Not PC

Warning–I am going to be politically incorrect here and insensitive but I just can’t help myself. Let me set the scene: I went with my mom to her eye specialist today so that I could drive her home afterwards. She has been getting a shot in each eye about every 2 month or so. The shots have been keeping the wet macular degeneration at bay. We are very grateful that they are working. I have great sympathy for those with issues with their sight. But I could not help but grin this morning…

As we sat down to wait for Mom’s turn, I perused the magazine selection and found “The White Cane Magazine” published by the Iowa Department for the Blind. I had to smile. That struck me as ironic. It was just a regular magazine. It was not in Braille but the font was larger than most magazines.

I have to say it was very informative. This issue featured an article about the history of the white cane, now called the Iowa Cane because of our states’ innovative development of the use of the cane and it’s unique features. I was proud of our state.

The magazine also told about resources that are available from the Iowa Department for the Blind. The resources include audio books and magazines. That article included a list of magazines available including Red Book, Wallace’s Farmer, and (wait for the drum roll…) Playboy. That’s right, Playboy magazine. I guess in this case, the subscribers could truthfully say they buy the magazine just for the articles!

Forgive my poor sense of humor but I had to smile and could not resist a comment.

 

 

Stupid Humans

This is one of my pet peeves!! Prepare for a rant….

People take care of your own junk! Maybe I should come by your neighborhood and dump a load of horse manure on the sidewalk in front of your house.

I know. I know. Those sleeper sofas are heavier than sin but get creative and find a sucker on Craigslist to take if off your hands. Or find a friend (if you have any) who would let you put it out on a curb in town on a city wide trash day.

Who knows anyone who does something like this may be stupid enough to think we wouldn’t notice it, it would just blend in with the other ‘natural’ browns this time of year.

 

Uganda or Bust – Spiderman & Hello Kitty Installment

Yesterday afternoon Steve and I played pin cushion for our shots in preparation for our trip to Uganda. I should get the most sympathy because I received a total of 5 shots. Steve only had to get 3. The above are my band-aids. Steve got Spider Man.

I made a smart comment about getting a sucker and my favorite nurse, Pat, was on it! She left the room and came back directly with the Blow Pop suckers. And of course it had to be two suckers in the same flavor (watermelon) just to insure there would be no fighting. She’s had experience, I could tell. I was surprised at the upgrade in suckers from the doctor’s office. I expected the old fashioned ones with the safety handles. But no,  Blow Pops!

We were both a little surprised to end up getting so many shots. Before we traveled to Uganda in 2005, we thought we covered our bases and got the Hepatitis A & B, Tetanus and the required Yellow Fever vaccine.  Somehow we’d both missed the 2nd Hepatitis A booster and I had missed the 3rd Hepatitis B booster that time around. Plus I had not gotten a flu shot this season so opted to get that. I thought I might as well get them all done at once.

After we both were seated in the office, Pat gave us both a printout of the CDC recommendations for those traveling to Uganda. This year they recommend both Typhoid and Meningitis. The doctor left it up to us to make the final decision about which shots to get and we opted on the side of caution. And once you get the Hepatitis series you are good for life so I completed those.

Pat warned us that the Typhoid shot would be the most painful. It didn’t feel any different than the rest to me. But I do have to admit that I iced both arms before going to bed last night and my left arm is still a little sore this morning. “Ouch” as it says on my pretty pink band-aid. But I’m sure it will be “all better!” soon.

So we’ve gotten two items crossed of the to-do list. We purchased travel insurance last week and have our shots. We will pick up the prescription for malaria medicine from our pharmacy as soon as they get it in. We take that medicine a day or so before we leave, daily while we are in Uganda and seven days after our return.

My next post maybe I’ll share my to-do list, once I start it. It would be good to get it down on paper. I think it would quiet my mind to have a list. I think I’ll also start a ‘Uganda pile’ of items for the trip.

One interesting side note about our trip to the doctor for shots–it just so happens that our nurse, Pat, is also traveling to Africa soon! She is going to go to Nairobi, Kenyan to visit her son and his family who serve with a missionary agency there.  Her flights are almost identical to ours, just a month earlier. I love the way God works!

Channeling in a good way

“Prayer lays hold of God’s plan and becomes the link between His will and its accomplishment on earth. Amazing things happen, and we are given the privilege of being the channels of the Holy Spirit’s prayer.” –Elisabeth Elliot

The above quote will probably sound familiar if you are a Grimes UMC member. Nicole included it a recent email to members. It was so good I didn’t want to let it get away.

Winter Gear or Much Ado about Boots

Winter has really arrived in Iowa. Our thermometer says 0 degrees and that wind makes a statement this morning. The following picture shows my wardrobe for doing chores this morning:

1. carharts (not actually Carhart brand–cheaper version but they feature full leg zippers!)
2. ski coat (note, the USA flag to patch a hole made by barbed wire)
3. ski gloves
4. ski goggles
5. stocking hat (not pictured, I missed that one)
6. snow boots (or boats as I typed first)

Yes, I did wear my ski goggles outside. It is surprising how much warmer I am with them on. Plus, they serve a dual purpose–no hay blowing in my eyes on a windy day like today.

After checking the thermometer on the porch, I decided to make my final concession to winter, I substituted the snow boots (known as pack boots in MN) for my Muck boots.

As I walked down the steps of the basement to get the snow boots, I walked past nine pairs of boots. That does not include the other six pairs of boots already on the back porch! I guess I could point out that we (Steve & I) have owned some of those boots, including the snow boots above for quite some time. I remember purchasing the snow boots at Mills Fleet Farm in Lakeville, MN, probably the first winter we lived in Minnesota, which means they were purchased in 1989. Yes, I own boots that are as old as Jayme!

Should I feel guilty for owning so many boots? I’m not sure but our small group just finished The Hole in Our Gospel where we were hit upside the head about the disparity between Americans and the poor in the world. Maybe a contributing factor to the guilt is our preparations for Uganda. I distinctly remember laying block with Ugandan workers who wore flip flops to work. One young man worked barefoot.

So, I’m asking you how should I feel? You get to vote–

1. I should feel guilty for owning so many pairs of boots and figure out a way to atone for my sin.
2. I should feel blessed to be able to afford so much footwear and make sure I tell God, “Thank you! You rock, God!”
3. I should just think I’m normal and quit being such a dork.
4. I should realize that I am a hoarder and get professional help.
5. All of the above, I am a woman.

Just for your information, at least one of those pairs of boots will make the trip to Uganda but will not return home with me. That brings to mind a special memory of our last trip in 2005…

On our last work day, we were all loaded into the van ready to leave and had to wait for Chris Epple. She finally came around the corner and she was barefoot. Before she left the work site, she took off her work boots and gave them to the young man who had mixed the mortar for us.  He had worked barefoot all week. We saw him proudly wearing his new boots before we drove down the hill.

Yes, we are blessed. Do something about it.

Something New

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

I tried something new last week. I took a riding lesson in an age-old but new-to-me riding discipline, dressage. Dressage is one of the equestrian events in the Olympics. You may have seen the riders in formal coats with tails, white breeches and top hats perform specific maneuvers in an arena. Dressage doesn’t involve jumping but that would be another fun discipline to try.

Why dressage? Well, winter is tough on this fair-weather rider so taking a lesson indoors has a certain appeal. Besides I was looking for something to stretch me as a rider and help me progress. In addition, I am not satisfied with my abilities to work with my own horses on upper level manuevers like flying lead changes. I actually searched for a reining trainer but couldn’t find one close enough.

So I talked with a friend and she recommended the gal she takes lessons from, Lisa Royal. I visited her barn and then arranged for last Friday’s lesson. I made an effort to ride three times in the week or so before the lesson, just so I wouldn’t be too rusty. But I have to admit I was a little apprehensive. It’s always a little intimidating to have someone you don’t know watch you ride. Plus, I have very little knowledge about dressage besides what I’ve watched on tv or read about on the internet.

But it was fun and I’ve already made plans to take another lesson. The first lesson was very basic so I will have to wait to discuss intelligently the difference between riding western and dressage with the exception of the saddle, of course. It was a little strange not to have a saddle horn and pommel/swell in the front for security but I never felt in danger of falling off. Just in case, I rode with a helmet that is actually borrowed from our daughter, Jayme. For this lesson I rode in blue jeans so I had the whole wedding adage covered.

If I was smart, I’d stop right here. But I’ve never claimed high intelligence so…

I guess I could stretch it to say that like a wedding is a new start for two people, this lesson is a new start for this seasoned, western cowgirl.

I guess I could stretch it to say that like two people who have to learn how to how to become one, I’ll have to learn how to connect with this new lesson horse.

Right now I’m not sure what kind of commitment I’ll make to these lessons. Not the best way to start a marriage so maybe I’m really just dating at this stage. I hope to take a few more lessons before our trip to Uganda in March. Then I’ll have to re-evaluate.

Enough foolishness from me but here’s something that will make reading this blog worthwhile…Note: I’ll never get to this level but it sure is fun to watch this mare:

Uganda or Bust

That’s right I said Uganda. On March 1, 2012, God willing and the creek don’t rise, seven people from our church will board a plane in Des Moines and about 36 hours later land in Kampala, Uganda. This will be the 2nd trip to Uganda for 3 members of our group. In 2005 a group of 11 from our church went over and erected the walls of a classroom at one of the children’s villages just outside of Kampala.

We are traveling on behalf of Watoto Child Care Ministries and will work on another building project. This time we will work at Project Gulu which is located in northern Uganda. We won’t do the work alone. We will work side by side with Ugandans. They provide the skill, we provide the finances and some free labor. God is making it all possible.

We first became acquainted with Watoto when one of their children’s choirs visited our church in 1998. Steve & I were fortunate to host 3 boys and a young man in our home for one night in April. Soon after that visit, we started sponsoring one of the boys and it was a highlight of the trip in 2005 to see him face to face as a 17 year old. That young man has now graduated out of the Watoto program so I don’t expect to see him on this trip, but we hope to meet the young man we are currently sponsoring.

We believe in the holistic approach that Watoto uses to care for children who have lost their parents.  You can learn more about Watoto at http://www.watoto.com/home. You can even check to see if one of their choirs will be singing near you. We are so pleased to have them on our church’s calendar for April of this year. They put on a great concert, don’t miss out on a chance to see and hear them in person.

Right now we are busying making final preparations: acting like pin cushions for required vaccines, making our lists for what to pack, arranging care for our families and trying not to forget anything. We sure would appreciate your prayers. We thought this day would never come but now it seems to be coming too fast.

But on a day like today in Iowa–temperatures in the teens with a cold, north wind that is giving us wind chills below zero–I can’t wait for the warmth of Uganda. It sits right on the equator with an average of 70-80 degrees every day. It’s hard to grasp that we are finally going, again. Pray that God will have us ready for whatever he has in mind.

New Motto — OMG HOT

I text. I text poorly and slowly. I still own a flip phone and don’t have a full key pad so am limited in my texting by my lack of patience.  I can make a phone call and talk in person quicker than I can text.

I was trained by a high school student about T9 and use it to text but T9 and I fight about it’s vocabulary. T9 doesn’t want to type words that I want to use regularly. In fact I entered in my quick text file the sentence, “I am here.” because I got tired of sending, “I an here” when I wanted to let my friend know I had arrived to pick her up.

But I have never gotten the gist of using the shortcut abbreviations that many others use when texting or updating their Facebook status. In fact when someone does use one of those abbreviations, I have to stop and process it through to realize that LOL is Laugh Out Loud. I know, I’m slow.

But that’s a rant I hadn’t plan to take when I started this post. The subject of this post is my new motto. OMG HOT is it. For those of you who struggle like I do trying to process the initials, it’s — Oh My God, Hold On Tight not Oh My God that’s hot.

Lest you give me more credit than I’m due, I did not come up with this motto on my own. I heard it on a podcast of the Western Radio Show. One of the hosts of the show suggested that motto as the title of his autobiography. So I’m co-opting it.

Maybe it struck a cord with me because I lived by that phrase when I was working with the two-year-old, Izzy this past summer. I’m thinking it would be a good motto for the next say, maybe 50 years. I want to live a life that makes those words come to mind involuntarily, at least occasionally. Otherwise life gets too boring. Actually my husband would argue that it should be his motto just because he’s married to me. I would hazard a guess that he would not say that it has been boring to be married to me.

But enough about our marital bliss…

What about you? Any ideas about your own life motto? What texting shortcuts do you use?

2011 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,800 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 30 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Sayonara 2011

Just 10 more days until 2011 is history. Actually part of it is my story so it could be called a herstory. I know the year isn’t over yet, but Jayme comes home on Friday and I plan to spend the last week of the year with my family. So I thought I’d take a look at my goals for 2011 to see how I did.

I have to say that I’m a late comer to goal setting. By nature, I just like to be more spontaneous and fly by the seat of my pants. Unfortunately, that usually just results in holes that expose too much. So this year, I put on big boy pants and set some goals. I actually put down on paper 15 goals in 5 areas: spiritual, financial, physical, intellectual, family, social and career. Gosh, I really did go all type A!

As I look over the goals, I surprised myself at how well I did! I only failed at 3, had partial success with 2 and more (or less) completed the other ten. 67% might not get you an ‘A’ in school but the major leagues pay well for .300 hitters.

Statistics aside, I consider this goal setting thing a success and plan to do it again for 2012. But first I want to celebrate and enjoy the sense of accomplishment. I want to bask in the glory. I’ll be a hero in my own mind. Because it’s important to celebrate wins. But I’ll do more than just celebrate the wins. I’ll pat myself on the back just for trying. I’ll also remember the fun in the process. All that should help get me fired up for what 2012 might bring.

So what am most I pleased about? The two biggies would be finishing Dam to Dam (20k) back in June and starting Izzy, the two-year-old filly, under saddle. Better yet, neither accomplishment resulted in any injuries for me. We’ll score Izzy’s visit to the vet hospital as just one of those things. Plus I am still running. As of today, I have run 469.8 miles this year. For serious runners that number is puny but I’m proud of it. I am most especially proud of the last .4 mile of the Dam to Dam run. That was probably the hardest, longest .4 mile I ran all year!

Most satisfying probably is the sense accomplishment I feel because I took captive my fears when I worked with Izzy this summer. Each day I had to discipline my thoughts and stay alert for what each lesson would bring, instead of thinking about all the negative things that could happen. We did not get as far as in the training process as I anticipated we would but that’s okay. My goal was to get her started. Interestingly, two of my goals regarding horses worked together in helping me find success in this goal. I had not connected the two goals when I put them on paper but one followed and built upon the other. Cool!

Overall, as I look at the goals for 2011, I’m not surprised that I did the best in those areas of my life that I enjoy–like physical fitness and horses. I may have to get more inventive to connect the areas where I struggle to those things I enjoy. But that’s not the subject of this blog.

What’s my take away from goal setting in the year 2011?

• Just do it. I know I accomplished more, even in areas where I failed, than I would have had I not set goals.
• Enjoy the process. I won’t lie and say I enjoyed running most of those miles. But I did enjoy the sense of accomplishment each day as I completed each run.
• I don’t have to do it again. Just because I ran Dam to Dam last year, doesn’t mean I will in 2012.
• I may have to do it again–only different. In those areas where I experienced failure, I need to re-tool those goals and try again. As my favorite horse trainer says, “It will probably get worse before it gets better.”
• It’s all good. Success or failure, both are good teachers. I probably learn the most when I fail. Failure at least means I’m doing something. I just don’t want to make the same mistake over and over again.
• Most of it’s mental. A good attitude will trump just about everything else. And stubbornness ain’t all bad. Those who persevere win.

Sayonara, 2011.