Camp was Sew-Sew

Caleb & Rachel are in their third day of project book boot camp at Ms. Cindy's. They are doing intensive work focused on finishing the 4-H project books that were ordered at the beginning of the 4-H year (September) but were left ignored in notebooks for a majority of that time. 2 different horse books. Fishing. Gardening. Farm Animals. Arts & Crafts. Microwave Cooking. Sewing.

Now, "finishing" a book doesn't necessarily mean they are done with the book, just that enough work has been accomplished in it so that it can be turned in for some recognition/credit for the current year. Many of these books have close to 30 activities from which a minimum number can be chosen to complete the book OR a certain number can be done to work towards completing the book in three years. It all depends on how much you want to accomplish each year.

Cindy asked for an adult to lead each of the projects. I mentally considered my full plate (especially at that time of the year!), smiled and happily let others volunteer. :-)

Q. Did ALL those adults DO what they volunteered to do?
A. Does a frog have feathers?
(Yes, a chicken DOES have lips. Don't ask me how I know.)

SO as camp was in the final planning stages last weekend, Ms. Cindy mentioned that perhaps I could do something for the sewing part of the project books - a small cross stitch piece or crocheting a potholder. I checked my cross stitch supplies stash and came up with ( I thought) a quick, easy & creative project, & sent Stan off to work with a simple alphabet pattern, requesting a few copies. Then I looked at Rachel's sewing project book.

Cross stitch? Not there.
Crocheting (not that I can do it!) Also not there.

Nope, this book focused primarily on sewing with a machine.

Now, I have a machine. And I've sewn with it. Got one the first year Stan & I wed (1985) so I could make curtains for our first house. More recently, I made an Easter costume for Jacob (spring 2004? Photo is 2006 with Andrew as King David - no, I did not sew that!). When I dug it out, I had to scrub off a layer of dried-on dust which much of our stuff got covered with after hurricane Frances in 2004 (thus my Easter sewing guess) when our electricity was off for over a week and we lived in humidity soup.

I liked using my sewing machine until it developed some problems that cause mangled stitching. I've traced down the trouble but haven't been able to fix it: TENSION. So sad for a machine to be dealing with debilitating stress...

Still, I hated to let the girls down. I looked through the book and found EIGHT things we could do and we only needed SEVEN for the year. Hurray!

At camp, we went through my sewing box (actually a large floral hat box that produces a nice contrast on my bookshelf) identified & discussed how to use the various tools ("Yes, they look like craft scissors, but pinking shears were actually designed for use when sewing."), practiced threading needles (large & small eyes - wink, wink) and tied some knots. Check, check, check.

After we examined & identified sewing machine parts, the girls drew and labeled a picture of my sewing machine in their books (Has your machine ever sat for a portrait?). We looked through the Singer handbook and discussed how to fill a bobbin then each girl threaded the machine starting at the spool all the way to threading the needle AND inserting and raising the bobbin thread. Woohoo! Check, check, check.

Only one more needed item: Reading the directions on laundry detergent. Ms. Cindy came through by providing a bottle. FINAL CHECK. With a flourish.

Yes, we did it in one day, two sittings. And we didn't really make a thing.

Mission accomplished. Sewing project battle completed for this 4-H year. I'm hoping a different general volunteers next year. My sewing machine is still stressed.

Slogans

Call them sayings, slogans or soundbites, there's plenty of good ones out there.

Here's one I just read from Charlie Daniels:

"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."

Chuckle, chuckle.

Sorta reminds me of Proverbs 25:21-22 (NIV)

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.

And its NT counterpart found in Romans 12:19-21 (NIV))
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's
wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"
says the Lord.
20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.


A couple of my favorites:

"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."~C.S. Lewis

"We are not human beings who have occasional spiritual experiences but spiritual beings going through a temporary human experience."

Backed up by:

1 Corinthians 2:16 to 18 - "For which cause we faint not, but though our OUTWARD MAN perish, yet the INWARD MAN is renewed day by day. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and ETERNAL weight of glory; While we look not at THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN, but at THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN; for the THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN are TEMPORAL, but THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN are ETERNAL."

Praise the Lord!

Just the Girls

Stan & Jacob are at work. Caleb & Andrew spent the night with friends and plan to hang-out there until church tonight. Rachel & I have been having a nice "girls day".

We discussed painting her bedroom and how we could arrange things so she can live there while we are working on it. We looked at her horse pictures to see which would look best as part of a boarder. We discussed personal styles & preferences.

In my room stretched out on my bed, we looked at some needle work & discussed some plans for a 4-H sewing project. No, we did not do our HAIR or NAILS. :-)

Rachel & I just got to vocabulary level 40 at http://www.freerice.com/ and donated 1300 grains of rice. We liked that the site will pronounce the words. We wished they used correct words in a sentence! Rachel's favorite new word was chamfron.
Not familiar with it? Don't feel badly. The spell check doesn't know it either!

She went and made microwave fudge with almost no assistance.
"Mom, what is evaporated milk?"
"It's milk with part of the water removed. Look for a can in the pantry."
"Is this it?"
"No, Sweetie, that's sweetened condensed milk. It has sugar in it. See?"
She returns with the proper can. Success!
She reads the instructions. She gets out all the ingredients, measuring by herself. She butters the dish. She weighs-out one pound of confectioners sugar and sifts it with the cocoa. She stirs and spreads into the pan then cooks. The micro-zapped fudged goes into the fridge to cool. I'm looking forward to sampling some. Come on over for a bite!

Gotta go help her with some Spanish now.

Ciao

Me but not Mine

Yesterday while reclining cozily beneath a heated blanket amidst closed curtains, dressed in my hospital snaps & ties gown and blue fuzzy socks, I sought some mental activity. Spying a three ring notebook with MY NAME prominently displayed upon it, I curiously opened it up to view my charts. Moments later a nurse arrived, removed it from my possession and took it with her when she left. Oh, well. Gave me time for prayer & praise music.

Fast forward to my coming out of anesthesia in the recovery room. I've already been given the lovely photo of Polly Polyp - prior to her purging - and am seeking something on which to focus as the drugs wear off and my balance returns. Viola! The notebook is back!

This time I make it to page three when the nurse returns, quickly removing the book from the side table, visibly upset and scolding me as if I were a child.

"What are you doing looking at your charts? You know you are not allowed to look at them!"

???

"No, I don't know I'm not allowed to look at them. Why wouldn't I be? They are about ME. Why can't I see them?"

"You have to sign a form."

"OK. Give it to me & I'll sign." - As If I haven't signed a zillion just for this procedure. What is one more?

I was then informed that I could only see them if I went to some other department, filled out the proper paperwork & paid for copies .

Copies? I don't want copies, I just wanted to look through MY book. They can keep the copies.

I understand the importance of keeping medical information private (not that I really believe that our info is diligently kept from anyone we are not interested in sharing with. Only those we want to have access seem to have trouble getting it. "Fill out this form in triplicate. Sign 6 times. Initial 37 places. Notarize." - but I exaggerate. Slightly.) BUT isn't it a little extreme to keep a patient's information from said patient? What is in this chart that "they" are afraid I will see?

"Patient appears too happy. Check medications."

"Patient names polyps. Check mental history."

"Patient sings to self. Remind to keep day job."

But more seriously, this lack of patient access to their own chart bugs me due in large part to the medical records I received when I was no longer a dependant & the Air Force was good enough to give my stuffed folder to me. I was surprised both at what was not there as well as what was: POSITIVE results for embarrassing tests I had never had - nor had reason to request. How long had they been in there? Did this other person's tests & results effect the treatment I received at other times? How I was viewed as a young person? At that point in time, it did no good to say "these are not mine."

Now my future plans:
1. Start in the middle of the book instead of the front.
2. Practice photographic memory techniques so I can just flip through quickly.
3. Sneak in a flashlight then hide and read under those toasty blankets.

But, it may already be too late.

"Patient exhibits unnatural desire to view own charts. Check FBI Most Wanted list."

Nearly the 4th

We've had an eventful day.

Educationally:
As of this morning, we have two teenage boys licensed to drive (only a slight Bond inference there). Andrew said the tester told him that his 3-point turn was perfect aside from being performed backwards (homeschooled!). He thinks he lost points because he couldn't verbally explain how to park on a hill or exactly where the parking brake is located. "Down there some where."

Hm. We have only parked in flat places so that was a definite learning gap. Now he knows.

Socially:
Andrew drove himself to work today - alone for the first time! - and then to our church's College Bible Fellowship cookout. My idea. He is a high school senior but according to the dual enrollment people he's also officially a college student. I figured, he should be able to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Physically:
Caleb & Rachel returned dirty and smelly from horseback.

Chemically:
They took a bottle of Ms. Cindy's recipe for homemade fly spray with them to try: equal parts water, vinegar & Skin-so-soft. Rachel thought it worked. The horses didn't comment.

Horticulturally:
Caleb is mowing the grass, rapidly rising thanks to all the rain (over an inch yesterday, 60% chance daily for all the forseeable future according to the weatheman). Stan has been loading storm tossed branches onto the burn pile. That burn pile has been building a long time now. When it's dry enough to burn, it's too dry for a fire. When it's wet enough for a fire, it's too wet to burn. I wonder if we have critters living in it. They would not enjoy a bonfire...

Medically:
My 3rd endoscopy yielded 2 polyps, one in the esophagus. As usual, I was provided a photograph of one of them. I believe I'll name this one "Polly", create a RIP frame & hang it in the dining room.

Spiritually:
Isn't God so good to us?
How many 40 year-olds would have their stomach checked for polyps? I praise Him for bringing me to the point of having some questionable symptoms checked. They were NOTHING but the process brought this potentially deadly condition to light: polyps that would become cancerous if left unharvested. My doctor says I should have an EDG every 2-3 years for the rest of my life.

As I was waiting around for my procedure today, I was QUIETLY singing songs from choir: "I Can See Jesus" high and exalted. My eyes are fixed upon His face. It shines like the sun. , "Thou, O Lord" are a Shield for me, my Glory and the Lifter of my head, "We Shall See Jesus" just as He is, "Psalm 23". Personally, I HATE needles & surgeries & being in hospitals. God blessed me with a time of worship - just the two of us - and helped me to smile and be friendly to the hospital personnel instead of focusing on the needles and smells and surroundings. PTL! He is always with us.

Hungrily:
Rachel is reheating leftovers for supper. Roast chicken. Green beans cooked with ham. Baked (actually micro-zapped) potatoes.
Come & get it!

PURDY Prom

The first hint was when Jacob told me that Maryn had bought an expensive "dressy dress". He explained that her Flo-Arts graduating class had decided that they wanted a prom-type dance rather than the traditional graduation party. Maryn was extra excited because it was on her birthday. Don't they look so PURDY?
I, having never been to a prom & knowing that Jacob had not either, asked Maryn what special things might occur at a prom vs. a regular dance. She didn't know because this was her first prom also - she just knew they got to dress up PURDY (please note: these are my words not hers - do not doubt her excellent home plus college educated grammar skills).
So I just had to do the prom mom thing & take their PURDY pictures. Ain't 'cha glad?

Fiendish Fireflies, Batman!

Well, actually they are whiteflies and they are killing my kale!!! Beautiful, bright green leaves have been reduced to mush and the plants are falling over. They are still living at the tops so I sprayed them drippy this morning with some spray recomended by Ms. Ann at Ace. No eating them for 3 days though so don't come raid my garden.

Now the simmering questions:

Will the kale live?

Will those fiendish whiteflies DIE?

Stay tuned!