I Was Just Sleepy

On Good Friday, we took the grandkids to our church's Tenebrae service. It was just beautiful, with some lovely flute music provided by DH, along with other music from our church's very best vocalists and instrumentalists.

I'm not sure I've ever been to a Tenebrae service before. We sang some of the beautiful old hymns like "Oh, Sacred Head, Now Wounded," and after each scripture reading, acolytes extinguished one of the 12 candles representing the 12 disciples. In the middle of the service, DH played a haunting Celtic piece with a wonderful young soloist.

Finally, just before the service ended, the two ministers took the large "Christ candle" from the sanctuary, which was now completely dark. DH closed the service by playing "Were you There," a capella. It was the best Easter season service ever. Of course, I am biased. But people weren't even speaking as they left.

I asked the 8-year-old, "Hey, buddy, were your eyes closed because you were feeling reverent?" "No," he replied. "I was just sleepy."

I, Blue

A few years ago, we were driving to the beach with the grands happily babbling in the back seat. Little Man, who was just beginning to talk, kept saying something that sounded like, "Ah, boo! Ah, boo!"

We finally figured out that he was expressing that his favorite color was blue. (He may have upgraded to red now, but I digress . . . )

It was no surprise, then, that every time we took him to the local ice cream shop, he selected a frozen treat in a bright blue hue. He delighted in the blue tongue and blue teeth that resulted.

On a Saturday visit last year, we followed up ice cream with a visit to the aquarium store, where I got a photo op that was as blue as blue could be.

Why They Talk So Much

We were driving the grands to our house for a weekend visit when we learned some eye-opening things about Grandpa and StickyBun.

SBS: I can't use iPods or iPads today.
DH: So, what did you do to get a time out from electronic devices?
SBS: Ahhh . . .
The Fred: I am staying out of this.
SBS: I was talking too much at school.
TF: Like, multiple days.
DH: Well, buddy, I understand. I almost got thrown out of Cub Scouts for talking too much.
TS: What? A story I've never actually heard?
DH: It's true. So, I understand. It's like you have something to say and you get so excited that you feel like you're going to burst if you don't say it. Do you guys want me to stop ralking? I've been talking a lot.
SBS: No, Grandpa. You've got wisdom.

Just Another Music Monday: Heartless

Sometimes you stumble across a singer/songwriter that you just have to share. This is Adrien Reju; the CD version, with sweet harmonies and a touch of honky-tonk piano, is even better.

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Fun with the Fiscal Cliff

Today, I heard a novel idea about a way to save money and have fun with overworked phrases at the same time. A fellow said that he'd decided that every time he heard the phrase "moving forward," he would put a quarter in a jar.

Well, that got me thinking. The phrase of the month seems to be "fiscal cliff."

I thought to myself, "you know, I can put a quarter, or even a dollar, into a jar every time I hear that expression." In a short time, I figure, I'll be well on my way to paying my first installment toward the $17 trillion national debt.

Try this at home! It's a relatively painless way to save, it'll help you get more out of the debt crisis, and when the tax man cometh in 2013, you just get out your jar and pay up!

If you put money into the jar five times in a single day, it's time to turn off the news, or the business channel, or whatever you've been watching. My advice: read your Kindle, play W.E.L.D.E.R, or watch the new Home & Family show on the Hallmark Channel.

All they do is cook and decorate.

DH Goes Dumpster Diving

Since DH and I had a date to go to the Fair, I figured I had better do something to offset the funnel cake calories. I had just finished a 20 minute session of Just Dance 3 when the phone rang. I was sure it was DH, telling me that he was ready for me to pick him up.

"Hey! I'm on my way home, but I can't find my phone. It was there a little while ago, but then the cleaning crew came, so I wonder…"

"OMG, "I replied. "Wait a minute; I think I set it up for Find My iPhone. I can look and see where it is on a map."

By the time DH arrived, I had logged into iCloud and pulled up the location of his phone on the map. "You're so lucky to have me," I pointed out helpfully.

"It looks like it's just a few steps from the office, "I said. "It's not moving."

We couldn't figure out exactly where it was, until DH had a brainstorm. "It's in the dumpster! They threw it away."

Off we went to retrieve the discarded iPhone. We hoped it hadn't been injured in the mishap.

"Call me, "he said. Sure enough, the dumpster began to ring. From there it was just a matter of determining which bag it was in. One small blessing: the dumpster was almost empty.

He had to get a short stepstool, and unfortunately, he had to physically climb into the dumpster. "Can I take a picture?" I shouldn't have asked. "If you do, I'll smash your phone." "Well, that's just mean," I responded.

Why wouldn't he want to have a picture of his leg sticking out of a dumpster posted on the Internet? Spoilsport.

In the end, he was able to retrieve the iPhone and give it a quick bath with a Clorox wipe. We washed up and headed to the fair.

But I really wish I had that photo.

You Have a Toolbox and I Don't

Conversations with the grandkids are so much fun. Their vocabularies are expanding wildly, so sometimes you find yourself having a nearly-grown up conversation with them, only to be suddenly reminded that they're five. Or seven.

(back in April)
Little Man: When we get home, the first thing I want to do is get into the pool.
DH: The pool's too cold, buddy.
LM: No, it isn't. It's not too cold, Grandpa! And if my teeth start to chatter, it's not because I'm cold--it's just because I'm jealous.
TS: You're jealous? Like--what?
LM: Yeah, you know--jealous. Just a little jealous.

LittleMan: Mmm--this fruit punch is yummy! What are you drinking, Grandpa?
DH: Water. You should drink water sometimes, buddy. It's better than putting all that sugar in your system.
LM: I'm not putting any sugar in my sister. She doesn't drink water, either.

LM: Nana, I'll put up your nail polish for you.
TS: Okay-thank you, buddy. It goes in that little drawer there.
LM: Nana, is this all of your nail polish?
TS: Well, no. Nana loves nail polish. I actually have a bunch more.
LM: Where is it, Nana?
TS: Oh. Well… it's sort of in a toolbox.
LM: NANA!!
TS: I know--I know. Having a bunch of nail polish in a tool box is--
LM: You have a toolbox, and I don't???