Happy Birthday, America!

If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American where as least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land. God bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,
across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea,

From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,
Well, there’s pride in every American heart,
and it’s time to stand and say:

I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land. God bless the U.S.A

--words and music written by Lee Greenwood

I'm Feeling No Good to Do Good

Yesterday I spent seven hours holding PTA end-of-year financial audits and IRS filings at my house. I had great help from my wonderful, though a little deranged, friends who work in PTA along side me.

One school is in full blown melt down mode, and most of the others are just floating on into the new school year just fine. I worked with the melt-down situation as my dear friends finished the other business for me.

To finish the paperwork and get things turned into my supervisor on schedule, I had run them to another PTA mom's home in the neighboring town. That finished, I was thinking ahead to getting The Girl and her BFF picked up for the pool in time to still catch my ride with Dear Friend Wendy to go to the movies that night, as planned.

Less than 100 yards from the 35 MPG sign that sits on our town's side of the street I was coming home on, I get pulled over. This is the neighboring town cop that tell em I was doing 37 in the 25 zone. Oh, and he motioned to the 200 yards behind me where the other sign was posted.

Giving me attitude that he was doing me a favor (and Genius Golfer says he really was) he told me that he was putting me down for 5 over. And "drive safely".

He couldn't have missed that my car is full of Girl's Camp junk in the back, PTA junk in the middle, and obviously I am a car that hauls my kids and all their friends around all summer.

Where is the LOVE?! Dang it...I feel a little like Eeyore, with the little rain cloud over my head. And next week if Girl's Camp. Not the best beginning I could have thought of for my week of service.

Fiscal Financial Finish

Today is the first official day of the new PTA year. Today, at my house, is also the day for ten appointments I have set for collecting the end of year financial reports from the ten schools I oversee.

Yikes. Almost enough to make me start back on the Diet Coke.

Almost, but not quite.

Funny Thought

Michelangelo's masterpiece, David, is to be returned to Italy. A bit of cultural news for a welcome change. International co-operation.










After a two year loan to the United States, Michelangelo's David is being returned to Italy. Lazy Americans.

Unstructured Time

I am not sure what The Girl was doing this particular day. Her best friend, Nicole, was over and they were painting, but I believe more paint got on them than on the paper.

There is something to be said, however, for their self-motivated creativity. I recall hours on end spent outside doing heaven knows what but having the time of my life as a kid.

I don't think kids have that kind of free rein anymore. I wish they did. Sadly the world is full of, what my friend's mom called, "pre-verts", so it is honestly more difficult to let them alone with quite the same abandon as when I was a kid. BUt they do well to learn how to entertain themselves.

As the kids get older, they seem more and more reliant on electronics and gadgets to fill their time. They need a game boy, an iPod, or a cell phone to find their own amusement. Too bad they grow out of the stage so quickly where the box is more exciting than their present.

I bequeath each of you at least thrity minutes of unstructured play time this weekend. Don't plan it too much, though. Just play. And don't be too worried if it even gets a little messy.

Still Waiting

I can't believe it is already June 28th! What happened to summer?! Who described this time of year as the "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer"? Crazy, yes. Lazy, not on your life.

Saturday I got The Boy off to Timberline camp--scout camp with a leadership emphasis. He'll be gone a week. I had fanciful plans to get a lot of things done while he was gone. I think I may get to about a third of them.

Next week at this time, The Girl and I will be off to Girls Camp for a week and by the time we get home, immediately have another swim meet, it will be the middle of JULY!

People, what is going on here?! Where does the time go?

The week after we get home, The Boy and Genius Golfer--in his role as assistant scoutmaster--are going to Scout camp for a week. I'm still not exactly sure where they are going, but GG is going too, so I have sort of delegated that worry to him. They will get home in time to have the final week of swim practice and the county finals meets (The Gold meet is on The Girl's birthday) and then it will be August!

Yikes!!!

So much for the opportunity summer will give me to sit by the pool with my favorite book and a big cup of ice water with my feet up. I'm still waiting to pencil that day in the schedule.

Video Sunday

If I had found this earlier this would've been my choice for Video Sunday last week. Instead, you get a Father's Day remix...or, part 2. I don't know enough rap songs to even know the original this is based on, but this one is enough to enjoy without the reference. Oh, that every family had a dad in it like this...these guys "get it".