Saturday, August 9, 2008
IT WAS TUESDAY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
It was Tuesday's birthday party. Lots of family were there.
Starting with her great Grandpa and his brand new bride. 
The great-grandpa's Momma, Tuesday's grandma.
Tuesday's grandpa.
Tuesday's other grandpa.
And her other grandma.
Aunt Michelle, who brought seven cousins to the party. Yes, all seven are hers. Her hubby was home with no voice. Not from yelling at the kids, though. Some kind of voice stealing bug.
Tuesday's Daddy.
Tuesday's Mommy who is serving cake to lots of hungry little people.
"I'll just scare Grandma with a poke in the eye."
The oldest cousin there..
Two more.
This cousin tried to get water in his cup because...when he got it out of the kiddie pool...
...he got soaked. The big kids, just like big kids everywhere, held the pool hostage.
But it doesn't keep some from trying to get them wet.
Let me off this stool.
But now I'm not sure I'm big enough to get in there and throw water on anybody.
This cousin blew a raspberry during the prayer. I took this picture later, you thought I was taking pictures during the blessing on the food, didn't 'cha?
It's okay if you blew a raspberry. I did the same thing when I was your age.
Cousin Towel-head.
Sister Mysterious.
This cousin never takes a bad picture.
This cousin obviously got wet when he didn't want to.
We call this pose the "Turkey Lip," because it's big enough for a turkey to roost on.
Time out from the water fight for a little hula hoop.
The birthday girl, all wrapped up.
Three cousins joking around. 
Only thinking about joining the fun.
More wrapping. "I can't smile. I'm cold."
"Goodbye everyone! Whose turn is it for the next party?"
...he got soaked. The big kids, just like big kids everywhere, held the pool hostage.But it doesn't keep some from trying to get them wet.Let me off this stool.
But now I'm not sure I'm big enough to get in there and throw water on anybody.This cousin blew a raspberry during the prayer. I took this picture later, you thought I was taking pictures during the blessing on the food, didn't 'cha?It's okay if you blew a raspberry. I did the same thing when I was your age.Cousin Towel-head.
Sister Mysterious.
This cousin never takes a bad picture.
This cousin obviously got wet when he didn't want to.We call this pose the "Turkey Lip," because it's big enough for a turkey to roost on.
Time out from the water fight for a little hula hoop.
The birthday girl, all wrapped up.
Three cousins joking around. 
Only thinking about joining the fun.
More wrapping. "I can't smile. I'm cold.""Goodbye everyone! Whose turn is it for the next party?"Friday, August 8, 2008
BEIJING CHINA--THE OLYMPICS--THE CHINESE PEOPLE
Beijing, China. We have heard more about the pollution than anything else. The opening exercises are focusing on the history...at least so far, we are only an hour in.
It is an amazing display with unbelievable choreography. The technology is amazing and yet, some things that I thought were computer-run were human-run. Beautiful humans. The amazing drummers were told to smile more. Why, I wonder? Does China want to change their image with a smile. Do they think I will buy Chinese dinnerware because of a happy citizen's face. It's nice to see them smile but it's a "no" to the dinnerware. To change their image they must be strict in what they import. Internal policies too, need to be addressed. No longer will they be cloaked. This opens their country for worldwide scrutiny.
15,000 performers, each one whose life will be changed because they were chosen to be in this Olympic opening ceremony. For some it will be the highlight of their lives.
These Chinese people, these billion plus people, are all being changed for the better or the worse, just like you and I, every day of their lives. When we think of the Olympics we think of the athletes but it's not the athletes I am thinking of tonight. I am thinking of the woman, living in a hill town, squatting so seemingly effortlessly, over a charcoal fire, making her family's meal in one pot. The Olympics is not an important event in her life tonight. Seeing her family fed is. I see in the young man who leaves his family farm to go to the city and work in a factory so he can send money home. I see the young girl who lives in an orphanage because she was not born male, waiting for anxious parents from another country to get the papers in order so she can have a family.
Each number is a person, has a face, has fears and hopes and dreams. Each person has myriad experiences that are unique to them only. Each has a story. How I wish we could hear them, these stories of people not so different from us.
Let the games begin!
It is an amazing display with unbelievable choreography. The technology is amazing and yet, some things that I thought were computer-run were human-run. Beautiful humans. The amazing drummers were told to smile more. Why, I wonder? Does China want to change their image with a smile. Do they think I will buy Chinese dinnerware because of a happy citizen's face. It's nice to see them smile but it's a "no" to the dinnerware. To change their image they must be strict in what they import. Internal policies too, need to be addressed. No longer will they be cloaked. This opens their country for worldwide scrutiny.
15,000 performers, each one whose life will be changed because they were chosen to be in this Olympic opening ceremony. For some it will be the highlight of their lives.
These Chinese people, these billion plus people, are all being changed for the better or the worse, just like you and I, every day of their lives. When we think of the Olympics we think of the athletes but it's not the athletes I am thinking of tonight. I am thinking of the woman, living in a hill town, squatting so seemingly effortlessly, over a charcoal fire, making her family's meal in one pot. The Olympics is not an important event in her life tonight. Seeing her family fed is. I see in the young man who leaves his family farm to go to the city and work in a factory so he can send money home. I see the young girl who lives in an orphanage because she was not born male, waiting for anxious parents from another country to get the papers in order so she can have a family.
Each number is a person, has a face, has fears and hopes and dreams. Each person has myriad experiences that are unique to them only. Each has a story. How I wish we could hear them, these stories of people not so different from us.
Let the games begin!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
WE HAD TIME WHEN COMPELLED
Two weeks ago I mentioned to Phil that we needed to defrost the freezer. Not today, he said. And not tomorrow either. In fact, we haven't found a day that is convenient. Until today! The freezer demanded to be defrosted all by itself. The door had been left cracked open.
Many things went into the garbage and many other things got cooked. How are we going to eat five pounds of chicken is beyond me. Actually, tomorrow I have to take a casserole to the Food Coalition so I will make it extra chickeny.
Now the question: How come we had the time to defrost the freezer today and not yesterday or the day before? What else in life is like this, time when compelled but not time before?
It scares me. What am I neglecting that I will have to take care of when the demand is made?
Many things went into the garbage and many other things got cooked. How are we going to eat five pounds of chicken is beyond me. Actually, tomorrow I have to take a casserole to the Food Coalition so I will make it extra chickeny.
Now the question: How come we had the time to defrost the freezer today and not yesterday or the day before? What else in life is like this, time when compelled but not time before?
It scares me. What am I neglecting that I will have to take care of when the demand is made?
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
FRIENDS WHO ARE WILLING TO BE CRITICAL
Tuesday I went to my Personal History group. I didn't take copies because I was still working on the piece. Hardly anyone ever writes on the copies anyway except for Sarah. I told them I really wanted feedback and Sarah, bless her heart, gave me some. And her ideas were good.
So I took her suggestions, fixed the manuscript and took it to DeAnn to critique. DeAnn then read it and gave me more good suggestions. They will make the manuscript better.
I could use another dozen critical friends.
Here are some of the sentences we cut:
“Well, if I ever have two dates in one night I’m not getting caught because I’m not cleaning out the chicken coop,” Holly says.
"I should get an award for encouraging sub-standard humans."
“Don’t touch your faces with your dirty hands,” I say. “Germs will crawl up your nose and eat out your brain.”
“Your stomach is inside, all covered up by skin.”
Now you can see why critical friends are good to have around.
So I took her suggestions, fixed the manuscript and took it to DeAnn to critique. DeAnn then read it and gave me more good suggestions. They will make the manuscript better.
I could use another dozen critical friends.
Here are some of the sentences we cut:
“Well, if I ever have two dates in one night I’m not getting caught because I’m not cleaning out the chicken coop,” Holly says.
"I should get an award for encouraging sub-standard humans."
“Don’t touch your faces with your dirty hands,” I say. “Germs will crawl up your nose and eat out your brain.”
“Your stomach is inside, all covered up by skin.”
Now you can see why critical friends are good to have around.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
WHAT A DAY!
Tuesday has turned three years old.
She said she wanted a a bear for her birthday. 
But she chose a rabbit. 
"I don't like this one any more," she said after it was stuffed and had clothes. "I want a different one." Tuesday's mother, Gilmore Girl said--perhaps through gritted teeth--"This is the one you chose and this is the one you're going home with."
We must scour all the shelves for possible expensive stuff for the rabbit, whose name is Sally.
Curly Sue helped her look high. 
Thank you, sister, for helping me find all the best stuff.
Now I'm so tired I can hardly walk.
But Mom made me carry my own Bear-box, so I drug it through Gymboree,
where Curly Sue said, "Do these fit?" 
where Curly Sue said, "Do these fit?" And then she said, "Lookit this," and almost came out of her shoes with her looking.
Tuesday had to drag Sally in her box through the parking lot and then...
Tuesday had to drag Sally in her box through the parking lot and then......it was so big she couldn't even see. But that doesn't stop her. The goal? The same as all little girls everywhere, get this rabbit undressed.
She finally got Sally out of the box but had to rest for a minute and then...
some serious undressing. What a fine shopping day for Sally the rabbit.
Curly Sue thinks its funny that Tuesday undresses the rabbit. But she did the same things. All little girls do, no matter if its a rabbit or a doll. The clothes must come off.
As soon as Grandma got home her youngest boy, Lord Bumhampton came with his lovely wife, Nurse Giggleswitch.
They, of course, never t ravel alone.
They bring Arnold
and Gordon. Phil likes to have lengthy conversations with Gordon.
Just as they were getting ready to leave more family showed up.
This is Guitar Hero, Joe Cool and Phil.
Hollywood, striking a pose.
Her sister, Mary Poppins, also striking a pose.
Their Mom, Yoga Princess. 
The girls are showing off their school clothes.
Mary Poppins was giving Joe Cool rabbit ears but she didn't quite make it fast enough,
Guitar Hero, doing some serious lounging.It was a good day. Lots of activities and lots of family, which, after all is the most important thing of all. Family.
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