Category: babies

The Lobby…

I don’t often like to see into my own childhood memories, as they are precarious at best.  But for you, my friends, I have courageously looked through the curtains of the past, that most often obscure my view.  I have learned that we must take the good with the bad, as far as memories go.  Haven’t we all had to make peace with our past, in order to walk forward towards a better future?

          This particular memory arose out of the oddest sort of recollection.  My husband brought home a watermelon the other day, and that sounds normal so far, as I am sure this behavior occurs within homes across the globe, nearly every day.  Things played out typically for us, just like most, until the moment my eyes came to rest on the label stuck to the side of the watermelon.  On the sticker were the words, “Grown in Hermiston Oregon”.  I do not often come across the name of my childhood home, and the last place I would have expected it to be, was on a piece of fruit. 

          For several moments, a cacophony of strange emotions floated briefly across my heart.  When I encounter these things, I usually set them aside to process on their own… I have learned not to rush into things willy nilly.  In this way, I dismissed the strange feelings and carried on with my day.  For several days I truly forgot about the sticker.

          Yesterday, as I was working on a story about two squirrels, a memory popped into my head, and the squirrels were momentarily replaced with the memory of a cat.  I had forgotten about this cat for many years… until yesterday!  In the past I would have slammed the door on this part of my childhood immediately, as it has always brought an overwhelming fear.  I have learned in time, that I can view my past without fear or shame, but rather, with clarity and grace; both of which are great navigators, along the pathways of our hearts. 

          I do not generally slam these doors anymore, as I walk a better path now… a healing path.  While I will look at my memories, I have not ever written down a good one where my father was in the same story.  This morning was different for the first time.  In this memory will be the first written work I have ever done, where my dad is going to get his moment, but not like you are thinking.  And another surprise I have for you, is that you’re going to laugh and walk away very happy.  Let me show you…

          His name was Leroy!  We named him after that song, Bad Bad Leroy Brown!  From birth, this cat was crazy about me, and at the same time he was mean as they come… he stole my 7-year-old heart.  Another thing about this cat… he hated my dad! 

          This was not a passing fancy, a tiny dislike, or even a mild aversion to the man… Leroy was always planning the old man’s demise, I think.  This cat would destroy my dads’ things, and only his.  Leroy would intentionally pee on his clothes or in his boots, and every day from the moment my dad came home, the cat would stalk him and seek to bite him at every opportunity.  Guess where Leroy slept at night… hehe… with me!  At one time, my dad got so mad at the cat, he shot him!  Leroy disappeared into the woods… but he lived!  And he came home!  My dad was so mad, but a little scared too, I think.  He left the cat be, and pretended he didn’t care either way.

          One day Leroy did something that set my dad off, and he loaded the cat up and drove him across the county, dumping him at a friend’s barn.  We were devastated by the loss of our Leroy, and for some unknown reason, this was one of the few times my mom ever displayed her emotions.  She went off!!  By the time she got done yelling, my dad was sheepishly driving down the driveway with an empty cat box on the passenger seat.  My mom made him go all the way back down the road and retrieve our cat from that barn!  When that old station wagon pulled back into the yard, we all came running out of the house in excitement.  The first thing we saw as the car door swung open, was our cat Leroy climbing slowly and leisurely from my dad’s lap.  The next few moments are some of the most precious memories I hold of my dad with my cat…

          The man looked like he had been attacked by a weed wacker!  He was covered in cat scratches and bite marks, and Leroy peed and poo’ed all over his lap.  My dad barely got the cat inside the box he had brought along, and Leroy broke free as soon as the car ride home began. Our station wagon never smelled the same after this escapade, by the way.  That cat kicked my dad’s hind end for the full 20-minute ride from that barn.  This twelve-pound feline lived up to his name that day.  Let me tell you…

Loosely written from the Lyrics of the song,

He was…

Bad Bad Leroy Brown

Maddest cat on that whole darn farm

Badder than that ole shotgun

Meaner than that Junkyard hog (I would never insult a dog)

 What I wouldn’t give to have been an observer in another car, or even walking on the side of the road, as the car drove by.  There is for sure someone out there, who witnessed my small hero, scratching the life out of my dad all the way home!  It is very true what they say, that many times great heroes come in small packages!

That Cat Ruled!!!!

I don’t often like to see into my own childhood memories, as they are precarious at best.  But for you, my friends, I have courageously looked through the curtains of the past, that most often obscure my view.  I have learned that we must take the good with the bad, as far as memories go.  Haven’t we all had to make peace with our past, in order to walk forward towards a better future?

          This particular memory arose out of the oddest sort of recollection.  My husband brought home a watermelon the other day, and that sounds normal so far, as I am sure this behavior occurs within homes across the globe, nearly every day.  Things played out typically for us, just like most, until the moment my eyes came to rest on the label stuck to the side of the watermelon.  On the sticker were the words, “Grown in Hermiston Oregon”.  I do not often come across the name of my childhood home, and the last place I would have expected it to be, was on a piece of fruit. 

          For several moments, a cacophony of strange emotions floated briefly across my heart.  When I encounter these things, I usually set them aside to process on their own… I have learned not to rush into things willy nilly.  In this way, I dismissed the strange feelings and carried on with my day.  For several days I truly forgot about the sticker.

          Yesterday, as I was working on a story about two squirrels, a memory popped into my head, and the squirrels were momentarily replaced with the memory of a cat.  I had forgotten about this cat for many years… until yesterday!  In the past I would have slammed the door on this part of my childhood immediately, as it has always brought an overwhelming fear.  I have learned in time, that I can view my past without fear or shame, but rather, with clarity and grace; both of which are great navigators, along the pathways of our hearts. 

          I do not generally slam these doors anymore, as I walk a better path now… a healing path.  While I will look at my memories, I have not ever written down a good one where my father was in the same story.  This morning was different for the first time.  In this memory will be the first written work I have ever done, where my dad is going to get his moment, but not like you are thinking.  And another surprise I have for you, is that you’re going to laugh and walk away very happy.  Let me show you…

          His name was Leroy!  We named him after that song, Bad Bad Leroy Brown!  From birth, this cat was crazy about me, and at the same time he was mean as they come… he stole my 7-year-old heart.  Another thing about this cat… he hated my dad! 

          This was not a passing fancy, a tiny dislike, or even a mild aversion to the man… Leroy was always planning the old man’s demise, I think.  This cat would destroy my dads’ things, and only his.  Leroy would intentionally pee on his clothes or in his boots, and every day from the moment my dad came home, the cat would stalk him and seek to bite him at every opportunity.  Guess where Leroy slept at night… hehe… with me!  At one time, my dad got so mad at the cat, he shot him!  Leroy disappeared into the woods… but he lived!  And he came home!  My dad was so mad, but a little scared too, I think.  He left the cat be, and pretended he didn’t care either way.

          One day Leroy did something that set my dad off, and he loaded the cat up and drove him across the county, dumping him at a friend’s barn.  We were devastated by the loss of our Leroy, and for some unknown reason, this was one of the few times my mom ever displayed her emotions.  She went off!!  By the time she got done yelling, my dad was sheepishly driving down the driveway with an empty cat box on the passenger seat.  My mom made him go all the way back down the road and retrieve our cat from that barn!  When that old station wagon pulled back into the yard, we all came running out of the house in excitement.  The first thing we saw as the car door swung open, was our cat Leroy climbing slowly and leisurely from my dad’s lap.  The next few moments are some of the most precious memories I hold of my dad with my cat…

          The man looked like he had been attacked by a weed wacker!  He was covered in cat scratches and bite marks, and Leroy peed and poo’ed all over his lap.  My dad barely got the cat inside the box he had brought along, and Leroy broke free as soon as the car ride home began. Our station wagon never smelled the same after this escapade, by the way.  That cat kicked my dad’s hind end for the full 20-minute ride from that barn.  This twelve-pound feline lived up to his name that day.  Let me tell you…

Loosely written from the Lyrics of the song,

He was…

Bad Bad Leroy Brown

Maddest cat on that whole darn farm

Badder than that ole shotgun

Meaner than that Junkyard hog (I would never insult a dog)

 What I wouldn’t give to have been an observer in another car, or even walking on the side of the road, as the car drove by.  There is for sure someone out there, who witnessed my small hero, scratching the life out of my dad all the way home!  It is very true what they say, that many times great heroes come in small packages!

That Cat Ruled!!!!

Just a Bag

Cont’d 8

Sometimes one comes to a crossroad in their journey… a place on the path that splits, where a choice must be made.  Typically, one choice is right and one is wrong.  Once in a while, though, the person is given a choice between two right ways.  What I mean is, rather than right or wrong, both choices are right and either option can be chosen without any penalties; the end result will not change.  The important thing to note here is, only one of the ways will offer the extra blessings.  One is quicker and easier, while the other will most likely be more difficult and time consuming.  This is where I believe that I owe each of you an apology!

In my haste to accomplish the goal we were brought here for, I missed some signs left for us, and we missed the intended path.  When the way began to steepen and become more treacherous, we should have stopped and rechecked the map.  Instead, I pushed ahead for fear of being late to our destination.  I was so certain that I had everything under control, it was not until people started getting hurt that I stopped long enough to see my own folly.  Thankfully, the Commander interceded on my behalf, providing us an escape through the mountain itself.  I would never have seen this cave entrance on my own, as it seemed to materialize out of the rock right before us.  Your guess would be as good as mine, regarding how the boulder rolled perfectly in place behind us, blocking out the vermin. 

The important thing is, we are all here and safely drying off by this fire.    If not for James and his hockey stick, we would have taken some terrible injuries.  How Bubbles had the foresight to use her bubble wand as an impromptu tennis racket, I cannot say… but WOW lady!  Watching a spider bounce off three different trees and disappear into the forest… what a sight!  Also, I could not be more grateful for what appears to be several members with first aid skills.  While the last of the bandages get applied, I want to go over the instructions with everyone before traveling further.  By working with each other as a team, I believe we can arrive quicker, and more safely. 

According to this map, there is a path that will lead up through the mountain, carrying us to a hidden doorway.  This is an old and seemingly forgotten back entrance into the lair of a Nasty dragon.  There is little that I know of him, other than the cryptic information I gathered from some archives.  The dragon’s name is Porphyrios, and according to my readings, he is referred to as a Brass Dragon.  Legend has it that these dragons were both outgoing and selfish, with a tendency for causing strife.  Porphyrios lives his family’s likeness, to an extreme and then some, and has been terrorizing the lowlands for some time now. 

Looking back on our travels, I am almost certain that he was most likely behind the attack on the otter village.  It makes a great deal of sense as to why they destroyed the village and did not take any spoils away when they left.  I think the poor otter folk were a diversion, set to slow us down in our arrival time… though I cannot be sure.  What I can be assured of is this… we were given this route, from my Commander, bringing us directly to where our pick up is located.  While all of you were being treated for injuries, as well as resting from the battle, I have been considering this very fact.  If He made a way, then the package must still be intact and retrieval is still needed. 

With renewed confidence and commitment to the cause, we must press on to the dragon’s lair.  Whatever we must collect will most likely have to be retrieved with great stealth and care.  Planning for a silent passage got me to thinking about our bags bouncing along at our sides, filled with whatever we will be needing.  Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed something different about our bags?  I had not realized it at the time, but looking back I now see where things changed.   Once we entered the forest our bags transformed!  They began to resemble a shoulder bag, firmly held in place by a thick strap crossing our chests. None of us realized that we were able to carry an item at the same time as carrying our bags.  We were too caught up with the dangers to even notice the change. 

Remember when we started our adventure and I told you about the rules of the bags?  We are not supposed to be able to have more than one thing in hand… either the bag or an item from within it, but not both.  I spent a few moments looking over some ancient writings, and saw many references about our Commanders’ ability to equip us for anything He calls us to accomplish. I think this means that He can change the bags as He desires, and for His purposes.

With that information in hand, I looked further. There I was reading and suddenly, I had an epiphany!  Written all over in my history ledger (the bible), are writings that speak about battles, and in all these battles I noticed that the warriors carried two items… one for offense, and one for defense.   I specifically found writings about armor and noted here as well, two items in the warriors’ hands… one for offense, and one for defense.  Look, I will even show you the passage…

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  Ephesians 6:14-17

Now do you understand why it is so important to slow down, look up and watch for things, instead of running full tilt ahead like I did today? Had I noticed the change in our bags, perhaps it could have allowed me a different view of our path.  Such a difference might have prevented our detour.  Or if nothing else, we might have been more prepared for the battles we encountered.  I have learned a valuable lesson, and am very grateful that my learning did not cause any permanent damage to one of our team.  I learned that just because I believe in the purpose, I cannot choose my own path to get there, running ahead on my own understanding.  It is best to just follow the one with the full plan, watching for any signal from Him as to where He is headed. 

Speaking of plans, quite frankly, I am in a state of utter surprise that everybody is even ready to listen to the plan, after this whole mess I got us into.  I am left humbled by the speed at which you readily forgave me, gathering around the map with an eager readiness to push on.  It also fills me with a great amount of courage for what lies ahead, as I see such commitment from all of you, to get this done!  I know not what lies in the darkness, but I do know that I travel with friends… and together we can overcome whatever we must face.

**I am attempting to start offering an audio version of my stuff. Have fun and enjoy, but keep in mind that I am a novice at this.**

What a Wedding!  I have not had so much fun in all my days… so much laughter and hilarity mingled with such joy and happiness.  I sort of felt like family, you know what I mean?  I am so filled with excitement and exhaustion all rolled into one glorious bundle!  I have so much to share with you all, so grab your munchies and pull up a cushion, as I regale you with all the events of the day…

Where to begin, oh yeah, I might as well start with my early morning escort… what an honor!  The royal house actually sent an envoy, to accompany me along the path.  In charge of the group sent to fetch me, was none other than my friend Pflurrt.  I had a pleasant chat with him along the way, learning that his wife Flora, was expecting their first batch of kits.  You could see the joy in his bright eyes, as the squirrel spoke of the upcoming births.  I made a mental note to prepare a gift for them, for when the wee ones arrive.  I will have to ask Flora for her due date, as Pflurrt could only say soonish… I needed more than that to go on. 

          Anyways, we arrived at the site of the ceremony within about half an hour, and I was shown to my seat… in the back of course, as I would block the view of absolutely everyone if I were up in front.  I want to apologize now, for not having pictures of the ceremony… they actually took my phone and put it in a basket at the back. They were more savvy than I gave them credit for, so I am left with describing things as best I can. Here I go…

          As the old abbot approached the small platform built for the Nuptials, he nodded for us to have a seat.  As soon as the crowd quieted, down the royal tree came the entirety of House Acorn.  It was actually very touching how the young couple were lovingly escorted to the front, by their whole family.  Then the ceremony commenced.  For being such a small woodland creature, that old abbot gave one of the loveliest wedding speeches I have heard.  Over the next forty-five minutes, there was a great amount of laughter, as well as tears, shared among us all…  Father WalNut shared the story of how the two young hearts came to find each other, and it really was like a fairytale story.  I pondered how similar the complexity of the human heart is to that of squirrel hearts.

          I will admit that I had tears in my eyes when the two exchanged their vows.  As much as I want to tell you the whole story right now, it is truly a story in and of itself, and I wish to save it for another day.  Besides, I think there is so much to regale you with from today’s events alone, once I finish that part, I’m going to need a nap.  Why?  Because, let me tell you, once the I Do’s were exchanged and the couple were announced… the valley erupted in music, and the crowd went Nuts! 

          While we were at the ceremony, behind the scenes were all the volunteers, busily setting up the party!  They had been setting up a stage with a band and everything.  No expense was spared for the young couple.  Apparently, the Royal House hired the princes’ favorite band, the Brazilian Nutcrackers!  When the music started up, every young squirrel among us jumped up and sprinted in the direction of the music, and the hilarity began!

          With the music playing, and the whole valley alive with party goers, the ladies hurriedly set about laying out the food.  All the while, the older gentlemen squirrels brought out barrels of Beernuts.  Not long after this, the fur collars began loosening… and there began the games.  It was absolutely hilarious to watch a miniature version of human like antics, played out before my eyes.  From Pin the Feather on the Raven to the Three-Legged Squirrel races, a good number of funny comparisons played out in my mind, as I sat on the grass tapping my foot to the music.  At one point I even felt pretty confident I knew how the games worked. For instance, I immediately recognized the Bobbing for Acorns game.  I will admit, that one was an easy guess, but since the barrel was too tiny for my face, I opted to simply watch.

Looking back on things, I wish I had employed this same wisdom when I was approached by Father WalNut, requesting I join his team for a round of Squirrel Mitten.  Let’s just say that I thought he was going one way, and he thought I was going the other way.  When we connected, I accidentally drop kicked the elderly squirrel into the hedges.  Luckily, squirrels are lightweight and mostly fluff, so the abbot landed safely in the foliage, and just chuckled the whole way back onto the court.  We finished the game, but with a healthier distance between us, for his sake.  After the game ended, I decided I might be less of a hazard if I checked out the food area… perhaps I could help serve, or even play with the little ones while the mums were busy.

Now, I know I am a human and all, but the food was amazing!  There were bowls of Blueberry Cordial, constantly being refilled and topped with chilled rocks from the nearby river.  The tables reminded me of a potluck, filled to overflowing with differing dishes and utensils for plating up the many choice morsels.

There were stacks of Strawberry Tarts, and tiny dishes filled with fresh Dandelion and Soy Nut Cream for dipping…

Hazelnut Pie with a pomegranate topping, accompanied by a spicy Peanut Sauce. You may think that the sauce would not work, but oddly enough, it does.

Atop each table were bowls filled, and overflowing with Candied Walnuts and Pecans. 

If you have never tried a Pistachio Dumpling, I highly recommend you try them because…  Ummm… Wow!  Oh, and there were these wonderful little tables placed throughout the area, to be kept filled with a special treat for all the babes. 

On each table sat a tray of light, fluffy Oat Scones, accompanied by a Cherry Marmalade.  You know all those babes I thought I might play with, well, they were all passed out snoring beneath the tables.  I am pretty sure that every single wee babe, lay blissfully unaware of all the grown-up goings on; dreamily they nibbled on crumbs, still lodged in their tiny whiskers. 

By the way, whoever made the wedding cake, completely outdid themselves… Five tiers, Sunflower cake with an Elderberry filling, covered in a Bavarian cream.  The table was strewn with an assortment of colorful and fragrant flowers, and the ground beneath the table was blanketed by gifts of every shape and size.

The bride and groom received some lovely things, one of which was this beautifully hand carved plaque, made by Father Walnut.  The inscription read, “May all your seasons be filled with Laughter, Love and Prosperity”.  I saw that Flora Pflurrt made a wonderful Bridal comforter, made from the down of the Canadian Geese, visiting last season.  It wasn’t much, but I gifted the young bride a bag of wildflower seeds, for her garden.  Towards the end of the gift opening, a line began to form in front of the couples’ new digs.  One by one, each family entered the new home and deposited a hand-crafted piece of furnishing or a bushel/barrel of some type of winter supply.  I was left feeling so touched to see the care everyone in this valley took, in supplying this new couple with a fully supplied home, to begin their new life together.

The sun was beginning to set by the time all was said and done, and after assisting in the clean up of the day, I took my leave and headed for home.  I sat down in front of my laptop as soon as I arrived home, so as not to forget anything in the telling of the day’s events.  I am only just now, untying my shoes and slipping into my fluffy socks… my feet are aching, and my back is punishing me for my attempt at Squirrel Mitten.  I still feel bad for the old abbot, though everybody there thought it was a riot!

**Disclaimer… I had to improvise with pictures that are obviously not from the actual wedding (Thank You Pexels), on account of my phone being confiscated until I went home. Also, I did my best not to misrepresent any woodland creatures, in my recalling of the days events.**

I clutched my cellphone up to my ear, and shouted “If we don’t make it, please tell your sisters that I love you all so much”…

Ok, so maybe I overreacted just a little bit. Don’t get me wrong, it was terrifying for me, but looking back makes me laugh just a little.

So, sit right back, and I’ll tell you the tale… The tale of a highway trip… it started down near Florida… aboard a great big ship (truck).

The driver was a mighty trucking man… so skilled and brave and sure… we three held on inside that cab… for a 2 hour tour (storm)… ok maybe a 30 minute one (just sayin).

The winds began to blow real hard… Our semi lifted up… if not for the 40,000 lbs we held, we three would have been tossed.

Ok, I am done singing and rhyming… please tell me that you know I was singing along to Gilligan’s Island, right?

Now the story is true, but I had to liven it up so you would not focus on the fact that I panicked. Yes there was a major storm, and yes it was bad, though only for like 30 seconds, at the storms worst. When the truck did lift up in the back, we were safely locked into a trailer loaded down, so it held us in place. This was however, the point where I phoned my kids. Not my bravest moment, to be honest. I will say, I was very glad we were fully loaded. Without the weight on the back end, we most likely would have been tossed on our side.

This memory makes me laugh every time I look back, and I will now tell you why. Not because my kids probably thought I had gone round the bend. Nor do I think it was funny that we nearly got tossed into a field. That was actually kind of scary.

To this day, I have a distinct memory of both men in the truck with me… laughing and carrying on like this was about to be a grand adventure… they actually looked like they were on a ride at a major theme park. And… when I dialed my kids and prepared for the end… I think my brother in law was eating a bag of chips, and neither guy even noticed me in the back of the cab loosing my ju ju…

Looking back, there was only thing I would have wanted from my husband, and it isn’t what you would think. You may be thinking he could have been more compassionate, more protective maybe. Nope! Not me! What I want to know is… Why couldn’t he have taken my dumb phone away before I made myself look so ridiculous? He says he remembers hearing me call the kids, and just laughed it off. Heathen…

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you." 
                  Philippians 4:8,9

It’s Potluck Sunday everybody!

For starters I brought us an espresso machine with a complimentary Barista… ya, that’s how I roll… nothing but the best for my loved ones.

I lay out a table long enough to hold everything, so just shove the dishes aside to make room for anything you brought…

I took the liberty of setting up a place for everybody to enjoy the food and fellowship…

I even placed a table over here against the wall with our desserts, as I am a dessert first kinda girl…

I love ya’ll so much, I even gotcha covered on the way out the doors… To Go boxes!

Seriously, you all really must take all this with you… I can’t eat left overs, and I don’t want to waste anything.

**Shout out to Pexels for the pics**