Small Miracles

I asked one of my friends for a suggested topic to write about, and she said, "Cars, or small miracles." It's funny that she would say this. In my world, they are often one in the same, this week in particular.

I like excitement and adventure. I like a good adrenaline rush now and then. I love to ski, but usually end up going down the black diamond slopes on my butt, rather than on my skis. It is the age old problem of desire vs. talent. I don't have any real athletic talent, so I have to get my thrills in more creative ways.

I drive mechanically challenged cars. Nothing gets the heart rate up, and the adrenaline pumping quite like driving a car that chronically over heats in a city with legendary traffic congestion. It is a race against the clock, and the odds. I try to accomplish all of my stops between morning rush hour and evening rush hour. I make my stops as quickly as possible, and avoid any lengthy meetings. If I am not home by 4pm, I am looking for a productive place to spend the next 2 hours waiting out the traffic.

This past week was especially challenging. The Christmas shopping craze threw off all the normal traffic patterns. My skills are sharp. I only had to pull over once to let the car cool and add some coolant. I keep my trunk fully stocked with supplies; jugs of water, coolant, a funnel, etc.

It would seem logical to buy a new one, or at least take this one to the shop and have a professional fix it, but where is the fun in that?
1. The thing is paid for. It is really hard to argue for a car payment.
2. It has a really great stereo. It's a Bose stereo with high end speakers. I can really rock out in that car!
3. I can take the kids to the beach and not worry about sand in the carpet, or any other sort of mess.
4. The last time I took it to a shop, it came back with more problems. I think it is like Mr. Burns, all the things wrong with it are in a delicate balance, keeping it alive. If I fix one of them, the rest might just kick it over the edge.

These car challenges are also great faith building opportunities. More than once car trouble has brought me to call on my Heavenly Father in prayer. Often my children have silently prayed, while I tried to figure out what the trouble was, and how to get us where we need to go. I witness small miracles regularly.

Christmas Present

It's Been a Year

It has been a year since I have had any caffeine. It has been a year of fewer headaches, less drugs, and more sleep. Instead of drinking a Coke, I have taken a nap, or just went to bed. An ice cold Coke is yummy, but nothing beats a nap!

Somewhere around the age of 12 I stared getting wicked headaches. Some doctors have called them migraines. Whatever they are, they are horrid. The pressure in my head makes me think crazy thoughts, like if I were to shove a red hot poker in my temple it would feel better. The first time I had one of these mind crushers I thought I had been poisoned, and was surely about to die. I was 12, and probably read too many novels. My doctor gave me some pain pills and when I awoke 2 days later on my Grandmother's couch, she assured me that I was not the victim of some assassin, just a migraine and a crazy imagination.

Since then I have had them off and on, to greater and lesser intensities. There doesn't seem to be any clear, direct triggers, although, stress is always an element. For some reason, I have never had one while pregnant, so I think hormones must play some role. The pain killers that work best for me have a heavy dose of caffeine in them. I started to see that I was getting rebound headaches after taking them, and I suspected the caffeine. The only think worse than a migraine on Sunday, is a rebound headache for the rest of the week. I had to stop the cycle.

I asked my doctor for a prescription without caffeine, and he wanted to put me on something that I had to take every day. Sorry, unless my life depends on it, I am not taking a pill every day. Who knows what the happy fun ball side effect would be from that. Not interested.

So, a year ago this week, I decided to cut out all caffeine in an attempt to prevent my head from hurting so often. I didn't make any grand announcements, just decided to stop. My headaches are not cured, but they are much less frequent. I still get them every couple of months, but if I just suffer through, and don't take my prescription, I avoid the rebound headaches. So, one day of pain, rather than a week of it. I would call that a success.

I have heard that it takes 21 days to break, or create a new habit. I was hoping that after 21 days I would not want it anymore. That isn't the case with me. Every time my head hurts I know that if I just drank a Coke it would feel better. I still want one when I eat Mexican food. I still want one with my popcorn at the movies. I guess I might always.

Merry Christmas

I have been pondering how to get in the Christmas spirit. It is just odd here in Hawaii where it is 80 degrees most of the time. A winter storm, like we had this weekend, means rain and wind. The leaves are still green, even though lots of them are now on the ground. The physical conditioning of Christmas past is not working for me.

It takes enormous imaginative effort to recall the sharp, exhilaration of taking a deep breath of cold, crisp December air, and feeling my nose try to retreat. Or the way fresh fallen snow holds your weight for the briefest moment before crunching under foot. The scent of a real, fresh Christmas tree eludes me. I have been wandering around stores sniffing pine scented candles. If I found one that was right, I would buy a cart full. With Christmas music playing over the store sound system, eyes closed, and a pine candle at my nose, I can almost, if the store is well air conditioned, believe it is the week before Christmas.

Tonight Ryker and Quincie went caroling with the youth from church. I snapped this photo of them on the way out the door. Christmas carols and my kids - that is my ticket to feeling the Christmas spirit. Tonight my heart is full of the love that is Christmas. Merry Christmas!

Mental Filing

I have always loved stationary and calendars. The stability of thoughts on paper is very reassuring. They can't get away so easily once you write them down. They can't dissipate like fog when the sun comes out.

Have you ever worked in an office and witnessed what happens when the filing piles up? You can't find anything, stuff gets lost, it's a nightmare. That is the sort of chaos that goes on in my brain when I don't write things down, frequently. Writing is mental filing. By writing them down, in their proper place, the thoughts go from unsorted chaos to to-do lists, reports, lessons, emails, letters, articles, poems, or stories. Mostly they end up on a list, specifically a to-do list. When I let it go too long, that is when things start to go wrong.

I need a list. Not just any old list, a good, well organized list. I need a calendar, preferably one that is tied into my list. A few years ago I tried to use one of those Franklin planner things. It's a great idea, just requires hiring an assistant to keep it totally accurate for you, or you never do anything but maintain your organization. Plus, they are big! I had to buy a bigger bag, just to haul that thing around. Hauling around that much paper can tweak your back. Thank goodness for technology. The system I use now is darn near perfect. The only real flaw is me. I still have to stop and put the information into the system.

The last couple of weeks my mental filing has gotten way out of hand. I have a pretty good excuse. I have had a rotten cold. I don't remember the last time I have been sick for this long. It wasn't anything serious, just annoying enough to render me mostly useless. I finally sat down and updated my list. It is a long list. It is kind of frightening. I have to get my courage up just to look at it.

After filing away all the business of life onto the list, I am still left with all those other thoughts that need writing down. While lounging endlessly on the couch for days I have had many interesting thoughts that need a bit of writing about. Too bad I was so lazy that the thought of writing them out was too daunting. I am afraid that many of them may be lost. I should at least try to make a list...

1. The Christmas Spirit - how to find it when it is 80 degrees and pouring rain
2. Families - missing them and the opposite of that
3. Why do kids grow up, and we stay the same?
4. Carl and I have been married 20 years this month - how did we accomplish that?
5. I want to write a story about all the lost shoes you see hanging on wires, and lying about on the road or in a parking lot. Who did they belong to and how did they get lost?
6. Am I prepared for a real tropical storm? What is the emergency plan for a flood?
7. It has been a year since I have had any caffeine.
8. Why do I think eating lamb sounds gross when I have never tried it, and beef, pork & chicken are ok?

Look for thrilling posts on the above topics soon. :-)

No More Smelly Laundry

Ah, Irish Spring clean, scrubbed head to toe, lathered and slathered. You turn off the water and reach through the steam for a soft, fluffy warm towel. "EWWWW! That's not going anywhere near my clean face!" you exclaim. You drop the towel in the hamper and reach for another, but they are all the same. The ones you washed and folded last week smell just as awful as the one your spouse hung to dry this morning. You wash, you dry, you even use fabric softener, but still they stink. How does this happen? More importantly, how to make it stop?

The problem here is mildew (mold). Molds are survivors. They thrive in moist, warm areas, like bathrooms and laundry rooms. Their microscopic spores travel through the air, and can lie dormant for a long time, until the right conditions exist for growth. They are hard to see and even harder to kill. Once introduced into your home, they will spread far and wide. A few spores float in through an open window and find a new home on that damp towel at the bottom of the hamper. A few days later you do your normal load laundry and the spores spread. Before you know it your entire linen closet, and probably your sock drawer, smells terrible.

If you are serious about getting rid of the stink, you need to remove the active mold/mildew and all of the spores. Once the problem is contained, you can then move to prevention.

1. Thoroughly clean your washer with bleach. Start with a spray bottle of bleach diluted 10:1. Spray and scrub in every nook and cranny. If you have a front load washer there are often rubber gaskets or seals to prevent water from leaking out of the door. Clean this area thoroughly. Mold can grow in all the folds and curves that trap water after each cycle. Don't forget the fabric softener dispenser. Take it apart if possible.

2. Run the longest wash cycle, at the highest water level, at the hottest water temperature with a cup of undiluted laundry bleach. Run a second rinse cycle to be sure all of the bleach is removed from the washer.

3. Re wash ALL of your linens. It is important that you wash them all. All the bath towels, sheets, wash cloths, kitchen towels, etc. Forgot some and you may reinfect your nice fresh linen and start the vicious cycle all over again. Start with all the whites. Wash them in the hottest temperature with the normal amount of your favorite soap and the recommended amount of liquid bleach. Remove them from the washer immediately after the cycle is complete. Do NOT hang them to dry. Dry them on the cotton setting, which is usually the highest heat. Dry them until they are completely dry. Wash any of the non-whites the same way, except decrease the amout of liquid bleach to only 2 teaspoons per load and make sure it is thoroughly mixed with the water before adding any fabric to the basin.

Now that you have successfully de-stinkified your linens here are some tips to keep them that way.

1. Keep your bathroom, kitchen and laundry area clean. If the caulking or shower curtain start to show dark spots of mold that are not easily removed with cleaner, replace them. This is where the spores are coming from that are multiplying and stinking up your laundry.

2. Do not store clean linen in the bathroom, or any other area that is regularly moist and warm. If you don't have a linen closet, consider adding a decorative shelf in the hall just outside the bathroom.

3. Make sure your bathroom is very well ventilated with an exhaust fan, a window, or both. Leave the bathroom door open when not in use to increase the air flow and more quickly remove the excess moisture from the air after bathing.

4. Pull the shower curtain so that it can dry. Do not leave it gathered at one end where moisture can accumulate and provide a nice home for some lurking spores.

5. Always hang damp towels to dry immediately after use. Even if you do not plan to use them again, this is important. If the towel is dry when it hits the hamper it will not be a prime host for dormant spores.

6. Wash your clothing frequently. Perspiration and normal soiling can also breed mold and mildew if allowed to sit for too long.

7. Wash kitchen towels separately from bathroom towels and bedroom linens. The germ set is different and cross contamination is not a good thing.

8. Always use the instructions detailed above for washing linens. Adding a couple of teaspoons of liquid chlorine bleach to your wash loads will not significantly fade the fabrics, but will effectively kill any lingering spores and smells. Of course, do not use liquid bleach on any fine fabrics or any items that would be damaged.

9. When your washer is not in use, leave the door open. This will allow the interior to dry. If you have small children or pets, this may not be an option for safety concerns.

Besides the awful smell, mold can be a serious health issue, especially for those with allergies. Spend the time to rid your home of mold, and the prevention only takes a few moments daily. The work will be worth it when you reach for your towel and it smells just as fresh and lovely as you!

Word Games

I like word games. I have been playing some fun ones lately, like Word Twist, Pathwords, Scramble, Scrabulous, Wurdle, etc. I would really like to find a version of Scrabble that I can play on my phone that is online multi player. It is much more fun to play with friends.

I have Wurdle, which is very similar to Boggle, on my iphone and the kids in my Primary class compete for the opportunity to play it. Only those students that are extra good get the chance. Things get a bit complicated when they are all good. Since I only have one phone, and there are several kids in the class, most of them are not happy waiting their turn. I decided to ease the tension and make some word puzzles that were lesson specific for class tomorrow. It is certainly not as cool as the iphone, but at least everyone gets to play at the same time.

Here is the link to make your own word puzzles.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe

These are so, so yummy! I made them last week, and they disappeared so quickly that we made them again. Ryker got tired of waiting for me so he did most of the work on this batch. We used milk chocolate chips rather than the semi-sweet. They are soft and fluffy and as far as cookies go, pretty dang good for you!

Antique Recipe

This is a recipe I remember my grandmother making. It is more like a cobbler, but I like the sound of baked pudding. I had forgotten that's what Grandma had called it. I found frozen rhubarb at the store. It is the first I have seen in 4 years. With the first bite I was 8 years old and sitting in my Grandma's kitchen. Yummy!

Baked Rhubarb Pudding

3 cups Rhubarb (or 1/2 strawberries)
2 cups sugar
1 stick of butter
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of water
1 cup of flour
1 tsp baking powder


Put 3 cups rhubarb, fresh or canned in a greased pan and sprinkle with 1 cup sugar. dot 1 tablespoon of butter over the top. If you use frozen, thaw first & drain liquid.

Beat 3 eggs, add 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon of water or more if necessary to prevent the dough from becoming to firm. 1 cup flour mixed with 1 tsp.baking powder.

Pour over the rhubarb and bake 40 - 45 min @ 350 degrees
Serve with cream (I liked ice cream or cool whip)
Also, can use 1 1/2 cups Strawberries and 1 1/2 cups rhubarb

If you are curious, here is more information about rhubarb. Growing up in South Dakota and Nebraska it grew plentifully in our yard. I remember having a stalk in one hand, and a cup of sugar in the other for dipping. A stalk with the large leaf still attached makes a great umbrella for a small head in a summer rain storm.

Cracks in the Concrete

I started another story a few days ago. The idea came from a dream I had, and it was so full of details I decided to see what I could make of it. Yes, her name is also Kimberly. She needs a new name, any suggestions??

I know I need some conflict to happen to her. There is my trouble, I like her and don't want bad things to happen to her. Is it possible to have a novel that is interesting to read where only good things happen? Someday I will finish a story.


Kimberly awoke to the sounds and smells of breakfast. Bacon sizzling, water running, the oven door opening and banging shut. The oven, that meant biscuits and gravy. The boys were up, the shouting and running made that obvious. It sounded like everyone was already up but her. Chaos, that's what this house is. Still in her pajamas, she opened her door, walked to the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair, and then right down the hall and out the front door. No one even noticed. That was one of the benefits of living in a house full of people. The actions of the individual could go unnoticed. You could become invisible in the crowd.

As the door closed the chaos was replaced by the peaceful morning air. The ground was covered in leaves, in shades of orange, yellow and red, but some of them had been there long enough to be brown, and the new arrivals were still green. The thunderstorm from last night had left the sidewalk wet, but clean and cold. The slight chill in the air was invigorating. She walked down the street and up the steps to the old house. The stairs were made of brick and concrete. As she hopped up to take her favorite spot, the damp concrete felt cool and rough on her hands. After only a few moments the pattern was visible on the palms of her hands. The concrete ledges were pitted from rain and snow slowly seeping in, expanding and contracting, season after season, year after year. The effect was not immediate, but over time the texture and structure had changed. Unless you got up close, climbed up here and actually touched it like Kim did, you would never know. From the sidewalk 617 Mulberry street had looked the same for decades.

She had been coming here for years. The house was already old when her family moved in around the corner. The way the trees hid the stairs but all the action on the street was still visible from this spot made it the perfect place to escape. Old lady Olsen, as the neighbor kids always called her, was quiet, and kept to herself. She didn't speak much English, so mostly she was misunderstood. She had been widowed for years, and her only son went off to college and rarely came back. As a tiny girl Kimberly was afraid that day when she was first discovered in her hiding spot. The old ladies' broken English sounded harsh and she had started to cry. Marshmallows made it all better. Any grown up that ate marshmallows couldn't be all that bad. If they shared them with you, they were not so scary. If they let you eat the entire bag with no mention of ruining your next meal, or rotting your teeth, they were a friend for sure.

What a friend she was. Mrs. Olsen's house was everything that Kimberly's was not. First of all, it was quiet and second it was clean. Kimberly was the oldest of 6, and the only girl. Her house was always loud. Someone was always wrestling with someone else. It was like the WWF smack down round, day in and day out. Mom was always yelling. Not that she was angry, just to be heard over the noise. Someone was always cooking and making a mess. The dishes were never done, and the laundry, well, it had a life of it's own.


Mrs. Olsen always had a something yummy to share with her when she showed up on the door step. Marshmallows were only the beginning. At home, anything worth eating was gone in seconds. 5 growing boys and a pack of dogs saw to that. A few minutes of extra sleep or slow walk home, and your portion was gone.

But today things had changed. It wasn't Mrs. Olsen's house anymore, and if Kim wanted marshmallows, she would have to bring them herself. She hadn't sat long when up pulled the craziest little vehicle - it sounded like a lawn mower, had side panels that looked something like a Deloreon with a flashy gold paint job, and an open roof. Steve's shaggy blond head popped up and flashed her one of those melt your heart smiles. His smile out shown even that flaming gold paint. She jumped off the ledge and bounded down the hill, half skipping to great him. "Get in," he said, reaching up to grab her hand. As she slid through the roof and into the passenger seat he kissed her. Laughing, she said,"Good morning to you too".

It Must Be Fall

Living in Hawaii is odd. Everyday is pretty much the same, warm and sunny. Usually between 70 and 85 degrees. Maybe a little warmer in the summer and maybe a bit cooler on a winter night. In the winter it rains more. Even when it rains it is still sunny for part of the day, at least somewhere on the island. Sometimes it even rains while the sun is shining. It's really pretty cool. Winter is great for rainbows.

Since looking out the window doesn't offer much of a clue as to the time of year we have to rely on other methods.

I am pretty sure that Fall arrived last week. I've been drinking a lot of hot cocoa, and that is definitely Fall activity. True, it is usually late at night, in my air conditioned bedroom, or early morning, before the sun has risen and the temperature is just barely under the 70 degree mark. I really love hot cocoa and the stores here don't carry the good stuff. Thanks to my friends on the mainland for the steady supply of Stephen's - keep it comin'! (Irish Creme is my current favorite, with Dulce de leche running a close second.)

Here is the real clue - I have washed the beaters to my mixer at least 4 times this week. That means 2 things - baking and mashed potatoes. Both of which are Fall-ish sort of things. What would Thanksgiving be without mashed potatoes? I have made real deal mashed potatoes twice this week. Once with red and once with white, and 2 different types of gravy. Do you see a theme here??

Yesterday I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. They were gone about 10 minutes after we arrived home from church today. If you have never had these, you are missing out. They're awesome! I will be making more of those sometime real soon.

I just pulled a pan of banana muffins out of the oven. It is my mom's banana bread recipe, I just make it in muffin tins rather than a loaf. It bakes in less than half the time and it is easy to grab for breakfast on the run.

I also have this urge to wear fuzzy sweaters, corduroy and really cool boots. Of course by noon I would be sweating to death and miserable, so this passes rather quickly.

It MUST be Fall.

Defense - Phase II

I tried yelling at the birds. I don't think that did anything but cause the neighbors and my kids to question my sanity. I hung a wind chime near my little pot of tomatoes. I think the birds were afraid of it for about 15 minutes. Finally, I took Tiffany's advise and bought some net to protect my tomatoes from the birds. Thanks Tif, I think this one's gonna work!

A couple of weeks ago I bought a watermelon from the local farmer's market. It was a small, local variety that was very tasty. I saved a handful of seeds and planted them. 10-14 days later and Wa Lah! Watermelon sprouts! I think every seed sprouted! I am pleased. Their sand fortresses are in place, so hopefully the yucky slugs will leave them alone.

The Birds!!!

My garden is getting it's butt kicked.
Now the birds have started eating my tomatoes!!!!

Linda Tagged Me!

6 Unspectacular Quirks (Only 6!)
I was tagged by Linda. The rules are - write down 6 quirks then tag 6 more people.

I couldn't think of enough quirks (maybe that's a quirk?) so Quincie helped me with these.

1. I love laundry. Doing it, hanging it on the line, seeing it all neatly folded, smelling it all fresh and clean. Seriously, I buy the fresh linen scented candles. They make me feel happy. :-)

2. I yawn when there is too much silence and I don't know what to say.

3. I really like to-do lists. I have a new ap on my phone and it is the best ever!

4. I can't sleep on any lumps. No pockets in my jammie pants, etc.

5. Sometimes I watch Sponge Bob when I am alone.

6. I cover my eyes with a wash cloth when I rinse my hair. I don't like soap in my eyes. My mommy taught me that when I was a tiny girl.

I tag G, Joella, Karri, Tif, Chimge & JaNeal

Minnie Q

Here is my baby girl in her Halloween costume. Isn't she cute? She came home with piles of candy. Of course, the last stop more than tripled her loot, thanks to Jordyn and Ryker.

Slug Battle - Round 2

I did a little research and apparently slugs to not like sand. It will cut their underside and kill them. So, Quincie and I gathered a small bucket of sand at the beach. My precious plants are now protected with sand fortresses.

Poison Dart Frogs

This one is for Linda, the frog lover!

Carl was at a home in Manoa last week and saw this cool frog and several of its friends. He said they were so fast it was hard to snap a photo.

Here is the Wikipedia article about it.

I cannot bear it

I finished The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte a few days ago. It is a wonderful book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is the sort of novel I want to write. The characters are real, and the story is interesting, yet believable. I love the language of this book, especially the expressive way the characters speak to each other.

I picked up a new pet phrase, "I cannot bear it". It sounds so much more dignified and dramatic than, "this sucks" or "I can't take it anymore". This phrase can be employed in all sorts of situations. ie. "I cannot bear it if on my daily visit to my humble lettuce patch I should discover another tender plant has been devoured by those ruinous slugs!"

I enjoyed this story so much I was sad to reach the end. That was the last unread Bronte sister book on my list. I spent a couple days looking for my next book. Nothing seemed right. After reading something so delightful I could not bear the thought of a silly, modern novel, or a serious instructional book. I decided to try something different. I selected a book of classic poetry. The experience has been wonderful.

It is a short collection of poems from some of the most well known poets of the romantic age. Keats, Wordsworth, Shelley, etc. Listening to it has been very enjoyable. The narrators voice really helps bring them to life. I have gone to the internet to look up and read with my eyes some of my favorites and to learn more about the lives of the poets. Fascinating.

TO MY SISTER

William Wordsworth

          IT is the first mild day of March:
      Each minute sweeter than before
      The redbreast sings from the tall larch
      That stands beside our door.

      There is a blessing in the air,
      Which seems a sense of joy to yield
      To the bare trees, and mountains bare,
      And grass in the green field.

      My sister! ('tis a wish of mine)
      Now that our morning meal is done,                      
      Make haste, your morning task resign;
      Come forth and feel the sun.

      Edward will come with you;--and, pray,
      Put on with speed your woodland dress;
      And bring no book: for this one day
      We'll give to idleness.

      No joyless forms shall regulate
      Our living calendar:
      We from to-day, my Friend, will date
      The opening of the year.                                

      Love, now a universal birth,
      From heart to heart is stealing,
      From earth to man, from man to earth:
      --It is the hour of feeling.

      One moment now may give us more
      Than years of toiling reason:
      Our minds shall drink at every pore
      The spirit of the season.

      Some silent laws our hearts will make,
      Which they shall long obey:                             
      We for the year to come may take
      Our temper from to-day.

      And from the blessed power that rolls
      About, below, above,
      We'll frame the measure of our souls:
      They shall be tuned to love.

      Then come, my Sister! come, I pray,
      With speed put on your woodland dress;
      And bring no book: for this one day
      We'll give to idleness.                                 
                                              

Gardening Again

My first experiment in gardening in Paradise was semi successful. Nearly everything sprouted, and we actually harvested some tomatos and cucumbers. The basil from a year ago is still alive and kicking. After the slugs ate my cucumber plants, and the cilantro never made it past 4 true leaves, I gave up. For a while. That was about 5 months ago. Last week I started gardening again. I just can't resist. There is something very satisfying about growing food.

Produce shipped from the mainland is ridiculously expensive and rather poor quality. The week boat ride drives up the cost, and doesn't do much for freshness. We eat a lot of fresh vegetables. Quincie and Carl especially love them. I love to cook with cilantro and in Utah it grew like a weed. It was easier to grow cilantro than grass in my front yard. It's pretty awesome when you mow the lawn and it smells like salsa.

It is a whole new ball game to garden in Hawaii. I thought it would be easy. It is exactly the opposite of the Utah climate. It is humid, warm, nearly always sunny. Sounds perfect! Gone were the days of freezing June nights and scorching August days! You can dig with a plastic shovel, rather than a jack hammer. Those points are as great as they sound, but they come at a cost. Living in Paradise is never free!

First off, there are slugs. They are big, fat, and very, very hungry. They ate an entire bed of fully mature cucumber plants in a few days. These plants were loaded with cucumbers, in various stages of growth. I thought all those prickly, itchy, fuzzy things on the stems and leaves were supposed to keep critters like slugs off. Guess not. By the time I figured out what was going on, they were dead. Such a sad, and useless death. Salt is the prescribed revenge. Apparently it makes them dissolve, just like water and the Wicked Witch.

Second, there is the soil. It is salty, and on our part of the island, mostly red dirt, which is full of too much iron. No need to eat red meat, just eat some home grown tomatoes to get your iron. If you can get them to grow. I have since learned to add a TON of potting soil to the dirt if you want to have much success. Growing in a container, filled with potting soil, is also a good idea. You can move it around, and out of the way of horrid things such as slugs.

Third, the temperature. Some things just don't grow right when it is ALWAYS between 70 - 80 degrees. Corn doesn't get too sweet if you don't break 90 for at least a week. Lettuce does so much better if the nights drop below 65. Tomatoes, also like the heat to ripen. I found that growing hybrid varieties that were specifically developed for Hawaii makes a big difference.

Fourth, the jungle. The things that grow well here, really, really grow well here. I am not kidding. In the year we have lived in this house a TREE has grown from nothing, to 7 or 8 feet tall. I did not plant this tree. Some other tree produced a seed that happened to blow into my yard, and it happened to sprout and grown. The trunk doesn't have much of a diameter, but it is 7 or 8 feet tall! In Utah that would be a miracle. Here, it is annoying, weed, that much be chopped down rather than pulled or whacked with a weed whacker.

I am now the happy gardener of cocktail tomatoes, Manoa lettuce, cucumbers, and some cilantro. The cilantro doesn't look so good, but I love it so much I am willing to keep trying until I achieve success. I have planted some mini bell pepper seeds, but no sprouts yet. Hopefully in a few weeks we will be eating home grown veggies again. Wish me luck with the slugs!

Workspace

I have worked from home for years. Sometimes my desk has been in a corner of my bedroom, and sometimes I have had an actual office with a door. Since I switched from a PC to a laptop a few years ago my "office" has been where ever I can sit with my computer - the kitchen table, my bed or the floor of an airport - anywhere with an outlet nearby.

For the last year the kitchen table has been my primary office. I have been happy to be home, and not wasting hours of my life sitting in traffic. I love being in the heart of our home where I can multi-task and interact with my family. My days go something like this - 5:30am alarm goes off, make sure both kids are up, fire up the laptop and check email while I start a load of laundry. 6:00am, drive them to seminary, come home, move laundry around, check my "to do" list for the day, find something to eat, and start a load of dishes...

I am able to bounce back and forth between business tasks and home tasks all day long. It is precisely the life I choose. The following is not a complaint, or whining, just a simple fact.

Working at the kitchen table comes with certain drawbacks, and even a few risks. Either I pack it all up multiple times a day or my laptop and work papers are present during meal time. Neither is great. I don't like to put away a project until it is complete. I like to end each day with a clean desk, which means, completed work. While not always possible, it is what my brain prefers. So, my laptop and stacks of papers have joined us for many a meal.

Definitely not relaxing to have work staring me in the face while I ate. Definitely not sending the message to my family that I am focused on them with my work staring them in the face during family time. Certainly not a safe place for papers and electronics.

A few weeks ago as my computer narrowly escaped a spilled drink, I stated working on a plan to carve out some dedicated workspace. I had been having a hard time focusing on my work and thought maybe it was time for a real desk again.

After eliminating some clutter, and annoying Ryker and Carl with excessive furniture rearranging, I freed up a few square feet of space for a desk. It needed to be just the right desk. I didn't want my back to the door, or to the window. I like looking out the window while I work. Amazingly I found exactly what I wanted on Craigslist - for $25!!.

I asked the kids what they thought of how I had rearranged the house. They both said it feels more homey. Interesting how the addition of a work desk to the corner of the dining area has made our house feel more homey to them. I think it is because the family space is no longer invaded by my work. The kitchen table is now for eating, and doing other family things. My office supplies and other work items are put away, and it feels better. I like it.

Just Plain Odd

It's Sunday evening, dinner is done, kids are in bed, and here I sit in the cool, quiet solitude of my dinning room.  I can hear the waves of the ocean and smell the coming rain.  There is nothing much going on at the moment, and that is nice.  It is very, very unusual.  I am not quite sure what to do with myself.  I am just tired enough that if I were to read I am sure I would be asleep in about 5 minutes.  I could do as my mother would, and putter around the house tidying things up.  I do have a basket of clothes left to fold, but it's nothing urgent.

Do you have any idea how odd that is?  That I don't have anything that I perceive as urgent to do?  I am sure that there are moments all the time without any urgent demands on my time, but I have my own agenda, and I ALWAYS perceive something or another is urgent.  

I have gone through my nightly ritual of making my "to do" list for the next day.  Plenty of junk to do tomorrow.  Some might even be urgent.  The way my brain works, it is best to make my lists at night.  Once I get it all out on paper, or in my computer, I can let it go and rest.  If it is all still bouncing around in my head it is difficult for me to relax.

Do you ever notice that sometimes your shoulders are tense and elevated, like they are protecting your ears? A long time ago someone told me to put my shoulders down and relax.    I think it was a chiropractor.  I must tell myself that 20 times a day.  It's a good first step to relaxing the rest of your body.  They are down where they are supposed to be right now without any self reminder.  Just plain odd.

The Beach in a Bottle?

The beach has a magical effect on my body. It's like a trip to the best spa in the world to me. I leave the beach feeling pampered and beautiful. I am not sure if observers would agree with my assessment, but the beach makes me glow inside and out. I am so lucky to live where I do right now. I need to go to the beach more often. We went on Saturday and I still feel great!

I love "beach feet" The sand buffs my nails so they shine, and does something magical to all those rough dry spots. I love to walk on the sand - both hot and dry, and cool and wet. The feeling of sand between my toes is sensory pleasure on the most basic level.

The beach is a perfect place for sleeping. Mattresses should be made out of sand. It doesn't take much to arrange the sand under a towel for a perfectly contoured fit. Between the comfort of the sand mattress and the sound of the waves crashing, a nap is inevitable. The sun is warm, but the breeze is cool. It is perfect.

I don't know exactly what it is, but my hair is great at the beach. All the natural waves and curls are released, but the frizzy fuzz is nowhere to be seen. I think it might be the combination of the salt water and the constant breeze. It's like having my hair slowly blown dry on cool - the ultimate diffuser! I am seriously considering making a spray bottle of sea water to spray my hair with, just to see if I can get that effect at home. I always hate to take a shower after a trip to the beach and ruin that fabulous natural do.

I think the very best beauty secret of the beach is what it does for my skin. My skin is so soft for hours after the beach. No lotion or potion on the market can even come close. It is baby butt perfect - soft, silky, and smooth. The sand must exfoliate and the salt water hydrate. The little bit of color from the sun only adds to the effect. I am lucky that I don't burn easily. I love the feel of the sun on my skin. If only I could buy a skin treatment that even promises to deliver those kind of results.

Swimming in the waves is so relaxing. It is like a gentle massage. All the tension seems to float away, each wave taking it further and further from me.

The beach is truly magical, and better than any spa. If I could capture that magic in a bottle, I'd send you some.

Time keeps on ticking .....

Time doesn't seem to fit precisely right. It's like wearing someone else's shoes, or a shirt that was sewn a little skewed in the seams. Time is an arbitrary, mortal construct, forced over the head and shoulders of infinite, immortal beings. We need some way of measuring, but it isn't our natural state. Our minds play tricks with it sometimes, and are the precise masters of it at others.

Have you ever had the experience of waking up 1 minute before your alarm goes off? I went for years without ever setting an external alarm. I would look at the clock before bed, tell myself what time I needed to wake up, and then like magic I would! I never over slept, not once! The internal clock is perfection!

Marking the passage of time is an odd thing. It is especially odd here in Hawaii. Everyday is pretty much the same, like Ground Hog Day. It could be yesterday, or 6 months ago, it looks like the same dang day. It would be an 85 degree and sunny day, but the same as any other, none the less. There is no external sensory input to help you place an event on a reliable time table in your memory. Here in Hawaii the stage setting and back drop are pretty much identical from day to day. You can't say, "Oh yes, I remember, that happened some time in spring, before the snow melted, so it was early spring, March I think." It just doesn't work. The last three years are a blur. Lots of memories, but it would be hard to tell you what happened when, or even what happened before what.

As of sometime this morning, it has been 40 years since I arrived here on the earth's surface. I know that the BIG 4 O is supposed to be a milestone of sorts, but I pretty much feel the same. It would have been a great excuse to do something extraordinary. I had several good ideas, but I didn't do any of them. It was pretty much a day like any other. I worked some, played some, spent time with family and friends. It was a nice slice of what my life has become, and I like that.

The Sound of Music

If you were to ask me if I have seen "The Sound of Music" I would say, "of course"! I could even sing you a song or two. It's one of those essentials to being a well cultured American.

Well, last night I sat down with Quincie to watch it. We soon discovered that neither of us had ever actual watched the entire movie, start to finish, in one sitting. We had seen most parts, many times, but never the film in it's entirety. Pathetic! So, we settled in with popcorn and soda to watch.

I now know WHY I never saw the entire movie in one shot. It's L O N G! Oh my gosh! We started around 7pm and didn't finish until after 11pm. Granted, we paused it to go take care of Jordyn's kitties, but still!

Made me Laugh

I Fixed the Blender

I ordered the replacement part online last week. It arrived yesterday along with my Amazon order. I was so excited! It was like Christmas! I love getting packages, even ones I send to myself.

The piece I have in my hand is the old coupling and the new one, is on the blender base. You can easily see what the problem was.

I celebrated the event by making myself an excellent smoothie. Sorry you weren't here, or I would have shared.

New Theme

Blogger needs more theme templates, or I need to learn HTML. I used to like the look of my blog. I thought it was pretty, and unique. Then I started seeing that template everywhere. It wasn't unique at all. I tried changing around some of the colors, but it just ended up looking messy.

So, now it is basic black. I am not sure I like this all that much. At least it is uniform, and clean.

Please tell me if you know of a place where I can find more template choices for Blogger.

The Assortment

My mom asked me the other day if I had been reading much lately. I was surprised by the question. It seems like that is what I have been doing the most the last month or so. I started reading those crazy vampire love stories, and have been on a reading adventure ever since.

This week I read "To Have and Have Not" by Hemmingway. Awesome, amazing book - no wonder it is a classic. Now I am listening to "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". Not a classic, but it was a best seller and made into a movie.

The memorable reads from this summer have been -

1. The Three Musketeers (earned a spot in my top 10, all time favorites)
2. The Secret Life of Bees (excellent characters, good story, but kinda sad)
3. Atlas Shrugged (maintained it's spot in my top 10, all time favorites)
4. A Prisoner of Birth (something I would not have normally chosen, but very, very enjoyable)
5. A Summer in Tuscany (an American in Italy love story - off my usual path, but fun)
6. To Have and Have Not (adventure and deep thinking - no light weight author could pull that off)
7. Twilight (and the rest of that addictive series)

I ordered "Breaking Dawn", the last in the "Twilight" series from Amazon. I was looking for "The Silent Gondoliers" and "The Princess Bride". Neither one are available on Audible or at our public library. I ordered them on Amazon and to get the free shipping I needed to buy one more book. They are supposed to arrive on Friday. I can't decide which one I will read first. I think the vampires might win.

Birthday Time Again

Time is just flying by. It seems like just yesterday Ryker and Quincie were having birthday parties at Chuckie Cheese. Q was 15 on July 15!

Ryker turned 17 on the 3rd. He had a party at the pool with some friends this Saturday.I am not really sure why the pool has any attraction here in the land of beaches. I'm pretty ok with the hot tub option the pool affords. The teenage crowd seemed to enjoy themselves.

Primary Activity

This week our ward has been celebrating the 10th anniversary of it's creation. We have had an activity nearly every night for the past week. On Friday evening the Primary was in charge of planning an activity for the entire ward to attend. Members of the ward were invited to set up tables displaying items from the different cultures that have come together to make up our ward. The displays were terrific! Many of them brought a craft, game, or treat from the culture they were representing. We learned a little something about Japan, China, Samoa, Traditional Hawaii, the Philippines, South America, the history of the Church in Hawaii and the history of our chapel and ward.

One of the favorites with the children was the bamboo pole game from the Philippines. Brother and Sister Juntilia did a great job! They also shared art, music and a treat with everyone.

Sister Walker presented an excellent Japanese display. She even dressed the part! The kids, including the teenagers, thoroughly enjoyed playing the game she taught them.

Traditional Hawaiian Arts and Crafts from Auntie Mayta and the History of the Church in the Islands by Brother Bachleon.
Vanessa Malupo shared many handmade items from Samoa. She also made a delicious watermelon drink.

Uncle Kimo shared family photos and a scrap book from the dedication of our chapel in 1985.

Caro and Kati brought many interesting things from all over South America. It was a real classroom in their corner.

Sister Ichimura brought all kinds of fun stuff to see and do. The kids enjoyed the craft and well as the noisy hand drums.

The Kamauu's brought us a one of kind, original. Their candy sushi was a big hit! Isn't it beautiful?