tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42315317818969359792024-03-14T01:00:33.291-05:00I have a piece of news for you.Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.comBlogger495125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-76598249469104441782018-05-06T03:21:00.000-05:002018-05-06T03:21:52.101-05:00Eating in Esslingen <div>
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Yesterday we ate at a restaurant in Esslingen that was fantastic. The restaurant was made up of several old businesses and buildings. There was a bakery dining room that had a huge tiled oven as big as a small room. We ate in the wine cellar that was far enough underground that my network connection was lost. I took one photo and it turned out OK. My order was for a small Maultaschen appetizer with wild garlic in cream sauce. Maultaschen are like ravioli filled with delicious German ingredients. </div>
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For supper, I had local white asparagus. It's asparagus season here. That das topped with bearnaise sauce. It was served with two crepes and pork schnitzel. I just realized I never took a picture of any of it! I was pretty hungry and I got started right away.</div>
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The restaurant is the Einhorn (one horn) and you can see the unicorn on the wall. The stone steps lead down into this beautiful and cozy room. </div>
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This is the Frauenkirche in Esslingen. Although this town is near bombed-out Stuttgart, it wasn't bombed in WW2.<br />
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The church is massive. Here are people standing in front of the locked door to give perspective I put a video of the building on Instagram It's impossible to photograph the entire thing <br />
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Earlier in the afternoon, we sat in a lovely biergarten for a drink and conversation </div>
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Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-83822760545125148752018-05-03T12:18:00.000-05:002018-05-03T12:18:45.138-05:00Here's a post from Germany <span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;">When I first got to Germany ,I had a network connection for my phone. When I arrived at her house I couldn't access her wifi. Then my network connection was gone Finally Verizon called me and we got sorted out. Then here at the house, we figured out what was wrong and I got wifi. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;">So far I've put photos on Instagram and Facebook </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I spent the day at the house because we've been doing so much. Last night I was zonked and I slept until 11am. I did laundry and made part of tonight's meal. I walked into the bigger town (opposite direction from the small town) and now I'm tired. Whew! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Bought bread at a bakery on the square and conversed 100% in German. She said my German was pretty good and then asked if I was British! 🇬🇧 🇩🇪</span><br />
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We had done a historic walking tour of this town a few evenings ago, but I left my phone at home. Today I took a few photos, but the light was awful. They're on Instagram. I also met a cat, so I sat down and rested. </div>
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Tomorrow I'll be back in Stuttgart and I'll play the tourist and maybe pretend to shop. We went to the thrift store at Patch Barracks. I got two shirts and a skirt. The skirt is because it's supposed to be really hot this weekend and we'll be out and about both days. </div>
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So far, this vacation is going the way I had hoped. I miss my home, but I'm glad I did this. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I lightened this one</div>
This is a historic building built many centuries ago It was owned by the church. Behind it is a convent. It's currently apartments Down where the white house on the right begins, someone is raising pigeons.<br />
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Not good light</div>
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This is the original government building. Apparently the river has flooded many times and this building had flood marks on it. They're chiseled into the stone. </div>
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Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-45932136559588503462018-04-26T12:26:00.000-05:002018-04-26T12:27:00.542-05:00Pre-vacation luncheonTime for a little relaxation before my first day of vacation I've been busy at work, which doesn't make leaving easier.<br />
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<br />Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-12537301879217527312018-04-23T15:50:00.001-05:002018-04-23T15:50:13.187-05:00I got flowers <p dir="ltr">I got flowers at work today. I've been doing this job helping people find jobs since 2004 and today's the first day I've gotten such a wonderful <u>surprise.</u></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ia_FH4Yfm9U/Wt5HBJWuqHI/AAAAAAAAF7c/FfDGRpXds24r8LYEuUeW9uKRWcyU8_OiACHMYCw/s1600/1524516577404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ia_FH4Yfm9U/Wt5HBJWuqHI/AAAAAAAAF7c/FfDGRpXds24r8LYEuUeW9uKRWcyU8_OiACHMYCw/s640/1524516577404.jpg"> </a> </div>Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-26465767288526271462014-08-21T16:10:00.000-05:002014-08-21T16:10:04.969-05:00I went on vacation! to South Carolina! There I was answering questions and not linking to blog memes and then Ba-bam! I disappeared. <div>
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I went on vacation and forgot to tell you. I have a friend in South Carolina and I decided I needed to look at her in person because she is sick and I wanted to know how she was <i>really </i>doing. What's the best way to do that? Impose myself into her house and have her make coffee for me every morning. </div>
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And then, when she drops me off at the airport, I imagine she sighed deeply to express her relief as she drives away. </div>
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Then 30 minutes later she gets a text from me: "I need you to come back."</div>
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Well, <i>super</i>. The good news for me is that she turned around and came back to the airport and didn't make me sleep on a tile floor or dirty carpet at my gate. Those were my only choices otherwise, because as you know if a flight is cancelled due to weather, they do nothing for you. I remember saying something about not having a car and what am I supposed to do now and she said, "That really isn't my concern." </div>
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You see, apparently United Airlines cannot fly in the rain. I imagine they have an algorithm somewhere that states: If it rains at (X) destination, then flights that are not full from any other destination shall be cancelled. Combine them the next day and save moolah.</div>
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Because she sweetly drove all the way back to the airport, I stayed another night, woke up both of them at 4:30am, climbed into the car and drove all the way to the airport again so I could rush to Chicago only to have my next flight cancelled. </div>
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You'll never guess, so I will tell you right away: It was raining in Des Moines. </div>
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I spent the entire day wandering around O'Hare airport sending tweets to @United telling them someone had crushed a cookie into the carpet, there was coffee spilled on the wall, the air conditioning wasn't working and so on. </div>
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I saw the crazy shoes people wear when they travel</div>
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I carved out some private space inside a trio of pillars behind a recycling bin</div>
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And I found the most spacious bathroom stall in any airport anywhere. I've read that in Japan, apartments are the same size</div>
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No joke, it was huge and I could actually turn around. Since everyone travels with their bags now, I don't know how some people can even get into a stall these days. And of course the door comes inward. This bathroom was wonderful. </div>
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I was all over Terminal I at O'Hare trying to help them. I figured if they could annoy me, I could annoy them. But as much as I tried to establish that relationship, they had no idea. Overall, as a hostess, I would give @United a 2 on a scale of 1-10. As a housekeeper, considering all the traffic at O'Hare, I would give @United a 7. I would rate their sense of humor at a 1, maybe a 0. </div>
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Then again, they get a lot of tweets. If you ever wants to feel good about a minor irritation in your life, go to Twitter and look at @United. In April of this year, USA Today ranked the nation's airlines and United came in last.<br />
<br />USA Today's article began with, "<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">As an industry,
airlines received the fourth-worst score in the American Customer Satisfaction
Index (ACSI) rankings of customer satisfaction. Only pay TV, social media
companies and Internet service providers rank lower. </span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 11pt;">Even wireless carriers and
car dealers rank higher.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;"> That may not be an indictment of the industry, but it
does indicate a lot of room for improvement."</span><br /><br />
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Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-29407081690679705202014-08-04T11:02:00.000-05:002014-08-04T11:02:44.233-05:00My stealth Toyota CamryI still own my 2008 Camry although I would consider trading it to someone in exchange for a really good watermelon.<br />
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Yesterday I went to Dunkin Donuts because I had a coupon burning a hole in my pocket. It was mid-afternoon on a lazy day and I was sort of close by, so I drove in and decided to hit the drive-through.<br />
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There were cars parked over to the side of the lot the way most employees seem to park, but there weren't any cars out front. The only other time I have been to this place was last year at night and they only had one or two donuts left. Plus, and don't hate on me for this because the rest of the country seems to love their coffee, I don't love their coffee.<br />
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But the coupon was for iced coffee super cheap. So there I was.<br />
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I pulled up and I sat. Waited.<br />
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No one said a word. I thought perhaps they were closed, but the sign said that from 4-6pm, iced coffee was cheap. Super cheap, in fact. In fact, the 4-6pm price for iced coffee was the price of the coupon. But no one knew I was there and I decided I didn't need the calories, so I drove off sans iced coffee.<br />
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This morning I found myself near a McDonald's, which I know for certain was open because it was clearly open with people and cars and activity and McDonald's is always open.<br />
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I drove my top-secret stealth Camry up to one of the drive through speakers.<br />
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Her: "Hello, welcome to McDonald's. May I take your order?"<br />
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Me: "I'll take a large black coffee."<br />
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Silence.<br />
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I waited quite a while and finally said, "Hello?" But there was no response.<br />
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Another car pulled up to the other speaker next to me and placed their order, so I left.<br />
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I should lease the car to the government for secret missions.Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-64388272715527940972014-08-04T10:54:00.001-05:002014-08-04T10:54:55.029-05:00Apparently getting started again isn't easySo here is another edition of answering someone else's questions.<br />
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1. When driving, are you more likely to listen to the
radio, to CDs or an iPod, or nothing at all?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> I listen to the radio most of the time. The classical station isn't coming in anymore and that annoys me, especially in the morning because that's when I prefer classical. </o:p></div>
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2. Do you prefer window or aisle?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p>I've decided that I don't care. They both have merits. One thing about a window seat is you don't have to get up for someone else to go to the bathroom. </o:p></div>
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3. Do you fall asleep on your side, back, or stomach? What
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Fall asleep on my right side, wake up on my back. </div>
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4. When is the last time you attended a zoo, circus,
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Last year's state fair. </div>
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5. Do you have a favorite quote or inspirational saying?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I did, but I don't. I have gotten to the point of thinking that inspirational sayings are pointless (much like this blog post) because we tend to be drawn to the one's that support our way of thinking rather than challenge our thinking. It all started with Pinterest and I saw all these sayings about following your heart and you know what? Your heart very often leads you astray. OK, actually it all started when I saw sayings on a particular person's Facebook page (all of us probably has a person like this) that scream, "I'm really insecure!" and that put a bad taste in my mouth. THEN I started seeing (on the same person's wall - we aren't "friends" any more) sayings about how it is OK to be yourself and it is OK to be imperfect and it is OK to make mistakes and yet this same person is a real witch about other people being themselves, being imperfect and making mistakes. So I'm saying no to inspirational sayings. Just say no. That's my inspirational saying. </div>
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As for quotes, I like a few. I constantly have to remind myself to keep my mouth shut, so that's the one I hear most often. But this is a favorite of mine:</div>
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“Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person;
having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out,
just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will
take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of
kindness, blow the rest away.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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There are so few people in the world who can hear what you have to say without judging. </div>
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6. What's the best thing about summer?<o:p></o:p></div>
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The heat. I enjoy summer's heat. I like the sunshine and all the light. I like the produce as well. </div>
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Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-73975325905939584582014-07-31T09:51:00.002-05:002014-08-04T10:45:23.680-05:00Another set of questions<div class="MsoNormal">
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Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-10874797665478253772014-07-29T16:51:00.000-05:002014-07-29T16:51:03.080-05:00In which I answer pointless questions<div class="MsoNormal">
Hello again! <o:p></o:p></div>
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It isn't that I have nothing to say. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My phone is full of photos I took to share with you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But something got me down (the internet can be so depressing
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In order to jump start my fingers on the keyboard and
because I don't have the time or the inclination to download all those photos
from my phone right now, I'm going to answer some questions from a meme-type
thingumabob over at a different blog. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So here is the first set of questions:<o:p></o:p></div>
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1. What’s something you've won and how did you win it?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I win stuff a lot. I think the first thing I can remember
winning was a Foreigner album from the AFN radio station in Stuttgart, Germany.
I called in to the station during a giveaway. See, we American kids were bummed
when we got to Germany because the phone company charged gobs of money by the
second to make phone calls, so one of the first lessons we learned was DON'T
USE THE PHONE! But it was a contest and I knew my mom would understand, so I
called. And won. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We didn't have email or texting or Facebook back in the 79-82
period, so we resorted to radical steps like walking to our friends'
houses and knocking on the door. Oh my gosh. Do kids do that anymore? I think
typically we made most of our plans during the school day. We passed notes.
Wasn't this question about winning and not about technology? <o:p></o:p></div>
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2. Do you save old greeting cards and letters, or throw them
all away? Why?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I keep some, I throw some away. I think mostly it's the person and how it hits me when I read it. I wish I had every letter my
dad had ever written me. I wish I had kept all the letters my Grandma Betty had
written me. But what do you know about that when you young and the most
technical advancement in your apartment is a CD player? I have a cassette tape
of my brother talking to me before he died as well as a cassette tape my dad
made for me. That's right: cassette tape. Sigh. <o:p></o:p></div>
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3. When you’re at home, do you wear shoes, socks, slippers,
or go barefoot?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Shoes or slips. I shouldn't go barefoot due to the structure
of my feet and the fact that I kept having injuries and my doctor pointed out
that every foot injury story started with, "I was walking barefoot"
and she said to keep my shoes or slippers on. She was correct. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Outside, although you didn't ask about outside, I HATE being
barefoot. I can't stand it and I have no idea why. Nor am I curious as to why.
But I don't recall any time in my life when I enjoyed being barefoot outside <i>unless
I am not moving</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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4. Who’s the most famous person you have ever met? <o:p></o:p></div>
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I've never been starstruck, so I'm not sure. Let me ponder.
I've met the singers from the band Judas Priest as well as the guys from Ratt.
I don't know if they count. Maybe in the middle of the night I will wake up and
remember someone. <o:p></o:p></div>
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5. What has been your best work of art?<o:p></o:p></div>
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As a kid, I drew a picture at Bible camp and won a ribbon.
In high school, I made a wall hanging and that won a ribbon. I made candles and
have poorly crocheted useless things. I paint and fiddle around with stuff. But
my best? I'm not sure. Nothing comes to mind. My garden doesn't grow,
either. I'm not sure. <o:p></o:p></div>
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6. What’s your strongest sense?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I assume you mean physical sense. But I don't know. I'm not
a picky eater, so I don't think it's taste. I hear what you're saying, but
"Where is the bunny?" often sounds like, "Can I have some
money?" so I don't think it's my hearing. I had LASIK, so I'm positive it
isn't my eyesight. I don't like to touch people and usually don't want to be
touched, so maybe I'm super sensitive in the touch area, but I don't think of
that as "strong" in a good way. Otherwise, my sense of empathy is off
the chart. I'd have to claim that as my strongest sense. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-24529674723432763722014-05-16T09:16:00.000-05:002014-05-16T09:16:44.012-05:00Me and my hair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I don't know how to explain what she did when she cut my hair. She took small sections of it and cut each small section into steep layers so that there are small pieces of hair all over my head. Those smaller pieces support the longer pieces as they curl and keeps things from being weighed down. </div>
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It doesn't look much different. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hyjIeDFehWw/U3UfJ0SLWxI/AAAAAAAAClE/u1CWq7jmSfw/s1600/newhair1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hyjIeDFehWw/U3UfJ0SLWxI/AAAAAAAAClE/u1CWq7jmSfw/s1600/newhair1.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
And yet it is very different. I like it. The only thing I don't especially like is that it seems to me it is too frizzy. But I looked at older photos from <a href="http://apieceofnews.blogspot.com/2014/02/is-it-time-to-panic-or-get-hair-cut.html" target="_blank">here</a> and it doesn't look more frizzy after all.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oBW4huH5nZc/U3UfKdae3VI/AAAAAAAAClI/LY5ExzTxrWk/s1600/newhair2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oBW4huH5nZc/U3UfKdae3VI/AAAAAAAAClI/LY5ExzTxrWk/s1600/newhair2.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
There is a lot less hair! Tons of hair hit the ground and I didn't care in a huge way.<br />
<br />
I don't normally use a lot of products. I use a sulfate-free shampoo from Nature's Gate and occasionally I use a citrus rinse from Dr. Bronners. I comb it when it is wet and full of conditioner. I make my own leave-in conditioner in a spray bottle: distilled water + conditioner. I also will sometimes use Aveda's Be Curly, but it has alcohol in it, so I don't like to use it. I wrap the wet hair in a small towel that's super absorbent and after a few minutes, I take off the towel and shake my hair. Then I flip the towel so the drier edge is toward my face and let the towel soak up some more water.<br />
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I use a diffuser on my blow drier when I need to get it really curly and/or dry really fast.<br />
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With this new cut, I have been touching up with a small curling iron. I just curl a few pieces here and there and also touch up the ends.<br />
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The surprising thing I did was allow her to color it. I was deeply undecided up until the point I was sitting in her chair. She used foil as for highlighting, but she matched my hair color and didn't try to eliminate all the gray hair.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BXdCUWtNRU/U3UfKcsWB_I/AAAAAAAAClM/_hcXkdyd-v8/s1600/newhair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BXdCUWtNRU/U3UfKcsWB_I/AAAAAAAAClM/_hcXkdyd-v8/s1600/newhair.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is new</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-psVtA_2_naU/U3UfLlUrM9I/AAAAAAAAClU/5JS167AIZfM/s1600/newhairold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-psVtA_2_naU/U3UfLlUrM9I/AAAAAAAAClU/5JS167AIZfM/s1600/newhairold.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is old</span></div>
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I'm glad I did it and I'm also glad it isn't a huge difference.<br />
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Here it is straightened. You can see how the ends aren't full and that's because of all the hair she cut out of it. Doing this made me realize she cut more from the back, where I have a ton of hair, than she did on the sides and front, where there is a fraction of the hair.<br />
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This is after I brushed it. ACK!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Se6XJ0jYquY/U3UrBBiS-MI/AAAAAAAAClo/0UL58BAOgDg/s1600/hairbrushed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Se6XJ0jYquY/U3UrBBiS-MI/AAAAAAAAClo/0UL58BAOgDg/s1600/hairbrushed.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
I didn't work on it until it was smooth because it has a lot of hairspray on it and I didn't want that baked in with the heat of the iron too much.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zz1EagRrypM/U3UrB2qHB6I/AAAAAAAACls/stbmMQSa8rg/s1600/hairnew1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zz1EagRrypM/U3UrB2qHB6I/AAAAAAAACls/stbmMQSa8rg/s1600/hairnew1.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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Here is where you can see that the ends aren't as full as before.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YGrZh-FcBwc/U3UrB9glPcI/AAAAAAAAClw/ZWANGgyGKzg/s1600/hairnew2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YGrZh-FcBwc/U3UrB9glPcI/AAAAAAAAClw/ZWANGgyGKzg/s1600/hairnew2.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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The old stained hair from a previous dye job is still there, but not so boldly obnoxious as before. She cut a lot of it off. It's much more subtle.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vt04dheaKD0/U3UrDTnQGpI/AAAAAAAACl8/CwFHqbvGMvI/s1600/hairnew3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vt04dheaKD0/U3UrDTnQGpI/AAAAAAAACl8/CwFHqbvGMvI/s1600/hairnew3.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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This is in sunshine and may give you an idea of how much less grey there is right now. As my hair grows and gets cut, I will see more realistically what my grey hair looks like. Then I will make a decision.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NGudxLtxdHM/U3UrEPlCwbI/AAAAAAAACmA/essx1igxDqs/s1600/hairnew4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NGudxLtxdHM/U3UrEPlCwbI/AAAAAAAACmA/essx1igxDqs/s1600/hairnew4.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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That's the saga. If you have read all this, you're a trooper!Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-50895845207056692342014-05-15T13:31:00.001-05:002014-05-15T13:31:47.759-05:00Is it Thursday already?Dang.<br />
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I have so many things to talk about, I'm sure to leave something out.<br />
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Last weekend I ran a relay race that took us just over 12 hours to finish. Rather than jibber jabber about my running ability or lack of running ability, I will show you how this happened:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5jDuWsWQOoI/U3T_jKhoXiI/AAAAAAAACjY/bhiVY9SC7Wg/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5jDuWsWQOoI/U3T_jKhoXiI/AAAAAAAACjY/bhiVY9SC7Wg/s1600/blog1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6qMs_gko4Lk/U3UENXlgfDI/AAAAAAAACj4/OVhAkvkuHtI/s1600/m2m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6qMs_gko4Lk/U3UENXlgfDI/AAAAAAAACj4/OVhAkvkuHtI/s1600/m2m.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I have enough of these action shots I could put together a flip book of how she dances.<br />
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<span id="goog_221217672"></span><span id="goog_221217673"></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h5j6jYlBicE/U3T_jp-cmkI/AAAAAAAACjU/gJii4KR4J7Y/s1600/blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h5j6jYlBicE/U3T_jp-cmkI/AAAAAAAACjU/gJii4KR4J7Y/s1600/blog3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Frankly, I can't picture in my mind where I was when this shot was taken. I wasn't even tired at the time, but in the end, it was a bit foggy all up in my brain. I know things happened, but I can't recall them. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mdgzUy1bROk/U3UEvoPwx7I/AAAAAAAACkA/mapi4fH2uNs/s1600/m2m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mdgzUy1bROk/U3UEvoPwx7I/AAAAAAAACkA/mapi4fH2uNs/s1600/m2m.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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After I finished running and before my team got to the finish line, I did this:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p8RAkO561wQ/U3UFZGQHCQI/AAAAAAAACkQ/A8jgVEMm4Hg/s1600/blog4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p8RAkO561wQ/U3UFZGQHCQI/AAAAAAAACkQ/A8jgVEMm4Hg/s1600/blog4.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sb-Ydwhsmbg/U3UFL1pkizI/AAAAAAAACkI/w10qLLRZ5GE/s1600/P1000946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sb-Ydwhsmbg/U3UFL1pkizI/AAAAAAAACkI/w10qLLRZ5GE/s1600/P1000946.JPG" height="320" width="95" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uyBRJEDBRD4/U3UFauOe4lI/AAAAAAAACkc/iLnIRoBEnBE/s1600/princeme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uyBRJEDBRD4/U3UFauOe4lI/AAAAAAAACkc/iLnIRoBEnBE/s1600/princeme.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u4Ai7KXrNqQ/U3UFb0lnpnI/AAAAAAAACko/Hcb-vIP2L6g/s1600/promaaronprince2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u4Ai7KXrNqQ/U3UFb0lnpnI/AAAAAAAACko/Hcb-vIP2L6g/s1600/promaaronprince2.jpg" height="254" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The teenagers</span></div>
How can anyone resist that face? He was such a gentleman.<br />
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Then that night I put the tornado plan in place, which isn't easy with cats. Like the dollhouse? That's to keep Annabelle off the television equipment, which is warm and a good place to sleep. I haven't actually slept there, but she was sleeping there all daylong<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xJC9ZWhfgPM/U3UGY0HIQlI/AAAAAAAACk4/0_xEL8--Uko/s1600/blog7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xJC9ZWhfgPM/U3UGY0HIQlI/AAAAAAAACk4/0_xEL8--Uko/s1600/blog7.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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So tomorrow I'll be posting about my hair cut. It's not very exciting, but it was a big deal for me. You have a sneak peak in the photos above.Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-4649786642478127612014-05-08T15:46:00.003-05:002014-05-08T15:50:15.681-05:00Who's that in your garden, ma'am? Why, it's a giant rooster!<br />
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There's a nursery here in town attached to a grocery store. I pulled into the driveway for some lunchtime errands and this is what I saw!<br />
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I want one of these roosters. The biggest one is the best, most colorful and most imposing.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SPLJlz2kIrk/U2vniSWtm3I/AAAAAAAAChg/p_wDhSddcPw/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SPLJlz2kIrk/U2vniSWtm3I/AAAAAAAAChg/p_wDhSddcPw/s1600/blog1.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
See how tall he is?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6Mj2Fv21fA/U2vnkvpKj7I/AAAAAAAAChs/9Fcf8ma_ZOA/s1600/blog4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6Mj2Fv21fA/U2vnkvpKj7I/AAAAAAAAChs/9Fcf8ma_ZOA/s1600/blog4.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Rawr!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The little rooster got a little hug from Grande. No roosters were harmed in the taking of these photographs. </span></div>
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Happy little rooster. </div>
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Forlorn little rooster.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G3HoLFpOLW4/U2vnoOvm5ZI/AAAAAAAACiA/TnFpNTV2ls4/s1600/blog6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G3HoLFpOLW4/U2vnoOvm5ZI/AAAAAAAACiA/TnFpNTV2ls4/s1600/blog6.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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The peacock was looking for a place to hide in all that grass I want in my own backyard garden. Along with a giant peacock, of course.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bgpx2Pj4ato/U2vnqq6uY5I/AAAAAAAACiY/TWSoNeThc-k/s1600/blog8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bgpx2Pj4ato/U2vnqq6uY5I/AAAAAAAACiY/TWSoNeThc-k/s1600/blog8.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here is a very large perched peacock. Wouldn't that look imposing in my suburban backyard? </div>
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I finally did something about my hair and will blog at you about that later. Tomorrow I'm going to a college visit and then Saturday I have an all-day relay race guaranteed to make me regret signing up for an all-day relay race this early in the season. I'm taking Tylenol with me. </div>
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<i>By the way to other bloggers: For some reason I can't comment on other blogspot blogs. I've visited and will come back to see if that glitch gets fixed. :(</i></div>
Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-57022852478460162202014-05-06T16:15:00.001-05:002014-05-06T16:15:35.953-05:00More art and other photosIt's time for more photos! <div>
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We went to see one of the local high schools put on 42nd Street, which I now believe to be an impressive feat! It's a huge cast of dancers and singers and about half the cast needs to know how to tap dance. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vuH__2Xb9ow/U2lPafxv_VI/AAAAAAAACgQ/MwIu-mkhRa0/s1600/42nd+street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vuH__2Xb9ow/U2lPafxv_VI/AAAAAAAACgQ/MwIu-mkhRa0/s1600/42nd+street.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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They have to tap dance well because it's a big Broadway show, ya know! They didn't disappoint and it was very good. </div>
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Our office should install one of these in the kitchen immediately.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pX5QIhhib-I/U2lPYihFg5I/AAAAAAAACf8/cKYRR3G0iLY/s1600/beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pX5QIhhib-I/U2lPYihFg5I/AAAAAAAACf8/cKYRR3G0iLY/s1600/beer.jpg" height="320" width="255" /></a></div>
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Last night Aaron's relay team took first place for the 4x100 relay race! He is the one on the right. Look closely at his socks. We don't <i>need</i> the bright socks to spot him, but it's fun. I think he's worn them to every single meet this year.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ATbSdXw8E-U/U2lPZGy4lZI/AAAAAAAACgE/0msmLDn5LWw/s1600/boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ATbSdXw8E-U/U2lPZGy4lZI/AAAAAAAACgE/0msmLDn5LWw/s1600/boys.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
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Bryan leaves on a motorcycle tour in the months to come. That's fun stuff. Motorcycles scare me a bit. Not being on it so much as the terror of dying while I'm on it. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S8J26UZPJjs/U2lPaISyNSI/AAAAAAAACgM/j0nb1htiS8A/s1600/Bryan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S8J26UZPJjs/U2lPaISyNSI/AAAAAAAACgM/j0nb1htiS8A/s1600/Bryan.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></div>
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I bought a cat tree as a surprise! </div>
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Here is Henry enjoying the new cat tree. Enjoy my super-duper photography skills, won't you?<br />
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I was sick all weekend and Sunday evening, I got out my art supplies. Here is what I doodled:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jC4eYg0pEoc/U2lPbGd-MLI/AAAAAAAACgY/8Jxu9Z9eGu0/s1600/drawing1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jC4eYg0pEoc/U2lPbGd-MLI/AAAAAAAACgY/8Jxu9Z9eGu0/s1600/drawing1.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></a></div>
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Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-87916721388151388922014-05-04T09:10:00.001-05:002014-05-04T09:10:12.944-05:00Answer me this on SundayI made a deal with the universe. I woke up on Friday with what Jane Austen may have delicately described as a putrid sore throat and I took myself straight to the doctor's office. After waiting 90 minutes, I went in and she said for sure it was a bacterial infection and so I worked from home.<br />
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Then yesterday, after a little running around with one of the teenagers, I came home and stayed home. I watched old movies and episodes of Mad About You and interviews with Johnny Carson. So I did my part and stayed home with no exercising or shopping or housekeeping and the universe was supposed to let me off the leash today.<br />
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But I woke up with a cough and my headache is lingering and my appetite is gone and I'm not happy when the universe doesn't play along as I have directed it.<br />
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Here is another edition of Answer Me This from Kendra's blog and since the brain is a bit fogged, it's a great way to amuse myself without having to be too intelligent.<br />
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<b>1. Are you becoming your mother?</b><br />
I think she might agree when I say I'm a bit more like my grandmother. But my mom and I crack each other up and I think that's because we're on the same wavelength, so that's excellent stuff right there.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-stdvqdY07G8/U2ZCFWa8L5I/AAAAAAAACeY/x3wfHk1FzmE/s1600/meandmom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-stdvqdY07G8/U2ZCFWa8L5I/AAAAAAAACeY/x3wfHk1FzmE/s1600/meandmom.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>2. Coffee or Tea?</b><br />
Coffee. I drink tons of it and I drink it black and mild. I like tea, but don't drink as much. I will drink tea with or without sugar, but I like it strong. Black tea is fine, but I prefer English or Irish Breakfast and I like Scottish tea as well. I use one teabag per cup and let it steep for a long time. Then I drink it with the teabag in the cup for extra toughness.<br />
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<b>3. What foreign country would you like to visit?</b><br />
I'd like to go to Ireland and Italy. I think Hungary would be nice as well.<br />
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<b>4. Do you cry easily?</b><br />
No, not really. When tears pop up at a bad time, I have a technique for stopping them.<br />
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<b>5. Do you often wear heels?</b><br />
Not since I trained for a marathon. That was in 2008. I will wear wedge heels and very small heels once in a while, but my days of high heels are over and my feet are happier for it.<br />
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<b>6. Do you play an instrument?</b><br />
No. I tried the flute, fiddled with a guitar now and then and wanted to learn the piano, but the cold, hard truth is that I just don't have the talent. I knew my notes and mostly learned to read easy music between school chorus sight reading and church, but reading music and moving my fingers and breathing all at once is more of a challenge than I'm up to.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6qObos1IxFE/U2ZG2mWH7ZI/AAAAAAAACfI/1fL2gi2uTuQ/s1600/line-music-60098+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6qObos1IxFE/U2ZG2mWH7ZI/AAAAAAAACfI/1fL2gi2uTuQ/s1600/line-music-60098+(1).jpg" height="67" width="200" /></a></div>
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Wrapping up, the birds are rapidly stripping cat fur from the shrub and I'm running out of cat fur. I saved it for a month and had a lot of it, but they really seem to love the magic cat fur tree for trimming their nests.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Birds need me? Craaazy!</span></div>
Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-49790637958171151772014-05-03T12:40:00.001-05:002014-05-03T12:40:46.126-05:00Circle of life: Henry and the party-hat birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have been storing up cat hair for a month and putting a little bit at a time out on the shrub by the deck. This morning I noticed there were four gray and brown birds with black party hats (black-capped chickadees?) swarming the shrub and I watched them pulling the fur off the shrub and flying off with it in their beaks. Then they returned. </div>
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I was so excited! </div>
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I put more out and left to get some NyQuil (I have strep throat or some such nonsense) and when I came back, the second batch was gone!</div>
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I was so excited!</div>
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I put out more hair on the shrub and some on one of the pine trees in the back of the yard.<br />
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This is Henry, who pulls out his fur and has contributed 90% of the fur the birds are using.<br />
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I just saw another bird with a bunch of white fur in his beak. I can't get there to take a photo without scaring the birds. !!!!!<br />
<br />Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-44327399984597461252014-04-29T13:35:00.000-05:002014-04-29T13:35:51.714-05:00I've been missing in actionNothing has been going on unless you count rampant laziness and unchecked inactivity.<br />
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By way of getting rolling again, it's time for photos! </div>
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Here is she who manages my photo requests with ease and a happy attitude. We went out for sushi and wine and water on a rainy day last week after work.<br />
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Saturday night I went to a national convention of United Sixties Born of Grand Gedeh County (Liberia) in the Americas. That's a group whose Iowa president is pictured below and the woman who graciously calls me her children's mother. Oh, those Africans know how to extend family boundaries so much better than we do. They are so much better and I'm so much better off for it.<br />
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This is Liberian food, which is one way of saying, "this is spicy." Chicken, lamb and rice. I ate the spicy meat, but the rice was too hot for me mostly because it was about 11 o'clock at night when I ate this.<br />
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I didn't photograph dessert, but it was banana bread. The woman sitting next to me explained that it is rice with banana, baking soda and egg. She said it isn't regular rice, but something you find in the grocery store near Cream of Wheat. Aaron said you grind it all together. It was good and not at all sweet, which is typical. Besides candy, the boys don't really eat sweets much and complain when something is too sweet. No, they don't complain. They just don't eat it.<br />
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Except candy. Never too sweet, oddly enough.<br />
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The party officially began at 8, but that was getting business conducted with a little dancing. The majority of the crowd didn't start showing up until around 11:30. I'm sure the party lasted all night. If you want to see video, join me on Instagram at carondm95.<br />
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This is the lovely Norah, mother of my boys. As president of the Iowa chapter, the entire convention, which lasted all weekend, was arranged by her.<br />
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Speaking of my boys...Aaron is here holding up his 8-year-old cousin. I love the <i>terrified </i>look on his face. Mind you, they had to hold this pose while my camera loaded. This was Friday night after the Drake Relays. The older boys ran relay races and Prince got a personal best in the 4x400! </div>
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This is Tessie. She's awfully snotty, but quite photogenic.<br />
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This is Maggie. Frightening when she's this close and full of attitude, which is most of the time.</div>
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This is the lovely St. Dymphna bracelet I won and received from Erica at <a href="http://boysbooksandballs.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://boysbooksandballs.blogspot.com/</a>. I wear it a lot.<br />
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On Thursday and Friday of Easter week, I went to the cathedral and spent time with the local bishop, so to speak. I love the blue and red on the ceiling of this church.<br />
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I went shopping one day last week. I look ridiculous in big, fancy glasses, but they have POLKA DOTS!!!<br />
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And then this happened because we are super exciting gals who love a photo op. Plus, she hates to be left out.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7gVCUMa8PZo/U1_os1YrAfI/AAAAAAAACcs/r3Htun24xIk/s1600/IMG_20140423_125040_712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7gVCUMa8PZo/U1_os1YrAfI/AAAAAAAACcs/r3Htun24xIk/s1600/IMG_20140423_125040_712.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">As you can tell if you noticed I am wearing two jackets, it was cold. It is cold today, too. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Ah, Midwestern April: A haiku is in order. </span></div>
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Dreary sunny sky</div>
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Bright bursts of green and yellow</div>
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Cold morning warm day</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Notice the springtime sighting of an 18-wheeler? </span></div>
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<br />Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-85943090504230416772014-04-15T09:45:00.003-05:002014-04-15T09:45:33.449-05:00Dial M for Murder and farm cats, a natural combinationLast Friday, I drove up to Ames and saw a production of Dial M for Murder by the community theater. It was pretty good although there were moments when the audience laughed when they weren't necessarily supposed to.<br />
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But it was good and the actors and stage workers were doing something I don't want to do and without them, how would people like me ever be entertained? I enjoy going to these shows and now I want to see the movie. I think I've seen the movie, but maybe not since I was ridiculously ill-informed. Toward the end, Cindy remembered the key is the key to the murder. I had nothing. Not one scrap of "ah-ha!" during the entire show, so maybe I have not ever seen the movie.<br />
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I should warn you now this post has no point.<br />
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Before heading up to the show, I picked up my friend Cindy, who fed me a wonderful and relaxed dinner and listened to me whine. Then we headed north to Ames and my navigation gave out just as we go to the right neighborhood. Ms. Navigation kept saying turn-by-turn navigation wasn't available and what do I pay her for, anyway?<br />
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At a red light, I switched quickly to my cell phone's GPS and lo and behold, we were one block away. Disaster averted. We were one minute late, but there were a lot of people loitering and drinking wine and what not. This theater has a lot of profit-inducing wine and beer for sale and who can blame them? What a wonderful way to raise funds!<br />
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This is a shot of the set before the play began. It's the only set they used, which I always think is clever of a theater.<br />
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A couple weeks ago I went to see Les Miserables at the Des Moines Playhouse and if I try to explain to you the stunning and breathtaking production, you will think I am insane. They performed 24 times, adding extra shows on Saturdays and generally knocking everyone out. When the guy who played Jean Valjean came onstage to take his bows, I actually burst into tears, much like this:<br />
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I also saw a play at yet another community theater called A Rotten Year for Tomatoes. They give away coffee and cookies for donations: another excellent ploy to raise funds. Cindy and I gave them all the change we had, which as you know can sometimes add up to quite a bit.<br />
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In a couple weeks, Drake University is ending their season with The Mikado. I may be buying tickets for that soon, although as of right now I haven't asked if anyone can join me. I've never seen it before.<br />
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Regarding farm cats, Cindy has 'em and I love 'em.<br />
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Tommy and Paddy came out to see me when I arrived because I love them, love cats and love to play with cats and they know it. So as Cindy was gathering her wits about her for the drive to the theater, I went outside and loved on the kittehs.<br />
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Here is proof of our undying affection for each other:<br />
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<i>Clearly they can't get enough of me. What's with the barrier, fellows? </i></div>
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<br />Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-54003574784099331272014-04-13T20:26:00.001-05:002014-04-13T20:26:07.293-05:00Answer Me ThisSince I've been lacking inspiration lately, I'm going to join a meme and I think I might even link to it, which would be a little unusual for me. We'll see if that works...Here goes!<br />
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<b>1. What time do you prefer to go to Mass? </b><br />
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I go at 7:00 a.m., which on Sunday mornings is as painful as it sounds by the way of getting up, feeding cats, coping with this hair and driving the five minutes it takes to get there. I will go to a different church at 4:30 on Saturdays sometimes, if bad weather is coming or there is some reason Sunday morning won't work.<br />
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I like the early, early show because there aren't a lot of people there compared with other services. I get distracted easily, so 7 a.m. keeps me from ... being <i>distracted</i>.<br />
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Oddly, my boss goes to church here and as fate would have it, he and his family sit directly across from me. We're both too stubborn to move from our "place" and there aren't many people to hide behind.<br />
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<b>2. Would you rather be too hot or too cold?</b><br />
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Easy answer: too cold. The reason is because you can always put more clothes on, but there are only so many clothes you can take off and still be legal in most settings. I like running in the heat, though. When I was in Antarctica, I wore 40 pounds of clothing and still got cold!<br />
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<b>3. How many brothers and/or sisters do you have?</b><br />
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I have two brothers: Mike and John. John is older than I am, but he passed away in 2001. Needless to say I miss him very much. I hate losing people who remember the day I was born.<br />
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Mike is the middle child and as Army brats, he was sometimes my only friend. He looked after me and fed me, which makes him sound like a saint. But he also chased me around then rolled me up in an itchy wool blanket and terrorized me in other brotherly ways. Yes, I've forgiven him. I think he's pretty neat.<br />
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<b>4. If you were faced with a boggart, what would it turn into?</b><br />
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A boggart is a person's worst fear. Let's skip the obvious and go with something not actually terrifying because all those choices make me queasy. How about a faceless person in a seat behind me constantly rattling a candy wrapper?<br />
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<b>5. Barbie: Thumbs up or thumbs down?</b><br />
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Since I stopped playing with Barbie by late 1975 (I think), I guess I'm out of the debate. But I liked playing Barbies and I got to play with my Aunt Karen's when I was at Grandma's house. Aunt Karen's Barbie and Midge were <i>original</i> dolls with the striped bathing suit and the blue poodle skirt. I thought that was pretty cool even then. My mom made clothes, bought me clothes and sucked up Barbie shoes in her vacuum cleaner. I had the plane - got that for Christmas either 1972 or 1973.<br />
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It's tempting to think that it was all so innocent <i>back then</i>, but she was still too busty for her own good. She was a tarted up teeny bopper back then, now they have made her an adult with a career. Not sure which is worse, but when I was a little girl, she was just a doll in my eyes. I suspect that to many girls today, she's still just a doll. We talk about too much in front of children now and if my aged relatives had any issues with Barbie's ... image, shall we say ... they probably wouldn't have discussed it in front of me.<br />
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<b>6. If someone asked you to give them a random piece of advice, what would you say? </b><br />
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I will prepare myself for this event from the below options:<br />
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<li>Stuff your pockets with Kleenex during Holy Week. Is that just me? </li>
<li>Talk to your mother.</li>
<li>When in doubt, don't.</li>
<li>Learn how to shake hands. </li>
<li>Don't go to sleep with chewing gum in your mouth.</li>
<li>It's not about you.</li>
<li>Pay down debt and put money away.</li>
<li>Wear a slip because in <b><u>any</u> </b>sort of light, everyone can see your business.</li>
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<br />Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-22411438200285335662014-04-11T11:20:00.001-05:002014-04-11T11:20:43.841-05:00Random 5 or 7 Quick Takes: Math is hardI'll do 5 or 7 or something along those lines because I haven't been blogging. Perhaps I will have a lot to say?<br />
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1. I won a bracelet on a giveaway at a blog, but she hasn't contacted me. So I may never receive it. But I think it's pretty. She had five to give away (maybe four...<i>math is hard</i>) and I picked this one out as my choice should I win. Which I did. Except that I haven't heard from her. Like I said.<br />
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2. I saw this in the Wall Street Journal this week. It's an advertisement from Starbucks. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jep4eLT0Syc/U0gIJSdzM7I/AAAAAAAACYw/h3eMwNt584o/s1600/Starbucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jep4eLT0Syc/U0gIJSdzM7I/AAAAAAAACYw/h3eMwNt584o/s1600/Starbucks.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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My response would be, "Will you please take this back and run across the street to any other coffee shop to get me a drinkable cup of black coffee?" But I would be nice about it: Do you notice that I said please? I'm one of apparently very few people in the world who do not like Starbucks' coffee. I've tried, believe me. </div>
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3. This is my desk drawer. I have no defense. I also can't find what I want when I want it. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jj8mcjsOAFE/U0gIytebZhI/AAAAAAAACY4/Lj3xCuJE6F8/s1600/drawer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jj8mcjsOAFE/U0gIytebZhI/AAAAAAAACY4/Lj3xCuJE6F8/s1600/drawer.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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4. The best girl ever stopped on her way to work and got me breakfast simply because I asked. I told her I was hungry and she wanted to know what I wanted. I replied, "breakfast pizza, egg mcmuffin, stale bread, road-kill jerky...I'm hungry." </div>
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I'm grateful she didn't choose the jerky. </div>
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5. Lent has been a deep struggle for me this year. <i>That's an understatement</i>. I'm hoping to make the upcoming week solemn and joyful and significant. Well, hope isn't much of a plan. I'm focusing on a plan today and tomorrow because otherwise, the week will slip away. </div>
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6. If I feel inspired later on, I'll write more. I want to write, but I feel all backed up with religious comments and observations from a dry Lent and why it's been sort of a failure and how perhaps having a Lenten failure is really the best sort of Lent due to the purposes of spiritual preparation and OH! I hope that's the case. </div>
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7. In better news, I just got some work to do! Yes, work has been sort of slow and that's also a bit on the depressing side. </div>
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Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-53896534892966425922014-04-01T15:58:00.005-05:002014-04-01T15:58:52.589-05:00This is not a joke! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76q9lliyT-4/UzsnNQit_zI/AAAAAAAACYI/E_9ZoCg4sYg/s1600/tallncurly_aprilfoolsday-3-.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76q9lliyT-4/UzsnNQit_zI/AAAAAAAACYI/E_9ZoCg4sYg/s1600/tallncurly_aprilfoolsday-3-.png" height="328" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>TRUE STORY</b></div>
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After college in my first sales job, my boss was an aggressive person who didn't hide the fact that she didn't really like me. She's the one who said in front of me that a monkey with a briefcase could do my job.<br />
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Respect, that's what was missing in that job.<br />
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But I asked you here today to tell you the true story of the first time I wore my hair curly to that job. I was allowed in the office before 9a.m. and not allowed back in the office until 3:00 or 3:30pm. So this took place at roughly 8:30, which is a time for as little interaction as possible with coworkers.<br />
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"Caron, please step into my office," she said.<br />
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Did I mention this was an extremely small office in which there was zero privacy? It was.<br />
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I stepped into her office and did not sit down, which was just as well since I was not invited to sit down.<br />
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"You look like you just rolled out of bed to go to the grocery store," she said. "Go home and do something to your hair."<br />
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I turned, left, went home, applied the curling iron and made the day's sales calls. Eventually I hit my stride with a good haircut and started wearing it curly every day without complaint.<br />
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<br />Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-60610504038487873652014-03-22T15:38:00.000-05:002014-03-22T15:38:09.717-05:00Random 5 Friday on SaturdayTwo posts in one day. How did I keep my mouth shut most of the week?<br />
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Right. <i>Exhaustion</i>.<br />
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1. Was that my mother I saw this past week? Hi, mom. Also, aunts! I saw the aunts. Isn't it funny how you can look in the mirror on a daily basis and be surprised by the person looking back at you, but people who've known you since grass began to grow still look the same?<br />
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2. I'm glad to be home. As in OH MY GOSH, I'm really, really glad to be home doing absolutely nothing, cooking nothing, buying nothing, driving nothing and not having to deal with anyone in any way whatsoever. Yay.<br />
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3. I am looking out the window and I see squirrels trying hard to find something to eat underneath the bird feeder. That makes me feel bad. I went to the store to buy bird seed this morning and had to have someone's husband lift the 50-pound bag into my cart. I used to be able to do that myself. What the heck?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">You can only barely see one, but there are three squirrels under that bird feeder out yonder.</span></div>
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4. I bought painting materials again today. A girlfriend's son lent me some watercolor pencils a couple weeks ago and I want to play with those <a href="http://apieceofnews.blogspot.com/2014/03/random-5-friday_14.html" target="_blank">again.</a> I don't want to keep his supplies forever...well, yea, I do. But I won't because that would be wrong. Right? So I will fool around with that. And my mom let me bring home some paint. I don't know - acrylic? oil? tempera? I have no idea. It's paint. I bought a paintbrush. I'm not sure, but I keep trying.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6GFuHMesLc/Uy3wvWbje8I/AAAAAAAACWs/JbUnGfWO3zs/s1600/francis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6GFuHMesLc/Uy3wvWbje8I/AAAAAAAACWs/JbUnGfWO3zs/s1600/francis.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A little something I did on canvas with colored pencils</span></div>
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5. As much as I want to believe I don't have anything to do this weekend, there is a list: 1. read old newspapers; 2. paint stuff; 3. do <strike>laundry</strike>; no, that will keep; 4. fill bird feeders; 5. bubble bath; 6. church; 7. nap. Pretty sure that's it.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqYY-a0fyS4/Uy3z163mTlI/AAAAAAAACXM/DMbRTIpBYeM/s1600/Bubble-bath-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqYY-a0fyS4/Uy3z163mTlI/AAAAAAAACXM/DMbRTIpBYeM/s1600/Bubble-bath-2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Hard to believe it: some of these photos shamelessly taken from Google images. </span></div>
Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-74485424547703361222014-03-22T14:58:00.000-05:002014-03-22T14:58:19.230-05:00It's over and I'm home, sweet homeI slept like a rock last night. Then I got up, ate breakfast and got in the car to be in the sunshine and do some errands, but nothing taxing or obligatory. I bought bird seed. I bought watercolor painting paper because I've got this crazy idea that I'm an artist or something. I bought a loaf of bread.<br />
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<i>Whatever</i>.<br />
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I am currently drinking a beer and eating Cheez-its in a fit of feeling like I don't care what anybody thinks or what I think or what my summer might look like. Because it's still winter outside: 33 degrees and a wailing wind straight out of Canada.<br />
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I get to blame Canada for my chubby thighs on this summer's runs.<br />
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When all those chores were finished, I went to the library and they had another art exhibit. So I took photos for you.<br />
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Almost all of these are for sale:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7kuwxzzN-0/Uy3oB0-ziDI/AAAAAAAACVc/M_yRojkiVjg/s1600/cowbirds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7kuwxzzN-0/Uy3oB0-ziDI/AAAAAAAACVc/M_yRojkiVjg/s1600/cowbirds.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cowbirds </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Hog House Clerestory</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3rY9iskHPQ/Uy3oEAfxw4I/AAAAAAAACVk/uo2fwoRgIKU/s1600/hook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3rY9iskHPQ/Uy3oEAfxw4I/AAAAAAAACVk/uo2fwoRgIKU/s1600/hook.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">No name or price on this, so I am calling it, "Hook." </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W7pb1qnfVSc/Uy3oOey6qHI/AAAAAAAACVs/LKVsAYJLvqY/s1600/playdate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W7pb1qnfVSc/Uy3oOey6qHI/AAAAAAAACVs/LKVsAYJLvqY/s1600/playdate.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Playdate </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RyCd5JRj-hE/Uy3oYbYME2I/AAAAAAAACV0/raBQGGWXXrk/s1600/prairieprincesswithqueen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RyCd5JRj-hE/Uy3oYbYME2I/AAAAAAAACV0/raBQGGWXXrk/s1600/prairieprincesswithqueen.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Prairie Princess with Queen </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SwcuO2lSdZ0/Uy3oYq68YHI/AAAAAAAACV4/cz_hKiaKL_0/s1600/stainedglass3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SwcuO2lSdZ0/Uy3oYq68YHI/AAAAAAAACV4/cz_hKiaKL_0/s1600/stainedglass3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Stained Glass #3 </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1TMl2NjqG70/Uy3ogjidtFI/AAAAAAAACWE/D6BFuSSPPuQ/s1600/training.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1TMl2NjqG70/Uy3ogjidtFI/AAAAAAAACWE/D6BFuSSPPuQ/s1600/training.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Training </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XN1xudiE6r0/Uy3oqRxqpjI/AAAAAAAACWQ/DrC0VklNmQk/s1600/wagontrail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XN1xudiE6r0/Uy3oqRxqpjI/AAAAAAAACWQ/DrC0VklNmQk/s1600/wagontrail.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wagon Trail </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hm_5UEiSLEk/Uy3oqDIy9lI/AAAAAAAACWM/hENUxBOkrc8/s1600/window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hm_5UEiSLEk/Uy3oqDIy9lI/AAAAAAAACWM/hENUxBOkrc8/s1600/window.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This one also doesn't have a name.</div>
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In honor of the theme of today's post, take a minute and smile through this video from the Peterson Brothers of Kansas. And please please take note of their FANTASTIC wardrobe: Go 'Cats!! Woot!!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/toyN81wZzLw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br />Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-74371878728154707682014-03-20T20:18:00.001-05:002014-03-20T20:18:40.492-05:00An update from the end of the circusI've had fun. Mostly. I hope they've had fun. Mostly.<br />
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You have to wonder at times: what will they remember? do they care? was it worth it? what caused them to shut down and be moody? did I do that?<br />
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We go home tomorrow.</div>
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Not everything went perfectly, but nothing went to heck, either. I think that has to count as a victory.<br />
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Look at that face. Currently not speaking to me.<br />
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Look at that face. Tuesday night I was not speaking to him.<br />
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99% guaranteed to make me laugh and smile.<br />
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Ten hours to get home. I will miss them when it's all over with.<br />
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This one landed the space shuttle on only his second try! Of the four of us, he is the only one who didn't have a <i>mood</i>.<br />
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When we get home, I'm going to sleep all weekend.Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-77741592799968593652014-03-17T06:35:00.001-05:002014-03-17T06:35:18.272-05:00Sunday windows and music for meSunday was my day. I went to the Dayton Art Institute's music room which I never knew was there. It's a beautiful old room with some large tapestries and a beautiful ceiling. There was soft lighting and a lot of warm wooden features. I have so many questions about the history of the building, but answers on the internet seem a little sparse. I always think some time I will find the time to dig in, but I haven't yet. The symphony stuffed themselves onto a small stage and featured solo performances by area high school students.<br />
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You would imagine these kids were mature professional musicians when you hear them play. It was a good concert. The lighting was such that I didn't get any good photos.<br />
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But after that concert, I had time to wander around the museum before heading to the next concert.<br />
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This is in the museum. I don't know why, but the building has a cloister. Wikipedia says:<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth.</span></span><br />
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So the entrance has a beautiful door. This is the inside.<br />
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This is the door from the outside. It doesn't open right out to the cloister, but to more of a courtyard.<br />
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This is a photo of one of a series of three big windows looking out of a gallery onto Dayton. It always looks better in person. I've photographed it before<br />
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The Art Institute now has a nice restaurant. I ate there in December. There is a lot of natural light. </div>
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This window is in the building near the cloister. From what I've read, the museum was once a private home. Maybe there is more to the history of the place!<br />
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I left the Art Institute and drove over to the neighborhood my dad once lived in. At the church they have a historic organ, one of only two that survive from the early 20th century in Dayton. I think there were six back then. They're huge and lovely to look at. I wanted to see the church again and hear the organ, but I had no idea what I was in for.</div>
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I was sitting under this window. I didn't want to distract anyone with my flash. I took photos with my camera, but I'm in a hurry this morning. Whatever - the point is that the concert was out of this world. It was based, historically, off the 1920 organ dedication concert. I was amazed at the delicate notes and the softness such an organ, played by a real professional, can produce. The soprano solos were breathtaking and at the end of Schubert's Ave Maria, my heart was pounding! There was also violin solo, which was fantastic. </div>
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I'm trying to get the three of them ready to leave for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which is at least 3 hours away. Now I have to go yell at someone. They move so slowly. Have a good day!Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231531781896935979.post-86785957602467632622014-03-17T06:13:00.002-05:002014-03-17T06:13:48.724-05:00Road trip and circusSaturday morning we took off bright and early. We drove through the middle of town and saw the most beautiful sunrise. Even the boys were impressed. Unfortunately, we all agreed the photo did nothing to convey the beauty.<br />
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We got going on time, which I counted as a victory. The boys feel asleep in shifts: victory. A family friend lent us a double-screen portable DVD player: victory.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tpkviB1kI0E/UybYSHcjCQI/AAAAAAAACSg/vvr0SQ-bp1Y/s1600/trip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tpkviB1kI0E/UybYSHcjCQI/AAAAAAAACSg/vvr0SQ-bp1Y/s1600/trip1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Watching a movie:<br />
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Checking messages:<br />
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Sleeping. Poor thing didn't have a pillow:<br />
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It is difficult to get a photo of the oldest. He's hiding behind the pizza box lid. But here we are eating Vic Casano's pizza at grandma's house.<br />
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So that was the trip. It went really well and we made excellent time stopping only three times for gas and food. </div>
Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05799102663192977025noreply@blogger.com2