Came home from Dallas this afternoon. Those kids wear me out. We went to a concert at the Arboretum on Thursday evening. Saw a band that covers Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young better than the original. Those Thursday concerts are an awesome evening. Everyone brings their blankets or beach chairs, a little libation and some grapes and cheese. Once the sun goes down, it's quite pleasant in Dallas because their humidity isn't so high.
Friday I went with them to see the potential house where they were meeting their realtor to look over an offer on the present residence. If all this works together for good, then I guess they will be moving in the near future.
I loved the way the house looks, but there is something on a sensory level that doesn't feel quite right. Lord, make it right for them.
Friday evening we had to hang out at the Tex-Mex for the dinner hour, while their house was shown. I felt obligated to help my poor child ready the house and that led to far more house work than I've done around here in a month of Sundays.
To make things even more interesting, my hosts beloved dog had been crated recently during house showings and had eaten some fiber filling from her bed. This led to an obstruction, which led to vomiting, which ultimately led to the vet.
After visiting the TV free zone, I'm always starved for news when I get home. News and vegetables. So I made a salad and got in position to watch some mindless drivel when the power went out. It didn't rain all that much, but the wind was blowing and the lightening was striking all around. So drivel was out and I wound up having a nice conversation with Mother.
About the time I decided to take my flashlight and head to bed, the power was restored. My dark and stormy night is over and I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed without a big dog.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown
I had scheduled the cable company to come and "bundle" my services...sounded really convenient to get one bill for the television, phone, and Internet. Some dude named Tony rang the doorbell last week, selling this golden opportunity, and Mother who would have probably welcomed in Charles Manson, had him in the living room before I had a chance to react.
The idea is that we get a gazillion channels, movies on demand, premium channels, DVR, faster Internet, blah, blah for only one reasonable monthly rate, no charge for installation.
The installers came today. Right now I have only 21 of the gazillion channels, my phone won't change over from the old company until they can "capture the number" on the fourteenth, and I'm still hooked up to the phone Internet access because my cable is old and needs to be replaced.
The kids who came to do this job literally went into every room in the house except the kitchen, dining room and Mother's bathroom. There was one path of graddoo they tracked in from outside and another they brought down out of the attic.
The whole process took about two hours and during that time they moved every piece of furniture in the house. I am feeling better now, but only because I took half of one of the little anti-anxiety pills that Mother keeps in her linen closet.
The account with SuperCable is still in my Daddy's name and he's been dead for twelve years, so I can't put in the last four numbers of the Social Security number of the account holder to speak to anyone at the cable company. Tony the Italian "district manager" is evidently still celebrating America's independence and can't be reached. The only good news here is that they will not keep me from seeing what really broke up Jake and Vienna this evening on ABC.
I probably would have been in better shape to handle this crisis of technology, if we hadn't had son and significant other for dinner on the Fourth. Having not visited with them since Easter, I thought it timely that we reconnect, even though it can be as tricky as negotiating a minefield to spend time with the pair of them.
I was saddened by some other news before their arrival, so color me emotionally fragile hostess material.
They arrived on time, and my son immediately launched into his dead-on imitation of my former father-in-law. Not my favorite person, his chillingly narcissistic self-absorption is not what I wanted for my boy. Both son and significant are non-stop talkers...they don't converse, they lecture. There's no pause for reply, there's no tolerance for the flawed opinions of others, and please don't get them started on politics.
Dinner was declined by significant, as she was feeling unwell. It was pronounced edible by son, even though "it looked a little girlie". Real men don't eat cool things in hot weather evidently.
My poor Mother was on the verge of tears before they left. Fortunately, they aren't disinclined to eat and run.
The rest of the evening we sat in shocked silence and watched normal America celebrate the Fourth with music and fireworks, but the most freeing part of the holiday for me was its ending.
The idea is that we get a gazillion channels, movies on demand, premium channels, DVR, faster Internet, blah, blah for only one reasonable monthly rate, no charge for installation.
The installers came today. Right now I have only 21 of the gazillion channels, my phone won't change over from the old company until they can "capture the number" on the fourteenth, and I'm still hooked up to the phone Internet access because my cable is old and needs to be replaced.
The kids who came to do this job literally went into every room in the house except the kitchen, dining room and Mother's bathroom. There was one path of graddoo they tracked in from outside and another they brought down out of the attic.
The whole process took about two hours and during that time they moved every piece of furniture in the house. I am feeling better now, but only because I took half of one of the little anti-anxiety pills that Mother keeps in her linen closet.
The account with SuperCable is still in my Daddy's name and he's been dead for twelve years, so I can't put in the last four numbers of the Social Security number of the account holder to speak to anyone at the cable company. Tony the Italian "district manager" is evidently still celebrating America's independence and can't be reached. The only good news here is that they will not keep me from seeing what really broke up Jake and Vienna this evening on ABC.
I probably would have been in better shape to handle this crisis of technology, if we hadn't had son and significant other for dinner on the Fourth. Having not visited with them since Easter, I thought it timely that we reconnect, even though it can be as tricky as negotiating a minefield to spend time with the pair of them.
I was saddened by some other news before their arrival, so color me emotionally fragile hostess material.
They arrived on time, and my son immediately launched into his dead-on imitation of my former father-in-law. Not my favorite person, his chillingly narcissistic self-absorption is not what I wanted for my boy. Both son and significant are non-stop talkers...they don't converse, they lecture. There's no pause for reply, there's no tolerance for the flawed opinions of others, and please don't get them started on politics.
Dinner was declined by significant, as she was feeling unwell. It was pronounced edible by son, even though "it looked a little girlie". Real men don't eat cool things in hot weather evidently.
My poor Mother was on the verge of tears before they left. Fortunately, they aren't disinclined to eat and run.
The rest of the evening we sat in shocked silence and watched normal America celebrate the Fourth with music and fireworks, but the most freeing part of the holiday for me was its ending.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
July 4 Dr. Stanley's Good Idea
Independence Day is here again, hooray for the USA. Let's just hope that this is still a viable cause for celebration in the future. Like many Americans, I'm worried for our country. The Congress is broken, the political parties are a bad joke or a crime syndicate depending on your mood at the moment. The candidate that I voted for President isn't exactly turning out to be the hope and change I wanted. In June another former student was lost to the war in Afghanistan and to the little boys who were his sons. Personally, I think government of the people, by the people, for the people has gone off the rails and we would be wise to do everything in our power to get it righted.
That's where Dr. Stanley comes in. This morning Gigi was watching the First Baptists in Atlanta as she does almost every Sunday. Dr.Charles Stanley, their pastor and an awesome old time Baptist preacher, spoke on the need for our nation to turn back to God as the source of our blessings. He talked about where the country is headed and the purposes of government. We have taken God out of our public discourse. We don't talk about Jesus for fear of offending other religious groups. He talked about our national greed and corruption. But most profoundly he asked those in his congregation and his audience to pledge to pray for our nation and our government for the next 20 weeks. For 140 days he wants those who will join him to lift up our common weal to God and ask him to heal and help us to return to a nation truly under God.
This seems like the best idea that I've heard for celebrating America and all it stands for. Count me in Dr. Stanley.
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