Flying Leap

So… I consider myself to have a pretty fun-loving sort of attitude. For example, I regularly hide my family's drinks or plates of food if they happen to leave the table while eating. I try to keep a straight face when they return, but as soon as they realize their food is gone, they stare accusingly at me, at which point I break out into resounding guffaws.

I also like to run and take a flying leap onto my king-sized bed. (Consider that, in my mind's eye, I still see myself as 20 years younger than really am.) Anyway, last week, I attempted-once again- just such an aerial display. Only it didn't turn out as in all my previous flights. Namely, I fell off the bed and landed sideways onto the charging mobile phone in between the mattress and the chair. Then, the reality of my predicament began to sink in. Only, my mind replayed my sad plight in slow motion. I couldn't seem to move, I just lay there, instead of trying to extracate myself from between the chair and bed!

Everything about my life now cries, "middle age". To prove it I have visual conformation. Just look at that bruise and scratch-what a doozy!

Dog Fight

In the dog world there is an order to things.

Rusty is the head honcho, but Star and Aki have differing opinions about who's second in command.

The lastest skirmish was quite scary. Star's front tooth broke off and lodged in Aki's foreleg.

Sometimes the dog are very friendly toward each other, but other times Star gets so riled up by another dog passing on the street that she turns territorial. That's when the fights start.

I still love them all though.

Stoneman Lake

Larry and I went camping this weekend at Stoneman Lake and I saw something I’d never encountered before. During one of my exploration treks around our camping spot, I came upon an elk skin hung over a fallen tree. The skin had obviously been in that same spot for many seasons. I thought about taking it but the coat was mangy and matted. Hunters must have skinned their prey, left it to dry and forgot it. I never saw any bones or other parts of the animal.

But that wasn’t the only noteworthy thing that happened. We had a time of it for sure! Camping with no facilities makes for a true wilderness experience.

During the night I got up to go to the bathroom, but because I was still groggy from sleep, I wasn’t thinking too clearly and when I pulled up my pajama bottoms and they were soaked! Well, now I was embarrassed and wet. I had to rummage around in the dark for a second set of pajama bottoms, luckily I packed an extra pair. While I was outside the tent balancing on one leg ( I find that the older I get the less supple my body becomes) I fell down and scratched my calf on a stick. The resulting three inch scrape burned and made it difficult to sleep comfortably because any material that touched my calf irritated my skin.

While lying awake, I was bothered by a familiar hum-mosquitoes! We had put on bug spray before retiring, but it must have worn off. I didn’t feel like getting up again and spraying outside. I would have sprayed inside, except we had foolishly done so earlier. Who knew that toxic fumes build up if spraying occurs in an enclosed area? The can clearly states the warning. (Every once in a while I feel like all my common sense has deserted me.) So I just hunkered down even further in my sleeping bag and waited for the sunrise.

The joys of the forest have always far outweighed any inconveniences. As usual, I can’t wait to go again!

Irene Higgenbothom

Today marked the end of an era for me as Irene Higgenbothom.

This morning in Grace Place, I played Irene for the last time in "Queen Irene and the Seven or So Hillbillies." Queen Irene finally became a Christian and got her man all in the same morning! Whew! What a run I had for 13 years.

As a member of the writing team/cast of Grace Place, I had the priviledge of working alongside many fine actors/actresses all for the glory of God. But it's time to move on. I will miss the cast and crew and the K-2 kids we ministered to each Sunday.

There will never be another Irene (and there are some of you out there who are quite happy about that!) Can I get an amen?

Dog Woes 2

I have many burning questions about my two dogs, Rusty and Star. Why do my dogs like stinky smells? Whenever I have bad breath my dogs love me even more. Enough said.

Why do my dogs dig in our household trash? We have resorted to blocking off all the rooms in our house when we leave because our precious dogs can't be trusted to stay out of the garbage. The doorknobs on the lower cupboard have a heavy duty rubber band wrapped around them because our dogs try to get at the trash can behind it.

Why do my dogs eat poop? There's no way to understand that one.

And finally, how can I tell which of my dogs ate my two, bright pink, sponge earplugs that were laying on my nightstand this morning and are now missing? Unfortunately, I'm sure the answer will become clear the next time I have poop patrol!

Dog Woes

Star is a very obstinate dog; she's more like a cat really-very independent and stubborn.

To illustrate my point, I was outside in my front yard visiting with my friends, when I happened to look over and see her through the front window perched on the leather recliner. Now mind you, Star is not allowed on the furniture. In my brilliance, (which will be disproved shortly), I thought I could scare her enough to jump down off the chair. I charged full speed at my front window, of course the thorny bush planted in front of it, stopped me cold. Star didn't budge. Star didn't flinch. Star is obstinate.

Thinking if I could just get closer, I could scare her off, I proceeded to circumvent the thorny bush and instead tripped on the main water valve and knocked it loose. Being made of 20-year-old brittle PVC pipe, you can probably predict what happened next. The water spray was pretty forceful and for ½ second I considered running the other way, but I didn't. I couldn't. I made this mess; I was going to have to face the cold, wet consequences. First I turned the main valve all the way off, but the water continued to spray me. Then I thought, "I must have turned the wrong valve," so I played around with the garden spigot, that didn't work either. I went back to the main valve-that had to be the right one. There was no other choice. This time, I turned the offending valve the correct way and the water finally subsided. Shamefully, I turned back around toward my friends. What a sight I was! I was totally saturated, my hair all the way down to my shoes received a thorough soaking.

I slunk inside to change, I didn't even bother to put on real clothes, I just threw my wet things in the sink, slicked my hair back and came out in my bathrobe. You know you have dear, precious friends when you can finish your visit in your bathrobe.

Star is a very obstinate dog. Oh, I forgot to mention when this all happened-Friday the 13^th.

Bow Tree

As a child, I truly knew Christmas was coming because my grandparent's bow tree would be sitting in all its magnificent glory on the hall credenza. It glistened with every color of the season, plus a few metallic beauties that put the other more ordinary bows to shame.

Once upon a time, they had a real tree, I know because I appeared in chilhood photos next to it. But I personally don't remember any such animal. My recollection is only of the fabulous bow tree.

After my grandparents passed on, there was some question between my three sisters and I about who would inherit the bow tree. Granted, it had lost some of its luster over the years and it's true that it wasn't quite as shiny as it once was. Still for me, the oldest grandchild, it could never belong to anyone else.

For many years now, during the Christmas holiday, the bow tree has held a place of honor on my kitchen table, much to the dismay of my family and friends who asked that it be moved during dinner. I can't blame them, the tree is two feet tall and ten inches around, not including the bows.

This year I decided to redo the whole tree. Thirty plus years had left it faded and frayed and flat. I assumed that two hours would be enough to finish the whole job. Wrong! Six hours later, I finally finished. My ends of my fingers were numb and sore from all the wire twisting and poking and prodding I had to do to put the new bows into place. But it's finished and it looks great!

From now on, the bow tree will be stored right side up, and with a strong protective dust cover. I need this current tree to last for another thirty years. After all, maybe someday the fabulous, magnificent, glittering bow tree will be passed on to the next generation.