Hi Streamers!

I'm here for a bit this morning catching up on some work, but still busy as a bee.

I found out Tuesday just before leaving for cheer camp that Tay had 2 softball games back-to-back starting at 6:00. I left the gym for cheer about 5:00, ran home to freshen up, & off to the ball field - getting there just in time. They're doing really well & won both games! I think we'll have a really good team again next year too. We only lost 2 (very good ones!) to graduation, so that helps too.

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Today is the last day of our cheer camp & we've got a LOT to do in a short time. They've pretty much learned their half-time dance part of the show. Today will be going over that some, & learning the cheer immediately following the dance. The cheer has building in it, so we've got our work cut out for us. I can't have my "flyers" falling & getting hurt, so we'll focus on the ones who raise & hold them up a lot. We'll have from 2:30 until 4:00 to learn this part. At 4:00, the parents will be allowed to come in to watch each of the 3 squads perform their routines & video tape them, if they want. Prayers please!

This is "building". The one they raise up is the "flyer":


My "special" girl isn't doing much of anything except for hanging on or standing right up under a few of the other girls, disrupting us, & trying to eat her water bottle lid! **double sigh** Her mother did show up for Tuesday & she was shocked at what the other's have already learned in 2 1/2 hours. Her daughter was...doing what she does...& her mother started yelling at her. Then some tears fell. Poor girl. I'm prepared to pull her, if needed, but her mother promises she'll have it by the first game (mid-August). I just don't know.... Her mother has to learn it all too so she can help her. She is required to be at every practice, game, etc to tend with her daughter. Oh, she has Williams Syndrome. It's similar to Downs, I hear.

I've got my line-up fixed so that I can pull her out, if needed, & only have to move 2 girls over a bit. She might be holding a sign (which she'll probably tear up & eat!), but at least she'd be participating as best as she's able. I'm definitely going to have to do this while they build so she won't knock or pull someone down.

Her mother was told before try-outs that this is hard work, takes coordination, & is not one-on-one teaching. By the time they get to B team, they're supposed to already know the basics & what they're doing. She knows nothing. I feel so bad as she's a sweet girl, but I'm not equipped to deal with such. One of my mother's works at the local Cerebral Palsy center & will help me with her too. She's used to this & knows how to handle them.

I'll start having practice twice a week starting next week every Monday & Thursday evening. That'll help them to get better each week, & not forget any of what they're learning.

Anyhoo, I'll try to catch up on everyone's blogs starting next week. I miss being here with you all.

**group hug**

This is our week for cheer camp. All three groups (A, B, & C teams) are learning their half-time routine. This is taking place Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday this week from 2:15 - 4:30.

Let me tell you, the gym is HOT HOT HOT! Yep, no air in there & it's been closed up. As soon as I opened the door, the heat literally hit me in the face. I had girls opening all the doors while I got the industrial fan & positioned it in front of one of the doors. I had hoped it would bring some outside fresh air in & push out the stale hot air out the other 3 doors. I'm not sure how much it really worked, but I'd hate to think what it would've been like without it. We were all pouring sweat. Needless to say, we had to take several water breaks.

We used to have it all 5 days in the week for about 2 1/2 hours each morning. Now we're cramming the whole routine in to 3 days. It's going to be hard work, but the girls can do it. I was amazed at how much they learned just yesterday!

I have 13 girls on my squad. One is mentally challenged & hasn't learned a lick of the routine. I'm not sure what to do about her, but she will probably be just holding a sign up. There's no way she will be able to actually "perform" the show with the other girls. Yes, this is a challenge for me. We all explained to her mother that this is not one-on-one teaching & that she'll have to learn the show & cheers. Her mother was supposed to be there to help her, but at the last minute, explained that she had "forgotten" her son's doctor's appointment - & left quickly. We will be building also, which is dangerous in itself. She'll have to be kept away from the girls during this time so she won't cause them to fall & get hurt - another challenge for me. She's really sweet, & her mother told me that "if she learned to read, she could cheer". So, she learned to read (somewhat). That's great for her, but her mother just doesn't understand that this is actually hard WORK, takes lots of practice time, paying attention, & discipline from the girls. We told her mother that she will be required to be at all practices to tend to her daughter. I have 12 others to work with & cannot neglect my squad for one child. I know it sounds awful, but.... She didn't come near qualifying to make the squad, but if she would've been turned away, she would've been the only one who didn't make it. That would be sad.

Also, B's knee swelled up Friday after some playing time in a basketball game. I was at work when he called to tell me. He said it was nearly as big as it was from his surgery. Not good.... By yesterday, it was still swollen, so he had to go up to the school, talk to the coach & retire early. I'm sure he was a bit upset, but you only have one knee. He's too young for this stuff already. I have to leave even earlier Thursday as his surgeon is fitting him in to take a look at what is going on with his knee. Please pray that it'll be ok & no more surgery is needed.

Anyway, I'm leaving work early this week for this, so I won't be around much. Hope you all have a wonderful week!!

I had such a wonderful weekend! The kiddos were all gone & I was able to just enjoy being ME. Felt good too...

It all started Friday evening... I picked Scott up after work & brought him to the house for the weekend. We were going to finish up the trim work paint on the outbuilding & then enjoy the rest of the weekend.

I was invited to a party Friday night. It was "a hen party". I haven't been to something like that in such a long time! One of the cheer moms has finally moved in to her newly built house - beautiful! Another of the cheer moms sells the Premier Designs High Fashion Jewelry. It was a combination jewelry party, 'come see my house', & let's all get together & just hang out kind of party.

Her house is gorgious! She had the dining room table filled with all sorts of fruits, finger foods, desserts, etc. We all sat around & ate, talked, looked at the jewelry selections, ate, talked & just had a great time. I thoroughly enjoy myself! I told him I'd be back "before too long" but ended up being gone for 3 hours! He said that he was happy for me & that I should do that more often. I'm programmed to think that my kids are still kids & have to spend every moment with me.... I have "built-in" babysitters now too, so I should be able to do such. Now, I can't wait to enjoy my next hen party!

Scott & I got out very early to paint the trim on the outbuilding. It was SO incredibly hot out there! Now, other than caulking (which will be done in a couple of weeks), that is almost completed. Thank goodness! Next will be pressure-washing & water-proofing the deck, & re-staining the porch. That will come a bit later....

We came in & showered & decided to venture out for the afternoon & just enjoy the rest of the day. Instead of retyping, I'll just copy/past from his blog:

Donkey Dreams And Lovely Scenes

..... well, so my long 3 day weekend is drawing to an end..... it's late Sunday afternoon and it's almost time to go back to The Sheraton.(!?)

I've had a good time..... Secret and I got the painting project finished.... it was hard work but the outbuilding looks great..... even though she didnt go with the color I suggested..... Oh, well....

After we had finished yesterday's work, we decided to go for an afternoon drive to a little town we hadnt visited before.... Oneonta, Alabama..... I had heard nice things about the place so we gassed up and took off.... even though it was really HOT, the drive was nice.....through the Appalachian foothills we roamed looking for the highway that would quickly take us to our destination... we took one of my infamous shortcuts that I had supposedly committed to memory since I didnt have my Alabama road atlas and ended up in some remote private driveway with the highway we were seeking just behind a field and row of trees with no way to reach it.... and I couldnt convince Secret to go offroading.... anyway, we got turned around and back on the way to Oneonta...... finally reaching the town, which actually was really pretty...... we got there just in time to catch the tail end of Oneonta's WORLD FAMOUS JUNEFEST! WOOT! Er..... we parked and walked down to the big happening to find most of the booths closing down and the last diehards gathered on a sweltering streetcorner to watch an Elvis impersonator doing his act from the middle of the street...... oh, man..... he was O-kaaaa as Elvis..... better singing than gyrating..... I'll give him a break since it was 95 degrees and he was in a fully sequined getup...... Secret and I didnt stay long and as we were shuffling off we looked down and saw where someone from The very unofficial Oneonta welcome committee had carved "Fuck You" into the sidewalk..... that brought even more snickers than the bad Elvis did..... then we took off to try to find a B-n-B I had read about and again I was SURE I knew where it was..... kinda sort of, so again, without the benefit of the roadmap we took off down another road to nowhere that just went on and on and on.... Secret was getting a little panicky and loudly declared that we SURELY had gone 30 miles when we really had just gone a few..... but it sure SEEMED like 30 miles as we went further and further into this terra incognita..... the road finally dead ended at a little watery place called Inland Lake and there were actually a few souls there.... I wondered if they had simply gotten lost like we did and decided to just move there since the way back was just too long.... so we backtracked and went back through town and headed back...... at one point we passed an odd little place that we saw as "Donkey Dream Ranch"....... we were both confused as to what kind of things might go on at such a place and a very colorful conversation took place on the subject in the miles that followed (I googled it later to find out it was "Dream Donkeys".... so we had mixed it up, but that was funnier at the time)....... well, the drive went on for a few more hours as we meandered around Northern Alabama........ even went through Boaz..... world headquarters of the mullet and the sleeveless Budweiser shirt! WOOT! The drive ended up on the shores of Lake Guntersville on the Tennessee River........ it was a lovely way to end the day before turning home.... the heat had slackened and it was cool beside the dark blue water of the lake...... one of the most beautiful sights I have seen in a long time was the sunlight glistening like a million crystalline mirrors on the choppy water... framed by the sharply rising heights of the Cumberland Plateau as it rose and tumbled away to the North..... it was a great day topped off by an inexpensive dinner on the way home........... it's been years since she and I had done a drive like that and we both happily agreed that, for an afternoon, it seemed like old times again.....
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Sunday morning, while he finished up the trim on the back roof, I put up the kids new pool. It's only 8' x 30", but it'll be good enough for them to get wet & cool off in. I think Lulu will enjoy it the most, but... That was a job. I went to WalMart today at lunch to get the chemical starter kit so I can keep the water clean & useable.

So, that was my wonderful weekend! Hope you all enjoyed yours.

Happy Monday & have a great week!!

I've been really excited about my critters coming back this year. I've been making sure the bird feeders are full & that I spread some on the ground for the ones who like to eat there. The entire normal crew hasn't arrived yet, but hopefully, they will very soon.

I've always had at least one set of Cardinals male & female. Now I have several babies eating too. I understand that they mate for life (how sweet). The males are very protective too.

I had several Yellow Finch (male) last year. I bought a Finch food sock & saw 1 the very next evening. Yesterday afternoon he brought his girl with him. I hope they all come back cuz they're beautiful bright yellow & fun to watch!

For the last two years I've seen a Indigo Bunting hanging around eating. I didn't know what he was until Dixie told me. I sure hope he comes back! I've never seen a blue as pretty & bright at this is!

My squirrels are back, but so far only 3 or 4. Two of them are babies. Hopefully they won't destroy my feeders this year or I'll be having to "put a cap in 'em". to protect my property. Plus they eat all of my bird food!

I had a Hummingbird buzz through my carport a few weeks ago. I hurried & cleaned my feeder & filled it up. I even bought a new one with red glass 2 weeks ago. Still no Hummingbirds. I wonder where they are? They feed 5 to eight times every hour for 30 to 60 seconds at a time. So, where are mine? I LOVE watching them! Three years ago, I counted around 8 in my yard. They say you can usually double the number you see to know what's actually there. I sure hope they come back. They're such an interesting bird.

I've had 2 bunnies come eat also. I've been seeing them for years. They still get easily spooked & will bolt, but if you're still & quiet, you can watch them eat for a bit.

Scott did see a baby snake a few weeks ago while mowing the front yard, but it went away. I've been looking, but haven't seen any more. Thank God! I do NOT do snakes!

There you have my yard critter update!

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Tampa, Florida, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.

Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

One nurse took her copy to Missouri The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent poem.

And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? .What do you see?
What are you thinking.....when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man, ...not very wise,
Uncertain of habit ......with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food.......and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice.....'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice ..the things that you do.
And forever is losing .......... A sock or a shoe?

Who, resisting or not...........lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding .... the long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse......you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am .......... As I sit here so still,
As I do what you're bidding, ....as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of ten.......with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters ........who love one another.

A young boy of sixteen ..with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now. .......a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at twenty .....my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows......that I promised to keep.

At twenty-five, now ......... I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide .... and a secure happy home.
A man of thirty ........ my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other ........ with ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons ...have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me.......to see I don't mourn.
At fifty, once more, ........ babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children ...... my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me ............. my wife is now dead.
I look at the future ...............I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing......young of their own.
And I think of the years... and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man.........and nature is cruel.
'Tis jest to make old age ....look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles..........grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone........where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcase ...... a young guy still dwells,
And now and again ......my battered heart swells
I remember the joys........... I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living.............life over again.

I think of the years .all too few......gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact........that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people ..........open and see..
Not a crabby old man. Look closer....see........ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within.....we will all, one day, be there, too!

The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart.

GOD BLESS !!! Hope you all have a great weekend!