Sherry Ellis's Blog, page 118
March 19, 2012
Versatile Blogger
Guess what? I've been nominated twice for the Versatile Blogger Award! This time by Charlie Warren from The Semi-retired Gamer. Thanks, Charlie! I feel so versatile now.
So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to share seven more random pieces of information about myself. Technically, I'm supposed to nominate 15 more bloggers for the award, but since I've already done that, I'm going to say, if anyone out there would like the Versatile Blogger Award, go ahead and nominate yourself, and see Charlie's post for the rules. (Or you can see my post from a couple weeks back.)
7 More Random Things about Me:
1. I do not like brussels sprouts or sauerkraut.
2. I don't drink coffee. (I've gotten quite a few weird looks for that one - especially from people in Europe.)
3. I used to be a figure skater. (I had dreams of going to the Olympics, but obviously that never happened.)
4. I've never been able to figure out how to blow bubbles with gum. (What the heck is wrong with me?)
5. My favorite movie is The Red Violin.
6. I write out all of my book manuscripts by hand with a pencil and a notebook. Crazy, huh?
7. Watermelon is my favorite food.
Now aren't you all just thrilled to know these things about me?
March 18, 2012
First Wrinkle
No. I'm not talking about my first wrinkle. I got one of those a long time ago. I'm talking about my ten-year-old daughter's first wrinkle.
"Mama!" she cried this morning. "I have a wrinkle."
"Seriously?" I said. "You're ten years old. How could you possibly have a wrinkle?"
She scrunched up her forehead. "Look!" she said.
"Well, of course you're going to have wrinkles when you scrunch up your forehead," I said, hardly surprised.
Then she stopped scrunching. "Look again," she said.
The wrinkles were there, barely detectable, but still present.
"Uh oh," I said. "Better get some Oil of Olay on that!"
She ran up and plastered her face with that stuff.
I guess I better go find her a bottle of Miss Clairol. Gray hairs will be next!
"Mama!" she cried this morning. "I have a wrinkle."
"Seriously?" I said. "You're ten years old. How could you possibly have a wrinkle?"
She scrunched up her forehead. "Look!" she said.
"Well, of course you're going to have wrinkles when you scrunch up your forehead," I said, hardly surprised.
Then she stopped scrunching. "Look again," she said.
The wrinkles were there, barely detectable, but still present.
"Uh oh," I said. "Better get some Oil of Olay on that!"
She ran up and plastered her face with that stuff.
I guess I better go find her a bottle of Miss Clairol. Gray hairs will be next!
March 17, 2012
Catching Leprechauns
"Mama," my seven-year-old son said. "I'm going to go catch a leprechaun."
"Oh yeah?' I asked. "With what?"
"With a butterfly net."
Of course.
"Where are you going to find a leprechaun?" I asked.
"In the woods. I know there's one back there."
"Is that so?" I said.
"Yep. Finding a pot of gold would be good too, wouldn't it?"
"Definitely!"
So now my boy is out there trying to catch a leprechaun with a butterfly net. I'm going to go join him, because finding a pot of gold sounds like a real good thing.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
"Oh yeah?' I asked. "With what?"
"With a butterfly net."
Of course.
"Where are you going to find a leprechaun?" I asked.
"In the woods. I know there's one back there."
"Is that so?" I said.
"Yep. Finding a pot of gold would be good too, wouldn't it?"
"Definitely!"
So now my boy is out there trying to catch a leprechaun with a butterfly net. I'm going to go join him, because finding a pot of gold sounds like a real good thing.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
March 16, 2012
More Mud
I seriously think it needs to stop raining here in Cincinnati. The backyard is a total mud pit. And of course my kids love playing in it.
Once again, they came in covered from head to toe. "Guys," I said. "Can you stay out of the mud?"
"But it's fun!"
Apparently all of the other neighborhood kids think it's fun, too. They showed up on my front porch with mud splattered up their legs.
I got out the dish washing bins. I filled those things up with water. Then I lined them up on the porch. "Okay, kids," I said. "Wash up!"
They did. And when they were done, I had eight bins of brown water.
Now for the dog...
Once again, they came in covered from head to toe. "Guys," I said. "Can you stay out of the mud?"
"But it's fun!"
Apparently all of the other neighborhood kids think it's fun, too. They showed up on my front porch with mud splattered up their legs.
I got out the dish washing bins. I filled those things up with water. Then I lined them up on the porch. "Okay, kids," I said. "Wash up!"
They did. And when they were done, I had eight bins of brown water.
Now for the dog...
March 15, 2012
Belly Flopping in the Mud
My kids were playing outside yesterday while I was teaching piano lessons. I figured they couldn't get in too much trouble out in the woods. Boy, was I wrong.
"Mama," my daughter said as she stood in the front hall after coming inside.
"Don't interrupt," I said, not looking up.
"Mama, look," she insisted.
I looked. That girl was covered from head to toe in mud. "What the heck did you do?' I asked, hardly believing what I saw.
"I took a belly flop in the creek."
"What in the world possessed you to do that?"
"It's eighty degrees outside, and it looked like something fun to do."
Two seconds later, my son came in. And yes, he too was covered in mud.
"Belly flop in the mud?' I asked.
He nodded.
"All right, kids. You need to hose yourselves off before you track that filth into the house."
So they got out the hose and de-mudified themselves. (Of course that involved a lot of chaos and mayhem.)
I swear, sometimes I think my kids are worse than the dog!
"Mama," my daughter said as she stood in the front hall after coming inside.
"Don't interrupt," I said, not looking up.
"Mama, look," she insisted.
I looked. That girl was covered from head to toe in mud. "What the heck did you do?' I asked, hardly believing what I saw.
"I took a belly flop in the creek."
"What in the world possessed you to do that?"
"It's eighty degrees outside, and it looked like something fun to do."
Two seconds later, my son came in. And yes, he too was covered in mud.
"Belly flop in the mud?' I asked.
He nodded.
"All right, kids. You need to hose yourselves off before you track that filth into the house."
So they got out the hose and de-mudified themselves. (Of course that involved a lot of chaos and mayhem.)
I swear, sometimes I think my kids are worse than the dog!
March 14, 2012
Garden Helper
These last few days I've been outside weeding in my gardens. It's surprising how quickly a little sunshine and heat can make weeds sprout. My big old German Shepherd likes to help. Mostly by getting in the way.
Today he actually made himself useful. I had been trying to get out a stubborn Locust tree root. It was embedded in my vegetable garden, and for the life of me I could not pull it up. I used all of my weight on that thing. Schultz saw me struggling, so he decided to help.
"Go on, boy," I said. "Pull that thing out."
He went nuts on that root. He tugged and thrashed until the thing was in shreds. I'm not sure if he got it out, but I'm pretty sure that it won't be springing back to life any time soon.
"Thanks, Schultz!" I said.
He wagged his tail. I gave him a treat. Turns out the hundred pound varmint is useful, after all!
Today he actually made himself useful. I had been trying to get out a stubborn Locust tree root. It was embedded in my vegetable garden, and for the life of me I could not pull it up. I used all of my weight on that thing. Schultz saw me struggling, so he decided to help.
"Go on, boy," I said. "Pull that thing out."
He went nuts on that root. He tugged and thrashed until the thing was in shreds. I'm not sure if he got it out, but I'm pretty sure that it won't be springing back to life any time soon.
"Thanks, Schultz!" I said.
He wagged his tail. I gave him a treat. Turns out the hundred pound varmint is useful, after all!
March 13, 2012
Heaven
Every now and then, my seven-year-old son gets a little philosophical. Tonight's philosophical discussion involved the nature of heaven.
"Mama, when we go to heaven, will we be in an adult form, or a kid form?"
Um. I hadn't ever thought about that. "I really don't know," I said.
"I think we should all be kids."
"Why is that?" I asked.
"Because it's fun to play all day. Being a kid is the best thing that's ever happened in my life."
Now wouldn't that be fun? Heaven - the place of no work. Just play. I kind of like the sound of that!
(By the way, Buster the stray dog is home. My neighbors found the owner. Yay for Buster!)
"Mama, when we go to heaven, will we be in an adult form, or a kid form?"
Um. I hadn't ever thought about that. "I really don't know," I said.
"I think we should all be kids."
"Why is that?" I asked.
"Because it's fun to play all day. Being a kid is the best thing that's ever happened in my life."
Now wouldn't that be fun? Heaven - the place of no work. Just play. I kind of like the sound of that!
(By the way, Buster the stray dog is home. My neighbors found the owner. Yay for Buster!)
March 12, 2012
Stray Dog
I don't know what it is about the neighborhood I live in, but we're always finding stray creatures. Yesterday's creature was a stray English Pointer dog. He was sniffing around, hunting down squirrels when we saw him. He still had his electric fence collar on, so he obviously busted out of somewhere.
I lured the dog over with a treat. Then I inspected his tag. It was a rabies tag. There was nothing about his name, or his owner. Of course the vet office was closed, so calling the vet didn't help.
"All right," I said. as I attached a leash. "Let's see if this creature can find his way home."
My kids, a couple of neighborhood kids, and I went over the river and through the woods to see if we could find this dog's home. After searching for an hour, and knocking on doors, it was apparent that we weren't going to find his home. Buster the dog was more interested in sniffing bushes and spotting squirrels.
So we brought him back home. It was getting dark, so we figured we hold onto him until the next day and then call the vet.
Well, Buster didn't want to stay outside. He wanted to come in. I think he saw Schultz and wanted to play. So Buster barked and pawed at the back sliding doors and whined.
"That dog isn't staying here," my husband said. "He needs to find his way home. Release him."
I wasn't so sure that was a good idea. But we released him.
The dog didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay right by my side. So there he was following me like a puppy as I took the garbage to the curb.
"You goofball," I said. "What am I going to do with you?"
Fortunately, my good hearted neighbor came to the rescue. "I'll keep him in my yard," he said.
Great. I don't know how that worked out for them, especially since they have a big old Husky. But hopefully Buster is home. I'll let you know when I find out.
I lured the dog over with a treat. Then I inspected his tag. It was a rabies tag. There was nothing about his name, or his owner. Of course the vet office was closed, so calling the vet didn't help.
"All right," I said. as I attached a leash. "Let's see if this creature can find his way home."
My kids, a couple of neighborhood kids, and I went over the river and through the woods to see if we could find this dog's home. After searching for an hour, and knocking on doors, it was apparent that we weren't going to find his home. Buster the dog was more interested in sniffing bushes and spotting squirrels.
So we brought him back home. It was getting dark, so we figured we hold onto him until the next day and then call the vet.
Well, Buster didn't want to stay outside. He wanted to come in. I think he saw Schultz and wanted to play. So Buster barked and pawed at the back sliding doors and whined.
"That dog isn't staying here," my husband said. "He needs to find his way home. Release him."
I wasn't so sure that was a good idea. But we released him.
The dog didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay right by my side. So there he was following me like a puppy as I took the garbage to the curb.
"You goofball," I said. "What am I going to do with you?"
Fortunately, my good hearted neighbor came to the rescue. "I'll keep him in my yard," he said.
Great. I don't know how that worked out for them, especially since they have a big old Husky. But hopefully Buster is home. I'll let you know when I find out.
March 11, 2012
Magic Man
I took my son to a magic show at the school today. He thinks magic is pretty cool. He was mesmerized by all the tricks. Naturally, when the show was over, he had a few tricks of his own.
"Mama," he said. "I'm going to make this popcorn bag disappear. Close your eyes."
Wait a minute, I thought. The magician on the stage didn't make me close my eyes. Nevertheless, I closed my eyes.
"You can open them, now," he said.
I opened them. Sure enough the bag was gone.
"I'm going to make it reaappear," he announced.
He spun around four times and reached down into his coat. "Ta-dah!" he said, revealing the crumpled popcorn bag.
Wow. Amazing.
"Mama," he said. "I'm going to make this popcorn bag disappear. Close your eyes."
Wait a minute, I thought. The magician on the stage didn't make me close my eyes. Nevertheless, I closed my eyes.
"You can open them, now," he said.
I opened them. Sure enough the bag was gone.
"I'm going to make it reaappear," he announced.
He spun around four times and reached down into his coat. "Ta-dah!" he said, revealing the crumpled popcorn bag.
Wow. Amazing.
March 10, 2012
Barbarians in the Bathroom
I swear, I live with a bunch of barbarians! Do you remember when I told you about my son and his secret in the toilet? Well, he deposited another one of those today. Except this time, the dog found it first.
"Mama," my son said. "I think you better check the bathroom."
I checked. I couldn't believe what I saw. My dog had his head in the toilet, slurping away. And it wasn't just ordinary toilet water. The big old "hippo" was in there, too!"
"Schultz!" I bellowed. "Get out of the toilet, you stinkin' varmint!"
This thing, of course, required shovel removal. So there I was, removing the "hippo," trying to keep my beast's head away from it, and out of the toilet.
Argh! Seriously? Why me?
"Mama," my son said. "I think you better check the bathroom."
I checked. I couldn't believe what I saw. My dog had his head in the toilet, slurping away. And it wasn't just ordinary toilet water. The big old "hippo" was in there, too!"
"Schultz!" I bellowed. "Get out of the toilet, you stinkin' varmint!"
This thing, of course, required shovel removal. So there I was, removing the "hippo," trying to keep my beast's head away from it, and out of the toilet.
Argh! Seriously? Why me?
