More Tree's

OK, I'd like to promise you that this would be the last post about trees but I don't like to make promises I can't keep.

Today was to be my bread making, Thanksgiving preparing, day of bliss. But instead I spent the morning and part of the early afternoon being completely panicked and seriously contemplated drinking the two 24 ounce cans of Budweiser that I bought to soak my turkey in (see November 2005 archives).

The weather this morning was cold and rainy and I had looked at the online weather report early this morning to see how soggy the day would be. NO where did it mention that there might be accompanying winds that, given the chance, would gust to a quick and tornadic like way and take out 7-8 trees in our yard. One tree was quite big and it was very, very scary.

Let me tell you why.

In our back yard their has been a tree that has been dead and the Mister has been concerned for some time regarding this tree. So when the tree guys were chopping down trees next door on Monday I asked if he would look at that tree (and one in the front that died during the drought this summer). Now I live in an area that is known for it's ridiculously tall pine trees. Like I would liken it to going to New York city after only seeing it in picture...You know the buildings are tall but when you get there you realize that they are in fact so much taller than you could have even imagined.

The trees around my house are like that. They are ridiculously tall.

So this tree in the yard is a concern but I had just talked to the tree guy and it was going to be handled.

Let's just say that this storm this morning just saved my a hundred bucks.

But here is the REALLY scary thing that makes me sick to think about even 6 hours later. Normally The Boy gets up in the morning and takes Kona out to "do her thing" before we leave for school. But it was a soaker of a rain at the usual time so I had him wait. Around 10:15 I asked him to go ahead and take her out since the rain had slowed to a slow drizzle. He took her out, hung up the leash, and ran up stairs to continue playing in his room and the winds suddenly started to pound against the house and I looked out the office window and saw trees bending at a very odd angle while the leaves and debris were being blown like so many socks in my dryer.

At this point The Boy has reached the top of the stairs and is yelling "Mom trees are falling down stairs" and he races back down stairs with eyes the size of saucers.

Then the power went out.

The huge dead tree snapped and fell right where The Boy and Kona had been standing not three minutes before it toppled.

I began to frantically call people on my cell phone trying to find somewhere to go....preferably some place safe from trees. But the power was out and I didn't know how to raise the electric garage door.

So I called my parents in AZ so they could panic with me. But unfortunately I hadn't had my cell phone plugged in and I was running out of juice. Not a good thing if you suddenly find yourself hunkering down in the hall bathroom with a tree as a new fixture.

So we stayed in downstairs and prayed that the wind would go away.

The power didn't come back on until almost 2.

The good thing is that my turkey is happily sitting in it's beer brine bath and the bread has all been baked off and all is ready for our day of fun, feast, and family tomorrow... Where we will all give thanks that my sweet Boy is not a pancake.

God's Blessings to each of you and your families as you celebrate tomorrow.
Happy Thanksgiving!

La Vida Dulce!

TIMBER!!!!!

So I have gotten absolutely nothing done today because the neighbor next door is having 14 huge pine trees cut down in her yard and is like a train wreck...I just have to watch.

And let me tell you....the answer is "yes". When a tree falls in the forest is DOES make noise....and it is impressive!

Turkey Love

I am slightly irritated over the new version on Blogger because I can't get my pictures to post the fast way...and in the process I have posted three times without any luck. So I have posts that are flying out in there in cyber-space. If you find them, please let me know.

I won't let this blogging mess damper my spirits (or consume too much precious time!) during one of my most favorite weeks of the year. I love Thanksgiving Week. The preparation. The hard work that pays off so well on Thursday (which is also the Mister's brithday), and the decorating of the house on Friday night. Very, very fun!

I hope to post pictures throughout the week. Until then...

La Vida Dulce!

Alive

I am currently trying figure out my blog in a new format! I will post soon!

Bummer

Back in the "Texas" day, around this time of year, I needed to come up with some gifts for my nieces without breaking the bank. The Girl, my then 3 year old had received a beautiful ballet skirt and I decided I could make one. So I did what I always do when I want to make something...I ripped it apart to see how it was made and then I put it back together again.

So began my very short tenure in them making of ballet skirts. At the time I was teaching a preschool ballet class and all the Mom's (who also are my dearest friends) kindly paid me to make them for their daughters and, as word of mouth among 'the Mommie's' goes, I ended up getting many orders and I made some unexpected cash for the holidays. Then I quietly retired from a life sewing tulle.

Until I was encouraged to make some skirts to sell at a booth at the school carnival last weekend.

To make a long story short I locked myself in my sewing/guest room last weekend for about 8 hours and cranked out 9 ballet skirts. A friend of mine who makes some great monogrammed handbags said she would go in on a booth together and we were very excited about it.

But my creative dreams were dashed as I didn't sell one blasted skirt.

I'm not too worried about it. But I have to admit that when you make something it is hard not to take it personally when others don't think they are the greatest thing they have ever laid eyes on. This is probably why I don't need to be selling the things I make....Or I just need my sweet friends who 'ooh-ed and awed' three years ago to come see me.

Wait! One of them is coming to see me! In 3 short days!

Can I just say: HURRY UP SATURDAY! Or wait....not too fast.

Her room is covered in tulle!

Serious Issues

It seems that my chocolate consumption record can, and has, been broken.

I tried really hard to make this a chocolate free day. Especially since I have eaten chocolate at regular intervals since the day before Halloween...I was trying to get ahead of the game.

But I actually did well today. I ate a bowl of oatmeal and a banana for breakfast. And then I had some yogurt for lunch...Then I ate 9 miniature Snickers bars...But they are really, really, little. And you know, they have peanuts in them so that makes them a "health" food.

This is a definite improvement from Tuesday when I was at school teaching and was so hyped up on sugar I actually ran into a wall. But I do have to say it is not my fault that I started eating chocolate at school by 9am. it was the day of the Halloween parties for the little ones and the chocolate was flowing profusely...But I had a bit of a traumatic morning and so my boss was giving me chocolate as a consolation.

I stepped into the long supply closet that houses all the art supplies and stuff required to run a large pre-school. I walked in the door to put something away and when I turned around there on the floor, between me and the only way out, was the biggest wolf spider I have ever had the misfortune of being trapped in a supply cabinet with. I hollered for someone to help...Because seriously, I don't kill spiders that are bigger than I am...Or, really, at all. There were about 5- 6 teachers and office staff around the corner in the office and outside the hall. Now I am seriously freaked out at this point and trying to decide if I should jump over this creature or if I should stay where I was to be rescued. It was a very hard decision, because if someone came to kill it it might run towards me.

That would be very bad.

But on the other hand I am trying to remember if I had heard that wolf spiders like to jump, and if I jump over it and it jumps up at the same time the staff and students would most likely find their music teacher having a melt down. Which is never attractive.

Jumping over wins out because if the spider runs toward me in a chase then my only option is to jump over it anyway, so I pick the path of least trauma. For me, not the spider.

As I am halfway over the spider a teacher starts to walk into the supply closet and I practically knock her over. She is a soft spoken women who is gentle and kind in nature, but let me tell you that woman has COURAGE. And lots of it. She took swift and bold action and killed the spider on the spot.

I didn't feel too bad about my chickenie ways because when anyone in the surrounding area heard there was a mammoth spider in the supply room you could hear gasps and quick running within a ten mile radius. I take great pride in knowing that I work with some of the toughest women around, afterall they spend 4 hours everyday with 2-5 year olds. But in the face of ugly spiders we all have limits.

It was because of this unfortunate situation that I was given chocolate by my boss as a way of helping me cope. And it TOTALLY worked. I hadn't thought about it since this very moment.

Writing this makes me feel so much better! You know in psychology they always say that it is better to get to the root of your problems. One shouldn't treat the symptoms, but find out what is causing them. Then you deal with the source of the issue.

So my three day binge on chocolate is not really the problem.

It's the spiders fault.

OK, my sugar buzz is wearing off....I gotta go.