New Year's Resolutions 2015

Good heavens, it's November.  How on Earth did this happen?  It seems like only yesterday I was sitting down, plotting out the goals that I hoped to achieve this year.  I've made progress on most of the goals, and realized that I set some goals just too high.  While I will not attain them this year, it's always worth stretching to see if maybe, just maybe, you really can reach that high!

1) Exercise More, Walk 500 Miles.
Fail, fail, fail.  Fell hard and tore up my knee, kept falling for months, and finally find out that I have torn ligaments in my ankle.  1 month of physical therapy, and now, here we are at the end of November.  I've actually been back to the gym this month.  I've been working with a Personal Trainer.  (ouch).  I am slowly, very slowly, getting more exercise.  Gotta build up endurance and not hurt myself again.


2) Lose 10 pounds.
I am NOT stepping on the scale this morning.  No way, no how.  Thanksgiving was over the weekend.  I'm hoping that avoidance will help to solve all of my problems.  While I'm not owning any part of this today, I will say that I have lost inches off of my waist this month.  3 inches, actually.  Between inches and pounds, I'm happier with inches.  The loss of inches means that I've lost some of the visceral fat hanging around my internal organs. Hooray!


3) Remodel the Hall Bathroom.
You know, this is a carryover from last year, too.  I honestly don't think this is going to happen before the end of this year, but it must happen next year.  I really want to have two working showers in our 2 bathroom house.  We still haven't gotten a plumber in to fix the plumbing yet.  We're having trouble finding a date and time when we can be home when the plumber doesn't already have an existing appointment.

4) Finish Oldest Child's Quilt
Done and done! 

5) Clean and Organize the Family Room in the Basement 
This was one of the easy ones.  There's still a mess in the other rooms, but at least the family room is clean.

6) Cut Back on the Time I Spend on Social Media
No Facebook on my cell phone means I have much less time to spend on Social Media.  I'm not supposed to access Facebook at work, so I really don't spend a lot of time on Social Media anymore.  It's freed up a lot of my time!


7) Read 75 Books This Year

 You can see my working list of books read this year here.

8) Get Out of Debt, Pay College Tuition Without Going Deeper Into Debt.
With daughter transferring to the Community College next semester, our college expenses have gone down considerably.  Her tuition next semester is going to come out to $3,000 for 15 hours of classes.  That's beyond reasonable.  She's going to help cover half of her tuition. 


9) Spend More Time with My Family.
Thanksgiving week.  Need I say more?

10) 365 Grateful
You can see the images I have shared publicly on Flickr.


11) Replace the Car that was Totaled.
Husband was in an accident 3 years ago that ended up totaling our car.  The ensuing medical bills wiped out our savings.  This week, we were able to buy a car to replace the one that was lost.  It's another Honda Civic.  What can I say?  I love Honda engineering!  I don't know what we'll do with the old Civic.  Keep it for daughter to drive or sell it?  Who knows?  If she does choose to continue driving it, we do need to put new tires on that car within the next month, before winter weather hits.  In the meantime, I'm going to take her out in the van and see if she can get used to driving a car with a higher center of gravity that handles a little bit more like an aircraft carrier than a car.  Once we find out how that goes, we'll make a final decision on the old Civic.

12) I Will Maintain My Friendships
This was a blast!  So glad I made it a priority this year to get back in touch with people I haven't seen or talked to in a long time!  I enjoyed catching up with people, hearing their stories, and finding out how their families are doing, and what our amazing kids are doing now.

13) I Will Have More Adventures
I am crossing this one off of the list.  Falling in a public place, tearing ligaments in knee (1st time) and ankle (2nd time), physical therapy, finding out I do NOT have to have surgery to fix my ankle, working with a Personal Trainer... seriously, I really needed to think about this a little more before I added it to my list.  I'm done with these kinds of adventures!

14) I Will Craft More

Not so much this month.  I ended up running the Silent Auction at the Church Bazaar earlier this month.  I had that handed over to me on Nov. 1.  You know, for having 3 weeks to pull it all together, I think I did a fantastic job.  I finished writing all of the thank you cards to everyone who donated to the Silent Auction.  Does writing a whole bunch of Thank You cards count as crafty?

How about you?  Did you track your resolutions this year?  Are you starting to think about next year?

Advent Photo of the Day

#listen

Weird Day at the Gym

I originally wrote this several years ago, and posted it to my now defunct "Mom's View" blog.  I re-posted it on this about two years ago.  I decided to go ahead and repost it today, because the timing on this just seems right today.

I went to the gym this morning.  I was on the treadmill when my nemesis came in and hopped onto the treadmill next to me.  Armed to the teeth with her bluetooth headset and i-Pod  headphones, she got onto the treadmill and began running.

As she runs, she sings snatches of the songs I assume that she's listening to on her i-Pod.  Never an entire phrase, just a couple of words like "What I'm looking".....  silence for a while and then we hear "Hey there Delilah".....  this goes on for a while, until all of a sudden she'll scream out "You go girlfriend!  Who-Hoo!  I've done a mile!  Look at me go!  Next one to go!" ...... and then silence for a while until her phone rings and she begins screaming into it "Hey, how's it going?  OMG!  I just ran 2 miles can you f'ing believe it?  I am so awesome!  So, about those contracts..."  And on and on it goes.

It's always an experience when she shows up.  You can see all of the heads begin to droop when she shows up, and people will shift treadmills or stop early and lift weights once she settles in for her workout.  No one quite knows what to do about it... and the trainers are at a loss.  They can't throw her out for singing snatches of songs badly and then getting them stuck in our heads for the rest of the day, so we all get to suffer together.

As I was leaving, I experienced perhaps the oddest thing I've ever experienced.

Do you remember the scene in "When Harry Met Sally" when Meg Ryan was faking an orgasm at the table in the diner? 

I don't know if this woman was faking it or not, but I swear to you, she was moaning and screaming while running on her treadmill, just like Meg Ryan did in that scene.

I tell you, it brought all activity in that gym to a screeching halt. 

My workouts never end like that.  I must be doing something wrong.

Book Review - Capital Days: Michael Shiner's Journal

This post contains Affiliate Links.

Michael Shiner was a black slave in Washington DC.  The small book that he kept detailing the events in and around his life began in 1812.  He described the invasion of Washington by the British - and ends with his death, in 1870.  He lived through the building of Washington, DC (and the rebuilding), the Civil War, and finally, he saw the day when all black slaves were admitted as citizens of the United States.

If you know anything about the history of slavery.Michael was outstanding in so many ways.  As a black man, he was able to read and write at a time when it was against the law to be able to do so.  He kept a book where he detailed small happenings in and around the place where he worked - the Washington Naval Yard.  He met people who have since become staples of United States History.

The book itself is a gem beyond words.  The author, Tonya Bolden, found this tiny little journal in the Library of Congress while researching for another project.  The book haunted her, and she put in time to find out more about Michael Shiner, who he was, and the times in which he lived.

The result of all this work is this amazing book that not only highlights the ups and downs of Michael's life but ties in the times that he is living in with the events in the wider world around him. Slave rebellions, kidnappings of black families to sell south into slavery, DC Riots, are all detailed in this wonderful step back in time.

One of my favorite highlights of the book was the timeline in the back of each chapter that tied together the events discussed in Michael Shiner's journal with events in United States History.  It really helped to bring his story to life.

If you are looking for a journey back in time, this is the book for you!

13 Things Librarians Won’t Tell You (But Every Reader Needs to Know)

I used to work in a Public Library.  It was a great experience.  Part of
my life's journey that's brought me to where I am today.  Public
Libraries are unique places - and working in a public library is a
unique experience.  I found this list on of 13 Things on Reader's
Digest.



13 Things Librarians Won’t Tell You (But Every Reader Needs to Know)





Yes, I can verify that every single one of these item is true.



As far as #9 goes, I can tell you from personal experience that is more likely to happen if you are nice about it.  Yelling at the librarian will NOT get your fines waived.  Honestly, we don't like being yelled at any more than you do.

Frugal Friday

We bought our turkey early in the week, and cooked it on Sunday.  We celebrated Thanksgiving on Thursday with my family, but by cooking a turkey early in the week, we were able to have the best part - leftover turkey- all week while the kids were home!  Since oldest child is headed back to school on Friday, we wanted to make our favorite leftover dishes while he was home to appreciate them!

You would think that eating turkey all week would slow us down come Thanksgiving dinner, but no... it really didn't.

Oldest son got his haircut with a free to new customers coupon that the barber shop handed out when they opened last month.

We made several trips to the library.  We picked up lots of books, as well as some of our favorite television shows and movies on DVD that we can't find in reruns or on Netflix.  I finally found the second book in the Game of Thrones series - A Song of Fire and Ice - on CD so I can listen to it in the car.  It's a pretty massive set of CD's, too.  I had no idea that one case could carry 30+ CD's.  It's bigger than the book itself.

My mother in law made a quilt for my husband years ago before he went off to college.  It's a denim quilt - made of old blue jeans and lined with an old sheet.  The last 32 years has taken a toll on that quilt.  The batting and backing are torn beyond repair.  While the quilt is tied, and lends itself to be easily torn apart and fixed, I do not have the space to stretch it out and tie it together.  Even worse, my sewing machine is not a heavy duty machine - and it is not strong enough to sew the layers together once I finish.

Enter a friend of mine who hates to piece but loves to tie.  We are switching projects.  She is going to tie the quilt together for me - and sew the edges.  I am going to piece her quilt and sew it together for her.  (she hates the miniscule seams involved with piecing.)  I don't have to cut, just sew the top together.  She'll tie it herself.  I swear, I am getting the better end of this deal!

The Festival of Trees to benefit Kennedy Kreiger is this weekend.  I found a discount code, which will take $2 off the ticket price for each person's admission.  I love the Festival of Trees!  It's a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit, and everything goes to benefit the kids at Kennedy Kreiger. 

(Okay, so I didn't save a lot of money this week, but the kids are home.  What do you expect?)

I hope you are enjoying your time with family!

Thankful

I have so many things to be thankful for.  I have been blessed beyond all reason.

1) I have a roof over my head.
Circumstances have been kind to us.  We have been able to buy a house in a neighborhood we love in a community with people we adore.  We have scrimped and saved in order to purchase our first house and have continued to cut corners to work at paying our mortgage off early.  Again, we are fortunate that we have jobs that allow us to pay for our house and living expenses.

2) Our Health.
Aside from oldest child's stay in the NICU when he was born, all three of the kids have been healthy.  Oh, we've had broken bones, food allergies, and assorted illnesses, but  overall, we are healthy.  As husband and I get older, we continue to focus on getting daily exercise and eating right.  Our goal is to stay healthy as we age and stay out of the medical system for as long as possible.

3) Education
Love it or hate it, our country is unique in the history of the world in that every single citizen is eligible for a free public education.  Every person learns to read and write, and an education is provided through grade 12.  It's a privilege that I think too many of us take for granted.  Even today, there are places in the world where children do not get to go to school unless if their parents have money, and many girls have to drop out of school because they fall behind their male peers due to the fact that they have to miss several days of school each month due to their menstrual cycle.

4) Food
Food on our table, food in our fridge.  I am thankful that I have always had a yard, pots, or a community garden plot to grow some vegetables.  Our jobs have provided enough money to keep food on our table every single day.  Don't think I ever underestimate what a blessing this is.

5) Employment
Speaks for itself.

6) Friends and Family
You know what they say: you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family.  We are blessed indeed.  My family lives within an hour of us, my Mom is still with us (not a certainty after last year), and we have fantastic friends that I am honored to know. 

Many of my extended family has passed on, but I am thankful to have had them in my life.  Their guidance and encouragement when I was younger helped shape the person that I am today.  Without them, I wouldn't be here.  Every day, I give thanks for the tremendous impact they have had upon my life.

What about you? What are you thankful for this year?

Interesting Times

There is an old curse that goes "May you you live in interesting times."

Good Lord, do we live in interesting times.  The world seems very dark and foreboding right now.  It feels as if we are on the cusp of something big, dark, and ugly.  The times are indeed interesting.  Every time you turn around, something horrible has happened.  A massacre in Paris.  A fighter jet shot down over Turkey.  Pilots shot and killed.  An explosion on a bus full of people in Tunisia.  The city of Brussels under a police lock down.  The United States has issued a travel warning for all Americans.

Interesting Times, indeed.

It's gotten to the point where I both fear what I am going to hear on the news, and feel compelled to check in on the news and find out what is going on.  I have become a news junkie, checking in with the wire services and the BBC News on a regular basis.  I have pulled out my shortwave radio, and dusted it off.  Late at night, when I am having trouble sleeping, you'll find me listening to broadcasts from around the world, trying to find out what is going on where.  We are living in frightening times.  I am not fear mongering. You won't find me discussing my deepest thoughts and fears on here.  You won't read about anything I hear on the shortwave late at night.   I am trying to keep tabs on what is going on in the world around me.  Our mainstream news media does not report everything.  You serve yourself and your family well if you keep track of what is going on in the wider world.

The Coast Guard defines Situational Awareness as "the ability to identify, process, and comprehend the critical elements of information about what is happening to the team."  

I remember my Dad talking to me about "situational awareness" when I was learning to drive.  In turn, I discussed this with my children as they were learning to drive.  I told them to always be aware of what is going on around them.  Whenever we head out into the city, a shopping mall, or any other large crowded place, I stress the importance of knowing what is going on around them at all times.
 
We were caught in a hotel fire when I was a child.  (The day after Thanksgiving, actually.)  My Dad got us successfully out of the hotel - we were on the 10th floor - and the fire was down the hall from us.  He had counted out the doors to the stairwell when we checked in, and had already followed the stairs to find out where the emergency stairs came out downstairs.  When the fire broke out, Dad handed each of us a wet towel, and pointed us to the left, down the hall towards the stairs - "Count 6 doors on the left, the seventh is the stairwell.  20 flights of stairs down, Go out at level G, turn right, and I'll meet you by the large planter full of Christmas trees".  We followed his directions, and found our meeting spot.  Dad was just minutes behind us.  He'd grabbed the suitcases and stopped to knock on the doors of the rooms between ours and the stairs before heading down.  I'd say that lesson in being aware of my surroundings has stuck with me.  That particular incident happened 40 years ago, and I still remember it as if it was yesterday.

I am not asking  you to avoid holiday celebrations.  I am not asking you to hide in your house.  I am not asking you to carry a concealed weapon in order to "take out" someone who looks suspicious.

I am asking you to be aware of what is around you at all times.  Be aware of people or things that look "wrong" or "out of place".  Trust your gut.  Know where the exits are.  Don't become complacent in your surroundings when you are out in large public places.

We are living in interesting times, my friends.  It pays to be aware and alert of what is going on in your immediate surroundings.

Meantime, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving with the people that you love.  Hug them often, hold them tight.

Book Review: Dragon Bane

(This post contains Affiliate Links)

 

I picked up this book, and I was immediately dropped into a high fantasy world that transcends time.  It is based in our world and time, but the characters have the ability to travel through time.  After a chapter or two, I realized that I had been dropped into the story line in the middle - instead of at the beginning.  No matter, the author wrapped me up into her world, and the characters worked their dragon magic on me.  I was hooked before the end of the first hundred pages.  What a fabulous piece of high fantasy!  With a tale woven through time and dimensions.... it is a sweeping piece of imaginative work.  I will have to read the other books that tie into this novel.  The author does a fabulous job of giving just enough information about what had come before in order to keep the story moving and to give the reader enough information to understand the current action in the story.  WHAT A FANTASTIC READ!!!!

Please Note:
This book contains adult themes.  In the movie theaters, this book would get an "R" rating for sex.

Book Talk:
Maxis Drago is a mysterious, antisocial, withdrawn dragon who lives in Sanctuary - a quiet place in the city of modern day New Orleans that offers sanctuary to the magical, mystical shape shifting creatures that inhabit our world.

For thousands of years, Max has lived a solitary life, working to guard and protect the items that were entrusted to his care.   Quietly living in Sanctuary, very few know the true story of Max's past.

And then, Fate intervenes and not only puts Max back into the limelight, but exposes his past to everyone who lives with him - forcing them to choose sides.

It begins the night that Max's wife - the wife he thought had died centuries ago - shows up to tell him that his children (that he never knew he had) had been kidnapped and were being held prisoner.  They would only be released when Max was given in exchange.

Why is Max such a hot commodity?  Because he is the dragon bane.  Legend has it that he is the one who killed the Greek Prince who first merged humans and dragons.  The Greek Prince who began the great line of shape-shifting humans with his great and powerful control of the darkest of magics.  Hatred for Max has been brewing for centuries among all shape shifters- even the ones with whom he lives so quietly.

 When his wife suddenly shows up out of nowhere, Max is forced to reveal his unsavory past to his extended family in Sanctuary.

Will he be able to rescue his children in time?
Will his wife's plan to turn him over to the enemy succeed?
Will his extended family accept him for who he is, or will they force him back out into the world?
Will war erupt between the residents of Sanctuary and the "others" who claim the same heritage but have chosen sides?

Calisthenics

Now that the doctor has proclaimed my ankle to be healed, and I have been released from physical therapy, I have joined a gym.  I seriously need to exercise, and I need to be careful so that I don't injure my ankle or anything else.  So, I am working with a personal trainer.  Have you ever worked with a trainer?  You pay them good money to have them help you exercise beyond the point where any sane person would stop. 

My trainer is a wonderful girl.  She's not that much older than my oldest kid.  She's very smart, funny, and knows what she's doing.  She has a degree in Exercise Science, and she is the person who gets the clients coming off of Physical Therapy.  She very gently pushes you to safely do more than you thought you could. 

The problem with Personal Trainers is that they're not content to work on just one part of you.  They want to work with ALL parts of you.  Not just your ankle, noooo.  Your abs, your glutes, your triceps, your biceps.... egads.

Do you know she tricked me into doing 60 sit ups last week?  And that they were on a ball?  One of those big exercise balls?

I can hear you thinking now "How does anyone trick you into doing 60 sit ups?"

Actually, it's easy.  She had me do 15 sit ups a week earlier.  3 sets of 15 sit ups.  It seems like a small number until you realize that you've done 45 sit ups.  And you haven't done 45 sit ups since you were in high school.  (And that was a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away.)

So, there we were.  She'd had me lunge the length of the gym.   Yeah right, lunge.  I can't lunge.  I give credit to the people who were in the gym at the same time but did not break out in laughter when I stumbled past them on my way down to the end of the gym and back. 

Dear God, the burn.  My legs burned EVERYWHERE.  Muscles I didn't even know I had were protesting the unaccustomed exercise.

She had me sit on the big ball, and I was so thankful that I got to sit down!  I did my 15 sit ups without complaint, because I wasn't lunging!

"You're going to do 5 more"  she tells me.

"What?  I can't do 5 more!  I can barely do 15!"

"It's only 5 more.  You can do 1 more.  Just try 1 more."

I did one more.  And then another.  And then 3 more. 

And then, we lunged the length of the gym again.  I didn't think I could burn anymore than I was before, but I was wrong. 

Back to the ball, back to more lunges, and back to the ball.  I got to 10 sit ups, and I swear to you, I was done.  And then, that evil witch, she smiled at me and told me "how easy the next 10 were going to be."  And she convinced me I could do them.  She had faith in me, even though I was ready to roll off that damn ball, onto the mat and use a hand weight as a pillow while I curled into the fetal position and nursed my wounded pride.

Slowly, very slowly, I managed to pull off 10 more sit ups.  The last one was something.  It wasn't pretty, but I did it.  60 sit ups.

Thank the good lord, we were done after that.

I hauled myself out to the car, and drug these old bones home.

The soreness the next morning was unbelievable.  Every part of my legs burned.  Every single muscle let me know that it hurt.  My stomach hurt.  Everything hurt.

I got to work, turned on the computers, pulled myself up on the stool and sat down at the information desk.  I was determined not to move until my shift was over.

Of course, things don't work that way in the library world.  Patrons need books.  Sometimes, you need to walk out into the stacks to look for a book that someone can't find, and sometimes, you like to help them find the section that books are in, so that they can find similar titles to the one that they are searching for.  This involves walking.

The worst part is our nifty little section of books that we have roped off.  A Staff member must accompany students back there while patrons are looking for books, or else we just grab the books for them and check them out.  Staff usually just squats and ducks under the rope and gets the books.

Not this day.  This day, that section became the "self-serve" section.  I had two people who needed books from this section.  Fortunately, the section is less than 6 feet from my perch, and I can see everything.  When the they asked for the books, I gave them permission to cross the sacred line and get the books themselves.

The worst part was when I had to go back into the stacks to help someone find a book.  As I hobbled down the aisles and hauled my sorry ass up a step stool to get to the books they needed, I noticed an inquisitive look cross their faces.  They were too polite to make any comment, but as we were slowly meandering our way back up to the desk to check out the books, the patron politely asked "Are you okay?  You seem to be a little... ummm..."

"Oh, I'm fine.  I'm just suffering the after effects of a unique for of torture called 'calisthenics'." 

The smothered laughter from the assorted people sitting in the surrounding area was just a little mortifying....

Luna Missed her Girl

Luna and the girl are very tight.  I am convinced that Luna considers the girl to be her kitten.  I've seen her come through and lick the water off of her hair after she takes a shower.  That cat loves her girl just as much as her girl loves her cat.  When we came home after moving her into school, Luna complained non-stop.  Every time we walked into the house and the girl wasn't with us, she began MROWing loudly.  Very loudly.  It was a horrible, stentorian shout that lasted for half an hour every single time we walked back into the house after we had been gone for any length of time.  For 3 months, she has complained - LOUDLY - every time we have walked in the door without her girl.  The cat has been impossible to live with.  She has really missed her kitten.  She would wake me up at 4:30 every morning to swat me awake, stare at me, and then once I was fully awake, stalk off.


Daughter got home last night. We were thinking Luna might try to ignore daughter in order to punish her for leaving her.  We expected that she would have nothing to do with daughter until the middle of the night.  We were wrong.  Within 10 minutes of her walking in the door, the cat had taken possession of her girl.  She was all over her - nuzzling her, licking her, and grooming the foreign smells out of her fur.  Once daughter laid down, Luna piled on top of her and refused to move.  For the first time in months, I did NOT have a cat come in and swat me awake at 4:30 in the morning.


When we checked in on her last night, we saw Luna curled up next to daughter, with her paws wrapped protectively around daughter's head.  I'm not certain daughter is ever going to be able to leave the house for any length of time ever again!

It is so good to have my chickies home!

Frugal Friday

So, I didn't spend a lot of money this week. 

We've eaten through the leftovers in the fridge and made space for the kids coming home.

Husband is in desperate need of some new shirts for work.  So, he's getting new shirts for Christmas.  They were on sale at Kohls.  I used the coupon they had sent me to get an extra 15% off of my purchase.  He got 3 new dress shirts, and I got Kohl's cash and a coupon for 20% off of my next purchase.  I see a pair of dress pants for one of the kids in the very near future!

We got our electricity bill in for last month.  It came in under $200, which is much less than it was this time last year.  Unfortunately, it's been warmer this winter than last, so I don't think this is an accurate comparison.

Daughter's semester is over today, and she is coming home tomorrow.  About a month ago, she called her employer that she worked with over the summer, and she has her old job back, beginning the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Starting tomorrow, I have all of my wonderful kids coming home.  I know this next week will in no way whatsoever be frugal - but I'll have a great week with my wonderful munchkins!

I hope everyone enjoys time with the people they love over the next week.  Whether it's a phone call, a dinner, or a week together, take advantage of every single minute of your time.

All I Want for Christmas is a Canner

Water bath canning the last two jelly jars.

I'm taking up a new hobby next year... pressure canning.  I already water bath can, but I want to expand into an entirely new area.  With water bath canning, I can preserve fruits, jellies, and pickles.  Believe me, I make some awesome jelly.  This year marks the first year I managed to to preserve enough triple berry jelly to meet the demands of 3 grown kids well into the fall.  I still have some down in the basement.  Every time the kids come home, they raid the closet and trade another couple of full jars for their empty ones.

I want to learn how to pressure can foods.  This means I'll be able to preserve foods that are lower in acid.  For the past few years, I've been depending upon the freezer for long term storage, but I'd like to reduce my dependence upon the freezer.  It does eat up some energy, and I'd like to cut down on my consumption of electricity.  Low acid canned foods are not have enough acid to cut down on bacterial growth - you know - the bacteria that causes fun things like botulism.

The pressure in the canner allows the temperature inside of the jars of food to go above 240*-250*.  This temperature, combined with time, should kill the botulism spores that can thrive in that anaerobic environment that exists inside of those jars.

A batch of jelly.

I've been searching for Home Extension classes next year to learn how to can.  I plan on following the Ball Blue Book of canning, but even so, I still really would like to have someone hold my hand and walk me through how to can.  If anybody who reads this happens to live in the Mid-Atlantic region and knows of a canning class offered through their home extension service or their local community college, could you please let me know in the comments?

There are so many pressure canners out there to choose from.  Does anybody have any recommendations on what kind of pressure canner works best for them?  I'd love to hear your opinions!

Washington Institutions

There are some institutions around Washington DC that withstand the test of time.  Some of these institutions are cultural, like the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian Museums.

Some are architectural gems, like Dulles Airport and the Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Memorials.

And then, there are the personalities that dominate the media in and around Washington.  For anyone who has lived here for any length of time, some of these names are legendary.

Long before Willard Scott began announcing the weather and centenarians for the Today Show, he was reading the weather for WRC Channel 4 out of Washington.

But, since people who live and work in this area spend so much of their time on such hideous commutes, we get to know our radio personalities well.  We spend hours every week listening to them, as they keep us laughing during our daily gridlock.

Harden and Weaver.  They were a legendary radio duo out of WMAL AM 63 back when I was a kid.  Man, I woke up to them for years.  The morning march.  Jackson Weaver was the voice of Smoky the Bear.  (Did you know that?)  Only YOU can prevent forest fires!  The pair of them made my getting up and out the door a little less painful.  I remember one great morning when Weaver got stuck in the elevator between floors, and he proceeded to do the morning broadcast with a microphone somebody dropped down the elevator shaft to him.  Legendary!  One in the studio, one in the elevator, and still a (mostly) seamless morning.  The pair of   Harden and Weaver ended only when Jackson Weaver died back in 1992.  Frank Harden remained on the air for several more years, and eventually retired from WMAL.

Ken Beatrice - who was the voice of Sports Call - also on WMAL AM 63.  This was a sports call in radio station, where people could call in and talk about anything, and Ken had opinions about it all, and was happy to discuss your thoughts with you.  I can still hear his voice "You're next here on Sports Call!"

And then there was Jack Diamond.  He began working at WRQX - Mix 107.3 26 years ago.  Think about this for a second.  26 years in Washington, D.C.  That's a lot of time, and a lot of things have happened during that time.  His loyal listeners adored him and the morning crew.  They kept it fun and laughed a lot, which helped make the morning rush hour a little bit more endurable.  I met him several times over the years, once on his "World Tour" and a couple of times on a Toys for Tots Drive.   He was always very friendly, professional, and genuine.  Even though he doesn't know me from anyone else,  when he would take the time to talk with you, you felt that he was genuinely interested in you, what you had to say, and why you would take the time out of your life to listen to him on a regular basis.  I began listening to Jack on his first day on the air, and was hooked.  I had listened to WMAL, but the AM setting in my car gave out, and I was forced onto the FM dial.  I had been station hopping for a little over a month when Jack started on the air.  After that day, Jack Diamond in the morning was how I began my commute into work every morning.  For 24 years, my mornings began with Jack, through babies, and preschoolers and elementary school carpool drop offs, the Jack Diamond morning show was how I began my day.

2 years ago, Jack was unceremoniously dumped from Mix 107 as the station attempted to go in a "new direction".  Like many other listeners, I began the long dejected search to find a new station to listen to in the morning on the way in.  There are other morning shows, but so few of them were PG-13, without downright dirty and demeaning hosts, or shock jocks, that the pickins were very slim.  I listened to a lot of books on CD, and NPR became the new preset on my radio.  (BTW, NPR doesn't really let you know how big the back up is, or if it's bad enough that you need to find an alternate route.)

Monday morning, Jack Diamond, Jimmy Alexander, and Erica Hilary returned to Mix 107.  It was a happy, happy moment - for me at least.  I've spent my morning drive time listening to Jack's tales of his family and grandchildren.  I've laughed at Jimmy's humor.  And Erica.  What can I say about her?  Her kids are the same age as my kids, many of her struggles are my struggles, and somehow, she's always managed to come out on top and thrive. 

I just want to say to Jack, Jimmy, and Erica - I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE BACK!   My morning commute has been much more enjoyable this week!

To the executives at WRQX, I would like to thank you for putting my favorite team back together again.  I know it is unheard of in the radio industry for anyone to put a team back on the air after they have been disbanded.  From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for going against the trend and giving Washington back one of it's Institutions.  Thank you!

Paris

source: Facebook: Good House Keeping

Frugal Friday

It's time for the fun and excitement called "How I saved a few dollars this week"!  Husband and I have a debt we are trying to get paid off.  Every single penny counts when you're being charged interest on a debt, so everything we can save is going to debt repayment.  Our goal is to have this paid off by the end of April.  Sooner, if at all possible.

Bushel of Winter Squash  $30

source: Facebook/ Dorans Chance Farm

One of my favorite farm stand stores is closing for the season on Sunday.  This week, they've been running a special on winter squash.  You can pick up a half bushel of mixed winter squash for $15.  Wash them in a light bleach solution, and store them in a cool place, and you've got winter squash well into January.

I picked up a full bushel of winter squash for $30.  What am I going to do with a full bushel of winter squash?  Stick with me this winter, and you'll find out!

Just look at all of those brilliant colors!  Aren't they gorgeous?

Christmas Presents for Grandparents
This one gets harder and harder every year.  What do you get for older people, who already have everything that they need?  I used to take my Mom out - for tea, a movie, or just shopping.  Since her colostomy last year, Mom is struggling with the bag and all of the assorted issues that go with the bag.  She no longer likes to go out of the house for fear her bag is going to break and cover her and her surroundings with feces.  (Get those colonoscopies, people.  This doesn't have to be your story.)  Last year, I bought her elastic waist pants and larger shirts that would fit over the bag without binding.

This year, daughter made her a birdhouse for her back yard.  I bought hundreds of flower bulbs for spring flowering bulbs, and on Thanksgiving Day, the kids and I are going to plant them in the back yard.  We mostly picked up daffodils, but also some crocuses and snowdrops.  I'm planning on just naturalizing them in the yard.  They'll pop up early in the spring, but by the time the lawn needs to be mowed, the bulbs will have died back and she can mow them down without a problem.  I put together a picture collage for her - a small ornament from Shutterfly with pictures of the kids that she can hang on a wall, the fridge, or use as a bookmark.  (I'm planning on using mine as a book mark.)

My mother in law is a tougher bird.  I've made things for her in the past, and she's thrown them out.  Sometimes, while I'm still there.  So, I've given up on making things for her because, honestly, I don't want all of that time that I spent making something just tossed in the trash.  The least she could do is give it to the Thrift Store.  I really need to put on my big girl panties and get over that.  She loves reading about history, so husband picked up two new historical books that the author was giving away at a festival.  I also put together a small collage of pictures of the big kid events this year.  She can hang it on the wall, put it on a table, or lose it in one of the many piles of stuff she has in her apartment.  My husband will be taking her out - just the two of them - to lunch and a movie sometime before Christmas.

E-Bates
My E-Bates check for last quarter came in this week.  I'm $10 richer!  That $10 paid for a good chunk of the second half bushel of winter squash!  The other $5 came from quarters in the coin jar.  It's nice to think of dinner coming out of spare change, isn't it?

Pumpkins
Our office had been decorated with some cute little pumpkins for the past month or so.  My boss was getting ready to toss them in the trash when I decided to salvage them.  There's not a lot of them - 6 small little pumpkins, but I think that they will taste most excellent stewed into something wonderful!

A WTF Moment

This was a message on our phone the other day.  I don't really know this person.  She lives down the street from us, and she goes to our church.  In the ten years we've lived here, I've spoken to her 3 times, and one of those times was to tell her that if her son didn't stop following my daughter around, I was going to press charges and get a restraining order.


"So hi.  This is Kelly.  Down the street.  Our daughter is getting divorced and we need money.  So, call me back and let me know what you can give us.  Our phone number popped up in your caller ID, so you know who to call.  Call us back and let us know."

Wait.... what? 

Am I wrong in thinking this is weird, or has this become the new normal?

Starbucks Coffee Cups

This is really much ado about nothing.  Come on folks, when did snowflakes and snowmen become symbols of Christs' birth?  Since when has Corporate America in the form of Starbucks become the Standard Bearer of the Christian, or any other faith?

source: Facebook

Delicata Squash

Have you had one of these beauties before?  I had never really seen them until a couple of years ago, as part of our CSA delivery.  (Community Supported Agriculture)

source: Burpee

I know yellow summer squash.  And I know zucchinis.  But Delicata?  What on Earth are those guys all about?

Delicatas are an heirloom variety of squash, harvested in the fall.  Their skin is softer than that of a Butternut, and is edible.  They are similar in taste to a Butternut.  Unlike other winter squash, Delicatas will only last a couple of months.

Care of all winter squash is much the same.  Wipe them down with a very mild bleach solution, and then store them in a cool, dry place.  (This is what a Root Cellar is for!)

For the longest time, these guys could only be found in the fall in farmer's markets and at farm stands.  Recently though, I've been seeing them at some grocery stores.  If you're looking for something to "break in" winter squash, Delicata is an excellent way to begin!

Roasted Delicata Squash

One or more Delicata Squash - cut in half lengthwise and seeded.
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Heat oven to 350*.  (Since we have just the two of us, I make this in the toaster oven, on a small baking pan.)

Slice the squash about 1/4" thick.
Place in pan.
Add a glug of olive oil
Add salt and pepper to taste

Stir together until all of the squash is evenly coated with the salt, pepper and olive oil.

Bake in a 350* oven for 30 minutes or until squash pierces easily with a fork.

Serve immediately.

Penn State Libraries

Library Geek Queen strikes again!  Husband and I went on a quest to visit the Penn State Library - in State College, PA on Saturday.  (Ever wonder why I chose librarian as my career field?)  This research library is beautiful.  The learning common space and computer labs are phenomenal.  I went to college in an era when computer catalogs were just beginning to appear on the scene.  We still had an actual card catalog full of cards on the first floor of the library when I began college.  By the time I graduated 5 years later, the card catalog was gone, and had been replaced by computer terminals strategically located on every floor of the library.  Computer Labs, Learning Commons, and Group Study Areas were ideas that had not yet come into being back in the 80's.  I adore how these new spaces and ideas have been integrated into existing library buildings without compromising the original very impressive architecture of these older buildings, all the while maintaining the depth and integrity of their physical collection.  Keep in mind, we only visited the main library.  There are subject specialty libraries scattered throughout the campus.  If only I'd  had time to visit them all!

Penn State Paterno/Pattee Library from the front

Look at this gorgeous atrium!  Big sun lights on the roof flood this area with natural light.

Nice place to sit and relax.

Bringing a little of the outdoors inside.  Seriously, why don't my houseplants ever look this good?

Inside the stacks at the Pattee Library.  The ceilings are low, the aisles are narrow, the floor is tile.  It's a researchers dream!  There is so much packed into these shelves! 

Look down those aisles to the study carrels.  The carrels are tucked in by the windows, flooded with natural light.

Look at the view out of that window!

This is in the Paterno Library.

Once again, carrels flooded with natural light.

Clearly marked call numbers on the ends of the rows.

Computers for student use.  There's another, HUGE computer lab on the first floor, but I didn't get a picture.

This is awesome!  An interactive, touch screen map of the library!

The courtyard.  I love how they've added on over the years, but left a courtyard in the middle.

Because who doesn't love old staircases?

Good Boy, Peach!

I found this on Facebook over the weekend.  A lawyer wanted a statement from the officer who took down his client.  Even after being informed that the officer was a K-9, the lawyer still insisted upon a statement.  Here is the result..  (I REALLY hope this is for real!!)

source: Facebook, Rosenberg Police Department Page

Phishing Scam

This arrived in my inbox yesterday, and I wanted to share it with anyone out there who might have received something similar.  This is a phishing scheme.  Do you notice where it says "Email team"?  Yeah, that's not the official AOL team, or their official signature on e-mail.  It does look very official, doesn't it?  Click on the link to see "Violated Terms of Service".  Click on that link, and you're taken to a page where you will have to enter your e-mail address and password.  NO!  NO!  NO!  Don't do it!  It's a fraud, meant to scam your information! 

Somebody is phishing for my account information.  I don't know what they are planning on doing with the information, but I'm not going to share.  I DID report the e-mail.  I sent the entire e-mail, lock stock and barrell, off to the officals at AOL.

This is just a reminder to you - at this time of year when fraud and scams seem to ramp up - to be very careful.  If you receive an e-mail that looks official, but you aren't sure - CALL the company involved.  They would much rather answer your questions than have you lose thousands of dollars because of some misplaced trust.  Scammers are good - really good - at making their e-mails look as real as possible.  If you receive a Phishing scam, they will ask you to enter your information on their link.  NO! NO!  NO!  Don't do it!  Be very careful, and go through the account portal separately.  Call the institution involved - or visit them.   An abundance of caution is a very good thing.

'Tis the season for fraud.  Please be vigilant with your account information - and keep an eye on your accounts as much as you can over the next few weeks!

Pork Fried Rice (Recipe)

Fried Rice is possibly one of my favorite leftover meals.  Whenever we have leftover meat from another recipe, I can easily and quickly cut it up into small cubes, and mix it with rice and other vegetables for my own take on stir fried rice.  A lot of places will use the standard bag of frozen mixed veggies for the vegetables.  I like to think that traditional Chinese families used whatever was in season and on hand to make fried rice for their families.  This then, is my take on Fried Rice, using leftovers and food that is in season.  For this particular batch, I used items I already have on hand:  Bell Peppers, Onions, Carrots, Kale, Spinach, and celery.  I added the heartier vegetables first, and the spinach and kale once the other vegetables were crisp-tender.  As soon as the greens began to wilt, I added the meat, rice, and sauce.

A note of caution- the sauce that I use on my stir-fries is a little spicy - very reminiscent of a Szechuan sauce. 

Pork Fried Rice

1/4 pound of leftover pork, diced into small cubes
2-3 cups of rice, cooked, either brown or white
2 -3 cups of assorted vegetables, diced.  You can use a small bag of frozen mixed veggies
Optional: 1 egg, scrambled and cut into small pieces

Sauce:
3 TBSP soy sauce
2 tsp corn starch
2 TBSP dry sherry (cooking sherry)
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

In a glass measuring cup, mix the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

Heat a large wok or skillet over medium high heat.

Add vegetables all at once, stirring until they are crisp-tender.

Add meat, stir an additional minute.

All at once, add rice and sauce, stirring well to mix.  (About 2 minutes) 

Remove from heat.

Serve immediately.

Smoked Cuban Sandwiches

That pork roast yielded yet another awesome dinner.  Smoked Cuban Sandwiches.  Technically, this wasn't a smoked roast, so I guess this would technically be called a Roasted Cuban Sandwich?  This made a fantastic quick dinner on a night when we had to be out at meetings within 90 minutes of husband arriving home from work.  I use gluten free bread.  I have a few brands that I am absolutely in love with, and I used my favorite thick, crusty roll for this recipe.  I also used the George Foreman Grill to smash the sandwiches down.  It melted the cheese, heated the bread, and made a minimum of mess in my kitchen.  (Important on a night when you have to be out the door 90 minutes after you walk in!)

*Note- because of hubby's dairy allergies, he used fake cheese on his sandwich.  We compromised on the grill and brushed olive oil on the outside of our sandwiches because he didn't want butter tainting his sandwich.  I really don't mind it that way!)

We served this with a salad and roasted potato wedges.

Roasted Cuban Sandwiches

Several slices of pork roast, COOKED and cut to the thickness you like
Ham (I had leftover from the last ham we had that I thawed out just for this sandwich)
Crusty rolls or bread
Mustard
Cheese of your choice - most people use Swiss
Pickles
Butter (or Non-Stick Cooking Spray, or Olive Oil)

To assemble:

Slather mustard on the bread.

Layer the ham, cheese, and pickles inside of the bread.

Press into a heated George Foreman Grill (or use your outdoor grill, with a brick on top of the sandwich to make it flat.)  Heat until the cheese is melted.

Frugal Friday

This Post Contains Affiliate Links.

Tiger and I enjoyed a glorious afternoon outside on Tuesday.

My apologies for the lack of posts yesterday and the late post today.  It's been a very crazy couple of days!  I had decided that I was going to schedule everything yesterday, and get it all over with at once.  So, not only did I go to work, I got my hair cut, went to the dentist, saw a Personal Trainer (Who's taking over now that I am finished with Physical Therapy.  I feel I can be stronger, and a Trainer will help me get there.)  AND, we're leaving this afternoon to go visit oldest son.... And we needed to do laundry and pack last night.  Very, very long day!  I have links to a couple of recipes - which I've scheduled to be posted tomorrow.  If you click on them today, they might come through as active links... I'm not certain.  I don't know how Bloggers' Algorithms work in that situation.  I guess we'll find out, won't we?

I've been working on my stories from teaching.  I don't know if I'll get them all into a finished book by the end of the month, but I've had a blast revisiting old stories.  When I was teaching, I kept a journal of the things that the kids said and did.  Going back and re-reading the stories has been great.  Some of the stories will never make a book, though.  What's really funny is realizing that the kids I taught when I first started teaching are now in their 30's.  Not quite so little anymore!  


Discounted Produce Rack  $5

Have you ever checked out the discounted produce rack at your local grocery store?  The produce on this rack is all edible and safe to eat, but it's not "perfect".  Our society tends to only want "perfect" food.  Much of the waste that occurs in the grocery industry occurs because perfectly good, not aesthetically pleasing produce is thrown away.  Grocers have recently begun putting this produce out on racks at a deeply discounted rate.  I heavily frequent this rack.  The produce is either eaten within a day or two, or else I freeze it for later.  (If I could eat wheat based bread, I would be cleaning up on rolls and bread in the day old racks.)

2.5 pounds over-ripe bananas                 $1
5 Bartlett Pears that were dented            $1
2 big Portabella Mushrooms                   $1
3 Green Peppers that were turning red   $1
1 pound Kale  (that's a lot of kale)          $1

Hotel Deal

This sounds ridiculous, I know. We are headed up to visit oldest son this weekend.  We used E-Bates to book the hotel, and have signed up for the bonus points program.  We will be earning a little cash back on the hotel stay, and the nights we spend this weekend will be added to the total towards a free night's stay.  (Plus, we get to see the oldest kid!  That's the BEST part about this weekend!)


Cook Once, Eat Twice (or more)

Pork Roast, coated with Zesty Lemon spices.

I made a pork roast on Sunday.  I baked it in the oven in a cast iron skillet, and let me tell you, that was an amazing roast!  We had well over half of the roast left, and I knew then that we would have a couple of meals!
We had two extra meals from that roast, for a total of 3 meals.

Pork Fried Rice

Roasted Cuban Pork Sandwiches




Electricity Hogs

Now that the kids are all out of the house, we've been attempting to track down the biggest electricity hogs in our house.  A couple of years back, we switched our lights to LED's, which took our monthly electricity usage down. We turned our water heater down, and we dry many of our clothes outside.

But we still have several things in the house that have been keeping our bill up.  This month, we've been going after the "phantom" energy hogs.  Turns out that the television is a pretty big hog.  We keep the television, DVD player, etc, plugged into a power strip.  This month, we started turning the power strip off when we go to bed at night, and turning it on if we sit down to watch tv after dinner.  Turns out that having that power strip - and all of those appliances that depend upon the "instant on" feature for us to use our remotes - use much more energy than we had thought.  I've been following our energy report online, and while I don't yet know the final total for this month's electricity usage, I can already see that we are using less energy now than we were this time last year.

You know, every little bit helps when you're saving money.  I'm beginning to suspect that this might be more than "a little bit" by the time we add up the savings over the course of a year.

Grocery Stores

Remember when I told you a couple of weeks ago that we'd had a new Super Walmart open in town?  Well, our existing grocery stores decided to fight back this week, and they sent out some pretty nice coupons.  I'm plotting my trips carefully.  I'm going to focus on buying stuff non-perishable items.  I can always use razors, shampoo, deodorant, etc, and it will be nice to get an extra discount on those items! 

Some Really Good News

I sprained my ankle earlier this year.  Because I landed on my knee when I fell, and my knee swelled up like a balloon, we paid more attention to the knee instead of my ankle.

The result of this was that I fell many, many, many times over this past year.  I believe the original fall was into the ice in a drainage ditch, followed by a fall in front of the Relay for Life offices a month later.  The post describing those falls is here.

A month after the fall at the Relay for Life office, I fell once again, but this one was a scary fall that landed me in the Emergency Room and on crutches for over a month.  

A month after that, I was standing on the steps coming down out of the kitchen and BOOM!  The next thing I knew, I was laying down in the recycling bins.  No clue how I got there, but this time, nothing was swollen or broken.

That seemed to be the end of the falls.  I felt very unsteady on my feet, and I began working on building my strength back up, walking longer and longer distances.

And then, we delivered daughter to college in September.  I fell, once again in traffic, and I banged the daylights out of my knee and ankle.  One trip to the doctor and a specialist later, I was told that I had a high sprain on my ankle, and that it had not healed correctly the first time - the muscles had not interconnected back together when they healed.  The specialist told me that these injuries rarely healed on their own, and wanted to schedule surgery.  I pushed for Physical Therapy.  He grudgingly approved it, telling me that I was just putting off the inevitable.

I began 4 weeks of physical therapy, where I had all kinds of fun, doing great stuff!  I stood on one foot (the weak one), did toe raises, worked with an ankle strap and resistance bands, and did whatever crazy exercise the Therapists told me to do.  I was diligent, too.  I did my exercises at home every single night.  Every exercise or stretch we did in therapy, I did at home.

Friday was my last PT session.  I have improved -  A LOT.  The PT said he didn't think I'd be back again, unless if the specialist decided to go ahead and operate.

Yesterday was the appointment with the specialist.

I took off my socks and shoes, and he began manipulating my ankle.

You have to understand, the last time I saw him, my right ankle was loosey goosey.  It rolled every which way, with no resistance whatsoever from my muscles.  I had torn the ligament that is to the ankle as the ACL is to the knee.

He started moving my ankle, and then he looked back at my chart.  Back at the ankle, back at the chart.  He went back and forth for a few minutes and then said "This NEVER happens.  Scar tissue has formed over the tear, and it has grown through all of the layers of the muscle.  This ankle isn't rolling at all.  I am getting resistance from all angles.  Somebody up there likes you!'  We talked for a couple more minutes about my wonderful Physical Therapist, and I gave him the PT's business card.

Then, I heard the words I longed to hear:  "Get out of here!  Go away!  I hope we never meet again!"

Me too, sir.  Me, too.

Naptown Funk

You know I live in Maryland.  There are parts of living in Maryland that I absolutely adore.  Annapolis is one of those things.  The Naval Academy in Annapolis is another of those things.  Here, in one fantastic video, we have the Midshipmen from the Naval Academy dancing in the streets of Annapolis to the Bruno Mars song Naptown Funk.  Enjoy!

Lessons Learned in College

Daughter went to school out of state.  Very far out of state.  She went to Georgia - 12 hours away from home.

Funny thing happens when you go that far away from home - you begin to appreciate your home more.  You begin to appreciate where you grew up, and recognize that maybe - just maybe - your parents knew what they were doing when they bought the house in the neighborhood where you have spent the last ten years.

She has not been happy in Georgia, and will be transferring to the Community College in the spring.

I did want to share some of her experiences.  There are some lessons to be learned here for all of us - no matter what our age or stage of life.

First of all, the weird.  The drywall in her room collapsed.  She called housing and they told her to "submit a work order and we'll get to it".  Five days later, they finally got to it and replaced the drywall.  Meantime, her room was without drywall, and housing refused to move the girls to another room.  They expected them to stay in that room, with drywall on the floor, until they got to it.  Even though I called and argued with them, they refused to move faster because "the wall is already down, so it's not like it's going to fall again", and "they're not the only ones who have drywall down, and nobody else is complaining."  So, we put her up in a hotel until they cleaned up the drywall.  Housing left the girls with an air filter to help deal with all of the dust.  Meanwhile, their toilet spontaneously flushes every time the people above them flush their toilet.  I guess the good news is that nothing is coming UP in their toilet.  Oh, and the door knob on the bathroom failed last week, and my daughter was trapped in the bathroom.  Her roommate tried to get their RA to help, but she just told them to "fill out a work order".  They called housing and were told to "fill out a work order".  The girls finally got the doorknob off with a screwdriver.  Good thing they didn't wait for housing.  It was 72 hours after they submitted the work order before anyone from maintenance showed up.  I told her they should have called 911- that would, maybe, have made the University move a little bit faster.

Her school is in a city, spread all over the city in different buildings.  Her Freshman Experience class moved it's location to a building that was not on the bus line.  She got off the bus to get to class and promptly got turned around.  She was out, in the rain, without an umbrella, and couldn't find her building.  After half an hour of roaming, a pair of tourists helped her find her way to class.  She is very grateful to the couple that helped her, and wishes she could thank them again.

She went to the public library, where she ran into the pervert of the city.  I've always warned her that public libraries can be sketchy places.  (I've worked in a public library, and trust me - just like any public building - you want to keep your guard up.  We tend to be lax in a library BECAUSE it's a library.)  Fortunately, she was quick witted, walked away, and reported him to the librarian on duty.

Sometimes, when the dining hall says they'll be serving regional food, that means that you're getting Alligator for dinner.  As a vegetarian who is allergic to dairy, she's had a remarkably tough time getting food she can eat in the dining hall.  (Alligator isn't meat, according to the dining hall staff.)

Because you're dependent upon public transportation in a big city, you must also be aware of the transportation schedule and realize that buses can break down, or traffic can be a bear.  Leaving for class 2 hours early builds in a very nice time cushion when the inevitable happens.

One of the campus ministries in town runs a pancake breakfast on Fridays since there are no classes on Friday.  She went, and there were no spaces at any of the tables.  She sat down at a table by herself - and there she remained.  Nobody spoke to her, nobody said hello to her, nobody invited her to come sit with them, nobody came and sat with her.  This one is a huge lesson for us.  We all need to reach out to the strangers among us.  I am beyond upset at this turn of events.  This is a campus ministry run by our denomination, and my husband and I were both heavily involved in this ministry when we were in college.  It's supposed to be a place where you can go, feel welcomed, and at least have someone greet you.  And nobody reached out to her.  NOBODY.  And here she is, in the south, which is supposedly known for it's hospitality, and yet nobody bothered to reach out to her.  This was a huge fail on the part of the kids involved in the ministry.  And the adults.

Same thing happened to her when she went to church.  Nobody greeted her, no one even shook her hand, and during the passing of the peace, she was passed right over.  NOT what you'd expect from a church right next to campus.  You'd expect someone to reach out and say hello.  (Again, I thought the south was known for it's hospitality?  You'd never find someone ignored during the passing of the peace at our church, here in the north - no matter what you look like.)  Again, another opportunity to reach out to a very lost college student gone.

After spending a good chunk of this semester attempting to meet people, and make friends, she has given up.  She eats alone in the dining halls.  She has gone to meetings of different clubs and organizations, and has made no friends (too many cliques), and there is no common area in the dorms, so there is no place for the students to congregate and meet each other.

It's sad, because she told me that she knows of at least 20 people from her various classes that are going home at the end of the semester.  If that's 20 people from 4 classes - about 100 people total - then how many people are leaving across the school?

Just some thoughts. I'm sure she's had a hand to play in the entire friend thing.  I'm not certain what happened since I'm not there, but she is a very fiesty, outgoing, funny young lady.   Make no mistake, I'll be thrilled to have her back home.  I'll be thrilled to have her taking care of her cat.  The cat really misses her.  But I'm very disappointed that this was her college experience.  I expected more of the college - and of the churches that serve the community around that college.