what's popular with the 7 year old crowd... and a beach recommendation

But first, yes, we went to the beach again today.  This time with my friend who called yesterday and I didn't get to hook up with.  We went to the beach at Bellow's Air Force Base.  I very much recommend this beach.  It's not nearly as crowded as the beaches in Kailua or pretty much anywhere else.  I did not check out the bathrooms to see if they were decent.  I doubt it though.  :-)  But you can see in the pictures above, expanses of beach and hardly anyone on them!  I know they have a place further down that has a playground for the kids and such.  The area we went to has an expanse of evergreens, so it's very shaded in there, and the floor is just sand and pine needles.  It's a very popular place to camp out.  By the time we left, about 1:45, a lot of people arrived and were pitching tents.  There are no canoe rentals or nearby restaurants, so I guess that's why it's not more popular.  I'm sure the tourists don't even know about it. 

So, what's popular with the 7 year old crowd?  The Discovery Channel.  Just about anything that comes on this channel.  In the mornings during this spring break, they've gotten their daily dose of "MythBusters" - oh how they love this show!  And "How things are made" (IIRC).  This show is basically a documentary - but they love it!  They've also been watching "Deadliest Catch".  "Man VS. Wild" is popular, as is "Future Weapon" and "Stunt Junkies".  On the Travel Channel we like to watch "Bizzare Foods", which is my attempt to convince them that I'm a good cook!  And we are loving this series "Planet Earth" (I'm watching Oprah at the moment and she's doing a thing about it).

a bird pooped on me today...

There.  Now I can rub it in that we went to the beach again today!  This time to Lanikai beach, just next door to Kailua beach.  Hurley from Lost lives in Lanikai, Michelle Pfeiffer has a house in Lanikai, and Evangeline Lilly (Kate from Lost) burnt down her house in Lanikai.  No star sighting today.  It was very cloudy and windy today, so it was chilly.  At least enough to wrap a towel around my shoulders - no need to feel sorry for me, nothing was going to actually freeze off!  LOL!

The picture above clearly shows what the boys did.  They dug a hole.  And filled it with water.  They called it their jacuzzi.  He-he!  Kids are so funny.  Jake is actually kneeling in the hole, but when I first saw him, I thought he was standing in it!  You can see Patrick is wearing a yellow shirt.  Kids these days wear these swim shirts - I guess surfers started wearing them?  Anyway, it's the cool thing to do.  And I love it!  Keeps the bulk of skin safe from the sun.  Obviously I need to get my little pale skinned children some.  And I love that it helps keep the girls modest.  I just really cringe when I see the little 2 year olds wearing string bikinis.  Makes me wonder what the H the parents are thinking??

Yesterday we did not make it to the zoo.  I lapped the parking lot 6 times, but there just wasn't any place to park, there or on the street.  So, after wandering all over the streets of Honolulu (the streets in Hawaii are NOT made for tourists, despite this being a tourist destination), I finally found my way onto H1 going in the easterly direction and made it to Sea Life Park.  It was fine, but not for the price.  It's geared towards "interactive" venues.  Swimming with the dolphins and that sort of thing.  If I were a tourist, I would skip this attraction, unless you have money to blow and are dying to feed the skate.  I hope I don't get sued for that.  It's just my opinion!  The boys loved it. 

We met Gary for lunch today.  Before that I got two calls asking us to go to the beach!  I feel so popular!  LOL!  So we made it in time to go with the first invite.  I tried calling the second invite, but they must've already been gone somewhere.  I'll call her tomorrow and see if we can set something up.  I never did playdates when the boys were little, so this is new and fun for me!

I'm sleepy.  I think just being at the beach tires you out.  I didn't swim.  I'm not about to put on a bathing suit yet.  It's not really about the boobs, but that is my convenient excuse.  It's the tummy.  It's always about the tummy!

Just a few more days of spring break left.  I don't think two weeks is all that bad.  The beach does help soften the blow.  <smile>

pictures

These are some pictures from the past week's activities.  Patrick is their best friend from school.  We hang out with him every day after school at the playground.  He's in first grade - just turned 7 so he's not that much younger than the boys.  His curly blonde hair is so easy to spot in a crowd of kids, especially here in Hawaii!

I don't know how I'm going to top last week - especially with the dentist appointments!

The Fellowship of the Ring pt.1

I have a few minutes, since Gary is napping.  So I want to type out a few things that struck me while reading this book.  I'm just a few pages from the end.  Not trying to draw theological conclusions - this is not the Bible.  Just things that struck me beyond the story.

It's going to be hard for me to figure out why I marked these pages, I'm afraid.

I marked a passage where Gandalf was relating to Frodo about Gollum (Smeagol) and how he was tracking him... 'But at the western edge of Mirkwood the trail turned away.  It wandered off southwards and passed out of the Wood-elves' ken, and was lost.  And then I made a great mistake.  Yes, Frodo, and not the first; though I fear it may prove the worst.  I let the matter be.  I let him go; for I had much else to think of at that time, and I still trusted the lore of Saruman.'

I can so relate to this.  Being on the verge of something great, conquering something, or completing something - and then getting lost, distracted and just letting the matter drop.  I'm so easily distracted.  And then when I think of it again, I tell myself it wasn't that big of a deal, or I can get back to it later.... An example of this is years ago I had a real burning desire to put together a prayer calendar or journal of sorts.  I never found anything to my satisfaction on the market.   I got it started, but the enormity of it, and the difficulty of it overwhelmed me.  I do regret not following through.  I may get back to it some day, but there are so many things pulling at me.  I don't desire to do it to make money off of it - I need it to organize my prayer life.  But right now I'm relying on praying as the Spirit leads me.  Which is good, but unfortunately, I fill my life with distractions that it's so easy to squelch that tug.

Next:

a little dissertation on Pity, Mercy and judgement.  A continuation of the discussion of Gollum.  How Bilbo dealt with him...

'O Gandalf, best of friends, what am I to do?  For now I am really afraid.  What am I to do?  What a pity that Bilbo did not stab that vile creature, when he had a chance!

Pity?  It was Pity that stayed his hand.  Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need.  And he has been well rewarded, Frodo.  Be sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began his ownership of the Ring so.  With Pity.

I am sorry, said Frodo.  But I am frightened; and I do not feel any pity for Gollum.

You have not seen him, Gandalf broke in.

No, and I don't want to, said Frodo.  I can't understand you.  Do you mean to say that you, and the Elves, have let him live on after all those horrible deeds?  Now at any rate he is as bad as an Orc, and just an enemy.  He deserves death.

Deserves it!  I daresay he does.  Many that live deserve death.  And some that die deserve life.  Can you give it to them?  Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.  For even the very wise cannot see all ends.  I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it.  And he is bound up with the fate of the Ring.  My heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before the end; and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many -- yours not least.  In any case we did not kill him: he is very old and very wretched.  The Wood-elves have him in prison, but they treat him with such kindness as they can find in their wise hearts."

This really speaks to me because I have a tendancy to be so judgemental.  I need to dish out mercy instead of calling for prosecution!  Off with their heads!  I'm not the giver of life, therefore I shouldn't be the taker of it.  I do not have the whole picture in mind.  And if there is a sickness, there is always the Hope  for cure.  I won't touch the "some that die deserve life".  Much too tender a subject for something as pithy as a journal.

Next: this is a much lighter subject.  The hobbits are at the Inn in Bree, the Prancing Pony.  Mr. Butterbur serves them a meal thusly described...

There was hot soup, cold meats, a blackberry tart, new loaves, slabs of butter, and half a ripe cheese: good plain food, as good as the Shire could show, and homelike enough to dispel the last of Sam's misgivings (already much relieved by the excellence of the beer).

So now you have discovered why I have made the attempt at the no-knead bread.  I'm wanting to re-create a hobbit feast!  Isn't the description compelling?  After I perfect the bread, I will work on the tart and then host a feast!  We are a very hobbit-like family.  However, I did discover that Gary is a bit elvish in his lawyerly ways.... he does not answer a question directly, and elves refuse to give advice one way or another.  I just find that equally confounding.

Next:  the group of 9 are well into their travels and they are having a conversation with the elves of Lorien.  We pick up in the middle of a conversation...

I cannot, said Merry.  I have never seen them.  I have never been out of my own land before.  And if I had known what the world outside was like, I don't think I should have had the heart to leave it.

Not even to see fair Lothlorien?  said Haldir.  The world is full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.

Again, I so relate to this.  If we knew what was out there, we'd never leave our houses.  But despite all the evil, think of the beauty we would miss.  This is a terrific passage for missionaries, I'd think.  Plus, like missionaries, the mission is a dangerous one, but the outcome is for the good.

Last: this is a bit more lighthearted.  A reference to old wives tales...

Then I need say no more, said Celeborn.  But do not despise the lore that has come down from distant years; for oft it may chance that old wives keep in memory word of things that once were needful for the wise to know.

I just liked that one.  Now, to finish reading this book.  Almost there!

bread results

I'd have to give it a "thumbs down".  Edible, yes.  But definitely needs tweaking.

Too moist.  But that was expected considering it was a wet dough.  So I need to cut down on the water.  Too salty.  My nemesis, who had altered the recipe, had upped the salt to a tablespoon (from 1 1/4 tsp).  And this from a woman who is supposed to be on a low salt diet!  It was even too salty for me, and I like salt. (I also should be on a low salt diet)  Maybe a compromise of 2 tsp. would work.  I added fresh rosemary, per altered recipe.  Not my fave flavor, so I'll either reduce it next time or eliminate it altogether.  Not bad though.  Good if you like that flavor.   I'll have to make a sandwich with it, that might be good.

My bread stuck to everything.  Before I pass judgement on the methods I use, I'll have to make a loaf with less water so I'm dealing with a normal dough.  But even the baked loaf stuck to my cast iron pot.  I managed to pry it out in one whole piece.

foolproof bread

It's called foolproof.  A 6 year old can do it.  No knead bread.  Heard of it?  I'm behind the curve and it's been wildly popular, oh, say, about a year ago.

Foolproof, huh?

Duh-huh.  They haven't met me.

So I stirred some up yesterday and it's been sitting on my counter rising all night and all day.  I just attempted to turn it out onto a floured surface.  It's supposed to be a nice dough.  And it was, with lot's of bubbles.  But, hey!  What's that pool of liquid?  And why is the dough so loose?  However, I persevere.  It's in the "let it rise for 2 hours" stage.

I got a modified version of the original recipe from the blog of an old nemesis of mine.  I had trusted her recipe, because, even though she is a moron, she has her moments and the pictures of her bread looked marvelous!  Never trust a nemesis.  I think it called for way too much water (she called for more than the original, but I thought that was to make up for the whole wheat flour used).  And it called for more yeast than the original.  I suspect between the water, the yeast and the warmer home temperatures - it was just too much.

I'm still going to bake it, regardless what it looks like after the 2 hours.  Shoot, I didn't take my kids to the mall for nothin'!

Yeah, I went out to the mall to buy a pot to bake this bread in.  It calls for using a heavy lidded pan.  And I couldn't find anything but a cast iron pot.  Not pretty, but who cares?  It was the best thing available and cheap.

Speaking of kids - I just may have to bake them in the pot too!  They are driving me crazy.  Jake even said today that he wanted to be home-schooled.  Bwah-ha-ha-ha!  That's the funniest thing I've heard!  I've been trying to get them to do reading and a simple math worksheet and he sits there and stares at it.  And cuts erasers with his little scissors.  And breaks the points off all the pencils.  This is a problem because our pencil sharpener has given out.  I'm desparate to find individual school desks for them.  Right now they do homework on a kitchen table and distract the daylights out of each other.  They need to have their own desks facing different directions with the option to move the desks to different rooms!  They need, shoot, *I* need.  They have them at discount school supply, online.  Pricey, but at this point I think it's worth it.  BUT, what they have doesn't ship outside the contiguous 48.  I've look at Office Max, but they don't have what I want.  I just want those little school desks like they have at school with either the lid that lifts or not, with storage just under the desktop.  I need to look around more, but shopping is so limited here.  Well, I've just started, I'm sure there's a school supply store somewhere...

It's not all bad.  We did mini-golf today.  It was somewhat fun.  I hate being the "mom" (aka "bad guy") and having to tell them to get off the landscaping and to please wait for me and to not swing so big, blah,blah,blah.  It seems to go better when there are 2 parents.  That way we can alternate the yelling and the chuckles.  I also wish they would mature just a tad bit more.  I have a hunch that as soon as they are that little bit more mature, they will be too old for dear old ma.

Notice that I'm avoiding the Elizabeth Edwards issue.  I'm very sad for her and pray that her treatment allows for many, many more happy years.  I cannot imagine a presidential campaign is what she needs now - but I'm not to be the judge.

spring break

Spring break is in full motion.  We've been playing games, watching videos, playing at the park, making airplanes, and even made an attempt at doing a math worksheet.  The boys and I washed the car - so they could earn a trip to Borders.  Tomorrow we are meeting Patrick at the beach.  Some day we are going to play putt-putt or bowl.  I'm exhausted already!

But then there is the dentist.  The boys had their first dentist appointment since we've moved here.  Jake has 1 cavity and Ryan has 5.  They are going to be filled next week.  And if that's not bad enough, Jake is going to need a palate expander.  I knew he would need some sort of orthodontia.  Ryan has a nice wide mouth, but not poor Jake.  Somehow, he has a gap between his front two teeth (just like Gary) but his bottom teeth are just so crowded.  And I've seen his xrays - he's got some big teeth a-comin.  So I think this is a good plan for him.  Hopefully he can avoid braces.  But really, isn't this just as bad?

Okay, and my attempt to be perfect mom - I got them to pick a day of the week for them to plan the dinner menu, and do whatever they want to make that meal theirs.  Jake picked Monday and Ryan Wednesday.  On Monday, we had "Pasta Squidward" and "Gary's Globbier Globs" from the Nickelodeon cookbook.  Tomorrow we are having "Chester Cheese Pizza" and oranges and pineapple.  They haven't really gotten into it - but I'm hoping this will last beyond spring break and they will get adventurous.  Of course, I don't want 2 days a week of kid food....  But I do like making our own pizzas.  Maybe Ryan will gain an interest in learning how to throw dough.  I've tried, but I'm just not good at it.  Maybe one day I'll let my hair down and make dough solely for the purpose of practicing and just go for it.

spring break

Since we are on the year-round schedule, the boys have 2 weeks off for spring break.  I don't have anything planned!  Yikes!  Well, there is the dentist on Monday...

I need to make a mammogram appointment.  I want to get one done before the surgery.  Did I already talk about this?  I'm apprehensive.  I need to get it done, but what if they find something?  Well, what if?  I will just do what I have to do.  But now that I made these plans, like the marathon in December, I don't want my plans screwed up.  That reminds me.  I need to ask my PS if I'm making a mistake getting a lift on the good side.   When discussing what type of reconstruction, he mentioned something about saving the DIEP or Tram flap type surgery (the tummy tuck) for the other side if needed.  I need to confirm with him that I CAN get that kind of surgery if I need it.  Because I don't want to cut out good skin that could be used for an implant later on if that's my only option.  See, I had initially disregarded the tummy tuck procedures because I've got a huge scar on my belly that limits available skin.  Well, that's just something I'll have to make note of.  That's why I write this journal.

paper airplanes.  They are all the rage with the group my boys hang with.  We have got them all over the house.  They play with them almost everyday after school at the playground.  I think it's great.  I've only been able to find one book, but another mom (the mom of the kid who started this fad) has got at least 5 different books.  It all started with balsa wood planes.  They break easily, but are fun to fly.  The paper airplanes are fun, but take a lot of folding, and usually are good for one day before they are too crumpled to fly.  The foamy type airplanes are the best because they fly good, they don't hurt if they bonk you, and last longer.  But they are the best favored by the kids.  I guess because they don't fly as well as the balsa and they can't be manipulated into cool shapes with cool papers like the paper.    We keep saying they are learning physics.  LOL!

Ryan's teacher sent home a little packet of homework.  Not much.  But it has an addition worksheet, a subtraction worksheet and a multiplication worksheet that we can make multiple copies of and let them practice.  In contrast, Jake's teacher sent nothing home.  She was even absent on Friday.  I guess an early start to her vacation.  So I will be making them both do math over the break.  Just one worksheet a day.  I don't think that's bad.  I need to find something for Ryan to practice his handwriting.  I have some online friends who's 2nd graders are doing cursive writing already.  I can't even imagine that!  Ack! 

Oh, I bought the new camera!  I decided to make the decision easy by going with the same brand.  It makes the learning curve easier.  I also decided to go with just the 5.0 mp resolution.  I hear that's all the average Joe needs anyway, and it's gonna be better than my 3 mp.  It only cost $99.  It fits the same batteries and memory cards that I used before.  But it does not fit the recharger dock - so I need to buy one.  Rechargable batteries is the only way to go!  And the software is the same, but upgraded version.  The picture of Ryan is the only one I've taken so far.  Test picture.

my fears are quelled, at least for now

The teacher, actually the teachers aide, was concerned about some sentences Jake had written for spelling.  That's why I had to talk to her.  She didn't seem too concerned, but did turn it over to the school counselor.  I guess I'll hear from him if he's concerned.

I guess if you didn't take into account that Jake is a boy, and that he's a pretty nice kid with an active imagination - then you would be concerned. 

He gets his imagination from me.  That's why I was so afraid yesterday, I had all these horrible scenarios in my head that I would have a child taken from me.  But after talking it over with Gary, friends and online friends, I have been reassured that he's totally normal and I'm not a bad parent.

It's normal for boys to write about nucelur bombs (his spelling) and brothers falling into vats of lava, right?

I guess I have to start making him write about unicorns and rainbows...tra-la-la.

Oh, and get this, right after Jake hands me his spelling notebook with all these pages marked - the class tattletale informs me that Jake knocked a ball out of her hands during a game at recess!  Gasp!   And he *almost* scratched her!  What was I supposed to say???  I told Jake that he should not play so rough with the girls.  <rolls eyes>  That was the best I could come up with.  I was speechless because this little girl was just waiting to pounce on me with this little tidbit - and I was upset about the whole spelling thing.  I wanted to tell her to buzz off, but I just couldn't.  And I just couldn't apologize, I wasn't in that charitable of a mood.

Hmmmm.  Reading all this over, I need to pray some more.  My attitude stinks!  I have a hard time letting things roll off me when it concerns my bubbas.  Oh, I guess the cramps don't help either.  TMI!!  LOL!

I'm scared

I don't feel at liberty to discuss what it's about - not on such a public forum and all - but if you all (if you do so) would say a prayer for us.  I've been told to meet with Jake's teacher tomorrow morning and it's not about a good thing.  I'm quite frightened.

The cancer doesn't scare me, but this does...

I'm gonna pump (clap) you up!

I got my last fill today!!  Yipee!!  Doing the happy dance!  Now my right side is about a 1/2 cup larger than my left.  It's only noticable to me.  I need to wait 4 - 6 weeks then we'll do the exchange surgery for the implant.  They'll call me some time this week for a surgery date.  Woo-hoo!  I asked whether we were going to do saline or silicone and he said that my skin wasn't real thin, so I wouldn't need the silicone...  Actually, I would rather have the saline first.  I hear that the saline sometimes needs replacing around the 10 year mark.  By then, the new silicones will have been on the market long enough, on enough women, for problems to come out, at least to my satisfaction.  They say the new silicones don't leak.  They are a cohesive gel, so even if the shell develops a hole, it doesn't ooze out.  The silicone doesn't separate so it won't migrate around in your body.  There are a few who's had their plastic surgeon actually prove this to them.  So, it sounds good, but we'll see.

The surgery should be same day, in and out, done in the a.m. I should be home before the boys are out of school.  That is including the lift on my other side.  He will be using the mastectomy scar, just a few inches of it.  He said it would be an easy recovery, no drains.  I may not feel like driving for a couple of days.

My camera is still broken and I still don't have a new one.  Why do I keep harping on this??  A couple of reasons.  1.  I have been documenting my reconstruction.  I didn't get to document my last fill - so there will be a gap between fill pictures.  It appalls the scrapbooker in me.  2.  I"m missing major events in my boys' 7th year of life.  They had a birthday party this weekend with Patrick, one of their best friends, and they did the pinewood derby with the cubscouts.  Grrrr.  And I missed half of that campout, when I broke the camera.

Gary has Friday off, so we are going out to buy a new one.  Yesterdays trip to Walmart was to buy said camera, but the shelves were bare.  At least for what I want.

I'm back!

And I really don't have a whole lot to say.  I didn't get as much cleaning as I wanted done, but I did really enjoy the freedom.  Somehow, I have gotten myself into the mode of checking my pc a LOT - I don't know what for.  Plus I began "composing thoughts" for my journals or chats in my groups.  Giving myself permission to break away was like a burden lifting!  My online friends are not a burden, but the importance I was placing on it had become a burden.  I really need more real life friends.  :-)

So what did I do?  Yes, I did move heaps of paper mountains into the circular file (trashcan).  I de-mildewed some things, but need to do more.  Finally got around to donating clothes that I have had set aside - unfortunately, they had been set aside to in front of my closet making my access difficult.  What a relief that was!  As I was refolding them, I realized that I was giving away a LOT of dresses.  About 10.  Nice ones too - but I was tired of them and the styles, while not horrid, just not what I'm wearing lately.  Some still fit, but some didn't.  Quite a variety of sizes.  I realized that some really nice ladies would have a chance to enhance their work wardrobe or be good interview pieces.  So I prayed over them and sent them away with lots of love. 

I started some new things which really make my life feel rich and enjoyable.  As you may already know, I download the daily bible studies from J Vernon McGee to listen to while I walk.  I initially found him via my parents who listen to BBN (bible broadcasting network) all the time.  Before his program comes on there is a short program which is a lady reading from a book.  It's called Christian Classics with Lynn Brooks and it's strictly a BBN thing.  She's a wonderful reader and can change her voice into any accent or tone.  She's currently reading a book about an early 20th century missionary lady to China.  I LOVE missionary biographies.  So I was wanting to download to my mp3 player, but they don't offer that.  But I CAN listen to it online.  Listening to this fascinating story makes cleaning go very quickly and pleasantly.

My mom and dad sent me a book.  It's called "The Indwelling Life of Christ: All of Him in All of Me" by Major Ian Thomas.  I've just started it.  It's almost like a little devoational book, because the chapters are just a couple of pages apiece - but you can read it all the way through at once if you want!  I've only read one chapter, but I'll be writing my thoughts about it, I'm sure, when I really get into it.  Here's something that you didn't know about me.  After I graduated high school, I didn't go straight to college.  I went to a bible school for a few months.  In Colorado.  It was a school started by Maj. Thomas and this one is run by his son.  He has schools scattered across Europe and another in Texas.  Torchbearers.  The one I went to is called Ravencrest Chalet in Estes Park, Co.  Wonderful place!  This was the perfect place for me to go.  My parents waited until I graduated to move from Alabama to Virginia.  So I was floundering a bit about where I would want to go to college.  Add that to the fact that I had just gone on a mission trip during my senior year, I really needed a gentle transition - and this was it.  I was so awkward and shy in high school.  The summer after high school I got contact lenses and kind of started blossoming.  Bible school is a safe place to blossom - however I'm sure I irritated the teachers with my giggling and talking and passing notes in class.  It gave me the confidence to stand firm when I went to Longwood - a horrible school IMO.  I was confident enough to maintain my integrity and find a good school to go to. 

Let's see.  I also finished Eragon.  With my brain full of dragons and elves and battles, I grabbed Lord of the Rings off our shelves.  I gave Gary the trilogy a few years back.  So now I'm reading it.  I've found a few interesting things that I'm gonna make note of on an entry another day.

Mmmmmm.  An old Krispy Kreme donut is better than any other fresh donut.  We don't have Krispy Kremes on island, but someone was selling them outside of Walmart this morning.  Had to be at least a day old - but they were so soft!  10 seconds in the microwave - heaven!

gas: $2.68 on post    They say it's going up on the mainland, I wonder what will happen here.

another pedestrian was killed during my week off.  :*(

Our electric bill has been down to below $200 (this is in a tiny un-airconditioned house), but it's starting to heat up again and the trade winds are dying down - so that bill will creep up as I crank up the fans and the 1 window a/c unit we use.  Gotta keep at least one room in the house tolerable.

unplugged

I have decided to take a week off, unplugged from the computer, more or less.  I will check emails once a day and download my J. Vernon McGee for walking - but other than that, I'll pretty much try to ignore it.

I am lazy.  I'm probably the only person who will ever admit to that, but there it is.  So I've been finding the mess in my house growing, while I avoid it by plopping down in front of the pc.  There's always some good reason.  Gotta get a recipe, check the mileage of my walks, check up on friends - you know.  But I've been spending way too much time on here.  And going cold turkey is more likely to happen than weaning off slowly.  My house needs cleaning.  Well, it needs picking up.  We are under a pile of papers - mostly homework papers.  But, I'm embarrassed by the knowledge that I have a christmas card somewhere on the computer desk that I need to find, because it has an address on it - and I need to send her a christmas card!!  The dirt is never ending.  When you have all the windows in your house open 24/7 - dirt gets in, quickly and thickly.  Just the basic daily housekeeping is a major chore.  So picking up the clutter falls way behind.  I need to do spring cleaning too.  All the jalousies need to be wiped.  I've seen areas of mildew that need bleaching.  The carpet needs shampooing.

Hmmmm.  Maybe I need to take a month off.  Anyway, if I make it through the weekend, it'll be a miracle.

And it's not just the house keeping.  Jake made some small side comment about me being on the pc.  I can't even remember what he said.  It hit me that I spend too much time on here.  Even if it is just popping in and out.  I don't want that to be my kids' childhood.

I'll be back.  And then I'll be playing catch-up with all my cyber friends, hopefully with more moderation and restraint.  :-)