Saturday, October 13, 2012

Crunch, munch...


Welcome to Saturday Centus, a weekly writing challenge produced by Jenny Matlock of Off On My Tangent.  Each Saturday, we are given a prompt, picture, or some other fancy of Jenny's to write about using a pre-ordained number of words (this week it is 100 words plus the prompt).  The prompt this week is "the leaves crunched under my boots until they didn't" and appears in bold below.  Hope you enjoy! 


"Oh, for Pete's sake!  I just raked yesterday!  Will you give me a break?"  I cried as I looked out the living room window.

I walked out to the front yard, rake in hand and grumbling.  I pulled my sweatshirt hoodie over my yet-to-be coiffed head of hair.  It was 40 degrees outside and I had left my favorite jacket at work!

Crunch, munch, rake...repeat.  As I approached the sidewalk, the leaves crunched under my boots until they didn't.  There was something soft, not crunchy, under my foot.  Not only was it soft, but it was wiggly.  The rake dropped and I was warm again...in the living room!


Thanks for stopping by Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus!  Please click on her logo below to see some great, short reads from many of her friends!  Enjoy this beautiful fall weekend!

Jenny Matlock

Friday, October 12, 2012

Grateful for Fridays and Halloween Trees!

Thank goodness for Friday Fragments...a time for reflection, meditation, exasperation and appreciation to have the weekend in sight! 

Whew!  Dodged another few bullets this week...how about you? 

Temps in Chicago came down a bit.  We revved up the old (and it really is an old one) heater and to my surprise...it worked!  It sounded like being inside of a 747 taking off from the airport, but it worked! Gratitude for warmth until I get the rest of my winter clothes from the old house.  Gratitude for a working heater as I learn just how cold it is going to get!

Ongoing character building telephone conversations with the Department of Employment Security have taken place this week. Since my sparkling personality and short, but full-bodied resume, are not attracting the attention I thought they would, I have taken another route to secure funds to "keep" the house, the car, and all of the other necessary day-to-day expenses needed to keep a family together!  Since I haven't worked in IL, I filed for assistance from MO, since that was where I used to work.  It's a saga not worth your time right now, but will give me great fodder for future posts!   Gratitude for a roof over my head and food on the table for now! 

Can't say it's a good thing to see all of the Christmas decorations in stores BEFORE THE ACTUAL DAY OF HALLOWEEN, however, the child in me is loving the memories that the sparkling lights bring to my scattered brain. They give me a mini-break from the daily dose of reality that binds us all together!  Gratitude to know that we are all in this life together, doing the best we can!  By the way, the above picture is from a very creative young woman I found on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8ynn0HN434.

Thanks go out to Mrs4444 at Half-Past Kissn' Time for sponsoring Friday Fragments, a wonderful opportunity for friends to share their week, sigh and prepare for the weekend festivities!  Please click on her logo below and enjoy this week's comings and goings of many of her loyal friends.

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great weekend!


Mommy's Idea

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Marathon Madness!


Welcome to Sundays in My City, a weekly travel excursion to anywhere and everywhere sponsored by Unknown Mami and contributed to by anyone and everyone! 

We had a race this morning and many, many, many people attended.  I did not.  It was 37 degrees.  I stayed inside my warm little house and drank coffee in my jammies!  I'm sharing some photos taken by a local newspaper, just so you don't think I actually took them myself!  Hope you enjoy!








Please click on Unknown Mami's logo below to see what else is happening in the world today!  Thanks for stopping by!

I'm from Chicago!  Welcome to my city!

Unknown Mami

Friday, October 5, 2012

Friday Brrrrrrr Fragmentsss!



Did you catch the news?  It snowed in Fargo!  I know!  It's too soon!  Our temps here in Chicago are 20 degrees lower than 24 hours ago! Nooooooooooo!!!  Hope our Chicago Marathon visitors have come prepared!

All my "cold weather" stuff is still in St. Louis!  I guess that means a "road trip" to the house... getting hugs from my favorite girls... bear hugs from my favorite boys... and picking up that "miracle fiber" jacket that always seems to keep the cold out!  I know it's going to be a little bigger on me than it was last winter, but then I guess I'll just have to add another sweater underneath!  I love that jacket!  I don't really want to buy a new coat since this one still works!  Do you have a favorite piece of clothing that just keeps on "working?"  I'm embarrassed to say how long I've had it; sort of like that "favorite" chair that a spouse is always trying to dump at the next garage sale! 

It's been a week of job applications, resumes, phone calls and closet inspections!  What the heck am I going to wear if someone actually wants me to interview?  I'm good...unless I get called back for a second interview!  Then, it will be time to really get creative!  I hope that happens... because my butt is getting very sore sitting in front of the screen typing the same old stuff over and over and over.... patience and faith, my dear!

Whether you're running, driving or rearranging your closets, I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Friday Fragments is sponsored by Mrs4444 at Half-Past Kissin' Time!  Please click on the logo below and see how many of her followers are fairing this week!

Thanks for stopping by!



Mommy's Idea

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Try a Little Tenderness



Welcome to "Alphabe-Thursday", a weekly writing assignment sponsored by Headmistress, Jenny Matlock from Off On My Tangent!  Each Thursday, we take on subsequent letters of the alphabet and produce either prose, pictures or just plain pleasantness about a topic that begins with that letter.  This week's letter is not "P", but "T."

In case you haven't noticed, every month seems to host a new champion for various causes, all, of which I believe are important, but maybe not all are important to all people.  Case in point: last month, September, was devoted to Child Cancer Awareness, among other important causes.  Childhood Cancer has brought me in touch with many courageous and inspiring people whom I may not have otherwise met had I not been made aware through my blogging.  This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month, a cause which hits close to home for me, and I pray for and support all of those who have been affected.  October is also National Bullying Prevention month with activities and fundraisers throughout the month to promote the awareness and the urgency of change.  Click here for more information.

The job I left behind was one at a middle school that offers much needed help to those who have been bullied.  It's no longer acceptable behavior, and offenders are dealt with swiftly and efficiently.  I think this is a good first step.  I believe we have to take a step back, however, and look at why the kids partake in this destructive behavior.  What is going on at home, with friends, and at the homes of those friends, etc.?  I grew up in a home with bullying behavior.  I attended school with bullies.  Back then (when dinos roamed) it was "just a part" of growing up and I had "better get used to it!"  To fight back meant possible ostracism.  To dish it back out meant that I was as low as those who initiated it.  I've witnessed in occurring in my family today.

We have a chance to break the cycle.  We can start right now with our own kids and other members of our families.  Stand up for yourself, and teach your children to do the same. Once our children see us stand up, they will follow. Their examples will rub off on their peers and spread like wildfires!

Adults need to tell other adults that they won't be treated in a bullying manner.  Sometimes, people don't realize they are bullying.  They've been doing it so long that it has become a part of their personality and because others have accepted it, there's no reason to change.  Don't accept bullying! If you are a bully, and you want to change, there is help out there for you. Find that help now.

If you know of anyone, adult or child, who has been hurt by bullies, please offer them a kind word of support.  Try a little tenderness, and watch how wounds can be healed. That tenderness, too, can spread like wildfires!


Thanks for stopping by my soapbox today!  Please click on Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday logo below to enjoy some of the "T" assignments of my classmates!


Jenny Matlock

Monday, October 1, 2012

Bendy Wendy



Welcome to Saturday Centus...it's Monday...I'm late!  Oh, well!  Jenny will forgive me...I think!  Jenny Matlock of Off On My Tangent hosts this weekly writing challenge where we are given a prompt and word restriction and sent off to do what we do best...write!  This week's prompt is "Sometimes you bend.  Sometimes you break" and is in bold letters in my post.  Hope you enjoy...I know some of you will certainly relate!





Hi!  I'm Bendy Wendy, and I'm a mom and wife.  Need I say more?  I used to be Stiff Sally, when my life was pre-planned, pre-packaged and predominantly one-way.  Then, I married and had children.  What the heck?

Every day brought new challenges and crises.  "Oh my ackin' back!"  I would cry.

"How did you get stuck on the fence?  Oh...the link is stuck inside your hand!" 

"You have detention because of bathroom behavior?  How many of you squeezed into the stall?"

"You bought a 30-year old convertible for which child?"

Sometimes you bend. Sometimes you break. When I finally break, I plan to break bad!



Thanks for stopping by!  Please click on Jenny's logo below to enjoy some of her loyal followers who have joined in this week!




Jenny Matlock