Author: alicewgold

I would like to state that I am a brunette, but now I am a mix of grey, white, brown, and blonde. I would also like to say that I am 150 pounds, but that would be a boldfaced lie. How about I say I am work in progress because that is the truth? A beautiful work in progress. I love the sound of my fingers tapping on the keyboard and my greatest hope is that something that I write will lift someone else on their journey.

Can moms succeed at blogging?

Yes, this used to describe my typical night before I started blogging…Now, you can just add blogging to the rest of the list!

WHY I LOVE BEING THE MOM

Mom and Dad were watching TV when Mom said, “I’m tired, and it’s getting late. I think I’ll go to bed.”

She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day’s lunches.. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning. She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer. She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry.

She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair.

She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store.. She put both near her purse. Mom then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her Night solution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails.

Dad called out, “I thought you were going to bed.”

“I’m on my way,” she said.

She put some water into the dog’s dish and put the cat outside, then made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on.

She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps and TV’s, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework. In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most important things to do list She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals.

About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular. “I’m going to bed.”

And he did…without another thought.

The California Lifestyle

Carson Daly says that he is just in better shape because he lives in California.

See, it’s all about the sidewalks. No one in their right mind wants to ride bikes on the streets in Tennessee.

But, I guess you have to choose your priorities…now he’s got good health, but no love life.

Do you think that because I am a Californian who moved to TN there is a chance that I could have both….just as soon as we get sidewalks and a beach…how long do you think that will take?

You’re never fully dressed without a smile.

Thank you to Chrys for sharing another bloggy award! She got the award from Alison, whose blog I am about to go and check out.
(When I first wrote that sentence it sounded like I was going to go and check Alison out…he he…that would really bring new meaning to my recent gender roles post)
I am not passing it on because I want to keep all the smiles to myself (I need them right now)and I have this thing about “tagging” people….does that make me bloggy snotty?

Obsolete Skills

My mother-in-law, Faye, and her friend, Jean, stopped by the house on Tuesday. I got my digital camera out to capture Jean’s adorable grandson Whit. I was just shooting away when Jean asked me if I was using a digital camera. I assured her that I was, and because I was, I could snap away as generously as I desired.

Faye then started to tell us about her recent visit to her niece Becky’s house. She had taken her old 35 mm camera and Becky’s children were very disappointed that they couldn’t see themselves in the camera immediately.
I got to thinking that we had that instantaneous luxury when I was a child, it was called Polaroid, and the 3 minutes we had to wait for picture development really did seem immediate back then.
So, on the radio this morning, they were talking about obsoleteskills. And then it occurred to me that even though we have upgraded to digital photography, we really aren’t as advanced as we should be.
Here are some obsolete skills that still have their place at the Gold household:
1- Adjusting rabbit ears on top of a TV.
2- Operating an old-school 70’s air popcorn popper.
3- Letter writing.
4- Rewinding.
5- Programming a VCR to record your favorite show.
6- Blowing the dust out of GameBoy cartridges.
7- Caulking the shower.
8- Grinding wheat.
9- Handwriting and spelling.
10- Using the Dewey Decimal to search for library books.
11- Making your own ice-cream.
12- Baking homemade bread.
13- Ripping the little holes off the sides of computer paper. (my motherinlaw gave the girls a huge box of the stuff to color on)
14- Using WiteOut.
15- Using fountain pens.
16- Mending and hemming your own clothes.
17 – Playing an instrument
18 – Getting off the couch to change channels on the TV (our remotes aren’t the most reliable)
19 – Getting to know your neighbors.
Wow! I guess we aren’t doing too bad when it comes to the counsel from our pioneer ancestors: “Fix it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”
Here are some obsolete skills that we are glad we don’t need:
1- Changing your own oil
2 – Repairing your own small appliances.
3 – Darning socks.
4 – Loading film in a 35 mm camera.
5- Looking for a job in the classifieds.
6- Making an operator assisted phone call.
7- Remembering passwords (this is a sore subject at our house ~ LG will not write his passwords down)
8- Using a punch card (oh yeah, we don’t have to work for the man!)
And here are some that LG or I will gladly hold on to:

1 – Mastering the use of a joystick.
2 – Building your own computer using individual components.
3- Mowing your own lawn.
4- Growing your own vegetables.
5- Cheating at video games using a loader or binary patch.
6- Driving a manual transmission. (everyone needs to learn how to do this)
7- Knowing what part of town a person lives in by their phone exchange. (this is useful)
8- Lighting a kerosene lamp. (when camping of course)
9- Paying with cash (because this would mean that we actually have some)
10- Talking face to face (This one is not so much something LG may want to keep)
11- Tying a tie (oh how dignified)

WHAT are some skills that you are attached to, glad not to have, or need to hang on to?

FYI for Potter fans


It has been announced that there will be two movies to give us, the book readers, the whole end of the story from the last book! Yahoooooo!

I am very happy about this. I am the kind of Potter reader that doesn’t remember the book’s details long enough to be aware of what is missing when I get to the movie.

But, I will be glad to have one more movie to view!

The longer I have to watch Potter, the longer he will stay alive (and those of you that haven’t read the last book will just have to wonder if I am talking about Potter dying in the series) Don’t give it away commenters!

Long live Harry Potter in all of our hearts…oh, if we all could just write like JK Rowling!

A daughter’s wedding

I was reading George W’s thoughts about his daughter Jenna’s upcoming wedding.

LG dreads the day the girls get married. I have always told him that he can just plan on me going overboard to make up for the simplicity of our wedding! (another post) I am just going to make this promise to LG now. I will try and elleviate the pressure that Pres Bush has experienced. I will try not to let you have one decision to make when the day comes that your daughters get married…in fact, I will even make the decision of how much money to spend! Won’t that be so nice of me? HA!

Let it Be

I was thoroughly entertained by AI’s Top 12 last night. Here is a good article with all the scoop.

Brooke White sang a great reminder to me personally last night. The message she brought to my living room from The Beatles was “Let it Be”. What a great reminder to me with some stuff I have been going through lately. I never recognized the spiritual message embedded in this song.

My other favorite, dredlock boy (I can never remember his name) did wonderfully last night also.

As for David Archuleta, I have to quote what I overheard a random Harley rider tell his friends over lunch at Applebee’s today. “Man, my man forgot his words last night. I was so bummed. I couldn’t believe it, he just choked. I hope he comes back strong next week.”

Do you think that David Archuleta understands how much this whole country is rooting for him?I mean right here in Knoxville, TN, there was a table full of rough tough looking guys right next to a table of Mormon stay home moms who all consider him “our man”! C’mon David, we are all praying for you. And as for last night, my advice to David, “let it be”.

Wow, that message is really universal….I am going to focus on letting things be this week.