Names

Over the years I have noticed that people generally introduce themselves as they wished to be called. If a person introduced themselves in their full name - no nickname or shorten name then, please, call them that until they correct you. Or if they introduce themselves by a nickname, then call them that!

William says William - Benjamin says Benjamin. My mother-in-law has a double name and introduces herself that way. A friend in Guam introduced herself as Kimberly - not Kim as Drew would call her until I pointed out this. A California friend introduced herself as Cindy - not Cynthia.

The reason this is on my mind is the other night at the school orientation, Benjamin introduced himself by his full name - not Ben. To me that told me that's how he thinks of himself.

I have been amazed at how many people here shorten names here in Louisiana. I introduce William as William. When talking about his I refer to him as William. So, why do people shorten his name??!!!

Just a small pet peeved of mine.....

First Day of School

It's the first day of school here in the Deep South. Oh, what a glorious day!  I've been singing the Christmas song that Staples used in a back-to-school ad a few years ago: "It's the most wonderful time of the years..." Of course, my kids disagree.

All woke up on their own (yea for alarm clocks that work!), dressed, and ate breakfast without too much grumbling.  I think all are a little excited - even if they didn't show it!  I think they all were ready to see friends and get out of the house.

After waving good-bye to all on the bus, I enjoyed breakfast with several of my friends.  This is my first-day-of-school tradition - lunch or breakfast out.  It was a nice and relaxing time. Then I made a small trip through Walmart grabbing a few items that were forgotten or not in stock at the BX &  commissary earlier this week.  I even bought a few flowers for my front pots.  They are now looking a little better - now so dead.

I came home to a nice and quiet house. Love that sound - or lack there of.

I finished one book (The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon - about a lady who supported her family by sewing during the Taliban years in Afghanistan - very good!) and read some in another book (A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm by Phillip Keller - my 2nd time to read this book - love it!!). 

Now I plan to clean up around the house, get dinner started....and enjoy the quiet.  But yes. I will, also, enjoy it when all my little duckies come home from their day full of stories.

But mainly, today I'm also praying for those little duckies of mine to have a wonderful school year. Benjamin is  in 6th grade - starting middle school. Melissa is in 8th grade - ending middle school. William is in his sophomore year of high school.  I think it's going to be a great year!

Another Book

I finished another book last night - Little Night by Luanne Rice. Overall, I would say it was a good read. I could have done without some of the cussing, but it was "in character" and not just everywhere. It was about two sisters falling out of favorite with one another due to one being in an abusive relationship.

Luanne Rice tells a good story - I have read her off and on throughout the years. At some places it was hard to put down! Even though most of my family went to bed around nine last night (getting ready for school to start in a few days), I stayed up reading - and finished the book.

I was happy with how most of the story ended....I wish for an epilogue, but  I guess I'll just have to use my imagination!

Dang It! Another One Bites the Dust!

I broke another coffee pot today.  This time I get to add glass-cut fingers to go along with it. The first one I broke was not too long ago - since we've moved in this house in fact.  Apparently, I'm not too good with these granite counter-tops.  The last time I hit the edge of the sink - and CRACK! Since I was not able to find a new pot, I had to throw it all out. I hated to throw out that coffee maker b/c I loved it so much - and had had for twenty years - it was a wedding gift.

The new one I have had a love-hate relationship since I bought it. Love my coffee, but hate grounds in it. My old one had a cone-shaped filter, but the new one has a flat bottom. This new one spills coffee grounds into my coffee if I don't wet the filter before I add coffee.

Very annoying.....

Now I will be on the look out for a new pot.....or a new maker that has a cone shaped filter...which ever I find first will be the winner!

More Books Again

As I said the other day I came home with four books from the library after well over two months of reading some non-fiction and just not reading much at all.  I finished two of the books - can I say AMAZING!!???  And the best part? These two books are written by authors I had not read before. So, I now can find their other books - very exciting to this book worm!

The first: Ten Beach Road by Wendy Wax.  Three strangers are forced to work together restoring an old house after all three lost their savings to a con-man. It's so refreshing to read a book that focuses on the relationships and the characters.  Very enjoyable read!

The second is called Wednesday Letters by Jason Wright.  It's about a husband who wrote a letter to his wife every Wednesday during their long marriage - and the children who find out what real love looks like.  One of the best books I  have EVER read! Very well done!

I'm looking forward to reading more by these authors...and looking forward to the other books I picked up - I'll let  ya know if they are any good!

More Kid Sayings...

Not too long again Benjamin and Drew was playing cards.  Drew was not doing as well as Ben and Ben just had to say something. I reminded Ben that he shouldn't rub it in.  His response?  "I don't rub it in, I point out the obvious."

Oh, yes, he does....

This summer, sadly, Melissa and Ben have summer homework.  Yesterday Ben was working on his just before dinner.  When we asked him how it was going, he said he would have to re-do one part of it. Why, we all asked. "Well.....I was writing a poem and I forgot that I had to write about the book and so I need to go back and write one about the book"

"What did you write about if not about the book?"

" Bears and dogs"

Bears? Of course, there were bears!  His favorite animal!

Now, don't think that it's just Ben that has blond moments! Melissa has her share as well. While we were on vacation, Melissa and I ended up  in an elevator with one of my sister-in-laws.  After standing there for several minutes, Melissa said, "This  elevator is sooooo slow!"

Her Aunt Julie agreed.

Then Melissa realized that she didn't push the button for us to go anywhere! Oh, there's blond beneath that red!

More Books

I updated the list of books I have read on the book page....or at least the books I can remember.  There may be one or two that I forgot.  I really haven't read as much in the last few months as  I did at the beginning of the year.  Just was a little burned out I guess.

And the fact that all the traveling we've done this summer was with me driving since Drew wasn't with us. So....driving and reading just don't go together, you know?

Also, I just didn't see anything that really caught my eye at the library.
 
But today? I came home with four books! Very excited!  Hopefully, they will be good and entertaining....not boring and nasty which will have me returning them to the library without finishing them.