September 23

This morning the kids and I headed out to Petsmart. Ruthie had decided that she wanted to spend her hard-earned cash on a finch and it didn't take her long to find a perfect little fluff of a bird, a female shaft-tail finch. After getting the cage cleaned and ready for Princess Mint Black-chin, Ruthie spent the rest of the afternoon teaching her how to read.

I'm grateful the house has bird song in it once more.

September 22

This morning, I am grateful I could find last year's snow scraper.

September 21

I always worry when my caller ID shows the number for the kids' school. It is usually the secretary, calling to tell me that one of them is ill and would I please come take them home. But today as I answered, Principal Rhees' voice greeted me. Oh, no! I had sudden flashbacks to Luke's kindergarten and 1st grade years, when I was a regular visitor to Ms. Rhees' office as we attempted to set him on the straight and narrow.

I'm grateful that he wasn't in trouble. Ms. Rhees described an itchy, painful rash he had developed below the knee of his left leg. I took him back to the office and after looking at them closely, realized that he probably had "swimmer's itch", picked up from his pond adventure yesterday. Of course, we'll watch him closely for any signs of worsening, but he was already much more comfortable by the evening.

September 20

As a mother, I am aware and concerned about all of the added sodium in processed foods, but sometimes their availability can make dinner preparation so much easier! Take for example, breakfast burritos.

Old way:

1. Start pot of water to boil. Wash potatoes. Peel potatoes and cut out the eyes and soft spots. Dice peeled potatoes into teensy-tiny cubes. Boil until soft.


2. Start bacon frying in skillet. Cook until crunchy. Let cool and break into small pieces.


3. Thaw a couple of bags of hot Roswell green chiles. Peel, deseed and devein. Cut into small pieces.


4. Finally throw eggs, potatos, bacon, cheese and chiles into skillet and cook it up to feed to grumpy, hungry children.

Elapsed time: 90 minutes, if you're lucky

New way:

1. Thaw a couple of bags of hot Roswell green chiles. Peel, deseed and devein. Cut into small pieces.


2. Dump pre-cooked bacon and frozen hashbrowns into skillet. Add eggs, cheese and chiles. Feed to happier, hungry children.

Elapsed time: Less than 30 minutes

I'm grateful for processed foods, despite the sodium. Especially on weeknights when time is scarce and grumpiness is abundant.

September 19

The foundation of the building I work within is so low to the ground that we attract all sorts of outdoor critters.

Once I remember rounding the corner to the copier room only to come face to face with a young garter snake. He was reared up like a cobra in an attempt to defend himself and scare me off. It worked.

We've also held rockchuck rodeos more times than I can remember. The babies of that rodent species are so dumb I find it amazing there are any that grow into adults. They get inside our building and it can take half an afternoon to get them out. These little guys will manage to corner themselves in a straight-shot hallway.

But the most common of all our uninvited nature guests are the spiders. And the biggest, most hairy always seem to find their way to Blaine's desk. His response is always a quick stomp of the foot.

I'm grateful he didn't smash this mama wolf spider though. She was heavy with her little babies and moved at half-speed (which was nice, considering I was on my belly and about 6 inches from her to take this shot). After watching her carry those babies around as if she were the bus and squeezing off a couple more photos, I escorted her back outside. I'm sure we'll be seeing at least one of her passengers in the future.

September 18

I'm grateful to have Chancel Choir back in session. Evelyn, our choir leader, is a saint and has chosen some beautiful music for this year. I'm also grateful that our regular accompanist, Kathy, has come back to us. I will be able to lend my voice to the music making instead of my fingers!

September 17

I'm grateful that Hart clued me into the monarch butterfly's presence this afternoon. They've been pretty scarce around here ever since that great big die-off, from the freezing temperatures back in 2002. Unfortunately, I only got to snap this one photo before it spooked and flew away, but at least it was in focus!