Toenails From a Man. Humor Me.

It's Girls Group Random Dozen Link Up

We have contacted our Internet provider, and they said they cannot fix our problem at home until Friday, so I may not be able to respond to any questions, etc., for a couple of days, but you guys go right ahead and party on, OK?!

If you're looking for the questions, please see yesterday's post.

Have fun!!!

Random Dozen from The Girls of Girls Group

I'm actually at the local library as I write this because our Internet is down at home, has been for several days. Just thought I'd throw in a little "real time" drama for you.

So last night I was whining about not having questions ready for this week, and my partners IRL crime, aka "Girls Group," began suggesting questions like a machine gun suggests bullets. I felt assaulted by questions. But I thank them because I was truly askin' for it.

1. Do you believe, somewhere deep inside, that blondes do indeed have more fun? That they are "dumber" than brunettes or redheads? Be honest!

2. Which animal would you most like to observe in its wild habitat?

3. This week the U.N. announced that Dr. Mazlan Othman has been appointed the official "Alien Ambassador," should any extraterrestrials contact us. Have you, or has anyone you know, ever seen a UFO?

4. Name your favorite Hitchcock film.

5. Would you rather spend time at the library, the mall, a craft store or home?

6. Which Disney princess is your favorite? (Or Disney character, if you are a guy)

7. What kind of art is your favorite?

8. How do you feel about viral videos, that is, videos made by amateurs that end up on Youtube receiving thousands of hits?

9. Where do you buy your jeans?

10. Tell me about your first automobile accident.

11. Have you ever been honest when you knew you would benefit more if you would be dishonest?

12. If you were appointed "Ambassador to Aliens," what would you show and tell first about life on Earth? What would be the most difficult thing to explain?

*Remember to post your answers onyour blog Wednesday, then come back here, link up so that others can see what you wrote, then go visit and say nice things to your RD12playmates! Have fun, and THANKS for playing!*

Honoring My Dad

One of the best things about blogging is the opportunity to record family moments for posterity, and that's what I'm doing today. Some of you have already seen the pics on Facebook, and some will not be interested; that's OK. Our browsing time is limited, so I'm not upset if you don't read and comment; I'm recording this mainly for my family in the future.

May my children and grandchildren and maybe even great-grandchildren read this post and be filled with pride to know their grandfather was an honorable man both in his spirit and in his behavior. His life has been an honorable one, so this is quite touching to me on more than a patriotic level.

Last Monday, my family gathered in a small county courthouse room to witness my father, Virgil (Bud) Batt, a WWII Veteran, receive the Légion d'honneur Chevalier medal, awarded by the President of the French Republic. The medal, created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, is the highest honor bestowed by the French government. It is the equivalent of the US Medal of Honor.

Here are two of my three handsome brothers with my parents: Don, the youngest of the three, is on the left. He is a golfer. He is tall. He once zipped me up in a sleeping bag, but I forgive him, sort of. The other is my middle brother, Jack. Larry, the eldest, moved to this row later, but I did not get a pic.


After the ceremony, we all went out to dinner and shared this special cake. That is a pic of Dad when he was in service. He was about 21 there, I think.



Here is Dad with my three children. Katie, 24; Jordan, 21; Kristin, 17.



Here is Dad receiving the medal from President Todd Donati.


And here he is with the medal.



And here is the piece written by John Carlson for the Muncie Star Press, published September 21, 2010. I am grateful to Mr. Carlson for such a poignant article.

Pass Virgil Batt on the street, and you might not give him a second glance. Though tall and distinguished looking, he's a soft-spoken, unassuming man whose step has undoubtedly been slowed by the passage of 88 years.

But like countless members of his generation who fought for the United States and its Allies in World War ll, you'll be passing a quiet hero who served his country and, indeed, the world, at a time when it faced a fate that was nothing less that catastrophic.

And that explains why, with a letter read by President Todd Donati at a meeting of the Delaware County commissioners Monday night, Batt was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor, the highest award France can bestow upon those who came to its rescue so long ago.

"It means a lot to me," Batt said, simply, as he delivered a few remarks to gathered family members, friends and folks from his church, New Horizon Church of the Nazarene, where a Bible study was canceled so they could attend the ceremony.

Batt learned he was nominated for the medal -- which was created in 1802 by none other than Napoleon Bonaparte --- when he was contacted by French embassies in Washington, D.C., and Chicago beginning about eight months ago.

In the letter from Chicago's French consul general, Graham Paul explained the reason.

"Through this award," he wrote, "the French government pays tribute to the soldiers who did so much for France and Western Europe. More than 65 years ago, you gave your youth to France and the French people. Many of your fellow soldiers did not return, but they remain in our hearts.

"Thanks to the courage of these soldiers, to our American friends and Allies, France has been living in peace for six decades. They saved us and we will never forget. I want you to know that for us, the French people, they are heroes. Gratitude and remembrance are forever in our souls."

It was a poignant moment.

Early on, the road to Monday night's high honor led the boy from a separated family through Wilson Junior High School, after which he dropped out to go to work as a furniture mover during the Great Depression years.

In its own way, such labor offered him a higher education.

"Those Ball State pianos were rough!" he said with a quiet chuckle in an interview that was conducted last week, discussing the effort required to move them.

It was 1941 when he married a neighbor girl, now his wife of 68 years, Delphia Lucille Batt, and 1942 when he was drafted, ending up in an Army anti-tank outfit.

Like so many of his generation, Batt is hardly an effusive speaker when asked about his war experiences, though he'll admit he can talk about them today easier than he could back when the memories were fresher.

Did he see extensive combat?

"Pretty good," he answered, affirmatively.

A Jeep driver and radio man in a platoon that hauled and manned three tank-killing cannons, he recalled situations he thought he wouldn't survive, and even the very first time he prayed in combat, finding himself in a knocked out American half-track in which he believed he'd met his end.

"I'm a strong believer in prayer," Batt continued.

He's a believer in forgiveness, too.

"I felt sorry for the French," he said, noting how the war ravaged their country. "But I even felt sorry for the German people. Germany was pretty well beat up, too, when we got done with them."

Besides returning from war with his faith intact, he also had a number of citations, including a Bronze Star and a Presidential Unit Citation for action that his 3rd Platoon engaged in from March 6-7, 1945. Those and other medals are framed in his home now.

The father of four doesn't need them, however, to stir his war memories. The veterans' graves at Beech Grove Cemetery, where a cousin who was killed in the Pacific is buried, will do it.

So will a quick trip up north from here.

"I tell you," said Batt, who continued with a career in the freight and transport business after the war. "When I go to the veterans hospital in Marion and I pass that military graveyard, I think (to myself) how lucky you are."

At Monday night's ceremony, though, we in the audience applauded Batt and all the others like him, and knew that we are the truly lucky ones.

On Perfection

Flashback Friday

Did you like to read when you were a child? What were your favorite genres, books or series? Did you read books because of the author or because of the title/plot? Did you own many books? Did your school distribute the Scholastic book orders (or some other type)? Did you visit the library often? Was there a summer reading program when you were young, and did you participate? Do you have any particular memories of your school libraries? What were your favorites and least favorites among the classics (the ones high school English teachers assign!)? If you didn't like reading, do you like it more today than you did then?

I loved little Golden Books, Little Red Riding Hood being one of the favorites. I can still remember the way the light came through the leaves of the trees in the forest and shone on the dirt path.



Mr. Grabbit was about a stingy, materialistic rabbit who took more than he needed of everything and ended up precariously flying in a storm because he had too many umbrellas which caught him up in the air-- a slightly attractive, slightly horrifying thought when you're six years old!


I also had little prayer books that I cherished, and they helped form my spiritual life.

Scholastic book orders were some of the best days of the school year for me. I felt absolutely RICH when my two or three books came. Clifford was a favorite Thank you, Mom and Dad! What a sweet memory I had not thought of in so long ....

I also enjoyed the SRA reading program which let you see yourself progressing through color-coded levels. Now this was a sport I could compete in!


Summertime meant Bookmobile time. I can still remember the unique smell of the books mixed with diesel fuel once you entered and how books were arranged by grade level on slanted shelves to keep them from falling off.

In high school, I fell in love with Charles Dickens and have never completely gotten over him. And thank you, Mrs. Linda Ayres, Ms. Sondra Seibold and Mrs. Ruth Hillman at Muncie Southside Highschool for instilling a love for reading and writing. Sondra Seibold introduced us to Shakespeare, and I will never forget that experience.

I went on to become an English major at Ball State University, so I love the classics and rarely read contemporary fiction. Right now, however, I'm trying to finally finish John Grisham's A Painted House.

Thanks, Lid, for jarring my memory. I don't know how you come up with so many questions each week on one topic when I can't come up with 12 random ones easily!!

My Turn

1. Have you, or has someone close to you, ever won an award for anything?

I'm going to write a post and add sweet pictures of my dad's award ceremony this week, so I'll just coyly say "yes" for now!

2. Who is the nearest relative to you who has served in the US Military?

My father is a WWII veteran. Unlike many families, we have had few relatives in the armed services. Jorge has a nephew in the Navy in Guam right now, however.

3. Share something that stirs the patriotic spirit in you.

WWII history moves me because for most, it seemed to be a conflict of pure evil vs good. It was the greatest generation of people in history, in my opinion.

4. Where are you in the birth order in your family? Do you think your "placement" made a difference in your personality?

I am 4th, the baby. But the boys were 16, 12 and 8 when I was born, so I was also like a first-born, or a grandchild, after a few years because all my brothers were gone while I was growing up. In fact, I do not remember living at home with the older two. I have a tendency to sit back and let people "do" for me, unless I mind myself and stay alert to being proactive and helpful. On the other hand, I do have some first-born tendencies as well, but not nearly as many as "baby syndrome" qualities!

5. Name one trait you hope you carry that was evidenced in your parents or grandparents.

Faithfulness, on many levels.

6. If female, do you prefer wearing a skirt or pants? If male, shirt and tie or polo?

I actually like wearing skirts, if they're cotton and comfy! If not, I love my jeans and black tops, the old fall-back.

7. Approximately how many times do you wake during the night? What do you do to go back to sleep?

Well. I wake up as many times as my possessed legs will have it. The calves seize up like the concrete stops in parking lot spaces. If we had an intruder, it would be great if I could unattach my calf and hit him over the head because he would surely die. WOW. I'm eating bananas (potassium), taking calcium & potassium, drinking lots of water, stretching, etc., but to no avail. If I had a red cape and boots, I could be Ms. Superman. It's ridiculous.

8. Share a favorite movie quote.

I wish I could post the video, but the lines are only available within the middle of a long vignette. But basically, it's the movie "What's Up, Doc," with Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal, a favorite comedy of mine. At the end of the movie, Streisand's character turns to O'Neal's and says, batting her eyes, "Love means never having to say you're sorry," which is a wink & nod to the famous line from the movie O'Neal was best known for, "Love Story," with Ali McGraw. And O'Neal's character looks at her in disbelief and says, "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Completely cracks me up every time. The epitome of wit and irony and self-deprecating humor. Love it.

9. What is your favorite Fall candle scent?

Currently, banana nut cake, which my office mate is burning daily. I'm about to leave teeth marks in his candle when he's not looking.

10. What is one Fall activity you're looking forward to?

Visiting a place called Brown County, IN, where the autumnal foliage is postcard-worthy.

11. Tell us about a pleasant surprise that happened to you recently.

A beautiful orchid plant left at my desk, finding a nice car for Kristin, my list could go on. I am blessed!

12. What was it like when you first met your in-laws-to-be?

I do not remember the first moment, but I liked them immediately and felt that the vibes were reciprocated. I always got on with them well, although Jorge's mother has now passed.

I sincerely appreciate your faithfulness and enthusiasm each week here at the Random. I wish I could get around to visit you all, but I just can't do it and keep an actual job and actual home and family! So thanks for understanding. Your continuing interest and enjoyment of this meme is another wonerful surprise I count for number 11!

Random Dozen, Hello Fall

1. Have you, or has someone close to you, ever won an award for anything?

2. Who is the nearest relative to you who has served in the US Military?

3. Share something that stirs the patriotic spirit in you.

4. Where are you in the birth order in your family? Do you think your "placement" made a difference in your personality?

5. Name one trait you hope you carry that was evidenced in your parents or grandparents.

6. If female, do you prefer wearing a skirt or pants? If male, shirt and tie or polo?

7. Approximately how many times do you wake during the night? What do you do to go back to sleep?

8. Share a favorite movie quote.

9. What is your favorite Fall candle scent?

10. What is one Fall activity you're looking forward to?

11. Tell us about a pleasant surprise that happened to you recently.

12. What was it like when you first met your in-laws-to-be?

Really Random Dozen ~ Happy First Day of Fall!

This is a super-duper amped up Random because I just sat down to copy my previously-created questions here and discovered I accidentally gave them to my just-moved-out daughter in a pile of her mail. So she's probably at home right now (Monday night, 9:37) trying to figure out why in the world I gave her such a strange list! "Why would Mom want to know my favorite flavor of gum???"

I tried to call her, but she's not answering, so I'm on my own. I have to come up with 12 questions for you asap. Remember to post your answers tomorrow and then immediately come here to link up.

1. Have you, or has someone close to you, ever won an award for anything? (I just came from my dad's ceremony wherein he was given a medal of honor by the French government for service in France in WWII. Pictures to follow.)

2. Who is the nearest relative to you who has served in the US Military?

3. Share something that stirs the patriotic spirit in you.

4. Where are you in the birth order in your family? Do you think your "placement" made a difference in your personality?

5. Name one trait you hope you carry that was evidenced in your parents or grandparents.

6. If female, do you prefer wearing a skirt or pants? If male, shirt and tie or polo?

7. Approximately how many times do you wake during the night? What do you do to go back to sleep?

8. Share a favorite movie quote.

9. What is your favorite Fall candle scent?

10. What is one Fall activity you're looking forward to?

11. Tell us about a pleasant surprise that happened to you recently.

12. What was it like when you first met your in-laws-to-be?

Tales From the Mid-Life Brain Or The Woman Who Once Was "Mommy"

Happy Monday to you!

Now that we have the niceties out of the way, let me say that I think my brain is dissolving.

In case you didn't know, when you become peri-menopausal, your brain and body start to dissolve, mainly from exposure to the inexplicably high levels of natural gas you emit.

In fact, every time I bend, I remember that there is more than one meaning to the British signs along the trains: "Mind the gap." For real, there is a "Facts of Life" episode for every mid-life woman wherein she earns the nickname "Tootie."

I hardly recognize myself anymore. My kids want the mom back who never cooked well but did not ruin bowls of cereal as she prepared them. Currently, the only thing I am able to cook is marshmallows over a campfire and M&Ms in bowls because they do not require milk to be poured over them. In other words, if you have to add or mix an ingredient in any food, it is already too complicated for me.

My kids miss the mom who remembered their birthdays. They want someone who not only remembers a date but most importantly, buys a gift. Or two.

They want a mom who remembers whether or not they have had wisdom teeth extracted.

But apparently, that mom is no more. For I did indeed forget to buy the birthday gift two weeks in a row, and I had to confess to my son I could not remember if he had oral surgery, for Pete's sake.

Don't even get me started about senior pictures. I forgot I had a third child until about 20 minutes ago.

Recently, I sat sorting a box of beads I'm using for my new hobby: jewelry making.

Stringing beads. That screams "nursing home."

Anyway, as all four or three of my kids sat around me, I reminsced about when they were little.

"Just about every day, I read you this sweet little storybook called, 'We Help Mommy Every Day.' Do you remember that book? It began, 'We help Mommy every day. We help her in the morning, as soon as we get up.'"

It goes on to chronicle a day full of chores made lighter by little helping hands--sort of glorified child labor, and I was indoctrinating you, hoping against hope that you would think it was the epitome of both fun and goodness to dust a table and sweep a floor. Do you remember Bobby and Martha?"

My beads plunked into their compartments without a response from my kids. Unless you count expressions like this as a response:



So later, I was in the kitchen pretending to fix their lunch, and they were hanging out with me. Not helping, mind you, but hanging out, which is almost as good.

My son, Jordan, said to me, "Don't worry, Mom. When you are in the nursing home, we will come visit you every day. I will even read to you. Do you know what I will read?"

And then he launched into a familiar sing-song reading voice mimicking mine from so long ago:

"We give our kids our money every day. We give them our money as soon as we get up ...."

Oh, the orneriness. But what he doesn't know is that as clever as that brainwashing plan is, it won't work. Because I will not remember that I have kids by then - so who would I give my money to???"

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE???

Join Up at the Random Dozen Waterin' Hole

1. Do you do garage sales? If so, tell me about one great find. If not, tell me why not.
2. Name the last thing you fixed.
3. Name your A) Favorite item of makeup OR B) Favorite tool
4. Which room in your home needs organizing more than any other?
5. Which room could use re-decorating?
6. Share something unique about your town.
7. If you could send a one-sentence message to your great-grandchild, what would it be?
8. Do you Facebook?
9. Describe your favorite shoes.
10. Do you listen to more talk radio or more music radio? What kind of station is it?
11. How far would you travel for a really good (favorite) meal?
12. If you were totally honest with yourself (and us) what should you probably be doing right now instead of blogging?

The One Millionth Random Dozen?

OK, maybe not 1,000,000, but sometimes it sure feels like it! You should see me all week long--searching everywhere, over and under any topic, looking for a suitable question. It's getting ridiculously funny. I know there have been some repeats, and I'm plainly stating there will be more because as curious as I am about everything in life, I'm running on empty, Jackson Browne.

Until then, here are this week's questions. Remember--you read and write today, post your answers on your on own blog on Wednesday, then link that post here at this blog, then go visit others. Have fun!

1. Do you do garage sales? If so, tell me about one great find. If not, tell me why not.
2. Name the last thing you fixed.
3. Name your A) Favorite item of makeup OR B) Favorite tool
4. Which room in your home needs organizing more than any other?
5. Which room could use re-decorating?
6. Share something unique about your town.
7. If you could send a one-sentence message to your great-grandchild, what would it be?
8. Do you Facebook?
9. Describe your favorite shoes.
10. Do you listen to more talk radio or more music radio? What kind of station is it?
11. How far would you travel for a really good (favorite) meal?
12. If you were totally honest with yourself (and us) what should you probably be doing right now instead of blogging?

9/11/1986

24 years ago today, someone came into my world & changed it from black and white to color, touched every aspect of my life, gave me a whole different reason to live and made me want to be a good person. Happy birthday, Katie. I love you.

Friday Flashback: I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together

Tell about TV when you were growing up. Did your family have a TV? Was it color or b&w? How many TVs did your family have? Did you have one in your room? Did your family leave the TV on most of the day or turn it on for specific programs? Was the TV on or off when you ate meals as a family? Were there rules about watching TV? What were your favorite shows? Are there any particular memories you have of TV in your younger years?

I assume my family was like most middle American families in the 1970s, my true growing up years (since I graduated in 1981).

We had one television set (remember when they were called that?) on one end of the the living room, a room in which we lived, not a fancy-schmancy room, encased in a genuine wood grain look console or cabinet. We always had a mirror over the top of the TV.

We really had no viewing rules, and yes, the thing was on night and day. You can imagine the influence all that unguarded viewing had on me. To this day, I still believe I can move my furniture around by twitching my nose.










My favorite childhood TV program would have to be the Carol Burnett show. Each Saturday night, I would get my bath and then sit in front of my mom who would roll my hair up in pincurls or up in these strange pink rubber curlers pictured here with Dippity Do, and I would watch Carol Burnett.

That show made pincurls painless. I can see now that my sense of humor was intact even back then, as I preferred those comedy sketches to anything else on TV, and I was very little. Somehow, I "got it." And I as I grew, I learned to recognize the old movies she would spoof in sketches, such as Joan Crawford in "Mildred Fierce" for "Mildred Pierce" or Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.
















Thanks, Linda, for stirring the memories. I hadn't thought about console TVs in a long time. You know, I think I prefer them to the stark black metal glass stands everyone uses now. Bring back the wood grain look!



Dippity-Do
Uploaded by Killer_Tomato. - Classic TV and last night's shows, online.

I Labored Over My RD12 Answers ....

1. Describe the best sandwich in the world, according to you.

After reading someone's answer today (Who, Brain, who? Who said this? I don't know.) I drove myself right over to Panera and got the Mediterranean Veggie. Mmmmmm good. I also love the Veggie Delights at Subway. Not so into meat, as you can tell.

2. Which inspires you more: a good conversation, a song, a book or movie?

Song. It can be intentionally inspirational (like Jason Gray's "More Like Falling in Love") or it can be an oldie that evokes memories (70s songs) or it can be current and just change my whole outlook (John Mayer, Maroon 5). The happiest song ever written? "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves.

3. What is your favorite board game?

I think I would agree with many of you and answer "Scrabble." A pseudo board game I enjoy is Scattergories.

4. As you grow older, are you more or less patient with small children?

More. The other day a little one spilled a drink in a restaurant, and the mother, while calm and staid, got her crew together and exited quickly, with this little one crying and reaching up to her to be picked up. I don't blame her for wanting to get out of there, but my heart broke for Little Spiller. When I have a grandchild, this softness could be problematic with the parents, but I will try to keep my mouth shut.

5. Name one item you never let yourself run out of.

Paper towel and toilet paper, in that order, for some reason.

6. Do you agree with Tennyson's assertion, "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?"

Honestly, the pain has been so bad that I would say I disagree. If I had never loved, I could still live in a Disney dream world and hope for the future. I would grieve not having a real relationship, I'm sure, but I would have been spared deep, deep heartache. That's just me, being honest.

7. Name one national treasure or monument that you have visited.

Grand Canyon. I was only about 7, but I'll never forget it.

8. Which is more painful, to be disappointed in someone else or to be disappointed in yourself?

I'm more shocked when someone else disappoints me. I tend to put people on pedestals. But I get more angry with myself for messing up.

9. What makes your kitchen uniquely yours?

A black and white accent wall that has a large damask pattern. Also, lots of paper goods. Because I would rather not do dishes or cook. All of those paper goods sing, "Lid's Kitchen, Come and Get It (Yourself!)"

10. Are you a crafty person?

Not really, BUT--I have picked up a new hobby, which I shall reveal soon. It is along the craft vein.

11. What is your favorite traditional picnic or bbq (cookout) food?

This appears to be a simple question at first glance, but wow--the choices are all clamoring for their day in the sun, as it were. OK--this will shock you, since I don't like meat that much, but I do love a grilled hot dog. If I went vegetarian, which I plan to, I would have the most trouble giving up bacon and grilled hot dogs. "Yuck" in theory and at the molecular level, "YUM" at the tastebud level.

12. Name one leisurely activity you enjoyed over Labor Day Weekend.

I watched two TCM movies back to back and worked on my new hobby!

Labor Day Link Up

Hope yesterday's questions weren't too laborious for you, heh heh. Not to belabor the point, but today's the day you publish your post, link up here, then go visit others. May your blog hopping/nice commenting be a labor of love!

RD 12 for Labor Day Week 2010

Here are your prompts for this week. Please publish your RD post tomorrow and link up here. Then visit other participants and leave a kind word or two!

1. Describe the best sandwich in the world, according to you.
2. Which inspires you more: a good conversation, a song, a book or movie?
3. What is your favorite board game?
4. As you grow older, are you more or less patient with small children?
5. Name one item you never let yourself run out of.
6. Do you agree with Tennyson's assertion, "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?"
7. Name one national treasure or monument that you have visited.
8. Which is more painful, to be disappointed in someone else or to be disappointed in yourself?
9. What makes your kitchen uniquely yours?
10. Are you a crafty person?
11. What is your favorite traditional picnic or bbq (cookout) food?
12. Name one leisurely activity you enjoyed over Labor Day Weekend.

Happy Labor Day Weekend to You!

Happy Labor Day Weekend to You!

Hope you're enjoying yourself on this beautiful weekend. I have been, for sure.

Saturday morning, we headed of to a nearby town, Marion, home of James Dean. According to RoadsideAmerica.com,

Fairmount, IN, is often listed as the birth site of James Dean, but he was actually born in Marion, Indiana. When entering Marion on Indiana 18, you cross a set of railroad tracks just before entering the old downtown. There is a former train station on the left, and directly across the street is a Goodyear Tire sign at the corner of a small parking lot. Just next to the base of this sign is a small boulder honoring 'Mr. Marion,' a local sportscaster, and just behind this rock is a metal star affixed to the pavement marking the birth site of James Dean.

So if you ever come to Muncie, I will drive you north a little ways to see the tracks, the Goodyear Tire sign, the parking lot, the rock, and the birthplace of not only "Mr. Marion" but also James Dean. Exciting, I know!--It's really true what they say: "There's more than corn in Indiana." There are rocks and Goodyear Tire signs. What cracks me up is that they made a star for him, but they tore down his house.

Anyway, Kristin's cross country meet was in Marion.

Keeping in step (no punt intended) with last year's XC posts, I present to you, MORE smack-talk cross country t-shirts:


But my favorite (meaning, the worst) smack talk shirt I did not get a picture of. It said, "Pass the weak/Hurdle the dead." Niiiiice.

OK, this one is not so much smack-talk, but it does speak to me through its mis-punctuation:


And here are some actual pictures of my actual child which I actually took MYSELF this time!! Yay, Mom!



You will notice, a-hem, that my child appears to be in a league of her own. Let's just say she inherited my racing genes, unfortunately. But I'm durn proud of her for pushing through and demonstrating perseverance.

And for those like my child lagging behind, here is a kind note of encouragement, perhaps, implying, "You also, are going to finish this race:"


And last but not least, he is my ironing board daughter accepting literally but not figuratively a hug from me. Note the cinnamon dolce, which provided the warmth missing from a certain hug:

After the meet, we went to Indy to pick up a new bike for Jorge the Jabanero. This man, the most selfless person I've ever met, finally agreed to buy himself a new bike. He's been riding an old one almost daily for 5 years to work. He has never had a hobby. Never played golf when the kids were little. Never gardened. Never went to Vegas. Never did anything solely for himself, but now, he has a brand-spankin' new bike, and it is beautiful! So happy for him! Here it is:



Sunday, we went to church, then we cooked out. It was very nice because Katie and her boyfriend, Shad, (coolest name ever, I know) my son, Jordan, his girlfriend, Natalie, and Kristin and Zoe, of course, were all together for this little meal. Nothing fancy, but it was good and we enjoy the kids immensely. I have more to say, but this post is already epic in length, so I'll stop here. PLEASE share your weekend delights, as well!