brought it back home.(The one advantage of having to work a holiday weekend: Mark and Cassie went up by themselves to visit his family, so I was able to do as I wished come Easter morning.)
Shop Hop! April 10-19, 2008
The Nebraska Shop Hop is put on by the Nebraska Independent Fabric Shop Association (‘ya gotta scroll down their page to see anything). You pay $10, get a bag, a list of shops, a stamp card, a free fat-quarter, and a map of Nebraska. You visit the shops, they stamp your card, and you turn in your card at the end for drawings for gift certificates. The shops run specials and have treats, beverages, and other goodies for the Hoppers. It’s a blast!Deb H., Cassie and I headed out to the Lincoln shops on Friday night. Cassie had birthday and allowance money saved up and was eager to spend, spend, spend. Which she did.
I was able to get off work an hour early, and met Deb at my place. We all piled into the van and headed south to Calico House. NOT my favorite store (and is actually on my list of shops I don’t buy from unless I’m absolutely positively desperate) though I bought a fat-quarter cuz I always buy one from each shop during The Hop. Cassie found fat-quarters, buttons, and lots of other things that caught her eye. I reminded her that we had two other shops to hit (read: two other shops that I’d rather support). So she finally settled for just one fat-quarter and off we headed to The Quilted Kitty and The Cosmic Cow. Along the way we hit the drive-through at Taco Inn and Cassie though it was pretty neat to eat in the van. Surprisingly there were no food or drink mishaps.
Cassie spent all her money and was thrilled with the evening. By us starting to Hop at 5:30pm we had just enough time to hit all three shops by 8:00pm without feeling rushed. So next year I’ll again ask to leave work early.
Sunday I was dying to Hop more Shops, so I called Deb and we made arrangements to Hop together that afternoon. Mark was fine with this cuz he’d spend the day at home in front of the TV uninterrupted by anyone. In the meantime, Cassie and I skipped Sunday school/church (I’m so-o-o-o bad!), hit Taco Inn again, and munched on our way to the Fabric Fair in Seward. I found some red plaid flannel I needed (still need two patterns of black plaid to round out my design for a black/red/white plaid rag quilt I have in mind), Cassie found some fat-quarters she “needed,” and off we headed back to Lincoln to pick up Deb. Then we headed to Country Traditions in Fremont.
Initially we really liked this shop. They had lots to pick from, different styles of fabrics, kits, patterns, books, fat-quarters, jelly rolls, and charm packs. They also had antique-looking wire baskets you could use and they’d clip your name to the basket. Cassie was tickled to have her own basket and kept switching out what she thought she was going to buy. But they didn’t allow you to take photos of anything in the store! All the other shops encourage you to take photos, and will even hold up quilts so you can get a better shot. I decided this was not an attitude I need to deal with so they can’t count me as one of their regular shoppers. So there.
Outside their store Deb, Cassie, and I had our photo taken. Then we hit the Zesto for desperately needed ice cream and beverages. We stopped at a city park to run Cassie around for half an hour (she had a good time playing on the swings and slides with another family that was there) then we headed back home. My six-year-old didn’t do too badly for sitting in the van for over three hours on a nice, sunny day.
By the time we got to Lincoln it was supper time and Cassie was hungry. So we dropped Deb off at her house for her car, and I followed them to Village Inn at 50th & Van Dorn for breakfast/supper. I got Cassie home, bathed, and in bed at a relatively decent time and she went right to sleep. In all, I had a grand time at this year’s Shop Hop, and Mark had 10 hours to himself at home with the TV and a nap.
Book Display - Manuals for Techie Stuff
Phones, iPods, MP3s, Music, Blogs, MySpace and Making Your PC Work for YouThe first part of April I tossed up a book display of how-to books for various types of techie stuff. We all received electronic toys for Christmas and struggled to learn how to use them. We gave up, but around springtime are ready to try again, or are ready to build on the elementary steps we’ve learned since the holidays. So here’s a list of some books to get us on our way:
Utilizing Your PC
Digitizing Your Family History: Easy Methods for Preserving Your Heirloom Documents, Photos, Home Movies, and More in a digital Format by Rhonda R. McClure
Home Wireless Networking in a Snap by Joe Habraken
Mac Annoyances: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About Your Mac by John Rizzo
MySpace for Dummies by Ryan Hupfer, Mitch Maxon, and Ryan Williams
PC Toys: 14 Cool Projects for Home, Office, and Entertainment by Barry Press and Marcia Press
Publishing a Blog with Blogger by Elizabeth Castro
The Rough Guide to the Internet by Peter Buckley & Duncan Clark
Roxio Easy Media Creator for Dummies by Greg Harvey
Teach Your Computer to Dance: Make Your Computer, Mobile Devices, and the Internet Perform for You by Don Silver and Susan Silver
iPods, iTunes, and MP3 Players
Absolute Beginner’s Guide to iPod and iTunes by Brad Miser
How to do Everything with Your iPod & iPod Mimi by Guy Hart-Davis
iPod Book: Doing Cool Stuff with the iPod and the iTunes Store by Scott Kelby
iPod & iTunes: Everything You Need for Digital Music, Start to Finish! by Brad Miser and Tim Robertson
MP3 for Dummies by Andy Rathbone
MP3 FYI: Digial Music Online by Jay Lickfett
The Rough Guide to iPods, iTunes & Music Online by Peter Buckley and Duncan Clark
Phones
BlackBerry for Dummies by Robert Kao and Dante Sarigumba
How to do Everything With Your Treo 700p by Derek Ball and Dayton Foster
Making Music
Audio Mashup Construction Kit by Jordan “DJ Earworm” Roseman
Making Music with Your Computer by Brent Edstrom
Music Tech Magazine: Ten Minute Masters by Music Tech Magazine
PC Music: The Easy Guide by Robin Vincent
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Bowling
Cassie went bowling for the first time last month.My boss, Bob B., gathered together a group of us who have kids and April 4th we all met at Sun Valley Lanes. Just getting to Sun Valley was an experience. The Harris Overpass that usually gets one to west Lincoln is closed for construction of a new bridge, and one family never made it for they couldn't figure out how to get there.
Sun Valley was a blast. They have rails in the gutters that can be raised that act as bumpers in a pinball game. The bowling ball simply bounces off the rail rather than landing in the gutter making it more fun for kids and other inexperienced bowlers. There's also an automated scorekeeper.
I had a cool, blue-colored 12-lb bowling ball and Cassie was very unhappy with her ugly, green 6-lb ball. I managed to convince her that she actually had a Shrek-colored ball. That made it okay! She also thought the bowling shoes were neat and she wants a pair for home.One girl there attends Cassie's school. She and Cassie have encountered each other at school since then and wave at each other.
After bowling our game, Bob joined Cassie and me for a late supper at Tico's. Since it was a Friday night I wasn't too concerned about Cassie being up later than she should. After we ate, I managed to get her home, bathed, and in bed by 9:30pm.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Family Birthday Party
We generally hold a family birthday party on the weekend closest to the actual birthday (give or take other conflicts). But this year my birthday party was held a week later than usual (on March 29) since Easter was so early. At noon my Red Hat group had a celebration for me, and that evening was the family party (held at Mom's). The usual suspects were there - Mom, Betsy, Scott, Mark, and Cassie (Paige was involved in rehearsals for a school play). Cassie used my digital camera and took all the photos! Not bad for a six-year-old.
This year I didn't have time to bake a chocolate cake and get ice cream, so I decided to combine the two and try the Cookies & Cream Concrete Cake from Culver's instead - their version of an ice cream cake. Cassie and I really enjoy their ice cream (actually, it's frozen custard but if I point that out to Cassie she'll decide she doesn't like it) and we've been looking at that cake for months. They won't let you order just one slice of the Concrete Cakes - it's all or nothing. So this was the perfect excuse to get one. I have to say, it tasted fine but was not worth that $20.I brought along the Red Hat balloon from my Red Hat celebration, and used that as the centerpiece for this party. Like the plates? "Aged to Perfection" - can 'ya tell I chose them myself?!
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