I joined the Vance household at the beginning of the New Year when I was just a handful. The last humans I knew left me behind when they moved. A nice man rescued me and found the Vances via facebook. I was so hungry I ate and ate and ate for days. And hid a lot. Then training began. The Vances are learning, but they are so slow. They called me Missy. Then I went to a Doctor for a Checkup. Rocky is a manly name that suits me better. That tall Vance is named Sure Shot because he has a squirt bottle full of water and there’s sure a lot of things he doesn’t like. No sneaking up the back of chairs,no surprise attacks at the knee, no jumping on keyboards – his list of rules is long. I’m coaching him – he needs to chill. Food Girl was easy to train. I just stare at her ... [Read More]
Random
Change
Change always comes bearings gifts. In the last three weeks, change has pelted down at our house. Everything we do requires checking the operator's manual, it seems. The learning curve is steep and time consuming. three first ever Smart phones that are just full of surprises -- some delightful, and others just plain work a coffee maker that hisses fiercely as it brews one cup at a time new microwave with the start button on the opposite side from the old one new washer - that was hooked up with the hot and cold water reversed and has mysteriously random habits and operations new dryer that believes cool dry means half damp and leaves us trying to figure out which combination of a dozen possible will actually dry! a fireplace makeover that involves a remote new ... [Read More]
Take time for you . . . .
Wheels’ work schedule includes 12 hours each on Saturday and Sunday, the days people normally get together with friends and family, go to movies and church, and relax. If we aren’t careful our lives become nothing but work – work at work, work at home, all day every day and half the night. We have to be intentional about building in time for rest and renewal, reflection and rejuvenation. Usually we get a few hours here and half a day there, our daily half hour walk. When I saw a story in the local newspaper about an unusual garden tour, we decided to set aside that entire day for us – no phone, no computer, just leisurely taking in whatever the day would bring. A big breakfast started the day. Yes, that is dessert! Who said you can’t have dessert for breakfast on a special ... [Read More]
How to ride a Segway
What better birthday gift for Wheels than more wheels?! This time they were only rented, but what an awesome morning! We drove the fifteen miles to Downtown Columbus and met our tour guide, Dave. He outfitted us with helmets wired with speakers and marched us outside He unleashed his Segway from the outlet where it had been charging its powerful battery and demonstrated how to step on to it. Hold it straight up, look straight ahead, place one foot on and then the other. Do not look down. Then he showed us how to move forward on the large, silent tires by leaning forward from the ankles. Dave assured us that our units would top out at 7 mph although they were capable of running 12 mph from the factory. Stop, lean backward, but keep your eyes straight ahead. To turn, move the ... [Read More]
Do not try this at home!
Bytes emerged from his office and came down to the kitchen. Distracted in working out the details of his project, he began preparing something for the microwave. He shut the door, pressed the start button and kept talking about his great idea. Suddenly there was a B O O M and the microwave door flew open. He stopped in midsentence and stood a moment. Then he sauntered across the kitchen and bent his 6’2” self to look in the microwave. “Well, it’s cooked”, he said, “just not in one piece.” This is what was in the microwave: He had a hankering for a hard cooked egg. Apparently his mother (moi), in teaching him how to use the kitchen appliances when he was half as tall, had not explained things in sufficient detail including what happens when pressure builds up in a microwaved ... [Read More]
