Tapping Trees

So, what's your definition of "tapping" trees? Trees that tap dance? Or banging on a tree--you know, "tap tap tap" to see what hops out? Or...the most delicious option! Maple syrup time! DS5 and I got a giggle on Tapping Eve over the possible silly definitions of "tapping trees." And I'm sure that tonight he's a very sleepy boy because he was a very busy boy, helping Poppa with those taps. 60 taps is a lot, and 60 buckets will be a lot to gather every day, but boy oh boy, will it smell good cooking and taste good for the next year!

Wednesday Why

Why do the teeny little tiny LR44 batteries come in a package of three when I only need two for my calculator? What on earth will I do with just one battery now? I don't even know of anything else in the house that uses an LR44, and I've had this calculator for eons, probably 15 years, and this is the first time I've replaced the batteries!!! Ya think I'll even know where to FIND that third battery in another 15 years, ROFL?

Is spring coming?

To hear my ds5 talk, you'd think it was! He it totally psyched about maple syrup season. Poppa hauled a load of wood today for the syrup cooking fire and that was all it took to get ds5 thinking and talking and all ready to go help tap trees whenever Poppa says it's time! That'll probably be in the next 2 weeks. We do have a couple of days coming where daytime temps will be above freezing, but then we have some colder days. It's just not quite time! Ah, I can almost smell the sweet scent of it cooking now ;-)

Things in the Sky

Wow, gorgeous moon viewing in our neck of the woods last night! Who else got to see the eclipse? Wasn't it just beautiful? We could see it all right from my bedroom window, tho we did venture out a couple of times to look thru the binoculars. DS5 was so excited about it that he drew pictures and made a book about it. So we have 40 pieces of yellow paper with pictures of moons on them--I could barely get the stapler to fasten them together. I hope we'll get to see the solar eclipse in August as well--that will be fun! I've been noticing that when I come to work in the morning, there's some light in the sky--and when I go home, it's not all the way black. Woohoo, the days are getting longer!

Is this winter????

I left for work this morning and it was 18-20 degrees and raining! (Those were F degrees, not C, LOL ;-) Ahem, but when it's below freezing, is the precipitation not ALSO supposed to be frozen? It was raining soooooooo hard I had to run my vent fan on high heat to keep my windshield from icing--I had music playing--and I could STILL hear the rain hitting my windshield! Maximum safe driving speed was about 2 mph. OK, 8 mph. Really. It was awful! Thank goodness my commute is only 8 miles, which took 20 btw. My shift partner didn't even go home--she'd have had to drive 25 miles. She's in a dark quiet office crashed out on a cot mattress on the floor, poor thing :-( It's warming up above freezing but it'll be a while before the ice disappears from the roads. It's just downright nasty out! How nasy, you ask? This nasty!

And now for today's bizarre coincidence! I was looking at some old ice photos, also taken at work

Isn't that pretty ice? The photo was taken exactly 2 years ago today!!! How bizarre is that, to have nearly identical storms exactly two years apart? (Except we won't be seeing blue sky and sunshine to spark on the icy trees today!)

Scattergories

From Grace Academy

SCATTERGORIES...it's harder than it looks!
1. Copy and paste into your blog.
2. Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...They have to be real places, names, things...nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person who tagged you had the same 1st initial. (WHICH BY THE WAY IS HARD IF YOU ALREADY READ THEIR ANSWERS) You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl.
3. Pass it along to your friends, however many you want!

1. What is your name: Susan
2. 4 letter word: snap
3. Vehicle: Suzuki
4. City: Sault Ste. Marie
5. Boy's Name: Scott
6. Girl's Name: Samantha
7. Drink: Sangria
8. Occupation: Secretary
9. Something you wear: Shirt
10. Celebrity: Susan Sarandon
11. Food: Sausage (vegetarian, if course!)
12. Something found in a bathroom: sink
13. Reason for Being Late: Slow cars in front of me and no way to pass!
14. Cartoon Character: Snoopy
15. Something you shout: Stop!!!
16. Animal: Skunk
17. Body part: Skin
18. Word to describe you: Sympathetic

In Memory

Today would be the 35th birthday of my sister, Sylvia Lee. I wish it were a day we could celebrate. Instead, her little spark was extinguished by that demon, Group B strep. Thank goodness treatment is different and antibiotics are more freely administered than they were in 1973. She would have had a fighting chance, if only they didn't have to wait for a culture to grow before they'd give her anything. A newborn can't wait that long, but she tried as hard as she could :-( 35 years later, and it still hurts.

Romantic Valentine's Day--For 4!

Sometimes kids have a way of nicely being in the way ;-) But I don't mind at all. I know dd10 would have liked to cook for me, but I had special meal plans too, so a compromise was reached. I cooked, the kids served and cleaned up. Hey, we should do that every day, LOL. We did lots of "together cooking," as well. For lunch, we made heart-shaped pizzas with pineapple coleslaw and macaroni salad on the side. For dinner ds5 and I made garlic monkey bread (he loves rolling dough!). We had stuffed shells, broiled eggplant slices, and Asparagus with Walnut Dressing, and tossed salad. True to their word, the kids not only served, but decorated. They even conned Poppa into getting a folding table that they set up in the living room. I wasn't supposed to look but I recognized the sound and offered them a red-checked tablecloth, LOL. So then I was permitted to look and even helped. I added a few nice touches like floating candles ;-) They also dressed for dinner--you know, they had to look the part of restaurant propietors ;-) DS5 even condescended to put on a tie, and left it on until we were done eating! We enjoyed our delicious dinner together and then exchanged Valentine's gifts. DD10 and dh picked out a teal blue jacket for me, and a plush doggie dressed for Valentine's day. DH snuck the purple poodle for dd10 because he saw her admiring it, so he said they'd get "two for mommy" but really it was for her ;-)

All in all, a very enjoyable day/evening.

Another new blog

Not to be outdone by his sister, my ds5 has decided he needs to blog also. His blog is at www.k2smountainofwords.blogspot.com. It's cute!

Interesting Icicle

Eeks, can you believe I couldn't remember how to spell that word? Icicle, I mean. It just didn't look correct with a "y." I'm slipping, LOL. At least I know when I've slipped and I go look up the word that's troubling me ;-)

Anywho, the whole purpose of this entry was to show this funky icicle that I've been watching develop outside my office. Would you believe, when it's 4 degrees out, that anything can melt? Well, the metal roofed portico will melt snow when the sun hits it, no matter what the temperature is, so the birdfeeder pole got drip-drip-dripped on yesterday, and some today until the sun disappeared, and this amusing creation formed.

Marble Math Man

Here's how we've been doing math the past couple of days at our house. DS5's marble collection includes several large marbles, so we call those "10s" and he's learning higher addition that way. He loves it. I've gotten so many kisses and hugs over this math--maybe we should call it "Hug Mom Math" instead of "Marble Math" LOL

New blog under my profile

My dd10 has been begging to blog. Her blog is www.homeschoolednspicy.blogspot.com if you want to take a look!

Murphy's Law for Public Servants

After a large amount of snowfalls, the only calls for police, fire, or EMS will be from people who live far from a plowed road, and probably also from people whose sidewalks/porches/ramps have not been shoveled either. LOL, that's what we're doing today, the day after the storm. We got close to a foot of snow yesterday!

My favorite quote of the day, from Midland County Sheriff Jerry Nielsen: "Remember one thing: In the county, for every one mile of road, there's two miles of ditch." LOL, so true!

The Cat's Diary

Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. Bastards!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now...

The Dog's Diary

:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Dinner! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Things I Like Today

• My God. He is gracious and forgiving, and He died to save me. Wow!
• My hubby . Despite my foibles, he still manages to love me. To feel cared for by him is...well...I guess you'd have to be married to him to know how I feel ;-)
• My kids. They're sweet, and funny. Did I mention sweet? And smart. And I'm so lucky to be their moms.
• Homeschooling. For the above reason. I get more time with them, to enjoy them. They're growing up too fast as it is!
• Sonlight, Math-U-See, Jump In, Wordsmith, Singapore Math, Miquon Math, Hands 'N Hearts history kits.
• My library
• My church. It's home. Now hopefully we'll get a pastor who will shepherd our flock in its home, instead of making them feel unwelcome.
• My parents . What would I do without them? That unconditional love. Almost as good as God. Living next door to them is SUCH a bonus!
• My online friends. All of them. July 97 moms, my hsing friends, you're all my support line. I know you're there when I need you and I hope I can be as good of a friend to you, as you've been to me.
• My pretty new cell phone. I like pink. And new. And toys ;-) And saving money too, LOL.
• My computer. Great lifeline to the world :-)
• Blogging, and reading the blogs of my friends.
• Trying new vegetarian recipes, or a new veg dish at a restaurant.
• My job. It's rewarding to be able to help people, even if they do never think to thank the "voice on the other end of 911."
• My cat . Can't forget the lazy furball. Why did I ever think I didn't like cats? Butterscotch, I'm sorry!
• Vehicles with lights that go 'round and 'round. It's in my blood!
• The King's Singers. Happy 40th anniversary :-)