I've been walking laps at the track four nights a week while Duncan attends his many choral practices. It's indoors and warm and open until 8pm. There aren't many other options for me to do in town. The library isn't open until 8 every night and I can only wander the small grocery store for so long before they'll start expecting to me stock the shelves or sweep.
Anyway. On Wednesday evenings, everyone is in town and while we wait for the big boys to be finished with activities, we head to the rec center. Patrick has been taking the boys swimming while I walk my laps. The track overlooks the pool for a section and I wave. They have the pool to themselves. After many weeks, the lifeguard knows them by name and automatically turns on the water slide and water features for them. The little boys had been asking me to swim with them. I remembered my swimsuit the next week and off we went.
After a few minutes of playing... I noticed that the lazy river had a sign.
"28 laps = 1 mile"
hmmm.
I mulled a few minutes. Then I headed to the lazy river. "I'll just walk the one mile, then I'll be back to play."
After 3 laps, I decided I'd increase the difficulty level and turned around to walk against the current.
It was decidedly more difficult. At times I was pushing my entire body into the current and lifting my legs and I wasn't sure if I had even progressed an inch. Sometimes I know that I actually lost ground and ended up going backwards. I found myself using my arms to help propel myself into the current. My breathing was laboured. When I made it all the way around I was tired. But, 28 laps = 1 mile. So I continued. I had set a goal.
At lap 10, I paused to catch my breath. Patrick and the boys came over. They offered to join me. The boys in their inner tubes simply floated away. Patrick tried walking in front of me to ease the current but instead he found himself falling over and then an even stronger current hit me.
He's taller so more of him was out of the water than in and the resistance against the current was tough to walk against without putting all your body against it. It wasn't much fun. Even when he tried to walk on his knees... it really knocked him over then and then I was walking against the current and against a floating Patrick. I told him thanks, but no thanks. I kept inching along.
After 20 laps I decided that I was exhausted and it was taking forever and that while 28 laps = 1 mile, walking a mile against the current at one inch at a time was perhaps more workout than I had bargained for.
So as I completed that lap, I turned around. I began to walk with the current.
OW!!! OW!, ow, ow ow... ouch!!!
My feet hurt. Walking with the current was vastly easier and I could go almost two feet with each step.. with each agonizingly painful step. I paused and lifted my foot. The entire ball of my foot was a blister and on one foot the blister had already scraped off and had exposed some very tender skin.
I had not even noticed the pain as I was putting all my energy into walking against the current. I was just having a great time knowing that I was working hard and exercising. Now looking back ... it wasn't such a great time... and the workout had come at a high price.
I'm a glutton for punishment it would seem since once Patrick saw my feet he asked why I was still walking. "I haven't completed 28 laps yet."
"The sign is just information.. you don't have to do 28 laps. And your feet hurt!"
I tried walking on only my heels and then I fell over... What happened next was amazing.. Okay not amazing at all... should have been obvious but when you get caught up in your own way of thinking, you forget to rely on what is right in front of you sometimes. It's a lazy river! When I fell over, I lifted up my feet... and ...
I floated.
I completed the last 7 laps floating along on my back. My feet didn't endure any more abuse, I was lifted and carried by the same current that had caused me such difficulties earlier... I used my arms to guide me so that I didn't hit the walls during the curves, but it was almost effortless.
Moral:
When walking against the current... wear water shoes and know when to float.
What we think is good and will make us happy, often has disastrous consequences... and we often don't realize the hurt we are causing ourselves until we remove ourselves from the situation and can see more clearly. We also sometimes have to learn things for ourselves even when loved ones around us can see clearly that we are hurting ourselves and even advise us against doing those things that will continue to hurt us. Remember that there is a path of ease set ahead of us that although we sometimes feel is restricting is actually freeing and can lift and carry us when we are hurt and have nothing less in us to give.
Showing posts with label Observations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Observations. Show all posts
Variety is the Spice of Life
I've noticed that people don't tend to read or write blogs as much on the weekends as they do during the week. This baffles me a bit.
My life is such that one day runs into the next and I frequently have to check the calendar to remind myself what day it actually is. A Thursday could be very like a Tuesday and a Wednesday much like a Saturday. The only exception I have is Sunday. In my ponderings I began to wonder if I attend church on Sunday's just so that I have a day during the week that is slightly different from the rest. Happy are the days of errands or field trips also.
Each day begins the same way. Wake with the baby at 6am (and Miles). Nurse while checking my email, my facebook and my google reader. Feed the baby his morning banana while I make breakfast for everyone else. Over the hour or so between 6 and 7:30 the other sleepy heads begin to emerge and I begin ordering them to get dressed, make their beds and generally do all the chores. (that's what they say!)
After breakfast, there are dishes and a kitchen tidy. Then we begin the day for real. Reading, piano practice, flute practice, writing, flashcards, diaper changes, laundry, sweeping, gardening, watering, lunch, more dishes, more cleaning, more reading, more diapers. more nursing, more laundry, friends over, more snacks, more dishes, more cleaning, dinner, more dishes, more cleaning, reading, teeth, prayers and kids bedtime, an effort to exercise in some way, nurse baby again, check my email, facebook, google reader, attempt to blog about something witty or worth remembering, then fall into bed exhausted and ready to do it all over again the next day.
So, if the days are all the same for me, I assumed they were for others as well and yet I see a definite trend in blogging circles, both writers and readers, to take the weekend off. Do they take it off from cooking and cleaning as well? If so, how? Please share the secret. I'm totally on board!
In reality though.. I've been pondering this monotony that is life and trying to find out why people don't go completely insane. But then I realized. There is a comfort in continuity. In knowing what will come next. The mornings that I stray from the pattern and go outside to weed with Miles at 6 am, instead of getting my computer fix, I've witnessed the other kids become bewildered. Duncan especially. He comes upstairs and can't figure out why no one is home and there isn't any breakfast. He's sat down and cried before because he thought we'd left him behind. Fortunately he now searches a little more... and we leave him a note... usually.
Life is a repetitive cycle. Not just in day in and day out living, but in the pattern of birth and life and death and in the pattern of peace and unrest. Perhaps I've been reading too much history lately, perhaps I've been getting too little sleep but I think I like the comfort of monotony. I live in a pretty nice little circular pattern that I created for myself. There is comfort in it. I wouldn't want someone elses circular pattern... it wouldn't be as comforting... it might be downright miserable. So now I do my day to day tasks that never seem to change or diminish with a happier feeling and somehow they no longer bother me. I actually enjoyed doing the dishes yesterday.
They say variety is the spice of life. I agree. Spices are added to comfort foods. Oregano to spaghetti sauce. Cayenne to shrimp creole. Cinnamon to apple pie. In proportion, it doesn't take much spice to add variety to the recipe of life. A quick jaunt to the park for an hour and the week has improved. A family camping trip in the summer and memories are made for a lifetime. And just as too much spice can ruin an otherwise tasty dish, too much play and not enough day to day monotony, makes cranky kids and a frazzled mummy.
My life is such that one day runs into the next and I frequently have to check the calendar to remind myself what day it actually is. A Thursday could be very like a Tuesday and a Wednesday much like a Saturday. The only exception I have is Sunday. In my ponderings I began to wonder if I attend church on Sunday's just so that I have a day during the week that is slightly different from the rest. Happy are the days of errands or field trips also.
Each day begins the same way. Wake with the baby at 6am (and Miles). Nurse while checking my email, my facebook and my google reader. Feed the baby his morning banana while I make breakfast for everyone else. Over the hour or so between 6 and 7:30 the other sleepy heads begin to emerge and I begin ordering them to get dressed, make their beds and generally do all the chores. (that's what they say!)
After breakfast, there are dishes and a kitchen tidy. Then we begin the day for real. Reading, piano practice, flute practice, writing, flashcards, diaper changes, laundry, sweeping, gardening, watering, lunch, more dishes, more cleaning, more reading, more diapers. more nursing, more laundry, friends over, more snacks, more dishes, more cleaning, dinner, more dishes, more cleaning, reading, teeth, prayers and kids bedtime, an effort to exercise in some way, nurse baby again, check my email, facebook, google reader, attempt to blog about something witty or worth remembering, then fall into bed exhausted and ready to do it all over again the next day.
So, if the days are all the same for me, I assumed they were for others as well and yet I see a definite trend in blogging circles, both writers and readers, to take the weekend off. Do they take it off from cooking and cleaning as well? If so, how? Please share the secret. I'm totally on board!
In reality though.. I've been pondering this monotony that is life and trying to find out why people don't go completely insane. But then I realized. There is a comfort in continuity. In knowing what will come next. The mornings that I stray from the pattern and go outside to weed with Miles at 6 am, instead of getting my computer fix, I've witnessed the other kids become bewildered. Duncan especially. He comes upstairs and can't figure out why no one is home and there isn't any breakfast. He's sat down and cried before because he thought we'd left him behind. Fortunately he now searches a little more... and we leave him a note... usually.
Life is a repetitive cycle. Not just in day in and day out living, but in the pattern of birth and life and death and in the pattern of peace and unrest. Perhaps I've been reading too much history lately, perhaps I've been getting too little sleep but I think I like the comfort of monotony. I live in a pretty nice little circular pattern that I created for myself. There is comfort in it. I wouldn't want someone elses circular pattern... it wouldn't be as comforting... it might be downright miserable. So now I do my day to day tasks that never seem to change or diminish with a happier feeling and somehow they no longer bother me. I actually enjoyed doing the dishes yesterday.
They say variety is the spice of life. I agree. Spices are added to comfort foods. Oregano to spaghetti sauce. Cayenne to shrimp creole. Cinnamon to apple pie. In proportion, it doesn't take much spice to add variety to the recipe of life. A quick jaunt to the park for an hour and the week has improved. A family camping trip in the summer and memories are made for a lifetime. And just as too much spice can ruin an otherwise tasty dish, too much play and not enough day to day monotony, makes cranky kids and a frazzled mummy.
Why?
Why is it that the fine for not wearing your seatbelt fluctuates between $94.00 and $97.00, but the fine for littering is $6250.00.
Ok... don't care.. more importantly..
Why is the fine so vastly different? Why is littering fined so much higher?
Our take... if you don't buckle up, you are endangering only yourself. If you litter you are ruining the world for everyone else. Maybe you have to pay more when it affects more?
Ok... don't care.. more importantly..
Why is the fine so vastly different? Why is littering fined so much higher?
Our take... if you don't buckle up, you are endangering only yourself. If you litter you are ruining the world for everyone else. Maybe you have to pay more when it affects more?
Gang Tags
Typically when we see graffiti spray painted on a wall or fence or what have you... we continue on with our lives... I've had a few conversations with my children about how it's not a good thing and it's not art, it's vandalism and usually rude. I haven't discussed that it can be a sign of a gang in the area marking their territory like some dog marking their hydrant...
The other day as we were driving we happened to notice some graffiti gang tag that really caught our attention though. Unfortunately I was driving down the freeway.. and turning around for a quick photo wasn't an option because the kids were quite taken with why someone had written "NOBLE" in big letters on the overpass of the freeway?
I'm not sure what impressed us more. Seeing our name in spray paint? or the sheer amazement of how did anyone get up on the side of an overpass that goes over a fairly busy section of freeway and paint something of that size in it's entirety without being noticed.... or just how did they get up there? I'm also baffled as to what type of gang goes by the name of 'Noble'? And do you have to be a spray paint artist to join a gang or is it like a position within the gang... you know... president, vice pres., secretary and the spray paint artist?
Don't get me wrong. I in no way endorse gangs, or graffiti but this did cause us to pause and think.
The other day as we were driving we happened to notice some graffiti gang tag that really caught our attention though. Unfortunately I was driving down the freeway.. and turning around for a quick photo wasn't an option because the kids were quite taken with why someone had written "NOBLE" in big letters on the overpass of the freeway?
I'm not sure what impressed us more. Seeing our name in spray paint? or the sheer amazement of how did anyone get up on the side of an overpass that goes over a fairly busy section of freeway and paint something of that size in it's entirety without being noticed.... or just how did they get up there? I'm also baffled as to what type of gang goes by the name of 'Noble'? And do you have to be a spray paint artist to join a gang or is it like a position within the gang... you know... president, vice pres., secretary and the spray paint artist?
Don't get me wrong. I in no way endorse gangs, or graffiti but this did cause us to pause and think.
Before the Parade passes by....
So the song from Hello Dolly "Before the Parade passes by.." was running through my head this morning when I woke up and I took it as a sign that we ought to go to the 4th of July parade! We were certainly up early enough, 7am and the parade didn't start until 10:30. Patrick and I are polar opposites when it comes to things like this though. My theory... start time is 10:30... the parade is 1.5 miles from our house... we can leave around 10:00 and walk until we find a decent spot. His theory... leave at 9:00, drive as close as possible for a good parking spot and then find the 'BEST' parade watching spot.
I got in the tub at 9:00. I had a nice soak with bubbles even.. and we left at 10:00. There's no such thing as good parade watching seats!.... They're all along the side of a road in the heat! Fortunately today started out somewhat overcast so I was willing to entertain this crazy parade notion that I came up with.
We found a decent parking spot with a modest amount of shade and began walking the 6 or 7 minutes toward the already crowded street. I will say I told you so all day long to Patrick since we walked up and found a virtually empty spot for us to claim along the roadside within moments of arriving at the parade street! No need to sit there at 9:00 and wait for the parade to begin. Unfortunately we were about halfway into the parade route so even though now at 10:20 we had front road seats to the road... the parade wouldn't begin for 10 minutes and we would have to wait for it to then reach us!.... Oh well... our seats were amazingly in front of one of my favourite health stores and I've been wanting to go to one of their Saturday morning food classes for some time now. So it seemed fate had us there. Except that they were closed for the holiday! Hmmm... when am I likely to be in their parking lot on a Saturday morning again?
The motorcycle police patrolled back and forth until the actual parade began and that impressed the boys. I say it impressed the boys because I couldn't figure out why for 20 minutes as they'd been doing little motorcycle manuevers and receiving cheers from the crowd they needed to blare their sirens when the parade officially began. We had enjoyed their little show without going deaf just fine before! But that just began my tirade. I'm not sure when I became a persnickity person but I portrayed a particularly persnickity pregnant person today!
After the loud motorcycles came the intensely loud firetrucks! The fire fighters had on ear plugs... and the children who were privileged to ride on the trucks for the parade didn't look like it was any fun... I mean perhaps they were wondering why the sirens were constantly having to be blared in their ears as well... but not one was smiling from their air conditioned perches inside the fire trucks with the windows rolled up!
So after all the noise which left us wondering if we'd be able to hear a marching band later when it came by, came the four wheelers. In fact the four wheelers seemed to keep appearing like a bad jingle you can't get out of your head. They weren't decorated, or ridden by dignitaries or clowns... just some stunt driving teenagers who liked to make noise and rev their engines so we couldn't breathe anything but exhaust! After the wild four wheelers made their first appearance, we were able to watch as, I do not exaggerate!, 20 corvettes drove by very slowly... I mean... most were convertibles and I'm used to seeing dignitaries or the city royalty sitting on the trunks waving ... but this was just a corvette parade. Not vintage or fancy corvettes, but regular corvettes driven by middle aged, had to have a corvette cause I'm in my mid-life crisis and needed to blow a bunch of money on a showy car, old men. These men had they been in their younger days would likely have been much like the teenage four wheeler dare devils we'd just witnessed... because knowing they were driving their expensive, could go really fast if we weren't following the police in this very slow going parade corvettes, were also revving their engines and creating stinky exhaust fumes for us. So far... 20 minutes of parade... 40 minutes of sitting on the side of a road in the heat and we hadn't seen anything exceptional!
Meanwhile as we sit along the roadway... vendors are constantly peddling their wares. Cold beverages, popsicles, umbrella hats, visors, patriotic bows for little girls hair, tinsly crowns, and firecracker poppers. I think we saw more vendors than actual parade entries!
The parade seemed to really begin after the corvettes... or at least we thought it did... but it appeared that we had to sit through a stream of commercials as they drove past advertising local businesses. Again.. vehicles with some type of advertisement strewn across it was sufficient to be considered an entry... oh... and this is when we began to be pelted with candy... salt water taffy to be exact... every vehicle that passed by had managed to find the same taffy. Don't they know it melts in the heat... and rots kids teeth, and I don't like the stuff. We seriously came home with a grocery bag overflowing with candy and advertisements!
Hooray!! A marching band! As they approached us they were just marching and the drums were keeping their beat but they began to play a song........ just as the pesky four wheelers returned to drive around the band and up and down in front of us... long enough to drown out the music!
A disgruntled pregnant parade viewer was becoming a true reality and Patrick although sort of in agreement with me, didn't want me to cause a scene. Really though... what could I do.. boo and hiss as they went by? They wouldn't notice with all their noise... or I suppose I could get up and leave... but again.. I don't think they'd care!
So although there were a few redeemable entries in the parade, it went on for 2 1/2 hours... the redeemable things could have been done in 30-45 minutes and we could have been on our way. Maybe I don't know what I'm really after but somehow it seems that parades of my past were an enjoyable family event from beginning to end. Maybe I remember things with rose coloured glasses... but if parades have always been as lame as this seemed to me to be... why are they so well attended? Why do people think they have to campout to get 'good seats'? Am I really a persnickety pregnant person or did parades of the past capture peoples' attention better. I thought there were more clowns... people showing off some sort of talent without the purpose of advertising, floats that weren't always professionally done but had some group performing on them... kids with decorated bicycles... people dressed up in some way.. music and entertainment!... I could sit at home and watch advertisements... if I ever felt so inclined!
I'm pretty sure parades were different in a time not so very long ago. Or maybe I need to stick to small town parades. The one we went to in Pinedale last year was just right... not too long... friendly... enough variety, animals, talent, entertaining.. and although we left with a grocery bag overflowing with items.. like frisbees, popsicles (that were handed out.. not sold by constant wagon pulling vendors), water bottles, whistles, stickers, yo-yo's, coupons to local businesses (sort of advertising.. but something in it for us for a change!), bouncy balls, even a flyswatter!, I don't know if there was any salt water taffy!
So I did say that there were some redeemable entries. So redeemable that by this time in my disgruntled state I took photos of them so I could prove they existed I guess...
I thought these little cars and horses being pulled by the four wheelers were charming and unique. The Wendy's, while it is of course advertising was so cleverly done in true parade fashion that I believe it deserves a mention for the walking frosty cup, the 'Wendy'.. and who knew that they had a Wendy's marching band.... 6 people strong and they were having a lot of fun!!!
I didn't catch the three unicycles, but Miles has just completed his scout requirements for the bicycle pin and part of it was to learn about the history of the bicycle and name the different types of bicycles. In all our research we never saw one like this one!!
And I've got to say, thank goodness there was a pipe band bringing up the end! By the time 2 1/2 hours of parade passing by had come to an end, I was glad to be able to leave with that as my final thought.
Well almost. As we packed up lickety split so that we could cross the street before all the police parade escort vehicles passed by we received a dirty look from one of the police officers that we passed. We realize that we were jaywalking across what is typically a very busy street... but obviously parade time is extenuating circumstances and wouldn't they be happier to know that we are crossing with their assistance rather than 30 seconds later in horrible traffic... (The other option was to use the pedestrian overpass but that seemed like an extra mile up hill to me the way it zig zag's back and forth before you reach the top and then crosses the street and my feet were already swollen and Miles needed to go potty and I'm sure they didn't want him to piddle off the top of the overpass!) I could still vaguely hear the pipes playing as they continued on down the roadway... so I excused the inconsiderate officer for her sneer!
Perhaps getting this off of my chest will allow the persnicketyness to leave me and I'll be able to relax now and enjoy what the rest of this day has to offer without any persnicketyness!
Happy 4th of July to all and to those in the USA... I can't help but point out that this holiday is celebrating the day that the Declaration of Independence was first introduced and not when it was signed nor put into use...(and technically it was introduced on July 2nd, read to the public July 8th, and signed Aug. 2nd! July 4th 1776 found the USA (13 colonies at the time), at war still with Great Britain. Independence occurred 7 years later in Sept. 1783... It's true! That's what you get, when you have a Canadian teaching US History to a group of 4th graders this last year! Just the facts!
I got in the tub at 9:00. I had a nice soak with bubbles even.. and we left at 10:00. There's no such thing as good parade watching seats!.... They're all along the side of a road in the heat! Fortunately today started out somewhat overcast so I was willing to entertain this crazy parade notion that I came up with.
We found a decent parking spot with a modest amount of shade and began walking the 6 or 7 minutes toward the already crowded street. I will say I told you so all day long to Patrick since we walked up and found a virtually empty spot for us to claim along the roadside within moments of arriving at the parade street! No need to sit there at 9:00 and wait for the parade to begin. Unfortunately we were about halfway into the parade route so even though now at 10:20 we had front road seats to the road... the parade wouldn't begin for 10 minutes and we would have to wait for it to then reach us!.... Oh well... our seats were amazingly in front of one of my favourite health stores and I've been wanting to go to one of their Saturday morning food classes for some time now. So it seemed fate had us there. Except that they were closed for the holiday! Hmmm... when am I likely to be in their parking lot on a Saturday morning again?
The motorcycle police patrolled back and forth until the actual parade began and that impressed the boys. I say it impressed the boys because I couldn't figure out why for 20 minutes as they'd been doing little motorcycle manuevers and receiving cheers from the crowd they needed to blare their sirens when the parade officially began. We had enjoyed their little show without going deaf just fine before! But that just began my tirade. I'm not sure when I became a persnickity person but I portrayed a particularly persnickity pregnant person today!
After the loud motorcycles came the intensely loud firetrucks! The fire fighters had on ear plugs... and the children who were privileged to ride on the trucks for the parade didn't look like it was any fun... I mean perhaps they were wondering why the sirens were constantly having to be blared in their ears as well... but not one was smiling from their air conditioned perches inside the fire trucks with the windows rolled up!
So after all the noise which left us wondering if we'd be able to hear a marching band later when it came by, came the four wheelers. In fact the four wheelers seemed to keep appearing like a bad jingle you can't get out of your head. They weren't decorated, or ridden by dignitaries or clowns... just some stunt driving teenagers who liked to make noise and rev their engines so we couldn't breathe anything but exhaust! After the wild four wheelers made their first appearance, we were able to watch as, I do not exaggerate!, 20 corvettes drove by very slowly... I mean... most were convertibles and I'm used to seeing dignitaries or the city royalty sitting on the trunks waving ... but this was just a corvette parade. Not vintage or fancy corvettes, but regular corvettes driven by middle aged, had to have a corvette cause I'm in my mid-life crisis and needed to blow a bunch of money on a showy car, old men. These men had they been in their younger days would likely have been much like the teenage four wheeler dare devils we'd just witnessed... because knowing they were driving their expensive, could go really fast if we weren't following the police in this very slow going parade corvettes, were also revving their engines and creating stinky exhaust fumes for us. So far... 20 minutes of parade... 40 minutes of sitting on the side of a road in the heat and we hadn't seen anything exceptional!
Meanwhile as we sit along the roadway... vendors are constantly peddling their wares. Cold beverages, popsicles, umbrella hats, visors, patriotic bows for little girls hair, tinsly crowns, and firecracker poppers. I think we saw more vendors than actual parade entries!
The parade seemed to really begin after the corvettes... or at least we thought it did... but it appeared that we had to sit through a stream of commercials as they drove past advertising local businesses. Again.. vehicles with some type of advertisement strewn across it was sufficient to be considered an entry... oh... and this is when we began to be pelted with candy... salt water taffy to be exact... every vehicle that passed by had managed to find the same taffy. Don't they know it melts in the heat... and rots kids teeth, and I don't like the stuff. We seriously came home with a grocery bag overflowing with candy and advertisements!
Hooray!! A marching band! As they approached us they were just marching and the drums were keeping their beat but they began to play a song........ just as the pesky four wheelers returned to drive around the band and up and down in front of us... long enough to drown out the music!
A disgruntled pregnant parade viewer was becoming a true reality and Patrick although sort of in agreement with me, didn't want me to cause a scene. Really though... what could I do.. boo and hiss as they went by? They wouldn't notice with all their noise... or I suppose I could get up and leave... but again.. I don't think they'd care!
So although there were a few redeemable entries in the parade, it went on for 2 1/2 hours... the redeemable things could have been done in 30-45 minutes and we could have been on our way. Maybe I don't know what I'm really after but somehow it seems that parades of my past were an enjoyable family event from beginning to end. Maybe I remember things with rose coloured glasses... but if parades have always been as lame as this seemed to me to be... why are they so well attended? Why do people think they have to campout to get 'good seats'? Am I really a persnickety pregnant person or did parades of the past capture peoples' attention better. I thought there were more clowns... people showing off some sort of talent without the purpose of advertising, floats that weren't always professionally done but had some group performing on them... kids with decorated bicycles... people dressed up in some way.. music and entertainment!... I could sit at home and watch advertisements... if I ever felt so inclined!
I'm pretty sure parades were different in a time not so very long ago. Or maybe I need to stick to small town parades. The one we went to in Pinedale last year was just right... not too long... friendly... enough variety, animals, talent, entertaining.. and although we left with a grocery bag overflowing with items.. like frisbees, popsicles (that were handed out.. not sold by constant wagon pulling vendors), water bottles, whistles, stickers, yo-yo's, coupons to local businesses (sort of advertising.. but something in it for us for a change!), bouncy balls, even a flyswatter!, I don't know if there was any salt water taffy!
So I did say that there were some redeemable entries. So redeemable that by this time in my disgruntled state I took photos of them so I could prove they existed I guess...
I thought these little cars and horses being pulled by the four wheelers were charming and unique. The Wendy's, while it is of course advertising was so cleverly done in true parade fashion that I believe it deserves a mention for the walking frosty cup, the 'Wendy'.. and who knew that they had a Wendy's marching band.... 6 people strong and they were having a lot of fun!!!
I didn't catch the three unicycles, but Miles has just completed his scout requirements for the bicycle pin and part of it was to learn about the history of the bicycle and name the different types of bicycles. In all our research we never saw one like this one!!And I've got to say, thank goodness there was a pipe band bringing up the end! By the time 2 1/2 hours of parade passing by had come to an end, I was glad to be able to leave with that as my final thought.
Well almost. As we packed up lickety split so that we could cross the street before all the police parade escort vehicles passed by we received a dirty look from one of the police officers that we passed. We realize that we were jaywalking across what is typically a very busy street... but obviously parade time is extenuating circumstances and wouldn't they be happier to know that we are crossing with their assistance rather than 30 seconds later in horrible traffic... (The other option was to use the pedestrian overpass but that seemed like an extra mile up hill to me the way it zig zag's back and forth before you reach the top and then crosses the street and my feet were already swollen and Miles needed to go potty and I'm sure they didn't want him to piddle off the top of the overpass!) I could still vaguely hear the pipes playing as they continued on down the roadway... so I excused the inconsiderate officer for her sneer!
Perhaps getting this off of my chest will allow the persnicketyness to leave me and I'll be able to relax now and enjoy what the rest of this day has to offer without any persnicketyness!
- Some slip and slide fun with the neighbourhood kids,
- a barbecue later,
- Patrick going to the grocery store for me,
- and into the evening.. thankfully we live near enough to where the large city fireworks will be and we can watch from the comfort of our own home with some ice cream and friends!
Happy 4th of July to all and to those in the USA... I can't help but point out that this holiday is celebrating the day that the Declaration of Independence was first introduced and not when it was signed nor put into use...(and technically it was introduced on July 2nd, read to the public July 8th, and signed Aug. 2nd! July 4th 1776 found the USA (13 colonies at the time), at war still with Great Britain. Independence occurred 7 years later in Sept. 1783... It's true! That's what you get, when you have a Canadian teaching US History to a group of 4th graders this last year! Just the facts!
Fireworks
Growing up Fireworks were a Halloween and New Year's Eve thing. Perhaps it's because at midnight going outside wasn't a big deal at home.... here at midnight you have to bundle up and be careful not to slip on the ice. And in actuality fireworks weren't a huge deal even then.... there were a few at midnight to send out the old year with a bang and welcome the new year with excitement and pizazz. Now granted the most pizazz our family ever had were sparklers on the back patio.....
Halloween had more than New Year's ... There was one family up the street from us that always seemed to have the fireworks and they were the ones to watch. I wonder if they were the only ones to watch? I know there were STUPID teenage firework games in the parks on Halloween.... because you heard about who got hurt the next day and all the grotesque details of the injuries that ended up in the E.R. (heard about... no I was never crazy enough, cool enough, dumb enough to go to a fireworks game in the park...)
Maybe my memory is skewed and there were more, maybe it's no big deal either way, maybe no one cares... but I thought it interesting last night that there weren't fireworks.....
Americans seem to go out of their way to spend outrageous amounts of money on explosives on the 4th of July when the fire danger is HIGH.... and stay up late filling the sky with smoke and colour on almost every street corner. Maybe they are just inherently pyro's. Maybe they know something that I've missed about the allure to watching the explosives.... I think hundred's of years ago they were a phenomenon and a wonder... now .... well... I think I needed more sleep last night!
Halloween had more than New Year's ... There was one family up the street from us that always seemed to have the fireworks and they were the ones to watch. I wonder if they were the only ones to watch? I know there were STUPID teenage firework games in the parks on Halloween.... because you heard about who got hurt the next day and all the grotesque details of the injuries that ended up in the E.R. (heard about... no I was never crazy enough, cool enough, dumb enough to go to a fireworks game in the park...)
Maybe my memory is skewed and there were more, maybe it's no big deal either way, maybe no one cares... but I thought it interesting last night that there weren't fireworks.....
Americans seem to go out of their way to spend outrageous amounts of money on explosives on the 4th of July when the fire danger is HIGH.... and stay up late filling the sky with smoke and colour on almost every street corner. Maybe they are just inherently pyro's. Maybe they know something that I've missed about the allure to watching the explosives.... I think hundred's of years ago they were a phenomenon and a wonder... now .... well... I think I needed more sleep last night!
Daylight savings
can you opt out? I mean... some states opt out... but if you opted out at the individual level ...
I hope the farmers are enjoying their extra hours?? Couldn't they just get up an hour earlier instead of all the rest of us losing sleep over it?? Obviously I just don't understand all the implications for daylight savings... but I know it's affecting Halloween...
We have gone trick or treating and been home in time to put the kids to bed by 8:30 in the past... tonight it won't be dark until almost 7:00PM... and then I have to lose an hour this weekend!! Actually the fall back one hour isn't as challenging as the spring ahead one hour because we'll 'gain time' this weekend and not be late... but I can remember that one hour really does a doozy on napping kids and hungry little tummies!
Maybe we can head out this year at 5:45 anyway... and not have to take the flashlights.... maybe I just need to change my perspective.. enjoy that they've made it a brighter endeavor to go trick or treating!
Edit:
So... it has been nice to have the kids fall asleep as their heads hit the pillows... but 5:30am is coming very early for this mother who didn't take advantage of the extra hour and go to bed early... oh no ... I've been staying up way too late and the kids are raring to go when they wake in the morning!! ahhhh.....
I hope the farmers are enjoying their extra hours?? Couldn't they just get up an hour earlier instead of all the rest of us losing sleep over it?? Obviously I just don't understand all the implications for daylight savings... but I know it's affecting Halloween...
We have gone trick or treating and been home in time to put the kids to bed by 8:30 in the past... tonight it won't be dark until almost 7:00PM... and then I have to lose an hour this weekend!! Actually the fall back one hour isn't as challenging as the spring ahead one hour because we'll 'gain time' this weekend and not be late... but I can remember that one hour really does a doozy on napping kids and hungry little tummies!
Maybe we can head out this year at 5:45 anyway... and not have to take the flashlights.... maybe I just need to change my perspective.. enjoy that they've made it a brighter endeavor to go trick or treating!
Edit:
So... it has been nice to have the kids fall asleep as their heads hit the pillows... but 5:30am is coming very early for this mother who didn't take advantage of the extra hour and go to bed early... oh no ... I've been staying up way too late and the kids are raring to go when they wake in the morning!! ahhhh.....
Bells Perks
Hooray.. my paralysis is NOT here to stay! It has slowly begun to clear up. It leaves a lot slower than it came on but after ten days I began to see improvements. Today, although I still have a tender face, the smile is almost normal and my eye is finally closing all the way by itself. The muscles that haven't been used and the ones that were overcompensating are glad to be trying to readjust to the old normal way of working. My eye only tears up now when it's late and I should head to bed... although it's a new 'late' now... no more 2am's for me... now it's 10:30... I feel old!
I've learned a lot about my bodies needs, the way the muscles in the face work, the way appearances affect how you are treated, about first impressions, about the humor of my children, the sensitivity of my husband, and an appreciation for things I had heretofore taken for granted.
Each morning with my frozen in place face my kids would come in to my room and the first thing they would say was.."smile Mummy"... no longer did I get "Good mornings" or "What are we doing today?". Instead they wanted to know if I had my face back yet. On more than one occasion Miles felt that if I didn't have my face back I should just stay in bed and get more rest... you know eat in bed... So for many mornings Miles brought me some lumpy oatmeal in bed. I don't think I've been treated so well on my birthday or mothers' day. (crazy face has some perks!)
Sarah, ever the optimist, would tell me each day that she was sure she saw improvement... Duncan would just giggle and then give me his best impression of a Bells smile! I couldn't wait to look in the mirror to assess my paralysis state myself. But all of the children knew that I had to rest and relax if this was to go away and I have the best kids anywhere... They wanted to know what else they could do to help me relax... and "do you want to take a nap mummy?" (I can't think of when I've taken a nap), but I did a few times over the last few weeks..
Without the ability to taste food I 'almost' lost the desire to eat... now that the taste buds are back... I WANT TO EAT! But, whilst the taste buds were on holiday I wasn't much of a food prep kinda mum... the kids and Patrick were pointing it out more than periodically that 'they can still taste food... if I make it!' It just wasn't much fun to prepare fajitas and apple cobbler and lick your fingers out of habit because you want a little pre-dinner taste only to not have any taste reaction in your mouth...
The bells was effectively a mask... what others saw... but of course I hadn't changed ... I would still try to smile at a toddler or make a funny face to try to make someone stop being grumpy... and of course all these attempts came out the same since as soon as I would try, I could tell my face hadn't done what I was attempting... I missed the ability to just use facial expressions to show understanding at the grocery store when a lady was struggling with her children, to thank someone driving for letting me in the lane and so many more times I realized how often I use my face to convey a message.
I learned lessons about so many things from this experience. Listen to your body! When you are run down, don't push even further. Sleep is a good thing!... and actually you get more done by going to bed and getting rested than staying up and pushing when you are tired! I gained an appreciation of knowing that this was temporary for me... but not for some people and how both physically and emotionally exhausting having my face frozen for two weeks was for me... I can only imagine someones struggle with lifelong issues. Optimism... SO IMPORTANT... no point fretting over something... it will pass when it will pass and I will be fine.
First impressions... I think although I've always known this, I've really gained a deeper desire to always give a second chance and always look past appearances. I had to meet many city officials and go to a stake level primary presidency training with people I'd never met before. I was extremely self conscious eating the light dinner at the training meeting since eating isn't something I could do very daintily.
Although very uncharacteristic of me... Bells also happened during a very hectic two week period of life that didn't give me much time to shop, cook or prepare meals even if I had felt like it so.. when we didn't have a supper at 7:30 for the third night in a row.... Patrick started to take over... We had pizza, burgers, and taco bell. Although it adds up money wise it sure was a help during chaos not to cook... so much so that I even took the kids one evening to Subway. Now when we traveled to Texas this summer we ate at Subway a fair bit and we learned not to step up to the counter until we knew what we wanted so we didn't frustrate the people behind us or the servers. (Rule was, no changing your mind once we step up to the counter!) We'd had some frustrating moments with impatient servers and impatient customers wiating behind us... and although I thought both rude to be so impatient when the five of us were doing our best to place our orders, I also didn't see the need to aggravate them any further. So when we visited this subway with my crazy bells face, I knew I didn't want to be annoying. But I have to tell you I've never had such AMAZING Subway service... the server was willing to list the options clearly and wait while the kids placed their orders also... I had to repeat a few things since my speech was slurred a bit. He was so nice to me... and I'm sure my odd face had nothing to do with it... but it was a relief not to have him give the... 'don't you know what you're doing lady look'. As we left, we held the door open for a family coming in... A dad and his three girls... who were helping their blind father maneuver his way through the tables. Maybe I just went to the Subway that was used to assisting those with disabilities or maybe they come here for the same thoughtful service that I enjoyed... either way.. I enjoyed the ordering process that I'd come to dread for the first time.
While I certainly don't wish to have Bells again or wish it upon anyone... I was able to gain appreciation and understanding. I was able to learn from a trial... and hopefully, if that was the point to this little trial, I'll pass. (of course if that means moving on to more challenging trials then I'm sure I could learn more from the last one again instead!)
By the way... it's not a great diet... even though I couldn't taste food for just over 2 weeks... I didn't manage to lose any weight. I did eat some things that I know are good for me that I don't like though... why not... it all tasted the same!
I've learned a lot about my bodies needs, the way the muscles in the face work, the way appearances affect how you are treated, about first impressions, about the humor of my children, the sensitivity of my husband, and an appreciation for things I had heretofore taken for granted.
Each morning with my frozen in place face my kids would come in to my room and the first thing they would say was.."smile Mummy"... no longer did I get "Good mornings" or "What are we doing today?". Instead they wanted to know if I had my face back yet. On more than one occasion Miles felt that if I didn't have my face back I should just stay in bed and get more rest... you know eat in bed... So for many mornings Miles brought me some lumpy oatmeal in bed. I don't think I've been treated so well on my birthday or mothers' day. (crazy face has some perks!)
Sarah, ever the optimist, would tell me each day that she was sure she saw improvement... Duncan would just giggle and then give me his best impression of a Bells smile! I couldn't wait to look in the mirror to assess my paralysis state myself. But all of the children knew that I had to rest and relax if this was to go away and I have the best kids anywhere... They wanted to know what else they could do to help me relax... and "do you want to take a nap mummy?" (I can't think of when I've taken a nap), but I did a few times over the last few weeks..
Without the ability to taste food I 'almost' lost the desire to eat... now that the taste buds are back... I WANT TO EAT! But, whilst the taste buds were on holiday I wasn't much of a food prep kinda mum... the kids and Patrick were pointing it out more than periodically that 'they can still taste food... if I make it!' It just wasn't much fun to prepare fajitas and apple cobbler and lick your fingers out of habit because you want a little pre-dinner taste only to not have any taste reaction in your mouth...
The bells was effectively a mask... what others saw... but of course I hadn't changed ... I would still try to smile at a toddler or make a funny face to try to make someone stop being grumpy... and of course all these attempts came out the same since as soon as I would try, I could tell my face hadn't done what I was attempting... I missed the ability to just use facial expressions to show understanding at the grocery store when a lady was struggling with her children, to thank someone driving for letting me in the lane and so many more times I realized how often I use my face to convey a message.
I learned lessons about so many things from this experience. Listen to your body! When you are run down, don't push even further. Sleep is a good thing!... and actually you get more done by going to bed and getting rested than staying up and pushing when you are tired! I gained an appreciation of knowing that this was temporary for me... but not for some people and how both physically and emotionally exhausting having my face frozen for two weeks was for me... I can only imagine someones struggle with lifelong issues. Optimism... SO IMPORTANT... no point fretting over something... it will pass when it will pass and I will be fine.
First impressions... I think although I've always known this, I've really gained a deeper desire to always give a second chance and always look past appearances. I had to meet many city officials and go to a stake level primary presidency training with people I'd never met before. I was extremely self conscious eating the light dinner at the training meeting since eating isn't something I could do very daintily.
Although very uncharacteristic of me... Bells also happened during a very hectic two week period of life that didn't give me much time to shop, cook or prepare meals even if I had felt like it so.. when we didn't have a supper at 7:30 for the third night in a row.... Patrick started to take over... We had pizza, burgers, and taco bell. Although it adds up money wise it sure was a help during chaos not to cook... so much so that I even took the kids one evening to Subway. Now when we traveled to Texas this summer we ate at Subway a fair bit and we learned not to step up to the counter until we knew what we wanted so we didn't frustrate the people behind us or the servers. (Rule was, no changing your mind once we step up to the counter!) We'd had some frustrating moments with impatient servers and impatient customers wiating behind us... and although I thought both rude to be so impatient when the five of us were doing our best to place our orders, I also didn't see the need to aggravate them any further. So when we visited this subway with my crazy bells face, I knew I didn't want to be annoying. But I have to tell you I've never had such AMAZING Subway service... the server was willing to list the options clearly and wait while the kids placed their orders also... I had to repeat a few things since my speech was slurred a bit. He was so nice to me... and I'm sure my odd face had nothing to do with it... but it was a relief not to have him give the... 'don't you know what you're doing lady look'. As we left, we held the door open for a family coming in... A dad and his three girls... who were helping their blind father maneuver his way through the tables. Maybe I just went to the Subway that was used to assisting those with disabilities or maybe they come here for the same thoughtful service that I enjoyed... either way.. I enjoyed the ordering process that I'd come to dread for the first time.
While I certainly don't wish to have Bells again or wish it upon anyone... I was able to gain appreciation and understanding. I was able to learn from a trial... and hopefully, if that was the point to this little trial, I'll pass. (of course if that means moving on to more challenging trials then I'm sure I could learn more from the last one again instead!)
By the way... it's not a great diet... even though I couldn't taste food for just over 2 weeks... I didn't manage to lose any weight. I did eat some things that I know are good for me that I don't like though... why not... it all tasted the same!
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