Narcoleptic nar'co·lep'tic (-lěp'tĭk) adj. narcolepsy n. pl. nar·co·lep·sies
A disorder characterized by sudden and uncontrollable, though often brief, attacks of deep sleep, sometimes accompanied by paralysis and hallucinations.
I don't know why I picked this word. I just like saying it. Narcoleptic. Narcoleptic. And maybe because I wish I could sleep. I haven't been sleeping well since Spencer left. Don't know why, just laying in bed until 2am. Believe me, I've tried a lot of remedies. I don't need any advice, I'm just frustrated and weary of it. Anyway, I've got to go chop vegetables and make pumpkin pie!! Enjoy your word. Narcoleptic. Narcoleptic.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Hugging my Mommy!
When I pick Grant up from preschool, I don't have any of the other kids with me. It's kind of our own "alone time". And he gets to pick a song to listen to on the way home (it's a 5 minute drive). I rolled the windows down one day because it was getting cooler and we didn't really need the AC on. Well, the wind created much more ambient noise and he couldn't hear his song, so I turned it up. Fast forward a couple days.
"Mommy, can you make my hair move?"
"What Grant?"
"Roll down the windows and make my hair move, please."
Ohhhh! We had been doing the same ritual: pick song, roll down window, turn up music and sing along. That was how he asked me to get it started! Sometimes he picks "We are the Dinosaurs" by Laurie Berkner. Or "Victor Vito" by the same lady. On the day that I'm writing about, he picks Amarillo. Grant loves the song, "Is this the way to Amarillo?" By Tony Christie. Yes, yes I know I posted about this song last month. But there were a few hiccups with the link, etc. Hey, I'm still new at this blogging thing. Anyway, we get home, get out of the car and we're both still singing the song. He's right on top of the words with me. I start the chorus, "Is this the way to . ." and he sings, "Amarillo!" I sing, "Every night I've been hugging my . . " and he blurts out, "Mommy!" (it's supposed to be 'pillow'.) Oh geez, Grant, just go ahead and melt my heart! "Every night I've been hugging my Mommy." My sweet little boy. He loves his Mama!** You can bet he won't be singing that in 10 years when he's 14. Click on the hotlink for each song to hear it and watch the video. The YouTube video is a bunch of British squadies in Iraq lip-syncing to Amarillo. It doesn't get much better than that! This is a picture of Grant near his preschool. We had just parked the car and he jumped out and yelled, "A door! A door!" And I could not figure out what he meant. I said, "Where?" And so he showed me. Ah, a door in the tree. I asked him who could use that door. He said that mice use it to climb the tree because they can't fly like birds. Hmmm. I'll keep an eye out for mice in the tree.
**name the movie, get flair, etc.
"Mommy, can you make my hair move?"
"What Grant?"
"Roll down the windows and make my hair move, please."
Ohhhh! We had been doing the same ritual: pick song, roll down window, turn up music and sing along. That was how he asked me to get it started! Sometimes he picks "We are the Dinosaurs" by Laurie Berkner. Or "Victor Vito" by the same lady. On the day that I'm writing about, he picks Amarillo. Grant loves the song, "Is this the way to Amarillo?" By Tony Christie. Yes, yes I know I posted about this song last month. But there were a few hiccups with the link, etc. Hey, I'm still new at this blogging thing. Anyway, we get home, get out of the car and we're both still singing the song. He's right on top of the words with me. I start the chorus, "Is this the way to . ." and he sings, "Amarillo!" I sing, "Every night I've been hugging my . . " and he blurts out, "Mommy!" (it's supposed to be 'pillow'.) Oh geez, Grant, just go ahead and melt my heart! "Every night I've been hugging my Mommy." My sweet little boy. He loves his Mama!** You can bet he won't be singing that in 10 years when he's 14. Click on the hotlink for each song to hear it and watch the video. The YouTube video is a bunch of British squadies in Iraq lip-syncing to Amarillo. It doesn't get much better than that! This is a picture of Grant near his preschool. We had just parked the car and he jumped out and yelled, "A door! A door!" And I could not figure out what he meant. I said, "Where?" And so he showed me. Ah, a door in the tree. I asked him who could use that door. He said that mice use it to climb the tree because they can't fly like birds. Hmmm. I'll keep an eye out for mice in the tree.
**name the movie, get flair, etc.
Digging for Gold
Last night I got a text message from Eliza's horseback riding teacher that she was organizing an afternoon lesson for today (Tuesday) after school. Clubs ended last week, but Eliza is friends with the teacher's daughter and she wanted to go riding with Eliza and another friend. Sure! Anytime! Eliza loves riding and is really good at it. She's been taking regular lessons during the school year for the last 2 years. So, the text said that she would pick up Eliza at school, take them to the lesson and bring her home. Great! And the lesson is only 90 le ($16.28). No prob, bob. I go to my purse and I find 65 le. Not great. I'm home alone with a house full of sleeping kids and it's 10:30 pm. Oooo-kay, let's begin the scavenging. I find 4 one pound coins at the bottom of my purse. Tally: 69le. I dig through a side table in the living room. A crumpled one pound note, hey, every thing counts. I moved through the apartment, room by room, drawer by drawer and couch cushion after couch cushion. I found my camera bag and it had 12 50 pistre (half a pound) notes! That's 6 pounds! What's the total now? I gathered my assortment of change and crumpled, stinky bills (the money here really does stink after it's been in circulation for a while) and began counting. 20, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 71, 72. That's it? Oh wonderful, this is just great.
Then I remembered that Eliza is a little packrat. She will save everything. She also has this plastic piggy bank and squirrels away any currency she finds. Usually she asks; like one time she came to me with 50le ($9) and asked me if she could have these 50 pistres (9 cents). Oh, um, honey, that's fifty pounds. Riiight. She's also saved all of her tooth fairy money and never spent any of it. What have I come to? I am borrowing from my daughter! Well, it IS for her lesson. I went to her red, plastic piggy and unscrewed the plug. I dump it upside down and out fall, 1,5, and 10le notes. Plus a menagerie of American, Egyptian, Greek, German and Jordanian coins. So that's what's knocking around inside of you little bank! I ended up borrowing 18le. I'll pay her back. Maybe. No, I'd better do it otherwise I'll be in even more of a pickle then next time I need money! ;-)
Sunday, November 23, 2008
It is NOT Christmas today!
It all started about a year ago when we played a Wii together as a family. We (ha-ha) love it!! Our good friends, the Catognis, have one and we play it when we get together. I have never been a big fan of video games, never had one growing up and really didn't feel the lack thereof. But, this is not like any other "video system". It is the only thing I've seen that can actively involve every person in the family, from the little toddler (she likes the cheering) to the adults. (really, how many parents just LOVE playing Candyland overandoverandover again) So, this last August, the 'rents (me and spence) decided that we would get a Wii for Christmas. We figured out how much we would regularly be spending on each kid & ourselves and just rolled it into one nice package.
That said, I'm still getting them some individual little things. I'm a sucker for books. Love them, devour them and can't live without them. I will always buy a kid a book. There was a Book Fair at CAC this past week. I didn't go. (we were sick) But on Saturday they were selling what was left, so I went. I was trying to cull information from each child as far as a subject they were recently interested in, etc. I told them we were going to the Book Fair at CAC, but that they had to stay at the playground while I picked out some surprises for them for Christmas! (I don't think it's too early to mention Christmas!) So they stayed far away, I put the purchases in a non-see through bag and we headed home.
Their curiosity was obviously piqued. "What did you get, Mommy?" "Oh, I can't tell you, then it wouldn't be a surprise." Needless to say, Eliza and Mairyn can handle the suspense. Grant cannot. (and Jacqueline really doesn't know what we're talking about!) We get home and Grant says, "Yay! Merry Christmas! Can I have my book now, Mommy?" "Oh, it's not Christmas yet, buddy." "But you said you have presents for Christmas. Can I have it?" How to explain to a 4 year old that it is still a month away? See, we went through this when we hinted that maybe Santa would bring a Wii, or something else. And the girls would pine EVERY DAY that, "I wish it was Christmas. Then we could find out what Santa brought us." I finally said that if they talked about it every day, it would only be harder to wait. They quit. But now, for about a week and a half, Grant has been popping up every where, "Yay! It's Christmas today!" "Nope, not really, buddy." "Why?" "Just because." It would probably go away in about another week, but this Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. What happens on that day, Lydia? you ask. Well, that is the day the Christmas decorations go up in our house. (and sometimes it starts Thanksgiving evening) So there will be a daily reminder to our little man that Christmas is coming. Drat! I don't think I can put any wrapped presents under the tree!
That said, I'm still getting them some individual little things. I'm a sucker for books. Love them, devour them and can't live without them. I will always buy a kid a book. There was a Book Fair at CAC this past week. I didn't go. (we were sick) But on Saturday they were selling what was left, so I went. I was trying to cull information from each child as far as a subject they were recently interested in, etc. I told them we were going to the Book Fair at CAC, but that they had to stay at the playground while I picked out some surprises for them for Christmas! (I don't think it's too early to mention Christmas!) So they stayed far away, I put the purchases in a non-see through bag and we headed home.
Their curiosity was obviously piqued. "What did you get, Mommy?" "Oh, I can't tell you, then it wouldn't be a surprise." Needless to say, Eliza and Mairyn can handle the suspense. Grant cannot. (and Jacqueline really doesn't know what we're talking about!) We get home and Grant says, "Yay! Merry Christmas! Can I have my book now, Mommy?" "Oh, it's not Christmas yet, buddy." "But you said you have presents for Christmas. Can I have it?" How to explain to a 4 year old that it is still a month away? See, we went through this when we hinted that maybe Santa would bring a Wii, or something else. And the girls would pine EVERY DAY that, "I wish it was Christmas. Then we could find out what Santa brought us." I finally said that if they talked about it every day, it would only be harder to wait. They quit. But now, for about a week and a half, Grant has been popping up every where, "Yay! It's Christmas today!" "Nope, not really, buddy." "Why?" "Just because." It would probably go away in about another week, but this Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. What happens on that day, Lydia? you ask. Well, that is the day the Christmas decorations go up in our house. (and sometimes it starts Thanksgiving evening) So there will be a daily reminder to our little man that Christmas is coming. Drat! I don't think I can put any wrapped presents under the tree!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Sunday Quotations
I chose this poem by Sister Hinckley for this week. I have it tacked to my cork board in the office area by the phone where I can see it every day. She was such a kind, sweet woman and quite an example to me. If you get the chance, read "Glimpses into the Life and Heart of Marjorie Pay Hinckley", written by her daughter Virginia H. Pearce. A great companion book to President Hinckley's biography "Go Forward with Faith".
"I Really Lived"
by Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley
I don't want to drive up to the pearly
gates in a shiny sports car, wearing
beautifully tailored clothes, my hair
expertly coiffed, and with long,
perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station
wagon that has mud on the wheels
from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with grass stains
on my shoes from mowing
Sister Schenk's lawn.
I want to be there with a smudge of
peanut butter on my shirt from making
sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.
I want to be there with a little dirt
under my fingernails from helping to weed
someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's
sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears
of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.
by Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley
I don't want to drive up to the pearly
gates in a shiny sports car, wearing
beautifully tailored clothes, my hair
expertly coiffed, and with long,
perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station
wagon that has mud on the wheels
from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with grass stains
on my shoes from mowing
Sister Schenk's lawn.
I want to be there with a smudge of
peanut butter on my shirt from making
sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.
I want to be there with a little dirt
under my fingernails from helping to weed
someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's
sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears
of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Four Foods on Friday
I am trying out this Food meme this week. I'll see if I can keep it up. This one looks difficult, at least the first two questions. Because I really like a variety of foods and the second question, well, I'll have a hard time whittling down the finalists. There are so many incidents! Here we go:
#1 What's the worst tasting food you've ever eaten?
Dolma. It's called different things throughout the Middle East, and I still haven't had one I liked. It's a rice, meat or vegetable mixture rolled up in grape leaves. I don't like the texture of the leaves, all veiny and slimy, just, no. But I'll still give it a try if I'm in a new region. The worst I ever had was in this little hole-in-the-wall place in Luxor. They had amazing lamb stew and koshary, but whoa, the dolma tasted like little burned cigarettes. Ugh.
#2 Share a funny or embarrassing story about a meal you've made.
Ok, Thanksgiving dinner 2006. (not my first one, by far, mind you) I made a killer turkey. It was golden, crispy in the right places and browned to perfection. I placed it tenderly on my special used-once-a-year turkey platter. I carried that bird out to the table and settled it in it's place of honor in the middle of a table set for 12. When I started carving it, I noticed something poking out of the cavity, just a bit. I didn't stuff this bird, so I was a bit confused. Oh. No. I had missed the packaged turkey neck. The packaging was all burned and gross. I excused myself and the bird (no one had had any turkey yet) to the kitchen. I said that the juices were slopping around in the platter and were going to make a mess if I didn't drain it. I removed the offending packages and will always check the neck.
#3 What food do you burn or have problems cooking most often?
Eggs, omlettes. They are always brown and spongy and I can never make that perfect little semi-circle that omlettes are supposed to look like.
#4 Name two foods you will be eating on this Thanksgiving.
TURKEY and homemade stuffing!
#1 What's the worst tasting food you've ever eaten?
Dolma. It's called different things throughout the Middle East, and I still haven't had one I liked. It's a rice, meat or vegetable mixture rolled up in grape leaves. I don't like the texture of the leaves, all veiny and slimy, just, no. But I'll still give it a try if I'm in a new region. The worst I ever had was in this little hole-in-the-wall place in Luxor. They had amazing lamb stew and koshary, but whoa, the dolma tasted like little burned cigarettes. Ugh.
#2 Share a funny or embarrassing story about a meal you've made.
Ok, Thanksgiving dinner 2006. (not my first one, by far, mind you) I made a killer turkey. It was golden, crispy in the right places and browned to perfection. I placed it tenderly on my special used-once-a-year turkey platter. I carried that bird out to the table and settled it in it's place of honor in the middle of a table set for 12. When I started carving it, I noticed something poking out of the cavity, just a bit. I didn't stuff this bird, so I was a bit confused. Oh. No. I had missed the packaged turkey neck. The packaging was all burned and gross. I excused myself and the bird (no one had had any turkey yet) to the kitchen. I said that the juices were slopping around in the platter and were going to make a mess if I didn't drain it. I removed the offending packages and will always check the neck.
#3 What food do you burn or have problems cooking most often?
Eggs, omlettes. They are always brown and spongy and I can never make that perfect little semi-circle that omlettes are supposed to look like.
#4 Name two foods you will be eating on this Thanksgiving.
TURKEY and homemade stuffing!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Word of the Day Wednesday
Shukran
arabic: شكراًَ
is an arabic expression meaning thanks or "thank you". Shukran Gazeelan means thank you very much. Alfa shukr means "a thousand thanks".
This is basic Arabic vocabulary. It is probably the first word many new residents to Egypt learn. Also, it's a surefire way to win the heart of an Egyptian. You say Shukran and they go, "Ah, you speak Arabic very well!" Yep, you can go far with just this one magic word. And expound upon it with shukran gazeelan, they will be blown away. And if that isn't enough, you say Alfa shukr and you'll be scraping them off the floor like putty. Mwa-ha-ha! The companion to thank you, "You're welcome" is Afwan. The other day, Grant and I were coming home from preschool. I had a couple bags with me and Grant had his lunch box and water bottle. Mahmoud (our boab) came and helped us with our parcels. When we got to the elevator, I prompted Grant with a What-do-you-say? and Grant said, "Shukran ya Mahmoud". Mahmoud smiled, waved and shut the elevator door for us. Grant looked up at me and, "But Mommy, he didn't say Afwan!" Does my boy know his manners or what?
arabic: شكراًَ
is an arabic expression meaning thanks or "thank you". Shukran Gazeelan means thank you very much. Alfa shukr means "a thousand thanks".
This is basic Arabic vocabulary. It is probably the first word many new residents to Egypt learn. Also, it's a surefire way to win the heart of an Egyptian. You say Shukran and they go, "Ah, you speak Arabic very well!" Yep, you can go far with just this one magic word. And expound upon it with shukran gazeelan, they will be blown away. And if that isn't enough, you say Alfa shukr and you'll be scraping them off the floor like putty. Mwa-ha-ha! The companion to thank you, "You're welcome" is Afwan. The other day, Grant and I were coming home from preschool. I had a couple bags with me and Grant had his lunch box and water bottle. Mahmoud (our boab) came and helped us with our parcels. When we got to the elevator, I prompted Grant with a What-do-you-say? and Grant said, "Shukran ya Mahmoud". Mahmoud smiled, waved and shut the elevator door for us. Grant looked up at me and, "But Mommy, he didn't say Afwan!" Does my boy know his manners or what?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
