Here's Something That Will Make You Want to Dance!

Well, apparently the folks at the CSN stores really like my readers.  They like you so much, in fact, that they want me to give one of you another gift certificate.  This time they want me to give someone reading this blog a $55 gift certificate to use at any one of their stores.  That ought to make you feel like dancing!

You can buy all sorts of things at their stores, everything from a drop leaf table to shoes to items for your kids and pets to home decor and much more.  They have over 200 stores so the selection is large.  Click on those links and check it out.  See if there is anything listed there that you might like to purchase with a $55 gift certificate.  If there is, leave a comment on this post before 5:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time) on Friday, October 1st. 

I will enter each person who leaves a comment here into the drawing, assigning you each a number. I will then choose one of you using the random number generator at www.random.org to pick a winner.  I will count every one just once so everyone has a fair and equal chance.  I will be holding a second giveaway, identical to this one on my other blog, though, so you can also enter over there, if you wish.

Here is the "fine print" as it were, although I'm keeping it the same size as the rest of the print so you'll know all the rules.  The gift certificate is good at any of the CSN stores.  It can not be used towards shipping costs, though, so keep that in mind.  There are many items that have free shipping if you shop carefully.  The giveaway is open only to those in the United States and Canada.  Those in Canada may have to pay international shipping costs, so keep that in mind too.  I apologize to my readers who are outside of the United States and Canada.  These are the rules from CSN stores, not from me.

So there you have it.  It's very simple.  If you'd like to be entered in this giveaway, just leave a comment below on this post.  Everyone who comments will be entered.  After the contest is over, I will announce the winner who will have 24 hours to contact me before I choose someone else.  Good luck to everyone!

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

   I can't hear the word, "Surprise!" without hearing the voice of Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle.

   Some surprises are good like a surprise birthday party or winning the lottery.

  

   Others, like a flat tire or unwanted company, are not so good.

  

   My husband likes to watch the show, "Punk'd."  Me?  I'm not a fan.  If you've never seen it, Ashton Kutcher and his cohorts plan and execute elaborate schemes to pull off a prank on a celebrity and then make a television show out of the results.  I suppose it is amusing sometimes, but to me, it just seems like too much.  It quite often seems too extreme, too expensive, too ridiculous, and just plain mean.

   I understand it is supposed to be "all in good fun," but much of the time, the person being pranked becomes so upset about what is happening before they find out the truth, that any humor that might have come out of it is lost on me.  The few times I have seen that show, I wondered if the person being pranked was going to have a heart attack before Kutcher popped out to say, "You've been punk'd."  This type of big, organized group surprise to humiliate someone just isn't my cup of tea.

   Today, though, I'm posting about the flip side--about a big, organized group that pulled off a good surprise.  The family and friends of this bride got together secretly and practiced this routine so that they could surprise her with this musical number on her wedding day.  What a sweet and wonderful gift from the ones you love!  I'm sure she will talk about and remember this extra special surprise for years to come.  This is the kind of surprise that would make just about anyone smile, I think.  Oh, and there's dancing too!

Finding a Basement

I had a dream over the weekend.  No, actually, it wasn't a dream.  It was a nightmare.  In the dream, my husband and I were both standing in our living room.  The front door was standing open and a roaring wind was coming through the door and whirling all around us.  We could see our younger son standing next to his girlfriend on the front porch.  On beyond them, bearing down on them just a very short distance away was the biggest, blackest tornado I've ever seen.  Our other son, we knew, was also outside somewhere in the yard, but he was out of sight.


My husband was yelling, "FUNNEL CLOUD!  FUNNEL CLOUD!  FUNNEL CLOUD!"


I started yelling too, "COME IN THE HOUSE! COME IN THE HOUSE!  COME IN THE HOUSE!"


Our sons (and the girlfriend too) ignored us.  They just wouldn't listen.  My younger son and his girlfriend just stood there staring at the tornado, in awe of it, mesmerized by it, wanting to see it, be a part of it, experience it.  I didn't know if our other son could even hear our yelling.  He may have been too far away to hear us over the roar of the wind.  I knew he was outside somewhere, but I couldn't see him from where I was standing.  I knew he was in danger too.


I wanted to run out there and grab them and pull them physically into the house and herd them down to the basement where they would be safe, but it was one of those nightmares that I have occasionally when I was paralyzed.  I was unable to move and was rooted to the floor right where I was standing.


Just as the tornado was about to sweep away my son and his girlfriend (and I presume my other son, as well), I woke up.  My heart was racing, and, of course, it took a moment or two for me to realize that it had been a bad dream.


I knew almost instantly what the dream was about.  It certainly wouldn't take a rocket surgeon (huh? a what?) to figure that one out. No, I didn't need Joseph with his coat of many colors to interpret my dream or my psychologist husband to tell me what it meant.  It was immediately very clear to me what was on my mind.


Obviously, I was thinking about my sons growing up and moving out of the house and being on their own.  It was very clear to me and to my family, too, when I told them about the dream.  They were amused by my nightmare and teased me about it.  My son's girlfriend said to me, "You don't have to worry about us.  We'll be OK."


My older son, who was out of sight in my dream, is a college student.  He's away, out of my sight, where he metaphorically can't hear the good advice I am trying to give him, just like in my dream.  


My younger son and his girlfriend in my dream were still within my line of vision, on the porch, but I couldn't get to them.  All I could do was stand by and watch what would happen to them next.  So even though they were still technically "at home," there on the front porch, they were on the fringes and out of my reach.  


They were looking away from the house toward a challenge or adventure in the future, not back to the safety and comfort of our home.  That is pretty much where they are now too, looking ahead and not looking back.  Although he is only sixteen and still lives at home, my son will soon have his driver's license.  He is already making plans for when and where he will go to college and what he will study there.  His girlfriend too, is making plans.  They are making plans together for their future.  These are decisions they have to make for themselves.  It's not up to me anymore.  I no longer have a vote.


They are getting ready to "fly from the nest" even if it means doing it straight into the face of a very big and very bad storm as they were in my dream.  But then, that's how life is.  You don't get to choose the weather.  All you can do is face it and ride it out.  You take what you are given and try to make the best of it.


I know that things are just the way they are supposed to be.  I have been teaching my sons how to be on their own and independent since they were first born.  I guess no one told me that one of the hardest things about being a parent is when you have to learn how to stop being one.  Of course, I will always be their mother, and they will always be my sons, and it will be a few years yet before they are both completely independent.  There does come a time, though, when they have to work things out on their own.  No matter how much I want them to learn from my mistakes, they have to make their own mistakes.  That's just how it works.


Even though, in the face of a storm, I want to pull them in and usher them to the basement where it is safe.  It is very clear to me that that is probably not in their best interest.  We've all heard the stories of the 30 year old men who live in their mom's basement because they can't seem to figure out how to make it out in the world on their own.  They have stalled in life, unable to move forward. I don't want that to be my sons' fate.  As hard as it is for them and for me (and at this point, I think it is more difficult for me than it is for them), they need to be able to face their futures head on.


Perhaps there is still enough time that I can teach them to chase rainbows instead of tornadoes, but they're bound to come upon a storm now and again.  I don't want them to get swept up and carried away in the tornadoes of our world, being tossed around and banged up along the way, but I suppose it is inevitable, at least in part.  I just hope they can figure out how to take refuge from the storms when they come around.  I hope they learn how to keep themselves safe. I hope they can find a basement of their own when the time comes that they really need one.

Senseless and Sad

Last night, a little after 11:00 pm, we heard sirens.  They seemed very close, perhaps even in our neighborhood, but we didn't know where exactly they were or what was going on.  This morning, we heard on the news what had happened.  

Part of the children's playground called the "Imagination Station" had burned.  This playground is in the middle of the park where I take my walks just a couple of blocks from my home.  I go by this playground nearly every day.

Hearing this news was incredibly sad for all of us here in my town.  Perhaps some will think that it was just a playground and it is no big deal, but to the people who live here it WAS a big deal.  


This was a big deal because it was a community project.  The money ($130,000) was all donated from private funds to build this playground, and it was built by the people of the town here themselves (2,600 volunteers).  It was designed from ideas that were contributed by area school children when asked what they would like to have as part of their playground.

This was a big deal to me personally, as well.  My Dad, my husband, and my older son (who was just five years old at the time) were all part of those from our community who volunteered their time to help build this playground.  My younger son was born the same year this playground was built.  Both of my boys grew up playing here.  


We have been to countless birthday parties and family picnics and class get-togethers held here over the years.  There is a picnic pavilion next to these structures where Vacation Bible School from our church was held and where end of season sports parties were attended by my boys.  Time was always set aside to play on the playground as a part of these gatherings.

It is not known yet what or who caused this fire, or whether it was accidental or intentional.  Whether it was the result of a careless accident or a malicious, senseless arson, the result is the same.  The number of people affected by the loss here are many.  Damage is estimated at $100,000.


If I know the people of my town, this playground will be rebuilt, but in the meantime, the children here have been robbed of one of their favorite places to play.

This is what was on the front page of our local newspaper tonight.  If you click on the picture, you may be able to read the article for yourself, if you are interested.

This is a picture of my younger son playing at the playground when both he and the structure were just two or three years old.  This son is now 16 years old.

My older son, the twenty-year-old who helped build this playground so many years ago had some of his senior pictures from high school taken at the playground.

When I went to visit the playground tonight to take pictures of where the fire had been, there was a crowd of people milling about the perimeter of the yellow fire line tape.  Some were taking pictures, like me.  Others were just standing silently by and looking at the damage.  Two small boys who looked to be about five years old walked up and stood next to me by the fire line tape.

They stood and stared at the remains of the playground in awe and in silence for a moment or two, and then one of them spoke in a small, sad voice and said, "Holy crap!"  

The other boy's face also looking very sad and as if he might cry, said angrily, "Whoever did this is just STUPID!"

Well said, and I couldn't agree more.

Hand Dance

This is fun to watch.  I think the woman looks like she is bored, but the man looks like he is having fun.  I have the Brian Setzer Orchestra version of this song on my mp3 player.  I listen to it sometimes when I'm walking, and it makes me move a little faster.  Thanks to Mo for the link.

 

Clear Night Sky

Clear Night Sky

 Black velvet stretches out endlessly above me,

draped across the tops of the pointed green pines.

 Silver sequin stars sewn to the surface

wink as if they know a secret,

but I can see the signs.

The inky velvet drape muffles the sounds 

of murmuring tree frogs and whirring night birds.

While a cool breeze whispers:

hushing all doubts, calming all fears,

and speaking of the wonder

without any words.

So small, so unimportant, we are,

and yet, all part of the grand scheme.

The roles we play, we may never know,

but they're much more significant

than what they first seem.

We, like the stars, 

are tiny sequins

in a world that is amazing and immense,

but if we let our lights shine

and keep our feet on the path,

some day, some day, 

it will all make sense.

A Moving Monday Menagerie

For those of you who are just getting up because you have the day off for Labor Day and you were able to sleep in, here's one to get you up and moving.  My friend Mo shared this one with me, and it made me laugh.  Thank you, Mo!  The best giggle is at the very end.

Oomp-Pa-Pas and American Idol on Tour, All in One Day!

This past weekend on Sunday afternoon, my husband and I took a trip out to Oregon, Ohio for the German American festival.  We had a good time walking around the festival.  One of the things we saw was the giant Glockenspiel with live actors dancing and singing. It's not elaborate like the one in Munich, of course, but it was fun to see. We enjoyed the German festival food and liked seeing all the folks costumed in traditional German clothing like dirndls and lederhosen.  


This was as close as my husband and I got to wearing the traditional German garb.

We also enjoyed listening to all the polka music being played at various spots around the festival.  Although, at one point some of the polka music brought tears for me.  My Dad served in the air force when he was a young man, and he was stationed in Germany.  While there, he learned how to play the accordion and loved to play polka music.  He even taught me how to do the polka when I was a young girl.  So now, anytime I hear a polka, I think of my Dad and I miss him.  It was one of those times that sentiment and memories just jumps in and takes over.  


I'm not sure what this instrument is called that this man was playing, but he was having lots of fun with it.

I'd like to add a little side note here.  My husband's birthday was earlier this month.  It just so happened that I was working on the day of his birthday and because of other commitments the night before, I hadn't had a chance to bake a birthday cake.  I asked my sons if they could bake a cake for him while I was at work.


My younger son's girlfriend found out about my request and volunteered to make the cake for him instead.  This is the cake she made for him.

As you can see, she wrote the message in both German and English!!  My husband studied the German language in high school and has taught the kids some German words.  He also comes from a family that is mostly of German heritage.  She knew all of this and thought it would be fun to write the birthday message in both languages.  I really love this girl!


Back in June, for my birthday, my husband bought two tickets for us to go to see the American Idol kids on tour.  It just so happened that the concert was Sunday evening, so we went straight from the German American festival to Toledo for the concert there.


As we left the parking garage and were walking to the arena where the concert was to be held, we happened to see our dentist and his wife on the sidewalk, also heading to the concert!  It was quite a surprise to see someone from our little town of Bryan there in Toledo.  We chatted on the way to the ticket gate.  Our dentist said he had heard that Crystal Bowersox had had her teeth fixed.  He held up a pair of binoculars.  He said he brought them along so he could check it out for himself.  Oh my, that made me laugh!


One of Toledo's own, Crystal Bowersox, came in second in the finals of American Idol this year, so there was a big crowd on hand to hear her and the other nine finalists.  This picture is pretty dark, but I think you can see all those people there.

In all honesty, I didn't really enjoy the concert that much.  The music was much, much too loud for me.  I think the kids all did a great job with their performances, but when the volume is turned up so high that your ears hurt, it's hard to really listen to the music.  They also did lots of fancy stuff with lights and huge video screens and such that didn't really impress me.  

I guess my husband must have liked all the high tech special effects.  He's the one who took these pictures. When I go to a concert, I want to hear the music, not see a light show.  I know it is supposed to be part of the experience and all of that, but it just doesn't do much for me.  I must be getting old.


After we got home, I was looking at the pictures on the camera that my husband had taken at the concert, and I found these:

I asked him why there were all these pictures on the camera of the back of the guy who was sitting in front of us.  He got a rather sheepish look on his face and then grinned at me.  He said he was trying to find the button that changes the camera from photo-taking mode to video-taking mode.  He hasn't used this camera much and isn't used to it yet.  The button to switch back and forth between the modes is right next to the shutter button and all of the buttons are very, very small.  It was dark, of course, too during the concert.  So he took all of these pictures accidentally while trying to get his finger on the button to switch to video mode.  AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!


He did finally find the video button and made a recording of Crystal Bowersox singing one of her songs, but it didn't turn out very well.  I decided to post this video from youtube so you could hear her sing instead.  This song titled "Holy Toledo" was a big hit with all of her hometown fans in Toledo where the concert was held that night.  I like it.  I think it is pretty.

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations to Tracey!  She is the lucky winner of a gift certificate from CSN stores from my blog giveaway.  Thanks to all who entered and to those who became new followers of this blog.  Thank you to DiningRoomsDirect.com and to CSN stores for sponsoring this giveaway!