July

July 26, 2012

the moon man

headin’ home as a family
when from the backseat
my nine year old boy said,
“I see the moon man.”
as he gazed out the window
at the dark night sky
I asked, “Do you mean
the man in the moon?”
he confirmed,
“Mmmhmmm, him.”
then he asked
a science question
about the moon
and the tides,
“How does THAT work, anyway?”
I mumbled something
about gravity
and lookin’ it up
later
and went back to grinnin’
about seein’
the moon man
as I gazed out my window
too

July 25, 2012

July 23, 2012

WOOF

I used to be the neighbor who grumbled about dogs that always barked.
Now I have one.
That’s irony.
My youngest son calls Blue a barkaroo.
He made up a song about it,
“Blue is the bark-a-roooo
of the cent-ur-eeee.”
Those are the only words, sung on a continuous loop in melodious nine year old boy lilt.
Of course I’m charmed.
He’s my fourth grade son, singing about our big sweet pup who still needs to learn some volume control.
That’s love.
~ Janean

July 23, 2012

July 16, 2012

must be Monday

I kissed my husband, as I headed out the door with the barking to go out dog…again.
And said, “Have a good day” and added, “I promise not to be a b*tch.”
As if it being 4-H crunch time weren’t enough of a reason for that promise, there are more…
The Cat, needs to see the vet unexpectedly for an open wound we saw for the first time at bedtime last night. Poor Miss Snuggles. Hoping it’s not too serious (or expensive).
That Dog, is into EVERYTHING this morning:
First, Blue ate most of a toy air rocket made of nerf-like material.
Then he smashed my daylilies to smithereens because he thinks they feel good to lie on while rocket chewing.
Next thing I knew, Blue pulled the downspout extender out from under the deck stairs and drug it into the yard in order to recover one of his tennis balls that have been missing for awhile.
Topped off by Blue ducking underneath the grill cover, that is drying out across the top of two patio chairs, because he thinks it makes a cool Dog Fort. I only wish he was grinning with his tongue lolling out in the photo I managed to snap before shooing him out from under there.
Somewhere in the midst of all that, which took place over two hours time, I made coffee, ate breakfast, sent a few emails and unloaded the dishwasher.
Oh, and did I mention the family gathering at our house this evening at 6:30?!
It’ll be a nice time.
I’m sure of it.
Thanks for listening.
Sometimes just being able to vent a bit, can take the edge off my surly self.
Hugs help too.
Always.
So do hot showers and naps.
Blue is napping now.
Can I join him?
Not yet.
Grrrrrrrrr

July 16, 2012

July 12, 2012

The 4-H Report

Entomology is all the way done. He did the activity in his project book yesterday and the insects are arranged in the cases.

We made the stingray pattern for non-clothing fleece yesterday – it’s a visual art class, not a sewing one. I’m making the first stingray to test the pattern and see how the (forgive me) damn thing goes together.

His Write A Book is special AND it’s a surprise. Getting closer…

Fudge we won’t make until the day before judging.

That’s four…
(or somewhere around the 20,000,000 mark)

Electricity is “in the works”. I have a shopping list from my father for my oldest son’s electricity project. My son and I will be sure to go together to buy those items before his Papa is back in town to build it.

A new international project one of his aunts is helping with. They brainstormed at the last fair to do the Philippines together this year. That’s where she’s from. It seemed like a good idea at the time…

Photography isn’t “hard”. I got the project book out yesterday to look over…just gotta do it!

Balsa airplanes is a bear. They are working on it…my amazingly patient husband and equally diligent sons. Both my boys are taking this one which means there is not just one, but two delicate balsa wood airplanes under construction in our basement. Did I mention projects are due the night before the fair on July 31?!

Rockets may be the one that’s dropped this year. We shall see. Eleven just feels like (at least) one too many.

Plastic models is close to being done…this one they started early, father and son, surely they will finish it soon. Maybe while the glue is drying on that mega balsa plane…

LEGOs is built. He just has a 3” x 5” card to do.

Gettin’ there…that’s all eleven, or 50,000,000 if you ask me. It’s 4-H countdown time. It’s 4-H project crunch time. Fourth year with my oldest and the first for my youngest (who wisely chose five projects which are practically all complete). This too shall pass.

~ Janean
(I was a ten year 4-H’er from age eight to seventeen, so it sort of runs in the family.)

July 3, 2012

tonight

tonight
the moon is full
with a pale orange tint
the nighttime air is cooler
less thick
without humidity
to be expected
on a midwestern day
in July

tonight
the breeze blows gently
yet persistently
I wish
for a screened in porch
a sleepin’ porch
like summers growin’ up
at Grandma and Grandpa’s

tonight
I see a flash a light
hear the leaves rustle
and feel a storm
gathering power
we need the rain
but it’s more than that
for a storm’s been brewing
and it’s time
to let it all go
tonight

July 2, 2012