Some Things We Never Outgrow

            After Jenna learned to read, she was magnetized to Piggie and Gerald Books by Mo Willems. We read every single one.  We would take turns voicing Piggie and Gerald and we would act out their characters.  She enjoyed every minute.

            She reads chapter books now but will still spend time in the children’s section of the library and take a huge stack of books that Mo Willems has written and ask me to read with her. 

            She doesn’t check them out anymore.  We just read them at the library.  Last night we had plenty of time.  We had arrived at the library an hour and a half before the reading group would start.  She had at least two Piggie and Gerald books that we had never read before.  

            Reading group was short.  Ironically the book was long.  The Book of Legends –which I have mentioned here.    Part of the   “Ever After High” series that I doubt I will continue reading. 

 

            The book started off interesting enough.  It was fun. Clever language like “Castleteria” (cafeteria) and “hextbook” (textbook).  Initially I had checked it out for three weeks, but was unable to renew it before the group met in October.  So we went without for a couple of days before I could check it out again.

            Somewhere after 100 pages or so, the chapters seemed to drag.  I’m sure at least seven could have been cut out completely as they really had nothing to do with the story.  In addition to Apple White (Snow White’s daughter) and Raven Queen (Evil Queen’s daughter), other fairytale characters were introduced: Cedar Wood (Pinocchio’s daughter) Cerise Hood (Riding Hood’s daughter) Ashlynn Ella (Cinderella’s daughter) until the names became so overwhelming that unless the last name was attached to the character (which it usually was not) the names just sort of blended in and it was hard to remember who they all belonged to.

            I was on a mission to find out whether Raven would sign the book or not – hoping that she wouldn’t.  But both Jenna and I had become bored with getting there.  I wish I had skipped more chapters than I did.  It would have made it more enjoyable.  Last night we learned that there is also a cartoon and a line of dolls and an even bigger cast.  The whole thing is just a little compelling.

            The next book for us to read is Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke.  We won’t meet again until January – but as it’s a comic book, I would imagine we’ll be done before Thanksgiving. 

            I didn’t know it was a comic book.  I would have had Roland take it with him this morning when he took her to the dentist.  He LOVES comic books.  He knows comic books (or graphic novel, I guess)  I now know more about comic books than I had ever hoped for.

            Comics can be fun.  My favorite “comics” would be “Piggie and Gerald”

When Coolness Wears Off

The Sandy Starships Theater opened December 1980. It was a four-screen theater in a strip-mall in Sandy, Utah. The theater had a futuristic design, as if it were a spaceship, and even had a robot mascot. The Sandy 9 theatres became the dollar scene and patrons stood in line on the lit up “space station” floor waiting in line for the new releases that were shown at the Sandy Starships theater.

Starships closed after its 20-year lease expired in November 2000.  But long before it closed, the once hip full price theatre tapered off to dollar prices.  The coolness had worn off. The starship had lost its appeal before it was even a decade.  What was once prestige had earned “junkie”, “dirty” and “cheap”. The Starship failed though Sandy 9 remains.

There are several landmarks that seem aged and run down – either the land has shifted or our desires have.  We find something better, more satisfying, less costly – or perhaps it’s just the economy that rips us apart.

Recently Kayla posted to facebook the closing of Hollywood Connections – which I recently mentioned in this post.  Roland and Jenna had gone there to skate and then Jenna went upstairs to play the arcades.  The selection of prices was pathetic. 

When we left, Roland asked if I wanted to go miniature golfing.  It was almost 9:00 – I was getting tired.  Jenna had school in the morning.  I thought that we could return the following week.  Had I known that the facility would close in just four days, I would have gone ahead and played.

Kayla had expressed sadness over the loss.  She and Bill had gone there on their first date.  I am not surprised to see them close.  Their cliental has decreased drastically over the years – or so it appears.

The first couple of times we had taken Jenna, it was crowded.   We waited in line to get on the rides.  Even the theatres were doing better when we first moved to West Valley.  But over time, the crowds thinned out.  Not all of the rides were open.  The dragon coaster has been out of operation at least since September.  We know because it was Jenna’s favorite ride.  Vanished. 

Megaplex took away a lot, I would imagine.  It is the new hot thing - and I wonder if maybe one day it too will be a relic as people move on to another discovery, another coolness.  And all that we have will be memories.

Rambeling thoughts

We have not ridden the bus this week as Roland has taken a use-it-or-lose-it vacation.  He has been driving Jenna to school each morning.

He had wanted to go see a movie on Monday.  We went to the 12:00 showing and sat through the previews.

  The projector (or whatever device they use now) was not working correctly. 

We had a choice to wait for the 1:00 or return at a later time.  We learned that it was a three-hour movie. 

Three hour movie!  I didn’t want to sit through a three-hour movie! 

We couldn’t wait for the 1:00 showing because Jenna gets out of school at 3:20. 

But Roland still wanted to see it.  So we returned the next day. 

He kept telling me that the movie was only 2 hours and 49 minutes.  That’s more than three hours when sitting through 20 minutes worth of ads and previews.

The movie is LOOOOONNNG – I think there is much that could have been edited. 

I also thought the film crew could have used better lighting. 

I really didn’t enjoy it overall.

I did enjoy the ending.  Well, near the end anyway.

When Murph and Cooper both make the discovery of what had taken place

and what the ghost/poltergeist – whatever-it-was represents. 

I didn’t make it to the very very end.

I just couldn’t hold my liquids anymore.

Tonight we had our Relief Society dinner.

I was supposedly in charge – but I am a flake and would be so lost without the presidency

or my committee

It will be the last activity this year.

My committee and I will be off in December.

We’ll meet back up in January to create an agenda.

It is cold now.  Unlike last week when it was cool, but nice.

It did get cold when sun dropped out of the sky – or at least started to.

About 3:30 – 4:00 the air went from cool to cold.

Now the entire day is cold.

It’s no longer just jacket weather.

It is heavy coat cold.

I took a Zyrtec – though cold medicine might have been better.

I’m certain I caught a cold in the theatre.  It was like sitting in a refrigerator

For three hours!

I had on my sweatshirt, my hat and Roland’s coat.

I’m wondering what in the world is wrong with me that I was colder than him.

I haven’t been out to my sister’s house for two weeks now.  It seems longer.

I feel like I haven’t seen her or my niece or nephews forever.

I am getting tired.

That’s Pretty Good for 42 years

         I notice as I age, parts of me don’t seem willing to move as well and my balance seems to be thrown off.  Actually has been for quite some time.  Sometimes it’s like when you have your arms spread out to either side from your shoulders and you lift one foot while trying to close your eyes.  Go ahead and try it.  I’ve not met anyone yet that can make it to a full minute.

Two years ago I had an MRI as I thought I’d been having stroke related symptoms.  Nothing was found.  But today I keep dad’s walker quite near the bed and have used it at night just to balance myself while getting up.  I have not yet used it to assist my walking.

As of now I don’t feel any different as far as balance goes. I do seem to be experiencing a little more pain in different places – like just behind my left knee – when I twisted it while exiting a bus.  The pain comes and goes. 

The other day Jenna was balancing on the wall and got off when she realized it led to a dead end.  I jokingly told her that I had expected her to leap from one wall to the next.

“Do you want me to?” she asked.

“No,” I panicked hoping she wouldn’t try.  If she missed, she would have gotten hurt. 

So with the next set of walls she said, “Look mom.  I’m leaping” and stepped down – which wasn’t a leap.

We crossed a set of tracks and I tried to demonstrate to her what a leap looks like.  Came out more like a Bernstein Bear teachable moment, as I lost balance and crashed to the ground – feeling pain on scraped knees and forehead.  I felt blessed that I wasn’t bleeding from the ungraceful land.

Tears rolled down my cheeks because I hurt.  I was foolish to try something I hadn’t attempted for several years. Jenna did her best to cheer me up – which was actually not cheering me, but annoyed me the more she tried to cheer me.  She sounded like a broken record.

The next day she asked if I was okay.  My knees were tender still.  She didn’t want to offend me by having me relive the moment I tried to leap but lost my balance.  She said my fall looked rather cool – like I had attempted an awesome ninja roll.  Really?  That’s what it looked like?  It certainly did not feel that way.

Saturday Roland said that he would take her skating.  He said he would skate with her.  Maybe we could do it for family home evening on Monday – tonight.  And so after dinner, we went to Hollywood Connections and Roland purchased wristbands for him and Jenna.  Both had invited me to skate, but after my ungraceful leap/graceful fall, I was not about to add wheels to my already unbalanced frame.

Jenna uses the walker as she can’t seem to get the hang of gliding.  She looks like she does when she is riding her scooter.  Using her left leg to move her around.  

Roland started out hugging the walls.  He fell his second time around.  I told him to move his feet outward instead of in front.   He got pretty good and went around just a bit faster and away from the walls.  It was a lot of work for his body.  Not bad for an out-of-shape and over sixty-year old.  I don’t know how many times he went around.  I would guess at least ten.  He said he hadn’t been on roller skates since 1972.  Holy Cow!  He was 19 and I was still in elementary school!

 I had fun watching them. My legs hurt as though I had been out there with them.

Roland thinks he’s going to be sore tomorrow.  He knows he needs the exercise.  I exercise with Jenna everyday when I walk her to and from school.  And the wheels we use are on the bus and not on our feet.

Riding the Blazing Furnace

I don’t mind the change in the weather.  I welcome the cool air.  Even if it means I need to bundle up or dress in layers.  The thing I don’t like is having bus drivers blare the heat as though it’s his or her sole responsibility of heating the entire universe.

When I lived with my mom and was working downtown, I would get on the bus and start stripping down.  It was a good 30-40 minute ride.  Just before we got to second south, I’d layer up again.  But the distances I have from West Valley to my destination are so much shorter. It seems senseless to strip down.  At the same time it seems I will suffocate if I don’t remove something.

I sit next to the door as often as I can – though the back door doesn’t always open.  I’m getting familiar with which drivers are able to deal with a minimum amonut of heat and which ones have to have the heat cranked up as though Roland is the driver.  I try to avoid their routes just so I can breathe.

Returned to Standard

It was nice to have light this morning as Jenna and I walked to the bus stop.  I usually don’t see it until after Jenna and I have parted ways and I start heading back to catch a return bus to West Valley.

We were supposed to set the clocks back on Saturday night – but forgot.  We got up at our usual time on Sunday – thinking we had slept in, but hadn’t.  Jenna asked me what happened to all the clocks.

Hopefully this will be the last time we have to adjust our clocks and the majority of voters who want to do away with daylight savings times will get our way.

I do enjoy seeing where I’m going in the morning.  In December it will be dark again.

I notice there are trees that still haven't turned and just as many that are bare now.  Perhaps that will make for a longer fall like we had last year.

Paperboy by Vince Vawter

“Paperboy” takes place in the mid to late 50’s sometime after Elvis had made a name for himself and when Arkansas started integrating schools

The story takes place in Memphis and reads like a journal.  No commas, no quotations.  Very cleverly written, I think.

The summary of the story itself got my attention, but what really intrigued me was Rob Buyea’s recommendation.  I had posted a review on Buyea’s books here

Victor Vollmer has agreed to take his friend’s paper route for a month.  He enjoys throwing papers and is good at it.  His problem is with collecting money, for Victor has a stuttering problem and lacks the confidence in talking with people.

But he learns a lot and meets a few people that he may not have otherwise.  He records his thoughts and some conversation and little by little the reader can see the growth of this young man.

There doesn’t seem to be much of a plot until pretty much towards the end – after all the characters have been introduced.  He sums up the last chapter as Primrose had here in “Everything on a Waffle” and I love how he portrays who he is and who he’s met and how it’s made him grow (although he, himself, may not be aware of the growth that we see as a reader.)

My favorite quote is on page 217 as he’s wrapping up a brief description of his mother:

“I don’t know if it’s worse not being able to say words at all or being able to say them and not know what they mean”

It’s a very good book.  Easy reading.  Strong recommendations on my part.

Three Weeks Without Sugar

I remember seeing a story on the news about a class project featuring two rodents with different diets.  I was hoping to find the story online, but have given up my search.

I believe it was an elementary school, but don’t know what grade or from which state.  The class had voted the names of the rodents to be “Nut” and “Honey”.  Nut was given a healthy diet of lettuce, nuts and whatever else might be healthy while Nut was given sugars and starches.  The children were able to see Honey wilting away as she became skinnier and thinner – while Nut remained healthy and had gained weight.

I remember the newscasters making comment that they wondered if that might backfire for anyone having the desire to lose weight – to follow Honey’s diet.  Sadly, it was Nut who died first and not Honey.  I remember the newscaster trying hard to fight the smile as the story unfolded that Nut had choked on a healthy cracker.

I LOVE sugar – well, my mouth does.  I’ve never lost weight as Honey did.  I’ve suffered in other ways though.  The energy (if there’s any to start with) gets sucked out of me.  My blood stream seems to fail.  I could very well be diabetic.  The temporary satisfaction on my lips is not at all satisfying to the rest of my body.  So shortly after school started for Jenna, I decided to give up sugar.  Not completely.  I know it’s in my condiments and bread and some other things.  So it’s still there.  I have just refrained from eating candy bars and cookies and drinking sodas (because if I can’t have sugar in my soda, then there is really no point in drinking a disgusting beverage).  I have said “no” to so many things.  It’s been tough.  But it’s something I need to do cold turkey.

I was really good until last week when Roland and Jenna decided to make some peanut butter cookies.  They’re actually not my favorite and so I did not think I’d have that temptation – which I didn’t – for the cookies themselves.  Unfortunately, my error took place as the ingredients were being mixed into the bowl and Jenna had a theatre box of Junior Mints that she was popping into her mouth like it was popcorn.   

 Subconsciously I joined her.  After about six or so, I thought, “Oh, no!” and then thought, “Where did Jenna even get a theatre sized box of Junior Mints?”  I did stop eating them, but still – once the sugar enters my system, my tongue has an incredible desire for more. That is why I chose to go cold turkey – around the holidays nonetheless.  But you know what?  I can feel the difference when my body isn’t loaded with sugar. 

Haven’t lost my sweet tooth yet, but often do around the holidays.  Here’s hoping it will happen again this year.

I Don't Spring Clean - I Clean When the Weather's Crummy

We got a new furnace and thermostat – which we haven’t totally figured out.  It was really cold yesterday morning.  Not a big problem for Jenna and me, but Roland needed warmer.  So he made a few adjustments and the air blasted and continued after he left.

I put my hair into pigtails to keep it off my neck.  I keep it up during the summer because it is so thick and weighs like a fleece blanket in addition to the already blasting sun. 

When Jenna and I left the house, my hair was still in pigtails.  I have worn it down when the morning air’s been cold.  But I didn’t bother taking the bands out of my hair, but secured my hat around them.  It was amazing how warm my ears felt.  I may just continue to do that.

In addition to a new furnace, some new appliances were added to our house.  As we made room for all our new material things, items were moved, furniture rearranged and it looks like a tornado blew into our house.  It’s in need of so much attention right now.

It’s much easier to clean the house when the skies are grey and the elements are cold and dreary.  When the sun is out, I would like to use the sunshine for other things – like reading or running errands or even taking the dog for a walk.  It’s hard for me to be motivated to clean when the weather is nice.

My niece and nephew would always clean whenever they would stress – which happened quite frequently when they were living with mom and her health had deteriorated.  I thought it would be nice to have them in my house (though the clutter alone could give anyone stress) and right now I’m so ready to let go of everything, I wouldn’t care what they threw away.

Monday I did an excellent job going through the drawers and discarded a lot more than I kept.  I need to do that with every room in the house.  But I have to be motivated.  I think I need to take a break and pick up when it gets dark again – which seems to happen earlier with each passing day.

I remember voting online for whether to keep daylight savings or not.  Must have not been legit as the anchors are sending reminders to set our clocks back.  The majority said to get rid of daylight savings.  Like 80%.  I hope that this is the last time we have to move our clocks an hour and that we can just stay on standard for the duration.

Hank Zipzer is Laugh-Out-Loud

                                              Lin Oliver and Henry Winkler: Hank Zipzer authors

         Hank Zipzer is a character invented by Henry Winkler – though I wonder how much of the character is based upon himself as he had struggled with learning though nobody understood that he had dyslexia but wasn’t diagnosed until he was in his 30’s.

         The first Hank Zipzer book that I read was “The Curtain Went Up, My Pants Fell Down” Hilarious.  I laughed out loud with almost every page.  
 

         I really liked how in this particular story, it is not the obvius talent put who play the leads.  The director picks those that seem to struggle – someone he can help mold into the part.

         Hank’s fifth grade teacher is named Ms. Adolf – I’m guessing a play on words, as she appears to be stern and unfeeling, but perhaps not quite Hitler.  Just his first name.

 

         In my mind, Henry Winkler does the narration for the character Hank Zipzer.  I think the voice of Principal Love twould sound like Ben Stein.

         I tried reading it to Jenna, but she’s just not interested and she has a marvelous sense of humor.  She just doesn’t identify with the character at all.

         Learning has always come natural and easy for Jenna.  She doesn’t feel pressure from others that she’s being made fun of – nor does she make fun of others.  She’s got a great gift of accepting others as who they are and never stereotypes another based on looks or behaviors.  Although she has ruled out bullies, she still treats them with respect.

         I didn’t have a learning disability.  I enjoyed learning things – at my own level.  I liked learning what I wanted to learn but for the most part did not enjoy what was being taught.  I had a tendency to tune things out and daydreamed entirely too much.  I was never a class clown.  More of the shy wallflower.  But I can relate to some of Hank Zipzer’s character.

         I like the series for a few reasons.  One would be the font size.  Because I don’t struggle with my failing eyesight.  Two, I believe all seventeen stories come in paperback (at least they have thus far) which is less weight in my backpack (good reason, huh?) and three, because it’s easy reading, marvelously written and really does put a smile of my face.

         Now that my school years are so into the past, I learn older I get, the more that I really do enjoy learning.  Many of the things I refused to learn in my youth have become more interesting as I age.  I also enjoy being entertained with Witty humor.  Thank you Henry Winkler for Hank Zipzer!

Hartman: For All of your Contracting Needs

            No, I am not getting paid to advertise.  For heating and air conditioning I had always used Gils.  Gil comes out and gets the job done and no need to call back because the system works and they don’t leave glitches.  They’re reasonably priced – inexpensive even.  But it’s just a father and his son.  They don’t finance.

            We called Hartman when our furnace seemed to give out.  They had serviced our furnace before.  I hadn’t remembered, but it was Hartman’s paperwork tacked to our furnace that hadn’t been serviced since two years before we moved into the house.

            As I was waiting for someone to pick up, I started playing with a switch on the side of the furnace.  Apparently it had been knocked into last time someone had been in the closet to retrieve or return the card table or step latter.  The heat went on, but as it had been seven years since the heater was last serviced, I made an appointment and asked to get a bid for Central Air (Gils had given us one, but were quite booked during the summer and quite overworked I am guessing.)

Hartman’s bid was just a little above Gils – only they could finance – which could be done over the phone.  Sorry Gil.  I really do like your service.    We won't forget you.  You do a great job! But I just wasn’t comfortable paying it all up front at this particular time.

Hartman was to our house bright and early yesterday. Though our furnace and water heater were both working, Roland and I realized that their days were numbered as our furnace was 35 years old and our water heater was 15 – which I understand is 3-5 years longer than normal.  Mineral deposits may have kept it alive.  At the same time I think may have been solely responsible for sucking our water pressure as the water pressure we have now is so much better.  Who would have thought?

I never looked at our relic furnace and water heater as blessings before.  We have been major blessed that neither had gone out on us – or our tenants before us.

Hartman does plumbing, electrician, roofing . . . Last night the plumber was here making things right.  He told us what a good company Hartman is to work for.  Thus far, I don’t have any complaints.

Thank you Jason, Stetson, Julian and Jim for making a difference already.  Summer will be so much bearable.  And we will definitely use you again.  Especially for the electrical part, I’m certain – as we know only a few electricians and they are PRICY!!!  I bet they don’t finance either.  And you do seem more reasonable with your prices.

Could be more thorough with your communication skills, I think.  As with many big companies, often the right hand doesn’t know what the left is doing.  But everything has been resolved (at least we hope it has) and for that we are grateful.