New Kid on the Block

Happy Friday to all!

Please join me as I debut my grateful little self over at MMW today.  The dugout over there is bigger than the one here at the Ballpark, and I had room to put my feet up while I tapped out a few thoughts.

New Kid on the Block

The best news of the week is that Dad will be coming home from rehab a week from today.  Due to the right meds and some excellent PT, the man is returning to his former self.  I could not foresee this a month ago.  God is good.

Unfortunately, Mom sprained her ankle on Monday, so is in a wheelchair for awhile.  God is still good.

Sweet, Sweet Day

Happy Valentines-wear pink-make Hallmark happy-eat too much chocolate day!  Oh, and love me some roses-day.

These arrived late yesterday.  Love the lavender.  And the yellow.  They're my favorite, until I look at the white.  Then they're my favorite, until I glance at the pink.   Thank you, thoughtful groom.  There's just nothing more perfect than a rose.

Unless, it's a newborn.

We have a new grand-niece who just arrived on the planet Monday.  She's not impressed with the world yet...she likes to doze in trendy caps and snugly blankets.  She has an older brother who's bound to bother her before too long.  These two are going to keep their parents hopping.  Babies fresh from heaven...can't beat it.

It's been a sweet week, with flowers and newborns and no snow here in Florida.  Snow doesn't usually occur here, but you never know.  Nemo had a mind of its own.  It appears things are melting up north, so here's hoping the worst is over.

Another fun thing recently...I won a short story contest over at  Mormon Mommy Writers.  MMW is a site hosted by a group of women who write about faith, parenthood, and writing.  They are compiling a soon to be published book of short stories, essays, and poems.  They accepted a story I wrote based on dealing with my dad's stroke a few years ago.  The prize was a gift card to Amazon, with which I quickly purchased the soundtrack to Les Miserables.  Hugh Jackman has been agonizing through song from my stereo since.  I have to pause in whatever I'm doing when he sings Bring Him Home because it's so poignant and prayerful and longing and beautiful, I can't think about anything else. 

Anyhoo....MMW has since invited me to regularly post on their site, every other Friday for now.  My first post there will be Feb. 22.  I am very honored to be invited to contribute.  I'm not Mormon, but I have a good friend who is, and our doctrinal differences don't detract a thing from our sistership.

I expect to acquire some new friends over at MMW and learn as much as possible about being part of a writing team that is passionate about faith, family, and writing.  I hope I don't goof up too often.

Lent started yesterday, and with that came my 40 days of no chocolate.  Chocolate and I have been close buds for too long now, and it's time I create some space between us.  It's become too clingy and demanding.  Every time I pass the refrigerator, the chocolate chips fly out and scream "Eat me!"  They're ruling the roost.

Yesterday, I made brownies for my husband.  I didn't eat any brownies, but without thinking, I licked batter off the spatula.

Already, Easter is too far away.

Notes from the Dugout

Hello cyberspace friends!  How has life been treating you?

I've not checked in much this week, and, I have to tell ya', I miss the connection.  Writing and chatting with you via the sky gives my brain time to reflect and just be still a minute.  I suspect writing does that for most of us who love it.

My update on Dad is that he's doing better.  The medications have finally balanced and enabled Dad to concentrate on his therapy.  He's getting up on his feet (with help) and spends more time dressed and in the wheelchair than in bed.  He'd like to be on his walker tomorrow, but recovery is very slow, and he will likely be in rehab another three weeks.  At the moment, he does not have a roommate, and his broken TV was replaced.  Those things make life a little more enjoyable.  He discovered he can wheel himself down to the bistro to get free ice cream.  This makes life a little sweeter.

Here he is with his bride of 62 years.   He calls her Janey-baby. 

Here on the home front, we received a tax refund that enabled me to pay off the new stove and slap another chunk of dough on student loans I swear are going to follow me to the grave.   I'm all for higher education, it's worth it, it's worth it, just get the degree before you're 42.  I'm just saying.

Regarding the new stove: the glass flat top is a puzzle to clean. The cleaner they recommend is just a polish, doesn't have any effect on globs of red sauce or bacon grease.  Scraping the glass with a razor's edge, as they also recommend, gets off the globs of stuff, but I cringe as I do it, knowing at some point the glass is going to get scratched.  The razor doesn't remove the smeary kinds of stuff we generate, either.  I've tried oven cleaner and even Windex (the top is glass, right?) to no avail.  Any tips from other flat top stove owners?  I'm sure there's a magic solution out there.

I was back in a high school class room this week, after seven years away, teaching character education to teens, making good choices regarding dating and sex, etc.  I felt old and a bit out of touch, but the students were attentive and responsive and asked excellent questions.  At 14, their faces are open and vulnerable, and I fell in love with all of them, especially the few with autism.  They were genuine and unafraid and told me straight what was on their mind. Teenagers get a bad rap, but I think they're pretty cool.

I also made a decision this week I'm already regretting.  I signed up for the April A-Z Blogging Challenge.  Staring April 1, bloggers write a post a day, starting with a topic that begins with A, then work their way through the alphabet.  They can have a theme, or no theme.  I thought I had a good theme, but after I wrote three posts in preparation, I was out of material.  So, I'm back to square one, which is, what the heck am I going to write about every day?  

Drop by in April and see how it plays out.  I'm warning you right now, some posts are bound to be doo-doo. 

What are your plans for April?