Life happens, ya know? Since my last post, I went up to my daughter's in Illinois for my grandson's 9th birthdaym then hosted 10 people at my house for Thanksgiving. As of this moment, I'm awaiting the re-arrival of my daughter and son-in-law for an overnight on their way to Florida. My grandkitty is in residence here while they are gone. She seems to be doing okay...
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I have two weeks to prepare my house for "foreign" company. My son-in-law's parents will be staying with me for a few days without him (our translator) and I have to figure out what to do with them! The house is a disaster, due to my old age. I have a person primed to come assist me with things. He needs the money and I need the help! During this time, I will also need to do ALL of my Christmas shopping and have things primed for New Year's when we will all be back at my house. (If you have ever seen my place, you understand that four extra people is a houseful....but six will be horrific!)
I must backtrack a little here to Thanksgiving. Ryan got to play with his buddy Jack just a little bit. (Jack moved a few blocks away...too far to walk.) On T-Day, we squeezed ten people around an eight-person table in order to avoid a "children's table" in the living room...but I have to tell you that my grandchildren--BOTH of them--were absolute angels throughout. It had to be tough on Ryan, but his sister is totally civilized all of the time. I had asked that the children be responsible for the table grace. Robin got online and picked out a blessing that she read off her iPod at table. It was an excellent choice! God bless my grandchildren!
Present at our table were: me (of course), Megan and Denis, Robin and Ryan, the other set of grandparents (Judy and Phil Heffelman) and their son Dan, plus their other son (the children's father) and his wife (the children's stepmother). We ate well. No one had to send out for pizza after we were done!
On "Black Friday", instead of shopping, the family turned my kitchen into a candy factory! For 14 hours, confections of every sort were created to eat and give as gifts. Really, really good stuff! Saturday saw us putting up my Christmas tree. Sunday, of course, everyone departed. What a whirlwind!
Meanwhile, I am entertaining Meg's family cat while they all take their vacation to Florida. God bless the kitty-cat! She misses her family but has figured out that I am the mover and shaker in her world right now. We will do just fine.
Off to other endeavors. Family will be here very late tonight. I may need a nap in the meantime!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Daylight Slaving Time
I'm convinced that we Americans are slaves to our clocks! Now that Indiana observes the time changes twice a year, from Standard Time to Daylight Savings Time and back again, the clocks have to be changed...and you don't really realize how many clocks are in your house until that happens.
I have a bunch. Since I had to be in church earlier than usual on Sunday, I wanted to make sure I had the right time before I went to bed on Saturday. But it gets confusing. Here is my quest to establish correct time:
*My wristwatch--battery went dead a couple of weeks ago and I haven't taken it to be replaced yet. Couldn't change or rely on that.
*Two clocks in the garage room. One is "radio controlled" but doesn't go with the time changes unless it is programmed to do that. I apparently haven't done that because it didn't change. (Yes, I do have the manual to figure it out.) The other is a clock with a switch to change DST to ST. *Click* Done!
*The clock on the microwave--easy change. Done!
*The clock over the stove that my mother made so many years ago--never changed last spring so it is still on ST. No problem.
*The analog clock in the living room that my daughter made in junior high--never was changed last spring, so it is still on ST. No problem.
*Digital clock in my bedroom...the crucial one...didn't get changed on Saturday night. Thus, when I was looking at it on Sunday morning while deciding if it was time to get up yet, I was subracting an hour in my head. Then, because I was already awake, I happened to change channels on TV and noticed that the time on the clock was the same on the TV. Huh?? I hadn't remembered that the clock in that bedroom changes automatically, and I only had an hour to get my rear up and get to church!
*Digital clock in my car--pushed a button and got the time changed quickly. (This is always a problem when I am in IL and my family is checking the car clock for time limits when we are out and about. I'm on IN time. They are always relieved to find out that it isn't as late in the day as they thought!)
So...as it stands right now, the only clock that isn't on the right time is the radio controlled clock in the garage room. I'll work on fixing that! Heck...I'm retired! What difference does an hour make????
I have a bunch. Since I had to be in church earlier than usual on Sunday, I wanted to make sure I had the right time before I went to bed on Saturday. But it gets confusing. Here is my quest to establish correct time:
*My wristwatch--battery went dead a couple of weeks ago and I haven't taken it to be replaced yet. Couldn't change or rely on that.
*Two clocks in the garage room. One is "radio controlled" but doesn't go with the time changes unless it is programmed to do that. I apparently haven't done that because it didn't change. (Yes, I do have the manual to figure it out.) The other is a clock with a switch to change DST to ST. *Click* Done!
*The clock on the microwave--easy change. Done!
*The clock over the stove that my mother made so many years ago--never changed last spring so it is still on ST. No problem.
*The analog clock in the living room that my daughter made in junior high--never was changed last spring, so it is still on ST. No problem.
*Digital clock in my bedroom...the crucial one...didn't get changed on Saturday night. Thus, when I was looking at it on Sunday morning while deciding if it was time to get up yet, I was subracting an hour in my head. Then, because I was already awake, I happened to change channels on TV and noticed that the time on the clock was the same on the TV. Huh?? I hadn't remembered that the clock in that bedroom changes automatically, and I only had an hour to get my rear up and get to church!
*Digital clock in my car--pushed a button and got the time changed quickly. (This is always a problem when I am in IL and my family is checking the car clock for time limits when we are out and about. I'm on IN time. They are always relieved to find out that it isn't as late in the day as they thought!)
So...as it stands right now, the only clock that isn't on the right time is the radio controlled clock in the garage room. I'll work on fixing that! Heck...I'm retired! What difference does an hour make????
Sunday, November 4, 2012
God Is So Good!
I don't know where to start in telling my stories of the week and have the words convey what is in my heart. I'll just do the best I can and hope for the best.
I have written many times about how much I love my church. The music...the pastors...the friendship of The Faithful--all contribute to the reason that I drag myself out of bed early on Sunday mornings to attend the first service, then stay for Sunday School. It is the one time all week that I can concentrate on my relationship with God. I fall pretty short in that department, which is why I NEED to be in church each week.
When I first started attending Sunday School about three years ago, I was broken. Things at home had fallen apart. Several times in class, when it came time to share "joys and concerns", I just sat and blubbered about my troubles, and they listened in sympathy and love. Then, as I slowly began to recover, I could be more of an active member rather than just a needy sponge, soaking up every little bit of emotional help I could get. I have come to see my SS class--a bunch of retired old folks like me--as a lifeline to share the stresses of the days. In short, they have become friends.
I don't do much at church. I sometimes help with the homeless feeding mission. I volunteer for bereavement dinners for folks that I know. I attend some functions and help with some functions, and I make some phone calls for our Angel Tree mission at Christmas. I teach class during a yearly quarter when it is my team's turn. I pay on my pledge each week. I do what I can, but I have been very careful not to commit to anything that I feared I wouldn't be able to follow through on... (The couple that leads our SS class is everywhere, doing so much that it makes me feel guilty!) Anyway, I'm trying to build an atmosphere with this, so far, so you can understand what comes next.
I am friends with many former students on Facebook, most of whom are now adults raising families of their own. A couple of years ago, I got wind that one of them was in a tight money-pinch and didn't have the funds to feed her kids until a disability check came in. (Long story.) Anyway, I met them in Mooresville, gave them two bags of groceries and $50 just to tie them over. She is married with four children--her two and his two, both from previous relationships. He is disabled and she almost is... The children are pretty bright and doing fairly well in school. This school year, they moved to Plainfield. They don't have much, but they seem to be as happy as can be.
For this Christmas, my daughter told me that she and her family decided to buy for another family instead of spending so much on themselves. She asked me if I had a source of names of people who needed help. I immediately thought of this family, but hadn't talked to Amy for a long time, so didn't know how they were doing. I ran into the church secretary in the grocery store and asked if we had a list of families in need of help. She said no list...just a recommendation, if asked. She also told me that the Family Ministries Fund is in the hole right now. Bummer! And just as I was getting up the courage to contact my former student (Amy) to see how they were faring, she contacted me! She was asking if I knew of somewhere that would provide her husband with a winter coat and some warm pants. (He had cut his off over the hot summer...and hasn't had a winter coat for years.)
I met Amy and husband the next day (Friday). We tried Goodwill. Nothing that would fit him. (He's a BIG boy!) We tried Walmart. No jackets that would fit him, but we were able to get him four pairs of sweatpants, a hooded cardigan sweatshirt, plus hats/gloves for the whole family. Then we moved to Aldi's where we filled a cart with things that they can't get from a food pantry--meats, dairy, and other perishables, plus TP, laundry detergent, dish detergent, and the like. I sent them home happy, but without that winter coat. I told them I would keep an eye out to see what could be done.
This morning (Sunday) I was scheduled to help serve Communion during the early service. Have never done that before. In our church, the congregants come to the front in lines to receive the bread, then dip in in the cup, then return to their pews. In the midst of that, it hit me that I was handing "the Body of Christ, given for you" to the faithful...and I puddled up. Oh, no! I can't cry now!!!! I managed to keep it under control, but I felt so totally honored to be doing that. It is one of the few sacraments in the life of the church...and I was helping! And while I was doing that, the choir was singing the recently-found "lost" song of Beethoven--probably the first time the song has been performed in the US! What a rush!!!
At the end of the service, as I was leaving the sanctuary, a female member of the choir came up behind me, touched me on the back, and said, "I can see that you love to sing. I invite you to join the choir for our Christmas Eve service." Wow! I explained to the gal that I do, indeed, love to sing but that my once-solo-quality voice is now GONE, and that this Christmas's schedule looks like I will be north of Chicago for Christmas Eve. Still, it was nice to know that someone noticed my gusto in singing...(unless my friends Judy and/or Phil, who sing in the choir, put her up to it)!
On to my Sunday School class. When it came time to express "joys and concerns", I asked for help in figuring out where to find a 4XL jacket for the father of the family that I was trying to help. I told the class about the little voices on my shoulder--one that kept saying things like, "Your grandson's birthday is coming up. Thanksgiving is coming. Christmas is coming. Your car will break down. You are going to wish you had this money back"...and the other that kept saying, "You helped four children today. This could be your daughter, your family." Several suggestions came out of the whole conversation. Then, at the end of class, one of the guys who sits at the other side of the table came over to me and handed me $60 that several fellows over there put together for me to find a jacket for James. I was floored! I hadn't asked, but God had provided!
As soon as I ate some lunch after church, I went in search of a coat with $60 cash in my pocket. Kohl's had nothing bigger than 2XL. Same thing with Target. I was about to go to Penney's when I decided to try the new Burlington Coat Factory in town. Bingo! They had 4XLs and even a limited selection of 5XLs. I bought a fairly nice jacket for $50+tax and hoped to God that it would fit. Arrangements were quickly made to meet James and family just down the street from me...and the jacket fit!!! He was SO very grateful to have something warm! I think it was said that he hadn't had a decent winter jacket in five years because "the kids always need things". (Oh, how I understand that!)
I guess my lesson for the day is that God provides. Ask, and you shall receive. I just feel so honored and humbled...and happy that I, with the help of others, made a difference in a few lives this week. I accept that I can't do this every day because my resources are limited, but just for today, I feel good!
I have written many times about how much I love my church. The music...the pastors...the friendship of The Faithful--all contribute to the reason that I drag myself out of bed early on Sunday mornings to attend the first service, then stay for Sunday School. It is the one time all week that I can concentrate on my relationship with God. I fall pretty short in that department, which is why I NEED to be in church each week.
When I first started attending Sunday School about three years ago, I was broken. Things at home had fallen apart. Several times in class, when it came time to share "joys and concerns", I just sat and blubbered about my troubles, and they listened in sympathy and love. Then, as I slowly began to recover, I could be more of an active member rather than just a needy sponge, soaking up every little bit of emotional help I could get. I have come to see my SS class--a bunch of retired old folks like me--as a lifeline to share the stresses of the days. In short, they have become friends.
I don't do much at church. I sometimes help with the homeless feeding mission. I volunteer for bereavement dinners for folks that I know. I attend some functions and help with some functions, and I make some phone calls for our Angel Tree mission at Christmas. I teach class during a yearly quarter when it is my team's turn. I pay on my pledge each week. I do what I can, but I have been very careful not to commit to anything that I feared I wouldn't be able to follow through on... (The couple that leads our SS class is everywhere, doing so much that it makes me feel guilty!) Anyway, I'm trying to build an atmosphere with this, so far, so you can understand what comes next.
I am friends with many former students on Facebook, most of whom are now adults raising families of their own. A couple of years ago, I got wind that one of them was in a tight money-pinch and didn't have the funds to feed her kids until a disability check came in. (Long story.) Anyway, I met them in Mooresville, gave them two bags of groceries and $50 just to tie them over. She is married with four children--her two and his two, both from previous relationships. He is disabled and she almost is... The children are pretty bright and doing fairly well in school. This school year, they moved to Plainfield. They don't have much, but they seem to be as happy as can be.
For this Christmas, my daughter told me that she and her family decided to buy for another family instead of spending so much on themselves. She asked me if I had a source of names of people who needed help. I immediately thought of this family, but hadn't talked to Amy for a long time, so didn't know how they were doing. I ran into the church secretary in the grocery store and asked if we had a list of families in need of help. She said no list...just a recommendation, if asked. She also told me that the Family Ministries Fund is in the hole right now. Bummer! And just as I was getting up the courage to contact my former student (Amy) to see how they were faring, she contacted me! She was asking if I knew of somewhere that would provide her husband with a winter coat and some warm pants. (He had cut his off over the hot summer...and hasn't had a winter coat for years.)
I met Amy and husband the next day (Friday). We tried Goodwill. Nothing that would fit him. (He's a BIG boy!) We tried Walmart. No jackets that would fit him, but we were able to get him four pairs of sweatpants, a hooded cardigan sweatshirt, plus hats/gloves for the whole family. Then we moved to Aldi's where we filled a cart with things that they can't get from a food pantry--meats, dairy, and other perishables, plus TP, laundry detergent, dish detergent, and the like. I sent them home happy, but without that winter coat. I told them I would keep an eye out to see what could be done.
This morning (Sunday) I was scheduled to help serve Communion during the early service. Have never done that before. In our church, the congregants come to the front in lines to receive the bread, then dip in in the cup, then return to their pews. In the midst of that, it hit me that I was handing "the Body of Christ, given for you" to the faithful...and I puddled up. Oh, no! I can't cry now!!!! I managed to keep it under control, but I felt so totally honored to be doing that. It is one of the few sacraments in the life of the church...and I was helping! And while I was doing that, the choir was singing the recently-found "lost" song of Beethoven--probably the first time the song has been performed in the US! What a rush!!!
At the end of the service, as I was leaving the sanctuary, a female member of the choir came up behind me, touched me on the back, and said, "I can see that you love to sing. I invite you to join the choir for our Christmas Eve service." Wow! I explained to the gal that I do, indeed, love to sing but that my once-solo-quality voice is now GONE, and that this Christmas's schedule looks like I will be north of Chicago for Christmas Eve. Still, it was nice to know that someone noticed my gusto in singing...(unless my friends Judy and/or Phil, who sing in the choir, put her up to it)!
On to my Sunday School class. When it came time to express "joys and concerns", I asked for help in figuring out where to find a 4XL jacket for the father of the family that I was trying to help. I told the class about the little voices on my shoulder--one that kept saying things like, "Your grandson's birthday is coming up. Thanksgiving is coming. Christmas is coming. Your car will break down. You are going to wish you had this money back"...and the other that kept saying, "You helped four children today. This could be your daughter, your family." Several suggestions came out of the whole conversation. Then, at the end of class, one of the guys who sits at the other side of the table came over to me and handed me $60 that several fellows over there put together for me to find a jacket for James. I was floored! I hadn't asked, but God had provided!
As soon as I ate some lunch after church, I went in search of a coat with $60 cash in my pocket. Kohl's had nothing bigger than 2XL. Same thing with Target. I was about to go to Penney's when I decided to try the new Burlington Coat Factory in town. Bingo! They had 4XLs and even a limited selection of 5XLs. I bought a fairly nice jacket for $50+tax and hoped to God that it would fit. Arrangements were quickly made to meet James and family just down the street from me...and the jacket fit!!! He was SO very grateful to have something warm! I think it was said that he hadn't had a decent winter jacket in five years because "the kids always need things". (Oh, how I understand that!)
I guess my lesson for the day is that God provides. Ask, and you shall receive. I just feel so honored and humbled...and happy that I, with the help of others, made a difference in a few lives this week. I accept that I can't do this every day because my resources are limited, but just for today, I feel good!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Freedom of Speech??
As Americans, we are guaranteed the right to speak our minds without political repercussions. And, since it is an election year, many are speaking their minds with a vengeance! Yes, dear fellow Americans, feel free to vent whatever venom you want to expel, but now it is time to understand that there are consequences for that.
Politicians have been falling like flies for things that come out of their mouths. The death of an American ambassador in the Middle East has been blamed on some Internet post that some hapless citizen posted, because he could. Boys and girls, the world is a MUCH smaller place than it once was. You are NOT free to offend the rest of the world unless you have the power to defend what you do...and unless you have the permission of the Federal Government to do it, you are on your own!
This is one of the reasons that amateur radio operators have to pass tests in order to talk all over the world. There is a responsibility that comes with being leaders of the civilized world. I you represent the USA, you'd better talk like you represent the USA!!
Some poor redneck of a guy in the Indy area decided to exercise his right to free speech by hanging President Obama in effigy in his yard. Now, he has had to put his family in hiding due to threats. What did he expect? That the world would beat a pathway to his door????
Another person...the mega-Christian owner of Chick-fil-A restaurants...shot his mouth off about how he didn't support gay marriage. The backlash from that was both negative and positive. People who never ate at their establishment before ate there to show their support, while gay people--even employees--all over the country, drew back.
Then, too, there is the flack from the candidate for Representative in the state of Indiana who said that he didn't support abortion in the case of rape because it was "a life that God intended to happen". I am 100% sure that he meant that...felt it from the marrow of his Christian bones...but seems not to know how offensive it sounds to victims of rape and women in general. He backtracked without apologizing. Only election day will determine who bought it and who didn't.
I am a Christian, too, but sometimes I am at a loss to throw in with these people. We are criticized for being too "politically correct". Okay...DON'T be polically correct and see how many friends you make! Speak your mind because you have the right to, but don't come crying to me if other people don't agree with you!
John Wilkes Booth, who killed President Lincoln, was shocked that he was hunted down like a dog when he THOUGHT he was doing the country a favor by assassinating what HE thought was a tyrant. Unbridled freedom of speech leads to other assumptions of unbridled freedoms. Wake up, Americans! The rest of the world doesn't care squat about our freedoms! It's time to cut our losses and act like the supposed civilize society that we pretend to be!
Politicians have been falling like flies for things that come out of their mouths. The death of an American ambassador in the Middle East has been blamed on some Internet post that some hapless citizen posted, because he could. Boys and girls, the world is a MUCH smaller place than it once was. You are NOT free to offend the rest of the world unless you have the power to defend what you do...and unless you have the permission of the Federal Government to do it, you are on your own!
This is one of the reasons that amateur radio operators have to pass tests in order to talk all over the world. There is a responsibility that comes with being leaders of the civilized world. I you represent the USA, you'd better talk like you represent the USA!!
Some poor redneck of a guy in the Indy area decided to exercise his right to free speech by hanging President Obama in effigy in his yard. Now, he has had to put his family in hiding due to threats. What did he expect? That the world would beat a pathway to his door????
Another person...the mega-Christian owner of Chick-fil-A restaurants...shot his mouth off about how he didn't support gay marriage. The backlash from that was both negative and positive. People who never ate at their establishment before ate there to show their support, while gay people--even employees--all over the country, drew back.
Then, too, there is the flack from the candidate for Representative in the state of Indiana who said that he didn't support abortion in the case of rape because it was "a life that God intended to happen". I am 100% sure that he meant that...felt it from the marrow of his Christian bones...but seems not to know how offensive it sounds to victims of rape and women in general. He backtracked without apologizing. Only election day will determine who bought it and who didn't.
I am a Christian, too, but sometimes I am at a loss to throw in with these people. We are criticized for being too "politically correct". Okay...DON'T be polically correct and see how many friends you make! Speak your mind because you have the right to, but don't come crying to me if other people don't agree with you!
John Wilkes Booth, who killed President Lincoln, was shocked that he was hunted down like a dog when he THOUGHT he was doing the country a favor by assassinating what HE thought was a tyrant. Unbridled freedom of speech leads to other assumptions of unbridled freedoms. Wake up, Americans! The rest of the world doesn't care squat about our freedoms! It's time to cut our losses and act like the supposed civilize society that we pretend to be!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Ghastly Stories
I have some scary stories to write today, having to do with Halloween. However, when I got to thinking about them, I remembered that only one of them actually has anything to do with Halloween, but I'm going to write about them, anyway.
As you may or may not know, I was married to a secondary school principal for a lot of years. (That, in itself, is scary enough!) And although we never had too many problems with property damage due to student mischief, we were always on the alert--especially around Halloween. Joe knew what to look for since he had done his share of mischief as a kid...
First Story (Pontiac, IL, mid-1980s):
We were all in our house in the evening. Joe was still wearing his bike tights, having been on a ride a bit earlier in the day. It was dark out. Suddenly, someone pounded on our kitchen window, which was at the back of the house, scaring me and causing our young daughter's eyes to get big as saucers. Joe launched out the front door on a sprint, chasing down the culprits. Next thing I knew, he had tackled one of them and had him on the ground, pounding the kid's head into the grass. The kid was yelling, "Stop! It's me, Mr. McNary! It's so-and-so!" Sure enough, it was a student who thought he would be cute by scaring us--soon to learn that ol' Mr. McNary still had enough youth and strength in him to outrun a junior high kid and beat the tar out of him! As soon as Joe figured out who it was, he let up. The kid wasn't hurt, but he sure was startled...and I guess he figured out (and probably passed the word) that it was NOT a good idea to mess around at McNary's house. (I still get a chuckle out of a man in tights chasing after a teenager...and winning!)
Second Story (Cloverdale, IN, early 1990s):
At 2:00 in the morning, we were fast asleep. The phone rang. (When the phone rings in the middle of the night, it's never good news.) Joe answered. I listened as he said, "Oh. Okay. Where?" Then he hung up and rolled over. I asked, "What was that all about?" His response: "Bomb threat at the school." He didn't get up. He didn't call the police. He went back to sleep! In the morning, school went on as usual. The telephone company (which was practically in our back yard, and the president of which was Joe's secretary's husband) provided the record of whom had called, and before the day was out, the police arrested the kid who did it.
Obviously, the would-be bomber was trying to disrupt Old Man McNary's night. Little did he know that NOTHING comes between Ol' Man McNary and his slumber! Perhaps the kid thought Joe would get up and go to the school to throw his body between the building and the bomb. Didn't happen! Considering all of the serious school happening in the years since then, Joe could have been severely criticized had something bad happened, but in those days, there was more common sense. I just thought the whole thing was amusing. Principal-1; Students-0! Loved it!
Third Story (Cloverdale, IN, late 1980s in a rental home):
Halloween night. OOOoooooOOOOOh! Considering that some young student Lochinvar had painted "McNary is a dick" on the road near our house, we were especially alert on this, our first Halloween in Indiana. The mailbox was on a post at the road, just a few yards from the front door, but there were shrubs that almost hid the front steps--especially in the dark. That evening, Joe sat on the steps, just observing the trick-or-treaters and handing out some candy, as needed. At one point, a very noisy clunker of a car drove by, hesitated, and bounced a pumpkin off the mailbox, denting it badly and smashing the pumpkin into bits. Then it roared off. Joe didn't say anything when he came in except that he knew who did it. Cloverdale isn't that big a town. He had done enough parking lot duty at the end of each school day to be able to recognize who drove what car and how it sounded. The next day, he did a little detective work, and sure enough had caught the culprit red-handed. Then end result was that he told the kids responsible that he would not call the police or their parents IF they worked off a punishment. For the next two Saturdays, there were two kids raking leaves and cleaning up our yard. No further repercussions. I was in awe of his ability to handle that kind of stuff.
Joe and I split up probably less than two years after the two Cloverdale stories. There was no love lost between us when it happened, for a lot of reasons, but these events always reminded me that it wasn't ALL bad. Sometimes, his deviousness resulted in little victories!
I guess the real message is that you can't con a con! And we in the education field have to work hard to stay one step ahead of the students. Joe always could. I eventually figured it out.
Happy Halloween, y'all. (And Happy Birthday to my brother who is in Heaven...or wherever he ended up!)
As you may or may not know, I was married to a secondary school principal for a lot of years. (That, in itself, is scary enough!) And although we never had too many problems with property damage due to student mischief, we were always on the alert--especially around Halloween. Joe knew what to look for since he had done his share of mischief as a kid...
First Story (Pontiac, IL, mid-1980s):
We were all in our house in the evening. Joe was still wearing his bike tights, having been on a ride a bit earlier in the day. It was dark out. Suddenly, someone pounded on our kitchen window, which was at the back of the house, scaring me and causing our young daughter's eyes to get big as saucers. Joe launched out the front door on a sprint, chasing down the culprits. Next thing I knew, he had tackled one of them and had him on the ground, pounding the kid's head into the grass. The kid was yelling, "Stop! It's me, Mr. McNary! It's so-and-so!" Sure enough, it was a student who thought he would be cute by scaring us--soon to learn that ol' Mr. McNary still had enough youth and strength in him to outrun a junior high kid and beat the tar out of him! As soon as Joe figured out who it was, he let up. The kid wasn't hurt, but he sure was startled...and I guess he figured out (and probably passed the word) that it was NOT a good idea to mess around at McNary's house. (I still get a chuckle out of a man in tights chasing after a teenager...and winning!)
Second Story (Cloverdale, IN, early 1990s):
At 2:00 in the morning, we were fast asleep. The phone rang. (When the phone rings in the middle of the night, it's never good news.) Joe answered. I listened as he said, "Oh. Okay. Where?" Then he hung up and rolled over. I asked, "What was that all about?" His response: "Bomb threat at the school." He didn't get up. He didn't call the police. He went back to sleep! In the morning, school went on as usual. The telephone company (which was practically in our back yard, and the president of which was Joe's secretary's husband) provided the record of whom had called, and before the day was out, the police arrested the kid who did it.
Obviously, the would-be bomber was trying to disrupt Old Man McNary's night. Little did he know that NOTHING comes between Ol' Man McNary and his slumber! Perhaps the kid thought Joe would get up and go to the school to throw his body between the building and the bomb. Didn't happen! Considering all of the serious school happening in the years since then, Joe could have been severely criticized had something bad happened, but in those days, there was more common sense. I just thought the whole thing was amusing. Principal-1; Students-0! Loved it!
Third Story (Cloverdale, IN, late 1980s in a rental home):
Halloween night. OOOoooooOOOOOh! Considering that some young student Lochinvar had painted "McNary is a dick" on the road near our house, we were especially alert on this, our first Halloween in Indiana. The mailbox was on a post at the road, just a few yards from the front door, but there were shrubs that almost hid the front steps--especially in the dark. That evening, Joe sat on the steps, just observing the trick-or-treaters and handing out some candy, as needed. At one point, a very noisy clunker of a car drove by, hesitated, and bounced a pumpkin off the mailbox, denting it badly and smashing the pumpkin into bits. Then it roared off. Joe didn't say anything when he came in except that he knew who did it. Cloverdale isn't that big a town. He had done enough parking lot duty at the end of each school day to be able to recognize who drove what car and how it sounded. The next day, he did a little detective work, and sure enough had caught the culprit red-handed. Then end result was that he told the kids responsible that he would not call the police or their parents IF they worked off a punishment. For the next two Saturdays, there were two kids raking leaves and cleaning up our yard. No further repercussions. I was in awe of his ability to handle that kind of stuff.
Joe and I split up probably less than two years after the two Cloverdale stories. There was no love lost between us when it happened, for a lot of reasons, but these events always reminded me that it wasn't ALL bad. Sometimes, his deviousness resulted in little victories!
I guess the real message is that you can't con a con! And we in the education field have to work hard to stay one step ahead of the students. Joe always could. I eventually figured it out.
Happy Halloween, y'all. (And Happy Birthday to my brother who is in Heaven...or wherever he ended up!)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Sisters
I saw a Dr. Phil show recently (what else?!) that had to do with a couple of feuding sisters. (Actually, he has aired lots of shows on the same subject over the years.) I watched with interest because 100% of these feuding sisters are adults who apparently harbor ill-feeling or competition from the past. LONG past. What's up with that??
I've come to the conclusion that it must be closeness in age that causes these things, or emotional insecurity. My nieces--both in their 50s now--fight. They are 11 months apart in age. Two sets of feuding sisters on Dr. Phil were actually twins. Perhaps this closeness in years creates a competition for parental attention that I don't understand. I just don't get it.
My parents had four children. Shari was first. Then Barbara, who died in a tragic home accident as a toddler. Then me. Then our baby brother, Doug. There were six years and three months between Shari and me, and six years and seven months between Doug and me, making a whopping almost-thirteen years between Shari and Doug. (When he was born, Shari was his "little mother". I just thought he was a pesky little brother.) Doug died, stubborn and young, a number of years ago, leaving Shari and I all that is left of our family constellation. Does that matter? You betcha!
Shari got married and started her family back when I was in 8th grade. Everything changed then, of course...but rest assured, we had our problems before that. We got into trouble together in our younger years (always HER fault, of course!), and fought like sisters later. There was even one occasion, when our parents were gone and we were old enough to know better, that we got into a knock-down, drag-out physical fight. I was shocked at my behavior, and I think Shari was shocked at hers. We totally disappointed our parents. Neither Shari nor I ever apologized to each other then. We accepted that it was over and moved on. I can't even remember what the argument was over...
Through our marriage-and-child-bearing years, we had a number of experiences that brought us together (family holidays, years at the Indy 500, boat excursions and fun in the sun), and a couple that pulled us apart (usually related to our respective husbands rather than us), but here we are in old age, propping each other up as best we can by long distance. Shari, the recipient of the good family genes, still looks like a million bucks. I...well...not so much. She envies my independence. I envy her financial stability. Yet, I don't think either one of us would trade places. If all things were equal, we could...but all things aren't equal. Only God knows what the future brings for us.
Here is what I know for sure: my sister and I share some things that no one else can understand. Memories of our parents and grandparents...the family farm...the Navy years and how it affected us...the strength of our mother and grandmother that has made us strong. (Strength isn't necessarily fun, but it is who we are, by default.) Our struggles as wives and mothers and grandmothers--and, in her case, great-grandmothers. We have always provided each other a theoretical escape route from reality. I always know that I have a non-judging ear in her, and she in me. Whatever happens, we both know that our doors are open to each other...no questions asked. Who would a-thunk it?
God bless you, Shari, if you read this. If you get to Heaven before I do, save me a place at the dinner table with Baba and Popo, Mom and Dad, and Doug and Barbie for me. If I get there first, I will send the maitre-d' to ask if you have a reservation! (Wink!)
I've come to the conclusion that it must be closeness in age that causes these things, or emotional insecurity. My nieces--both in their 50s now--fight. They are 11 months apart in age. Two sets of feuding sisters on Dr. Phil were actually twins. Perhaps this closeness in years creates a competition for parental attention that I don't understand. I just don't get it.
My parents had four children. Shari was first. Then Barbara, who died in a tragic home accident as a toddler. Then me. Then our baby brother, Doug. There were six years and three months between Shari and me, and six years and seven months between Doug and me, making a whopping almost-thirteen years between Shari and Doug. (When he was born, Shari was his "little mother". I just thought he was a pesky little brother.) Doug died, stubborn and young, a number of years ago, leaving Shari and I all that is left of our family constellation. Does that matter? You betcha!
Shari got married and started her family back when I was in 8th grade. Everything changed then, of course...but rest assured, we had our problems before that. We got into trouble together in our younger years (always HER fault, of course!), and fought like sisters later. There was even one occasion, when our parents were gone and we were old enough to know better, that we got into a knock-down, drag-out physical fight. I was shocked at my behavior, and I think Shari was shocked at hers. We totally disappointed our parents. Neither Shari nor I ever apologized to each other then. We accepted that it was over and moved on. I can't even remember what the argument was over...
Through our marriage-and-child-bearing years, we had a number of experiences that brought us together (family holidays, years at the Indy 500, boat excursions and fun in the sun), and a couple that pulled us apart (usually related to our respective husbands rather than us), but here we are in old age, propping each other up as best we can by long distance. Shari, the recipient of the good family genes, still looks like a million bucks. I...well...not so much. She envies my independence. I envy her financial stability. Yet, I don't think either one of us would trade places. If all things were equal, we could...but all things aren't equal. Only God knows what the future brings for us.
Here is what I know for sure: my sister and I share some things that no one else can understand. Memories of our parents and grandparents...the family farm...the Navy years and how it affected us...the strength of our mother and grandmother that has made us strong. (Strength isn't necessarily fun, but it is who we are, by default.) Our struggles as wives and mothers and grandmothers--and, in her case, great-grandmothers. We have always provided each other a theoretical escape route from reality. I always know that I have a non-judging ear in her, and she in me. Whatever happens, we both know that our doors are open to each other...no questions asked. Who would a-thunk it?
God bless you, Shari, if you read this. If you get to Heaven before I do, save me a place at the dinner table with Baba and Popo, Mom and Dad, and Doug and Barbie for me. If I get there first, I will send the maitre-d' to ask if you have a reservation! (Wink!)
Friday, October 26, 2012
Politics Be Damned!
I am going to write this tonight in the hopes that it will satisfy my need to be heard before I make a total fool of myself on Facebook.
We are only a couple of weeks before the Presidential election. Both parties are pulling out all of the stops at the last minute in the hope of influencing people who are undecided. People who actually think for themselves can see the politics and the intent, but people who don't can be influenced.
One of my personal passions is the way women are treated by the Republican Party. These are the conservatives among us...the Christians...those who claim to be the only defenders of offenses to the Constitution. They are anti-abortion, claiming that the Bible gives them the right to defend the rights of the unborn, even in the case of rape and incest. The candidates are stepping all over themselves in droves, these days, and it troubles me. One fellow named Akins made some inane statement about how the female body has a way of shutting down and not allowing a raped woman to become pregnant. Another, in my very own state of Indiana, claimed that he was against abortion in the case of rape/incest because, even though rape was deplorable, if a woman becomes pregnant due to that rape, it is a life that God intended to happen. That announcement means, to him, that the woman should be required to carry a rape baby to term because life is sacred--his religious belief.
Well, good for him! I respect his opinion. Really, I do! I just don't want him to represent me in government. And here's why: The last time I looked, the laws of the Constitution were not written to cover THREE sets of citizens--men, women, and pregnant women. We, as a country, cannot discriminate against pregnant women, requiring them to carry a fetus/baby to term, unless we also require men and non-pregnant women to submit to reproductive laws, as well. We are not permitted to require mandatory sterilization of pedophiles and rapists or women who have a zillion kids just to take advantage of welfare. I don't even like the overtones of that.
Like Mr. Mourdock (the candidate who goofed up), I also believe that life begins at conception. No doubt about that. But when does that life begin to have American rights? Certainly not until that fetus/baby is capable of living outside the womb. (Third trimester of pregnancy.) If we do our research about stages of gestation, a fetus in the very early weeks of pregnancy just looks like a chicken embryo. As it grows, features develop. A beating heart does NOT mean that the organism feels or thinks. Abortion in the early weeks is like stepping on a bug. (Sorry about the analogy, but true.) Loved and wanted and nurtured, the unborn becomes a baby that is born into a family...whatever that means. Conceived in incest or rape--or any other negative situation-- the mother should not be required to carry a fetus to term, by law. And the laws that determine that should NOT be made by men without female representation!!!! We simply cannot make legal decisions that legislate morality and still have separation of church and state. I am a Christian, but (for the second time in my life) I am embarrassed to be thrown in the same category as these folks.
I have other reasons not to vote Republican this year, but this one is the biggest for me. My child is female, and I have a female grandchild. I don't like the notion that abortion is a viable option for contraception, but I also don't like the notion that the option would be taken away (again) by a male-driven society. God forbid that my girls should ever need an abortion...but it should be their right, should they find themselves in the situation of an unwanted pregnancy!
Men impregnate women on a regular basis, then abandon their responsibilities when they become pregnant. The African-American community is full of this...but there is a whole culture of whites who are also in the same boat. Let's get real about parental responsibility. Until the Republicans are willing to DO something about the number of unwanted children who are abandoned, raised in poverty, sent off to foster care, etc., they should NOT be standing on the platform of the sanctity of life. Have they been in inner cities lately? No...probably not. Unless it is to grab an unwelcome photo op of washing dishes at a soup kitchen, as the Republican VP candidate did lately, risking the donations to the place. Don't get me started on that!!!!
We are only a couple of weeks before the Presidential election. Both parties are pulling out all of the stops at the last minute in the hope of influencing people who are undecided. People who actually think for themselves can see the politics and the intent, but people who don't can be influenced.
One of my personal passions is the way women are treated by the Republican Party. These are the conservatives among us...the Christians...those who claim to be the only defenders of offenses to the Constitution. They are anti-abortion, claiming that the Bible gives them the right to defend the rights of the unborn, even in the case of rape and incest. The candidates are stepping all over themselves in droves, these days, and it troubles me. One fellow named Akins made some inane statement about how the female body has a way of shutting down and not allowing a raped woman to become pregnant. Another, in my very own state of Indiana, claimed that he was against abortion in the case of rape/incest because, even though rape was deplorable, if a woman becomes pregnant due to that rape, it is a life that God intended to happen. That announcement means, to him, that the woman should be required to carry a rape baby to term because life is sacred--his religious belief.
Well, good for him! I respect his opinion. Really, I do! I just don't want him to represent me in government. And here's why: The last time I looked, the laws of the Constitution were not written to cover THREE sets of citizens--men, women, and pregnant women. We, as a country, cannot discriminate against pregnant women, requiring them to carry a fetus/baby to term, unless we also require men and non-pregnant women to submit to reproductive laws, as well. We are not permitted to require mandatory sterilization of pedophiles and rapists or women who have a zillion kids just to take advantage of welfare. I don't even like the overtones of that.
Like Mr. Mourdock (the candidate who goofed up), I also believe that life begins at conception. No doubt about that. But when does that life begin to have American rights? Certainly not until that fetus/baby is capable of living outside the womb. (Third trimester of pregnancy.) If we do our research about stages of gestation, a fetus in the very early weeks of pregnancy just looks like a chicken embryo. As it grows, features develop. A beating heart does NOT mean that the organism feels or thinks. Abortion in the early weeks is like stepping on a bug. (Sorry about the analogy, but true.) Loved and wanted and nurtured, the unborn becomes a baby that is born into a family...whatever that means. Conceived in incest or rape--or any other negative situation-- the mother should not be required to carry a fetus to term, by law. And the laws that determine that should NOT be made by men without female representation!!!! We simply cannot make legal decisions that legislate morality and still have separation of church and state. I am a Christian, but (for the second time in my life) I am embarrassed to be thrown in the same category as these folks.
I have other reasons not to vote Republican this year, but this one is the biggest for me. My child is female, and I have a female grandchild. I don't like the notion that abortion is a viable option for contraception, but I also don't like the notion that the option would be taken away (again) by a male-driven society. God forbid that my girls should ever need an abortion...but it should be their right, should they find themselves in the situation of an unwanted pregnancy!
Men impregnate women on a regular basis, then abandon their responsibilities when they become pregnant. The African-American community is full of this...but there is a whole culture of whites who are also in the same boat. Let's get real about parental responsibility. Until the Republicans are willing to DO something about the number of unwanted children who are abandoned, raised in poverty, sent off to foster care, etc., they should NOT be standing on the platform of the sanctity of life. Have they been in inner cities lately? No...probably not. Unless it is to grab an unwelcome photo op of washing dishes at a soup kitchen, as the Republican VP candidate did lately, risking the donations to the place. Don't get me started on that!!!!
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