Of Dogs and Trees

I bought a 1.21 m (4 ft.) Picta Dieffenbacia Tree today at Walmart. Those of you who know me may be wondering why in the world would I do that? I do not have plants in my house and I do not enjoy shopping at Walmart. As a matter of fact, the tree is not even "real." The tag tells me that it is "new material only, content polystyrene foam."

I love plants and years ago I had quite a few of them in my house. When the kids grew up and I began working outside of the home, I found my plants were dying and the ones that were still alive, looked very sad indeed. Real plants need time and effort put into them to stay beautiful looking and healthy. I may start up my plant collection again but for now, there aren't any here.

Personally, I do not feel that "fake" plants belong in my house. It's either real or nothing at all. I know that there may be some of you who have them in your houses and that's fine. I do not condemn you. I just don't want them in my place. They get dusty and tired looking, just like the real ones so I'd rather not have them here. I'm a bit of a snob that way. If it can't be real, I don't want it. This goes for bacon bits, cheese whiz and carob chips too. Give me the real stuff or don't give me anything at all.

So, why did I buy the fake dieffenbachia?

Well, it has to do with Sammy. He's been with us for almost 3 months and we are getting pretty comfortable with one another. Wes and Sammy attended obedience classes and passed. (The certificate is on the 'frig, right next to Kristen's report card.) Sammy can sit, shake, go down and stay. We're still working on come. However, Sammy has decided that the landing to the 3rd floor of our house is a good place to do his business. We would find little "gifts" from him and Wes would dutifully clean them up and spray something on the carpet that would supposedly deter Sammy from doing it again. It seemed to work. No more brown turds.

Last week, I smelled something as I was going up the stairs and upon closer inspection of the carpet, noticed that there were yellow stains there. Sammy wasn't doing his big business there anymore but it seems that he felt that peeing was acceptable.

Not in this house.

I rented a steam cleaner from Safeway and cleaned up the mess.

Now that the carpet is clean, I want to keep Sammy away from there and this is where the fake tree comes in. Sammy is still very timid. He's afraid of the garbage cans on trash day, he doesn't like my gym bag sitting on the kitchen floor and he's skittish about the vacuum cleaner. I thought that perhaps I should put something "scary" on the landing to keep him away. Hence, the tree. I'm cashing in on his timidity and hoping that the tree will scare him away from the landing.

Hopefully, I won't have to buy any more fake trees.

This and That #2

Once again, it's been a long time since I've posted. Sorry to those of you who faithfully check this blog daily. It's just that I've been busy. Here are just a few of the things that have kept me going for the last month or so.

For the last six or so weeks, I've spent one day each week at Yvonne's place. We own 2 wing chairs that were in desperate need of reupholstering so I brought the chairs over to Yvonne's and we took them apart. George fixed them up so they no longer wiggle and squeak and I cut out the fabric and last week, finally finished making the cushions. If I have the time, this week we'll put the new fabric on the chairs and they'll be as good as new. I am particularly proud of the fact that the fabric cost me $40.00 for both chairs, I could use the old foam from the seat cushions and I just needed a few other things for my project. These chairs will cost me less than $50.00 each. Not bad eh? I'll post a photo once they're done. It'll be good to have something to sit on. All that's left in our living room is a couch and one chair that's not terribly comfortable.

Last Friday I was at a shower for a friend-Lee, who at 54, has finally found love. She is so happy and it was such a pleasure to celebrate her upcoming marriage with her and a group of incredibly interesting women who are lucky enough to call her a friend.

I started going to the gym! Yvonne and I joined a gym and we have been going 5 times a week. We frequently spend more than an hour there but it's worth it. Do I feel good! The endorphins just flood my body with their feel-good hormones and I feel that all is well with the world.

We just bought a new car. Wes and I were driving in the van one evening when it just quit on us. Wes thought it was the fuel pump but our mechanic had a different diagnosis. We needed an new engine! Yikes! The van is about 10 years old and had a number of other problems so we decided to get rid of it. While I love the new car (a Hyundai Sonata) I don't like the monthly payments.

This Sunday, I'm doing the "talk" at church. This is what many other churches refer to as the "sermon." I'll be preoccupied with that this week so I don't think I'll post until after it's finished.

I have come to the end of this little entry. I'm sorry if I've bored you with the ho hum facts of my life. I'm not feeling particuarly creative or inspired today. But I do know that there are some people who check this out and will be happy to read something new, even if it is a little dull.

I hope the rest of you keep writing because I always enjoy a new entry!

More Than a Summertime Fling

I got a call from Kristen this afternoon.

"Hi mom, I'm at CJ's."

Me: "When will you be coming home?"

Kristen: "I don't know."

Me: "Oh."

Kristen: "It's our 6 month anniversary today!"

I must confess. I thought this would be a "summer fling." To be honest, back then, I had hoped it would be. But I think Kristen's in love too (see previous post). And CJ's a REALLY nice guy.

Lovesick

I knew something was wrong on Monday night when he came home and didn't eat supper. Same thing Tuesday. Came home Tuesday night around 2:00 AM. I checked for a pulse, fever, flu, cold, something but he seemed fine-actually, better than fine.

oooooooh.

I think Tim's in love.

Happy Birthday Michele!

Today is my sister’s birthday. I won’t tell you how old she is because she is feeling a little sensitive about that these days but I couldn’t let this day go by without doing something. So, Yvonne and I have compiled a list that will highlight the things that we love and appreciate about Michele.

1. She’s fun and she’s funny. There is less laughter at our Monday night family dinners when Michele’s not there.
2. She’s smart but doesn’t flaunt it.
3. She’s one of the most creative people we know.
4. She’s wise.
5. I am always impressed with how she tackles a new project.
6. Even though she’s the baby of the family, she has never acted spoiled.
7. She was smart enough to marry a wonderful man.
8. She keeps a neat, tidy, organized household.
9. She loves our kids.
10. She has taught me more about boundaries than anyone else.
11. Her son Joey has 3 lizards and a snake. In his bedroom. (The lizards eat crickets and the snake eats mice) Enough said.
12. She has successfully passed her love of reading and books on to her children.
13. She only needs to hear the words of a song once to be able to sing it through its entirety.
14. When she sets her mind to do something, she does it with gusto.
15. She loves God.
16. She’s got a funky sense of style including her green toe nails, bright lipsticks, and cool scarves on bad hair days.
17. She has a terrific sense of humour and is able to laugh at herself.
18. She is presently writing her second textbook. I wish that textbooks were written by people like Michele when I was young.
19. She is a great cook. A few days ago, when we were catering a dinner, we realized that we had forgotten to make the salad dressing. All we had to do was call Michele, tell her what kind of salad we had made and she came up with a dressing that was perfect.
20. She is one of the most generous people I know.
    

There you are folks. I think this might embarrass Michele a bit but I think that we don’t often share enough of these kinds of things with the people we love. We'll be taking her out for lunch tomorrow, just the sisters.

I am blessed.

The Cutest Blogger in the World

While I think my children are all very good looking, they are no longer "cute" like young kids. I had to post this picture of "the cutest blogger in the world." This particular blogger might not want to consider himself "cute" and I apologize to him in advance. But *I* think he still is. Soon enough he will be "hot" or "cool" so I'm going to enjoy the "cute" whether he likes it or not.

Happy Valentine's Day!

One dozen premium long-stemmed roses are now available at Safeway for $29.99. The "Unforgettable Dozen Roses Arrangement" is a mere $44.99. Last time I was at the grocery store, you could get roses for about $12.00 a dozen. D'ya think that it might have something to do with Valentine's Day?

Wes used to always get me flowers on Valentines Day. He is very sweet that way. But a number of years ago I told him that I didn't want flowers because I already know that he loves me-he doesn't have to say it with flowers. And besides, who can afford $29.99 (plus tax) for flowers that often begin to droop within a day or so?

There's a lot of pressure for you men out there because it seems to me that you are the ones who have to shell out your hard earned cash. The flyers are coming fast and furious-jewellry, candy, chocolate, flowers. It's easier for the women. We just have to sit at home and look pretty for you. If we want to, we can cook you a romantic dinner but that's where our Valentines Day responsibility ends. If you don't come through for us, you're in trouble. But if we decide to do nothing, you've got to be okay with that. Even I, can appreciate the unfairness of that.

Happy Valentines day folks! All *I* want is a simple "I love you" or, at the very least, a simple "I like you."

Voting

I voted yesterday. Even though my vote doesn't really count as I am in Bill Blakie's riding and he ALWAYS wins, by a landslide. It took all of 5 minutes or so and while I was there, I had a few random thoughts:

- I thought of people in other countries who risk their lives to vote. Too often we hear of violence and intimidation on voting days in countries who are attempting to establish democracy.
- I remember watching a news story about election day in an African country (I don't remember which one it was) where people stood out in the blazing sun for hours, patiently waiting to mark their ballots.
- There are places in the world where all of the candidates are from one party. You get to vote "yes" or "no."
- Election day is one of those days where everyone in my neighbourhood stops for a moment and goes to vote. There is a bit of a party atmosphere in the polling station and I always think that they should have at least coffee and doughnuts for all of us. Then we can sit around and just "shoot the breeze" for a while.
- I really sense a strong feeling of community at the polling station. I can't recall any other time where I feel so much a part of my neighbourhood and my country. There are lots of people out on the street-walking-as the polling station is usually pretty close to home.
- I also feel that as an active voter, I do have the right to criticize and comment on what our politicians are doing. I participated in the election process, therefore I may participate in whatever happens once things are settled after the election. Those people who choose not to vote (and in my mind there is no good reason not to vote) have no right to comment on anything. When people tell me that they are not voting because they don't like any of the candidates, I want to tell them to get involved and change things. They cannot just stick their heads in the sand and then criticize whatever happens.

If you didn't vote, it's too late for you now but I would really encourage you to go out and vote next time you have a chance. Democracy depends on it.

New Year Resolution of a Mildly Disorganized Person

Not much to report today except that I had a good one. And, my office at the church is finished! Hooray! Now I have a place to work. It's tough doing it at home on the kitchen table. Only problem is that now I no longer have a "good" excuse for my disorganization.

There is a "Video Stop" store about one block from my home. It's smaller than some of the huge video rental places around town but it has more than enough selection for me. And...the best part about this place is that if you haven't returned your movie by 6:00 PM, they will call you with a reminder that your movie is due. How many places do that eh? They will only charge a late fee ($2.00) if it hasn't been returned by the time they open the next day. I think "Madeline at Video Stop" has our phone number memorized because she calls us so often. Wes and I don't watch too many movies but between us and the rest of the family living here in this old house, we are pretty good customers.

You see, I am not naturally a very organized person. I write most things down but all too often, the scrap of paper, napkin or envelope disappears and I can't remember the message or phone number. Every January I buy myself a nice new Daytimer and hope that this will be the year. Unfortunately, the Daytimer all too often languishes on a shelf, hardly used. I buy it in January because I can usually get one on sale so that when I dispose of it in December, I don't have to feel too guilty about hardly using it.

So, once again, this year I have every intention to be "more organized." I once asked Wes to teach me how to be more organized because to him, it seems to come more naturally. He looked at me and said "Huh? I don't know, you just do it." So, no lessons from Wes. He'd probably tell me to write my notes in a book or a planner and not on little pieces of paper which wouldn't help me anyway. He is gracious and very patient with me.

I don't make New Year's Resolutions because, I am seldom able to keep them. But, this year, I resolve to be more thankful for people like Madeline and Wes, who are willing to show me grace and understanding, accepting my foibles as part of who I am.

Now that's a resolution that I can keep.

Update on Sammy

Sammy's been with us for 2 weeks now and today, we realized that it is entirely possible that he doesn't seem to understand our commands because he was raised with a French speaking family. He seemed to respond much more favorably to our French commands than to our English commands. We do not know much about Sammy's past except that he was picked up by the Winnipeg Animal services (the dog pound) after the police arrested his owner. There are many communities around Winnipeg with lots of Francophones, so it is very possible that he is a French speaking dog. No wonder he can't sit, stay, lie down, heel...Sammy's signed up for Dog Training on Thursday but I'm wondering if instead, Wes and I should take French classes.

Here are two lists that I've made up in honour of Sammy. This morning he was in the dog house but tonight, I'm a little less frustrated with him and actually hopeful that he's already learned a lesson or two about sleeping until at least, 6:30 AM.

What I Like About Sammy:

1. He's quite cute.
2. He doesn't shed too much.
3. For 22 1/2 hours out of every 24, he doesn't bark.
4. He doesn't mind when I wipe his paws.
5. He "forces" me to go out for a walk, even when I don't feel like it.
6. Wes says he likes his bath.
7. He doesn't jump up on people.
8. He usually "goes" outside.
9. He doesn't beg at the dinner table.
10. He doesn't chew.

What I Don't Like About Sammy:

1. He barks at 4:30 in the morning.
2. Nothing we do can get him to stop.
3. Waking up at 4:30 AM can make me very cranky.
4. He smells like wet dog after he comes in for a walk and I don't like that smell.
5. I really don't like him on the couch.
6. When he wakes me up at 4:30 AM, I can't get back to sleep.
7. I'm sure he'd love to sleep with me and Wes but I will not sleep with a dog. Wes knows it's either me or the dog.
8. He doesn't seem to mind getting sprayed in the face with water (the dog, not Wes).
9. I keep telling him that I am top dog but he doesn't seem to get it.
10. He barks for about an hour from 4:30-6:00 AM.

If anyone out there in blog land can give me an idea as to what I can do about the barking, I'd love to hear it. Remember, sleeping on the bed is not an option! I hope that before too long my "What I Like About Sammy" list is longer than my "What I Don't Like About Sammy" list.

This and That

I went out this morning and as I was walking toward the garage, three thoughts popped into my head:

1. I'm so grateful for a garage. There must have been 15 cm. of snow (that's 6 inches for those of you who think in imperial terms) that had fallen and I didn't have to clean it off of my car.
2. My car is FILTHY. With lots of near zero temperatures, the roads are really messy and it is impossible to keep a car clean. I need to clean it today as I can no longer see out the windows.
3. I have to get gas. I'm down to a quarter tank.

Imagine my delight when I got to my car to find it squeaky clean with a full tank of gas! Now that's sweet. And you'd never believe who did it for me. Tim! There aren't too many 18 year olds who will do that when borrowing their mom's car. Today, he's my favourite son.

Introducing...Sammy

Here he is. Last night was a pretty good night so today I'm liking him a little more. When I left this morning to take Kristen to her basketball practise he decided to leave a little "gift" on the floor. Oh well, what can I expect. Hopefully it won't happen too often. This floor, as you can see is pretty easy to clean up. Notice the mop and pail in the corner. It's staying there for a while. No need to put it away especially if I need to use it regularly.

He's definitely cuter than the turkey wouldn't you say?

Sammy

Heather suggested to me that she was getting tired of the old ugly turkey and that I should get off my butt and write something else. Well, she didn’t actually say it that way but if you’ve been checking this blog for new posts, you’re probably getting pretty tired of that ugly bird too.

We had a wonderful Christmas/New Years break this year. Wes always gets the whole week off so that’s always nice. We had briefly considered redecorating our bedroom and I’m glad we didn’t do it. I was worried that our normally busy life would become busier and more hectic if we went ahead with a project like this. They always seem to take more time, energy and money than we expect. Now, we’re feeling like we had a real holiday and are feeling peaceful and rejuvenated.

The big news in our family for 2006 is the fact that we got a dog. Yes, I, Linda, pet tolerator am now the owner of a very cute 8 month old Cocker Spaniel named Sammy. Several weeks ago I suggested that perhaps, one day, in the future, at some time, we might possibly consider owning a dog. That was all Wes had to hear. That evening he was on line, searching for dogs that might be appropriate for us. He printed up pictures, bookmarked web sites and emailed links to me-all doggy related. When Sammy became available, how could I suggest that we wait a bit longer? Wes was really anxious to get us a dog and so, on Sunday, January 1, we picked Sammy up from a foster home.

The first day was rough. We have never owned a dog so we were pretty unsure of what to do although we had borrowed a number of books from the library. Sammy did his business 5 times-four times in the house and only once outside. Then, Sunday night Wes and I had to take turns staying up with him because as soon as we left him, he would start crying and barking. We really don’t want him on our bed-especially because he’s got fleas-so there we were, on the couch in the living room, within site of Sammy, trying to reassure him that we were not going to abandon him.

The second day was much better. We read the books and put Sammy on a schedule. We did not let him out of our sight and he was successful in the “business” part of his life. He hardly barked and that night, after covering his kennel with a blanket, he slept until 6:30 am. Day 3 was good too. And he slept through the night again.

Last night, for some reason, he started barking again. What’s the deal with that? Is he getting more comfortable with us and therefore more demanding? We agreed (translation: *I* insisted) that Wes would be the one with the primary responsibility for Sammy and so he was up until midnight trying to stop the barking. Finally, I heard some banging, crashing and …silence. Wes came to bed and told me that he put Sammy and his kennel into the heated front porch. Before he could finish telling me, we heard the unmistakable sounds of a dog barking only it was much fainter. We decided that we could not let this continue either because we were sure the neighbours could hear Sammy through the windows in the porch. Wes retrieved Sammy and kennel while I did a google search on “nighttime barking.”

(Warning: If you are a dog lover, please do not continue reading)
It seems that the solution that a number of sites had for a barking dog was water. If the dog starts barking, just squirt a bit of water at him and the barking should stop. Well, that’s what we did. Every time Sammy started again, he’d get a firm “Quiet!” and a squirt. It seemed somewhat cruel but I figured it was animal lovers who suggested this and if we didn’t get some sleep, we’d be treating everyone around us cruelly. Three or four visits to the kennel to squirt Sammy and once again…silence.

This morning, he was none the worse for wear and was happy to see both Wes and I, the cruel pet owners. I hope he’s learned his lesson. I really don’t want to have to do that again.

I am no longer a pet tolerator, I am a pet “liker.” Who knows, maybe one day I’ll become a pet lover. Sammy’s one cute dog. I'll post a picture some other time. Blogger's giving me a hard time. Aaaarg.

The Christmas Turkey

I cooked a 40 pound turkey on Saturday. That's not a typo folks, it was 40 pounds. As you can see from the photo, it looks mighty big compared to the 500 ml pyrex measuring cup next to it. It took about 12 hours to cook in the oven. Fortunately, I have a big oven and a very large foil pan in which to bake this bird.

My sisters and I make lunch for all of the volunteers who work at Winnipeg Harvest every Monday. As you can imagine, there are plenty of turkeys (both the human and frozen kind) at the food bank this time of year and I thought it might be a nice idea to have hot turkey sandwiches for lunch. Michele had the "perfect" turkey for me. "It must be at least 40 pounds!" And she was right. This was one ugly bird but it was also surprisingly moist and tasty. I'm glad we went through the trouble to cook it even though a couple of smaller birds would have been easier to handle. Thank goodness for Wes who was so willing to lug that thing from my car to the back porch (my winter freezer), into the kitchen, into the oven, out of the oven, back into the oven...you get the picture.

The hot turkey sandwiches were a big hit. We made them last year too and they were so big that I actually got one marriage proposal and one "inquiry." Nothing so exciting happened this year although lunch was much appreciated by everyone.

The turkey that we cook for Christmas dinner will be a wee bit smaller and will require significantly less work. That's a good thing. I don't want to be cooking a 40 pounder too often.

What I Learned in 2005

Things with Kristen are settling down a bit. 2005 was a tough year for us. We fought, we simmered, we pouted. We saw a family therapist a few times who helped us to understand what was going on. That was very helpful.

In the last few months as I have been trying to process and further understand what has happened this year, I came to a few realizations.

1. For 24 of my 48 years, I have defined myself primarily as a mother. I have 4 children and they have been my pride and joy, my raison d'etre for most of my years. Just a few weeks ago, I realized that while the fact that I'm a mother hasn't changed, the reality of my parenting has changed dramatically. My children no longer need me as they did just a few short years ago. When they were younger, I was their primary care-giver, food supplier, nose blower, tear wiper and chauffeur. I was the first person they came to for advice and help. Today, each of my kids has a circle of people around them who support and encourage them and I am not necessarily the first person they turn to anymore. While I have known this in my head, I think I have finally accepted this in my heart.

2. I realized that while Ben and Eric were beginning their real independence during their teen years, I had Tim and Kristen who kept me busy and who occupied much of my time. While it was sometimes hard to deal with the independence of my 2 oldest sons, I didn't have a lot of time to process what was going on. Maybe I was just in denial-who knows. Now that Tim and Kristen are becoming more independent, I must deal with the reality of my changing role in their lives. I think that is a huge reason why Kristen and I have had our struggles. I have been having trouble letting go.

3. A very wise woman told me that all of our children have to find their own paths. I cannot send them down the road that I think they should go. God has a plan and a purpose for them, just as he does for me and while I can encourage them and love them, they need to decide where their journey will take them. Rather than taking them by the hand and leading them, I need to let go of them and cheer them on, even when I feel they are making some poor choices. I can be there for them when their choices cause them pain, but I cannot force them to do anything they don't want to do.

4. I learned this year that in all of my relationships, I have certain responsibilities to make those relationships work. I need to accept the flaws of other people, just as they accept my flaws. I need to realize that sometimes, the people closest to me can hurt me deeply but I forgive them because the relationship means too much to me to give up on it. And I am deeply grateful to the many people who continue to love me despite the hurt I have caused them. In all of my relationships, I can only be responsible for my part. I realized that this is true for my children too. Each one of them has some responsibility in their relationship with me. While I may desire for a deeper, closer relationship, I cannot expect or force my kids to get deeper and closer with me unless that is what they desire. I think that in some very subtle ways (and perhaps not so subtle ways!) I have tried to force something from them that they have been unable and unwilling to give.

I suppose that for some people the things I have learned are obvious. And they are, on one level, even to me. But the reality is, these are also hard lessons and I can be a slow learner.

I read a great quote the other day. "Pain is the touchstone of all spiritual progress." I believe that the pain we experience often causes us to look deep inside of us and (for me) to turn with greater urgency to Jesus Christ, the source of peace, hope and joy. The pain brings spiritual growth and a greater awareness of who we are and our purpose in this world.

My natural inclination is to run away from pain. As soon as it comes, I try to get rid of it as quickly as I can. I need to remind myself constantly that when the pain comes, if I face it with courage and determination, I can be sure that God will be right there with me. I don't need to get rid of it immediately. There's nothing wrong with living with the pain for a time. My God will bring comfort but he will also sit back and allowing me to struggle so that I can discover just what it is that he wants to teach me.

In my 12 Step group, some of the people introduce themselves by saying, "Hi, I'm _____ and I'm a grateful ______." I'm still not quite there yet but it is my hope that I can be grateful for the challenges in my life because they truly, draw me closer to God and bring a deeper sense of peace and contentment to my life.

The Things We Do For Our Kids

Thursday night, I was at the bar. Again. I've been to more bars in the last year than I ever went to during my youth. And I'm going to the bar for my children.

Last spring, Kristen's volleyball team had a fund raiser at "The Bicycle Club." While the athletes themselves were all too young to go to a bar, the parents had the opportunity to sell tickets to a "Bud, Spud and Steak" dinner. So, I invited 10 or more friends (actually, they were almost all family and we forced the 18 year old nephew to come too). I was so unsure of how to act at the bar, I had to ask Frank how to order a glass of wine. I know, I'm a cheap date. One glass of wine. It was fun because I was with a group of people that I liked to be with and most of us hadn't been to the bar in years.

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself at Coyotes, a bar in the south end of town. I, along with Wes and about 100 people who were young enough to be my children were there to cheer "our" band, Focus, in the "Battle of the Bands" competition. Did I feel out of place! If you ever want to experience feeling old, frumpy and totally out of your element, I suggest you go to a place like Coyotes. While I am not the kind of woman who has go to the washroom with someone else, I had to ask Jae to accompany me. I was afraid I would embarrass myself as I made my way to the washrooms. I needed someone young and hip to walk with me. She was happy to assist. Coyotes was loud and I had to endure 2 bands before Focus came on at 11:00, way past my bedtime. The good thing about that though, was that they were great and advanced to the next stage of the battle. They will play again on the 21st of December. Another good thing is that I actually like the Focus guys (especially my son, the cute drummer) and I enjoy their music.

So on Thursday, once again, I was at the bar. This time it was "Academy Bar and Grill." This was more my style. It is more like a funky restaurant than a bar and there weren't too many people there to make me feel old. The ocassion was "Academy Idol" and, you guessed it, Focus was playing. They had a great set. This was one show Kristen could attend so she was there along with CJ. Alvaro came along too so we had a bit of a family event.

So, 3 times at the bar in my 49th year. That's a record for me. I thought I left my bar hopping days behind me when I got married (although you could hardly describe my teenaged/young adult years as bar hopping years. I can remember 2 bar experiences from those days).

So, if you're looking for a place to go some evening, check out the Focus website. If they're playing somewhere, there's a good chance you'll see a 40 something couple looking like they just don't quite belong there. Come over and say hi. I just might buy you a drink.

Tree's Up!

I really love a beautifully decorated house for Christmas. And we have a huge, old house with 10 foot ceilings and I think that our house looks especially beautiful at Christmas time. So, while I love the house decorated, I do not enjoy doing the decorating. When the kids were young, everyone wanted to get in on the act and we would spend fun evenings together, each hanging our favourite ornaments. When they got a little older, they actually decorated on their own for a few years with just a little direction from me.

Fortunately for me I have a keener husband who, like me, enjoys a decorated house but unlike me, is willing to do the work. We are also back to a real tree. We had to get rid of our fake tree a couple of years ago and haven't got around to buying another one. I do love the real tree. As you can see, it's beautiful and the smell cannot be imitated by any spray, candle or potpourri.


You'll have to cock your head to the side to see this photo properly. I had to shoot it "corner to corner" so you could see the angel up top.

My Everyday Life

I think that I better post something before those of you who check this blog everyday give up on me. I'm around, I've enjoyed reading your posts and I've made a few comments here and there. I just haven't felt like there was much to write about. Life has been too busy lately (sorry for whining) and one of the first things to go when I get overwhelmed is my "fun time" on the computer. So, I'll write some random thoughts, just so you all know that I'm still alive and kicking.

-My sisters and I made lunch at Winnipeg Harvest a few days ago. We do this every Monday because we love cooking and we love the challenge of cooking at the food bank. The challenge is that we walk into the warehouse around 10:00 AM on Monday mornings and we decide the lunch menu based on what's available there. We never know! Yesterday, we cooked for about 75 people (including Tom Jackson) with only a microwave, 3 crockpots and a frying pan. The lunch menu consisted of cream of potato soup, pear salad with feta cheese and a meditteranean-style dressing, fresh fruit salad and BLTs.

Over the past 3 or so years, we have had grilled portobello mushrooms, cream of asparagus soup, and various curried dishes. We've made sandwiches with "egg salad" made out of tofu, Mexican style wraps and reuben sandwiches. We laugh at the irony that there are times we cook with foods in abundant supply at the food bank which we seldom purchase ourselves because of expense!

Many of the volunteers we cook for at Winnipeg Harvest are themselves clients of the food bank. They do not have a lot of opportunities to experience unique foods. So we try to highlight interesting flavours, spices and vegetables. We are proud of the fact that it was we who introduced sprouts to them. At first, people would remove the sprouts from their sandwiches or turn up their noses at them. Now, people just expect that they are part of the sandwiches we make and some have told us that they really enjoy them.

-Last week Thursday I went to Yvonne's to work on the sampler quilt that I am making. I was not very happy with the first block I made just over a month ago but I was very happy with the pinwheel blocks that I created this time around. It will probably take me a year to finish this quilt but that's okay. I'm enjoying this process. It is satisfying to spend an evening with a group of people, where nothing matters except for deciding what fabrics look best together and making straight 1/4 inch seams.

-Tonight I'm writing this post from the church. Very few people are coming out to participate on our "Wednesday Nights" and I don't have anything to do except lock up at the end of the evening. I'm glad I could take my computer along to catch up on my blogging. I am looking forward to my regular commitments coming to an end for the Christmas break.

-Last night Wes and I went to MTC (Manitoba Theatre Centre) to watch "A Christmas Carol." It was a great show with neat special effects (the ghost of Christmas Past actually flew with Scrooge). The costumes were excellent too.

-Tomorrow, I get to watch "Focus" (the band Tim is with) play at Academy Bar and Grill. It should be fun and because it is an all ages show, Kristen may be able to come by after her basketball game.

-Friday, it's off to Yvonne's to decorate cookies-women only. Yvonne excels at that kind of thing and at the end of the evening, we'll all be able to take home a dozen decorated cookies.

So, yeah, life is busy but life is good.

My problem

My problem is that I'm actually beginning to like CJ. He was here for supper one evening last week and we talked about world events and other important stuff. I was hoping that this would just be a summer "fling" for Kristen but it has now been going on for about 4 months.

What do I do now? What if they keep dating for months, or years? What if they break up in a couple of months. Do I stop liking him? Do I never see him again?

Do our children ever consider how their parents have to deal with a relationship?

Happy Birthday Eric #2

Here it is, a long overdue post about Eric, my second born, who turned 22 on November 10, 2005.

I think that being the second-born can be a bit of a challenge. The oldest child has already done a lot of the "firsts" and so the second child often feels like he/she needs to find a way to stand out. Eric stood out from the beginning. I like to brag about the fact that he was almost 11 pounds at birth. That's right. One ounce short of 11 pounds. They sent him to the intermediate care nursery at the hospital as soon as he was born because they wanted to keep an eye on him due to his size. When I went down to see him, it was no problem picking him out. He was the healthy looking, full term baby in a room with all of the other wee 5 pound or less babies.

Eric was the absolute cutest baby around. I know. You all think your kids are cute but Eric stood out. White blond hair, chubby pink cheeks and beautiful blue eyes. (I still think he's cute)

Eric, I have always appreciated your imagination and creativity. You would solicit the help of your younger siblings to create plays and dramas. We even have "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" on a VHS tape. It's such fun to watch. You produced, narrated, directed and acted and you got Tim and Kristen to join in the fun too.

You have always had a sensitive side. There is something within your spirit that draws children. I just loved it when little, 2 year old Micah would call you "Ericmyfriend." Even today, Micah's 9 and he and his little buddies consider you their friend. There is a gentleness and approachability that you have that allows children to feel comfortable and accepted in your presence. You will make a great dad one day.

One of the ways you've had to stand out in this family is your decision to follow the drama/music path in your life. You actually were a pretty good volleyball player and athlete in juniour high but you chose to pursue the artistic side of your personality. I am so proud of you for doing that and for investing your time and energy into your music. And look where it's gotten you! I can't wait to hear Aslan's Child. I'm glad that you are really enjoying your participation in that group.

I also appreciate your willingness to follow your own path. Ever since you were able to communicate, you could not be forced into anything you didn't want to do. Sometimes, that created some tension between you and I when you were little but it is a character trait that will continue to stand you in good stead. Did you know that Eric means "honourable ruler?" A leader with integrity and honour-that's you.

I am pleased that you are working so hard these days to get your communications degree. You are taking a full course load and you are working at Aqua-Tech. You're impacting the lives of children in the GNF Children's Community and you are part of Aslan's Child. You have filled your life with important, "eternal" things and I am so proud of you for making those choices and decisions.

I am excited about what God has in store for you, in your 23rd year. In the bible Jeremiah 29: 11-13 says: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart"

That is my hope and prayer for you Eric.

Love,
Mom

(P.S. Jeremiah 29: 6 says, "Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters." Eric, I know this really cute girl...)

Happy Birthday Eric!

It was Eric's birthday on Nov. 10 and as you can all see, I haven't posted in a while. This post will be short but I wanted you all to know that I haven't forgotten his birthday. How can a mother forget the birth of a child? Not me; but it was an icredibly busy week, culminating in a wonderful weekend retreat. I will post a blog about Eric around the end of this week I hope. There isn't enough time for me to write what I'd like about him and as I'm leaving tomorrow to go on a 5 day conference, I won't have time to write anything today.

So Eric, I haven't forgotten. See you next weekend!

At the risk of offending dog lovers everywhere...

Is this not the craziest thing you've heard of yet? I'm speechless. This time, I really don't know what to say.

It Worked For Michele...

Micah,
Please Post
I LOVED your eye test.

Can you tell me a joke?
Or a story about school?
I miss your blogs.
I wannna know about your life.

My Trip Downtown

We have been down to one car for about 4 weeks now. It’s a long story and I won’t bore you with the details but it all started when Wes rear-ended someone on his way home from work on October 3. Owning an older vehicle is like owning an older home. As soon as you start on one job, you discover many others that need doing.

As a result of this inconvenience, I’ve been taking the bus more often lately. It’s been good for me and I have felt quite smug and self-righteous about doing my part for the “One Tonne Challenge” by using public transit.

I have learned a thing or two about bus etiquette and I will post a list of things that I feel need to be addressed. Keep in mind that I do not use the bus during rush hour. I generally end up riding the bus between the hours of 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM along with old ladies, homeless people, some university students, and various people who do not look like they are gainfully employed.

Here’s my list. Unfortunately for me, the people who should be reading this list will not recognize themselves but it feels good for me to get it off my chest anyway. Maybe I should print it up and post it on the bus shelters…

1. Please make sure you are at the bus stop a good minute before the bus is scheduled to arrive. That way we won’t have to wait for you as you attempt to run to catch the bus.

2. Have your ticket/bus pass/money ready so that you can deposit it into the thingy as soon as you get on the bus.

3. If the bus is full and you are standing in the aisle, move aside for me when I’m trying to make my way to the door. And hold onto the pole please, not the handles that hang from the ceiling of the bus. I don’t want to stand under your armpit.

4. This leads me to the most important point of all, TAKE A BATH before you plan to ride the bus. Don’t you notice that I am gagging, holding my nose and trying to stay down-wind of you?

5. If you are not too steady on your feet, don’t stand up to leave until the bus stops. That would save you from falling onto my lap as you are struggling to walk while the bus is moving.

6. If you are chubby and are sharing a seat with me, it is important to clench your butt muscles and make yourself as small as possible to avoid touching my butt.

7. You might enjoy the music on your Discman but I’m not. Keep the volume down!

8. This one is serious folks. If a woman with a baby, an elderly person with a cane or anyone else who should be seated comes on the bus, GIVE THEM YOUR SEAT! Whatever happened to common courtesy? I am appalled at the young people especially, who will not give up their seats for some of these people.

Our van should be ready some time this week. It will be a little easier for me to get around once I have sole use of the car. It’s been good for me though, to have rubbed shoulders (or butts) with people using public transit. It struck me as ironic one day as I was taking the bus to meet with Wes and our financial planner to talk about RRSPs and investments that I was sharing my seat with a smelly, homeless man who was carrying his possessions in a back pack.

Life can seem mighty strange sometimes.
.

Happy Birthday Kristen!

My “baby” turns 17 today. Yup. Halloween day. She was born around 5:00 PM, right around the time that my poor, stressed out mom was dressing up 3 little boys in their respective costumes and attempting to respond to the calls of “Halloween apples!” by the front door. She managed, I managed and she was even able to come to the hospital and visit me after the evenings festivities were over.

This post is dedicated to Kristen Elise Postma, my one and only, my beloved daughter.

When I was pregnant with my fourth child people would often ask me if I was hoping for a girl. I always said no, that I would be happy with either sex. And that was true. But when you were born I realized that having a little girl was really a bonus for me. I truly would have been happy with a boy but it has been a real treat having another “girl” in the house.

Kristen, I have always admired your discipline and perseverance. You seldom procrastinate. You are one of the few people I know (your dad’s another one) who will start on a project when it is assigned and not wait until the day before it is due. I think that is one of the reasons that you have always been on the honour roll at school.

Perhaps because you were the youngest or perhaps because you were the only girl, you always felt that it was important for you to let your brothers know that you could not be “pushed around.” You expressed yourself clearly and strongly and they responded to that.

You have always had an independent nature. You could not be easily convinced to do something that you didn’t want to do. While that caused (and at times still causes) some difficulties between you and I, I know that this is a wonderful trait for you to have. You will decide to do something because you want to do it and not because someone else says you should. Do you remember the time when Tim cut his finger and needed stitches? One of the ways you asserted your independence was by not wanting to wear socks. Well, when you heard that you had to join your dad to take Tim to the hospital, I was shocked as to how quickly you could find a pair of socks and put them on. You were ready to go in record time.

You always loved to do crafts. The messier, the better. Finger paints, papier-mâché. Remember the time Tim had a project due on a Monday and (unlike you) didn’t start it until the day before? The project was a relief map including rivers, a mountain and various other geographical features. This is something that we knew he could never finish on his own so you got in there and with great enthusiasm, helped him with his project. He got an excellent grade on it too, thanks in a large part to you.

Another thing I admire about you is your determination. When you decide you want to do something, you will do it until you are satisfied with the outcome. Remember that you wanted to learn how to play the song from the Titanic, “My Heart Will Go On and On?” I tried to convince you that there was no way you could learn it but you kept asking me and asking me until I finally began to teach it to you. I was sure that you’d get bored before too long and give up. Well, I taught it to you one measure at a time and sure enough, you learned how to play the whole song. I was, and still am amazed that you learned it and that you played it so well!

It has been such a pleasure to watch you grow up. You have made many wise choices over the years and some not so wise choices. But you have learned from your mistakes and that takes real wisdom and maturity. You have taught me much about myself and while that has been hard for me, it has been good too. You have reminded me that I can trust you, that you can make good and wise decisions. You have graciously forgiven me when I have not treated you as I should have. You have been patient with me when I have had trouble letting go.

These 17 years have been quite a ride for us, wouldn’t you say? I’m looking forward to this year, your eighteenth. It will be a big year. You’ll probably get your licence, experience you first kiss (oh no, you’ve probably already had that) the grad retreat and then graduation-gown, hair, nails, makeup… You’ll need to decide what you’re going to do next year too. You’ll be experiencing lots of big changes.

Just remember, your dad and I will always be here for you. We might not always agree with what you do or the decisions you make, but we’ll always stand by you and stand up for you. We will have some hard times. But my love for you will stand the test of time-of that I’m certain. We’ve weathered storms in the past and we will survive whatever comes our way. You are my daughter and I love you.

Happy Birthday!

Sweetest Words

The sweetest, kindest words that can be spoken to me on a Saturday morning when I have once again, left the grocery shopping to the weekend.
"Would you like help out with your bags ma'am?"
Sigh.

Roto Rooter

We recently renovated a bathroom here at our house. Brand new bathtub & shower, sink and toilet. It looks great and most of it works well except for the bathtub drain. It would literally take hours for the water to drain and of course, the tub, in my brand new bathroom always looked dirty.

Jeff came and had a look at it but was unsuccessful in unplugging it so he suggested I call the office and get Tim to come as he has more experience. Tim came at 8:00 this morning so I was up, dressed and quite cheerful when I let him in.

Well, Jeff was right. Tim was able to clear the drain and now it's working like a charm (to borrow a phrase from my dad). I was thrilled.

The cost? A "mere" $161.25. Ouch.

A New Post

Finally, a new post. I love it when I click on someone's blog and they have a new post. If there has been nothing for a few days, I wonder what's wrong. Why aren't you blogging? Are you too busy? Stressed? Sick? Tired? Sick and tired? In the hospital having your baby?

In my very first post I promised that I would not try to be too profound, otherwise I might not write anything. So today, I don't really have anything to write about but I wanted keep all my blogger friends happy by posting something.

Wes and I spent a couple of peaceful, serene days in Whiteshell Provincial Park. We Manitobans share this park with our neighbours to the east, Ontario. It is located in the Canadian Sheild-a beautiful area of Canada with rocks, trees and plenty of water.

It is a gorgeous part of Canada. We hiked the "Pine Point Rapids Trail," coming upon the rapids and 2 waterfalls. At one point we stopped our walking and held our breath to listen. Not a sound. Even the birds and squirrels were quiet. It has been a long time since I have heard that kind of quiet.

I was disappointed that we forgot the camera although I don't think that photos could really do justice to the beauty, the silence and the smells. We came upon a porcupine, right in the middle of the trail who puffed himself up, trying to make himself look big and scary. He only moved as we approached him so we followed him along the trail for a couple of metres before he waddled into the bush, still trying to look tough.

I am an urban girl. I grew up "in town" and in my adult years have lived in the city. I love the city, the noise and the excitement. I love the symphony and ballet, movies, art galleries and restaurants. One of these days I will go to the opera if someone will join me.

But there is something about the peace and quiet of nature that speaks to me too. Something that grounds me. Something that slows me down and causes me to stop and listen. Or slow down so that a porcupine can move along at his own pace.

We plan to go back during the Christmas break this year with our children and extended family. Things might not be as quiet in the lodge but we'll have a great time. I know it.

Used Tupperware & Useless Kitchen Gadgets

I read on Heather’s blog something about a useless kitchen gadget that she had purchased which is now destined for the “giveaway” box. That reminded me of a party idea that Michele came up with which I helped her to organize. Those were the days when we had had enough of Tupperware and other kinds of home parties and wanted to do something unique and different. So we organized a Used Tupperware & Useless Kitchen Gadget party.

We made up invitations and requested everyone to go through their cupboards and take along their most useless kitchen gadgets. You know the miracle tools I mean. The ones that you can purchase for only 3 payments of $19.99 each or the one that you can only get at the Home Show or the one that is available for a limited time. And don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. We’ve all been sucked in at one time or another.

We had an exchange (I confess, I took the Tupperware hamburger patty maker home. It was better than the guillotine-like blade that I contributed.),games and of course, great snacks. The person who brought a gadget that stymied all of us would win a prize-another UKG to take home. It was a fun evening and a great way to get rid of some of the stuff that seems to collect in our cupboards.

What was great about this party is that it was free and we were able to laugh at some of the silly purchases we had made as well as get rid of some of the unique gifts we had received over the years.

Alright now. Tell me what kind of UT&UKG you have in your kitchen.

Quilts

I have made 4 quilts in my life. The first one was in a high school Home Ec class. I don’t remember much about it except that it had about 6 huge strawberry appliqués. That’s probably why I’ve forgotten.

The second one was made for Eric in a “Quilt in a Day” class that I took with Yvonne. Thankfully, she finished hers before the day was over and helped me to complete mine. It is a log cabin design, with beautiful, warm autumn colours and it has been on his bed for about 10 years. I am very proud of this one and he likes it too.

About eight years ago I started my third quilt, for Kristen. I have not yet gotten around to finishing it yet. It is mostly pinks and greens in a nine-patch pattern, and would have really looked good in her room a few years ago. Today her room is orange and green. Sigh. I DO intend to finish it this winter.

The fourth quilt I made is not really a quilt but more like a wall-hanging. As far as quilts go, it will never win any contests. A couple of years ago Michele, Heather and I were part of a Service Planning team at our church. We were doing a series on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-11) and we wanted to find a visual way of reinforcing some of the truths of this passage. We came up with what I think was a great idea. We would give everyone at church a small square of fabric to decorate and then we would assemble all of these squares into a larger wall hanging.

This was one fun project! The children were thrilled and excited about drawing something on fabric and many of them created several squares. Some of the women required a bit of coaxing but eventually did at least one. And the men, well, we had to chase some of them down and insist that they create something. But create they did and we were left with dozens of interesting pictures and drawings.

The three of us spent a good day in Heather’s basement piecing and sewing. We went through Heather’s stash and found fabric that we could use to hold it all together. Heather’s mom was there and besides watching Maddie (who was not yet a year old) and Julie, made us a wonderful lunch of farmer sausages and perogies.

As far as wall hangings/quilts go, this one will never win an award. If I sold it at a garage sale, you’d likely pass it by. But, I am having trouble giving this one up. I have de-cluttered at home and a few weeks ago we did a very successful culling at the church. I knew this piece had to go but unlike most of the other stuff, I could not bring myself to throw it into the bin. I think I know why though. It’s the memories and what this piece represents that makes it so hard for me to part with it. I still see in my mind’s eye men, women, teens and children hunched over a tiny squares of fabric creating something unique. I remember when we first displayed it and seeing all of the “blessed” verses. I remember hanging out at Heathers and eating my first Mennonite lunch made by a real Mennonite mom. I remember talking about life, love and loss. Most of all, I remember the pride I felt being part of a team that had such a good idea.

It’s been in my car for the last 2 weeks. We took a picture of it yesterday and I hoped that I would be able to dispose of it after that but alas, it is now folded up on my dining room table and I think I’ll bring it upstairs and put it into my closet later. Maybe one day I’ll be able to give it up but not yet. Maybe we'll need to pass it around until we're all sick of it. I'll take it for the next few months, Michele can have it after me and then it'll be Heather's turn.

Thanks

Michele wrote a list of 100 things she's thankful for and I thought I'd try to do the same in honour of Thanksgiving2005.

1. Warm days
2. Blue prairie sky
3. A cozy blanket
4. Hot water
5. Digital camera
6. Friends
7. Kettle chips
8. My sister's home in the country
9. My sisters
10. A dependable car
11. Baskets for my stuff
12. The squeegie I use to wash the windows
13. My gas stove
14. The back porch
15. The screens on the back porch
16. My garden
17. My house
18. Hardwood floors
19. The turret room
20. Candles
21. My red shoes
22. Ann Lamott
23. Long johns (the moisture wicking kind)
24. Warm feet
25. A snowblower that is too heavy for me to handle ;)
26. Blogging
27. Praying
28. God
29. The Holy Spirit
30. Jesus
31. Church
32. Sunday mornings
33. Babies
34. Pregnant women
35. Good wine
36. Aged gouda
37. My extended family in Holland
38. Pumpkins
39. Classical Music
40. Doors that don't squeak
41. Men who don't mind emptying mouse traps
42. Children who do their own laundry
43. Winnipeg
44. Manitoba
45. Canada
46. Wes
47. Each of my children
48. My daughter-in-law
49. My Winnipeg family-sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews
50. Front loading washing machine
51. The colours of autumn
52. My husband's boss
53. A steady, solid income
54. Good health
55. Nice smelling hair products
56. Facial tissues with lotion
57. High index lenses
58. My laptop
59. For helping Kristen write an essay today
60. Good knives
61. Kitchen Aid mixer
62. Hand blender
63. Wooden spoons
64. Cast iron frying pan
65. Fresh clean water at the turn of a tap
66. For being able to sing harmony with Tim
67. Gala apples
68. My big, beautiful house
69. The basement apartment
70. Eric's mandolin and guitar playing
71. Winnipeg weather-no earthquakes, mud slides, hurrianes or tsunamis
72. That I have no problem running up and down the stairs
73. Ibuprophen
74. Gravol
75. The spare bedroom
76. Tablecloths
77. 220 count percale bedsheets
78. The newspaper
79. Remembrance Day
80. Most of my children's teachers
81. Christmas holidays
82. Dining chairs that make you want to sit and stay for a while
83. Chai
84. Slippers
85. That I am still learning new things
86. Clean bed sheets dried outside
87. Potlucks
88. Thanksgiving dinner
89. My piano
90. Laughter
91. Fresh bread
92. Aveno body lotion
93. Water bottles
94. My neighbours-the weird ones who don't mind if we use their driveway sometimes
95. Generous people
96. A husband who is learning Spanish
97. Children who get up in the morning on their own
98. People who take responsibility for their actions
99. Curry paste
100. Good hand lotion

There you have it folks. One hundred things I'm thankful for. Anyone else?

One of those Great Days

Wow. What a wonderful day.

1. Went to Stonewall with Yvonne and a friend of hers to pick out fabrics for the quilt that we are going to make. I can't wait to get started.

2. Went to Michele's for a great lunch. Interesting people, great food and wine. It doesn't get much better than that.

3. Had my own family over for supper tonight. Ben and Carolyn, Eric and Tim and Wes and I of course (Kristen's playing volleyball in Edmonton). Once again great food (if I might say so myself) great company and another glass of wine.

Ahhhhhh. I will have sweet dreams tonight.

Happy Birthday Ben!

Today, I had the distinct pleasure of having lunch with my oldest son. As you have probably already figured out from the title of this post, today is his birthday.

I'd like to take a page out of Heather's blog and dedicate this post to my oldest son.

It was 24 years ago today that Wes and I first became parents and while many of my memories have disappeared from my brain, I think the most precious one was of your first cry. I can still hear it. First, the sound of suction and then the unquestionable wail from a healthy 7 lb. 12 oz. baby.

You have always been someone of whom I could be proud. I have always admired your sense of responsibility and your drive. It's not a drivenness that motivates you, you just know how to get a job done. Even when you were very little, when it was time to clean up and put your toys away, you did it willingly and without complaining.

Remember that time when you single handedly stacked nearly a cord of wood? Or working for almost a whole summer when we were doing construction on our house. And then your summers working construction. Being the son of the boss, you had to prove yourself and prove yourself you did. Always willing to do the hard jobs without complaining. Every time I see Velmir your former supervisor, he asks me how you're doing and he always tells me, "You know, that Benny, he's a good worker."

You have always had a sense of right and wrong and have been always willing to say you're sorry when you did something wrong.

I have always admired your integrity and discipline and your willingness to stand up for your principles. I was so proud of you the time when you were in high school and someone called you to ask if you might be interested in her friend. You replied, "I decided that I'm not dating in high school." I think that there were plenty of girls who would have loved to date you but you decided that your high school experience would not include a girlfriend. (Carolyn tells me that you were pretty "hot" in high school.)

I loved watching you play volleyball. You were very good and it was fun to see you improve so much over the years to captain of your team in Grade 12 and then in college. (Mom's brag story: Ben was ranked the #4 volleyball player in the province in his final year of high school.)

I was also impressed with how you handle that awful sprained ankle in the last month of your high school volleyball career. It was terrible. It was so hard but you didn't let it ruin you.

I have also been amazed as to how much you could eat during your teen years. Remember that night, it must have been around 11:00 PM when you came home with 2 Super Sized McDonald's meals? I asked you who had come home with you and you gave me a quizzical look and said "No one." I wondered who the second meal was for and your reply was simple, "Two can dine for 6.99." You have always appreciated a good bargain.

And now, you're married. It has been a pleasure to see you as a husband. I see you treating Carolyn with love and respect and I am so glad to see you so happy. Remember that I used to tease you that I thought that we should allow for arranged marriages in Canada? I knew you better than most people and I thought I knew what kind of wife would be good for you. Well, I am so happy and proud that you chose Carolyn. I could not have chosen better for you. She is a wonderful woman and I am proud to call her my daughter-in-law.

It has been good for your dad and I to have you living in our basement. (Note to blogger friends who don't know: We have a completely self-contained apartment in our basement. Ben and Carolyn live there, on their own and they pay the same rent as previous tenants. This is NOT a weird situation where my son is so attached to his parents that he still needs to live "at home.")
It's good to see you and Carolyn and to wish you a good day. I will miss it when you move to your own place one day.

So in closing this post I just want to tell you that I love you and I am so proud of you. I am excited to see what God has in store for you and Carolyn. (no pressure but, you've been married over a year. Are you thinking of babies?)

I wish you a wonderful year, full of hope and joy. Blessings to you.

Love,
Mom

(I've got some great pictures I'd LIKE to post but it's not working. THIS DRIVES ME MAD!!! Anyone else have the same problem or is it just me? Aaaaugh!)

Introducing...Alvaro

We have an international student living with us this year. His name is Alvaro and he is from Mexico. Alvaro has trouble getting up in the mornings and I am finding this a little difficult. Although my own children don’t LIKE getting up in the morning, they still do because they realize that it is one of those non-negotiable things. When they were young, a single “Good morning, time to get up” was enough and they all made it to the school bus on time. Once they reached high school, they were able to get up on their own with an alarm clock. I’m very grateful for that because I’ve talked to parents who are tearing their hair out trying to find a way to make mornings easier.

As I get to know Alvaro, I realize that truancy and poor grades were part of his experience back home. He has two older brothers and he tells me that his family has a reputation at the school. He told me that none of his teachers like him because “he is always the one in the class to make jokes.” I used to teach junior high. I’ve had those kinds of students. And I have sympathy for his teachers.


Alvaro is not a typical international student. Most international students who come here are high achievers and hard workers. I think that Alvaro’s parents sent him here hoping that he would grow up, mature and develop his character.

Other than his difficulty with mornings, Alvaro has not given us a hard time yet. He is respectful and willing to help. He tells me where he is going and when he will be home. Tim told me that Alvaro has told him that in Mexico it was not uncommon for him to drink to excess on a regular basis (he just turned 15 in July) and he was a heavy smoker. He quit smoking when he came here and apparently his father told him that if he had as much as one drink, his father would kill him. That has been a very good incentive for Alvaro to stay away from the smokes and booze.

In the 6 weeks that he has been with us, he has missed 2 days (stomach ache), and as far as I am aware, has been late twice. I asked him how I could help him get up in the mornings and we agreed that I would knock on his door at 7:30. Yesterday, I did so and he still wasn’t downstairs by 8:15. I went up the stairs again (his room is on the 3rd story of this house) and he told me that he thought it was too cold so he would wait until his next class to get to school because he was late already.

WHAT? He thought he’d sleep in because it was TOO COLD? He thought he’d SLEEP IN because it was too cold? HE THOUGHT he’d sleep in because it was too cold? I was flabbergasted!

I calmly told him that he needed to get up and go directly to school, which he did willingly. I also calmly told him that those of us living in northern climates don’t let a bit of snow and wind stop us. We’d spend the entire winter at home if that were the case. And I just couldn’t resist telling him that walking to school in miserable weather could be seen as a character building experience and that it would contribute to his personal growth. I couldn’t help saying it. I just HAD to.

He walked out the door with Tim’s winter coat and gloves. I offered the umbrella but he politely refused it. It might be “cool” to sleep in because of the cold and rain but it is NOT “cool” to carry an umbrella.

When he came home last night, his attitude seemed pretty positive. He said that he went outside during his spare just to experience the rain, snow and wind. I think the little chat he had with the attendance counsellor at school helped him get up this morning and get to school on time.

We’ll have to see if this year will really change Alvaro. It may be a bit of a challenge for us but I’m confident that the threat of the school to “send him back” will be enough for him to follow the rules.

I wouldn’t want to be sent back home and deal with MY father if I were him.

Winter is Coming!

Today, I went out to buy myself a pair of gloves. Usually I wait too long and end up with very little selection. I finally decided that it might be a good idea to purchase my gloves early so that I'll be ready when I need them.

Today, I needed them.

Two days ago, it was 25 outside and gorgeous. The trees are changing colour and the gorgeous blue of the prairie sky always takes my breath away. I love the fall, and I appreciate every day that is still mild. I actually enjoy the winters too and my only complaint is that they last too long. By March, I'm ready to see grass and dirt and in early April I want to see the crocuses, tulips and daffodils.

We're supposed to get a blast of winter tonight-a Colorado low. This system usually brings lots of moisture and it was actually responsible for all the snow we got back in April '97. I really do like snow but I don't like it so early in the season.

We have an international student from Mexico living with us this year. His name is Alvaro and he is giddy with excitement about the forcasted snowfall. He is out now, buying his winter clothing-Columbia jacket, toque, gloves and a scarf. He'll pick up some long underwear on the weekend. And then he'll be set. He found today to be really cold and I tried to explain to him that a windy day like today can seem more uncomfortable than a sunny, windless day where the temperature hovers around the -15 mark. He'll find out soon enough I suppose.

When I asked Alvaro about the weather in Mexico, where he lives he says every day is the same. It gets quite cool at night and the daytime is pretty warm. Carolina, our Brazilian student from last year told me that every day in the winter (our summer) is about 35C-40C, there is a rain shower in the late afternoon and the nights cool off a little. Not much to talk about. I realize that is why we Canadians talk about the weather so much. One day can be immensely different from the next. Here in Winnipeg, we can have as much as a 30 degree difference in 24 hours. That's something to talk about! Nothing much to say when every day is the same as the last. Alvaro noted at dinner that "every day is different here."

Well, there's not much I can do about the forcasted 5 cm of snow with gusting winds for tomorrow. I'll pull out the winter jacket, shoes and scarf. And I've got my new gloves. I'm ready and I promise. Tomorrow, I will not complain. Not much anyway.

Groceries

Saturday afternoon *I* went to get groceries. Yes, me. And I swear that I will never do it again on a Saturday afternoon.

Wes has been the grocery shopper for quite a few years. I really don't like the grocery store. But I've decided that because I do most of the cooking and I have time during the week, I should start again. I've been holding off but I just had to go on Saturday of all days. It was overwhelming. It was busy. And I hate those places where you have to do all the work-choose the groceries, put them in the cart, on the belt, buy your bags, put the groceries back in the cart etc. etc. You know the deal. And because I don't often get into the bigger stores, I find that I easily get overwhelmed. I had a list and still I forgot all sorts of things. I was not going back to the beginning of the store though. We'll just have to do without toilet paper this week.

The store that I shopped at today is one of the newer stores in Winnipeg. And *somebody* gave the layout of this monstrosity a lot of thought. In order to do a week's worth of groceries, you need to go through the entire store. You can hardly skip an aisle. The meat counter goes north to south and the dry good aisles go east to west. And between the two is the junk food area. Every time you get to the end of the dry goods aisle, you meet up with the junk food. I can say no to junk food once, maybe twice but when I have to pass the cheezies 4 times, I give in! I HAVE to buy them! "They" know how to get you every time.

I know that I should be more appreciative of the incredible variety available to us here in North America. I can purchase just about any kind of food or spice that I would ever want right here in my own city. I do appreciate the fact that compared to most people in the world, a relatively small percentage of my income ends up going towards groceries. And I expect that as I do more of the grocery shopping and become more accustomed to this task, I'll be able to whip through the store in no time, just like Wes.

But for the next few weeks, stay outamyway. I can get very cranky when you're sitting in the middle of a too-narrow aisle talking to your friend and I need to get by. And my cart needs an alignment. And they're all out of my favourite jam. And the floor's too dirty. And the mushrooms look bad.....

I hope it gets better. Do ya think my attitude needs changing?

Meeting CJ

CJ was over tonight. He and Kristen have been "official" for about a month. He seems like a nice enough guy. He likes to cook and enjoys "The Food Channel." Lately, he's been cooking a lot of sea food. That's good.

He's 19, Kristen will be 17 in a few weeks. He's currently unemployed but hopes to attend college to learn a trade-electrical or plumbing or even both. That's good.

He's the youngest of 3 children, all male. His parents are still married-that's good.

He looks you in the eye when he speaks to you and was willing to answer all my questions. That's good.

If Kristen follows the normal pattern of her family (aunts, uncles, brother) she will marry CJ. We all married the first person we dated. But it's too early to tell with her, right? It's only been a month after all.

Once again, it is our youngest child who is causing us to move into uncharted territory. Ben was 21 when he met Carolyn and while we didn't know her, we knew some of her friends and neighbours. There were some connections. And they were both older and pretty mature.

With CJ, I don't think there is one person who knows both him (or his family and friends) and us and our family and friends. There are no connections. No one I can talk to and find out what kind of person he is or what kind of people his family are.

And actually my biggest worry is the fact that I don't know where he stands spiritually. God and the church are a huge part of the life of our family. It's hard for me to imagine someone who is part of our family who does not hold similar values to ours.

I suppose worrying about this won't help at all. Worry just disrupts my sleep. But I do pray that if this relationship continues, CJ will recognize that knowing, believing and trusting in God does bring joy, peace and contentment. And I pray that we will be witnesses of God's love to CJ and his family.

He just left now and said good bye and wished me a good night. He is respectful and has good manners. That's good eh?

So Much To Do, So Little Time

I have a lot to do. Work, laundry, housework, phone calls to make. So why am I making chocolate chip cookies now?

My Mother's Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Cream together:
1 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar

Add 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
a
Add to creamed mixture.

Add:
2 cups chocolate chips and 1 1/4 cups oatmeal. I like the large flake, old fashioned kind. It seems more wholesome to me.

Bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary Wes!

It was a mere 26 years ago today that Wes and I "tied the knot" (to use an old cliche). I say "mere" because sometimes it seems like it's only been a few years that we've been together. But when I look at my adult sons and a daughter nearing adulthood, I am reminded again that it's been a long time.

I think that it seems like fewer than 26 years because daily, I'm still learning more about Wes and about living in a marriage relationship. We haven't got it all figured out yet. We're still working out the flaws of our relationship. In today's post, I'd like to honour my husband. We're not much into anniversary gifts and can't afford gold and diamond jewellry. I'm not too mushy either. So this post is my anniversary gift to my dear husband.

You were the one to put the kids to bed in the earlier years, before it was "trendy" for dads to do things like that. I knew that I could go to meetings in the evenings and be sure that our children had stories read to them and were lovingly tucked into bed.

You are a hard worker. I often brag about you and how you are so efficient and can get so much done. I must drive you crazy sometimes because I can be so inefficient and take ages to get a job done. I'm always very aware of how I'm feeling about a particular task. If I don't like what I'm doing, it's hard for me to continue. If you see that a job needs doing, you'll do it, without complaining, knowing that it has to be done. Remember putting pink insulation in that little crawl space attic in the kitchen at Hart Ave? It must have been 30 degrees outside and you just faithfully finished that awful job. I would have quit long before that. I can't name the number of times I've had a great idea (the garden) and you have gladly participated in it. These things would have never been done if it wasn't for your hard work and perseverance.

You have taught me more about the unconditional love and grace of God than anyone else on this earth. You have accepted me as I am for all the years of our marriage. You have loved me when I have acted unlovable. You have put up with my ranting and raving, with my moods and yet you still loved me.

When money was tight, you didn't insist I find a well-paying job. You knew that I needed to find something meaningful, even though the pay wasn't very good. You supported my voluteer efforts when they would take up much of my time and also, our income.

You are neat, I am messy. I must drive you crazy sometimes! But you have always continued to pick up after yourself.

You are organized, I am disorganized. But you have never held that against me or tried to “fix” me.

What makes our marriage work? I think that it is partly because of the promises we made to each other 26 years ago. When we are too tired, anxious and fearful to focus on each other, we remember the vows we made. “In sickness and health, for richer for poorer…”

We made these vows before God and family and friends who have supported us and encouraged us over the years. To be part of a strong community has enabled our marriage to thrive and flourish.

I don’t know what’s in store for us in the coming year. We have been spared so much of the pain and heartache that others have experienced but I know that there will be hard times ahead. I’m just grateful that you hold as a high priority a relationship with God. I know that whatever will happen as long as we lean on each other and on God, we will be able to withstand the storms that will inevitably come our way.

So, happy anniversary my love. May we have many more!

It's Time

I am writing this blog from a lovely retreat centre in Alexandria, Minnesota. The “Lake Geneva Retreat and Conference Centre is situated on the banks of Lake Geneva. From where I am sitting I can see the lake, surrounded by trees. It is very peaceful and quiet here. The accommodations are excellent and the food is pretty good too. Solid, comfortable, basic. Like the good people of Minnesota.

I’m here because my church is the “host” church of the fall “Classis” meeting and so I, along with two other people of our worship team have been given the opportunity to lead the pastors and delegates in worship. We’re finished now and this afternoon, the people here will be taking care of church business.

We are part of Classis Lake Superior-the only international Classis of the Christian Reformed Church. That’s something isn’t it? We can meet together and find many things that we can agree on. We don’t talk politics as I’m sure there might be some very differing views but as far as most of the business goes, we are usually able to come to some kind of consensus.

But I’m really having a problem today. You see, our Classis is one of the few in our denomination that has not yet agreed to allow woman elders to represent their churches. So at this meeting, there are about 60 men and 3 or 4 women, including me. For so many years, while I have felt that this was wrong, I was able to work within the rules and remain positive that this will change some day. They will see the light, won’t they? And while I believe that it is just a matter of time, I’m getting mighty impatient. It was about 10 years ago that I was at my last Classis meeting when I was part of the “Vision Implementation Team.” There were about 5 of us who spent hours talking about our vision, mission and values. And there were many positive changes that came out of that.

But today, it hit me again. My local church is a community where men and women are invited and encouraged to participate fully in the life of our body. But we are part of a very conservative Classis where there are many churches that will not allow women to hold any position of leadership unless it’s with the children. What’s with that anyway? Do they have different standards for adults than they do for children? Are women “good enough” to teach children but not adults? Many of these churches support female missionaries who preach and hold leadership positions in third world countries. Why is it okay there but not in North America?

If the church, which is the body of Christ, is to reflect the image of God to the world, this Classis is missing half of that image. By keeping the women out, they are not reflecting the true nature of Christ. Undoubtedly, there are many good, sincere, godly men in this Classis but they cannot reflect God’s female side. And women are for the most part invited to join the meetings but when an “in-camera” session is held, the women have to leave. What is this? Why do we put up with this?

After our early morning worship time, I went back to my room for a little nap and I daydreamed about something I’d like to do. When the women are asked to leave while the men discuss issues that we should not be privy to, I will refuse to leave. I will stand up and announce that I will not be treated second class in this place and they would have to drag me out. That’s what I daydreamed about. I don’t think I have the courage to do it though. Not today. But maybe next time.

There are people who are here today at this meeting who feel the same way I do but this issue has been so divisive that they hesitate to bring a motion to the Classis to change the church order unless they can be pretty sure that people will be receptive to it. I know that our own local church, Good News Fellowship, is talking about being the catalyst for bringing about the change but we have to be sure we have the energy and willingness to follow through.

I think it’s time. There are women who have left this denomination and some of the churches because they feel they have been treated as second class citizens. There was an excellent speaker here yesterday who spoke about leadership. He talked about Wayne Gretsky who, when asked how he learned to play hockey so well replied that most players move to where the puck is. He tries to move to where the puck is going. We were encouraged as church leaders, to see where society is going so that we will be there to support, encourage, and share the love of Jesus. The church has always been behind societal trends and it’s inability to allow women to be fully involved is absolutely contrary to what society looks like. Where else will you have a meeting where women are not represented?

There are some verses in the bible that seem to state pretty clearly that only men can be leaders in the church. My argument to that is we need to read the bible in the context in which it was written. We need to keep in mind the culture of the time when the bible was written. I would also argue that God created man and woman, in his image. We both bear the likeness of God and so we both have the responsibility to reflect God to the rest of the world. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul reminds us that in God, we are neither male nor female, slave nor free-all are equal in the eyes of God.

It’s time to move forward. It’s time that the catholic (universal) church, began to truly reflect God’s image-kind, loving, generous, patient, honest, just, and forgiving to a world that craves these attributes. It’s time for those of us who are Christians to be willing to stand up for what is right and just, even if it means that there may be disunity and schism. Jesus himself was not afraid of controversy and he stood up for the rights of the many people in his day that did not have the means to fight. People like women, children, the ill and vulnerable members of society.

One day, I hope that the church will recognize just how wrong it has been in this area. For true healing to take place, I believe that the leaders of the church must acknowledge that they wrongly interpreted scriptures and that they are sorry for how it negatively impacted society and the church. What a powerful message that would send! And who knows, maybe it’ll start a revival. Those people who find the church redundant will see that the message it brings truly is current, exciting and life-giving. They will see that the church is a place where they can grapple with the tough questions about God and spirituality and that all voices will be heard-young, old, rich, poor, male and female.

God help us.

My Garden

Check out these pictures! A couple of weeks ago I was wondering what I'd do with 30 yards of topsoil and today, I have a beautiful garden. I bought 8 perennials at a "2 for one sale" at a local garden centre but all of the rest come from the gardens of my sisters and from a friend. When I look at this garden, I am so grateful for the people in my life who are so willing to share and to work at helping me out. This garden is more beautiful to me because it represents the best in people. We've heard and read so much about the worst in people these last 10 days and it's good to be reminded of what is good about people.

Yvonne spent an entire day with me taking the plants out of Michele's garden and then replanting them in mine; Michele was willing to give me whatever I wanted from her garden.
When I visited Gwen, a friend whom I've only just known for a year or 2, I could see from her yard that she is a gardener. We talked about gardens and I told her about my (at that point) empty flower bed. A few days later she came to me with some of the beauty of her garden in a large garbage bag which I promptly plunked into the ground.

I feel so blessed.

I am not a gardener. For the life of me I can't remember the names of the flowers. My sisters on the other hand can recognize a flower just by its leaf. Not only can they recognize the flowers, they know where they'll do best (sun, shade, dry spot, wet spot). Sometimes they can even recognize a plant or flower they've never seen before. I love it when they find one like that and start talking about it. "I've never seen this before. It looks a little like a ________ but the leaf/flower/stem is different. Do you think it might be a __________?" And the conversation continues until they either figure it out or decide to go home and check their flower books.

But alas, I cannot join in those conversations. I hope that some of their knowledge will rub off on me but so far it hasn't. While I do not claim to be a gardener, I love and can appreciate beautiful gardens. I love stopping at gardens when I'm walking. Wes and I visit "The English Garden" at Assiniboine park several times most summers. And I can talk the talk with other gardeners if only to ask them the name of a particular plant and if it is a perennial or annual. I find that if I ask a question, a gardener can go on and on about his or her garden-a conversation that I love and have never found boring.

For my new garden I bought some stakes upon which I will write the names of all the perennials that I have planted. Hopefully, if I see the names every time I walk in the garden something will stick and just maybe, I'll learn them. I hope so. But for now, I'll be content to look at the beauty, and take care of them so that in the spring I will be able to give some of them back.
That's one of the wonderful things about gardens. We receive, and then we can give back. I can't wait to share the beauty of mine. And I can't wait till spring! (sigh)

Game's Over

It came! It came! I am using it RIGHT NOW!

The 2 Month Long Battle

The invasion has begun.

The army that would like to conquer, chew and destroy has already sent at least 2 sentinels. We know they are still in the area because we have seen some evidence of their presence. Early one morning, Tim actually saw them but as it was 6:00AM and he was moving a little slowly, he was unable to track them down.

You'd think they'd learn. You'd think their fathers and mothers, grandpas, grandmas, aunts, uncles and cousins would have let them know that although they might find food in certain locations, they would eventually meet their demise at this house.

And so we begin the battle yet again. I pull out my arsenol, all nicely packaged together in a plastic bag. Death Traps, check. Sticky traps, check. Poison, check (Yes Yvonne. Your dear doggy Buddy didn't eat it all last year.) Humane traps (I still can't understand why my own husband would buy a mouse trap that allows the rodent to live so that it can be released-back into my house!) A plug-in thingy that apparently makes noise that only a mouse can hear. I think this one particularly takes the cake as I'm convinced that the sound attracts rather than repels them. By the way. If I can hear the sound does that mean I'm a mouse?

I suppose that you can't really blame the poor critters. It's getting cold outside and like us humans, they like to live at ease, where the food is plentiful and the temperature is comfortable. They get all of this in my house. I have been told that I have a gift for hospitality and the mice seem to sense this. The food can easily be found in the bedrooms of certain residents of this abode, in the family room couch or under the fridge and stove in the kitchen. Mice really don't need much to keep them going-chocolate bar wrappers, cracker crumbs, even empty slurpee cups can seem like a feast to a cold and hungry mouse. We even leave nesting material around for them like clothes, blankets or paper on the floor. Last year, they spent some time in Carolina's boots but then decided to take up residence in her gym bag because the food and clothes, readily available, were preferable to the footwear. (She absolutely refused to wear those boots again.)

The first year we moved into this house we caught 17 mice in the fall. We had never had mice in any previous homes so we were unprepared for this onslaught and it was too late when we finally began fighting back. I think that was the year that word got around in the mouse community that our house was party central.

But I've learned. Joey, my nephew frequently tells the story when "auntie Linda killed 4 baby mice on the stairs with a toilet plunger." Actually it was a toilet brush and it was 5 mice (but who's keeping track anyway). As sickened as I was about this brutal murder, I just knew that if I didn't get them when I saw them, I'd be battling with their offspring in a few months. And boy do they know how to procreate.

Today, I can say with a measure of certainty that I am smarter than a mouse. I have discovered tricks that will get a mouse every time or at least most times. This year, I'm ready. I've got traps loaded with my prefered ammo-peanut butter. I've laid them out in strategic locations and eagerly look forward to asking Wes or Tim to check the traps every morning before they leave for work. (I am a fairly independent, liberated woman. But when it comes to emptying mouse traps, I believe that it is a man's job. Both Wes and Tim are willing to do this rather unpleasant job.)

So, the battle will continue until the snow falls or things freeze up around here. But I'm ready. Bring 'em on. I'll take care of 'em. Maybe they'll be smarter than their forefathers and foremothers and tell the younger generation that the neighbour's house is far more appealing.

The Waiting Game

Why do they call waiting a game? My idea of a game is something fun and often loud. Something that can make me laugh hysterically. Something that brings out my competitive nature.

Today I am playing the waiting game. And it's not fun. I ordered a computer on line last week and it was supposed to be delivered today. At the latest. It's 4:44 p.m. and it is not yet here so I'll have to do without it for a whole weekend and play this game next week until it comes.

I haven't let myself get too excited about the Dell Notebook Computer I ordered. It's not too fancy but it will be my own and I won't have to share it. Today, I did let myself get excited and now, I've resigned myself to the fact that it won't come before the weekend.

A few days ago there was a note left on my door from the courier company that will be delivering my computer. I was so excited. It came! Wes and I ate a quick supper and drove out to the depot near the airport to pick it up. When the box was brought out, I was surprised to see that it was so small. Wes asked if he was sure this was for us and the fellow behind the counter assured us that it was.

Upon closer scrutiny we discovered that it was a computer mouse. I was so disappointed! We had ordered a mouse for my laptop at the same time as we ordered the computer. Turns out that the "peripheral" items are shipped from Ottawa but my computer is supposed to be shipped from somewhere in the USA via Calgary. Go figure.

And they can still make money doing business this way? Sheesh.