Busy Week

There is a lot going on this week, not all of which I can go into publicly at this time. So there! We are trying to clean up the house and get organized, but that is kind of a fool's errand, most of the time. The boys tend to scatter the toys as fast as things get picked up. Sometimes I manage to get them to help pick up. I think we need to institute a rule that they have to pick up their toys daily or we will downsize their toy collection (an idle threat... ) Then again, the boys are 4 and 2 (next Sunday) and one cannot expect them to act like little adults. Still, they are interactive critters and we can work to get them involved in the process (sometimes).

Barring awful weather, it appears we are going to the first night of Moondance Jam, courtesy of Raul and Rosalyn. I told him that I wanted to take pictures close to the stage. Not sure if that will happen, and I have a million other things to do, so part of me says that I really don't have the time for that. If/when we go, Raul's two teens would watch the boys. Raul would spend half his time in VIP and the rest of the time with us and the rest of the commoners. The last four shows include Jethro Tull, Journey, Sheryl Crow, and Kansas. The earlier shows are people I haven't heard. I am not sure how that will play out, largely because the last show goes really late. I think it starts at 11 p.m. You have to ride a shuttle back to Northern Lights to get to your car, so that would probably put us home at 2:00 a.m. or something. Heather really wants to go to see Journey, though, so... who knows? Then again, it might get rained out.

Speaking of that, Tuesday night, it rained like mad. We got 3.18 inches of rain in 90 minutes, and according to my weather station at the house, we got 1.98 inches of rain in one hour. There was a car floating in the water on the service road over by Target, so it did rain like mad. We needed the rain, though, so I am not complaining, and I honestly would like to see more rain after this soaker has had a few days to do its magic and get into the ground, so to speak.

I am installing a VPN upgrade at Northern Lights this morning. Time to get to work.

Connection

Gabriel wandered into our bedroom around 6:30 or quarter to 7 this morning, fully dressed, and crawled into bed with us. He started out laying at my feet, but cats kept getting in the way. He wormed his way up between me and Doug. Doug asks him what he is doing awake and tells him to go back to sleep. Gabriel curls up to me, as I expect him to, in a little ball. He's just like me in that way: falling asleep on his side all curled up. Doug asks him if he is cold and covers him with the blanket I always use because I'm cold because Doug wants a window or 2 open and the fan on medium. Doug lays back down, turning towards us, stretching his arm over Gabriel and putting his hand on my back. I can tell it is not Gabriel from the size of the hand, obviously. These feelings of warmth, calm, love and contentment wash over me. I instantly relax more. It is a simple connection, but that is all it takes.

I can't believe it!!!!

OH MY GOD!!!! I get to Prairie Bay and start dishwashing. About 10 minutes into it, the machine runs out of detergent. No big deal; it happens all the time. I go to the rack over where the mop bucket, broom, gigantic floor squeegee and other things are located. There should be some of this stuff there. There is none to be found. I look every place I can think. I ask the cooks on the front line. They can't think of any place that I haven't already looked. I ask Shane, the current bartender, if there are any management-types around. He tells me that he is the only one. I tell him that there is no dishwasher detergent anywhere, unless he can figure out where it went. One of the cooks tell me to just start washing stuff by hand. I'm starting to panic. The dishes are piling up. I fill the sinks with the commercial handwashing detergent and no-rinse sanitizer. I end up having to switch sinks that stuff is in when I realize that one isn't holding water. I use that one for the water rinse before the sanitizer. I start going nuts on sautee pans. The cooks need them. Time keeps passing and there are so many plates and bowls that I have to start handwashing them, too. I'm feeling like I did in school during a very important test or when attempting to start an essay that was worth many points: muscles extremely tense, my heart racing, inability to sit still to the point that I could to sprint 100 yards and MAYBE calm down. K. T., the only female cook and the only female in the kitchen aside from me, tells me that Black Bear Grill and Saloon may have something. She tells me that she would run to check it out but she doesn't have her license. I go as fast as I can legally get away with down the road to the restaurant. I walk in the front door in my men's size large white commercial uniform shirt and an apron tied around my waist and ask the hostess if I can talk to the kitchen staff. She leads me to the kitchen and say that I'm from Prairie Bay and they mentioned that might have some dishwasher detergent I can use. They show me their machine and I recognize immediately that the dispenser is the wrong one. I politely thank them for trying and head back. I tell K. T. that they didn't have the right stuff. I go back to my own version of hell and look at the glass racks that are filling up, wondering how I am going to manage to handwash those. I'm still washing plates when Jeff, this big tall Lurch-type who is constantly teasing me, comes back and hands me the very important commodity. I tell him, with this huge grin on my face, that I could kiss him. Applebee's was the restaurant where they finally found it. They called just about every place in town before locating it there. I stick the stuff where it belongs and load up racks, sending them through the machine. K. T. comes back and helps me out. I finally make it through the night, leaving a bunch of big stuff for the morning. I get off of work still extremely stressed out. That was one of those moments I never imagined I would have to experience.

a crazy dream

Doug reminded me that I forgot to post about, and completely forgot about, (my memory is so bad these days) a dream that I had that was totally off-the-wall. It was right before I woke up and I didn't remember all of it. I remember being in the middle of this Star Wars- type scenario. It was outer space, and we were kind of floating in space. We had the ability to move though, like flying like Superman. The bad guy was firing a laser gun at me. I was defending myself with these huge sheet pans (kind of gigantic cookie sheets for those unfamiliar with a restaurant kitchen). I was deflecting laser shots with them like a knight would deflect sword blows with his shield. When I told Doug about this, he laughed and said that I have been spending too much time at Prairie Bay (a really classy restaurant in town where I am the dishwasher). I suppose I would have to agree. I have fun in that kitchen, though. :-)

Gabriel's prayer

We were watching Horton Hears a Who this afternoon. We, of course, emphasized the pro-life message in it: "...a person's a person, no matter how small." We noted something I don't even remember from the book: the mayor of Who-ville has 98 daughters and 1 son. In fact, I don't think that is in the book. Anyway, Doug, of course, told Gabriel to tell me that he wanted a baby sister. I laughed and thought about my usual comment to that statement: I can only contribute an X. It is up to Doug cause us to have a girl.

Anyway, after the movie, Gabriel and I went to the store to get the milk that always seems to be running low. Gabriel got on the end of the cart. We didn't need one, but he insisted. I pushed the cart through the doors toward the fresh fruit and vegetable section. He was hanging on the end of the cart with his head bowed and his fingers interlaced. When he lifted his head, I asked him if he was praying. He said he was. I asked him what he was telling God. He said he was asking God for a baby sister. I swear to you, I started crying right there, pushing the cart down the isle toward the milk coolers. I told him that God would be the One to give him a sister or a brother. God is the One who gives us life. Maybe He will answer his prayer.

There are times when children can really take your breath away. This was one of those times.

The first dream in a LONG time

This was kind of strange, and that is why I'm sharing. I was a teacher at this school that was an elementary school with a preschool, kind of like what Gabriel goes to, but not religion based and very activity oriented and creative. I was friends with many of the teachers, loved the children, and was really happy there. I think it was in a slightly tropical setting. The grass and plants were abundant and very lush and green. The children spent lots of time outside, learning about botany and other sciences in real life applications. Each classroom was its own little building that was almost like a hut. Class size was small. There were stone paths between the classes and a stream nearby.

One day, as Doug and I were about to go to sleep, the room became invaded by animals that were not usually found in the immediate area: turtles and crocodiles. Even more strange, they seemed to be coming into the room through a drain pipe that was exposed because an appliance was removed and the hole wasn't covered. A crocodile started chewing gently on my arm, though, honestly, it looked a lot like the one Gabriel has that expands in water. We wrote it off in confusion until it started chewing on my arm and I felt that it had small, real teeth.

This was when I woke up because Jericho started crabbing. I wish I could have seen where it would have gone. It was odd and interesting. The scenery is still sticking in my mind.

tongue twisters

Lately, we've gotten into this bedtime routine of lots of books. There are certain ones that are favorites for Gabriel, it seems that we read them every night. The books that top the list are: Pizza Pat, Are You My Mother?, A Fly Went By, and Fox in Socks. See what I mean? Lots of rhythm and rhyme. I'm enjoying it, though. It's fun and a challenge sometimes.

"These are the sausages, spicy and choppy, that sat on the sauce, all gooey and gloppy, that covered the dough, all stretchy and floppy, that lay in the tray that Pat bought."
Pizza Pat by Rita Golden Gelman

Bedtime is fun. I love tongue twisters.

"Socks on Knox and Knox in box. Fox in socks on box on Knox." Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss

Truth is Stranger Than Fiction (And What We are Witnessing with Obamanomics)

"In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure society which I assure you will last for ten thousand years."

Senator Padmé comments: "So this is how liberty dies... with thunderous applause."

I weep for the future of America and for my children, with great justification and disgust at how almost all Americans are sitting idly by as America is becoming the U.S.S.A. Your freedoms are gone. Much of the power grab, AIG and other corporate bailouts, the public school system, the IRS, open borders, the Federal Reserve (which is not even a federal agency, in case you didn't know that), social security, federal government eminent domain, affirmative action, and so much more, NOT CONSTITUTIONALLY ALLOWED. Why are so many people so ignorant, not realizing that this is a nation of states that allows a federal government to exist? Until the Civil War, this nation was called THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Why? Because the United States is a nation with a federal government, not the other way around. The individual states are sovereign entities, and the federal tyrannical machine must bow to the rights of the states and to enumerated powers.

These dangerous, pathological winds of change are only temporary, and I can already see that the people are getting angry and dismayed. The pendulum will be swinging back to its proper place, favoring liberty, though even to wait for a few years will be too long, when the constitution doesn't mean a thing to these so-called constitutional experts in Congress and in the White House.

Mark my words... we will regret this vote for change. We already are regretting it. Less than two months, and Mr. Obama has taken more power for himself than any nation's leader since, uh... you figure it out. Think 1933.

Today would be a good day to say some fervent prayers to God for America and for our children. God help America. The U.S. turns its back on Him, and I regret that this nation does not deserve His favor.