Mid Week Mute (late AGAIN, boy I'm really sucking at this lately)

Anticipation

I never used to be able to sleep that last night before the new school year began.  I would lie down with every intention of sleeping, but would lie awake all night wondering what the next day would hold.

I used to love the first day of school. 

I loved the new school supplies.  (Brand new crayons were, and still are the best!)  Even though, in my day, spiral notebooks weren’t as exciting as they are nowadays, it was still exciting to get all those sheets of clean paper.  I remember feeling so grown up when I finally switched from wide rule to college rule.

And, how about the lunch boxes?  I honestly don’t remember having one, but I’m sure I did.  I can guarantee I never took soup in my thermos, but the thermos was the coolest part of the box.  If I could have picked out my own, I would have gone for a Partridge Family one, I’m sure of it.  As it turned out, all I can remember is taking a brown lunch bag for my lunch.  (Bologna and mayo sandwich, chips and Suzy Q please!)

As I headed to junior high and high school, I became excited about the possibility of which boys would be in my classes.  I greatly anticipated the cute ones.  Well, I was in band and choir, which meant normally, not the cute boys.  By the end of the first day of school, after all seven periods, I was greatly disappointed by the semester’s boys from which I had to choose.  Sigh. 

It’s been an awful long time since my first day of school.  I’d like some new school clothes, some neat supplies and a nifty lunch box.  But, I’ve got a cute boy now, and I don’t honestly think I could pay attention to anything for seven periods.  My brain is full.

Happy New School Year to all who are attending!  Have a great year! 

Such a Part of My Life

As the Olympics prepare to close tonight, I'm reminded of all the wonderful stories I've seen, not only this year, but all my life.

I think I was nine years old when I first remember watching the Olympics.  That would have been the 1972 Munich Olympics, and all the sadness that surrounded it.  But, one little girl was so much fun to watch.  I loved Olga Korbut.  I love looking at pictures of her with those off kiltered pigtails.  When I see those, I'm reminded how I would sit at the TV and watch all events.  Even though I was raised in a sporting household, this was something completely new to me.  These sports, these athletes and all the love of country was just so NEAT.


After Olga was Nadia and Mary Lou Retton, and their quest for perfection.  Bruce Jenner, BEFORE all the face lifts, made my heart go pitter pat.  I had never heard the word, "decathlon" before I watched him compete. I was able to watch ten different events,and yet they were all part of one event.  I wanted to be these athletes. (I just didn't want to do all the work.)

Sugar Ray Leonard, and all the Olympic boxers of 1976 introduced me to boxing.  I remember watching the boxing matches while on vacation at the Lake of the Ozarks.  It's one of the few TV programs that I can remember watching with my family.  There was Miracle on Ice and all those skaters.  The Olympics never failed to impress.


And now another Olympics has come and is getting ready to go.  I watch it with a different eye now.  I admire the athlete's commitment and dedication.  I feel for the parents as they watch their children compete.  I rejoice in the underdog and also find myself shaking my head in wonder at the favorites who don't fail.

We see all these people and countries come together for two weeks and it makes me hopeful that maybe one day we can all live together in peace and harmony. 

Mo Farah for world leader, anyone?

JuJu's Thoughts While At the Beach

Some of the things that went through my mind while relaxing at Folly Beach the last two days:

I love designs on swimsuits.  There are polka dots, stripes, swirls, flowers, peace signs, rainbows, bright colors, dark colors, skirts, shorts, skulls, and lady bugs.  Everything is happy in swimwear.

Dogs love the beach.  They also like to poop IN the water.  Why is that?

The beach is the only place I can sit outside, and be comfortable, in ninety degree heat. Yes, it's the breeze.

There is GREAT people watching at the beach.

Kids only know one pace on the beach:  running. 

Everyone loves to dig in the sand.

Beach towels are an artistic expression all their own.

I like seagulls and pelicans. 

Sir Steven likes to feed the seagulls.  He's not very popular when he does that.

My beach bag has a lot of useless crap in it. 

Reading at the beach is the BEST.

High tide can be a real pain in the keester.

Salt water up the nose burns.

Time goes by very slowly at the beach.

Storms are that much more exciting when they are over the ocean.

Even if I squint, I can't see England.  Hmph.

Mid Week Mute (late, yet again)

Mother Nature is Weird

(if I had misspelled the last word,  I would have written Mother Nature is Wired, and it would still make sense---)


I tried a new food last week.  This is what it looked like frozen:

 
Any ideas what this could be?  These little suckers have sat in my freezer for a couple months now.  I live in an area where people make a living fishing commercially.  One of my friends at work, her father (Daddy) fishes and caught these suckers.

It is the weirdest thing I've ever seen.  Hands down.

Ladies and Germs, I present to you the soft shell crab:

The Wikipedia definition of a soft shell crab is "a culinary term for crabs which have recently molted their old exoskeleton and are still soft."  (Blech!)  The key word for me is "MOLT."  I remember when Taylor babysat the class tarantula and it molted.  Again, BLECH.

Anyway, soft shell crab sandwiches are very popular down here, so we gave it a whirl. Well, Tracy and Taylor did the work.  I took the pictures and grossed out.

We fried up the poor little fellas in some hot oil and then ate them on a sandwich.  Legs and all.  You eat the whole thing.  (well, you DO have to remove the DEAD MANS FINGERS before cooking)

My thoughts?  Glad I tried it.  But won't be trying it again any time soon.  If ya know what I mean. 

Vacation Facts: Weird and Wonderful

I'm back home in my bed and reflecting on a lovely vacation.  There were some wild, witty and wonderful times and I'm so happy to be sharing them with you.

I planned to read a lot while on vacation.  I read NOTHING.  On the other hand, Taylor read three books.

I had only ONE nap the entire week.  I have more naps on a normal Saturday afternoon.

I slept in a Queen bed all week.  And survived.

The house had automatic shutters/room darkeners.  MUST get some for my house.

Young boys do not like their pictures taken with the Ju.

Unless it's their idea and they are photo bombing...

No matter how much sunscreen I apply, I always burn myself.

Watching the Olympics is great, no matter where I am.

Jake and Grace were brave enough to come join us for vacation.

The house next door to the house we were renting?  You can buy it for 3.8 million.

The house we rented had no indoor stairs to access the bottom level.  You had to go OUTSIDE on a spiral staircase, or use a rickety old elevator.  Interesting.

Boys are happiest when they're being silly.

Girls are happiest when they're wearing a duck on their forehead.

We enjoyed lots of good food, cold beer and giggles.

We saw some kind of UFO and a few folks saw shooting stars.

We spent the majority of our time in the hot tub and the pool.

I am happiest when around those that I love the most and I see them smiling.