Last time I bought shoes, I discovered that Birkenstock makes a high-arch variety. There's not much choice in type of sandal: just the Arizona and the Florida styles. The store where I shopped had the shoes available in only one color. The high-arch sandals are a little more expensive than regular Birkenstocks. The salesman told me that most people don't need (and shouldn't get) the ultra-high arches. I did anyway.
And now I have happy feet. Due to a very wet incident in the backyard with a hose recently, I ended up wearing a pair of old Birkenstocks for a day while my current pair dried. The old ones seem so very flat in comparison. And although my feet were not pained to be wearing them, I could definitely tell the difference in comfort level.
So for those of you who are Birkie-lovers in an attempt to avoid buying orthotic devices -- as opposed to y'all who love your Birkenstocks just because they're so darn comfortable -- you might want to investigate the "high arch footbed" which the company says is their "highest, most aggressive arch support."
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Height
I was looking at the 150th-anniversary book of my home congregation. My brother, my sister, my uncle, and I were ALL smack-dab in the center of the back row in our confirmation pictures. My grandpa was the tall one in the pictures of the building committee for the congregation. My grandma was one of the tallest ones in the pictures of the ladies' groups. I guess there's no denying that there's some genes at work there! (Of course, Dad's side of the family ain't exactly short either!)
On top of that, my husband noticed something today. We're doing some time-consuming eagle-watching. (Eaglets are ready to make their first flights in the next day or so.) My uncle and I were both squatting in the exact same position -- the same position, incidentally, in which Philip squats (not sits!) on his chair when he uses the computer. Genes at work there too?
On top of that, my husband noticed something today. We're doing some time-consuming eagle-watching. (Eaglets are ready to make their first flights in the next day or so.) My uncle and I were both squatting in the exact same position -- the same position, incidentally, in which Philip squats (not sits!) on his chair when he uses the computer. Genes at work there too?
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Left toTheir Own Devices
Family reunion. The grown-up cousins enjoying each other's company. The little cousins and second-cousins off playing and having a blast. Lots of games. Lots of talking. LOTS of laughing. Not as much "parenting" going on as normal.
So after lunch, the question is, "Mom, can I go swimming now?"
"Sooooo, when was the last time you brushed your teeth?" (Mothers will understand that that was a HINT and not a genuine question.)
"After breakfast."
For some reason, although I don't know what, I felt the needed to check on the veracity of this statement. So with a little bit of facetiousness, I asked, "After breakfast which day?"
"Yesterday."
AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!
After my eyes about popped out, I suggested that maybe, just maybe, she miiiight want to brush her teeth BEFORE going swimming.
And then my sister-in-law tells me that a cousin was reeeeeal helpful in this regard. Out in the lake, playing around the "Maypole," Tim tells the group of girls that they need to remember to brush their teeth (even if the parents aren't micro-managing them) because, if they don't, their teeth will get this fuzzy, soft feeling from all that plaque and nastiness. Girls, being girls, decided that maybe, just maybe, FUZZY teeth would feel kinda cool. Maybe they shouldn't brush so they can get that velvety feel on their teeth.
And then parents come along and interfere with their experiment. Harrrumph!
So after lunch, the question is, "Mom, can I go swimming now?"
"Sooooo, when was the last time you brushed your teeth?" (Mothers will understand that that was a HINT and not a genuine question.)
"After breakfast."
For some reason, although I don't know what, I felt the needed to check on the veracity of this statement. So with a little bit of facetiousness, I asked, "After breakfast which day?"
"Yesterday."
AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!
After my eyes about popped out, I suggested that maybe, just maybe, she miiiight want to brush her teeth BEFORE going swimming.
And then my sister-in-law tells me that a cousin was reeeeeal helpful in this regard. Out in the lake, playing around the "Maypole," Tim tells the group of girls that they need to remember to brush their teeth (even if the parents aren't micro-managing them) because, if they don't, their teeth will get this fuzzy, soft feeling from all that plaque and nastiness. Girls, being girls, decided that maybe, just maybe, FUZZY teeth would feel kinda cool. Maybe they shouldn't brush so they can get that velvety feel on their teeth.
And then parents come along and interfere with their experiment. Harrrumph!
Psalm 78:34
When He slew them,
then they sought Him.
And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
Then they remembered that God was their Rock,
and the Most High God their Redeemer.
Psalm 78 is long. Seventy-two verses long. More than two whole pages in my Bible. Usually when we get to Psalm 78 in daily prayers, I end up reading a portion, or skimming through it pretty quickly. I'm bad. My attention is too short. It's easier for me to pray those 8-verse psalms or even those 16-verse psalms. But two whole long pages? My mind wanders.
This past Sunday, though, we were unable to attend church. I had no laundry to do. No dishes to do. I had time to say my prayers without rushing through a very long psalm. The psalm goes through the things God did for Israel, and how they rejected them. But He was faithful and worked wonders for them. And they rejected Him. So He became angry, but still He was merciful and rescued them. And after a while they spit in His face yet again. This is basically the way life worked through all the history of the children of Israel. And individual Christians can identify with that altogether too well.
But then we get halfway through this recitation of the cycling between unbelief and dependence upon Him and then unbelief again, and Asaph points out very very bluntly, "When He slew them, then they sought Him." It's almost like we cannot seek Him when things are going well. We should! But we tend not to. Thus the need for the curse of the fall, that we struggle with hard work and difficulty in raising kids and coping with earthquakes and floods. Thus God had to give over the Israelites to their sinful desires (for just one little example, to be like the other nations surrounding them) so that they would learn experientially exactly what their desires would garner them.
Pastor talks about the theology of the cross. Luther writes about the theology of the cross. The theology of the cross is obvious through much of Paul's writings. But this one verse really seems to express it in a nutshell: we have no use for Him until He slays us, and then we remember our Rock and our Redeemer.
I've got the quote in at least three different books, but I have access to none of them this week -- the quote from Luther about God's killing to make alive, God's bringing through hell to give heaven, God's bringing us low to raise us up. Yup, that quote is the extended version of these two verses in Psalm 78. I wish I could include the quote; I should probably memorize it. Somewhere in between laundry loads....
then they sought Him.
And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
Then they remembered that God was their Rock,
and the Most High God their Redeemer.
Psalm 78 is long. Seventy-two verses long. More than two whole pages in my Bible. Usually when we get to Psalm 78 in daily prayers, I end up reading a portion, or skimming through it pretty quickly. I'm bad. My attention is too short. It's easier for me to pray those 8-verse psalms or even those 16-verse psalms. But two whole long pages? My mind wanders.
This past Sunday, though, we were unable to attend church. I had no laundry to do. No dishes to do. I had time to say my prayers without rushing through a very long psalm. The psalm goes through the things God did for Israel, and how they rejected them. But He was faithful and worked wonders for them. And they rejected Him. So He became angry, but still He was merciful and rescued them. And after a while they spit in His face yet again. This is basically the way life worked through all the history of the children of Israel. And individual Christians can identify with that altogether too well.
But then we get halfway through this recitation of the cycling between unbelief and dependence upon Him and then unbelief again, and Asaph points out very very bluntly, "When He slew them, then they sought Him." It's almost like we cannot seek Him when things are going well. We should! But we tend not to. Thus the need for the curse of the fall, that we struggle with hard work and difficulty in raising kids and coping with earthquakes and floods. Thus God had to give over the Israelites to their sinful desires (for just one little example, to be like the other nations surrounding them) so that they would learn experientially exactly what their desires would garner them.
Pastor talks about the theology of the cross. Luther writes about the theology of the cross. The theology of the cross is obvious through much of Paul's writings. But this one verse really seems to express it in a nutshell: we have no use for Him until He slays us, and then we remember our Rock and our Redeemer.
I've got the quote in at least three different books, but I have access to none of them this week -- the quote from Luther about God's killing to make alive, God's bringing through hell to give heaven, God's bringing us low to raise us up. Yup, that quote is the extended version of these two verses in Psalm 78. I wish I could include the quote; I should probably memorize it. Somewhere in between laundry loads....
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Palmolive
My finger hurts. (Waaah waaaah waaaah.)
For a few years I was struggling with a rash on my right hand that hurt and would get so bad that it would bleed. In the last few months I got it under control. I wasn't sure whether it was the Burt's Bees lotion or the Melaleuca Renew lotion or the Palmolive dish soap or the escape from fungus-house. But doing dishes twice (TWICE... only twice!) away on vacation, with soap that's not Palmolive (and what we have here isn't even Dawn!) and the pain is back, the itch is back, the welts are back.
I think the guys are doing the dishes for the rest of this week.
I think I'm going to be freely using my bottle of Renew.
And I think Palmolive just gained one very loyal customer.
For a few years I was struggling with a rash on my right hand that hurt and would get so bad that it would bleed. In the last few months I got it under control. I wasn't sure whether it was the Burt's Bees lotion or the Melaleuca Renew lotion or the Palmolive dish soap or the escape from fungus-house. But doing dishes twice (TWICE... only twice!) away on vacation, with soap that's not Palmolive (and what we have here isn't even Dawn!) and the pain is back, the itch is back, the welts are back.
I think the guys are doing the dishes for the rest of this week.
I think I'm going to be freely using my bottle of Renew.
And I think Palmolive just gained one very loyal customer.
Psalm 73
Asaph is having a hard time with the way it seems life plays out. The unbelievers prosper. They have wealth. They have comfort. They oppress the Christians. They sass God. It is just plain useless to be a Christian.
Then Asaph admits that if he were to say such things, it would be untrue and it would scandalize God's children. But he just doesn't get it! He doesn't see how it can NOT be true. Then he goes into the sanctuary of God and figures it out; he sees what will be the end of the wicked.
And that is how Asaph's heart was grieved and how his mind was vexed -- his seeing with his eyeballs (and his senses and his logic) what was going on with the unbelievers and the righteous.
I was foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
NEVERTHELESS I am continually with You,
You hold me by my right hand;
You will guide me with Your counsel;
and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none on earth I desire but You.
My heart and my flesh fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Sometimes it can be comforting to see that those great saints of the past were as lousy sinners as I. If they can be as unbelieving as Asaph (in other words, if I am as unbelieving and chafing as Asaph was being), we still see that God is faithful to us, turns us around, hangs onto us, and gives us Himself who/which is our only real desire.
God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!
Then Asaph admits that if he were to say such things, it would be untrue and it would scandalize God's children. But he just doesn't get it! He doesn't see how it can NOT be true. Then he goes into the sanctuary of God and figures it out; he sees what will be the end of the wicked.
And that is how Asaph's heart was grieved and how his mind was vexed -- his seeing with his eyeballs (and his senses and his logic) what was going on with the unbelievers and the righteous.
I was foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
NEVERTHELESS I am continually with You,
You hold me by my right hand;
You will guide me with Your counsel;
and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none on earth I desire but You.
My heart and my flesh fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Sometimes it can be comforting to see that those great saints of the past were as lousy sinners as I. If they can be as unbelieving as Asaph (in other words, if I am as unbelieving and chafing as Asaph was being), we still see that God is faithful to us, turns us around, hangs onto us, and gives us Himself who/which is our only real desire.
God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!
Friday, June 06, 2008
Tornado Sirens
This sound filled the air. "What is that?" About the time I began to suspect it was a tornado warning, Paul walked in the door, coming home from work, saying that Mark Belling was interrupted on the radio to announce tornadoes.
I CANNOT SEE THE HORIZON HERE.
This is driving me nuts. There's bad weather, and I have to rely on somebody setting off the sirens? And how do I know if the officials are crying wolf or if there's really danger? I cannot see the full sky now that I live in town!
Seventeen years ago I remember worrying, as spring and "weather" arrived, that there were no tornado sirens out in the country to warn me of dangerous weather. And today I worry that, even though there are sirens, I cannot see the sky and depend on my own two eyes and knowledge of the clouds and weather patterns.
I CANNOT SEE THE HORIZON HERE.
This is driving me nuts. There's bad weather, and I have to rely on somebody setting off the sirens? And how do I know if the officials are crying wolf or if there's really danger? I cannot see the full sky now that I live in town!
Seventeen years ago I remember worrying, as spring and "weather" arrived, that there were no tornado sirens out in the country to warn me of dangerous weather. And today I worry that, even though there are sirens, I cannot see the sky and depend on my own two eyes and knowledge of the clouds and weather patterns.
Monday through Friday
Two months ago, Pastor Petersen wrote about how it is good to be a pastor, how it's a good job with many blessings. Gary and I had been talking about that topic while he was applying and interviewing for jobs. And then along came Pr P, affirming all that we recognized was just good about the daily life of a pastor and a pastor's family.
But it was not to be for us. Not anymore.
And it's hard to adjust.
And I know now why so many homeschool moms say that they deeply appreciate that their husbands give them the gift of homeschooling the children. I've heard moms say how glorious it is that they have control of the day, when the kids get up, when mealtime is, whether they ditch the books to go on a fieldtrip, whether they set aside spelling to read another four chapters of history, whether they take the opportunity of good weather to go for a walk or dig in the garden or play at the beach while saving the bookwork for Saturday when it's going to be rainy. That freedom of schedule is an awesome thing to revel in!
I used to know it was a good thing. But I didn't appreciate it as much when Gary had it too, when he could determine whether to mow the grass or make shut-in calls, when he could go on a fieldtrip with us if we could help in the evening with putting the newsletter together, or whatever. But now that he doesn't have that freedom and is tied to his cubicle, it makes me feel sooo thoroughly indulged that I still have that freedom. I feel kinda guilty for having so much when he's sacrificing so much.
But it was not to be for us. Not anymore.
And it's hard to adjust.
And I know now why so many homeschool moms say that they deeply appreciate that their husbands give them the gift of homeschooling the children. I've heard moms say how glorious it is that they have control of the day, when the kids get up, when mealtime is, whether they ditch the books to go on a fieldtrip, whether they set aside spelling to read another four chapters of history, whether they take the opportunity of good weather to go for a walk or dig in the garden or play at the beach while saving the bookwork for Saturday when it's going to be rainy. That freedom of schedule is an awesome thing to revel in!
I used to know it was a good thing. But I didn't appreciate it as much when Gary had it too, when he could determine whether to mow the grass or make shut-in calls, when he could go on a fieldtrip with us if we could help in the evening with putting the newsletter together, or whatever. But now that he doesn't have that freedom and is tied to his cubicle, it makes me feel sooo thoroughly indulged that I still have that freedom. I feel kinda guilty for having so much when he's sacrificing so much.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Nutrition-Nazi
There's a problem that comes from learning about nutrition and healthy eating. And there's a bigger problem that comes from actually eating well and seeing what a good effect it has on you.
When you're too tired,
or short of money,
or bummed out,
or short on time,
what do you cook, anyhow?
When it seems like making "real food" is beyond your capabilities, and when you feel like you can't eat out or buy insta-food from the grocery store (because you know you'll feel like crud after you eat it), then there's almost nothing left to eat.
No wonder we've been eating so many fried eggs on ww toast recently! Or home-made granola for supper. Or hamburgers. Lots of hamburgers too.
When you're too tired,
or short of money,
or bummed out,
or short on time,
what do you cook, anyhow?
When it seems like making "real food" is beyond your capabilities, and when you feel like you can't eat out or buy insta-food from the grocery store (because you know you'll feel like crud after you eat it), then there's almost nothing left to eat.
No wonder we've been eating so many fried eggs on ww toast recently! Or home-made granola for supper. Or hamburgers. Lots of hamburgers too.
Call Day
When there aren't enough calls to go around when it comes time for placing the graduates of the seminary, that's gotta be pretty discouraging for the guys considering sem. I can't even imagine what it must be like to transplant your family, give up your career, sell your home, take on student debts, and then find after 4-5 years of school that you're not going to be a pastor after all.
Called You by Name
I am Jesus' little lamb.
(Hey. Jesus is the Lamb of God.
We are lambs.
We look like Him.)
Ever glad at heart I am,
for my Shepherd gently guides me,
knows my need and well provides me,
loves me every day the same,
even calls me by my name.
(Hey. We were signed with the holy cross and the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in our baptism. As Isaiah says, "I have called you by name. You are Mine.")
(Hey. Jesus is the Lamb of God.
We are lambs.
We look like Him.)
Ever glad at heart I am,
for my Shepherd gently guides me,
knows my need and well provides me,
loves me every day the same,
even calls me by my name.
(Hey. We were signed with the holy cross and the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in our baptism. As Isaiah says, "I have called you by name. You are Mine.")
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Garden
Jane recently wrote about her garden, and Glenda wrote in response about her farm market and her neighbors who share.
I never used to enjoy gardening. I would do it if necessary. The one year we actually had success was when we took a temporary paddock for a borrowed horse, and tilled it up for garden space. Hey, horse poop and spilled hay makes clay into good soil!
So here we are, in a new house, with a need to cut costs and be even more frugal than before. And now I want to garden. I'm not sure what's going on in me. Maybe there's something about having those baby plants come up and need care; in years past that was just draining because I had PEOPLE who needed so much care and I didn't have energy to waste on plants. Or maybe there's something about the need to make this place MINE that is helped along by putting my seeds into the dirt and getting food out of it. I'm not sure what it is, but there's some desire in me to garden that I never knew before. A friend is putting in extra rows of beans and some extra tomatoes for us, knowing that we aren't prepared to garden yet this year, what with having had to wait on the septic system before doing any tilling. But even with the assurance of beans and tomatoes from someone else (like Glenda has) I just love putting in a foot or two of lettuce every couple of weeks, and putting out one hill of melon in my tiny little patch of dirt south of the garage.
I never used to enjoy gardening. I would do it if necessary. The one year we actually had success was when we took a temporary paddock for a borrowed horse, and tilled it up for garden space. Hey, horse poop and spilled hay makes clay into good soil!
So here we are, in a new house, with a need to cut costs and be even more frugal than before. And now I want to garden. I'm not sure what's going on in me. Maybe there's something about having those baby plants come up and need care; in years past that was just draining because I had PEOPLE who needed so much care and I didn't have energy to waste on plants. Or maybe there's something about the need to make this place MINE that is helped along by putting my seeds into the dirt and getting food out of it. I'm not sure what it is, but there's some desire in me to garden that I never knew before. A friend is putting in extra rows of beans and some extra tomatoes for us, knowing that we aren't prepared to garden yet this year, what with having had to wait on the septic system before doing any tilling. But even with the assurance of beans and tomatoes from someone else (like Glenda has) I just love putting in a foot or two of lettuce every couple of weeks, and putting out one hill of melon in my tiny little patch of dirt south of the garage.
Effective Time
For nearly 20 years we've been having dinner mid-day. The main task of the morning was getting dinner ready. Of course there might also be errands or some schoolwork with the kids. But generally the plan was to eat mid-day and then get on with life during the afternoon and evening.
Now that we are eating in the early evening, I really struggle to get anything accomplished during the day. The pattern is drilled into me that I can buckle down to work (at non-food things, anyway) after dinner. But that isn't a good plan when "after dinner" starts about 7:00 or 8:00 in the evening. Somehow I've got to get my body readjusted and get my mind to agree. I'm just not sure how to get those daily patterns changed. I wish it were as easy as just starting to do it a different way, but that's not workin' so well. At least not yet. Routines and habits do not change just because my mind tells me that those habits have to get switched around Right Now. (Uh... maybe that difficulty in changing something is why we call it a habit.)
Now that we are eating in the early evening, I really struggle to get anything accomplished during the day. The pattern is drilled into me that I can buckle down to work (at non-food things, anyway) after dinner. But that isn't a good plan when "after dinner" starts about 7:00 or 8:00 in the evening. Somehow I've got to get my body readjusted and get my mind to agree. I'm just not sure how to get those daily patterns changed. I wish it were as easy as just starting to do it a different way, but that's not workin' so well. At least not yet. Routines and habits do not change just because my mind tells me that those habits have to get switched around Right Now. (Uh... maybe that difficulty in changing something is why we call it a habit.)
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Astronaut Farmer
We watched a great movie tonight. Even though I'd felt rather down in the dumps for most of the day, this was an interesting story and a great pick-me-up.
Movies languish for ages in our Blockbuster queue, so by the time they arrive in our mailbox, we've forgotten who recommended it and why, and even what the story is about. Reading the synopsis, I thought this movie was in our queue because it would be about vocation and someone leaving his exciting career to go home and take care of his family. Well, that wasn't the point of the movie at all. I think it must've been recommended by Claire Wolfe in Backwoods Home Magazine ... because this movie isn't shy about showing the government's control over a citizen's grand (and potentially dangerous) plans.
The story is a little heavy on "you can be anything you dream of being," but it still has LOTS of funny and light-hearted moments, a wife who is perpetually supportive of her dear husband, some very real (and very cute) little girls, and a foray into homeschooling.
Movies languish for ages in our Blockbuster queue, so by the time they arrive in our mailbox, we've forgotten who recommended it and why, and even what the story is about. Reading the synopsis, I thought this movie was in our queue because it would be about vocation and someone leaving his exciting career to go home and take care of his family. Well, that wasn't the point of the movie at all. I think it must've been recommended by Claire Wolfe in Backwoods Home Magazine ... because this movie isn't shy about showing the government's control over a citizen's grand (and potentially dangerous) plans.
The story is a little heavy on "you can be anything you dream of being," but it still has LOTS of funny and light-hearted moments, a wife who is perpetually supportive of her dear husband, some very real (and very cute) little girls, and a foray into homeschooling.
Janesville
Most of my readers aren't going to care, but a few will. The GM plant in Janesville is closing.
If it weren't for the church situation, I think Janesville would be my first-choice place to live in all the world. There are so many things I love about that city! And the plant's closing is going to be very very hard on the community.
If it weren't for the church situation, I think Janesville would be my first-choice place to live in all the world. There are so many things I love about that city! And the plant's closing is going to be very very hard on the community.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Church Signs
One of the churches in town had a sign for a few weeks that said
Church parking lot for members only.
Trespassers will be baptized.
Now, if it had said "trespassers will be forgiven," I would've really liked that sign.
I like the current one even better. It really doesn't belong on a church sign, but ya gotta admit that there's no false theology in this one:
A balanced diet is
a cookie in each hand.
Church parking lot for members only.
Trespassers will be baptized.
Now, if it had said "trespassers will be forgiven," I would've really liked that sign.
I like the current one even better. It really doesn't belong on a church sign, but ya gotta admit that there's no false theology in this one:
A balanced diet is
a cookie in each hand.
There are certain women you look up to, certain women you want to be like "when you grow up." They are fun. They tell good stories. They are glowing with love for their Savior. They are your friends as well as people to admire.
So when you get a phone call saying that one of these young 70-yr-olds or 80-yr-olds has passed away, what can you say? If it's relatively unexpected and this lovely woman was bopping along through life in pretty decent health, all you can think is, "NO." But "no" doesn't change it. "No" doesn't make it any easier that Armin and Harlan and Mel and Dorothy aren't joining us for Thursday morning Bible class any more. They're missed. "NO" is not the right response. But "no, it cannot be" is about all I can think right now. Again.
I used to think (back when I was young, and when 50 or 60 seemed "old") that it was odd when you'd see an obituary for an 83-yr-old, and it said that the person "died unexpectedly." I would think about how old the person was and wonder HOW death could be unexpected. But boy, in the last few years, I sure have learned different!
So when you get a phone call saying that one of these young 70-yr-olds or 80-yr-olds has passed away, what can you say? If it's relatively unexpected and this lovely woman was bopping along through life in pretty decent health, all you can think is, "NO." But "no" doesn't change it. "No" doesn't make it any easier that Armin and Harlan and Mel and Dorothy aren't joining us for Thursday morning Bible class any more. They're missed. "NO" is not the right response. But "no, it cannot be" is about all I can think right now. Again.
I used to think (back when I was young, and when 50 or 60 seemed "old") that it was odd when you'd see an obituary for an 83-yr-old, and it said that the person "died unexpectedly." I would think about how old the person was and wonder HOW death could be unexpected. But boy, in the last few years, I sure have learned different!
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Weekend Away
It was a long drive -- to Fort Wayne yesterday morning and back again this afternoon. But it was a wonnnnderful weekend with so many people we love, and a lovely wedding, and a blast of a party. Not enough time with all those loved ones, but some is better than nothin'! And we made it in better time than we'd anticipated -- which is nice to know with a baby that we may want to see now and then in Ft Wayne. (Katie, it was about 5.2 hours on the way home, and that was with a potty stop and a slow-down for the construction in Chicago, but otherwise ideal traffic through the city.)
Friday, May 30, 2008
Warranties
Gary got a laptop computer from Best Buy three years ago. Three years and three days, to be precise. The extended warranty expired three days ago. Two days ago the whole thing just plain stopped. When he took it in yesterday, they told him what the problem was, and nope, they couldn't fix it under warranty.
Thing is, he's had the machine in twice this past winter for the very problem that finally brought the computer to being utterly unusable two days ago. Best Buy kept insisting there was nothing wrong with the machine. They essentially told Gary that he didn't know how to plug in the machine. If he just plugged it in right, there wouldn't be a problem. Uh. No. How do you make them honor the warranty, short of going to small claims court?
Same day, my oven was blanked out and unusable too. As I tried to figure out online what might need to be repaired, Gary began taking the back off the control. I don't know what he did; I'm not sure he knows what he did. He did get a little zot. But somehow the electricity came back to the control panel, and now the oven is working again. Yeeee haw! (I've been without a stove twice already in the last 9 months, and really really didn't want to do it again.)
Now, if only the computer repair were as easily resolved.
Gary says the moral of the story is to never buy an extended warranty. I don't know. Without the extended warranty, that computer would have only made it a year. I think the moral of the story is to never buy a laptop. (And now all you laptop-lovers, especially the Dell folks, can tell me I'm silly.)
Thing is, he's had the machine in twice this past winter for the very problem that finally brought the computer to being utterly unusable two days ago. Best Buy kept insisting there was nothing wrong with the machine. They essentially told Gary that he didn't know how to plug in the machine. If he just plugged it in right, there wouldn't be a problem. Uh. No. How do you make them honor the warranty, short of going to small claims court?
Same day, my oven was blanked out and unusable too. As I tried to figure out online what might need to be repaired, Gary began taking the back off the control. I don't know what he did; I'm not sure he knows what he did. He did get a little zot. But somehow the electricity came back to the control panel, and now the oven is working again. Yeeee haw! (I've been without a stove twice already in the last 9 months, and really really didn't want to do it again.)
Now, if only the computer repair were as easily resolved.
Gary says the moral of the story is to never buy an extended warranty. I don't know. Without the extended warranty, that computer would have only made it a year. I think the moral of the story is to never buy a laptop. (And now all you laptop-lovers, especially the Dell folks, can tell me I'm silly.)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Dizzy
When I was little, I would spin around and around and around in the living room until I got so dizzy I fell over. I loved to get so dizzy that the world would keep on spinning even after I stopped twirling.
My husband hates getting dizzy. He doesn't like to ride the tea-cups or the Tilt-a-Whirl at the fair or at Six Flags. I want to ride the tea-cups with my sons, who have muscles and can make that ride spin fast enough that passers-by stop and point and say, "Wow, look how fast they're going!"
The other day we were at a graduation party. The house has a tiny kettle in the yard. (Maggie calls it a big pit.) A couple of my sons decided to roll down the hill. Oh, gosh! That looked like fun! So I did too. It was steep enough to get rolling really fast, and for a long way down. I finally came to a stop and lay at the bottom of the kettle, looking up at the trees spinning like crazy.
I discovered, though, that I don't have as much padding as I might. I've lost a lot of weight in the last year. And now there are two big bruises on my hips, from thump-thump-thumping down the hill. Still, the 60 seconds of dizziness was great. (And NO, I am not hoping for vertigo! A controlled and sought-after temporary dizziness from a carnival ride is altogether different from being stuck with persistent dizziness.)
Is this what comes from grown-ups tossing around a baby when she's little??? Not only am I not sickened by the spinning, but I love it. Come to think of it, most of my kids enjoy the dizziness, and they were swung around as babies too. Hmmmm, maybe I need to get a large government grant to study this....
My husband hates getting dizzy. He doesn't like to ride the tea-cups or the Tilt-a-Whirl at the fair or at Six Flags. I want to ride the tea-cups with my sons, who have muscles and can make that ride spin fast enough that passers-by stop and point and say, "Wow, look how fast they're going!"
The other day we were at a graduation party. The house has a tiny kettle in the yard. (Maggie calls it a big pit.) A couple of my sons decided to roll down the hill. Oh, gosh! That looked like fun! So I did too. It was steep enough to get rolling really fast, and for a long way down. I finally came to a stop and lay at the bottom of the kettle, looking up at the trees spinning like crazy.
I discovered, though, that I don't have as much padding as I might. I've lost a lot of weight in the last year. And now there are two big bruises on my hips, from thump-thump-thumping down the hill. Still, the 60 seconds of dizziness was great. (And NO, I am not hoping for vertigo! A controlled and sought-after temporary dizziness from a carnival ride is altogether different from being stuck with persistent dizziness.)
Is this what comes from grown-ups tossing around a baby when she's little??? Not only am I not sickened by the spinning, but I love it. Come to think of it, most of my kids enjoy the dizziness, and they were swung around as babies too. Hmmmm, maybe I need to get a large government grant to study this....
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