Fourth of July.

David's family came to visit, so we packed up and went to the parade.  It was hot, in the 90's and we had to sit and wait quite a while for the parade to start.  Mike took Nathan for a little walk down the street and came back with a balloon.

David's just chillin', waiting for the parade to start.

Abby had to work today.  At least she got to work at the parade.  She and a co-worker had to walk along the entire parade route handing out flyers for the custard/pretzel shop where she works.

I looked over and saw this girl laying in the middle of the street!  Oh NO!!!! Did the heat get to her?  I hope that girl can help her. 

But then I noticed the girl was just moving around her, then I noticed she had a piece of sidewalk chalk and was just outlining her body on the street.  .......silly girls.

Airplanes kept buzzing the parade route overhead.  Then this glider came by.

We all stand for the flag.

This group goes all over the nation performing their stunts.  These ladies straddle two horses for the entire route.  The one in the middle will turn 50 next year.  I went to high school with her.  I kind of hate to say that because then everyone can see how far down the physical slope I've gone compared to her.

One thing about us Idahodians is that we just love to gussy up our horse's rear ends. 

You can brush the hair into intricate patterns....adorn it with flowers,.........or use some hairspray and glitter that sucker to death.

Please note the sign.  Yes, it says Tractor Racing.

Here are some of the contestants.

I'm pretty sure this big boy would be disqualified.  Too new.  But this is how the farmers "ride in style" now.  Air conditioned, stereo systems, and probably a nice little mini-fridge behind the seat.

We saw a lot of very nice old cars.

A lot of candy was thrown out for the kids.  This little girl decided to just sit in the street and take stock.

One of the more popular entries was the National Guard.  They sprayed down the crowd.  People loved it!

In the afternoon we had a picnic in the park.  Nathan couldn't wait to finish eating so he could go play.

Later on most of the family went to the baseball game.  I stayed home with Abby and Nathan, introduced Nathan to the joys of eating strawberries straight out of the garden and watched Toy Story. 

It was a pretty good day.

It’s been a very long time since I posted anything. For a while I just had no desire. I didn’t want to write anything depressing, or negative. A lot of things in my family’s life were falling apart. I just couldn’t bring myself to write about it all. Writing about it would require thinking about it, and I was doing my best to think positive, energetic, life-affirming thoughts.

Then a few interesting things happened and my mom or my daughter would say, “You should blog about that”. It kind of got me thinking that maybe I should.

So, here goes the first story. Actually this is the latest story. This happened to me yesterday.

A student came in to my office and asked me how to access one of the network drives. I told her it was not a problem! “Let’s go into the computer lab and I’ll show you how to do it.” She informed me she had class in a couple of minutes but could come back after it let out. “Great! I’ll see you in an hour.”

You would think I could remember longer than 60 minutes, but apparently not.

I look up from my desk to see a young lady standing there expectantly looking at me. I said, “Hi, can I help you?” She kind of looked at me funny, said yes, and then kept looking at me. Suddenly I realized it was that same girl who needed to get on one of the network drives.

“Okay, let’s go into the computer lab. You log on and then I’ll show you what to do.” While she was logging on I walked a few steps away to check the network address and then walked back.

Pointing to the screen I said, “Okay, click the start button and then go to My Computers”. She looked up at me curiously and said, “will this get me to Google Earth?”

“No.

Now after clicking My Computer you click Tools and Map Network drive.”

She obediently did everything I asked.

“Now in this box you need to type this.”

As she was typing I happened to look up and met the gaze of the girl in the next row. She was looking at me like I had green horns or something.

Suddenly it dawned on me.

I was helping the wrong girl!

Apparently I can’t remember longer than 2 minutes either.

After expressing extreme embarrassment and apologizing to the poor girl who just wanted to get on Google Earth and complete her assignment, and begging her to “please forget the last 3 minutes of my life.” I turned my attention back to the right student.

I know she thinks I’m an idiot, and after that little experience I would have to agree with her.

I originally posted this on Feb 17, 2007.  It's been on my mind for the last couple of weeks, since my Dad passed on.  I wanted to repost it.

Sunset Lesson

       This week my boss' father died.  He was in a nursing home for over a year and was in failing health.  I watched my boss make emergency trips, one after another to his father's side because of a medication reaction, or a fall out of a chair, or extremely low oxygen levels in his blood.  I've watched a devoted son struggle to maintain his composure as he watched his father decline farther and farther down a spiral to death.  He confided in me one day that it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion - you know what's going to happen, yet you're powerless to do anything but watch the wreckage pile up. 

I've looked at many sunsets.

~While driving home from work I've gazed at the sky, maybe longer than is safe, and thought, "Wow, look at that!"

~While walking through the house I've glanced out the window.  "Quick, where's my camera?" and then made a mad dash out to the front yard to get the best shot.

~While taking out the trash I've stopped for a moment to just gaze at the beauty in the skies above me.

        I've even sat outside to watch the sun actually set.  At least that's what I thought I was doing; but I had my dog with me - and we played, or I had a friend with me - and we talked.

        A couple of days ago I decided to watch the sun set.  I could feel a good one coming on.  There were some interesting clouds in the western sky.  The weather had warmed up in the last few days, from negative 15 to 30 above.  It almost felt balmy.

        I took my camera with me and walked out onto my driveway.  It was the only spot in my yard I could stand without either sinking in the mud or having my shoes fill up with the icy cold slush left from two feet of melting snow. 

        I just stood there - facing west.

        The sky was a somber tone of grey - a few of the clouds just above the western horizon were still rimmed with white.  As I quietly stood gazing I began to detect subtle changes.  The sky above me shifted in tiny increments darker and darker.  I could actually see the shifts.

        medium grey - {shift}

        midnight blue/medium grey - {shift}

        darker still

        tiny twinges of orange began to kiss the edges of certain clouds - {shift}

        now, on more clouds - {shift}

        I was watching for the sunset - the one worthy of a picture.  Surely this must be the best it’s going to be - {shutter snap}

        a few minutes pass.......

        Oh, the colors are richer, the hues more vivid.   - {shutter snap}

        The sun was just the tiniest sliver still peeking over the horizon.  The clouds subtly shift, revealing an interesting blend of sky, clouds, and distant hills in an equally interesting blend of orange, pink and cerulean blue. I take the picture.

        I am inspired, renewed and feeling contented.  I retreat to my house and get caught up in waiting tasks.  I almost forget the sunset.....

        and then I pass a window.

        Surely this can't be the same sky, the same day, the same setting sun.  What was only a short while ago a pretty sky has magically transformed into gorgeous richness and beauty magnified many times.   I am awestruck.  I am glad that I didn't miss seeing this.  I am grateful for the gift in the sky.

        And I start to think. 

        about my boss and his father, and death.

        We see the decline.  But some of the inner beauty starts to  glow.  If we stop and stand and just enjoy the moments we have

         we will feel inspired, renewed and contented.

        And when that day comes when we think they are gone for good

         we will go back to the waiting tasks, and maybe

        that's when we'll pass a window and see

        that they aren't really gone.

        The memories we have of them

        and the influences they've had on us

        will magically transform into gorgeous richness and beauty,

        magnified many times over.

        And we can be grateful for the gift of life.