I am in love.
With my library.
There are those in Springville who shall remain nameless but nevertheless are very outspoken on their disdain for our library.
They ought to move to Tehachapi, CA where there is a truly sad library. Somehow, someway, when the library funds were allocated Tehachapi was shafted--BIG TIME.
I spent many hours combing those shelves in dire want of a good book. There were the occasional diamonds among the dirt but that was very seldom. I took to reading young adult books--Newberry's in particular. I read most of them and some were very good, but mostly I was still left wanting and they ran out fast. I had this weird lurking fear that I had read all the good ones, that there were simply no more out there. Someone thought of everything there was to write.
I took to buying books, but hate to do this unless I KNOW I am going to love them and want to reread or reference them. Plus living 45 min. away from the Barnes and Nobles put a damper on that. I did the Amazon thing quite a lot but I needed to hold a book (stroke it, smell it, thumb through it) to contemplate if it is worth buying. Besides, I'm not planning to open a library in my house and if people see the ridiculous amounts of reading I do they may get the wrong impression and assume I'm smart. That could be embarrassing.
Then I moved to Springville. The library here is also somewhat inadequate for the area, but do you hear me complaining? When I am searching for something a good deal of the time they actually *gasp* sputter sputter--have it! Row after glorious row of books just waiting to be read ( and cuddled, and smelled, and fondled) and it is all FREE!!! That isn't a novel (no pun intended) idea I know, it's just that with all the money that goes out so fast my head spins here is a true joy that costs me absolutely N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Nathaniel's best friend Cameron came out from California and we stopped off to do some book browsing at the library. We were there for 20 min. and Cameron swore he had never spent so much time in a library; what could I possibly be doing there for that long? No offense to you Debbie on your deprived child. I still love him--and you.
We are heading to a cabin in Yellowstone tomorrow and the girls and I went and stocked up on books and movies. I got five movies for a week and it cost me $1.25.
I almost cried.
There is going to be some kind of vote coming up about expanding our library here and you bet your boots I'll be voting thumbs up on that one, but in the meantime I'll reminisce about the first time I entered that beautiful building on Center street and be grateful for what I have.
My book picks for today
"The Great Divorce" by CS Lewis (supposed to be incredible and only 146 pgs. if it gets too mind-boggling for us simple-minders.)
"The Scarlet Pimpernel" by Barnoness Orczy (one critic says arguable the best adventure story ever published)
"Cry, The Beloved Country" by Alan Paton (South African history--maybe Peter will be interested if it ends up being good)
"Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner (historical fiction of some kind)
"The Patron Saint of Liars" by Ann Patchett (woman enters home for unwed mothers, only she is wed. Sounds juicy...)
"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith (had a heck of a time finding this one-- do you know how many Smiths there are? Story about girl coming of age living in Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn from 1902 to 1919. Privation and suffering--right up my dark alley!!)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Woman on a Mission
My kitchen has had a smell.
In joint discussions our family decided it was more of a rotting fish smell.
On day one of "the smell" I lit a candle, something I rarely do. Must just need some freshening up.
Day two I cleaned out the fridge.
Day three I started dumping bleach down the drain. It is getting worse.
Day four I pull everything out from the cupboard under the sink and wipe down with lysol.
Day five check for leaks in sink, dig through fruit bowl, grind a whole lemon in the disposal. I start to suspect that maybe one of Jay's kids left a special present in a cupboard somewhere. (When all else fails, assign blame.)
Day six, my husband who always is griping at me that my nose is too sensitive begins to be bothered by the smell. We pour draino down the kitchen sinks. I can hardly stand to do dishes at my sink. I am picturing rotting fish clogging the drain somewhere down there.
Finally this evening after the draino clearly produced no results I am a woman on a mission. I MUST find the smell--and that is when it hits me. You know those little mini-drawers in front of your kitchen sink to hold things like a sponge or some such nonsense? Well I opened one and guess what I found? A cracked egg. I don't know why I hadn't thought of that before. Now I know you all wanted a picture but I'm afraid I wasn't fast enough thinking for that special sight. A completely rotting cracked egg. I thought rotting egg smelled like ROTTING EGG, but apparently it doesn't. It smells like rotting fish. How silly of me.
So it all comes full circle and of course the culprit is none other than John. He has cracked one on my driveway, in the garage and in the basement in his play kitchen sink all about a week ago, so maybe I'm mistaken, but I'm thinking there is beginning to be a connection here.
We are a family that has dealt with a lot of cracked eggs. As any of you will recall Rebecca would hide them in the most ingenious ways in order to smuggle them out of the kitchen and crack them ALL over the house. She even broke them in the speakers for the surround sound system. The obsession with them lasted at LEAST a year and we had our eggs under lock and key for what seemed like forever. We could never leave them on the counter top EVER and kind of had to keep a running tally of how many we had at any given time. She would hide them in her pockets, under her shirt, in baskets or toys, but her favorite was in lunch boxes. She just couldn't get over the fact that when you cracked them, something came out. Crack--yolk, crack, yolk, crack, yolk. It was a never-ending fascination. The interesting thing was that none of these eggs rotted, they just dried up and became like egg glue, so this was a new experience for us--something I didn't think was possible with all of our egg-cracking experience.
Now just try to tell me there isn't something wrong with my children.
In joint discussions our family decided it was more of a rotting fish smell.
On day one of "the smell" I lit a candle, something I rarely do. Must just need some freshening up.
Day two I cleaned out the fridge.
Day three I started dumping bleach down the drain. It is getting worse.
Day four I pull everything out from the cupboard under the sink and wipe down with lysol.
Day five check for leaks in sink, dig through fruit bowl, grind a whole lemon in the disposal. I start to suspect that maybe one of Jay's kids left a special present in a cupboard somewhere. (When all else fails, assign blame.)
Day six, my husband who always is griping at me that my nose is too sensitive begins to be bothered by the smell. We pour draino down the kitchen sinks. I can hardly stand to do dishes at my sink. I am picturing rotting fish clogging the drain somewhere down there.
Finally this evening after the draino clearly produced no results I am a woman on a mission. I MUST find the smell--and that is when it hits me. You know those little mini-drawers in front of your kitchen sink to hold things like a sponge or some such nonsense? Well I opened one and guess what I found? A cracked egg. I don't know why I hadn't thought of that before. Now I know you all wanted a picture but I'm afraid I wasn't fast enough thinking for that special sight. A completely rotting cracked egg. I thought rotting egg smelled like ROTTING EGG, but apparently it doesn't. It smells like rotting fish. How silly of me.
So it all comes full circle and of course the culprit is none other than John. He has cracked one on my driveway, in the garage and in the basement in his play kitchen sink all about a week ago, so maybe I'm mistaken, but I'm thinking there is beginning to be a connection here.
We are a family that has dealt with a lot of cracked eggs. As any of you will recall Rebecca would hide them in the most ingenious ways in order to smuggle them out of the kitchen and crack them ALL over the house. She even broke them in the speakers for the surround sound system. The obsession with them lasted at LEAST a year and we had our eggs under lock and key for what seemed like forever. We could never leave them on the counter top EVER and kind of had to keep a running tally of how many we had at any given time. She would hide them in her pockets, under her shirt, in baskets or toys, but her favorite was in lunch boxes. She just couldn't get over the fact that when you cracked them, something came out. Crack--yolk, crack, yolk, crack, yolk. It was a never-ending fascination. The interesting thing was that none of these eggs rotted, they just dried up and became like egg glue, so this was a new experience for us--something I didn't think was possible with all of our egg-cracking experience.
Now just try to tell me there isn't something wrong with my children.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Memory game
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funy to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funy to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Aaron got his mission call!!!
Yee haw! The call finally came today! So everybody ready? OK-- so he is going to the Washington Kennewick Mission Spanish speaking. He is entering the MTC on October 1st. Congratulations to Aaron!!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Family Week #2
So Dad left on Tuesday and Jay and Mel have stayed with their kids. It was nice they were able to stay with Grandpa Johnson. We could play all day and then they could leave and everyone could have their space. They head back to the ever-lovely Tuscan Arizona tomorrow. I mean, I'm sure it has beauty about it but when you live in hell half the year, who cares?
We spent most of our time playing in water here. We attempted Salt Lake but that didn't go too well. When Mel was ready to strangle her kids with the toddler-leash, we decided that was a good time to split up and Peter and I and kiddies saw the Joseph Smith movie. It was the first time for our kids. I had been kind of putting it off because there is some fairly graphic footage but it wasn't so bad and at least I didn't totally bawl through it this time. I think I was too distracted by John's unceasing pleading to "go home NOW". FYI Jay and Mel have four kids six and under, so I'm thinking just taking a sedative and taking turns sleeping through most of this part of their life may be beneficial. That would be Auntie April's advice anyway. Their kids are super-cute though. Probably their most redeeming quality right now for their survival.
Aaron's bishop called yesterday to tell him to expect his mission call today and it totally threw him into a state of panic, so when it didn't arrive we were not happy. We are not too sure why the bishop gave him the heads up anyway. He is beside himself right now and is no doubt not terribly easy to live with. We are all feeling for him. My parents will be gone in Spain (most likely) when he leaves and so it is going to be up to his surrogate mother/sister April to get him ready to go. We are pretty well equipped with that sort of thing here in Utah anyway. Maybe the trip to the MTC will get me more prepared for when Nathaniel leaves, though I assume it will probably just set the stage for my anxiety when that day does come. Let's hope for the sanity of their household the mailman brings a nice large white envelope with his name on it.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
April family visits
The Tracy family has been visiting us here and here are the latest pics of everyone. Aaron got a new missionary haircut here and hates it-- check out the before and after. We are waiting for his call any day now. I think he looks so much better now! (except for the pink dye) The large family picture is of all my mom's father and her three siblings and their kids.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Goodbye Letter
We made the big decision and today I had took my cable box and remote down to Comcast and turned them in. It was an emotional time so I thought writing this letter would help me to find some closure...
My Dear Cable--
It has only been a short time since I had to abandon you, but you have not left my thoughts.
You have left a hole in my life that cannot be filled as adequately with any other mindless activity. Every time I look at square of dust you left on my entertainment center I will be filled with longing. Your shiny silver remote was the only thing in my life I could truly control.
The pain will fade in time, and soon I hope to be free of the addiction that is you. I will be blissfully ignorant of the latest drama on "Dancing with the Stars". I must unhook myself from the "CSI" drip, though last season really left me hanging. No more HDTV filling me with the desire to have a beautiful, functional, organized and modern home. Surely my family won't miss the medical programs I couldn't get enough of while they were trying to eat. The gunshot wound operation somehow curbs their appetites and no one else seemed as captivated by "Medical Incredible" or "Mystery Diagnosis". Dr Phil-- don't worry, I think I can now handle my own relationships and I know I can still change the world without Oprah.
Yet, there are things I know I just won't miss. Having to turn off the TV 1,158 times in the day to get my children to listen to me, for example. As all you parents know, we could have on C-SPAN and the kids would still be riveted. I won't have shows geared to my "teen" wearing miniskirts, belly-button rings, and perfect hair and makeup, making life look like it all wraps up nicely in half-hour segments-- as well as the other unmentionables that go on which clearly should only be exposed to the promiscuous adult. Why not call it "Teen Sex in the City"? or "Desperate Teens?"
My children will not melt their brains with "Jimmy Neutron", "Spongebob, "Fairly Odd Parents" or other pointless shows with no real educational purpose. I will no longer have to block or supervise channels. They will never invite friends over only to add lib Chinese people doing weird stunts. During a family program x-rated commercials won't pop up uninvited. John won't parrot a colorful new phrase or burst out with new words for his siblings like "idiot", unless of course, he learns it from me.
I'm not naive, but I want say in what goes into my children's minds whenever I can. Why did I not see you for the intruder you are in my home a lot sooner? I guess the constant flow of information was too much to give up. Think of all the history I may never see, the animals I will never witness, the news I will be ignorant of. How will I know how to survive if I am caught alone on a desert island or in the jungles of the Amazon as the sole survivor of a plane crash? How can I keep informed about the deadly toxins I can get from microwaving food in plastic?
Maybe we should go to the library. Have you seen the newspaper? It is kind of quiet around here.
Missing you,
April
My Dear Cable--
It has only been a short time since I had to abandon you, but you have not left my thoughts.
You have left a hole in my life that cannot be filled as adequately with any other mindless activity. Every time I look at square of dust you left on my entertainment center I will be filled with longing. Your shiny silver remote was the only thing in my life I could truly control.
The pain will fade in time, and soon I hope to be free of the addiction that is you. I will be blissfully ignorant of the latest drama on "Dancing with the Stars". I must unhook myself from the "CSI" drip, though last season really left me hanging. No more HDTV filling me with the desire to have a beautiful, functional, organized and modern home. Surely my family won't miss the medical programs I couldn't get enough of while they were trying to eat. The gunshot wound operation somehow curbs their appetites and no one else seemed as captivated by "Medical Incredible" or "Mystery Diagnosis". Dr Phil-- don't worry, I think I can now handle my own relationships and I know I can still change the world without Oprah.
Yet, there are things I know I just won't miss. Having to turn off the TV 1,158 times in the day to get my children to listen to me, for example. As all you parents know, we could have on C-SPAN and the kids would still be riveted. I won't have shows geared to my "teen" wearing miniskirts, belly-button rings, and perfect hair and makeup, making life look like it all wraps up nicely in half-hour segments-- as well as the other unmentionables that go on which clearly should only be exposed to the promiscuous adult. Why not call it "Teen Sex in the City"? or "Desperate Teens?"
My children will not melt their brains with "Jimmy Neutron", "Spongebob, "Fairly Odd Parents" or other pointless shows with no real educational purpose. I will no longer have to block or supervise channels. They will never invite friends over only to add lib Chinese people doing weird stunts. During a family program x-rated commercials won't pop up uninvited. John won't parrot a colorful new phrase or burst out with new words for his siblings like "idiot", unless of course, he learns it from me.
I'm not naive, but I want say in what goes into my children's minds whenever I can. Why did I not see you for the intruder you are in my home a lot sooner? I guess the constant flow of information was too much to give up. Think of all the history I may never see, the animals I will never witness, the news I will be ignorant of. How will I know how to survive if I am caught alone on a desert island or in the jungles of the Amazon as the sole survivor of a plane crash? How can I keep informed about the deadly toxins I can get from microwaving food in plastic?
Maybe we should go to the library. Have you seen the newspaper? It is kind of quiet around here.
Missing you,
April
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