Civil War in Lewisburg, WV!

We enjoyed visiting the campsite of the Civil War re-enactment in Lewisburg, WV last weekend, but for some reason I only took a couple of pictures. When I win the lottery, I'm getting a better camera.

Here's a picture of the girls with their great-great-great-great-great granddaddy:

Next year, we're hoping his team will win ;-}

Incidentally, I'm reading a biography by Bruce Catton, U.S. Grant. I guess as a Virginian (excuse me, A Virginian), the topic of the leader of the Northern Army during the War of Northern Aggression has been somewhat off-limits. Seriously, though, I've appreciated this perspective - I dogeared the page last night with the calendar turned to the early months of 1860. Did you know that Grant and Lee (and Stonewall Jackson, and George McClellan, to name a few) all served together in the war securing Texas' place in the Union? Fascinating to see how their early careers overlapped.

Today is Park Day, and we're meeting the friends at noon. I've got lunches to pack, a house to straighten (why? for the people who are NOT beating a path to our door with a full-price purchase offer!).

See you around the chicken coop!

words, continued

I must have been tired when I wrote that last post. Somehow I got on that think while lamenting the fact that I love to play word games like "Boggle" and Scrabble, but no one in my family - maybe a couple in my extended family - likes to play them.
I have high hopes for Hannah, though. She asks me for the "word of the day" and says it has to be a word she's never used before. Yesterday it was particular. The day before it was discretionary. Now, I usually have to come up with these as we're driving down Route 60 into town, so my creativity is dulled by the outstanding spring view outside. (Is there an artist other than God who could create that many shades of green on the mountainsides?)
Speaking of God - the Bible refers to words many, many times, and this is some of what I was mulling as I mowed the lawn. Of course, there is the Word of God, but I was thinking more about exhortations and warnings or descriptors of words: In Psalms, David complained that his enemies "twisted his words," that words are like "arrows," that "words of hatred surround" him, "how sweet words are," and words "are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords."
David's son, Solomon, warned that we could be "trapped by the words of our mouths," (THAT was written for me), that "reckless words pierce like a sword," and - my favorite - "words of a gossip are like choice morsels." Here are just a few references that pierce my heart and remind me to guard my tongue, as it reflects what is in my heart.
At the other end of the spectrum - - do you remember "Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handy" from Saturday Night Live about - lessee, its been at least 10 years since I could watch it w/o falling asleep..... Well, I never "got it." I never thought it was funny or too clever. Maybe I was thick-headed (no comments please) or it was just over my head. Heavens, I hope not!
Well, that's the end of my "word" posts. Thank you for reading this amalgamation of words! (HEY! What do you think - is that too big of a mouthful for a four year old??!)

thoughts on writing

I love words. I'm not a numbers gal; when it ocmes to anything past simple addition and subtraction I get a little bleary-eyed and lose focus. But word - ah, words - they take me anywhere. I was thinking about all of this as I was cutting the backyard this afternoon. Somehow, out there in the warm sunwith the buzz of the blade and a faint scent of burning oil from the John Deere, thinking of words was much more profound than anything I can muster to type here.
But a couple thoughts: Wordmasters. Ever read Ernest Hemmingway? Too late I discovered the power of the scarcity of his written word. I actually took a course in Hemmingway at George Mason as an elective in my English program. It wasn't until a couple years later, though, that I re-red those books, and then everything the man published, to drink in his simple style. Emotion and dialog and melancholy in sparsely-written pieces. Should make for quick reading, but it takes awhile to sink in.
As for me, my style is chattier, stream-of-consciousness, and (I hope) folksy. I don't get the rpactice to write now as much as I'd like - nor do I get much chance to read. I'm five minutes behind learning parenting skills, how to be a better wife, household management - necessary skills, but they sure don't take me to Europe - or big game hunting in Africa.

rug fun

I don't think this story is disrespectful of my husband, but if you do, let me know and I'll censor/edit it. It is pretty funny, though.
Back when Andy and I were a-courtin' he lived in this nifty bachelor pad over in eastern Chesapeake. He was fixing me supper over there on night, and I had made myself at home - taking my shoes off to hang out for the evening. I walked into his kitchen, which was some sort of smooth tile or Pergo-type flooring, I think. I took a couple steps and about fell and broke my neck!
WHY is your floor so SLIPPERY? I wanted to know.
Because I Pledge it, of course! Here, look!
And with that, Andy took a couple of trots across the living room and zoomed across the length of the eat in kitchen.
Well, I was (you think I'm going to say, "spellbound at his cleverness" right? well I'm not.) flabbergasted that someone would create a death trap in plain view in a nice duplex in the suburbs. But that is just what he had done. I went on to explain that while I hate to dust and avoid it all costs, nonetheless I know that one does NOT put Pledge on the floor as it is a precursor to pain.

Fast forward to our humble home (which is for SALE! buy it!) and our happy family of four. A couple weeks ago when sleet and freezing rain was part of our daily weather forecast, I was desperate for something to stave off cabin fever for me and the Littles.
A-ha! (as great - er, bad ideas are generally prefaced...) I remembered the combination of Pledge and wood floor.
So I did it.
In the hallway.
We scooted and slid for the better part of a morning until we broke a sweat. Then I replaced the hall rug and forgot all about it. Including forgetting to mention it to Andy.
So....after a couple weeks of near misses and almost falls, last week Andy was the one to reap the benefits of introducing me to Pledge floor sports.
We three girls were outside and the neighbor's dog came barking loudly as he ran across the yard toward the littles who were on the swings (there's a run-on sentence for ya!). Andy, ever on the alert for his girls' safety, went flying out of the office, down the hall....or at least, down in the hall. He went sailing on that rug and down on his knee. If you ask him now he'll be glad to show you the wine-colored injury that is evidence of the wrench he took at the kneecap.
Now, it is Not Funny, because my husband was hurt. But if you picture it, you might feel a tickle in your belly at least.
Well, today, in order to avoid potential lawsuits by potential home buyers, I glue-gunned rug pads to two new runners in the hallway, thereby averting future humorous - I mean, painful - adventures.

Small Town fame

Hannah made the paper again!

That's our girl!

Cake Wreck Site

I waste copious hours of my life lurking in the blogosphere, and every now and then I stumble upon a site that leaves me giggling till the tears come, suppressing my gag reflex or reading wide-eyed, absorbing new (and questionably relevant) information.
I've lost too many hours on this site, exercising my belly muscles as I laugh out loud.....
Who knew confections could be so hilarious?!

moving

If this blog were a plant it would be dead from infrequent feeding and watering and occasional boosts of Miracle Grow when I remembered it.
I've been spending stolen moments on Facebook - uploading pictures this time and taking time to caption them. Here's a link of the pictures, if you're interested. From the 1980's so prepare yourself!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82985&id=665317830&l=abf029dbd6

And if you know us you know us, you know that we want to move. So its been a flurry of cleaning (yuk), patching up, touch up painting, downsizing and organizing. Our home has never looked so good!
There are a couple of homes out there that we are interested in - VERY interested in - and I have to pray every day that I won't be disappointed if they sell before we get a contract on our house.
So far, our house has been on the market about 4 days. I'm hoping that this weekend - when it is in the newspaper - will be the one where we get some serious hits.
That said, today and tomorrow, especially, are going to be full out assaults on dust bunnies, spotted floors, looming laundry, disorganized chaos and the ilk. Especially the ilk. Wish us well.