10/16: Bits and Pieces

There is so much going on that sometimes we don't have time to update this blog. Our apologies.

Kid Whispers:
Something's happened to Weslee, my almost 12-year-old. Yesterday he asked me to take him today for a buzz haircut. Today, while we were at Wal-Mart waiting for our turn at the stylist, he saw a lady struggling to put a cart away, and ran over to help her. He's thanking me for his meals, and his showers are shortening to 5 minutes. He willingly does his schoolwork, and takes the dog for 2 or 3 walks a day.

He's always been loving, running up to hug the biggest scarriest bikers when he was just a toddler. Weslee melted many hearts, with his quick smile, bright laughter, carroty-bronzy curly hair and cleft chin.

For the past several years, though, he's been obstinate and, well, just not nice. Argumentative. Struggling to find himself, and to justify his love to child-type things (cartoons) while growing up. He's been difficult to live with.

While I was his sole parent for the first 10 years of his life, I now share the responsibility with my new husband. We're still finding our way as a family, and it's been hard.

Our mantra: Patience. Space. Love.

Now my tween is growing up. He's outgrown pants he wore comfortably only 4 months ago. His voice is changing. He's growing hair in other places (ah mom!). But most of all, I think he's starting to accept it's not just him and me against the world, that we have Doug in our corner. Oh, and our new dog, Spirit!

Our new mantra: Trust. Responsibility. Honesty. and Patience. Space. Unconditional Love.

Backyard Grocery:
We had a couple nights of hard freezes this week. Good thing we brought in everything that could be harvested, including a butternut squash that wasn't quite ready yet. We also brought in the blueberry bushes, pots with the asparagus, and several tomatoes, among other things. Doug has attached a grow light in the family room, and still has two more to put in the front window for the tomatoes.

We brought the rest of the tomatoes from the backyard to the front porch. Due to the warmth of the house, they all survived the freeze, so we'll have lots of tomatoes still to come.

I've decided, though, that I don't like Autumn. All of these plants that we babied through the first sprouts peeking through the dirt, through the extreme heat and drought of Summer are beginning to die. The gourd leaves blackened from the freeze. The corn stalks are dry and white. The peppers, squashes and eggplants are withered. Sad.

But... we are blessed. We have enough frozen and dehydrated fruits and veggies, along with Winter squashes and drying sunflowers stored in the basement to last us to the Spring.

This was our experiment year. Next year we'll correct our mistakes and by next Autumn will have enough to last not only TO Spring but through it and into Summer.

New View Group LLC:
We finally found a forum hosting service so we've added that to our website. Over the next week, we'll add lots of topics to the forum, and we still have articles and other info to add to the website. Be sure to use the chat setup too!

Politics:
I'm supposed to reduce stress to help with my heart palpitations, but against doctor's orders, I watched the (last) presidential debate last night. Or tried to. I kept switching channels because, frankly, I expected better.

I expected McCain to not be mean this time. To give details about his plans. To put a positive spin on his issues.

And I expected Obama to stand up to McCain a little more. To give a few more details about his plans. To not let McCain get away with so much.

I understand that a lot of people who are pro-gun plan to vote for McCain/Palin because Palin is so pro-gun. And I understand that a lot of people who are against abortion will support McCain because he wants Roe Vs Wade overturned.

Don't vote for just ONE issue. We need to vote for what's overall best for our country, the United States of America.

John McCain's Campaign:
For the past several days now, Doug's cell phone has been getting recorded messages. Daily. Using up our minutes. We called them once to tell them to take the cell phone number off their list, but so far, it's been ignored. (These calls are called "robo calls".)

I just went to McCain's website. I thought about calling (Phone: 703-418-2008 ) but they'll just capture my cell phone number and use it! I thought about writing (John McCain 2008 // P.O. Box 16118 // Arlington, VA 22215) but that would take too long.

So .... I left a message using their contact form. It said:

We keep getting your taped messages on our cell phone and it's using up our minutes. STOP immediately or we'll send you a bill for the overage. Vikki and Doug Williams [cell number].

Let's hope that works.

Vikki http://www.newviewgroupllc.com/