Booming Banter

We live off a state road that is considered one of Ohio’s Byways. On one side of the road is the scenic Olentangy River. On the other side many huge trees, fields and farms are interspersed with modern housing subdivisions.

Along the entire length of this stretch of road wild flowers grow. Yesterday I got a lovely surprise a patch of bluebells. Someone must have planted these because they are not native to the USA. They reminded me of spring in Ireland where bluebells bloom in profusion.

This morning Rev Mervyn Jamison the rector of our Church in Ireland posted some beautiful photos of bluebells in bloom at the rectory wood.

These two events brought back memories of school days when I took the bus home each day. We passed by the Minnow Burn (River) where there was a wood on a steep slope that at this time of year was completely blue.

This would have been exam season when lots of revision was done and cramming to get ready for tests. Even after all these years when I saw those bluebells yesterday exams came to mind along of course with other memories of warm days and long evenings and of course that wonderful smell of spring in all its glory.

Blessing # 326 – Colors of Home

Yesterday was one of those days when a few mistakes were made. Nothing irretrievable just embarrassing.

First while doing the Banter the publish button accidentally  encountered a trigger happy finger so something half baked escaped.

It took twice as long to pull it back in as it did to write it. Don’t know why this upsets me but it does. Who cares except me?

Next up it was the anniversary of the day Aaron came home to us. Sixteen years ago on April 30, 2003 we picked up a little munchkin. He’s grown a bit since then.

So thinking it would be a good idea to recognize this auspicious occasion a pic of him looking extra handsome was selected. A little message was written on it saying Sixteen Years Ago Aaron Came Home.

It was posted on Instagram so he’d see it as he doesn’t do Facebook. Unbeknownst to me the first line of the message got cropped out and it read Aaron Came Home.

Of course I didn’t realize this! Why does Instagram do this? Anyway it gave rise to several queries and no doubt some worries as to where he had been!

Red faced without blusher, once again corrections had to be made.

Final mistake of the day since they always run in threes was to have a run in with the menfolk.

As we were watching the hockey, nature called so I slipped out of the room for a minute. No sooner was I out than I could hear shouting.

What the heck are these guys arguing about now. Seriously you cannot leave them alone even for a pee! So of course rather than ignoring it as I should I laid into them both when I got back. I have to put up with you two nutcases, it is like living with two six year olds, no other woman in the world could stand this nonsense, are you ever going to stop etc etc!!!!!

All three of us then set huffing for the rest of the game. Only good thing about the evening was that our Bluejackets won!

So this morning feeling bad about my rant I talk to Aaron about the argument and he tells me he may have been a little salty with Dad who was only asking about the rules of hockey. Oops!

Blessing #325 – Correction

We are studying a book about Saint Peter at our Tuesday Morning Group. He’s an interesting guy always willing to be the first to jump in. He’ll do things that the other disciples don’t and seems to be always the one to speak out first.

In today’s world we’d probably  classify Pete as a Type A personality. He certainly wasn’t a shrinking violet.

As a fisherman he was used to life on the water and to the occasional storm too. Today we talked of his courage to jump the boat and do the unimaginable, walk on water.

This gave rise to a lot of stories about boats and storms. I couldn’t  resist telling of an experience Krishna and I had many years ago.

We were living in Switzerland and had just bought an old house in Belfast to renovate. We decided to drive to Ireland and bring a car load full of things for the house.

Of course this meant a boat journey and since the car was so loaded we decided to minimize driving and take the long boat ride from Northern France to the South of Ireland rather than driving the whole length of the UK.

This journey normally takes about sixteen hours on the boat so we got a nice cabin and thought we’d treat it like a mini cruise.

Well this all was taking place in December and when we got to the port there was a short delay on boarding because the wind was picking up.

As soon as we got on we went to our cabin and then to the restaurant for dinner and all seemed fine. We had been up at six that morning and had driven all day so were glad to be nicely tucked into our little beds by about midnight.

It was a bit choppy but not too bad and then in the middle of the night around three or four o’clock there was a merciful crack.

Everything was flying around the cabin and we were a bit shaken but what to do except try to sleep and so that is what we did. The wine may have helped!

When we woke up the next morning it was about ten o’clock so we rushed to get breakfast. When we got to the restaurant it was almost empty. I asked the lady on the checkout what time we were docking. Oh she said we’ll be in around two o’clock. That’s great I said so we’ll  only be an hour or so late. In her broad Irish scent she replied « That would be two o’clock tomorrow dear! The storm was so bad we had to turn back and have just now left the harbor »

Blessing # 324 – Staying Afloat

In a previous life I worked on the bench doing a lot of analysis of fats, carbohydrates, fibers, proteins and amino acids.

This eventually led to a new path working with ingredients containing these components to make new food products.

All of this was fun most of the time but sometimes frustrating when you didn’t get the results you hoped for.

How life has changed. Now instead of working on the bench I’m working on a bench.

This bench happens to be about my age or maybe even older and was looking rather forlorn when I got it a few weeks ago in a yard sale. It has good bones though a fine form and solid frame.

There are so many shows on TV that make flipping old furniture look easy. It may be if you know what you’re talking about but taking out what seemed like a million nails is a labor of love.

Of course this had to be done before the fun of painting could start. First thought was to strip the bench back to the original wood but that seemed like too much hard work. So slap it on was the solution for this facelift!

First foundation coat dried well this weekend so today the build up could begin. First a little white then a little cream then a little silver. It’ll have to wait till another day to get the final touches and highlights then Krishna is going to help me do the matting for the seat. This requires too much patience for me.

By the end of the day we’ll probably have spent fifteen hours on this « makeover ». Even at minimum wage this would mean the investment made is well in excess of one hundred dollars.

There’s not a chance this side of heaven that anyone will pay that for this baby but it’s a such a joy to do something like this.

Of one thing we can be sure. No creation like it will ever exist!

Blessing # 323 – Living the Dream

Columbus is going crazy with excitement. The local ice hockey team The Bluejackets have had a phenomenal season. They won their first ever Presidents Trophy and are now in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Every game they play seems to run into double extra time. It’s too much for me but Aaron is up watching it of course.

People are getting little sleep and fingernails are getting shorter and shorter.

Columbus is no stranger to major sporting wins being home of the famous Ohio State University Buckeyes but the Bluejackets are a professional team so this takes us to a different league.

The team was only founded in 2000 so going up against the Boston Bruins and giving them a run for their money is a big deal.

Tickets are now worth much more than their weight in gold and we will all be living on our nerves till Tuesday when the next game happens.

This draws you in and even if you know nothing about ice hockey you start to learn fast. Go Blues!

Blessing #322 – Expecting the Unexpected

This morning I read a very touching thank you message that TV star Hoda Kotb had sent to an eleven year old boy from Wisconsin.

This talented young man is called Jonah Larson and he is an expert crocheter. He has become an internet sensation and had made Hoda’s new baby Hope a beautiful pair of pink booties.

Jonah started to crochet when he was just five. He says it helps him stay calm.

Like Hoda’s little baby, Jonah was adopted so that’s why he wanted to make something special for Hope.

The funds he raises from selling his work go to help the children’s home in Africa where he came from.

For sure the little Booties he made will be treasured and loved and kept forever.

They reminded me of my first shoes that my Mom had kept. When I turned thirty she had them bronzed and gave them to me as a special gift. I love them not because they are my shoes but because my Mom thought to keep them.

So following her lead I kept the first little pair of sandales that we got Aaron. They are in great shape because he outgrew them in a matter of weeks. Maybe someday he too will get them back. Not just yet though he still got some growing to do!

Blessing # 321 – Baby’s Treasures

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet the Bard said. Wonder does that hold true for words like BLEAK.

Could BLEAK have every had a positive connotation? Is it because it’s meaning is so engrained in our language that we dislike it so. It certainly appropriately describes a seriously bad weather day like today.

Having had a taste of sunshine and warmth earlier in the week the bone chilling wet and eerie grayness of today seems even BLEAKER!

We are on the tail end of the storm wrecking havoc all the way up from the Gulf of Mexico.

Compared with those living further south we have come off fairly well.

However, when it’s shopping day and you can see a reflection of your local grocery store in a pond that has formed in its parking lot you know it’s wet!

Nothing for it than a good dose of comfort food. The hotter and spicier the better.

Thoughts of India and maybe a view of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel too! Or in second thoughts Monsoon Wedding

Blessing # 320 – Curry Cures

This morning was a panic. The gremlins were out in force.

Aaron has an exam at school and for who knows what reason our alarm went off a good twenty minutes later than normal.

After a rapid run around he was packed off only five minutes late.

Time to relax with a coffee and the TODAY program before getting ready for Zumba.

They kept promoting a slot with Jenna Bush and Jay Leno so I thought I’ll get my shower and be back to watch the slot just before heading out.

There are only two essential makeup items for me a lick of mascara and a good dose of blusher.

The mascara to make me look awake and the blush, essential for my psychological wellbeing, to balance out and detract from the redness of my nose!

In haste to see the TV slot I put on the mascara and dabbed on two generous red dots of blush telling myself I’d rub it in at a red light on the way to the gym.

Opening the garage door I see Adam the guy who cuts our grass and of course go over to speak to him. He gives me a strange look! Only at the traffic light, when I took a peak in the mirror did the penny drop why! The war paint was very obvious!

Reminded me of Bridget Jones and Noddy a childhood hero who hadn’t crossed my mind in years! Love characters who make you feel you’re not alone in this world! Wonder what Adam thought!

Blessing # 319 – Good Giggle

 

 

With sunny skies and a snazzy sander waiting to workout it was time to start a little project.

First up getting the sand paper at the local hardware store. This is a family store called Zettlers and its a joy to go there. It’s big enough to have all you need but not so big you get lost in it. Love it!

You are greeted on arrival with the question How Can We Help? Assisted to find exactly what you need you can be in and out in five minutes.

A sweet little shelf has been lying in the garage waiting to be loved since this time last year. It has seen better days and was picked up at a Church sale for $2.

It was crying out for a buff and a lick of paint and is destined for a life in retail. It will be a piece on which treasure will sit for sale once I get my little store front.

As paint goes it was hit and miss with left overs lying around from home decor projects. Maybe not ideal but shabby cheek doesn’t mind imperfection.

After sanding the little love already looked better and that’s where I should have stopped perhaps. Give it a varnish, show off the wood and call it a day.

Of course the painting continued and one mistake after another led to something indescribable. Lesson learned stop while the going is good.

As Carol would say “better not give up the day job just yet”

Blessing # 318 – Fun in the Sun

Over the past few days friends have posted some reminders of card and cartoon characters that we rarely see today

The first up was Old Maid! Don’t think anyone would dare launch that game today.

Next came Bill & Ben the Flowerpot Men and their trusty helper Little Weed. Can you imagine how that might be interpreted in our current cannabinol culture!

This got me thinking of the character I loved most. Scooby Doo was up there but he was pipped at the post by Barney Rubble.

In 1974 my Dad decided we needed a new car. We’d never had a brand new one and this was always his dream. So he sneaked off to a dealership one day and bought a little Fiat. Thinking he would give my Mum a nice surprise he bought one in her favorite color GREEN!

Our house was coming down with green! Wallpaper, carpet, bedding you name it it was green. Not to mention the fact that unless you protested gravely you would be dressed in green too. It was like living in Sherwood Forest.

Now unfortunately for poor Dad the green of his choice was not a green that Mother endorsed. She disliked the car from day one.

It kept breaking down as it had a faulty distributor cap and would conk out unexpectedly on a regular basis. My Mum said we were like the Flintstones and could peddle faster than this car.

This gave rise to her referring to my Dad as Barney! The name stuck and come to think of it Barney and my Dad did bear a little resemblance.

Blessing # 317 – Terms of Endearment