Tyler's Birthday Party (a couple of weeks ago)

The guys at the bowling alley - where they had a great time! I wasn't sure, as there are a couple of pretty "cool" guys here, but they really got into the spirit of the thing and were as enthusiastic as 14 year olds get about other things than skateboarding and computer games. After bowling we went to see The Spiderwick Chronicles - a wonderful adventure (but too scary for much younger children in my opinion).

A veritable thicket of huge shoes. There were more on the other side of the door.
Tyler's cake of choice is Mom's Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting. This was after they polished off about six Little Caesar's pizzas.
For sanity reasons, Michael needed his own best friend over for the day and night too, so there were SIX teenage boys at the house. Thank goodness for Priscilla's presence, but after she went home, I hid.

Snow Peas

Grin

If you're up against a bruiser and you're getting knocked about -

Grin.

If you're feeling pretty groggy, and you're licked beyond a doubt -

Grin.

Don't let him see you're funking, let him know with every clout,

Though your face is battered to a pulp, your blooming heart is stout;

Just stand upon your pins until the beggar knocks you out -

And grin.

This life's a bally battle, and the same advice holds true

Of grin.

If you're up against it badly, then it's only one on you,

So grin.

If the future's black as thunder, don't let people see you're blue;

Just cultivate a cast-iron smile of joy the whole day through;

If they call you "Little Sunshine," wish that they'd no troubles, too -

You may - grin.

Rise up in the morning with the will that, smooth or rough,

You'll grin.

Sink to sleep at midnight, and although you're feeling tough,

Yet grin.

There's nothing gained by whining, and you're not that kind of stuff;

You're a fighter from away back, and you won't take a rebuff;

Your trouble is that you don't know when you have had enough -

Don't give in.

If fate should down you, just get up and take another cuff;

You may bank on it that there is no philosophy like bluff,

And grin.

A taste of the philosophy of Robert Service.

Why Nobody Pets the Lion at the Zoo

The morning that the world began
The Lion growled a growl at Man.

And I suspect the Lion might
(If he'd been closer) have tried a bite.

I think that's as it ought to be
And not as it was taught to me.

I think the Lion has a right
To growl a growl and bite a bite.

And if the Lion bothered Adam,
He should have growled right back at 'im.

The way to treat a lion right
Is growl for growl and bite for bite.

True, the Lion is better fit
For biting than for being bit.

But if you look him in the eye
You'll find the Lion's rather shy.

He really wants someone to pet him.
The trouble is: his teeth won't let him.

He has a heart of gold beneath
But the Lion just can't trust his teeth.

by John Ciardi

Test Results

Have you seen Elizabethtown, with Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom? (Good movie, btw)There's a scene where she says to him, "You failed! You failed, you failed, you failed. You failed..." You get the idea. But I didn't lose a billion dollars for a shoe company. I just didn't pass the board exam! By one point. That's right, 165 questions, I failed by one point. Sigh. So I'll reschedule, pay another $119, pay another $70 for online practice test helps, and take it again. In light of the the murder this week of a lady from our church (a huge influence on the jr hi kids of this community) and the attempted murder of her husband, and the subsequent arrest of their son, failing a test just doesn't seem like that big a deal.

This week's Thursday Poem, a day early

Being a rabid LOTR fan, what else could this water make me think of than Return of the King? Gandalf reassuring Pippen that the end of life is only the beginning, and then Annie Lennox sings this poignant song that I offer to you:

"Lay down your sweet and weary head.

Night is falling,

You have come to journey's end.

Sleep now and dream of the ones who came before.

They are calling from across the distant shore.

Why do you weep?

What are these tears upon your face?

Soon you will see,

all of your fears will pass away,

Safe in my arms,

you're only sleeping.

What can you see on the horizon?

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea a pale moon rises.

The ships have come to carry you home.

And all will turn to silver glass,

A light on the water,

All souls pass.

Hope fades into the world of night.

Through shadows falling out of memory and time.

Don't say we have come now to the end.

White shores are calling.

You and I will meet again.

And you'll be here in my arms,

just sleeping.

What can you see on the horizon?

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea a pale moon rises.

The ships have come to carry you home.

And all will turn to silver glass,

A light on the water,

Gray ships pass into the west.

Sunset at Tidal Raves

We were so glad our reservations were for 5 pm instead of later. This was the sky shortly after we arrived, from our window table.

The color kept intensifying...
The water kept boiling and crashing...
One last shining ray up into the sky...
Okay, another one...
And it was gone! I think it was the best ocean sunset ever. I just couldn't get over it. Oh, and the food was perfectly gourmet as usual.

Unbe-stinking-lieveable!

I'll post more later, but just for those who are wondering how I did on the test - me too!!! After the test I was informed that it could take 4-6 WEEKS before I am notified of the results - by snail mail. When do these people live - in the 16th century???!!! So this is a suck it up and grit my teeth time.

Really pretty pictures from the sunset dinner at Tidal Raves last night will be posted soon!