Sabbatical is Over

My "blogging sabbatical" was a little longer than expected and previously reported but now I'm back and "prepared to post."
As much as I enjoy Facebook, I've missed writing more than 244 characters (or whatever the limit is that I have to cram my thoughts into).

Resurrection

My poor poor little neglected blog!

Instead of saying that I have been too busy to write, I choose to say that I’ve been on blog sabbatical for the past 6 months. Now I’m rested and ready to write. (It’s not completely true, but my life is calming down enough that I can spend some time on personal improvement and enjoyment.) As London Tipton says “yeah me!”

So let’s see what’s been going on in my life while I’ve been on sabbatical:

I’ve been working on a committee exploring the option of a county-wide metropolitan park district. (We met almost weekly for most of that time.) Unfortunately, although it is a good idea, the economy is such that it not the right time. (I think we’re either 3 year too early or too late.) There is still some serious interest to pursuing a North County MPD and so we’ll see where it goes from here.

I have also been part of a citizens group who opposing the Bonneville Power Administration BPA’s proposed new substation and new high voltage power lines. They want to build the 10-15 acre substation right around the corner from my house and the biggest power lines in the industry running from it across Kelso / Lexington down to Vancouver / Portland. So far we’ve been somewhat successful, they are looking to move it to a less populated area. However, I am still very concerned about the exposure to the high EMF levels and the risk of cancer. The citizens group would like to have them bury the lines or shield them better. There is a public meeting in Castle Rock on August 30th.

I am also the co-chair of the Finance Counsel for my parish. Unfortunately, we have not had an active Parish/Pastoral and Finance Counsels for the last 5-6 years. Which means there hasn’t been a working budget in all that time for our parish and our sister parish. It was a very, very difficult process, and after many, many difficult meetings we were able to create a balanced budget. Unfortunately, in order to do that we had to slash staff levels. That was such a horrible experience!! I felt sick for weeks!!! The one silver lining to come from this was that we were able to make sure that our parish was able to at least have our own clerical staff – even if it’s not full time.

In February, I was appointed to the County’s Parks Board for a 6 year term. I’m very excited to be on the committee! It is something I applied for 5 years ago, but they didn’t have any positions open for the North County area where I live. They finally did and now I’m able to participate. (Unfortunately, the park’s board meetings are on the same night as my bunco group. I was pretty bummed to give up bunco. They are a very fun group of women and I really enjoyed it.) I came on at a very fortuitous time. We have been working on our 20 year strategic plan for the county’s parks system. (Not sure we will have a parks system in next year - let alone in 20 years, if we don’t get a dedicated funding stream. Currently, the county is down to only ONE parks ranger to do all the maintenance and upkeep for all the 17 parks properties. They call him the Lone Ranger.) Hopefully, with a comprehensive strategic plan in place, they will be able to apply for grants too keep the department open.

My kids and I are actively fundraising so that we can go on pilgrimage to the 2011 World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain with our church youth group. Due to a number of factors, our group got a late start on fundraising, so I’m not sure we’ll get enough money. We’re sure making a valiant effort!! So far, we’ve sold raffle tickets to a gorgeous quilt, ran a rummage sale and rented the parking lot for KHS graduation, did a plant sale, held car washes and managed a raspberry patch. W.

Bipolar Summer – can’t decide if its going to be hot or cold. The highs are either in upper 60's or in the upper 90's. Don't like the extremes. Just give me 75 degrees. It's perfect.

Well, off to work

AVATAR ROCKS!!!!

I almost didn't see this movie, cuz people told me that Avatar was an alien Dances with Wolves. I hated that ending of that movie on so many levels, but I knew I wanted to see it if anything for the graphics so we went. But I was happily surprised. Avatar was very good and far surpassed my expectations. (Never fear!!! Quite literally these wolves can bite back.)

I loved the amazing imagination of this world. The animation was incredible!!!!!! (And I didn't even get to see it in 3-D - though I may have gotten vertigo on some of the flying scenes or at some of the cliff edges/tree limbs.) The "sex" scene is G (french kissing and some groping). One bad word - bitch. You do see people and blue guys die but not overly done or added gross factor.

Overall - Avatar is a solid A and if you can see it the theater you should. (Best gift card I've used yet this Christmas.) Definitely worth going to see!!!! Some of the comments from my FB friends was that it "restored their faith in Hollywood" and I totally agree. Good plot, great characters, amazing animation, and "not a totally sucky ending." (I don't want to ruin it so I'll leave it at that.)

Time out for Illness and Craziness

Stop the world.... I need a Time out for Illness and Craziness!!

Well, we have been hit with "something viral" for three weeks. I'm pretty sure that my daughter M had H1N1 but the rest of us I can't prove - probably, but who knows... Then its just been so busy crazy... I haven't been doing much of anything - just trying to get through each day. (seems like I only check my email every other day - if I'm lucky)

This is just a quick update before I head off to work. Hopefully after tonight's All District Patriotic Concert I'll be able to post some stuff. It's been really eventful - 2 trips to the Emergency Room for 2 different kids in 2 weeks, my fight with the BPA (Bonneville Power Administration) over putting a HUGE new substation and monster power lines in my neighborhood and potentially on my property, sick kids, church stuff, sports, Halloween, etc.,.

A Man Who Knows His Math

This email just tickled my funny bone and had to share!


MAN WHO KNOWS HIS MATH

He writes:I was riding to work yesterday when I observed a female driver, who cut right in front of a pickup truck, causing the driver to drive onto the shoulder to avoid hitting her..

This evidently angered the driver enough that he hung his arm out his window and gave the woman the finger..

'Man, that guy is stupid,' I thought to myself.

I ALWAYS smile nicely and wave in a sheepish manner whenever a female does anything to me in traffic, and here's why:

I drive 48 miles each way every day to work..
That's 96 miles each day.
Of these, 16 miles each way is bumper-to bumper
Most of the bumper-to-bumper is on an 8 lane highway.
There are 7 cars every 40 feet for 32 miles..

That works out to 982 cars every mile, or 31,424 cars.
Even though the rest of the 32 miles is not bumper-to-bumper, I figure I pass at least another 4000 cars.

That brings the number to something like 36,000 cars that I pass every day..

Statistically, females drive half of these.
That's 18,000 women drivers!

In any given group of females, 1 in 28 has PMS.
That's 642.

According to Cosmopolitan, 70% describe their love life as dissatisfying or unrewarding.
That's 449.

According to the National Institute of Health, 22% of all females have seriously considered homicide.
That's 98.

And 34% describe men as their biggest problem.
That's 33..

According to the National Rifle Association, 5% of all females carry weapons and this number is increasing.

That means that EVERY SINGLE DAY, I drive past at least one female that has a lousy love life, thinks men are her biggest problem, has seriously considered homicide, has PMS, and is armed.

Give her the finger?
I don't think so!!!!!

Good and Bad News

After all the great news I’ve heard this week, I was disappointed on how the week ended.

The week started out really well. I found out that one of my friends who is in an abusive relationship is out and in a safe location. I have been keeping her whole family in my thoughts and prayers and so it was really nice to hear that everything was lining up for her.

Then I got great news!! After a very long time of looking, applying and lots of rejection, my sister was offered a fabulous job as an account manager at Web MD. This will be a great fit for her. It will give her a lot of opportunities to grow and really shine professionally in a field that has a lot of potential – and not to mention - pay her mortgage and buy me a Christmas present. (Hey, a girl’s gotta have priorities!) Anyway, I am so very happy for Aon. You should have seen the kids and I do the “happy job dance” when they found out about it. We even called her up and sang her a “lovely” job offer commemoration serenade which probably brought tears to her eyes. (What kind of tears – she’s not saying.)

The North County Recreation Assn auction is coming together and some of the issues (like the Castle Rock and Toutle youth football teams playing at 5:30 way over in Wahkiakum County which over 1 hour away and the slow / low donation amounts) are being resolved so that we will be able to have people attend and support the youth sports in our area. Donations have been picking up and the weather is even starting to co-operate with us. I had visions of this outdoor auction / dinner / dance being in the middle of a horrid downpour all day long. (It still might be a little bit nippy and have a couple sprinkles, but nothing like earlier in the week.) So keep your fingers crossed.

Unfortunately, the work week is ending on a down note. Late Friday afternoon, we found out that our Drug Court did not get the big federal grant we applied for in May. If we got the grant, it would have “saved” our program and really helped it grow to help veterans in our area. Now it is slated to close at the end of the month. I feel so badly for my friend, Debbie, who is the coordinator of the program. She has been through so much this past year. If someone would have told me that we would be shutting down one of the original drug court programs in the state (and one of the most successful) when she was hired last summer, I would have laughed in their face. I am so disappointed. So keep your fingers crossed that by some miracle our Drug Court is saved and is allowed to continue helping people get clean / stay sober and quit doing crimes in our community.

Boys of Summer - Where Did You Go?

Its cold, dreary and dark when I got up this the morning. I saw on Facebook this morning that it was snowing in Salmon, Idaho. Brrrrr!!! Thank goodness we haven’t had that kind of cold snap yet – I’ll get a few more (weeks hopefully) of produce out of my garden and orchard.

It seems like just last week that it was sunny, in the 90’s and beautiful weather. No wait! That was last week!! Oh well, it is the season of sudden changes. We could definitely use the rain - so I’m not complaining Sadri just commenting. J

I was just really surprised when I realized that it is still VERY dark at 6:15 when I got my kids up this morning. I could swear it was still light out at 5:30am - just yesterday, but obviously not. It’s funny how the march of time keeps going even though we’re not as in tune with our environment or put personal awareness on hold.

Miracle Melon

This started out to be a pity plant but became a miracle melon.
My son asked me this spring "Mom, could we please grow a watermelon plant this year?" I told him yes we could try but it probably wouldn't grow. As a true testament to how many hot days we had this summer, he actually had 3 grow. C is holding his "small" watermelon which was very yummy.

5 days til the Auction

North County Rec Auction is Saturday in a new location and the weather is not cooperating. Donations are VERY VERY slowly trickling in and we're hitting the home stretch.. Hopefully, the Toutle football coach capitulates and they move up the game from 5:30 in Wahkiakum (1 hour down the coast) from here to 1pm in Castle Rock or Toutle. If not, it's going to be interesting seeing how many local parents come since those parents make up about 1/2 of the big supporters. Keep your fingers crossed and let me know if you want to buy a ticket to the dinner / auction / dance on October 3rd.

Today started with a 7am parent teacher conference and has been pretty non-stop til now. I've got scouts tomorrow night and I think I'm also supposed to work concessions out at the football stand. Wednesday night is a parks meeting and auction. I haven't even looked at Thursday yet, but I do know that Friday is a big football game (in the RAIN!!! - ugh!!) Saturday is setting up and actually having the auction. C is gone to webelo woods - weekend camping trip so I need to make sure he's ready and packed for a wet time in the woods. Sunday I'm in charge of the children's mass - The kids are doing all the 'jobs' - lectors, ushers, gifts, greeters and choir so I have to be up and at 'em very early.

I'm starting to get stressed. My life is so busy and hectic right now I can't even see straight. (I haven't even figured out anything for my daughter's birthday next week - including her party. sigh guess. I'll keep this short and get something figured out.)

The Ultimate

I saw the funniest sign the other day. I had to double check to make sure what I was reading was correct.

It was one of those the big lighted outside signs for an old grocery store in a “one horse town” on a little back woods state highway.

It advertised something to the effect that the “Go Get ‘Em” had:

Gas, Groceries, Tanning, Body Toning AND you could get your Chainsaws Sharpened there.

Now that’s what I call a Pacific NW small town one stop shop!!!