Moms and Grandmas Have Changed

Last night, while chatting with a friend, I thought how much times have changed. Moms and Grandmas used to talk about the latest quilt design or recipes, and now we (that's right, I am both of them)are keeping up with the Internet, software, graphics, enewsletters, etc. My friend and I talk recipes, family, etc., but when we get going on software and newsletters and electronic gadgets like PDAs, AlphaSmarts, software for DVDs and various downloads, we really get busy. Last night, she was coaching me on how to get my 3000 AlphaSmart, which I use quite a bit when parked in waiting rooms, to use the Get program. This Get It program copies what is on the PC and transfers it to the AlphaSmart. (AlphaSmart 3000 is an older model as there are Neos and Danas, but I like the ease of packing this thing in a tote bag.) As it turns out, after much back and forth, there is no way my "Y" cable is going to work for a download/clip and paste.

Oh, well. We both have XPs, dreading the changeover to Vista, and wondering how much software we'll have to buy to keep up. She's run several print and online newsletters and we both do graphics and I was telling her about a new freebie, Print.Net for graphics, which is actually pretty neat, tho we both have several graphic programs. She's clinging to WordPerfect, but I have to move on and we both just wish they would have left it in the Dos or WP7 version, very plain.

So we chat a bit about recipes/gardening, etc., but we always come back to techno stuff and how-tos. She has a Windows CE, while I just have a plain PDA. It seems neither one of us can manage schedules, addresses and phone numbers without our gizmos. She likes to write on her AlphaSmart while her husband drives.

Last night I brought my laptop up to speed; it hasn't been used for a while and needed updating for a new graphics program. That took a few hours and then the AlphaSmart fiasco.

Then I think about my mother's life and my grandmother's, and how they talked with their friends about cooking, canning, sewing, and quilt making. (My mother crocheted.)

Times have really changed. We are close to family and friends and peers on the Internet, rather than gathering around a quilting rack. And I wonder about the coffees and visiting in each other's houses, too. Part of Desperate Housewives appeal may be that they are in each other's lives so much, while actually today's woman may not visit, or know her neighbor. Today's online communities and chats, etc., allow for networking and are sometimes a substitution for real live communication over a morning cup of coffee.


Families around the nightly dinner table is a scenario that doesn't occur very often in our busy lives, but I do wish more families would take time to do that. With text messaging, etc., it's not unusual to see family members not communicating...with each other.

My friend and I live miles apart, rarely see each other, but do keep in touch. Especially when one of us needs an electronic fix, like the "Y" cable fiasco last night.

Nope, we're not gathered around the quilting rack any more. And there's no going back.

Superfundraiser.com Writing Contest

Just write a post on your own blog listing which of My votes go to:

Back to School Means Fundraising Begins by Christina
The Seven Wonders of the World by Rachelle
Five Reasons Why I Loved Junior High by Jess

No Service

Yeah! I have internet back. Our cable and internet went out this afternoon (and yes, the bill was paid, and isn’t due yet). We called our cable company, and they usually say there is service interuption in our area. But they didn’t say that this time. So, Ethan talked to a real person. She took our information. If anyone else called in reporting trouble in our area, they would send someone out and treat it as an area disturbance. But, if no one else called, then someone would be out Monday to check our cables and such. I’m glad it was something in the area, and not us. I had put some clothes away in our bedroom, and the way David has our cable, there is a cable line right by where I put the clothes. But, I didn’t think I had touched it, or unplugged something. And it didn’t go out when I was in there. At any rate, I’m glad to have service back! I told him we need to switch to Sprint for our internet. That way when our cable goes out, we don’t lose both the TV AND the internet.

So, I read for awhile; and also continue doing what I have been doing most of the day. Laundry. I have most everything washed and folded. Its not been that way for awhile. Alot of times, we go on a day-to-day basis, doing what we need for the next day. Feels kinda nice to be all caught up. Folded and everything! Hmmmm…. lesson here …. kill the cable once in awhile. No, actually, I had been doing this all day, even when we did have cable and internet. It was just strangely quiet.

This Gives Me Chills

Having a son who has a passion for signing and does a decent job at it … I can appreciate the talent this 7 year old has.

Planning Ahead

I wish this is what I could do this weekend. Just kick back, enjoy the crisp fall weather, maybe even go camping. But, its not going to happen that way. I have alot of my to do list of things that need to be done. And I have probably put them off for long enough. One of them involves a report that is due at the end of the month, and I have three months worth of checking and inputing into the computer. If I could ever get caught up, and I would check and enter on a weekly basis, then I wouldn’t be scrambling like this to get it all done within a few weeks. Since it is a new quarter, I might do that first thing this afternoon. Getting last weeks checked and in the computer, and just make sure I do that every Friday. That doesn’t help with what I need to do now, but it will definately help down the road at the end of this quarter.

Its also City Wide fall clean up. We can put all kinds of things out at the curb - things that would normally cost us if we hauled them to the landfill ourselves (not to mention, we would have to haul it out there ourselves). I severely need to declutter and get rid of a bunch of things. I don’t know how far I’ll get, but I would like to make a dent. I have a goal. Matt would like to have Christmas at our house. Now granted, with a large, close knit family like ours, there will be more extended family get together for Christmas. But, Matt would like for just “our” family to celebrate Christmas, at my house. I suffer from C.H.A.O.S. syndrome, but it is a reasonable request. So. No promises, but I’m going to try.

Regardless of what I do, he has invited me, David and Ethan to his humble abode for Thanksgiving. Wow. We are actually planning ahead for a change. Usually, the week OF Thanksgiving, we are all going “where are we going for Thanksgiving”. But this year, I know where we are going. That will be nice. I enjoy being around this adult child of mine. He makes me smile. He makes me laugh … he was down here yesterday, and we had lunch together. And we got to talking about Ethan. I got called a wienie by husband because I don’t “law down the law” where Ethan is concerned. In other words, Matt didn’t agree with me that he should be allowed to drive after he remodeled my Explorer Labor Day weekend (Ethan, that is.). But, I’m also being realistic — he doesn’t have enough time to get from school to work, by walking. And even if he did, then he’s all hot and sweaty, ready to meet the public. The alternative is for me to pull his license and then we are back to chaueffering him. I’m sure there are lots of opinions out there to how I should have handled this, and I’m sure I didn’t do it right.

But, I find it funny that Matt — now as an adult — takes this “lay down the law” attitude. The kid that gave me SOOOO much grief as a teenager. Far worse than Ethan ever has. Drinking. Tickets. Depression. An angry child who kept it all in. But I could see the anger under the surface. I could write a whole book about Matt and how far he’s come.

So, I just reminded him that I’m still the same weinie now that I was when he was growing up, and it probably wouldn’t change.

Its amazing how life goes on, how things change, people change. I’m can hardly wait to see what Ethan will be like in 10 years.

Fall Has Kicked In

Fall has definately kicked in. It hasn’t been cold, but it has been on the chilly side. Not cold enough to turn the furnace on yet, but having a light fuzzy blanket around my shoulders and arms does feel good right now. This is still my favorite time of the year; I don’t look forward to the coldness to follow though. And the snow and ice terrifies me. I fell on ice back in 2001, and broke my arm — so I probably have a more-than-necessary fear of it. But the guys at the church are really good about salting down icy sidewalks, and making it as safe as possible … for me during the week, and of course, for the congregation on Sundays. And, if I make the 10 mile drive out to my afternoon job, then getting from my Explorer to the office is a piece of cake. They have a carport that I park under, and there is usually never any snow or ice. Since David works out there as well, if I feel like the roads are too trecherous, he will come and get me. We have a carport attached to our house as well, so getting to my Explorer is never a problem. My rule of thumb is, if the roads are too dangerous to travel on, then I’m calling in. Fortunately, I work with 2 great places of employment, and don’t have to fear being fired for not reporting to work.

Most Adventurous Thing

Annie asks: "Tell us the most adventurous thing you have ever done! What gave you the courage to do it or try it and how did you feel afterwards?"

I'd have to say getting married and having kids are the most adventurous things I've done...and they have been total adventures! We've had wonderful joyous times, fearful times, times of splurging, times of nip and tuck. It's been the best roller coaster ride anyone could ever hope to ride...and I'd do it again in a heart-beat!

My husband gave me the courage to get married, because I knew He loved God with everything that was in him...and if He loved God like that, I knew he'd love and take care of me and our kids...and he has!

I can't imagine not having kids...ever since I was a kid, I wanted kids :) They have brought so much depth to our life experience. Parenthood is like going from 2-d to 3-d and beyond. Our kids have stretched us, matured us, relaxed us, focused us, taught us, and truly filled that hole in our lives that only they could have filled.

Always easy? No way! Worth it? Most definitely!
I just feel so blessed and honored to be a wife and mother and if I never get another wild adventure in my life, I love the one I'm on!