So not ready

I was adamant that I would not cut grass until March, and I didn't. But now it's officially April, and our yard is beginning to look like it needs a real cut, not just a perfunctory "let's take care of the weeds and such". There's no point in talking about the fact the yard is now strange to cut because of the way the road paving project and school turn lane took sections of the front yard, nor how they've yet to remove the black silt fence and pile of gravel in the midst of the back section of our yard, nor that we still have the dog's underground fence line laying ON TOP of the ground as it can't be buried until all of their work is finally finished. Discussing it won't change a thing, and the grass in and around those areas still must be cut. My great-aunt who lived with us while I was small (she was tiny and weighed about 90 lbs soaking wet), would sometimes sigh and say "Sounds like somebody needs to go to the bathroom and get their panties out of a wad" when we complained about things. And the very fact that came to mind as I was typing all this let's me know how much I'm complaining here...

There's not an insane amount of things on my calendar for this week, and yet this is already going to be a very full week. That happens once garden and grass season arrives. I always forget how much time it takes to do those things. So cut grass, plant spring items, catch up on the quilting class I missed last week and flesh out plans for the kids Easter party at church...I think that means my week is full. And I'm not ready for it.

take a breath... a deep one....

Just got home from teaching my last training class for the upcoming election. It seems that half the classes will have at least one person that is either a) in disagreement with at least one policy and is excessively vocal about it, b) wants to throw out incredulous scenarios that have less than .001% chance of happening, or c) thinks they know everything so therefore don't need training but yet, are getting 50% of the exercises wrong.

Today was a great class until the very end when we encountered scenario "a".  Don't like a policy? I understand that. But we're not going to like everything that happens on election day either, but rules are rules. Ranting about how the board of elections should be changed, blah, blah, blah is not appropriate. If you want to change a rule, go through the process and get it changed. But to bad mouth your boss and hope to have him fired is not a good mindset nor a good appearance to project to your coworkers and the public. I'm still a bit riled up inside, and I've now been at home for almost half an hour.

This is one of the things that makes me appreciate the Board of Elections staff more and more. I only deal with this a few times a year. They deal with this day in and day out. It's their job. And yet, they are always kind, always helpful. Granted, they have their moments, too, but overall they are extremely helpful and considerate. I would like to think that if I had their job, I would behave in the same manner. But in all honesty, I'm not so sure. Kindness and long-suffering toward others are certainly areas where my character needs to grow. This sounds ugly, but I'm thankful that person is not in one of the precincts I have to supervise in the next two months.

Thank goodness it's attached...

Over the past week I've been trying to ignore the mess in my quilting room and actually quilt. I was down to the last square I needed to complete (for a block of the month program), and I was missing a 4.5" square. I know it should be there because I sewed the two squares together, marked the diagonal line, stitched on either side of it, then cut on the line I marked, which should make FOUR squares made up of two triangles each. So how did I wind up with only THREE squares when I returned from the ironing board (which is at the other side of the house?)  I backtracked my steps several times, I folded a load of laundry, I cleaned up my cutting board, I even checked the study, the phone in the kitchen, the desk, and the bathroom. It's not there. So now I have a nine patch that cannot be sewn together because it is missing the center left square. And the remnant of fabric I have left to create a new one?  It's .5" too small. So I guess either tomorrow or Thursday I'll take my uncompleted block into the store to show them that Yes, I have worked on the block, and why I can't complete it, and hope they'll accept that so I don't have to pay for the next block.

How does one lose a piece of fabric?

To which my husband would dryly reply, "The same way you lose everything else."

Yes, it is a good thing my head is attached.

P.S. 9 more months 'til Christmas.  And yes, I still have Christmas music playing from the shuffle mode on my ipod. ;)

pondering responsibility

I know I'm more than a little cynical about many things in life. But lately I've been hearing stories that make me wonder if I'm truly cynical or just realistic.

In high school, my parents were not band groupies.  They got to see me perform in the band about three times a year. One was during marching band season. Parents of band members were required to work the concession stands twice a year (and they got in to the game free since they didn't actually get to see the game).  Always during one of those times, other band booster parents would graciously send my Mom out during one of the busiest times so she could see my sister and I perform. The remainder of the season, there was simply no money for them to attend a ballgame.  And our Christmas and spring concerts were free. :)

Sometimes it bothered me a little that my parents couldn't be there, but I knew my parents cared. They would always ask how things went as soon as I got home and they made it a point to let us know they were interested in our lives.

So I'm startled quite a bit to see that parents of Olympians are facing foreclosures of homes and bancruptcy, yet they have the  money to travel across the ocean, pay a hotel fee as well as food costs, and buy tickets to get into venues to watch their child participate in a sport that they have been paying a wad of money for them to learn. There just seems to be a very skewed priority order here. I can pay for my child to live with a strange family in another state, pay top dollar for them to study under one of the best coaches in the nation, as well as buy expensive uniforms, but I can't pay own personal bills, such as a house and car payment.  Am I the only one who is greatly bothered by all this?

I recognize the Olympics are so much more important than any high school band concert or performance. I understand that I don't totally comprehend the parent/child bond, but I do know there are things children need to be taught. One of those things is fiscal responsibility, and how better to teach someone a lesson than to model it for them?

I just found these two stories a very sad reflection on life in spoiled America. We no longer seem to understand what is a need and what is a want. It wasn't that many years ago that parents didn't accompany children to the Olympics. I find it hard to believe they loved their children any less. I'm certain they hated to miss the events, but would have been humiliated to go and then come home and be homeless. We may be winning the medal count, but we're losing on the home front.

things that make me want to cartoon cuss

technology...

There's nothing more aggravating than upgrading your computer, only to find out that the new keyboard and mouse are absolutely not disability friendly. Our solution: keep using the old ones with the new hard-drive. Thank God for adaptors!

There's nothing more annoying than visiting FIVE different cell phone carriers and not A SINGLE ONE has a phone workable for moderately disabled fingers.  Sale clerks seem dumbfounded by the problem, and sympathetically shrug. Our solution: a cheap-o pay as you go phone from Wal-mart that we hot-glued an elastic strip to the back.

BUT, when "modern" technology on vehicles enters the scene, it's a whole new ballgame. Cell phones and mice are modified necessities.  A vehicle is an absolute necessity.  I really don't care that cars now have computer chip drives in them to make them safer.  I could care less that if the manufacturer grants permission to have things rewired they would be in major trouble with insurance companies, or attorneys or whomever else might have some freakish control thing going on. Just let us re-wire what needs to be done to make the vehicle safe for a disabled person to drive.  You think your stupid FOB is the way of the future?  All it does is make handicapped people struggle to enter buildings and vehicles.  Progress?  For WHOM?  And what companies consider "safe" more often than not means even more unnecessary work and produces potentially dangerous consequences for people who need every advantage they can get. And what REALLY gets my goat is when it's a medical adaptive equipment who is SUPPOSED to be HELPING people get around that makes some rule that actually HINDERS people from living as normal a life as possible. 

It's probably a very good thing that I don't have a phone number for Braun Enterprises tonight.  It's probably an even better thing that I don't know who the contact person is who has now twice denied a claim to modify "their" equipment. 

And Van Products of Raleigh...here's my shout out to you. THANK YOU for ALWAYS going the extra mile for us in trying to make things work IN OUR BEST INTEREST!!! I think it truly makes a difference when a company who sells disability products actually has people with disabilities working there.  They truly get it.  I'd be curious to know if Braun Enterprises has any disabled people working/selling their vehicles. I truly kind of doubt it.

the fisherman tales

99.9% of the time I like where I live.

This afternoon I was reminded of the .1% of why I don't:

1. People I don't know (always of the male gender between the ages of 16-70something) drive up, ask to fish, without introducing themselves. Many (like the two shirtless teenagers today) are polite; some are rude. Do they really think that will convince me to say yes?!
2. People I don't know (always of the male gender between the ages of 16-70something) drive up, ask to hunt, without introducing themselves. Their rationale is that they use: safe guns, arrows, spears, etc. Now, there actually has been two men who were VERY nice, gave me their business card and a list of references and contact information so I could call them back. I actually felt bad for telling them no.
3. Teenagers (and sometimes their Dads) who 4-wheel behind our house without permission.
4. a Dirt road...dust, dust, dust, dust, dust. Did I mention dust?
5. and last but not least, coming home to find people I don't know fishing in the pond, and I'm at home alone.

I guess those are valid reasons to keep my dogs.