Ab's Graphic Art Project

Is that awesome or what!

Art and Providence

 

"Providence creates an unfolding situation that is exactly what the person needs, although not always what he may think he wants or desires.  This is called luck by those who are unaware of the workings of higher Worlds.

Providence also creates very difficult circumstances to reveal or dissolve a fixed situation ... This is called bad luck or later, A Blessing in Disguise."
                                                                 ~ Warren Kenton

 

Having been thoroughly enjoying my current empty nest, I’ve neglected my journal. I don’t know whether that’s good or bad. Perhaps most of my writing is generated when I am at my wit’s end and life is simply overwhelming. Right now, I am in a good place emotionally and the words don’t come so easily.

This quote from an Inspiration Line ezine just really hit home with me today while I was thinking about Ab and the events that led up to her going to boarding school. While she initially believed that her life was ruined forever, I think she’s beginning to believe that this has all been a Blessing in Disguise.

When I visited Ab during Parent’s Weekend, I noticed a significant change in her attitude and appearance. She was wearing very little make-up and she was obviously happy, introducing me to all of her eclectic friends and chattering almost non-stop. I commented about how many friends she had and she said, “Mom, everyone here says that I am adorable!” Oh how this child needed that validation from someone other than her family!

We toured her classrooms, met her teachers and learned about what she was studying academically and in her art major. It’s truly an awesome learning environment with teachers and administrators who really care about their student’s success. The art displays were exceptional and I am proud to say that my daughter’s three dimensional ceramic sculpture was one of only four to be displayed on a pedestal in the art show! Her colorful and very professional graphic arts project was also display and it looked like it could have been a CD cover!

My 13 year old aspiring artist was very matter of fact when talking about how often they have nude models for their drawing classes. Although, she said it kind of grossed her out when one of the nude women raised her arms to reveal her hairy armpits.

In some aspects, the independence she has in that para-college campus atmosphere is a little daunting, as for some reason the kids like to think of them selves as young adults. And, in many aspects they are, but I don’t like hearing my daughter or her friends curse as if it’s totally acceptable.

As we were having dinner with the students in their chow hall on a perfect evening for enjoying the crisp outside mountain air, several people decided to come back in from the patio area after being bombarded by hungry wasps hovering over their food. As the door opened right behind us, a mom commented about the wasps and Ab’s girlfriend who joined us said, “There’s a shit load of ’em out there!” Ab threw in a few colorful phrases once or twice during our visit. Her older sister and I had to advise her that she is still only 13 years old, and that she should not use that kind of language, especially in front of her mother!

Tam and I tried to get Ab to come spend the night with us at our cabin that we’d rented for the weekend, but Ab was adamant about hanging out with her friends instead. It didn’t hurt my feelings in the least, because I am thrilled to see my baby girl happy and enjoying life once again.

Providence, for sure.

He's Home!!!

Welcome HOME Fly Boy! 

Well Done, Soldier!

I am so very proud of you and very grateful that your tour in Iraq is finished!  Thank God you are home on American soil!  I send my love and thanks for your service to the Iraqi people and the United States of America!

Now, can I have some grandbabies?  Please?  ;)

Love, Mom

 

Monday Photo Shoot: Fall Foliage

San Bernardino National Forest, in Southern California

I took this shot Saturday in Idyllwild while visiting my kid at school!  It was a beautiful day...in more ways than one!

Internet Dating

To reach any significant goal, you must leave your comfort zone.

~Steven Covey

 

Papa used to say he’d get married again when he needed help back and forth to the bathroom. Me? I’ve decided to start looking now considering I ain‘t gettin‘ any younger.

So, I stepped way out of my comfort zone. Yep. I joined one of those online dating services; the one that claims it‘s “Different” with “Thousands of Success Stories!” You know the one, founded by the grandfatherly Doctor; a relationship “expert” who combined “clinical expertise with the latest technology” (a computerized Personality Profile) to help millions find the right person for life-long love and happiness.

Compatibility is the key according to our relationship expert and his detailed questionnaire will measure the intricate facets of a person to include the “29 dimensions that are most important in relationship success.”

Now, supposedly he finds you matches, based upon some of the important dimensions. The introductory profile information lists three of the “Relationship Strengths” from the person’s Personality Profile, his best life-skills, how his friends would describe him, what he’s passionate about in life, what he’s thankful for and how he spends his leisure time. Then of course is the list of things you two have in common. You may also receive a photo of your match, or he can share it with you at a later stage. The next step is for one of you to begin communicating with the other match by selecting 5 questions out of a possibility of 20 or so that they provide for you to ask your match.

Call me picky, but any woman who’s worked around convicted felons as long as I have can quickly spot an idiot. Who knew there were that many on one dating service? I have “closed” matches on 55 of ‘em.

The latest………………………

Meet dick. Yes dick. Not Capital D…Dick. Just dick. Obviously dick doesn’t know how to capitalize his name.

I don’t know. Maybe he had potential; he’s 55 and a successful Real Estate Appraiser, who lives about 45 minutes away. But you know….I just find it hard (no pun intended) to refer to someone as “Dick.” Try introducing your new boyfriend “Dick” to your 13 year old daughter.  It just wouldn’t work.

Although, it wasn’t just his name that sealed his fate with me, it was his choice of introductory questions that he asked me to answer.  Well, actually it was just one of the 5 that was a real turn-off for me and I felt it was indicative (again, no pun intended) of his true colors.

The offending question:

How do you feel about premarital sex?

Answers available:

0 I am completely opposed to it.

0 As long as marriage is imminent, it is okay.

0 In the context of a loving relationship, it is okay.

0 I accept sex as a natural part of dating.

0 _________________________________________________.

 

There was just not enough room in that fill in the blank section for me to completely answer this question as I wanted.

Something like…………Dick!  Dick…….Dude…is this really a problem for you? How many 50 year old women have you dated that have decided to save themselves for their 2nd marriage?

So, instead I just closed the match.  You know, I have a feeling there are a lot of Dicks out there.

I may be single for quite awhile.

 

Being somewhat germ phobic and almost obsessive about washing my hands, I haven't been sick in a couple of years.  So, what ever hit me last Tuesday, knocked me on my rear and I've been in bed for days now with fever, congestion and feeling downright yucky. <==== Surely a clinical term.

I can't remember when I've slept that much!  Actually, yesterday I did manage to stay vertical for several hours in front of the television until I'd had enough of the ever perky designers on home makeover shows on HGTV.  In between naps, I finished two fun, girly books; The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters, by Elisabeth Robinson and Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella; author of Confessions of a Shopaholic (both of which I loved) and have started a third, Blue Shoe; by Anne Lamott.  I am willing to share the first two mentioned hard-cover books with any of my journal friends who are interested, if they'd also pass them along when finished.  Just send me an email with your address and I will send them off bookrate. 

On a positive note, Fly Boy is counting the DAYS until he's home.  Yes, he will be home sometime this month!  Can you believe it's been a year already?  He's saying..."Only 12 more flying days!"  And, based upon the harrowing combat time he's had lately, I can understand why he's counting flying days!  We were both crying when he shared his 4 hour combat mission where they took continuous fire and two direct hits to the helicopter without crashing!  It was incredible and I cannot believe the stress these soldiers experience and then get right back out there and do it again! 

Please keep him and his troop in your prayers as they wrap up their time in Mosul, Iraq.

 

Pimping my brother's new journal..........

Please welcome my brother to journal land!  His journal is entitled, I am better at writing than speaking....and he says the title says it all!  A father, husband, cop, Christian and so much more. 

 

http://journals.aol.com/ktmcoach/Iambetteratwritingthanspeaking/

Catchin' Up

There are so many reasons that I’ve neglected my journal lately. If I’d taken the time to write about many of the things that have been going on, I’d have some pretty special individual entries. Now the moments have passed, and I am not sure that I can recreate the enthusiasm or interest that I had at time. Rather, this will be just a jumbled catch-up of the past couple of weeks, to let my friends and family know I am okay and for my historical record.

Today begins Abs third week of boarding high school and I am happy to say….she LOVES it! Actually, in all this time, I’ve only had a few emails from her begging me NOT to pick her up to show/sell her lamb at the county fair because she doesn’t want to miss any classes! (Good Lord! My child has been abducted and just who is this cooperative little imposter?) And, she said she has “many friends” and “this place is cool…way better than home!” Score one for mom!

Parent’s weekend is October 15th and 16th and I guess that will be the first time I will see her, since she’s not coming home for the fair. I can’t wait to talk with her, find out about all her classes and meet all her new friends! I’m hoping to see a very happy teenager at that time.

I am thoroughly enjoying this empty nest and I think the best part about it is that my house stays clean! The freedom that I am experiencing is almost a little daunting. I’ve been raising kids for a long, long time and I’ve never had this feeling that all I have to worry about is me! One Saturday, I took off to Los Angeles, to visit my Uncle Lee and his stepson who’d come from Northern California to see OSU and UCLA play in the Rose Bowl. I couldn’t let them come within a few hundred miles and not be able to give them a hug! I met them after the game at the Burbank Hilton and enjoyed a nice dinner and then spent the night with them in their suite. Since they had an early plane to catch the next morning, I had the place to myself, so I propped up my feet and enjoyed the very thick Sunday Edition of the Los Angeles Times before stopping in the hotel restaurant for a nice quiet breakfast. After my meal, I hit the road and did a little shopping on the way up the mountain. Another great mini-vacation!

My Grandma Jessie is just barely hanging in there. My Aunt Mary called the other morning and said that Grandma had a very rough night. Mary is at the point that she’s staying with her constantly because she‘s told her how tired she is and “I guess 89 years is enough.” Grandma was pretty coherent yesterday when I called to tell her how much I love her. She said, “I know Lisa and I love you too. I’ve just had soooo much love in my life!” I then said, “Grandma if you go to Heaven soon, would you please tell my dad how much I love and miss him?” She replied in her sweet Okie drawl, “Oh, yes I will and your mother too!”

I just cried because I thought that was so very sweet! What an amazing woman.

More later.

 

 

School Daze

The car packed was packed to it’s breaking point Saturday with nearly all the essentials needed by a 13 year old heading to boarding school.  Tam, Ab and I made the best of our 3½ hour trip on Saturday to Ab’s new school, by joking and talking about the adventures she would experience in the new setting. After an extended summer that she was really getting to like, Ab joked that she’d rather stay home and eat Cheetos, than go back to school.

Especially “that one” where she didn’t know anybody!

Ab mentioned that she was glad Tam came along to help her decorate her half of the dormitory room. As if I couldn’t hang a poster of Kurt Cobain! Geez. It was my job to make the bed. I can guarantee that’s the last time it will be made for quite some time.

Upon arrival we were glad to see an eclectic mix of kids, also new to the school, as the “returning students” were not going to arrive until the following day. Of course to hear her tell it, they were all “preps!”

I knew when I saw the girl wearing way too much dark make-up and a fan-folded dollar bill in her hair as a very stylish bow, a teacher that had wide purple stripes in her hair, and a White boy with a huge afro, that Ab would eventually find a kindred spirit. Walking to the beat of a different drum has some advantages.

She wore her “You’ve ruined my life and can’t you tell I am clearly miserable here” look for the entire registration period, which had the desired effect on me. It was especially heart-wrenching when I heard that Ab’s Korean roommate ditched her after dinner for a group of Asian girls.  Then Ab wandered around by herself for quite awhile.

Later, during the dorm meeting, she made sure to stand away from the group of giggling and happy girls who were there to introduce themselves. I watched her from my perch on the hearth of the fireplace and breathed a little sigh of relief when I saw that Tam had forced some interaction with Ab and another new girl who was also off on the sidelines. “Tansy” commented on how cool Ab’s Slipknot shirt was and I think they found some common ground.

I am hoping by now that she’s found a group of kind girls that will welcome my shy one into their fold. My parent’s handbook says it takes about 2 weeks for the kids to workout their social circles, before they can start settling into the routine of school. First things first, I guess.

Their schedule is so full for the few days that I haven’t heard from her and I am just beside myself. I can’t wait to hear how it’s going and I am praying that she’s doing better than when I left her. It’s so tough, but I know I did the right thing and I am betting in a few months, she‘s going to love it there!

Civic Duty, et al.

Today for the umpteenth time in so many years, I presented myself at our Superior Court for my civic responsibility.....Jury Duty.  

In my opinion, considering my background, I'd make a hell of a juror, but for some reason, those defense people just don't like me in the jury pool.  I was excused and out the door with the second preemptory challenge.  Thanks but NO thanks, they say.  So, I will see them again this time next year for more of the same. 

Time for some awesome news...............My girlchild was accepted to the Arts Academy High School as a Visual Arts student and awarded.......ahem.......$25,270 in scholarship funds for this school year!   I couldn't believe it!  This is a dream come true!  She had to have an additional telephonic interview with the Dean of the Visual Arts department, which was the clincher.  He indicated that her artwork was very "fresh!" 

I think she's going to love it there and really discover her true talent and passion in the various art forms that she'll have a chance to study.  This is a college preparatory school with demanding academics, but small enough that they will keep her busy and on track with her study skills, in a positive environment with kids that have similar interests.  I am praying that she makes some awesome friends this year.

We are currently in the process of packing and getting everything together for her arrival at the school this Saturday, with classes to begin on Monday!  Today I bought her a desk/study lamp, and colorful new bedding for her dormroom.  And a flashlight, because classes go until 6:30 pm.  Yesterday I filled up a new fangled plastic footlocker with new shampoo/conditioner, toothbrush and toothpaste, new jammies, socks, writing materials, a laundry bag/soap, etc.  Thank goodness I taught her how to do laundry because she's on her own there with that!  We still have to shop for some new clothes and a "fashionable" backpack, by Friday.   Yikes!