Wasp Spray to the Rescue!

I already posted this photo on FB - it is creepy.  I did not post much of the story.

I know there has to be a lesson in this. Perhaps it will become evident!

I've always been one of those 'behind the scenes' people. I don't like to be on stage. I don't like to be the one who rescues. I don't like to come in and save the day. I would rather watch.

But sometimes......

I was headed out somewhere and had been in the bathroom getting all dolled up for some reason or another.

We have almost always had a 'seat down' rule in our home - and most of the time, lid down too.

As I breezed back into the bedroom to grab a scarf, I heard this sound....'glub'... I guess.  It was loud and it did not sound normal.  The only place that watery kind of air bubble sound could have come from was l'toilette - so my first thought was ... oh no! don't overflow!

It was weird because it had not be recently used...but I did hear that sound!  As I reached over to close the lid, I saw a shadow. Weird. I backed next to the wall to get a side look and OH GLORY!   I slammed the lid and started flushing. Then I called Kristin.

This is what you do when you are alone and you have an emergency - you call a girl!
Then I ran to the garage to figure out something that would not let this thing get away until Jim could come and rescue me.

With heart a-racing, I slid my plastic pieces right under the rim of the seat, and just in case that thing had moved, I slid one between the seat and lid as well.   Then I carefully aimed the wasp spray under the seat and gave it a good old spray for good measure.   And I flushed some more.

Then Kristin called to check on me and told me to stop flushing or I would stop up the pipes. OK. Practical advice.

Jim was up to his eyeballs in projects and would hurry on over when he could.  I sealed up the bathroom.

It was quite the thing when he arrived. He calmly strolled in - with super long plier tool in hand and set out to solve the problem.  I think he was silently laughing at me, thinking that perhaps there was really nothing much there, but his new job is to protect me, and so he rose to the occasion!

Fearlessly, he laughed at my plastic....and moved it away.

Thankfully, I was a fast thinker, phone in hand, and I captured the evidence!
Then I stood guard, with wasp spray in hand (I killed a bat in my kitchen with wasp spray once!)

He with his pliers and I with my spray .....that could be a poem......

And he gently leaned forward, reached in, and   THE THING HOPPED!

Not being exactly sure how it happened, but I was almost immediately on the bedroom side of the bathroom door, which was now shut....and Jim was contained inside, with the intruder.

At least I had given him a big zip lock baggie for the evidence. Dead evidence, I hoped!

Coaxing -   (He actually sounded a lot like Roger would have)  "Come on, jump in the bag...you can do it...try again....come on, in the bag....I will set you free, just jump in the bag"

I kept the spray handy, just in case!

In due time, he emerged, intruder in hand. Not dead enough for me.

I asked him how he could hold it that way and he said ' because I am not afraid of frogs.'

And he actually did set the darned thing free - across the street - in the woods.

Roger's Lesson:   Jim can handle it.  He promised you one day that if you were ever left alone, then he would care for you in the manner in which you were accustomed. He did it. I knew he would. 

Indeed.  And thank you, Jim.

Now if you can figure out how that thing got into l'toilette in the first place.....

It will not be that funny if I have a heart attack because there is a frog on my back side.

At least, not funny to me. There has to be a better way to depart.



I am still at a loss for what the spiritual lesson might be in this one.
Maybe it is an example of what the plague of frogs might be like - Heaven help us! Repent, America!     Maybe it is yet another example of how God has the right person on hand when a rescue is needed.  Perhaps, God is giving me nine lives - I used up about three on this little episode.
Perhaps I need to look and pray before I sit.  I will probably always do that now!

Brrr

It was really hard not to cry through the day.   I woke up cold.  I got colder throughout the day.

This was one of Roger's FAVORITE days of the year.

The FIRST cold snap of the season.

He loved that he got to go out and drag wood to the house and shove it in the fireplace.   He loved going to the store to buy the fixin's for Chili.

He loved dragging out that big ole pot and watching me fill it up.  It was never a rare thing to have a pot of chili that included a mere five pounds of meat.  And then, my secret recipe.

If the cold snap came on a Saturday, it was chili and football. If it was during the week, it was chili and Fox - all day, all night.  It was a tradition.

And loved a little chili and a roaring big fire.

This year - two pounds of meat in that big ole pot.  No fire.  The Duke energy audit guy told me that he closed the flue.  I have no idea what or where a flue is, but I do know that it blocks a chimney and all of the smoke will go into the house.   Since I have no firefighter on duty now, I just figured it was a good idea to leave the fire part of the tradition alone.

I also have not turned on the heater.  I have never turned on the heater without a firefighter in the house. A girl has to be prepared. It always smells like something is on fire the first time you turn on the heater. Freaks me out.

Roger's Lesson:  He would tell me that I learned well about the fireplace and the heater. He would be happy that we kept his tradition, even without the football or Fox.  Chilly weather reminds us that family is so important because it is that warmth that we get from the love that we have for each other that can carry us through those cold and lonely times. 

I am blessed. I have family right here and if I need that flue open - Jim will take care of it for me.
I'm not quite cold enough yet for that heater, and I am not sure that I will brave a roaring fire without someone here to rescue me.  (I can light a mean fire though -- it is extinguishing it that is hard.)

And yes - memories of the last 40 'first coldsnap' days still warm my heart.

It will never be the same - but God has blessed me with a family and friends that provide plenty of warmth - the love you forever kind.

What's the Password?

It is a book report. I love creative teachers who mix it up and don't make every report a written one.

Children are pretty creative by nature and most of the time, if you just teach them to execute things neatly, their ideas come across very effectively.

Yes, I am one of those - make it neat - art teachers.
Why?  If you can't communicate effectively, then no one 'gets' your creative ideas.  It only takes a little extra time to be neat, to clear out the clutter, to make your thoughts clear.

Emily loves to 'slap that paint on' but is a good student and is beginning to learn that efficient work means keeping the paint on the tips of the brush, as opposed to scooping it onto the brush - and the table - and her arms, etc.

She is really good with glue. Foam brushes! Dream material! She has been using those for years!

And glitter! EVERYTHING is better with glitter - a girl has to add a bit of bling!

She is not as fond of the hot glue, but sometimes, that is what it takes.

Her photo is just for Ro-Ro.  He had a nickname for her and she loved it.  She was his little
"Pumpkinhead"         -   I don't really know where that came from except that when she was little, he would call her 'pumpkin'....kind of like 'Punky' - family name, I guess!!

Later it evolved into pumpkinhead. Papa used to call Kristin and Karin 'capusta-head'.  I figure it must be one of those Polish things.   (Better than Kielbasa head, I suppose)

Roger's Lesson:  Pick a name no one else would use - and then, because it is really different, use it as your password. You'll always remember it and no one else will figure it out.  Including the wifey!
"PumpkinheadEmily"

And because all passwords should be private, be sure to write it on a paper and leave it in your locker at work.    Oh Roger, technology and you.....I wonder if there is technology in Heaven.....

I suppose not.
Perfect for you!

Light it up!

Roger loved holidays and what the kids created from those pumpkins he delivered the first of October - or September, if they arrived early. 

Their tradition continued. Pumpkin carving in the park with friends. Potluck dinner. Good fun.

We never did look at Halloween as this spooky time of year - in fact, I don't even remember doing trick or treat with the girls when they were small.  In theory, it was all about the candy, so we would just go to the store 'the day after' and I let them buy whatever they wanted at 75% off.


I guess halloween is good for getting your sugar fix, and being sick enough to not want more sugar for a good long while! 

I think about those lit pumpkins much like the world we live in.  They can be carved in funny or even cute or nice ways - or even scary ways, but nice or not, they are still dark.  When the world grows dark around them and you pop a light inside, it illuminates whatever surrounds it.   Hopefully what you see is wonderful and nice.  Often it is not, and very often you can't really tell the difference. 

The light that shines from the inside, the true light - the one illuminating your soul - is really only evident to Jesus. Hopefully, it is his light and love shining from within you.  Hopefully your life is so transparent that people don't have to wonder what it is that makes that light within you shine. 

Roger liked halloween because of all the chocolate left in the bowl.  

He also liked those 75% off deals I used to find - if they involved chocolate.

Roger's Lesson:  Don't take halloween too seriously - keep in mind that there is darkness in this world, and know of it but don't be part of it - but at the same time, let that light within you shine and make a difference.  And drop off any chocolate you don't want. 

And that...is my halloween story - another year of creative carving. 

You've gotta VOTE!

Our Precinct 129 first string wasn't here for this election. He surely was missed though.

You have to know your strengths. Roger's strength was meeting new people, talking about what interested them, and talking about his favorite statesman. Yes, Statesman.  

Roger did not have a zillion interests in life like I tend to do - he loved a few things -

Faith - Family - Friends - Politics ....yes, and sports. 

He had this unique take on politics, not like too many other people I have ever known. 

He not only knew the issues, but the candidates and quite often what motivated them.

And when he put his support behind someone, he was all in.

He did not do this often.

He always did it for Dan Webster. 

He always believed that Dan would make a difference, and indeed, he has.

He does not make a difference in that - 'he point the camera this way and see what I have done' kind of way. 

No, he makes a difference because he cares about people, but he cares more about eternity. 

He lives his life in an honorable way, and he evaluates issues and makes moral and responsible decisions.

And he listens. 

Today was one of those 'push through' kind of days for me. For all of us, I suppose. 

It was REALLY hard to go to the polls and vote without Roger by my side - or reminding me that it is really good to have a voting number no higher than the teens. (OK, I had 102 or something like that, but I voted!)

It was REALLY hard to put my Webster signs in the appointed place where he always had his Dunkin' Donuts coffee - or Allen's on this occasion.  It was wonderful to have people come by and recall that this was his spot - and even nicer when they happened to know that we went together. 

I did not stand up and chat all day like Roger did, but I did say "first bubble on your ballot!" a lot.  And during the afternoon when traffic got slow - I found a wifi connection. He would NEVER have done that!

And I did bug Karen often, though not as often as he did, to keep up with the count and the voting percentage for the Precinct 129 turnout. 

And I made it until 6:30 and I have not fallen apart.  

And I think I will make it just fine - because there is a party at the end - and I just know that our man Dan is going to go back to DC and work on our behalf to make this country strong again. And we will rightfully celebrate.

And yes, I know he can't do it alone, but I fully believe that his influence and the fact that he cares more about souls than about stuff is beginning to change the hearts of those in office. And I believe that God can and will change this nation for the better if the hearts of men are changed for the better. 

Roger's Lesson:
Push through. Do what is right to do, and keep doing it.  Stand up for those who do right and assist where you can.


I think he would be happy with us on this election day. 

Pick a team, friends and family - just be sure you know what your chosen leader believes and where he is leading you! 

Happy Election Day. God Bless America! 

A Little Pain?

Country road, country road, take me back, where I belong.......

Ok, that song is not exactly about Georgia, nor do I belong there anymore, but I did have a lot of fun going down those old country roads.

There is something very interesting - even emotional at times - about stepping back into your past. On that Georgia trip, Lila and I missed a number of things we were aiming for (like visiting Aunt Sara - one of our main objectives) - but the journey took us down some interesting paths as well.  Let's just say that between the two of us having "GPS' systems on our phones, they somehow did not agree most of the time, and well ----all roads lead somewhere!

Actually, something I have always wanted to do was to take a trip and 'get lost' and see where it took me. This was not planned, of course, but though we were never too far off track, we wandered, for sure!

Get lost. I'm not sure I ever got lost with Roger. He has a pretty innate sense of direction. Now there were plenty of times when I would tell him that he was lost, but he would figure it out. 

On our journey home, after we had pretty much outrun the oncoming storm, we headed through Middle Georgia.  Highway 41 DOES parallel I-75, right?     Well, in theory it does. 

We made it most of the way and ended up at this 'intersection from Hell' in Ft. Valley.  I remembered this thing from my childhood - it was under major construction this time. This thing was like a four-way stop with traffic lights and stop signs and about 6 roads that intersected.  

One thing we learned was that Georgia road signs are nothing like Florida road signs - not like Central Florida road signs anyway - THANK YOU DISNEY FOR SPOILING US!  You might find road signs overhead, on the side of a road, on a corner, behind a bush - and they are almost simply highway NUMBERS.   And there could be five at one location.  And there are no names of streets so much of the time.

All I can say is....GLORY! Someone help me! Someone give me a paper road map!

After visiting the 'intersection from Hell' about three times, we finally headed down what we were confident was the correct highway - only half a block from the 'previous highway" we tried, mind you.  We drove happily along until we came upon a sign that said "Andersonville Trail" and Montezuma.  Now, my Georgia geography might be a little rusty, but something told me this was way south of Ft. Valley and Warner Robbins - and Aunt Sara! 

Since late afternoon was approaching and children were going to be tracking us down, we kept going south. Next time, Aunt Sara! Hang in there! 

But along the way, a lady needs a break every now and again, so imagine where the road led.....to cotton fields - in full bloom.  I just could not resist the photo op. 

Roger's Lesson:  If you REALLY think you are lost, then find a fire station and they can help you EVERY time.  But don't be too quick to get back on the short route, because you might miss an adventure. 

Up close and personal - this is cotton before it is a cotton ball or a garment.  I grew up thinking that cotton was soft and fluffy. 

Not so.

On one trip to the farm, my parent's four children must have been a fussing mess because I remember daddy pulling off the side of the road and saying - 'get out' -  and he made us pick cotton. It was on grandaddy's farm, so it was ok. He made us pick it - I remember it being for a whole day in the blistering sun, but I bet it was only for about 10 minutes.  I can remember crying and pulling thorny things out of my hands. I also remember him talking to us about hard work being a good cure for fussing.  Some time later, in history class, when I began to learn about the south and the "cotton pickers" - I had a real appreciation for what they were talking about. I also gained a great appreciation for the industrial revolution, emerging technology, and more than anything else, Spirituals -as in music.   Just think about it. Maybe that will be another post for another day.  

No, cotton is not soft when it grows on a plant, and no, it does not offer ONLY A LITTLE pain! 

Cotton is good, but you don't get the final product without great sacrifice by someone. 
That's kind of like salvation, isn't it. The final product is amazing, but the sacrifice, by someone other than yourself was pretty brutal. That should make one appreciate the value of salvation even more. 

Catfish Joe

Catfish. These things are U.G.L.Y.  and I remember when Roger and Kristin went fishing and caught a really big one.  I'm so glad they did not feel compelled to stuff it! 

This is Joe's catfish. ONE of Joe's catfish. My uncle has a beautiful place up on Lake Sinclair  (in GA) and goes down to his dock every evening as the sun goes down and feeds his catfish. I guess they hear him coming and show up - or they have this internal timing - or something. It was quite the site to behold. 

Joe - my mom's baby brother. He is less than 20 years older than me and when I was little, I was IN LOVE with him!  Isn't it great to have an uncle like that?  I did not know it then, but I can look back now and see how much he influenced me about the ways a lady should be treated.   He has this amazing, genteel way of speaking. If he ever raised his voice - well I can't even imagine it. The tone of his voice is just soft and nice and that of a real Southern Gentleman. You don't find those so much anymore.  

That crazy drive through Atlanta was so worth it - just to get to see family again. Most of the time I fly OVER Georgia. It's hard to get back to your roots that way. 

Joe and Frank were brothers - and kindred spirits too. That was so special, because my mom and her sister were kindred spirits like that. It is quite something to be able to spend time with another person and not even have to talk, but to just really enjoy that time together. 

Roger and I sat in the swing a lot and just enjoyed time together.  I sat there more often when it was not too hot, nor too cold, nor too buggy - often enough, and yet now I look back and it was not nearly enough. 

Roger missed out. He missed out because he never answered Joe's call to come up for a visit. The two of them would have had quite a swell time together too! They liked so many of the same things.
One thing that I hope that I can always remember to do is to answer the call to 'come visit' - and to say 'come visit.'   I hope that I don't get so wrapped up in the busy-ness of life ever again, that I 'mean to' get around to it.

Roger's Lesson:
I think he would tell me to go where my heart leads me - and if it is on the road to Georgia - then do it. Yes, I know he would say that I should not just sit home and wait until it is my turn to enter Heaven. He would say to live and enjoy those you love until God calls you home. 

When I see a beautiful sunset over Lake Butler, I am going to remember this sunset over Lake Lanier and that wonderful time I spent with Joe and Fran (and Carole Anne too!)

And thanks Lila, for encouraging me along the way. We might have taken the long way around much of the time, but it was a fun Georgia journey! 

I still won't eat them, but those olde ugly catfish will always bring back good memories! 

After the Rain

This was Roger's job. Driving was always Roger's job. He never let me take over for him - never suggested it. I'm pretty sure I offered, but probably not sincerely.

Eh-lahn-eh.  (phonetic spelling for Atlanta) - Ah, one of my favorite cities. I love I-75 through downtown. I loved it more when Roger drove it.

Life throws you these curves and you either have to give into - "I can't do that" or you have to put on your big girl britches and just do it.

Thank goodness for a friend who was willing to go along for the ride. Thank goodness she was not scared for me to drive! She was willing, but I stayed determined that I could do this thing.

I did find that there is a difference between being able to do a thing and enjoying doing a thing though! These days, driving to Oviedo is more than I care to do too often, so driving to Atlanta - that was a big undertaking.

I think Roger would have been proud of me!

Sometimes it rains. Rain can make me sad if I let it, or it can remind me of the sunny days and make me appreciate them even more.

I don't particularly like driving in it, but we survived rainy I-75 through downtown Atlanta.
And sunny days, lots of creativity, and a wonderful visit with siblings and cousins followed.

Roger's Lesson:
In order to get to a desired destination, generally you have to go through some tough stuff to get there. But, you are always glad when the destination was as delightful as your anticipation. 

Yes, I know this journey of mine, though sad at times, will lead me to new growth and I know my final destination will be more amazing than I can even imagine.

And I know that he is experiencing it now.