October 13, 2005
DONE
In a way, I'm a little sad that Charlie won't be able to father any puppies. He's so darn cute himself that I know his offspring would be adorable as well. But what's done is done now.

Poor fella.
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What a sad looking puppy. He is so sweet looking, give him a cuddle for me.
Posted by: Ruth at October 13, 2005 11:28 AM (sso1C)
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You know what that look means, right?
"You, you cut off my balls!"

B
Posted by: Bryan Strawser at October 13, 2005 09:06 PM (n19Zl)
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Now he's a Cardinal fan!
[ducks]
Posted by: Jason at October 14, 2005 11:57 PM (Om0e7)
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October 11, 2005
BORN
Last night I got to participate in The Miracle of Life: my friend's dog had puppies. My husband and I had never seen anything get born before, so we raced over to her house as soon as she called. One pup was on the way out, and three more were to come.
The whole thing was amazing, gross, beautiful, and eerie all at the same time. I got to see animals come to life! We all held our breath when one of them was stuck in his placenta for way too long, and we cheered when he finally broke through. We felt helpless when the pups couldn't find mom's tummy to nurse; it would've been so easy to just pick one up and position him! We laughed, we gagged, and we oohed and aahed.
It was remarkable.

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Yay!! Foxy is famous! I think you picked the grossest picture though, Sarah...lol.
Posted by: Erin at October 11, 2005 12:26 PM (6R9eT)
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Speaking of the birth of puppies...it was ?? years ago that another birth took place. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!! But as a mother, myself, I think it should be a day for the mothers also. So Happy Birthday to your Mother also.
Love,
ME
Posted by: ME at October 11, 2005 07:00 PM (4buuu)
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I was fortunate to have a mother who saw that her children saw kittens being born when they pre-teens.
It is a wonderful way to inspire awe and respect for life in kids.
But the most wonderful of all is getting to help with the birth of a human baby. I had that honor when my 12 year old granddaughter was born. It gives real meaning to the word awesome. I was so priviliged to be there and the doctors were wonderful to let me help. It forged a bond between me and my daughter in law we would never have had otherwise. I was sorry I couldn't be there with the second granddaughter but I was home babysitting the first one.
I hope someday you and Husband get to have one with him helping. Puppies are nice but grandchildren are God given. (I'm not trying to take the thrill away, just enhance it for you!)
Posted by: Ruth H at October 11, 2005 07:06 PM (YDuHX)
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Happy Birthday to my miracle of life, my daughter. The memory of your birth, that moment you were born, will be etched in my mind forever. I cannnot believe my daughter is now 28 years old, the age I was when your dad and I got married. Just seeing how you are with Charlie and how you talk to him, I know you will be a good mom someday. You are so patient and easygoing with him. I love that about you. And yes, I hope I will get to be there when you have your first baby. Thanks for sharing the puppy picture. Life truly is remarkable.
I love you,
Mama
Posted by: Nancy at October 12, 2005 01:38 AM (7lHJp)
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You know, life works in mysterious ways. I check in on you often, it is so comforting to me to be able to glimpse in on your life and see that all is well, you're still happy, healthy, and PASSIONATE. Birth is a crazy thing - truly amazing - though I've now been through it, I am not sure I have seen anything born... its all kind of a blur. So here I sit, with my miracle baby and my sweet puppy dog - wishing you and I could have coffee or a glass of wine, and just plain catch up. I think of you often and admire your strength, courage, conviction, and passion. Happy birthday as well, I am sorry I didn't remember - but I have it now, and I really hope - when you turn 40, you are still publicly airing your voice, and I can check in on you.
Love, Lane (hugs to your mama and all your family- Peoria bred some really amazing folks!)
P.S. This is the only blog I read, and I don't really know how this all works (MIS degree and all) - so I really hope you see this message or you are somehow notified.
Posted by: Lane (from Peoria) at October 13, 2005 12:49 AM (DSs6h)
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October 04, 2005
CARDS ARE ON
Reggie Sanders + grand slam = very happy husband
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And here I am, a 25 minute drive from the stadium, unable to get a radio signal in the office or even find an internet stream of one that is reliable. Thankfully mlb.com has a decent enough play by play thingy going.
Posted by: marc at October 04, 2005 03:46 PM (boChC)
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If its all the same to you, I'd prefer the Cards go down in flames.
Posted by: Jason at October 04, 2005 04:11 PM (565iX)
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October 03, 2005
BIRTHDAY
Charlie turned six months old today. He celebrated by losing two more canine teeth. Only one more to go and then I'm free from puppy bites.
It's not fair that I expect him to be perfect already. I get so frustrated when he grabs the end of the toilet paper and runs under the bed with it, or when he eats a hole through the carpet, or when he barks at 0600 because he wants to play. It's easy to forget that he's made lots of progress: he can ring a bell to let us know when he wants to go outside, and he gets in his crate at night all by himself.
And he's always good for a laugh. The other day we were chasing each other around the house and he tried to jump out a window. A closed window.
He's a keeper...

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Happy Bday Charlie!!! Wow, six months already?!?!
And I have the same expectations with Cody. The most common phrase in this house is...I need you to be a grown up dog. No More Puppy.....
Although he hasn't tried to go out the window....yet. :-)
Posted by: Tammi at October 04, 2005 08:02 AM (NVFF4)
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I think about 1 1/2 years in when he'll finally seem to be an adult dog (but with plenty of puppy energy left over). That's my experience, anyway. But ringing a bell to go out! That's impressive!
We had huge sliding glass doors in my old house, and more than once there were dog-head prints left on them. Oh, do I miss her. Enjoy Charlie!
Posted by: Carla at October 04, 2005 10:46 AM (6tYwr)
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Sarah - How long did it take you to teach him to ring the bell? We're working on that with our little guy, he's currently 14 weeks old and he's just not interested in doing it, when he wants to go out he just sits there looking at it!
Posted by: Dawn at October 04, 2005 11:22 AM (ulqkx)
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Dawn -- we just kept ringing the bell every time we took him outside, forcing his little head or paw into it and saying his "pee command". Then one day he rang it himself and we got all excited and took him out. He just slowly got the hang of it...but now he can be quite persistent: if we don't come right away, he rings and rings as hard as he can until we come!
Good luck!!!
Posted by: Sarah at October 04, 2005 12:43 PM (P0rbF)
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September 22, 2005
WORRYING
We all know that the Worry Center in my brain works overtime. Yesterday, when my husband asked me why I had bought batteries and put them in a big flashlight, I told him that when I was lying in bed I realized that we didn't have a working flashlight in the house and that we might need one in case the electricity went out or something. He chuckled and said, "So this is what you think about after I've fallen asleep."
So when the dog gets sick, my worry mode goes to eleven. Charlie has been losing it from both ends, so to speak, and I've become a nervous wreck. I've been watching him and fretting all day, and calling my two best friends constantly to ask their advice, since they both have much more dog experience than I do.
Maybe worrywarts shouldn't be responsible for another living being...

[Charlie's developed a taste for solitude under our bed.]
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Hope he feels better soon! That picture is too sweet!
Posted by: Al's Girl at September 22, 2005 01:19 PM (e8y9n)
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My vet always advises to feed my dog white rice and boiled chicken when she has tummy problems. Seems to help and she keeps it down better than dog food.
Hope your baby feels better soon.
Posted by: Toody at September 22, 2005 01:30 PM (tttRO)
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The rice and chicken or burger is a really good idea. You need to watch him though, (I know you are!) he may have eaten something that is causing a blockage. If he can't hold his food and starts to get dehydrated he needs a vet and probably an x-ray. You can tell if he is getting dehydrated by lifting the scruff of his neck and seeing how fast it snaps back. The slower the snap the more he is dehydrated. Check his gum color also. Pale is not good. Anything poisonous around? Antifreeze? Is he wobbley? It may just be an upset tummy and nothing to stress about but I would be concerned if it keeps up. Good Luck.
Posted by: Cindy H. at September 22, 2005 02:16 PM (/y+c0)
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What a little precious!! Hope you are both doing better today.
Your mama
Posted by: Nancy at September 23, 2005 03:53 AM (+pnEF)
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Hope Charlie's feeling better by now...as long as he's acting semi-normal (after all these years you'd think I'd be able to define this better) he should be okay.
MajorBaby happened to get her hands on some "spoiled" yogurt (according to MajorMom and some clumps of mold found inside the yogurt container the baby had plowed through) and you would have thought the end of the world had come. MajorMom did the "momly" thing and called our "Ask a Nurse" and the "Poison Control Center" to see what she should do.
My solution...was to watch her to see if she reacted badly to it. You know...like Charlie, losing it from both ends. Never happened. Nor did she lose her toddler sense of herself...as sweet and as ornery as ever as the mood suited her.
I have to laugh about what your hubby said to you though...aren't we males just a bucket of chuckles sometimes?
See you on the high ground.
MajorDad1984
Posted by: MajorDad1984 at September 25, 2005 10:35 AM (tdEnf)
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September 16, 2005
OBSESSED
From
Lileks, waiting to be called for jury duty:
We all sign in, which means a long queue of people in various moods from sullen to disengaged to temporarily-not-knitting-but-happy-to-know-that-knitting-will-soon-be-resumed.
Boy, do I know that feeling. I'm back on the wagon (off the wagon? I never remember which way that goes...); I've made a hat or scarf every night this week.
I'm starting to get this panic attacks about moving. My husband was barking at me last night to knock it off, but when you're an Unemployed Obsessive Planner, you have to throw your energies into something. I try to channel it into knitting and dinner, but for some reason I've been starting to freak out about moving.
We don't move for another nine months, you know.
I've started obsessively whittling down our collection of canned foods. Can't buy more than what I need now, because what if we don't use it up? So what if this is on sale, we may not get to it in time. And what to do about that huge bottle of shampoo: the future looked so bright when I had hair to my waist, but now the meniscus has barely moved. And the dog food, oh the dog food. Charlie will be making the switch from puppy to adult around the time we move, so what if we end up with too much puppy food left over? Or we buy some adult food and don't make it through the whole bag? We can't just throw it away.
Or actually we can, my husband says as he stares at me in horror. It costs $7.50, so it's not the end of the world.
Of course, last time we moved, I shoved a whole bunch of foodstuffs into my suitcase because I couldn't bear to throw it all out and buy the exact same thing over again when we got to Germany. I guess it serves me right that I ended up with sesame oil all over my entire wardrobe.
You see why I knit now, right? It occupies my mind. It keeps me from worrying that I've just bought a new bottle of tarragon and there's no way we can get through the whole thing before we move.
I'm just happy to know that knitting will soon be resumed.
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When we moved here, they actually packed up quite a bit of our "food" stuff - all my spices, plus plastic wrap and even boxed Hamburger Helper. (I don't know if they were supposed to, but they did.) We still had 1 month where we were living in an empty apartment before our PCS, so some of that stuff I bought so that we could eat during that time. I opened the cabinet, and it was gone... magically appearing 2 months later on the other side of the world
Posted by: The Girl at September 16, 2005 08:07 AM (FmIVz)
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Okay you have me laughing! The movers packed all our canned goods when we made to move from Ft Knox to Germany in 2000. When I moved back to Texas in November, some of the exact some canned goods came back across the ocean! What was I thinking? Some know that I am hooked on sales and finding a bargain. If I have a coupon and it is cheap, I buy it. Why not? They packed everything even the 2DM bottle of crappy wine(it was in DM that tells you how long I had it). Don't worry about all the non food items either. They said they could not pack items with a "pump" unless it locked; lotion, soap etc. Some items did not have a locking pump, so I went back and packed them when they left . . . they made it just fine.
It all depends on your movers. Some will pack anything and others will be picky but have food and coffee ready for them and you can probably get them to pack what you want . . . really!
So, happy knitting! Need any good yarn? Always looking for something to do! LOL
Posted by: H. Sims at September 16, 2005 09:51 AM (D+Bhc)
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Ok, calm down. You can always donate the stuff to someone on base right?
Happy knitting.
Posted by: Mare at September 16, 2005 10:29 AM (KmNMw)
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Sarah,
You crack me up...but honestly, I do the same exact thing (I think you and I had a similar conversation about this the other day). I worry about ANYTHING that doesn't have to do with today.
Posted by: Erin at September 17, 2005 10:01 AM (nQCjZ)
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Ah yes, knitting. I find it a wonderful distraction when domesetic goddess duties call. Just one more row is suddenly a sleeve and you have no clean dishes left but hey! You have a sleeve!
Posted by: zib at September 17, 2005 11:24 AM (2uf8Z)
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Ok, it was good to hear that someone else is exactly like me. I am ready to take all my pictures off the walls and everything. I keep looking at my cupboards and thinking "don't buy anything else, we have to use this stuff up" but then I see a sale at the commissary and buy anyway! We don't move for 8 months and the baby will come in April (right before we move). I am already stressing about what can be household goods and what needs to be unaccompanied baggage. Everyone thinks I am crazy for worrying, but that is what wives do.
Posted by: S.Berndt at September 19, 2005 04:43 AM (MOoZ+)
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Just think you will be ready to move if hubby comes home with an "Oh by the way we're moving" comment. I did the same thing and you saw a majority of the stuff when you helped me pack the van for the orphanage. And we did not even had orders yet. As you know we ended up extending for another year!
Posted by: Jennifer at September 19, 2005 11:41 AM (xwxoO)
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"And the dog food, oh the dog food. Charlie will be making the switch from puppy to adult around the time we move, so what if we end up with too much puppy food left over? "
Not that you asked for advice, but lol...
Having two dogs that we've moved quite a few times, including cross-continent twice lol, I'd keep the baby on the same food until after your move is over and your family is settled in a new home.
Sometimes a change in scenery can give them poopy butt. Sometimes a change in food can - and the last thing you need during a big move is a pup with an upset tummy lol.
Good luck with your move. I LOVE to move. It always feels like such an adventure learning about a new place and meeting new people. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be moving again, so I'll just follow your blog and enjoy hearing about your experiences if you don't mind

.
Posted by: Shannon at September 19, 2005 07:45 PM (Qs5Bp)
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SIGH
Those two students who cussed at me? Nothing happened to them. No punishment.
So I found a solution: I'm no longer a sub.
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Don't even get me started about admin not supporting its teachers. I was a long term sub at a middle school outside of Fort Campbell when first married. It was the hardest job I ever had. I came home one day and told Sean if we had to eat canned beans every meal, I will never go back to being verbally abused by kids that are 12 years old. Never say never . . . I got back on the horse and went back.
I hate that you were treated so badly because you are probably a good teacher and have a lot to offer . . . have you ever thought about going to the elementary school. Not that I am biased but they are all wonderful people there . . . you might like it there. Maybe go and volunteer for a day and see what you think . . . I can give you names of some of the sweetest teachers there who would love to have you in their classroom. Please, don't give up . . . teachers need good subs!
Posted by: H. Sims at September 16, 2005 10:00 AM (D+Bhc)
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I have words for principals who don't support their teachers, but I don't use them in polite company.
Posted by: Walter E. Wallis at September 18, 2005 12:46 AM (wDJE+)
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I agree with H.Sims...come over to the elementary. Our students are still very sweet (the majority, anyway)and our staff is great! We would love to have you. Instead of getting cussed at, you can get snotted on when the little ones hug you.
Posted by: S.Berndt at September 19, 2005 04:39 AM (MOoZ+)
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I agree with the elementary teachers who have commented. Both of my parents were teachers of middle school aged kids and every day I begged my parents to quit. But they were troopers and they were both great teachers. I know that you are a great asset to education system. Don't let those teenage pinheads beat you down. Start smaller and build up your tolerance.
Posted by: Jennifer at September 19, 2005 11:34 AM (xwxoO)
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I'm glad to hear you don't let them do that to you any more. Life's too short. I recommend you find something you like to do. Enjoying your work makes your whole life better.
Posted by: chuck at September 21, 2005 07:55 PM (UdnXf)
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September 14, 2005
POETRY WEDNESDAY
Annika singled me out as a poetry lover, so I gotta do something for Wednesday. Go read
the first page of my favorite book of poems,
This Is My Beloved by Walter Benton.
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September 13, 2005
UNRULY
I went to high school with a girl who had never been in trouble but had always been curious about what went on in the Dean's office. Finally, in her last week as a senior, she asked the English teacher what one would have to do to get sent to the Dean. Cussing brought ten demerits for every letter of the swear word, so this girl giggled and then triumphantly announced the shortest swear word she knew; the teacher sent her down to the Dean to collect her thirty demerits. That's the only instance I can think of in all my years of schooling where someone cussed in class.
So far I've been cussed at twice as a substitute.
If you're reading this and you're a parent, I hope your kids know better than to swear in class, both directly to the teacher or to other students (I heard the m-f word yesterday from across the room.) Or that they know the proper way to ask to use the restroom (hint: it's not "hey, lady, I gotta pee.") Or that they don't start fistfights in the classroom (I broke two of those up today.)
I never would've dreamed of acting this unruly, even with some of our most hated subs. I don't know what the deal is with kids today, but I'm not optimistic about my desire to create one of these beasts.
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WOW.I went to catholic school for 12 years and i never cursed at a teacher publicly.there was no sooner trip to the dean's office than doing that.I don't think you can totally blame kid's parents for their language though.i cuss like a sailor to this day.i also did as a kid.I guess with cable tv and music today cussing seems to be an acceptable form of communication.that's how young people probably look at it.
Posted by: tommy at September 13, 2005 11:54 AM (NMK3S)
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Sorry to hear that some things never change. I remember the first time I was cursed out in front of a class by a 12 year old! He stood up and told to to F*** Off . . . my mouth must have hit the ground. He was suspended for 3 days but was right back in the classroom . . . it was downhill the rest of the quarter. Eight years later I still remember his name and wonder if he is in jail. It really is sad for me to think kids act this way . . . my parents would have locked me up if I even thought about using those words.
Posted by: H. Sims at September 13, 2005 12:23 PM (iii6W)
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Depending on the age of the kids, I blame the parents. My daughter is 4 and her dad works in construction. For some reason he uses one swear word fairly regularly. Rather than try to 'fix' my ex we decided on a game : if she catches him swearing, he gives her a quarter.
She loves it, and she knows those words are bad.
Some parents don't really do much about keeping some sort of authority. They also figure the teachers are going to create a new kid during school hours.
A child in and of itself is not a bad creature, it is the parents that fuck them up.
Posted by: Julie at September 13, 2005 01:08 PM (w7n+v)
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I'm going to have to agree. It is the parents. I use every word in the book on a regular basis, yet I haven't heard a single utterance from my children in years. I had a talk with each of them after they dropped their first curseword. They know what is acceptable and what isn't.
My 11 yr old had invited some friends over to play video games last week. He and I were upstairs, when I caught a barely audible "Damn" from the kids downstairs. He immediately went downstairs "to tell those guys to quiet down." He gave them a quick hushed lecture and then said loudly, "Now be quiet." Then he came back upstairs to finish what he was doing. I never said a word. Didn't have to.
The kids that curse to teachers know there are no consequences for their actions ultimately. Even if they get suspended, it's just a couple days off from school to them. The parents are obviously not enforcing any kind of discipline at home.
Posted by: Mob at September 13, 2005 01:23 PM (f+cPk)
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Of course it's the parents fault. When I let a few bad words slip out of my mouth I immediately turn to my daughter and tell her how wrong I was to say such bad words, in fact I had to apologize
twice to her and her friend. Once for saying the word dam at school and once for calling the kid lying to me a little shit. Well I didn't call him that until I got into my car, but my daughter
heard me say it. Anything goes now on TV. I can't even watch a sitcom anymore. The minute the word bitch is said the TV goes off, or she made to leave the room...
Too bad you can't stuff a bar of soap in thier mouth, that might do the trick..
Posted by: Beth at September 13, 2005 01:42 PM (d3xOK)
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So if someone had said the m__ f__ word in your school, would they have gotten 120 demerits or only 60? After all, the first half isn't really a swear word.

Just to get back to politics, I blame it all on Cheney telling Leahy "go f__ yourself" on the Senate floor. The kids are only following his example.
Posted by: Pericles at September 13, 2005 09:22 PM (EpPuP)
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I'm very proud of my son. My oldest can be playing Halo 2 on XBox Live, get fragged and will pull a Yosemite Sam rather than cuss. My youngest won't cuss at all in our presence. I, of course, refrain from cussing around them, though Halo 2 will occasionally pull half a cuss from my lips before I squelch the rest of the word.
On the other hand I have always prided myself in my ability to cuss creatively without having to resort to the F-word for most of my cussing.
As an aside, moderation in cussing makes actually cussing that much more powerful. When you have something actually worth cussing about, and you cuss everyone you work with stops and pays attention.
Kalroy
Posted by: Kalroy at September 13, 2005 09:57 PM (9RG5y)
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The deal with children today is the parents today. My oldest is eight and isn't allowed to even say "crap."
Do I have a tendency to cuss? Oh yeah. I admit that I could embarrass a sailor in a bar given a tirade lol, but my children know what is acceptable and what is not. When they are grown, pay their own bills and live under their own roof, they too can cuss like a biker on a drinking binge when pissed. Until then, my house, my rules. Life's not fair in this house lol and I do not run a democracy.
I'm also close to middle age and still RARELY EVER let a curse word slip to my own Mother

. It's called respect...something everyone seems to want these days, yet few feel they need to earn.
Children today are not taught the basics by their parents, much less anything else. It takes too much time to be consistent, set standards and enforce them. It is much easier to ignore them, put them in front of a TV or let them run the streets. No suprise many children don't have a chance in life - much less know how to behave themselves in school or anywhere else for that matter. Too many parents are failing their children and are too lazy to even care

.
Posted by: Shannon at September 13, 2005 10:45 PM (sHJxX)
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You should be glad that you're not part of the educational reform taking place in an English city where swearing at the teacher is permitted so long as the students don't do it more than
five times per class.
Posted by: TangoMan at September 14, 2005 12:30 AM (EPVvR)
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"Children today are not taught the basics by their parents, much less anything else. It takes too much time to be consistent, set standards and enforce them. It is much easier to ignore them, put them in front of a TV or let them run the streets. No suprise many children don't have a chance in life - much less know how to behave themselves in school or anywhere else for that matter. Too many parents are failing their children and are too lazy to even care

."
Yep. And it's more than just swearing. Some of the punk kids in my martial arts class (back when I was taking it) had no sense of decency or respect. If you were older than they were, they treated you like dirt. They had absolutely no idea what it meant to be an adult and what the world will expect of them. And when I say "kids" I'm talking about 18 and 19 year olds.
It amazes me how parents don't bother teaching their children how to behave. Most of these kids will eventually learn the hard way (they might even end up doing time). If you want a worst case scenario...well, remember Columbine?
Posted by: CT at September 14, 2005 03:06 PM (KV/Mz)
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The proper response is to expel the miscreant from the class and to explain to the principal that if the kid comes back you are gone.
Posted by: Walter_E_Wallis at September 14, 2005 04:22 PM (wDJE+)
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So if someone had said the m__ f__ word in your school, would they have gotten 120 demerits or only 60? After all, the first half isn't really a swear word.

Just to get back to politics, I blame it all on Cheney telling Leahy "go f__ yourself" on the Senate floor. The kids are only following his example.
Posted by Pericles at September 14, 2005 02:22 AM
Pericles...pull your head out of your fourth point of contact. (Sarah, ask your hubby about this one)
A loss of civility has been going on for a long time...the "up your nose with a rubber hose" Vinnie Barbarino line from "Welcome Back Kotter" was a start.
Rather than point the finger of blame at the Vice President, why don't we look to Hollywood and their buddies on the left for the real source of the problem. Next look to some parents that have forgotten the power of the "soap."
See you on the high ground.
MajorDad1984
Posted by: MajorDad1984 at September 25, 2005 10:54 AM (tdEnf)
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September 03, 2005
QUESTIONS
Found a set of questions via a knit blog,
Zibibbo is Good. She's a knitter who reads LGF, and she'd like to make buttons that say Knitters Against Global Jihad but thinks that no one would buy them. Uh, hello? I've got three customers right here in Germany (my two best friends and I) who'd take them in a heartbeat.
10 years ago I was starting my senior year of high school. I thought I knew everything, and I thought that talking on the phone to my boyfriend was more important than calculus. That's why my husband sat down and did a calc problem cold yesterday and I stared at him blankly.
5 years ago I was starting my first year of grad school, dating my husband long distance and realizing that most people, myself included, don't know the first thing about real learning.
1 year ago I was traveling to France with my mother, breaking my vow to never return to that country.
Yesterday I watched "We Interrupt This Program" in From the Earth to the Moon with my husband, and then we had pie and talked about it. "It's just when I see a really good movie I really like to go out and get some pie and talk about it."
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Woo another NON LLL knitter out there!
Will have those buttons up in a couple days. I've gotten an absurd number of requests for just that in the past week.
I agree with #62 on your 100 things list (: This solidified around the time of Hugh and his hooker.
Posted by: zib at September 03, 2005 09:03 AM (PRDuU)
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Sarah,
Was that a "True Romance" reference? A great, but vastly underrated movie. And you tied it into a post about knitting. My hat's off to you! Love your blog, keep up the good work and God bless you and your husband.
Chadd Newman
Frederick, MD
Posted by: Chadd at September 06, 2005 11:21 AM (roGJq)
3
Chadd -- I met one of my dearest friends at a gathering when someone commented that he put too much sugar in his coffee and I said, "He's not satisfied until the spoon stands straight up." He turned to me shocked, and then grinned...and we've been friends ever since.
Wonderful movie.
Posted by: Sarah at September 06, 2005 11:46 AM (7+dr0)
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September 01, 2005
PUPDATE
The other day, I noticed something...unusual...in Charlie's poop. I could not figure out what it was or where he had gotten it. Until today. I put it all together five minutes ago when I remembered that in one of his frantic runs down the hall, he knocked over our American flag (we keep it inside during dark and rain). What I saw in his poop was the wing of the eagle that tops our flagpole. Good heavens, that must've hurt on the way out.

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Ah...the wonderful world of dog owneership
Posted by: Mare at September 01, 2005 08:36 PM (KmNMw)
2
I don't even want to
think about it!
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 02, 2005 04:57 AM (RbYVY)
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August 26, 2005
SIGH OF RELIEF
The dog was acting really ornery, so I decided he needed some time outside. He was so hyper, and we were playing and having fun when he made a sudden jerk and pulled the leash out of my hands...and ran into the street in front of a car. I nearly had a heart attack. Luckily the car slowed down and I managed to chase Charlie back to the grass and grab him. We're never going outside again.
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Made me catch my breath. Glad it worked out alright.
Kalroy
Posted by: Kalroy at August 26, 2005 10:34 PM (9RG5y)
2
If you think that is freightening, wait till your first child pulls that stunt. Your heart will actually stop for a moment.
Posted by: Don at August 27, 2005 03:32 PM (JcYln)
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August 17, 2005
PUPDATE
Our lazy, lazy puppy.

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He the live version of my dogs stuffed puppy that he sleeps with. Right down to the way he's laying there. LOL - what a cutie!!
Posted by: Tammi at August 18, 2005 08:20 AM (hFpuy)
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with that bottle in the back ground, is it possible that he is drunk and not lazy?
Posted by: yankeetechingermany at August 19, 2005 05:59 AM (7IZfE)
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If so, he's drunk on fabric freshener!!
Posted by: Sarah at August 19, 2005 11:52 AM (9bFZk)
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Well, if he starts singing bawdy drinking songs, you'll know what happened.
Posted by: Patrick Chester at August 20, 2005 02:03 AM (74cXW)
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Yeah, it looks like it softened his fabric all right.
Posted by: triticale at August 20, 2005 02:16 AM (liml4)
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He's more industrious than our president! Good luck to him! Has he applied to Yale?
Posted by: marli at August 20, 2005 08:49 PM (96hNg)
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August 14, 2005
WHEW
What a week! Two dogs peeing in the house, causing a ruckus, and breaking things while they wrestle. I'm glad that's over. But at least some good came from all the action: Charlie lost his front two teeth. Thank heavens we're on the way to adult teeth; those puppy teeth hurt.
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If you substitute the word "boys" for puppies...that is exactly what goes on in my house...exactly.
Posted by: gibby at August 14, 2005 05:34 PM (OCIqu)
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August 08, 2005
SLEEPY
We're dogsitting this week, so with two puppies in the house, I know I won't make it to the computer much. I don't think we'll be sleeping much either, if the last two nights are any indication.
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Tell me when you are ready for my Korean recipe for puppydog stew.
Posted by: Walter E. Wallis at August 10, 2005 09:48 PM (K6i9N)
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August 02, 2005
AUGUST 2
On this day in 1880, Greenwich Mean Time was adopted. In 1921, the eight White Sox players were acquitted of throwing the World Series. In 1971, the astronauts of Apollo 15 were driving around on the moon. And on this day in 1980, my mother-in-law was giving birth to the most wonderful man in the world. Happy birthday, husband.
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I think you're probably on safe ground with this particular post, Sarah. Heh.
In truth, this is
your blog, and you can post anything you darn well want to! Oh, for the record, I never took what you posted as blaming it all on the women -- even before your clarification posts. I thought you were perfectly clear from the start.
Happy birthday to your husband. It is my hope that you both have a wonderful time celebrating this day.
Posted by: Dave at August 02, 2005 10:29 AM (6GFTi)
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Happy Birthday to the best son-in-law anyone could have.
Love,
Nancy
Posted by: Nancy at August 03, 2005 01:10 AM (DljPa)
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July 31, 2005
HAIR
I've only donated blood once. I was in college and it was quite an ordeal. First, they said I was borderline anemic, so they had to run some tests to see if they even wanted my blood. Turns out it was OK, so they hooked me up to the bag and started draining my arm. I guess they need the bag and also three little vials of blood; on the third vial, somehow the needle popped out of my arm and blood squirted everywhere. After that unique experience, I was leery about giving blood, and then I started hopping back and forth to Europe every year or so, so it was never an issue. So I don't really donate blood.
But I can donate hair.
When I had been dating my husband for a week, I cut my hair short. Like short short. After the look on his face, I didn't cut my hair again for five years. At first it became a Lord of the Rings joke: I was going to look like an elf. After Return of the King was over, I turned to him and said, "Now what?" I guess I had grown so attached to the hair that it scared me to cut it.
I had always intended to donate my hair, but then it became a quest to donate as much as I could. It grew and grew, and the more it grew, the more annoyed my husband and I grew towards it. It was always in our mouths, getting pulled, clogging the drains and the vacuum, and driving us nuts. In May I decided I was ready for a cut, but I told myself to wait a month and see if I was still ready. A month passed and I got cold feet, so I let another month go by. And I knew I was ready.

We chopped 18 inches off, and bagged it to send to Locks of Love. I hope some little girl gets a beautiful wig from it.
Everyone keeps asking me if I'm going to start all over again. I don't know; I'm really enjoying the short hair:
1. no more marathon blowdrying
2. no more sitting on the hair
3. no more rolling over in bed and suffocating
4. Charlie was biting and tugging on it when it was long
5. less money spent on Draino
But since my hair grows so fast, maybe I'll get to another wig. We'll see. The husband likes it short, so for now I'm happy.
And now that I've kept you in suspense for long enough...here's the new and improved Sarah. And the getting-too-big-to-cuddle Charlie.

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Posted by: H. Sims at July 31, 2005 10:24 AM (t5Jhh)
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Looks great! What a wonderful thing to do, you've made some little girl feel like a princess.
Posted by: Jamie at July 31, 2005 11:23 AM (dsFoT)
Posted by: J and Erin at July 31, 2005 12:08 PM (p/w9O)
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You hair looks great and that dog still looks cuddly to me. What a doll.
Posted by: Ruth H at July 31, 2005 02:07 PM (iKlAZ)
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Wow...you managed to chop off a few years too...you're going to get carded! (I on the other hand keep on being asked if I am the mother of the two 14-year-old girls I am taking care of this summer.) You look great! Very cute cut.
Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at July 31, 2005 03:12 PM (zTqcv)
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You and Charlie look so cute! I want to hug you both!
Your mama
Posted by: Nancy at July 31, 2005 05:46 PM (DljPa)
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You look fantastic with your hair that length -- and Charlie is a little sweetie :-)
Most of all, some little girl will have your beautiful hair for a wig ... a true Win-Win!
Posted by: Barb at July 31, 2005 06:21 PM (g9qHI)
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What a beautiful young woman you are - inside and out! The gift of your hair is wonderful. I can't manage the hair thing myself - I am old and gray! But I do donate blood. Not so bad - sorry your experience with that was not a good one. Everyone can find a way to make a difference, and yours is a sure thing! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: JCK at July 31, 2005 06:50 PM (J9ixV)
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I have to say that I love it too! Very cute and what a beautiful smile to match!
Posted by: Angie Dente at July 31, 2005 06:55 PM (TdD4k)
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Wow Sarah. You've done a great thing. There's nothing like a new haircut to give you a different outlook on life - and now you've given that gift to someone else. Congrats. It looks GREAT!
Posted by: Kathleen A at July 31, 2005 07:58 PM (If3eX)
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It looks great!! I bet it is alot cooler for these "hot" summer months.
Posted by: jenn and casey at August 01, 2005 03:25 PM (Ka9I5)
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My daughter has donated her hair before, starting at age 9. When I was diagnosed with cancer last year and went through chemo, it meant so much more to her. Just knowing that she might be helping someone who was struggling made her so proud! Thank you, Sarah, for your wonderful gift. We who need it really appreciate efforts such as yours.
Posted by: heidi at August 05, 2005 03:39 PM (wB07F)
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How sweet of you. The new look is really cute.
Posted by: NYgirl at August 15, 2005 10:34 PM (JEAUq)
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July 28, 2005
FISH TALES
Gnat got fish. When I was her age, I had two fish named Bert and Ernie, and I helped out by feeding them one day. Unfortunately, I fed them an entire can of fishfood on the day my father had just cleaned the aquarium. Whoops.
I've always been interested in pet fish; the husband and I registered for an aquarium when we got married and bought three fish (well, five if you count Milhouse I and Milhouse II, may they rest in peace). Then we bought a plecostomus to help keep things clean, and we noticed that when the shopkeeper scooped him up, we ended up with a snail too. Into the tank he went. A few days later, I did a doubletake when I realized there were two snails. Upon closer inspection, I found we had been visited by the snail stork thirteen times. Note to self: snails reproduce asexually.
The fish are still living with my mom, and we may inherit them back if they live another year. I'm anxious to move back to the US so we can get our aquarium back out of the box and get some more fish. The pet department is where I really find myself homesick lately. Here we have but one shelf in the PX for pet supplies; I'd give anything to go to PetSmart these days.
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Sarah,
It wasn't a can of fish food; it was a huge box!!! It's a good thing you were daddy's little girl because he was not too crazy about cleaning the tank again. You were about two years old, and you came downstairs carrying the box and said, "I feed the fish." Boy, you sure did!
I can assure you I'll be a better grandmother when you have children than I have been to your fish. They kinda' thrive on neglect!
Love,
Mama
Posted by: Nancy at July 28, 2005 04:00 AM (DljPa)
2
PetSmart is great for supplies, but I'm not too sure about the quality of their fish. I'm about to lose a Dwarf Gourami I got from there no more than a couple of months ago.
Posted by: Pericles at July 30, 2005 01:55 PM (hHudX)
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July 27, 2005
HAIRCUT
Look what I did today...

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I hope it was on purpose and not the result of some tragic elevator door accident. Let's see the final product.
Posted by: Tony B at July 27, 2005 03:20 PM (QBrm4)
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Did you go and turn invisible again?
Posted by: marc at July 27, 2005 03:44 PM (boChC)
3
Woah! Big change!!
So when are we going to see pics of the new you??
Posted by: Barb at July 27, 2005 04:14 PM (u8Zgq)
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I'd like to see the new pics too. How is the husband handling it?
Posted by: NYgirl at July 27, 2005 05:43 PM (JEAUq)
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I remember when I did that, many long years ago. I don't have it but we still have our younger son's braid he cut when he was 25 and it was so pretty my husband couldn't let me get rid of it. I'm glad he didn't. Younger son is now 43!
Also, where is the "after" photo?
Posted by: Ruth H at July 27, 2005 07:01 PM (iKlAZ)
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Short hair is sexy
Posted by: Bryan Strawser at July 27, 2005 09:47 PM (GMpvi)
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She cut her hair and donated it to "Locks of Love" which is an organization that makes wigs for cancer patients. She cut it shorter than she would have liked but knew that someone else could use her hair. Pretty proud of her!!
Posted by: ME at July 27, 2005 10:24 PM (PCnCC)
8
You got in a fight with a maniac armed with a hedge trimmer and barely escaped with your life? ;-)
Posted by: Patrick Chester at July 28, 2005 12:40 AM (74cXW)
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You are beautiful inside and out, long hair or short. You are going to make some little girl feel beautiful. I'm proud of you! Was the finished product seventeen inches long?
Love,
Mama
Posted by: Nancy at July 28, 2005 04:06 AM (DljPa)
10
Oh.My.Gawd! You have to post a pic of the new YOU!! Get going missy.
Posted by: toni at July 28, 2005 09:27 AM (SHqVu)
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I thought I remember someone making some comment about there being little kids in China who could donate hair for wigs...;-)...Can't wait to see what you look like!
Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at July 28, 2005 04:24 PM (zTqcv)
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Sarah joins such illustrious family members as Alexis Jonak, daughter of my sister Anne, in donating hair to Locks of Love. Alexis was 6 1/2 when she had hers cut off. I was so proud of her and I told her that now she had the hair I have always wanted to have! I'm sure you look great, Sarah. I can't wait to tell Alexis what you did.
Love, Kate
Posted by: Kate Ross at July 28, 2005 04:41 PM (W/4Ld)
13
Sarah - the donation of your hair to such a worthy cause is totally sweet, and incredibly generous!
Posted by: Barb at July 29, 2005 12:29 PM (g9qHI)
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July 12, 2005
MEETING
Today I was trying to remember when I first read Bunker Mulligan. I was happy, and tearful, to find that I had
documented the occasion:
The sphere grows every day. You write a post. Maybe someone notices it. Oh, look, a comment. And they've left a link to their own blog. And then you go there and realize that you now have yet another blog you'd like to read every day and you're running out of time in the day.
Shoot. That just happened to me.
Mike left a comment, so I went to his blog and found an amazing post on intelligence. There's so much there, but one tidbit is
To truly be "smart," you must have knowledge and experience. And those must both be broad and eclectic. Knowledge can come from books, but experience only comes from doing something other than reading and writing. Unfortunately, many people feel they can get by with one or the other. I've known some very intelligent people with loads of knowledge who cannot judge distance, hammer a nail, or relate an allegory to anything in their lives. I've known people with years of experience doing things who cannot understand theoretical concepts well enough to capitalize on that experience. The "intellectual elite" fall into the former category.
I started reading his site again from the beginning, and I found one bit that made me smile:
Like Twain, I shy away from organized churches. I've found a better relationship with God on my own. My cathedral has 18 holes, bunkers, tee boxes, water hazards, and greens. I'm closer to God on the golf course than I am sitting in a pew surrounded by people who believe almost the way I do.
If there's a heaven, Bunker's playing golf there every day.
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I was just looking at my blogroll and thought for a moment about removing the link to his site but I could not bring myself to do it. The world is a poorer place without him in it, but thinking of him playing golf in Heaven made me smile. Thanks
Posted by: Cerberus at July 13, 2005 03:26 AM (nzIoS)
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I haven't been able to take him off bookmarks or the blogfeeds I read, either. I'm still feeling I failed him in some way. Or maybe I just failed in follow through on what he suggested. I know it's silly but I feel I failed a lot of people by not writing on what's needed in education, life, etc. And mayabe that is conceited of me. I don't know but I still feel grief that we are not getting the benefit of his wisdom anymore.
Posted by: Ruth H at July 13, 2005 04:40 PM (o+WT7)
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Me too, Ruth. I find at least one thing every day that I'd like to hear his opinion on...
Posted by: Sarah at July 13, 2005 04:52 PM (X9WY3)
4
Yeah to all of that. Man, it's funny how you miss a pen pal like that, isn't it?
And I haven't been back to the golf course yet, either.
God Speed Bunker.
Thanks, Sarah: you're a gem. And thanks to your husband for his dedicated service, from a veteran.
Posted by: Paulie at The Commons at July 13, 2005 09:18 PM (4KwiQ)
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