One Part Inspiration...

About Hallowe'en traditions. My sister and I have an unspoken contest. Every year, one of us calls the other and says "trick or treat, smell my feet..." She claims that the rest of it is "give me something good to eat"; I insist that it is "all the way up the street". It just wouldn't be Hallowee'n if that phone call didn't happen. This year, she beat me to it. So for her (and for all my studio audience) I am giving out my favorite kind of chocolate. BRIDGE MIX! But only if you come to the door.

It's Hallowe'en 2007. My daughter is sitting beside me working on the yearbook. In a few minutes, she is going out with her friends. My husband is reading a magazine in the comfy chair. My #1 son is at a party, my #2 son is out with his friend trick or treating. This is his last year of being able to trick or treat. (house rules) His dad was a little sad that he didn't get to go with him on this last year of being out on the streets. (maybe he thinks he's not going to get that many " Rockets " off my son by not being with him?) My son said he felt a little sad too but a little glad that he can go with his friend. I think I will take my husband out to dinner to make him feel better. (actually I just don't want to have to cook). I can't talk about Hallowe'n without mentioning my Dad. The last year I was at home, he put out a bucket of candy. Since he had some errands to do, he put out a sign with the candy. "Help yourself to ONE". He ca...

I hate Hallow e'en . Not for moral reasons necessarily. But it requires so much creativity in thinking up costumes. I hate dressing up in costumes. Every time I am required to dress up [usually only if I am working on the 31st of October] , I go through possibilities in my mind and reject them one by one. I could go as a cluster of grapes. No, bad idea. How would I play guitar then? I could go as a pioneer. No, bad idea. I don't have anything in my wardrobe resembling a pioneer. Plus, it means a shopping trip to a thrift store for stuff that I will only be donating on the 1st of November. I could go as a Soccer coach. No, bad idea. I did that one last year. I could go as myself. No, bad idea. Everyone would know that I was too lazy to think of something creative. I could go as an angel. No, bad idea. For obvious reasons. You see the dilemma I am faced with. I have tried everything. I have Googled costumes for ideas. I have canvassed family and friends for ideas. Still, nothing...

????????????????? (To the tune of " Where have all the flowers gone ") Where does all the money go? Long time passing? Where does all the money go? Short time ago? Where does all the money go? Paycheck's spent, yes it is gone. When will the next one come? When will the next one come? Where has all my paycheck gone? Long time passing? Where has all my paycheck gone? Short time ago? Where has all my paycheck gone? Food and gas, bills, then it's done. When will the next one come? When will the next one come? Where has all the food gone? Long time passing? Where has all the food gone? Short time ago? Where has the food gone? Seems they ate it, every one. When will the next one come? When will the next one come?

All I wanted to do this morning was to have a shower. So I went downstairs to find the baking soda so that I could clean the tub. That was eight hours ago. You see, once I found it, I realized the six-pack of baking soda that I bought hadn't been opened yet. So I went to the fridge to get my favorite magnetic tool to open the plastic on the six pack. Then I realized that the fridge door was dirty. So I took out a cloth and wiped the front of it; then opened it and saw that someone had spilled pop on the kick plate. So I took the kick plate off and found enough dust on the heating grill of the fridge to make a small sweater. Then I got out the vacuum and vacuumed under the fridge. While I was at it, I decided to quickly vacuum the main floor. I went to the closet to find the vacuum and lo and behold, the window cleaner smiled up at me begging me to use it. "After all", it practically said "I am foamy and you love to spray me out in designs.." So I went to get som...

I was talking to my son the other day who mentioned a lady who had done some personality test. She figured she was the spontaneous type because she scheduled "spontaneous time" between 2-3 every afternoon. Then we got talking about procrastination. He said he was going to think about it later. These are actual conversations folks. I don't make these things up.

Tonight is the last night of the poll I posted on what's in your wallet. Just for fun...I thought I would go through my wallet and reveal its contents for you. (I'm actually going to let you know what's in my purse...which is even more scary) 2 lip balms (compliments of the orthodontist's office..they actually work quite nicely) 1 lipstick. 1 lipgloss 1 container of tylenol 3 candy wrappers 1 cheque book -if there's cheques left in it, does that mean I still have money? 1 list of dates to transfer to my daytimer. People keep throwings dates of events at me like I am going to remember what's happening on the 31st of May 2008 1 list of students for the music class I am running - will I ever remember their names????? 1 calculator - often used, never understood 1 coupon for 10$ off my next shoe purchase...WHOO HOO!! 1 antiseptic towlette - I am always prepared...actually it has to go back in the soccer supply bag 2 pens -one with a highlighter on the other end. Love...

"Do you like my cookies? I made them myself with the help of a well known food company."

Day One: Checked out the Brechins. Turns out they have quite a stash! Rooted around and found this and that before settling on a piece of cheese. Tasty, although not very big. Attached to some sort of device. Managed to get it out with a wee tug. Day Two: Too lazy to cook. Decided to go to the Brechins again since they have a run-through drawer. More of this and that. Another piece of cheese. This time it was bigger but it was mashed in the same device. Took me some time to wrest it from said device. Finally had success at 0400 hrs. Day Three: Hunger pangs hit hard today. Went to Brechins. Nothing. Had to settle on Bridge Mix...unfortunately, someone in that house had already gotten to the hard carmel chocolates. (my favorites). Had to take a chocolate covered soft mint. Not impressed. Day Four: Went to Brechins again just in case. Device now holds an almond. Nibbled on it some. Very kind of them to wedge it in so nicely. I can sit on my haunches and look civilized as I munch. Was much...

High School Parent /Teacher Conferences. It's kind of thing a parent lies awake at night worrying about. What are the chances that you could look up another kid's name and talk to the teachers about that one instead of yours? Oh, man, now they are going to put a face to those emails and phonecalls you occasionally use to contact them. And on and on. The voices in the head keep talking. Using nasty words like the "R" words. (Responsibility, Reasonable limits, .....) and the "P" word (Punctuality) or the "H" word (Homework...oh yes, they are going to nail you on that one...why aren't you aware of what homework should be done and handed in?) It's enough to strike fear into the most confident parent. Even the ones who have read all the manuals and have attended all "Parenting with Excellence" seminars. The actual process is just bizarre. It's like going to a Boxing Day sale. Line ups, line ups, line ups. Hurry up and move alon...

Although my given name is Marion, I am known as Marni. I have been called Marni ever since I was a little girl (unless I was in trouble, and then my middle name was used as well). I used to spell Marni with an "e" but then, somewhere around the time I was trying to be unique (i.e. those precious teen years) I took the "e" off. I now spend much of my time when spelling my name for someone, trying to get them to remember there is no "e". A conversation might go something like this: Salesperson: O.K.. let's get this form filled out. Your name? Me: Marni Salesperson begins to spell it out...I see immediately that the "e" is going on the page and I state very clearly " there is no "e" in my name. It is Marn "i". Manys the time when the "e" has stayed on the page. It's as if the "e" has created a hearing/memory blockage in the writer. The "e" stares up at me daring me to be assertive enough...

Somebody I read about lately, has a journal which she puts in three things every day that she is thankful for - with no repeats. I am not sure I could do that, but I am going to do a top ten for today. 10. The beautiful sunrise this morning which had the sun behind the clouds, making a perfect silver lining. 9. Safety on the road both ways from work. I saw two ambulances on the other side of the road on the way home dealing with an accident. 8. New jammies. Very soft. Cuddly, and just right to curl up with a book and a nice cup of tea. 7. An enjoyable supper time with the family. Filled with discussion and laughter and reminiscing about our family history. (A Kodak Moment) 6. Jeans day at work. Raising money to help out a co-worker with his financial needs while he waits for long term disability due to esophogeal cancer. A reminder to count blessings and carry other's burdens. 5. A great sermon yesterday which pointed out that we have an eternity dimension - so what's the harm ...

I have been trying maintain the illusion, that "everything is under control." But, lately, I have been feeling a little like the man who saw the hole in the wall and plugged it with his finger, only to discover that the water then poured out another hole. So he uses another finger to plug the hole, only to discover, another hole with water pouring out of it.. soon, he ran out of fingers and toes to stop the water. I can't even identify THE one reason I am feeling like this. It's just a vague nagging at me. Something like wondering what you forgot, only to remember in the middle of the night that your kid is still standing in the corner where you banished him after the fight with his brother. Yesterday, it became apparent, that my finger plugging the hole in the wall was simply that:an illusion. I was on an errand run for work. Wandering around at a department store, early in the morning with my list, gathering supplies for the project I have assigned to me. The 'c...

So today, I was in the bookstore. I was supposed to pick up a book that I had ordered for a gift. I try to avoid going into bookstores too often because they become the "$100" stores. But, inspite of myself, I began to look around - picking up various books and reading the middle of them to see if I liked the writing. As I was perusing a book in the "women's interest" section, I tuned into a conversation between the sales guy and a customer. Obviously, the customer was trying to find a book on a particular subject in a particular section. The sales guy was trying to help him. Then he said " Oh you won't find it here....psychology is a mess."

This blog post is about the trip to see the Titanic. It was an exciting day - this is how it went. Up early, get to the ferry, go to the gift shop and see all the high priced things you can do without. Buy food. Eat food. Walk around looking at people who were smarter than you and brought a portable computer so they could watch a movie instead of spending their money on food. Drive to Victoria, find your way around. Park. Borrow money from son to pay for parking. Walk to the museum. Offer to take pictures of tourists who are in Victoria taking pictures of each other. Pay entrance fee. Find your way to the exhibit. Fight the crowd of high-school students who really have no idea the value of the exhibit they are "studying". Try to absorb as much of the exhibit as you can before your stomach pangs take over and you realize it is late afternoon, and you haven't eaten. Go back to vehicle. Drive to harbor area. Park again. Decide to try a different kind of restaurant - a f...

I was just out with my #1 son on a school project. Some projects are hideously time-consuming and "boring". Over the years of my experiences of helping with school projects, my list of "oh-man-not-this-kind-of-project" falls the Science Fair project, the family tree project, the building a First-Nations village out of popsicle sticks. You see where I am going with this? Projects which children are asked to do, invariably pull parents into the panic-stricken mode. "What do you mean, this is due at the end of the week? When was it assigned?" My favorite story of the parental help is of a family at the school whose son had to do a research project into his family roots. Understand, dear reader, that this was the 5 th major project assigned by this over-zealous teacher in a month. And not just any month. It was May. May! The month where the school year is nearing the beginning of the end. Anyway, this dad was helping his son. He pulled off a whole whack of i...

I am a person who likes visual reminders about life lessons. For instance, I have a small cottage ornament that has a light inside. I keep it on all the time to remind myself about hope. It came to me at a time when hope was scarce for us as a family. Ever since then, I just like to see it on. I don't know what's up in your life cyber-reader. Perhaps you are going through a smooth path at the moment, but perhaps you are facing some very difficult times. I ran across it again while preparing for Thanksgiving services. It was a reminder to me that God knows our path. http://mrmom.amaonline.com/stories/thankfulforthethorns.htm