The Film Stories Continue – Part 3

Kim couldn’t make it this night so I stepped in first with this post:

12:27 a.m.

Hello and Goodnight!

I canNOT tell you how much you all mean to all of us. I'm not feeling deeply appreciative because I'm rummy and it's late. I am simply keenly, KEENLY aware how all of this could not take place without support. Diane has worked BEYOND BELIEF and brought her three fantastic helpers with her to try and ready our 70's house (NO SMALL FEAT!!!!!) She has personally sewed and covered our windows and OH SO MUCH MORE. Marie, Jason, and Samantha showed up tonight just when we desperately needed fresh horses to help us complete the impossible. Tim smiled and did everything he was supposed to in all the scenes today. Teresa made us look beautiful with hair and make-up and encouraged us with words and laughs and when she had to leave, Maddie, another angel of mercy showed up and stayed longer than we could have ever expected. Her presence encouraged our main actress, Jessica, and Angela, another AMAZING assistant. Yesterday was emotionally wracking for Jessica and today was even harder on only two hours of sleep (very heavy scenes). Claire and Eli were wonderful extras and Eli's goofballing kept one of our crew quite entertained as she watched him in the monitor. Christy and Randy were everywhere all at once and brought Katie's Mustang, and Katie!, and drove in our pick-up scene. Karla Baker helped Kim with food and kept us all smiling with her beautiful, bright face. And she also saved my make-up by escorting me to the walk-in fridge (axe included in case she locked me in!). :) Christina brought us FOOD and smiles and hugs. Reginia helped corral and feed the masses and gave us her INCREDIBLE Nacoya to be Hannah's Personal Assistant (NO.SMALL.JOB.!) Lori Myers has shopped for us on a ONE MINUTE notice and is filling our 70's house extra room with her moving boxes. (Thank you for moving, Lori and Mark!). And I know ALL of you are praying for us because I can't tell you the miracles of crew and help and amazingness (not a word) that take place daily. If I'm missing anyone I apologize but throw myself on your mercy as you consider my sad mental state. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!

Please continue to pray for Shaun and Hannah. They had an hour-an-a-half sleep last night and five hours tonight will seem like a lot compared to that but it's not nearly enough. Sleep is the most desperately needed thing. Our first call is at 5:30 tomorrow morning - wait, that's later THIS morning - out at Harriet and Bob's. I am headed to the 70's house and could use any and all help getting it ready to start set-ups by 10a.m. These are our needs:

I need one person to pick up boxes from Lori M. - on her front porch - and have them to us by 8:30 for staging.

I need someone to shop for groceries - I need a few boxes of non-descript cereal, a half gallon of milk, instant coffee, loaf of bread, peanut butter, some bananas, lettuce, a watermelon. Just stuff to stick in the fridge (and maybe lunch box) that won't violate Trademark laws.

I need silverware but can probably borrow some from Harriet. I need an old rug for in front of the kitchen sink.

I need someone who can pick up photos - or take a cruiser - to a Walgreen's, etc. and get photos developed in an 8x10 format and stuff them into cheap looking black or wood frames and have them to the 70's house by 10:00a.m. Hannah will send them wherever you tell her to and you can pick them up and by cheap, ugly drug store frames.

Rod, please bring your pants and not the ones you're wearing! The 34's are the ones.

We need an old nightgown - like a sleeveless one, nylon, from the 70's like our mother's wore. We need 80's paraphernalia for a teenage wall if anyone has anything like that. We also need a couple of old robes to choose from - I mean ratty - and/or house dresses or mumu-type things for our depressed mom.

As you can see, a few things have hit us suddenly and we'll do the best we can. I will be available by phone from 5:30 on if anyone wants to call me and can take care of any of these needs. I will be at the 70's house or running around like a crazy woman somewhere.

Thanks again and finally I say, goodnight!

Love,

Robynn

__________________________________________________________________________________

Yours truly in my scene with our actor, Michael Barnard (who just this week landed work with a brand new tv series! Congrats, Michael!). This is not a “star is born moment” for ME - only the heat from the star and the sweat that accompanied it in my mom’s old car with no a.c.! But even worse was Henry, our Audio Engineer (front center, kneeling). Right after this he had to crawl in the BACK seat without even the benefit of an open window (and it was over 100 degrees that day), and mic the scene while he nearly laid on the floorboards. He never stopped smiling and being pleasant, however. He’s now known as St. Henry.

St. Henry:

Angela, our all around cowgirl who could do ANYTHING, and did, entertains our kid-extras between filming scenes:

Reginia, our sweet and thoughtful friend, pictured here with Kim, getting ready for the feeding frenzy:

Diane, our “point me in the direction and I’ll do it gal,” gets her hair done for her scene as an 80’s teacher extra, by our smiling and joking hairdresser and friend, Teresa, who kept us laughing (as did her funny guy, Eli – see below). Diane was in character because she IS a teacher – both public school and as a homeschooling mom. This prep is probably the longest she got to sit down all week. I lovingly call her Mary Poppins because she can pull ANYTHING out of that bag of hers!:

See? And we LOVED her 80’s glasses!

Annalise, Angie, and Hannah, and I decide what’s needed to dress our school room. One of the many hats several of us wore as the “Art Department.” Hannah squeezed this moment in between her Assistant Director duties – WHICH.WERE.MASSIVE.

Another fabulous make-up artist, our dear Maddie, gets the kids ready. The boys just, uh, LOVED this. This is Andrew, Diane’s son, getting the old “brush off:”

Tim gets the same treatment. Don’t smile too much, Eli. You’re next!:

Marie, (Tim’s mom), and Gretchen, both dear friends, were ready, willing, and able. Gretchen was an extra (teacher) and loaned us her children, and Marie and her husband, Jason, tore apart sets and came at the drop of a hat – oh, and ALSO loaned us their children! Both their older kids are in our prom scene:

I had to throw this one in because it still amazes me:

Hunter (my son) should NEVER have a megaphone. This is Ben, one of his best friends and Diane’s oldest son. He and Hunter learned Grip duties all week and were GREAT hands (without the megaphone):

Melissa, Kim’s oldest daughter, in 80’s garb for a driving scene. This girl saved my feet. More on that later:

Christy, The COOL!, ready for her driving scene in her 60’s Mustang:

And finally, the legs and feet of the Assistant Director and Director. They were also part of the Art Department the night before and Hannah’s still wearing it. Check out the feet as well. My dirty little girl. Hey, showers are for people who have time on their hands:

©Copyright 2010

I’m sorry I’m not visiting all of you right now. I can’t tell you how crazy it’s been here. I’m too busy telling you how crazy it was during filming! I’m finishing THIS post at just past 2:00a.m. I will sleep after surgery. For three weeks.

The Film Stories Continue (With Pics) – Part 2

The office scene was shot on the first day and here we are planning and strategizing a million things that were incredibly important so, of course, I can’t remember what they were. Check out the intensity on all the faces, though – even the little ones. And Nacoya with the pressed cheeks? Priceless. (That’s my head right over Hannah’s – on the far right - and that’s our dear Kim right over me. She needs to start a blog – in her spare time. Okay, Kim, stop laughing!)

Ready, willing, and ABLE. Our FAITHFUL friend, Diane (center) was always there and did anything and everything asked. She brought her kiddos, too, Andrew (left) and Emily (to her immediate right – Ben isn’t pictured here). On the far right is Kim’s daughter, Annalise, who was an AMAZING right arm to me the whole time. That girl can do anything. I’d steal her in the middle of the night but Kim would know where to look.

Here she is in action:

Hannah has a moment:

Nacoya, her friend and Production Assistant Extraordinaire, does too. I love the “ARE you KIDDING me?” face.

Zeina with Miss Emily, (another of Kim’s daughters) prove there were moments of levity:

Amid the brevity:

Setting up the office shot – Evan (center), our Genius Cameraman and Chief Lighting Technician, should have run, right here at this point, while there was still time to save himself from endless days and sleepless nights.

Evan’s closest friend. Not the pretty blonde (Hi Susan!), the camera.

Matt (left) and Hannah knew each other from school. They didn’t know they’d be working together until they met on set. Matt was a very capable and intuitive Grip (Key Grip? Best Boy? Best Dancer? – I can never keep all these terms straight) who also stuck with us nearly 24/7.

And, of course, there was John (Grip? Key Grip? Best Boy? Boy Wonder?) who, along with Evan’s deadpan looks, kept us laughing when he wasn’t suffering from heat stroke. (I have a better picture, John, but your underwear was showing. You're welcome.)

And finally, there was our beautiful Jessica, who played the adult “Anna.”

I skipped out to a doctor’s appointment I couldn’t miss and frantically called my aunt to come down and play an extra in the office scene. She heard my desperation and agreed and was there in 45 minutes. Because I was gone, there is no picture of her but we’ll see you in the movie, Aunt Sandy. I heard you were terrific!

__________________________________________________________________________________

Kim wrapped up our day for us again and I tagged on:

12:19 a.m.

Hello to everyone,

Well, we survived the first day with only a few mishaps and some very important lessons:

Lesson #1 - NEVER leave home without your cell phone charger. By the end of the day, Rodric, Robynn, and myself all had dead/dying cell phones. Only my husband thought to bring the car charger for his phone:) We have all been constantly on the phone! Some of you may have been relieved when mine and Robynn's no longer had battery power:)

Lesson #2 - When using an unfamiliar oven, do NOT leave to go shopping at Costco and assume that all will be well. I did and it was not.

I popped my frozen lasagnas in the church oven and went to buy more groceries. While out, I called my dear friend Diane to check on their progress. She did not have the heart to tell me that they had BURNED to a crisp in WAY less time than the directions stated. Thank goodness for DaVinci's pizza!

Lesson #3 - Never underestimate the power of a good sense of humor which allows you to laugh at unforeseen problems instead of losing it! (although I did have a momentary lapse over the lasagna - ask Diane).

So, as I type, work is still going on in Easton. I managed to get Emily and Callie to bed by 10:15, but the rest of my family has yet to return. I decided against baking, so if anyone wants to contribute dessert tomorrow night, it is all yours!

Thank-you to Reginia for giving me the laugh of the day when I saw you in that wonderful little short, ruffled skirt (I never did find out where it came from) because you had to give our actress your business casual pants.

As Robynn said, you literally gave the clothes off your behind for the movie - lol!

If any of you have the time or desire to be an extra, I believe Robynn sent out the complete schedule. If you prefer behind the scene help set dressing, or even just want to drop off cookies or a bag of chips, let one of us know.

Thanks so much for your incredible love, prayers, help, and friendship. I'm going to bed now!

Love, Kim

My Tag:

2:12 a.m.

Once again, AMEN to all that KIM said! I never knew this fat old lady could still move and groove this fast and this long but maybe it's just my swan song.

Shaun, Hannah, Annalise, Melissa, Ryan, Rod, and I all worked out at the Easton house until about 20 minutes ago. Miraculously, no one is yelling at each other even though we are bleary eyed with exhaustion. Rod will be laying carpet in the mock-up apartment in way too few hours. The camera crew shows up at 8:00. We need the twin bed brought over from the 70's house in the morning. We have a table but could use a chair and maybe a little side table (fairly modern - this scene takes place in the here and now). We need someone who might be willing to just see to it that it looks like she lives there, though it is supposed to be pretty sparse. The kids are MASSIVELY busy trying to coordinate the actors and crew and the other nine million things that throw a monkey wrench in the works on a daily basis so they can't set design at the same time. It probably doesn't sound like it would be much but you honestly have to see it to believe the energy and logistics of this whole thing.

I will be out at my mom's collecting items for the 70's house and cannot be in Easton until later in the afternoon because of that. I had planned to do it today but was drafted into service at People's for today's work. Tomorrow I will get a gun and shoot my phone so it ACTUALLY dies!

We appreciate all that has been done for us and with us and are frankly amazed that we still HAVE any friends. Please pass the word about the extras needed and the mid-80's and before cars that are needed on Wednesday morning. THANK YOU!

Love,

Robynn

©Copyright 2010

The Film Stories Begin – Part 1

Hi All! Many of you seemed interested in our behind-the-scenes communiqués that went forth each night after long days of filming, or set dressing, or planning, or all of the above. My daughter, Hannah (Bo), and her friend, Shaun, created this project. Shaun had the concept and approached Hannah nearly a year ago about working with him and, perhaps, writing it, though he thought he wanted to give that a try first. They are both proud geeks who love the creative and technical aspects of all that would be involved. Shaun realized writing wasn’t his first passion – but he LOVED the technical and directorial aspect of the work. Consequently, he asked Hannah to write the story, screenplay, and be Assistant Director. The film is now in post-production and that is a creative, lengthy, and intense process in itself, though it doesn’t take nearly as many bodies to make it happen. Logistically, it’s more manageable but it is an expensive process and incredibly key to telling the story the way both of these young people want to see it told.

And did I ever learn a lot about making a film. I will NEVER watch a movie the same way again. This is especially true where my own efforts were concentrated: consulting, set-dressing (exciting and horrible work when you’re on a tiny budget and an even tinier time frame), caring for actors, finding movie extras and extra crew to help out, photography, planning/coordinating, and chauffeuring. And did I mention wardrobe nightmares, not just for me but for anyone who was turned to and asked, “Where’s the (fill-in-the-blank)!? Who knew wardrobe should actually be a SERIOUSLY assigned job (it was technically assigned to no one and everyone) because outfits have to reappear in subsequent scenes? I do wardrobe at home. It involves telling kids to put on whatever’s fairly clean and hasn’t been walked on, that much. That doesn’t work on a movie set. Who knew? You WILL drive all over town to look for ONE item that someone may have inadvertently taken home because its loss changes everything and you will have complete and utter cardiac failure over that small fact.

It also dawns on me now why movies cost approximately eight trillion dollars to produce. They actually hire individual people to carry out EACH job that needs doing so that it can be done well. Most people involved in THIS project did at least ten different things, like my dear friend Kim, Shaun’s mom, who was and is the CFO and ultimate caterer, telephone operator, chauffeur, last-minute-change facilitator, wardrobe consultant and gatherer, and stand-in actress for running lines (along with more things than anyone will ever know), and also mother of five children who have OTHER lives and activities they are involved in other than THE film.

Our days were long and many of us worked 20-21 hours a day, and that’s not even hyperbole. And most of us worked for free. And I’m talking seriously professional people (well, apart from ME) who are actually and usually PAID, really WELL, for the services they render in these capacities. But they all loved the project, the film, the statement it makes, the people involved, and well, being able to say they survived. If we were Navy Seals, this would have been “hell” week and we would now be able to swim to Antarctica and rescue everyone stationed there whether they want to be rescued or not. Instead, when we were done, we went to bed, thereby proving that we are NOT Navy Seals.

So, here we go. The first letters are pretty straightforward but they digress as the week, and the hours they were written, progresses. I will include some pics from the set, too, starting with the next letter.

The first part is a letter from Kim, Shaun’s mom, that I tagged on to and that’s how this daily mail got started that went out to each friend who volunteered to help or was interested (they all regret that now). I’m including Kim’s letter because, a. She’s a good writer. b. I can. c. She captures our sense of desperation and utter reliance on God and his provision. And he DID provide in HUGE ways, not the least of which was: NO.ONE.GOT.SICK.OR.INJURED. Amazing.

Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2010 11:11 PM

Subject: ready to roll (almost)

Hi Everyone,

Well, it's been a very busy week-end with both major progress and setbacks, but God is in control and we will start cameras rolling tomorrow!

Rod and Annalise arrived home shortly after midnight (from Hollywood – editor’s note) on Friday with all of the equipment and Rod's brother Russell went to LA for us today to get the camera (thank goodness for family!). We had our first cast and crew gathering tonight, complete with a read-through, and had a great time getting acquainted. God has brought a lot of really great, talented people our way!

We are still trying to dress a house for the 1970's, but have until Thursday to do so. An area where I will need help in is with food.

I need desserts every day and salads, too. Wednesday we will have our largest cast (50-60) including children and extras for a school scene. One of us can pick up anything you'd like to prepare. If any of you, or your kids, would like to be extras, let us know. We need extras on Wed, Friday and Saturday. Contact Robynn or myself and we'll give you the specifics.

Again, thanks so much for your love and support. Please pray for open doors and a chance to share God's love with those we're working with.

Love, Kim

THEN I TAGGED ON:

Yes and AMEN! to all that Kim said. We do need our friends! Kim and Rod have all this going on IN their home and at every home of every relative they've ever had, I'm pretty sure. Tomorrow, Reg and I (and you, too, Diane?) will be out in Easton at the house that will be used for the 70's scenes. I need someone, probably a couple of someone's, to contact Lori M. and pick up empty boxes they have left over from moving. Tim, we need two 8 ft. tables from the church if we could borrow them. We need them out at the Easton house if anyone can pick them up and deliver them. (Call Kim or Rod for address and directions.) If anyone has items (maybe from our parents' houses?) - I know I'm tapping my mom - from the 60's/70's era - clothing, bedding, magazines, paperbacks, pictures for the wall, dishes, curtains, nick nacks, rugs, lamps, etc. we are in desperate need of them. They will all be returned within a week. We also need 80's clothing if anyone's still hangin' on to that jacket with the shoulder pads and the dresses with the big belts!

The days are long and the eyes and shoulders of the parents of this team are droopin'! It's FAST AND FURIOUS! But if you can help in any way with food or know other friends who might be willing to lend a hand as an extra or just because they want to help, I don't think we can have too many at this point.

A shooting schedule will be forthcoming tomorrow so you will know where to go and when, when it works for you. Just for fun, plan to come by and see at least one scene being shot. The camera and crew and equipment are pretty amazing. (The Writer and Director aren't too bad, either!)

THANKS TO ALL OUR FRIENDS FOR YOUR LOVE, SUPPORT, AND PRAYERS!

Robynn

©Copyright 2010

My Little O’Keefe Revealed

Before I proceed with the filming posts, I know I'm overdue posting Bo's last painting. I showed you her hands while she was working on it in this post My Own O'Keefe back in May. Sorry to be ridiculously late getting the finished product up.

It’s hard to picture the size dimensions here but the painting is 3ft x 4ft. She has the side edges to finish, unless she decides to frame it, and she’s not sure yet so she’s punting. And maybe it's because there was the screenplay to write for the film and her other duties on set. Finishing the edges of her painting so I could post it here hasn’t moved to the top of her priority list. Consequently, I’m going ahead and putting it up in all its edgeless glory.

But I LOVE it. It makes me happy every time I look at it. She had taken a picture of an iris (she also loves photography) and then brought the colors up and out on the computer. She liked the photo so much it inspired her to try and paint what she saw. The orange that appears in the center of the painting (which in its own way seems random) was absolutely present and exquisite in the photo, too.

Yep. Love my girl.

But she leaves me to go to the dorms in a few weeks. College is starting again. And she doesn’t even try and ACT sad. In fact, she reeks of happiness and exudes an effusively ebullient demeanor (I have now satisfied my big word quota of the month). She did casually add while we were out shopping on my birthday, “I’ll probably miss you guys.” Probably? That actually made me laugh right out loud. “Come on now, Ms. Bo, don’t go gettin' all sentimental and SAPPY on me. A mother can only take so much gushing.” That’s okay. I was nineteen once, I'm pretty sure. I know you’ll come home. I’m holding your painting hostage. Yeah, you'll miss THAT.

©Copyright 2010

The Wrecking Ball

Simon Legree came in over night and stole my background. So what that it was old? So am I. Who cares that it was stale, dated, and tired? We were one flesh. Now we're naked.

I'm also wandering the backroads of blogger templates where you can go for a simple stroll and never come out. I cruised the Everglades once and the boat owners said you had to know your way around. Many people who were uneducated about those swampy waterways were never heard from again. They looked hugely disappointed when I showed up at the end of the day with three pelicans on the bow and an alligator glued to the stern.

At least I had company. The world of blogging templates is a lonely landscape. You wander around through page after maniacal page of the ugly and boring and pretty soon, you're choosing the mechanic shop template or deciding that pop-culture anime suits your personality perfectly. I enjoy writing. I enjoy art. I enjoy singing. I enjoy having technical support and never having to figure out anything even remotely computer related or choosing from among 970,586,094,378 template designs.

So, let me know what you think of my new minimalist look. I actually like it. It's a room I can keep clean. On the set of the film, I was required to create a filthy and dysfunctional house from the 70's that was occupied by a raging father, depressed and nearly non-functioning mother, and a sad little abused daughter. (My co-set dresser was Angela Aro and she added just the wretched elements that perfected the whole thing.) I'm thinking after that disgusting assignment, a touch of pink with a nice green couch may be therapeutic. The 70's house was possessed (more about that later). I desperately need clean lines, simplicity, and wipe-down leather.

And each night during filming I wrote an update to all the volunteer friends and family who were helping with the film in a mad variety of ways. This took place no matter how late the hour. I knew I'd NEVER go back and recreate those days. I'm thinking of running the letters as blog posts if you guys are interested. I've had a few friends who received them tell me that's what I should do. It'll buy me some recovery time and drag you all into the wonderful mayhem with me.

Besides, it's nearly my birthday. I suppose a new look is in order. Did I mention I had all my hair cut off? That's another post, too. (Let's see, gone gray, hair cut off - that woman in the photo is seriously demented and needs a major update.)

Just for fun....you might want to drop in on the blogs listed below and say "hi!" There are two blog hops going on. :)

©Copyright 2010

The Best Diet Never

Work 20-21 hours a day, sleep 3 or 4, run whenever asked which is almost constantly, become photographer, biographer, set designer, chauffeur, counselor, make-up artist, actor, and script and scene consultant for ten days. You will lose eight pounds.

Then, lay down in a pine box approximately 60 inches deeper than the surface of the earth you occupy and within another three months, enough weight will come off that you’ll finally have the figure you want.

Down side? No one will see you. But you’ll look great.

I’ll be back!

©Copyright 2010

Film at 11:00 (Maybe Later)

In case anyone is wondering, I will be absent for about a week or more. My daughter and her friend, Shaun, are making a film. Shaun thought of the concept last year and tapped Bo to help him. This has all turned into a major event. They plan to submit it for this year’s Sundance Film Festival in the Short Film category (15-20 minutes) and it has to be in by September 15th. Bo has written and adapted Shaun’s idea into a screenplay and Shaun is directing. The kids are amazing together and it was jaw-dropping to watch tens of thousands of dollars worth of rented film equipment arrive in a huge trailer yesterday. I canNOT believe how much there has been to this from location scouting to catering to set dressing to cast meetings to camera crew to OVERWHELM (not a long trip for me to take).

Everyone we can grab has been pressed into service. Shaun’s parents have worked tirelessly (even when extremely TIRED) and grandparents and aunts and uncles and FRIENDS are in high gear.

They have received financial backing in a near miraculous way. And the film has an incredible message. I’d like to write something funny and entertaining but honestly, I’m too tired to even spell tonight. Windows Live Writer (my format program) is yelling at me with every other word I attempt to wriette.

Our rear ends are draggin’. And it’s high gear again tomorrow very early.

They shoot everyday this week and how it will all come together is beyond my comprehension. Thankfully, no one relies on my comprehension.

Here is a working sketch of the concept art (Bo’s creation):

The actual art will follow after filming this week. The film centers around an unwanted daughter who is raised in a verbally abusive situation. But there’s hope! You should know there is hope. I can’t leave you hopeless.

So, follow along if you’d like and we’ll see how this all comes together. These are pics of them at casting last week with their Producer, Christine:

Bo will probably kill me for putting this one up because she was chewing ice but I thought it was cute:

Christine is a casting agent as well as an acting coach. She is British but has worked very hard to adopt a perfect American accent and has succeeded. (And here I’ve worked very hard to adopt a British accent – go figure.) She’s also a talented writer, artist, and musician. Why do artistic people always do several artsy things? You rarely find an artist who works in only one medium.

Anyway, this week will be insanely busy and I won’t be blogging. But I wanted you to know why and to tell you hello and goodbye and I’ll see you when the train slows down and I think I have a chance of surviving when I throw myself off!

Thinking of you all and keeping those of you with some serious struggles in my prayers. Truly.

XO!

©Copyright 2010

Happy Birthday, Soon-to-be Kiwi!

Today is this girl’s birthday.

Today she’s on American terra firma.

But this weekend, she flies off to a school semester in New Zealand. When she said she was going A.W.A.Y., she was serious. I am not over the fact that all of Bo’s friends are grown up and doing very grown up things like leaving their mamas. Which is obviously wrong. On so many levels. You would think they want to have their own lives or something. We didn’t instill enough guilt or a sense of overwhelming responsibility toward those who carried them tirelessly, through the snow, and uphill, in their bodies. We failed to horrify them sufficiently with stories of thrashing and agonizing pain as we brought forth our firstborns. (Well, that’s probably not true but they may have failed to pay attention and we should have rapped them on the knuckles and made them focus.) Here she is (bottom right corner) with other oblivious girlfriends (my daughter included top right, Kaylee top middle, and Maddie top left) looking entirely too happy. Do you see the girl at the bottom left? That's our Ms. Jenna. SHE just came back from school in England. What did we do wrong?!

And now, just like THAT, more of them are off on big time adventures and seeing new states and countries and colleges and meeting complete strangers. Strangers who will become friends. Friends who will not know the stories of personal sacrifice each of their mothers endured. They will be friends who are escaping the same stories and who will also feel no guilt. For Pete’s sake. New Zealand, I just hope you appreciate what were sending you. One of our sweetest, our best, and our brightest. Now don’t go finding her a husband down there and trying to keep her. We’re loaning her to you. Just like a library book she has to be returned. Promptly. You canNOT afford the fine.

Ms. Kelsey, you will be missed and you are loved. We will be watching Facebook for CONTINUOUS hour-by-hour updates the whole time you’re gone. You know this is required. Don’t make us get up and come down there!

And by the way, PLEASE take some close up pictures of just YOU! I realized when searching your Facebook for photos that this type of picture is almost non-existent. True to sweet form, you include your friends in nearly every photo.

Here’s Kelsey front and center with Ms. Jenna (right) and our Bo. And that’s how you’ll find nearly every picture of her – sharing the moment with friends.

You deserve every happiness, sweet girl. Fly off, have fun, grow, laugh, be a blessing, and when it’s time, we’ll all be waiting for you to come home and tell us about your adventures.

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say"
~ J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Fellowship of The Ring"

©Copyright 2010

Now THIS is a MAN Ad

I’m doing my level best to get around and visit each and every one of you. Just so you know, I first track back those who have commented because that’s only right, and I’m not through everyone yet. But then I have those blogs I like to drop into and who may read mine (like Pioneer Woman…..I’m just positive that she spends a good majority of her time hanging on my every word, or lack thereof), but they don’t comment. Or maybe they don’t even know I’m alive or only come once in a blue moon but I like to read ‘em anyway. All that to say, I’m behind but I’m gettin’ there.

Which brought me across my funny friend, Kate’s, blog. She writes the blog called Tatersmama and I know I’ve told you to visit her before but today? Well I had myself a howling good time reading her. She’s funniest when she’s just the “littlest” bit peeved. And I saw that coming through loud and clear in the post I just had to link you to. Here’s an excerpt:

Lookin’ For a Man

That's right.
I'm in the market for a new man.
Aged between 45 and 75, fit, and able to do small necessary chores around the house.
Must be a self-starter.

Must be able to cook the occasional hot meal, without reminding me of it for the next 50 years, and must be able to at least clear his own dishes off the table without being asked.

Clearing mine off the table when I get sidetracked bathing a child with spaghetti from one end to the other, and who's also painting the walls with spaghetti sauce, is highly desirable.
Stacking dishes is acceptable... but a bonus will be given for actually washing the dishes.
(actual bonus negotiable)

……….for the rest of this post visit Kate here:

Tatersmama's Take on Things

This is the Murphys Hotel in Murphys, California where our dear Kate comes from but for the last fifteen years she’s been a transplant to Australia. She dearly wants to come home as her son lives in Murphys. I’m thinkin’ if she gets this ad answered for somebody stateside it just might happen.

This is a feature I’d love to incorporate more – sharing things that moved me or made me split my seams. Why should I keep all the good stuff to myself?

PLEASE come back and tell me you loved her!

©Copyright 2010

Barrier Breakers

We’re still pluggin’ along over here. TWM has had mono but started on a new med today that is kickin’ it in the pants. Oh-yay, oh-yay. I can’t sit for long and I'll spare you riveting explanations. Consequently, the computer time is incredibly short, much like my attention span. Surgery is my next option and I’m not into next options. (Surgery for your attention span, Robynn? Who taught you to write? No one. Oh, that explains it.)

Bo is script writing and involved in a film project so between that and working, we don’t see her much. Bodie, the new puppy, is now housetrained because TWM and I have been largely housebound. Every silver lining has a cloud, or something like that.

But life is going on all around me and these two darling girls have been in the thick of it:

Rachael is on the left and Hannah is on the right. I got to know Rachael during the seven years I ran a camp for homeschooled girls, and Hannah is also homeschooled and is the sweet sister of one of the Wild Man’s best friends, Josh. Both of these lovelies just returned from the Dominican Republic. They traveled there with their gymnastics group of differently-abled members. This video presentation explains it beautifully and shows love-in-action. I’m very proud of the girls and of the whole team. Good job, dear hearts, and Rachael? You said it best on your Facebook update today when you quoted Martin Luther King: "Everyone has the power of greatness. Not for fame, but greatness. Because greatness is determined by service."

Want something to make you believe in the good that people are capable of? Treat yourself to an incredible seven minutes of your day. It’ll be time well spent. I’ll see you later. I have to stand up now.

©Copyright 2010

The Luckiest People on Earth

I am taking a blogging break while I beat back my house, try and get the Wild Man well, and enjoy my daughter before dorm time. I’m not writing much but hope to spend my time in Blogsville visiting YOU soon. In the meantime, here’s a little something to put my life, and maybe yours, in perspective.

Made ME laugh!

The Fast Lane, With Rest Stops

What a whirlwind life is at the moment. I know I’m alone here and the rest of the world has nothing to do. Isn’t that right, World?

But in one week’s time I went with Grizzly to Mineral King (exquisitely lovely National Park) and stayed at the Silver City Resort (shudder) which, as I said before, I will have to describe to you so you can be sure to schedule your hemorrhoid surgery and triple root canal instead of making reservations there this year. Beautiful scenery – but I suggest camping, even without a tent, versus the “Resort.” More later when the bed bug bites on my leg heal and the therapy helps me recover from the spiders that hung in webs over the toilets.

And by the way, you have to pass through the town of Three Rivers to get there. Three Rivers is lovely and you should schedule a vacation there. And someone who reads my blog lives in Three Rivers. I don’t know who it is but I see the town come in on my map reader. I wanted to stop and shout, “I’m in town! Let’s say hello!” but Grizzly thought that revealed too much about my faculties so I refrained. We did stop at Reimer’s (of course) and had a great lunch at the River Inn as we watched the Kaweah River roar past. I didn’t get to meet you, dear reader, but, HI!! Would you mind saying hello in a comment so we can be properly introduced? :)

Sunday was church, an ailin’ Wild Man (third sickness in three weeks), cake baking, and a LOVELY graduation party for our sweet little friend, Ariel, who is headed to college with honors, scholarships, and the love and respect of all of us who know and love her. What a GREAT kid who will do things in the world that will make a difference. She is on the far right in this picture and Bo is in the middle:

Monday it was off to the doctor with The Wild Man, then the lab, the x-ray dept., and the cemetery. No, he wasn’t THAT sick but I had to approve my stepfather’s gravestone which had arrived and it was right across from where TWM got his x-rays so, I mean, why not?

In the meantime, I texted my girlfriends who were in Pismo Beach and put them on warning that I might not make it there by Tuesday, as we’d planned. I couldn’t leave a sick kiddo. But he rallied the next day and I headed there Tuesday night.

These are girlfriends I’ve known since I was about four-years-old. We remember each other’s lives like family. We are forever bonded because we survived our families, which was nothing short of miraculous. And now when we get together we talk as only we can, and we cry, but mostly, we laugh and we laugh and we laugh because each one of us used humor to get out alive and all the world is now a stage. We throw out our one-liners and crack ourselves up to the point of wheezing. I don’t even remember what hit us so incredibly funny but I wasn’t there an hour before we were in danger of asthma attacks.

I made it home Thursday night and felt I owed you all SOME explanation for being the deadbeat blogging friend I am this week and not even stopping in to say hello but, I know you understand and you know I do, too. If you get the chance to go get bit by bed bugs, take care of sick children, attend parties, and laugh and cry with childhood friends, you BETTER skip me and go.

I insist. (Well, second thought.....I don’t insist you go to the “Resort”……..)

©Copyright 2010

Our New Little Baby

There will never be another JoJo. We miss her every day. But at only a year-and-a-half, Minky is part baby herself and misses her friend. The other night we were watching videos of Jo and she was barking playfully. Minky went and got her ball and then her blankie and looked around for Jo so they could play……:( We just about lost it. But it made us realize we – all of us – needed a puppy.

A sweet young friend (thank you, Kristy!) adopted her sister and told us about the pups. Mom is an award winning, papered and ported to the Midwest for breeding, red merle, Australian shepherd. She was winning Best-in-Show awards by eight-months-old. Dad? Well, dad was the bad-boy-next-door-neighbor opportunist who violated every principle, except nature. Near as the breeder could tell, he was a shepherd looking dog except with short fur. She said he had good lines. (I think she added that as a sort of consolation prize.)

Anyway, eight puppies later, one of them is now ours. It’s probably too much to hope that she will be as dainty and diminutive as her sweet and beautiful mother. But she has a great disposition and she and Minky are already best buds.

Minky’s training her to join in a game we play where we throw a ball to her at the top of the stairs and she tosses it back down to us. Now she’s throwing it to the puppy at the bottom and she’s catching it. :) (Was there any doubt that both dogs are extremely bright, precocious, and clever, and that their owner is modest, humble, and demure?)

This is our new “little” Bodie with our Bo:

She is CHUN-KAY. I just hope dad wasn’t a nice, smooth, sort of shepherd looking Bull Mastiff.

©Copyright 2010

(Please forgive the absence! We’ve been occupied with a puppy and a crazy get-a-way for Grizzly and I that can ONLY be blogged about. Be by to visit soon!)

Brought to You by the Letters L, M, N, O, and Urinate (Don't Say P)

In an effort to avoid offending anyone’s sensibilities, including my own, I decided to change the title of my last post wherein I used the word “peeing” in relation to a small child: six-year-old me. It seemed innocuous enough but my telepathy over the vapors some were experiencing from seeing the word in print kept me up half the night.

I struggled mightily to figure out what to call this bodily function and also wondered why it was such a big deal.

The word urinate is positively revolting. I once knew a woman who chided her daughter-in-law for asking her two year old if she needed to pee or poop. She insisted the proper terms were urinate and defecate and they should be used. Number one, (which raises a whole other issue), most kids couldn’t roll that off their tongue if they wanted to and, who would want to? And number two (don’t go there), it sounds like you’re swearing.

I don’t know a mother who hasn’t looked at her soggy-bottomed-toddler progeny and asked, “Have you got a pee-pee diaper?” But do not put that in print because something about it looks wrong. So we can say it, but we must not print it.

Should we say “Number 1?” Doesn’t that freak children out at sporting events when they hear an entire crowd shouting out, “WE’RE NUMBER ONE! WE’RE NUMBER ONE!?” Thankfully, most people don’t shout or advertise when they are, in fact, number two. That could scar kids for life.

And how did we get numbers for bodily functions anyway? I grew up with these terms. I never wanted to be in the company of others during counting exercises until I got to the number three. It seemed rather too close a look into my personal life to speak of the numbers “one” and “two” in front of people.

How about “potty?” That sounds mysteriously ambiguous. I know when I’m training a puppy I don’t want to know that it went potty on the floor. I want to know if it peed or pooped. That will help me make an immediate determination about who to delegate for clean-up duty. I’ll handle the pee. Cleaning up poop must always fall to your kids so you can stand back and lecture about the joys of pet ownership. And remind them they said they would do this when they begged for the puppy. No, succinct terms are important for guiding children properly and making them sorry you are not profoundly deaf when they swear their faithfulness.

And “poop patrol” is the hard science of removing unpleasantness from the backyard. Does anyone really want to be assigned to “defecation duty?” (Or is that “dooty?”)

Some people tell their pets to do their “business,” as if it’s actually a job. I’m heartily hoping “business” really has nothing to do with this activity. If you believe that it does, I’m not coming to your office.

I suppose we could use the default setting, “Going to the bathroom,” but again, when your small child says they have to go to the bathroom in a public setting, you want details. This could mean the difference between three toilet seat covers while they perch precariously on the front 1/2” of the revolting and disease-laden PUBLIC toilet, and the full-metal-jacket version involving FORTY seat covers, holding their hands so they don’t touch the seat – which they immediately do when you let go of their hands to help them dismount – and multiple prayers that they will survive the diseases they have now contracted which, but for divine intervention, will shorten their lives and yours and lead to a horrible death.

And when we are enjoying the company of others and we excuse ourselves to go to the bathroom or restroom, does anyone actually think others in the room believe we’re leaving to take a bath? Or a nap? And wouldn’t that be far stranger than the alternative?

“Excuse me but I need to use the restroom. I’ll be out in about 45 minutes and if I’m not, please knock and wake me up. I’m not going in there to, well, YOU know.”

We all know why we’re headed there. Everyone, everywhere, the world over, knows. Because it is what we all do several times a day. God created us to do it. He was not embarrassed. Why are we? In fact, there are a whole lot of words and descriptions in the Bible that would make the subject of a little girl losing control of her bladder (see yesterday’s post) look positively refined, but those who penned the words through divine inspiration did not shy away from telling it like it was, in graphic detail, and sometimes with words no longer heard in proper society (King James Version). I think our piety can be rather more sanctimony when we “strain at gnats and swallow camels.” (Matthew 23:24)

So this leaves us with the “number one” question: Do you really have a right to mention anyone’s pees and cues right out loud and advise them to mind them? And also, what do YOU call it?

Let’s get this potty started.

(I chose this post to run on the Tickled Pink No. 504 Main Fridays Blog Hop - I thought the tickled thing tied in nicely. ->-)

©Copyright 2010

Alternate Title: Embarrassing Fun with Dick and Soggy Jane

If you know me you might also know I’m never far from a book. Usually, I have three or four going at once. I try not to read fiction (but I do) because I’m a plot junkie. My family goes hungry and the piled up laundry makes a nice bed to recline on while my nose remains planted in the story. Non-fiction is a pick-up/put-down affair that remains manageable.

Maybe I should quit fiction cold-turkey but I’m in the middle of a George MacDonald book right now, “The Curate of Glaston,” so, not gonna happen. MacDonald is an author from the mid 1800’s and if you aren’t familiar with him, start with “The Fisherman’s Lady.” This book is still on loan to me by my good friend, Teresa, who has probably decided to never loan me another book as long as she lives. She handed it off two years ago but I can’t give it back until I have forced Bo and Grizzly to read it, being the gentle soul I am. Bo just picked it up three nights ago. I’m all twitter pated.

Here is a weird side note you can’t live without knowing. The sequel to this book is “The Marquis’ Secret.” When I got done with “The Fisherman’s Lady” I realized I HAD to have the sequel but didn’t know for sure if it was even in print. I leaned back in my chair and, as something reminded me of my sister who passed on many years ago, I began to talk to Bo about her and said it would be nice to have a visit from her. While contemplating, I glanced over to my left and gazed at my large, glass fronted bookcase. I keep special book collections there and know the thing like the back of my hand. I was perusing the titles and just browsing absentmindedly when my eye fell on a title I didn’t know I had: “The Marquis’ Secret.”

I’d be lyin’ if I didn’t tell you that I was freaked out (in a good way) and then completely amused. It felt like Judy gave me a gift and a laugh, which would be just like her. Now, I realize this is bad theology but God has a sense of humor, too. (If you don’t believe me, just read the Bible. It has many laugh-out-loud moments and no, I’m not kidding.)

By the way, this is very bad writing because it’s not what I started to write about at all and I cannot seem to come to the point.

What I really wanted to talk about was how this book obsession started. This is the culprit that fueled my fancy:

And no wonder, with such scintillating dialogue as this:

Dick said, “Look, look.

Look up.

Look up, up, up.”

Jane said, “Run, run.

Run, Dick, run.

Run and see.”

You understand now why I was hooked.

Reading was magic to me. I absolutely could not believe that you could take these letters and smash them all together to create words and stories. I followed my mother around reading riveting tales to her while she worked in the house. Others needed to know about the magic contained in my first-grade reader and Dick and Jane had incredible adventures with their dog, Spot. I couldn’t keep that to myself.

This dawning-light realization was so profound to me that it didn’t even ruin my first grade year when I peed on the floor of my classroom.

That one moment might have been the first indication that I would have this problem my whole life; not a weak bladder, but the tendency to completely miss something that needed to be addressed, until it was too late.

We were stacking our chairs on the table at the end of the school day. I had faithfully placed my little chair on the table in front of me when it hit. I rushed my hand into the air and asked the teacher if I could go to the bathroom. She declined and told me I could wait as we only had a few more minutes. I couldn't hold it against her because it made sense, at the moment. But what else I couldn’t hold was my bladder. I cringed while something warm rivered down my bare leg. I looked at the floor where my shiny black patent-leather shoes and white bobby socks floated like an island amid an amber sea.

Mortification was not a word I could smash together yet but the feelings were clear as glass. My mind cast about feverishly for a solution that did not involve disclosure. I knew discovery by fellow classmates would be even worse. Instantly, I hatched a brilliant plan wherein I sat down in the puddle, with my coat on, and proceeded to soak up the lake bed by quickly scooting around in it……. inconspicuously, I’m sure.

But no one seemed to notice. Not the teacher. Not my classmates. And, for some strange reason when I got home, not my mother, either. I walked home in that “pee” coat but didn’t say a word. I wore it again. Did no one notice a strange smell? Didn’t I? Didn’t she? There are no answers to this conundrum but the important thing is, I went to a different school the next year.

And I learned to read.

All this is tied together for me and, what could have easily crowded out my love of books, was simply a soggy side note in my first grade career. And actual ownership of the book, “Fun with Dick and Jane,” became a quest. My first copy had gone back into the school’s dark closets, ready to be handed to the next bare legged child with poor foresight. I now dug through book bins and scouted garage sales in my search. Nothing. Then, on vacation in Hawaii several years ago, we hit a garage sale on a reservation in Kaua’i. There, on a little table amid humid tropical breezes, sat the book of my awakening. It was .15¢.

I tried to pay the owners more. They wouldn’t hear of it. Instead, hearing my story, they piled more wonderful books on us – for free – and would not take no for an answer. Pacific Islanders are among the most giving and loving people in the world. And I’m glad the book never came to me until that day because it will forever have their kindness and island location attached to it. Now it sits on a special shelf with other books I’ve loved.

And Grizzly found the little paper milk carton for me years ago during an old school remodel. It was on a rafter in the attic, no doubt a cast off from someone working up there in decades past. It went perfectly with the book because the other wonderful thing about first grade was the milk and graham crackers we paid .5¢ for each day. I still have a love for those two things together.

It’s probably good I had that little accident. If not, I might have stayed in first grade forever.

And that would be ugly. Especially if I still had that coat on.

©Copyright 2010