Ordinary Life

The real problem with a hard-hitting, right-on-the-money-Sunday-morning-sermon is my propensity to quote parts of it against my fellow man (and myself) for the rest of the week.  I don't think that's how they're supposed to work. Leave Space For Grace, Kelly .  (Ah yes...I've heard she was quite the dancer.) 

I am learning new things. Thank you, Khan Academy .  Project: Shooting star From THAT :    ASSIGNMENT Decide what side of the canvas you want the star to start from, the top, bottom, left or right, and position your star there. Decide what direction you want the star to move in. Change the variables inside draw so that the star moves the way you wanted. Add another star or other shape, and animate it going in a different direction. Bonus: Change the star into a different shape, or have it shoot out of a cannon. Bonus: Add a backdrop, like a starry night or skyscrapers. To THIS : *REFRESH MAY BE REQUIRED TO VIEW ANIMATION, I HAVEN'T LEARNED LOOPING QUITE YET*

Our Fall Term started last week. We rearranged our classroom. Started with coffee, of course...  Rye insisted she wanted "real" coffee in her cup... ... I think she liked it.  First Period: Individual Grade Photos FISHER KAI Fisher is in Jr. High now 6th-ish Grade LOGAN ALEECE   Logan is finishing Jr. High 8th-ish Grade CHANDLER BRICE: Chandler is a Freshman (& not very fond of having his photo taken)  2nd Period: Group Photo  AFTER SEVERAL ROUGH DRAFTS... ALETHEIA FIRST DAY FALL TERM 2014-2015   3rd Period: Group Work    A peek into one of our favorite classes: Rubber Pencil 101 (and a video about Earthquakes)  Pre-3 runs simultaneously in the same room:  Weather gal : Fidgets have been added to each desk space~ a listening aid, believe it or not:  A Book Butterfly: Riley in her " Music Appreciation " tent..a.k.a. naptime: She now says " I hate music appreciation! "  There were many other things not pictured, like a lesson...

Our FaceBook friend Mitch often posts poetic pictures of  the "Old Lady" tree near his home. And, it is a beautiful, old lady tree. See? Mr. Mitch is an interesting fellow and I often want to do and be and think and see in step with him.  So, imagine my delight when I discovered  that we have an Old Lady Tree too... See?  Okay, so she's a bit of a hag.  I surely wouldn't eat any apples from this tree. Mainly because it isn't an apple tree, bu t also because 'she' looks like the witch from Snow White, whose specialty was the Drowsy Apple.  See?  I have friends standing by - ready to call the right folks and administer the right meds for me if the lady in my tree turns out to be from another Disney franchise:  If I hear it speak, I am to repeat: "A tree may speak to me, but only metaphorically."  (...and so help me, if you ever find me running around in a buckskin dress...talking to the trees... wrap me up in my loooong sleeve pajamas please.....

I recently finished merging all of the old blogs that I could find (and that I still remember the passwords for). This after a period of ducking into my shell... I can be very 'turtle-like', I know. Sometimes I'm okay with all the world seeing all the warts , other times I try to disappear for all I'm worth . As I merged the blogs, I enjoyed reading the old entries. Many memories and  moments were brought back to mind- some of it good and some of it slightly embarrassing... I have been too  many versions of me. One Two Three ...Count the Me's .. .   SeventySix ... NinetyNine ... One Thousand I have a terrible memory. If there isn't a picture or journal entry about it, it never happened or at least, not that I can recall.  Reading back over small, conversational details in some of the older entries had a shrinking effect. My eleven year old was suddenly four again, trying to fly like Peter Pan .   Years disappeared and in their place the taste of sweet sadne...

It is funny how a little thing like blogging can start out as mild interest and then, in time, somehow turn into an obligation of sorts. Funnier still, I am only obligated to me; it is I alone dissapointed by my inability to speak these days. I don't think it is so much a need for attention, the blogging. I mean, sure it is swell when "Aunt Suzie" (not her real name) lauds me as a talented scribe but I could take up professional plate spinning and I am pretty certain she'd still have kind words to lavish upon me. In fact, I rather despise the "look at me! look at me!" aspect associated with blogging. Neither does blogging solve loneliness or provide anymore solace than that of a paper journal, at least not for me. Less hand cramps, maybe. I have no delusions of joining the ranks of today's super women BlogHer s. I am pretty certain I wouldn't want that many eyes on me anyway. I think, instead, my desire to have a public conversation amongst myself is...

My Thoughts On Work The words work and gift hardly seem to belong together, but I can remember not having work, searching for work...having work to do is most definitely a valuable gift. Sometimes I feel like my work matters little. Then I hear my children remembering their manners or my husband pay my work a compliment and my investment is repaid instantly. When I undertake a project, from baking a cake, planting a garden or building a web page, a connection is formed between myself and my work. I care about the results. I am encouraged to do my best in order to yield the best results. I believe this is an important element that having work to do develops in me. Having a project flop completely, be unappreciated or lost to damage in some way is as important an experience to me. I have learned that any job worth doing is indeed worth doing well. I have also learned that any job worth doing should be done simply for the satisfaction I get from doing the job and doing it well. People a...

The kids and I spent Easter Sunday in Covington with family. I love these folks, too !

I spent the Saturday preceding Easter with my family in Augusta. I just love those folks! Here are some highlights from our cookout at Sprink Lake clubhouse:

Joseph B. Carnes July 4th, 1927 - April 3, 2009 AMAZING LOVE Retired Master Sgt. Joseph B. Carnes, 81, of Lumberton passed away April 3, 2009, at Southeastern Regional Medical Center, with his family by his side. He served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, retiring after 22 years. After the military, Joe worked in construction and later contributed to his community through retail sales. Joseph B. Carnes was a dedicated family man, always making sure that his family was taken care of. We loved him very much and will miss him dearly! He was preceded in death by a son, Daniel Carnes; his parents Harley & Pallie Carnes, both of Franklin, a sister, Ruth Edwards of Franklin; and a brother, Zell Carnes of Grey, GA. Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Rosie Davis Carnes of Lumberton; one son, Larry D. Carnes and daughter-in-law Myoung-Jin, both of Florence, SC; three daughters, JoAnn Dudney and son-in-law Jerry Dudney, both of Lumberton, Kathy Willoughby and son-in-law Mike Willoughby...

Sir William (the Moist) II , originally uploaded by kellybrewer . Evidence of True Love? There is not a subsequent picture where she socks him one (longsuffering)

Sir William, The Moist , originally uploaded by kellybrewer . Rite of Passage Act of Love

Georgia , originally uploaded by kellybrewer . Puddle of Mud April 2009 Loganville, GA

COVINGTON , originally uploaded by kellybrewer . Just an oddly adequate description of what visiting family in Covington is like.

Chandler made everyone "cheese sandwiches" today for a snack. I've just got to show you mine:

They've crossed the line this time: