A Book and It's Cover

I know we are not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but seriously, I am tired of having to use this boring picture for my posts on Mere Christianity.   There are pictures of that book with snazzier covers (which my blog deserves), but wouldn't it be lying if I were to use those pictures instead of the picture of the cover I have?   I'm beginning to regret telling Sarah and Jason to remove me from the book giveaway drawing because I already had the book.  I should have stayed in the contest, then passed my copy on to Duane or Dusty after I won.  But did I think of that in time? No.  Now my snazzy blog is marred by that boring cover, sitting there off to the side, mocking me for being such a dope.  With the word "Christianity" in it's title, you'd think it would be above mocking me, but it's not.   It had better be careful, or I'll take out my glitter and sequins, glue it to my copy, and upload the picture here!  That out to teach it not to taunt me!

Speaking of disturbing, I just looked up my reading history on my local library's website.    Apparently I read over 200 library books in the last  three years.  That means that the amount of money I would have spent would have been between $667 (paperback) and $2,000 (hardcover) yearly.   BTW, I still buy some books, and get some as gifts.  My point?  I am grateful for libraries, because $2000 would blow quite a huge hole in my budget.  My husband has never complained that I don't have a job, and we do just fine, but that is a lot of money!  (Which, writer's, publisher's, book binders, printers, etc. all deserve btw!)

Now that the weather is getting nicer, I'm going to spend more time outdoors, reading and gardening and walking.  I'll need more bug spray.  I LOVE the smell of OFF!™ bug spray.   I have ever since I was a little kid.  I'd wear it as perfume, but Bob discourages that, especially in the winter.  Oh well.  Nobody is perfect.

Here is a taste of the disturbing future:  next Tuesday you will have the opportunity to read a post where I mention rideable ducks.   Enjoy the picture I'm leaving in your head.


For more disturbing thoughts, please check out Duane Scott's Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday Blog Carnival

As if the Northern States Didn't Have Enough Problems

Time for yet another Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday!

Okay, talk about a disturbing morning!  While I was attempting to leave a comment while attributing it to a Muppet on my friend's blog, the power went out in my house.  I'm sure taking a Muppet's name in vain had nothing to do with it, but it was certainly a bummer!  On the other hand, when I heard the generator go on, I was relieved to find out that at least my computer wasn't broken.   It scared the daylights out of me.

BTW, exactly what does "scared the daylights out of me" mean?   My Mama always used to say that, and I much prefer it to the more popular phrase of which I actually do understand the meaning so I won't use it.  (I mean, really, why would anyone want to admit to that?)  Daylights are a much prettier picture, but I'm still not entirely sure what I'm saying got scared out of me.

Also disturbing is that even though it is spring, I woke up to see snow on my lawn and the surrounding rooftops.  I'm so over snow!   Of course, the first hot July day, and I'm going to want snow in a cone, but that's besides the point, right?   (I know.  Mark Twain said that everyone complains about the weather, but no one does anything about it.   Well guess what.  He's dead now.  So there!)

OH YEAH! HAPPY CHOCOLATE COVERED RAISIN DAY!  I have a friend who considers any kind of raisin disturbing.  Not me, though.  I only find them disturbing when they are covered in chocolate, or mixed into cookies or bread.   I truly get not wasting the grape just because it got dried out.  I just don't understand ruining the chocolate, cookie, or bread with it.   By itself, eating it is a matter of conservation, and I do try to do my part for the environment.  (For instance, I only fart in the direction of Wisconsin. As for  Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri, you're welcome!)   But I don't see what chocolate, bread, or cookies did that they have to share the burden.  (Same logic for Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri.)

Well, Duane Scott said to type all the disturbing thoughts I have in twenty minutes for PDT posts, so it seems my time is up.   If you want more disturbing thoughts, check out his blog and others who linked to his PDT blog carnival.

Ode to Cheetoes

My friend Duane Scott is having a Cheetos Poem Competition. Yep. I've decided to take part, even though I haven't had Cheetos since I've been to Subway about three months ago....

C-H-E-E-T-O

C - is for the comfort they give me when I'm feel down

H - is for hips they extend so that I wear pants that fit like a clown's

E- is for the excellent sound of the crunch

E- is for ecstasy, I like them a bunch!

T- is for the taste I hope lingers

O- is for the orange color of my fingers

It takes a lot of Cheetos to get an orange kitten! (Thanks Photobucket)

Yummy in My Tummy

a Haiku by Helenatrandom

Cheetos going crunch

so yummy in my tummy

wiping hands on coat

Ode to Cheetos

a Cinquain by Helenatrandom

Cheetos

orange food

tasting, licking, crunching

happy, full, satisfied, messy

sustenance

What Cheetos are Made of

a Tanka by Helenatrandom

Sunshine with a crunch

A flamanco dancers zest

Kissed with angel lips

add a dash of baby smiles

and a lot of calories

You can find my new blog about Lent here.

I haven't decided what I'll give up for Lent, but I probably don't eat enough Cheetoes to give them up for Lent anyways. :-( Must eat more Cheetoes by next year.... Okay. Not really.

LIVE, FROM CHICAGO, IT'S PLEASANTLY DISTURBED VOLUME 17!!!

This week, it is my honor to host Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday Volume 17.  The application process was absolutely grueling (consisting of being on the twitter at the same time as Duane), but I WON!   Eat your hearts out, bloggers!

So let's see... What is disturbing me lately?  Well, for one thing, my computer keeps booting me off of the Internet.   It did so just a moment ago, then wouldn't let me back on for a couple of tries.  I was worried for a moment that this post wouldn't go up at midnight, since I have it in draft mode!

I suppose there are bigger fish to fry than my Internet connection woes though.   Still, I don't want to blog about disturbing political situations across the ocean for PDT, because it would definitely NOT be pleasant.  

I've started yet another blog, although this one does not have any posts yet.  It's called "Happy Lent", and will be about politics.  PSYCH!  It will be about Lent.  I'll tell more about it in another post, but for now, I'll explain how I came up with the title "Happy Lent".

I taught at a Catholic School for thirteen years.   I spent nine of those years teaching second graders.  That is a very sweet age.    At this age, children will draw a picture for you and / or make a card for you for any reason.  Sneeze.  Cough.  Pass gas.  It doesn't really matter.  They will also make cards for your loved ones.  When my mom was in the hospital when I taught, she got dozens of cards every day.   I waited until she was out of intensive care to bring them to the hospital though...

Anyway, I spent a bit of time teaching children each year about how much Jesus loves us, and the proof being His great sacrifice.   We talk some about that.   Then I talk to them about how they can "fast"  by sacrificing something to say "I love you" to Him.   We talk about the meaning of sacrifice, and what sort of things we can sacrifice (no ice cream is a sacrifice, no broccoli,  not so much.... ) 

Inevitably though, Ash Wednesday comes along, and at least half of the children present me with "Happy Lent" cards they made during lunch.   For a while, I felt like I must have missed the mark in these lessons, because the tots thought of it like any other holiday...

But praying about what to call my Lent blog, it seemed I kept coming back to a picture a sweet little girl drew of flowers and smiley faces surrounding the words "Happy Lent" in bubble letters (No, that's not my header.  I have NO clue how to do that, because it would be if I did!)  I realized that those kids were teaching me something:  don't forget the joy.   His great sacrifice is given out of His love, and our small one to show our love.   I need to focus on the joy that love brings me, even as I solemnly remember the great cost to Him.

So there you have it!  The disturbance of my computer woes, and my choice in blog names.

Happy Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday!

A big thank you to our regular host, Duane Scott for allowing me to host this week! MWAH!

Thank God for an Inward Swinging Exit Door!

This picture courtesy of some stranger I've never met who doesn't know I am using it.

It takes a lot of snow to dishearten a Chicagoan.  20.6 inches is more than enough for any of us, though! We are prepared for the 1-2 inches that freak out warmer climates so well that we forget that they don't normally need to prepare for snow like we do, and don't.   But yesterday was enough to close Chicago Public Schools for at least two days.  Really.  The last time CPS closed was in 1999 (21.6 inches).   Really, when my friend Katdish said on her blog last year that they closed school for half an inch of snow, I laughed so hard that tears were falling down my cheeks.   I forgot that we have things like plows and salt trucks and drivers who are aware of precautions to take during snowfall and are therefore probably safer drivers when it snows or rains than they are in good weather.

I'd be a fool to complain too loudly about the blizzard, when there were so many people trapped in their cars on Lake Shore Drive for so many hours.  My husband was home early almost two hours early on Tuesday.   I was like a kid on Christmas morning!   I had thought he'd have to work until four, as usual, and then come home in the blinding snow alongside people who had left early, but his office closed early on Tuesday and all day on Wednesday due to the blizzard.   He walked in an I yelled "Wait there, I have something for you!" and the proceeded to maul him with a great big hug and a kiss!   He didn't seem to mind.

I didn't think I was worried, but the degree relief I felt when he was home (and early at that) indicates to me that I wasn't as relaxed as I had believed myself to be.  I told people verbally "This is Chicago, we know how to prepare for bad weather."   I even told myself that silently.   Who knew that I didn't trust me?

Bob is a terrific guy who insisted on cleaning the snow off the driveway himself.   He said it was a "man's job".  It's not like he'd ever refuse to do something because it's "women's work",  but God bless him, he steps up to the plate for the heavy lifting!  (My momma didn't raise a foolish woman.   I offered to help, and when he said no, I told him I'd be keeping the hot chocolate warm for him!)  He didn't complain either, though a wife can tell when her husband's back hurts him.   I think he was actually glad to get back to work today.

I didn't take pictures of the snow, but my cousin did.  I'll share them when she sends them if it is okay with her, because it is unBElieveABLE how much snow we had!   I couldn't open the front door.  I seriously thanked God that the back door swings inward!  I mean, really!  Who says "thank you, Lord, for providing us with an exit door that swings inward so that we aren't trapped inside all of winter?"  Apparently I do...

I called my uncle, aunt, and cousins yesterday.  All family members were safely at home and not caught in the awful LSD mess (we Chicagoans know that "LSD" stands for Lake Shore Drive.... ain't no road just like it!)  I'm sure though that if anyone who was stuck on it ever hears that song again in their lives, they will have a break down and crush the CD!  Anyway, I am grateful to God that we were all home yesterday.  Obviously the clean up efforts aren't easy, but home is the best place to be in a blizzard, especially if you have heat, power, and an intact roof, which we all did!  (Which reminds me, Thank you God for a good roof!)


OOoooooo!  Loook!  Bobcat in front of my window in the alley!   No, not a feline...   the kind that removes snow, people!  Oooo!  Snow plow in the alley!  I wonder who our benefactor is?  (Alleys don't normally get plowed).


The following videos are of an adorable little girl whom I have never met in my life reporting on the Chicago blizzard.    She is much more fun to watch than any of our local talking heads!

The snow begins...

The blizzard is gaining momentum


The cleanup effort...


The aftermath...


This post is being linked to Duane Scott's Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday blog carnival.

Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday: Bun Bun Speaks! (Well, Writes Actually...)

Today is a special day!  Bun Bun, whose twitter handle is @BunBunRabbit, has agreed to do a guest post for me today.  Well, actually, she has been bugging me to get her her own blog, but she needs help getting onto the twitter as it is... I just don't have time to school her in the ways of blogging!  Still, despite my selfishness, Bun Bun is gracious enough to share with us some of her thoughts on this Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday.

Hehehehehehehehehehehhehehe hehehehehe

First off, I have no idea what Helen is so busy with that she can not set me up with my own blog and guide me into the blogasphere!  It's not like she posts here all that much, and when was the last time she contributed to FOTTSP?   Even the recipe blog she shares with Miss Annie has gone neglected.  I can't see what the need for recipes are anyway.  Mix some delicious lettuce with delectable carrots, and you have a feast!  Who needs a recipe?
She says she is busy working on her New Year's Resolution, which is to organize one room in her home per month.  She started with the biggest disaster, the master bedroom and bath.  Humans are rather cute, even if they are silly.  You won't find any sensible rabbit worried about organizing her burrow.  She tosses out the dirt, then settles her kits (you darling humans call them bunnies) in, and voila, they have a home!
Her and her buck (his name is "Bob", and she calls him her "husband".   I can't stand that word because it makes her sound like a farm animal.) were really busy reorganizing a closet on Saturday.  If you ask me, I think they have too many clothes.  I have just the fur,  yet it serves me well no matter the weather or the occasion.  Helen and Bob could really learn a lot from me if they would only open their minds!
They went to see a movie about a lion in charge of a fantasy island on Sunday.   She said it was very good, but that I would be more interested in the trailer for a movie called Hop.   She then found it on YouTube and played it for me.




Candy chicks and rock and roll.  I can dig it.  Maybe I can talk Helen into letting me hop into her purse and taking me with her when she goes to see it.    Anyone know if they sell lettuce and carrots at the concession stand?

This is Random Musings contribution to Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday, where you will find many more perplexing posts.

Niceness is ..... Nice: Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday

I am ticked off at some of the comments I have read on youtube lately.   Last week a friend on Facebook recommended I check out a video of Queen singing "We Are the Champions".  I found it very moving, not because it was their best performance, but for exactly the opposite reason.   Freddie Mercury seemed to be struggling with some of the notes, and his band mate rescued him.   I imagine that Mr. Mercury had already been sick at the time of the video,  but he wanted to be there for his band mates who were in turn there for him.  Maybe I'm guilty of romanticizing the situation, but I find it preferable to the attitude some of the commenters had.  Why should anyone be writing hateful things about a man who has been dead for ten years whose talent gave us some awesome rock anthems?  Okay.  He liked men.  I'm not comfortable with that.  SO WHAT?  He was a dang fine artist and his legacy should be the music he left behind, not how he got the disease he died from!!!

Yesterday I looked at the comments left by Youtubers at a video of Heart's "Magic Man".   First of all you had people hating on Heart for not being as good a Pat Benatar.  I find that to be a matter of opinion, but why leave a negative comment about a great song because you like Pat Benatar better?   WEIRD!!!

But that is not all.   Some lady who was widowed young left a comment on the same video about how her husband LOVED that song and how God blessed them with 34 years together (Yes, a fifty some year old widow is young) and she knows they were a match made in Heaven.  Can you believe there were people hating on that comment?   I'm appalled!  I'm flabbergasted!  I'm outraged!  I'm revolted!  One might even go so far as to say.... I'm miffed!  (Couldn't resist a Daffy duck spin off, sorry.  Start the video at the one minute mark to see what I'm talking about). 

 Why argue with a widow about the existence of God?  Why try to steal someone's peace from them just because you think they believe in the equivalent of Candyland with an M & M river (no, the woman in question did not seem to be talking Candyland, I'm being sarcastic here) , Almond Joy falls everywhere and you believe in nothing?   

What happened to people?   Didn't their mamas ever teach them that if they can't leave nice comments, they shouldn't leave any (unless of course they are funny.  My mama LOVED to laugh!)?

Sorry that today was Pleasantly Disturbed- Pleasant =  Disturbedly

I'm so glad all of you are nice!

:-)

Check out Duane Scott's blog carnival for this week's Pleasantly Disturbed posts.

Congratulations DS! And Happy Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday!

So....   Our pleasantly disturbed leader, Duane Scott, is getting married the first week of November.   Some of my twitter friends  (@sarahmsalter and @dlrayburn and @weightwhat) were discussing how to make it more memorable for him.   I insisted we want something dignified....  So far we came up with a quartet made up of a pilgrim, Native American Chief and Squaw, and a turkey.   The turkey should be dressed.

Let our key phrase in this gifting always be dignity...  Remember, this is a CHURCH wedding!  No naked turkeys allowed!!!

Dusty suggested we brainstorm other appropriate ways to help  celebrate DS's wedding.

I'm rather stumped... Maybe Steph and Wendy can put something together having to do with squirrels...   Katdish could do a Wedding Gift skymall post... I could teach everyone how to dance the Salsa badly...  Maybe we could send a message to all his facebook friends and get them to help brainstorm ideas to add the kind of dignity that a Pilgrim, Native Chief and Squaw, and dressed turkey singing quartet would add to a Church wedding...

OOoooo.... And songs!  What do we want the Thanksgiving Wedding Quartet to sing?    "Oh Promise Me" has somehow become both a cliche, and a song I never actually heard.   How about a new version of Beyonce's Single Ladies?
"Oh he liked it so he decided to put a ring on it, Uh huh huh, uh huh huh huh huh huh, uh huh huh huh huh huh..."   I'll be working on the lyrics!

For now, though, go check out DS's Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday post, and the blogs linking to it.

Nice Blogger, My New Friend Earl, Scarves, Tomatoes, and a Book Fair.

So, as you can see, it is time for another Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday.

So.   Blogger has a new editing thingy.   The old one is only available for a "limited time" before we will have to use the new one, so I went with the new one as of this post.   So if anything seems weird about today's post.  Blame Blogger (whom I am very grateful to for hosting this free service, btw...)  (Nice Blogger.  Nice Blogger.  Good Boy! Who's a good little free hosting website?  Yesh.  Yesh.  You are.  You are a good boy!)  (That ought to keep Blogger happy for a while.)  (I bet this is some sort of record for side by side parentheses.)  (If not, I bet the record holder would give even me a headache.)

Earl Grey tea is WONderful.  I love the smell of it, and it is SO smooth!  I think I'm going to start talking about "Earl Grey" when my husband comes home and see how he reacts.

Today is the first day of fall.  I know it is actually 88 degrees in Chicago right now, but that has me thinking that I should find my crocheting needle and begin making scarves for "Warm Hands / Warm Hearts".  This year, I will also  do the video series I promised last year, but then I got too caught up in my own worries and feelings to do.

I haven't gotten enough tomatoes to worry about using up and making sauce with, but I have been able to put a home grown tomato on my sandwich every day for a few weeks now.   YUMMY!

Did you ever notice that sometimes you can volunteer to do something "out of the goodness of your heart", and end up having more fun than a barrel of monkeys on a two wheel bike?   On Saturday I had volunteered to help at the Book Fair Barnes and Nobles had for my parish's school.   I thought I was being really nice going there on a Saturday morning and all.  Do you know what I forgot when signing up?  I LOVE hanging out at Barnes and Noble!  Bob and I go there for date night!  I had the best time reading to kids, sharpening pencils, smiling at strangers, and then finding books for myself when my shift was over and having lunch in the cafe with friends who were also volunteering (as a matter of fact, I got to know them from volunteering at stuff).

Okay.  For more pleasantly disturbed people, click on the pleasantly disturbed button above and check out Duane Scott's blog carnival!

Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday: Two Out of Three Isn't Bad

So, as you can see, it is time for another Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday.

Hmmmm.... I've been disturbed this week with a bad cold, and Bob hasn't had a great week either... but the idea is to be both disturbed AND pleasant, so let's see what I can do.

I still think dishwashers are wonderful! In the past when I have been sick for a week, I not only didn't get to the dishes in the sink, but after the sink got full, gave up carrying them to the sink. (I told you I make a terrible housewife.) But having a dishwasher means just loading it and starting it and dishes are automatically done! I've been a little to under the weather to care whether the dishes got put away though, so we tend to just pull them straight out of the dishwasher to use them, place them in the sink, then load up the dishwasher once it is empty. It's a pattern that has worked so far, but I'll have to go back to actually putting dishes away again once I have my act together again. I know. I'm bad. You like me anyway, don't deny it.

Also disturbing... since Bob and I have been unwell for more than a week, we haven't tended the garden lately. Our elderly neighbors noticed and did it for us. Very sweet of them, but I am embarrassed at what they must think of us. (I'm disturbed here, but they are pleasant.)

CCD starts on Saturday. I hope I'll be 100% by then (though 80% will due).

I moved the van in the driveway today in order to avoid a ticket. This is a big step for me: I never drive the van. I'm used to a much smaller vehicle and fear misjudging lane changes and parking and stuff. Still, it's not like I can goof up bringing it in the driveway. I KNOW it fits in the driveway since Bob parks it in the driveway sometimes! (OOO! VAN! I have a van story I should tell you about in a Life is Funny post someday. Someone out there remind me of it when I claim I don't have a LIF post for the week on the twitter.)

Advice for anyone out there who participates in Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays: don't ever check google images for "disturbed". Just trust me. Don't google Richard Gere only gerbil either. (Go and ask Sherri why. I'd link the post, but unfortunately can't find it at her site, Matter of Fact. Just bombard her site with questions about it in the comment section. Oh wait. I'm supposed to be both disturbing AND pleasant in this post... Nevermind.

Ships, Sweaters, Spiders, Mosquitoes, and Funny Sermons : Happy Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday!

While the sponsor of Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays will be unable to provide linkage for a while (he was in an auto accident, but is "okay". In other words, in lots of pain, but we are thankful he is alive and mobile), I am still going to do a Pleasantly Disturbed post today. You can click on the above link to let Duane know that your thoughts and prayers are with him.

Today I called my aunt and mentioned to her that I was going to see the Tall Ships at Navy Pier with my husband tomorrow. She told me to wear a sweater. At that moment, I knew Momma was truly enjoying the fullness of Heaven. There she is, enjoying the light from the face of Jesus, and SOMEONE ELSE is telling me to wear a sweater in the middle of summer. It couldn't possibly get any better than that for her...

But seriously, I am not annoyed with my aunt. I was reminded of Momma, and had to smile. I knew Momma would be happy that auntie said that, and had to smile some more.

I won't be smiling about having to be at the boat at 8 am, but it was the only time available any longer, and I wanted Bob to be able to enjoy the boat trip. I was on a ship for Pirate Fest, so I'm good until next year, but I figure that Bob deserves to enjoy being on a ship again if that's what he wants. So I will be going to sleep early tonight in anticipation for getting up early to make the boat.

There is a HUGE spider crawling on the outside of the window I am facing right now. I am okay with teeny spiders, but this one is as big as my hand. AND I HAVE BIG HANDS FOR A WOMAN! Dang, what does that spider eat, anyhow? Most spiders eat mosquitoes, but this spider looks like he really should save some mosquitoes for the other spiders, you know. I'm sorry. That was mean. Maybe that spider is like me, and has hypothyroidism. I'll leave a Synthroid tablet out on the ledge for him later.

I really have been enjoying going to Women's Prayer Group. We meet every other week. I can't say I find anything disturbing in our meetings , though. Just pleasant. Well, okay. We pray for situations and people that disturb us or are disturbed and in need of prayer. So maybe it fits.

Our new pastor likes to tell jokes in his homily and fit it in the sermon. He told one about a guy in a gorilla suit two weeks ago, and the one about Jesus and the computer contest this past Sunday. I plan on sending him this one as soon as I get his email address.

Grandma is eighty-eight years old and still drives her own car. She writes:

Dear Grand-daughter,

The other day I went up to our local Christian book store and saw a 'Honk if

you love Jesus' bumper sticker ..

I was feeling particularly sassy that day because I had just come from a

thrilling choir performance, followed by a thunderous prayer meeting..

So, I bought the sticker and put it on my bumper.

Boy, am I glad I did; what an uplifting experience that followed.

I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection, just lost in thought

about the Lord and how good he is, and I didn't notice that the light had

changed. It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus because if he hadn't

honked, I'd never have noticed.

I found that lots of people love Jesus!

While I was sitting there, the guy behind started honking like crazy, and

then he leaned out of his window and screamed, 'For the love of God!'

'Go! Go! Go! Jesus Christ, GO!'

What an exuberant cheerleader he was for Jesus!

Everyone started honking!

I just leaned out my window and started waving and smiling at all those

loving people.

I even honked my horn a few times to share in the love! There must have

been a man from Florida back there because I heard him yelling something

about a sunny beach. I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only his

middle finger stuck up in the air.

I asked my young teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant.

He said it was probably a Hawaiian good luck sign or something. Well, I have

never met anyone from Hawaii , so I leaned out the window and gave him the

good luck sign right back.

My grandson burst out laughing.

Why even he was enjoying this religious experience!!

A couple of the people were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they

got out of their cars and started walking towards me. I bet they wanted to

pray or ask what church I attended, but this is when I noticed the light had

changed.

So, grinning, I waved at all my brothers and sisters, and drove on through

the intersection.

I noticed that I was the only car that got through the intersection before

the light changed again and felt kind of sad that I had to leave them after

all the love we had shared.

So I slowed the car down, leaned out the window and gave them all the

Hawaiian good luck sign one last time as I drove away. Praise the Lord for

such wonderful folks!!

Will write again soon,

Love, Grandma

Ooops. Was I insensitive to tell a joke about honking cars when our sponsor Duane was in a car accident? Well, now that I have disturbed you all, I guess I will go.

Introducing Myself to My New Pastor

And now it is time for another Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday.

We have a new pastor at my Church now. He seems like a very nice priest. It's not easy being new though. Especially when you don't know the crazy parishioners from the sane ones. Now, if I was new, I would easily be put in the sane category, because I am quiet when I am in a new situation. But when someone else is introduced into a new situation, I desperately try to make them more comfortable. Unfortunately for them, that means opening up the whole box of crazy on them at once. I introduced myself to the new pastor when I was volunteering for something on Saturday afternoon. The next day was the "Meet and Greet" where we would all have cookies and coffee in the back of Church after every Mass and introduce ourselves. Yep. All 2000+ of us in one day. So when I told him my name on Saturday, I told him that I'd give him a pop quiz the next day at the meet and greet. He turned absolutely pale and his face fell. I laughed my breaking stained glass windows laugh, and told him I was only kidding, the quiz wouldn't be until next week. The next day, at the meet and greet, there were name tags. Coincidence?I also told him I saw him at Fr. O's 50th Jubilee Celebration, but that I thought that with seeing former parishioners from his old parish, meeting new people would be overwhelming. He agreed. I then told him that I was more tempted to pretend I was a former parishioner and ask if he remembered me than I was to introduce myself. Then I rattled more stained glass with my laughter as one of my friends playfully hit me and said "You're so bad...".My intention really was to make him feel welcome and like he was already part of things. I have a feeling that instead I just helped him sort the sheep from the goats. Naaaaahhhhhh....Naahhhhh.....
I feel like today's Pleasantly Disturbed post also works well for a Life is Funny post.
Join Wendy's blog carnival. Join DS's blog carnival. Join carnivals! Just don't come dressed as a clown. You'll scare @katdish.

T-shirts, Thyroid, Trouble, and Tootsies

Time for another Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday.

First of all, I am disturbed that the Pleasantly Disturbed T shirts don't come in my size. Just because I am large (as in triple x by size AND rating...), it doesn't mean that I shouldn't get to wear a t-shirt! (Please go tell Duane you are on my side on this. Unless you aren't. Then, stay out of it!)

I went to the doctor the other day. It was time for my yearly blood test. Technically, I only need a blood test every year to see if I need to up my thyroid medication dosage, but the doc likes to take more and do a CBC every year. Only sometimes he has trouble finding a vein and sends me to the hospital to do it. I insisted that since I had to see him anyway to get him to refill my prescriptions (he wants to see me every few months because of hypertension. Mine, not his...), he'd take the blood.

He said that it is hard to find my vein sometimes. I told him that I had confidence in him. Then after he drew the blood, I said "GOOD JOB! I knew you could do it!" His new assistant had a hard time to keep from laughing. No the doctor did not laugh, but he smiled. He did laugh when I told his assistant which drawer he would find the right tubes in...

The Doc's assistant was a little surprised that I could watch the doctor draw my blood. I said "Hey, what the heck! It's only a vein! But I'd hate to be the one taking the blood... People sometimes get mad if you keep poking them. " Yes. TWSS.

Prayer group was WONderful on Monday. People are bringing in different worship songs for us to sing together. It is really great. Only problem I anticipate is that the ladies are talking about asking our music minister to start including these songs at Mass. I have a feeling it is a good thing we are getting a new pastor.... one who doesn't know that starting a women's prayer group was my (and Vicki's and Chris's) idea. Let the Music Wars begin!!

Today I go to the foot doctor. I got something weird growing just underneath my toenail. I hope he freezes it before cutting it because I am not nearly as laid back about my feet as I am about my veins.

Twistie Ties, Tupperware, Tomatoes, Tea, and Trouble, Oh MY: Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday Again

And now it is time for another Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday.

Whatever happened to twistie ties? I was reading a friend's blog yesterday where she mentioned them, and I recall looking all over for some a few weeks ago because I wanted to use them to make butterflies with coffee filters with my class. There are some things a zip lock bag are no help with whatsoever.

On Saturday I found some Tupperware I didn't even know I had! It is two bowls with lids nesting in a third with a lid. I never opened it before because I thought it was just the one big bowl, and it was too big for anything I needed until Saturday. Huh. Weird.

My dad used to pound sticks into the ground to tie the tomato plants to when they got too big. Sunday I was at a BBQ where the host just puts a wire circle around it. I hope that works, because it looks a lot easier than painting the stick. (My dad always painted the stick red, white, and green, the colors of the Hungarian flag. I imagine I'd have to do the same if I used the stick.)

I have been reading The Tea Shop mystery series by Laura Childs. One of the things I like about this series is that the power of suggestion works to get me craving more tea, rather than cookies or chocolate like some of my other favorite series. I don't even have to resist the craving. I can indulge and not feel guilty. The plot is pretty good, too.

Bossy people don't get along. It is such a same, because if they could just get on the same page and work together, they'd be unstoppable. Hmm.... Maybe it is not such a shame after all....

Do You Really Know What You Know and Why Does Home Grown Lettuce Look Like Large Weeds

So, today is another installment of Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays...

Have you ever been around someone for years and thought you knew them? I have. I was a teacher who thought another teacher at school was pretty scary. It seemed that whenever I heard his voice, he was yelling. He yelled in the classroom, he yelled at faculty meetings. I mainly tried to stay out of his way. (I was not scared. Hungarians aren't afraid of yellers. We just are smart enough not to risk get into it in a professional setting.). Twice in the dozen years I worked there, we were on opposite sides of an issue I felt so astronomically important (sorry, I don't remember what the issues were any longer), that I did stand toe to toe with him. I won. I remember going home feeling like I wrestled a bear and won!

Well guess what! I have been working with him over the summer, and he is just a really nice man with a loud voice. Who knew? He even drove me to school a few days when my car wasn't working. I will admit to hating the taste of swallowed pride when asking, but he was very nice about it.

And speaking of disturbed (though perhaps not pleasantly), though I am disappointed that Mel Gibson ranted racial slurs and allegedly slapped his newest baby's momma (as well as left his wife of 28 years for a younger woman), why is the media more disturbed by Gibson than by Polanski for drugging and raping a 13 year old girl? Where is the consistency? I like consistency. I crave consistency.

I love my crock pot. If I was going to cheat on my dishwasher with any other appliance, it would be my crock pot.

We picked lettuce this Monday. My family didn't grow lettuce in our garden when I was growing up. It tastes different from store bought lettuce. I sure hope we haven't been eating weeds....

My yellow wax beans in the garden will be ready for picking by the weekend. I don't remember Momma's recipe for Hungarian Wax Beans in Gravy. I tried to look up a recipe online. I found one that is almost the same, but uses onions. I am pretty sure Momma didn't use onions. I really thought that over the years I had asked her all I really needed to know. I guess that isn't true.

Different Song, Different Lyrics, I Promise!

I know. I haven't posted in a week. I blame Wendy. I know it is customary in our circle to blame katdish, but Wendy has NOT been keeping up with HER Life is Funny blog carnival. I really do try to participate in those.

How is her blog carnival different from Duane's Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays? Wendy's blog carnival is all about remember a funny incident from your life, either recent or in the past, and sharing it. Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays is all about rambling on and on in a stream of consciousness sort of way. One can plan for it, but then find that they are not typing what they planned to at all.

My new part time job is going great, thanks for asking (lots of you DO ask on the twitter, so no sarcasm, there). In two weeks and a day, it will be over. It has been interesting. I haven't worked with preschoolers for twenty years until now. When a preschooler puts a ball under her shirt, pretending to be pregnant, then ditches the ball and runs around with a doll proclaiming "I HAD MY BABY!!! I HAD MY BABY!!", that's completely cool, right? I usually just ask the baby's name....

It's music week, and my husband is disturbed that I am teaching the kids disco moves. "Aren't they a little young for this?" It's not like I'm teaching them to shake anything. My disco moves are pretty lame. You can't give what you don't have... So I think I'm in the safe zone. Any thoughts on this?

My Momma would be so proud of me! I have been wearing sunscreen and a huge hat. I know. I wrote about it last week. What I didn't mention is that when I was a child, my mom used to chase me around with sunscreen and wear hats, and I found it hugely embarrassing. Now that she is looking down from heaven, I know she just has to be laughing at me! (Also, the day I go DESPERATE for things to do with the little ones, and reverted to "Engine Engine Number Nine", a game she used to play with my cousins and me when I was little.)

I just looked up the lyrics on Google. Not THAT "Engine Engine Number Nine"! Good golly miss molly, I should now expect a bunch of complaints from parents thinking that I taught THAT to their kids when they say we played "Engine Engine Number Nine"...

Engine Engine Number Nine

running down Chicago line

please tell me the correct time

the correct time is what?

(Tapping a child's fist on every syllable)

(Child last tapped picks a number. Tap that many fists. Last fist tapped is out. Luckily they have two fists...)

What do you think I play with 3-7 year olds, backgammon?

Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday: Toys, Toddlers, Tea, and Hats

There is still no button for Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays. That's DS's problem. But if you would like to see other contributions to Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays, go ahead and click that first sentence...

I saw "Toy Story 3" on Tuesday. Does anyone else out there feel badly that they don't know what happened to some of their old toys now?

MITZI!? BUFFY!? WOLFIE!? WHERE ARE YOU? FORGIVE ME!!!!!!!!!!! I KNEW NOT WHAT I DID!!!!!

Three year olds have short legs. Mine are much longer, and I still have a hard time keeping up with them. Watching a three year old run is hysterical until you realize that if you chased her, you'd probably never catch her.

I know that conventional wisdom says that caffeine is energizing, but I feel way more energized after a cup of chamomile tea and a nap.

I had ideas for this post floating around in my head on the drive home last night. I guess they are now marooned on a deserted island somewhere, far, far away, waiting to be rescued. I hope they make a better match than the Skipper and Gilligan. It always got on my nerves how Skipper would yell at poor Gilligan all the time. But the Professor was kind of cute...

I still can't find my pink Sox hat. I wore it while gardening a few weeks ago, noticed dirt on it, and immediately went and cleaned it with soap and water. I think it ended up looking as good as new. The problem is, I left it in a different place to dry, and can't remember where that place is. Must have been very different.

Speaking of different, I have been wear straw hats to work. (The only other choice is a pinkish tie dyish visor that says "WAIKIKI" that I bought on my honeymoon 14 years ago, or perhaps my pirate hat) I take the children outside to play in the afternoon, and at my age, sunscreen and a hat can make the difference between smooth or leathery skin in a few years. I was worried though that the big straw hats (one with a shoestring tie, the other with a scarf tie) made me look a tad eccentric. Then I remembered that I am looking for a PINK Sox hat. I am a tad eccentric. Oh well. At least the children like my hat. I think they think I'm wearing a costume.

Many Find Me Pleasant, Others Disturbed: Putting Them Both Together for Duane's Sake

My friend DS is holding a blog carnival of his own called Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays. I'm thinking I can do pleasant, and I can do disturbed. I am up for the challenge of putting them together.

You know why I seem shy when I meet someone for the first time. I like to pretend to be sane until I get to know a person well enough that my insanity won't frighten them eventually. I explained this to the Deacon over dinner yesterday. NOW he gets me.

I do not put syrup on pancakes. I prefer butter. And sometimes honey. I like honey on bread, pancakes, and in whiskey. Otherwise, not a fan...

Thong underwear should be renamed buttfloss. Not that I have firsthand knowledge about these things or anything like that. Seriously, thongs used to be footwear I couldn't wear because there is no place to put orthotics, and now it's underwear I can't wear because there is no wear to put my assets (technically they are liabilities, but anyway..) I see a pattern here.

If the moon were made of green cheese, it would be totally safe from the likes of me. Even I think green cheese sounds disgusting.

DS should get a cool copy and paste button for his blog carnival. I think those things are snazzy. It almost adds a picture to a post where none exists.

Here is a button to DS's website. I'd still like it better if it said "Pleasantly Disturbed" on it, but that probably says more about me than it does about him.

I keep copying and pasting different buttons from his site, and they are showing up as question marks in Preview. Well, at least we have the link at the top of the page.

I have no doubts that this post fits the disturbed criteria for this blog carnival. I hope it hasn't missed the mark in being pleasant.