L.Y. Levand's Blog, page 49
August 2, 2012
August 02nd, 2012
Kym doesn't know what to write today! She's just sitting and wondering what to say. That's highly unusual for her, you know. Although she did complain quite vocally a few days ago when we couldn't get some writing done. The computer was hijacked by two squealing little girls who decided they were going to play Minecraft.
Oh, now she knows what she wants to say. Those squealing girls made the toolbar disappear, somehow, from her own Minecraft game and she didn't know how to get it back. Neither did they. When questioned, the ringleader insisted she had no idea how she'd done it, and looked baffled when asked how it could be fixed.
They most certainly are related to the brother who deleted system tools from his computer by accident.
Oh, now she knows what she wants to say. Those squealing girls made the toolbar disappear, somehow, from her own Minecraft game and she didn't know how to get it back. Neither did they. When questioned, the ringleader insisted she had no idea how she'd done it, and looked baffled when asked how it could be fixed.
They most certainly are related to the brother who deleted system tools from his computer by accident.
August 1, 2012
August 01st, 2012
One of the best ways I've found to get a good cardio session is to maintain control of a five-kid martial arts class where your students are between the ages of three and six. Did I mention if you can't drown them out in a shouting contest they will do absolutely nothing you say?
You get to go completely nuts! You get to run around the room with screaming little kids following you like a creaky caboose; you get to grab soft foam sticks and beat them with it (how else do they learn to block things?), and sometimes you get to pull out a stack of square target pads, and call out their dads to play dodgepad. It's always the dads that come out, too, you see. They just love throwing soft things at their kids.
Want a good workout? Teach martial arts to little kids. They'll keep you on your toes. Or running for your life. But don't ever - EVER - let them dogpile on top of you. You will never get out. Sitting down on the floor is like telling them to tackle you, and they're like herd animals. Where one goes, the rest will follow, and you'll be the poor person glimpsed only occasionally as your arms and legs flail through the air.
You get to go completely nuts! You get to run around the room with screaming little kids following you like a creaky caboose; you get to grab soft foam sticks and beat them with it (how else do they learn to block things?), and sometimes you get to pull out a stack of square target pads, and call out their dads to play dodgepad. It's always the dads that come out, too, you see. They just love throwing soft things at their kids.
Want a good workout? Teach martial arts to little kids. They'll keep you on your toes. Or running for your life. But don't ever - EVER - let them dogpile on top of you. You will never get out. Sitting down on the floor is like telling them to tackle you, and they're like herd animals. Where one goes, the rest will follow, and you'll be the poor person glimpsed only occasionally as your arms and legs flail through the air.
July 31, 2012
July 31st, 2012
The garden is planted in an area that gets sun most of the day. So, now that it's summer, we have a pretty hard time keeping the plants watered.
I remembered, though, how my grandparents had fixed that problem in their own garden last year. They'd gathered stacks of newspapers, and arranged them around their plants. They then soaked the newspaper, to help hold in moisture and keep weeds down.
I decided to try it on the plants in our own garden. So, armed with a stack of newspapers and old grocery store ads, I went into the garden. I folded the sheets in half, and spread them in a line next to a row of onions. I also put some around our celery, before I ran out of papers. Then I went inside and lugged the two-ton jug of water outside, so I could dump it on the paper.
When the papers were wet, I went back inside, satisfied with my work.
Until a few hours later, when my mother arrived, and told me the newspapers were blowing around in the wind. I went outside in my slippers, to find my carefully arranged newspapers scattered across the ground like glitter from a two-year-old's hand. Sweating in the heat, I gathered my poor, crumpled papers together and tried to put them back - only to have that blasted wind rearrange them again. So, aggravated now, I walked around to pick up some nice rocks that fit into the palm of my hand. Only -surprise! - they were so hot I played an impromptu game of hot potato with myself. I'm not sure who won, but the rocks are holding the newspaper down now.
So...I guess the tip is to weight down your newspaper before you leave it in the garden. The wind likes to play with it when you're not looking. And it's not a very fun game, either, when you have to catch those papers zooming through the air like rockets. I was lucky enough to find them on the ground - this time.
I remembered, though, how my grandparents had fixed that problem in their own garden last year. They'd gathered stacks of newspapers, and arranged them around their plants. They then soaked the newspaper, to help hold in moisture and keep weeds down.
I decided to try it on the plants in our own garden. So, armed with a stack of newspapers and old grocery store ads, I went into the garden. I folded the sheets in half, and spread them in a line next to a row of onions. I also put some around our celery, before I ran out of papers. Then I went inside and lugged the two-ton jug of water outside, so I could dump it on the paper.
When the papers were wet, I went back inside, satisfied with my work.
Until a few hours later, when my mother arrived, and told me the newspapers were blowing around in the wind. I went outside in my slippers, to find my carefully arranged newspapers scattered across the ground like glitter from a two-year-old's hand. Sweating in the heat, I gathered my poor, crumpled papers together and tried to put them back - only to have that blasted wind rearrange them again. So, aggravated now, I walked around to pick up some nice rocks that fit into the palm of my hand. Only -surprise! - they were so hot I played an impromptu game of hot potato with myself. I'm not sure who won, but the rocks are holding the newspaper down now.
So...I guess the tip is to weight down your newspaper before you leave it in the garden. The wind likes to play with it when you're not looking. And it's not a very fun game, either, when you have to catch those papers zooming through the air like rockets. I was lucky enough to find them on the ground - this time.
July 30, 2012
July 30th, 2012
I've been practically living off homegrown radishes, lettuce, and my grandparents' zucchini for the past few days. It's wonderful. The only problem is, I try to eat everything all at once, because I'm afraid it'll disappear and I won't get any.
Every year for Christmas, my family makes tons of candy and cookies. As one of the chief candymakers and bakers, I'm duty-bound to try everything at least once. This, however, had me worried about my sugar intake, so I took one of each kind of goodie and hid it in a box in the fridge. This goodie-box gave me the idea that I'm using for my fruits and veggies.
I took a baggie of sliced radishes and carrots, a banana, and a bag of raisins. I put them in a box, and called it my health-box. The next day, if I got hungry, I would pull out the box, pick a healthy snack, and eat that instead of something else like crackers or a whole bag of popcorn.
What would you put in YOUR health box?
Every year for Christmas, my family makes tons of candy and cookies. As one of the chief candymakers and bakers, I'm duty-bound to try everything at least once. This, however, had me worried about my sugar intake, so I took one of each kind of goodie and hid it in a box in the fridge. This goodie-box gave me the idea that I'm using for my fruits and veggies.
I took a baggie of sliced radishes and carrots, a banana, and a bag of raisins. I put them in a box, and called it my health-box. The next day, if I got hungry, I would pull out the box, pick a healthy snack, and eat that instead of something else like crackers or a whole bag of popcorn.
What would you put in YOUR health box?
July 29, 2012
July 29th, 2012
Anyone who's read the Psalms can say that they are very encouraging. I myself have found several that have helped me through tough times. One is the twenty-third psalm, which most people have heard of, and some have memorized in its entirety. But there are others, too. Lots of them. Stories of people crying so much their beds are wet, feeling so terrible that they describe the feeling as their bones being ground to dust. Sometimes these are cries to God for help, and sometimes they are ways of telling how God has delivered them from such things.
Do you have a favorite verse in the Psalms?
Do you have a favorite verse in the Psalms?
July 28, 2012
July 28th, 2012
Beenie followed Troy through the trees. Sometimes, it was hard to see his bushy tail in the leaves.
"Come on, come on!" Troy said. "It's this way, this way!"
"I'm coming," Beenie said happily.
They went for a very long time before Beenie saw water shining. It was shining so bright in the sun that it hurt her eyes.
"Here it is!" Troy said, his nose twitching.
"Oooh," Beenie said. She landed on a patch of soft, squishy green stuff.
"That's moss," Troy said. "Isn't it skooshy?"
"Uh-huh," Beenie said, giggling and stomping on the moss.
They played in the creek and moss all day, splashing each other, throwing rocks in the water to make funny ploonk noises, floating leaves downstream, and playing tag in the trees.
They played so long that they didn't notice it was getting dark.
"I better go home," Troy said. "It's dark." He flipped his tail, and ran away into the trees.
"Wait!" Beenie cried. "Troy!" He didn't come back, and Beenie looked around her. "Oh no," she said. She didn't know how to get home to the field, and now Troy was gone.
"Come on, come on!" Troy said. "It's this way, this way!"
"I'm coming," Beenie said happily.
They went for a very long time before Beenie saw water shining. It was shining so bright in the sun that it hurt her eyes.
"Here it is!" Troy said, his nose twitching.
"Oooh," Beenie said. She landed on a patch of soft, squishy green stuff.
"That's moss," Troy said. "Isn't it skooshy?"
"Uh-huh," Beenie said, giggling and stomping on the moss.
They played in the creek and moss all day, splashing each other, throwing rocks in the water to make funny ploonk noises, floating leaves downstream, and playing tag in the trees.
They played so long that they didn't notice it was getting dark.
"I better go home," Troy said. "It's dark." He flipped his tail, and ran away into the trees.
"Wait!" Beenie cried. "Troy!" He didn't come back, and Beenie looked around her. "Oh no," she said. She didn't know how to get home to the field, and now Troy was gone.
July 27, 2012
July 27th, 2012
I have a lot of clothes. And I keep getting more. My aunt is about the same size as me, and has a similar sense of style. She also loves clothes, so when she cleans house, all her stuff comes to me.
It's even better than going shopping! You can't run around in your slippers in a clothing store without feeling a little silly. You also can't take a break, leave all the stuff you're trying on in the bathroom, and eat dinner. When getting hand-me-downs, they're free, you pick what you want from the comfort of your own home, and you can take your time.
I need to go through my dresser. I've already broken a drawer once...
It's even better than going shopping! You can't run around in your slippers in a clothing store without feeling a little silly. You also can't take a break, leave all the stuff you're trying on in the bathroom, and eat dinner. When getting hand-me-downs, they're free, you pick what you want from the comfort of your own home, and you can take your time.
I need to go through my dresser. I've already broken a drawer once...
July 26, 2012
July 26th, 2012
Flag sparring, or belt sparring, is supposed to be a safe game. You and your opponent tuck a flag into your belt, and each tries to snatch the other's. The first person to get their opponent's flag gets a point. The rules are pretty simple. No biting, no scratching, no pulling hair. You get the idea. Safe game.
Unless I'm playing it, of course. When I play, people are silly enough to block my wild grabs with their faces. I bloodied a lip, once. It wasn't my fault, honest! He blocked with his face. That, of course, is where the blackbelt commandment 'thou shalt not block with thine face' comes from. People do that a lot.
Kym thinks it's funny. And, considering Mr. Bloody-lip was my instructor, she's proud, too.
Unless I'm playing it, of course. When I play, people are silly enough to block my wild grabs with their faces. I bloodied a lip, once. It wasn't my fault, honest! He blocked with his face. That, of course, is where the blackbelt commandment 'thou shalt not block with thine face' comes from. People do that a lot.
Kym thinks it's funny. And, considering Mr. Bloody-lip was my instructor, she's proud, too.
July 25, 2012
July 25th, 2012
I used to invent all sorts of bad-for-you foods to eat. Before my health makeover, I hated veggies and didn't eat much fruit. I would eat burritos (chili and cheese) for lunch, and then eat half a box of tuna helper for dinner. Not very exciting, or healthy.
But, not long ago, I discovered a combination stew that has green beans, corn, and carrots in it that I absolutely love.
I get two cans of beef stew, a can of green beans, a can of corn, oregano, curry, sour cream or cottage cheese, and dump it all in a pan. I love curry, so I add lots of it, but too much and it's too spicy. So I add sour cream or cottage cheese. If it's too thick to stir, I add chicken or turkey broth. Like the frosting earlier this week, you add spices to taste. If you like spicy, you might want to leave out the sour cream. If you like meat, you might want to add some beef to it.
Eat a bowl of this, and have some strawberries with homemade whipped cream, and you're set!
But, not long ago, I discovered a combination stew that has green beans, corn, and carrots in it that I absolutely love.
I get two cans of beef stew, a can of green beans, a can of corn, oregano, curry, sour cream or cottage cheese, and dump it all in a pan. I love curry, so I add lots of it, but too much and it's too spicy. So I add sour cream or cottage cheese. If it's too thick to stir, I add chicken or turkey broth. Like the frosting earlier this week, you add spices to taste. If you like spicy, you might want to leave out the sour cream. If you like meat, you might want to add some beef to it.
Eat a bowl of this, and have some strawberries with homemade whipped cream, and you're set!
July 24, 2012
July 24th, 2012
I was astonished when my father showed me the pumpkin plant growing by the steps. For one thing, the tenacious little sucker had shot up through gravel. For another, we didn't know where the seed for it had come from, at first.
But then we remembered the pumpkins my brother had forgotten to toss. They had rotted and fallen apart on the steps, until there was nothing but a pile of - you guessed it - pumpkin seeds. At least one of those seeds had made it into the gravel, where, somehow, it had taken root.
Ironically, the pumpkin seeds my sister planted in good dirt didn't so much as sprout. We're still not sure what happened to them.
Gardening gives rise to all sorts of strange things; like the cantaloupe that - somehow - sprouted from my carrot planter. What kinds of strange things have you seen?
But then we remembered the pumpkins my brother had forgotten to toss. They had rotted and fallen apart on the steps, until there was nothing but a pile of - you guessed it - pumpkin seeds. At least one of those seeds had made it into the gravel, where, somehow, it had taken root.
Ironically, the pumpkin seeds my sister planted in good dirt didn't so much as sprout. We're still not sure what happened to them.
Gardening gives rise to all sorts of strange things; like the cantaloupe that - somehow - sprouted from my carrot planter. What kinds of strange things have you seen?
