May no soldier go unloved

is the motto of Soldiers' Angels.
When the war with Iraq first began, I thought a lot about the stories my parents told me about growing up during the Second World War.
How everyone sacrificed and pulled together for the war effort.
They donated pots and wrought iron fences for munitions.
They lived on food rations.

My uncle told a funny story:
His Mum would send a couple of the kids to join a queue whenever she heard of one forming outside a shop. He said they often wouldn't know what they were queuing for until they got close to the shop. One time he stood in line for over two hours. The shop ran out of whatever it was they were selling. He never did find out what it was he stood in line for.

I missed that feeling of unity and felt as if I wanted to sacrifice something too; that the military and their families shouldn't be the only ones hurting.
So I spearheaded an effort to send care packages to soldiers.
We sent over 40 packages and it felt like a good endeavour.
The warm fuzzy feeling lasted for a good year or two.

Then (through Michael Yon) I found Soldiers' Angels.

SA is a non-profit that was founded by the mother of two soldiers.
It is now almost 200,000 volunteers and 30 teams strong.
Through Soldiers' Angels you can:
* Adopt a soldier, writing to them regularly and sending care packages.
* Make blankets for wounded soldiers or deployed soldiers.
* Sew for infants of deployed soldiers.
* Bake treats for deployed soldiers.
* Write supportive letters or cards for deployed soldiers.
* Help support families at home.
* Attend various functions to support troops.
* and many other small and large acts of support for our soldiers.

The photo in the last posting was of a small group of friends who went to the beach overnight. We made seven "blankets of belief" to be included in Christmas packages for deployed soldiers last year. Altogether, ladies from church and I sent 29 blankets. I got the feeling from those who donated that they got a lot of satisfaction from the project.

So if you have a niggling feeling that you could be doing a little something for our military effort, explore the SA website and see what tickles your fancy.

There is something for everyone.

A soldier will thank you.



"Mom, I'm not a soldier, I'm a MARINE!"

Now I know...

...why I had the blahs all week.
I think I'm getting sick.
My body's been fighting it since Monday and I think I'm about to succumb.
Don't you love that silent "b"? Succum-B!

I have to go teach some piano lessons and then fight myself about whether or not I should go to yoga.
Meanwhile, here's a teaser for the next post.


Who are these people and why are they so happy?

Stay tuned.

The War

The Great War, they called World War I, The War to End All Wars.
Well, now we know better; we have our own war, on several fronts.
I really think it is important to be informed on this War on Terror, wherever it takes us.
Even though it would be easier to ignore it.
Even though Obama has outlawed the phrase.
(I wonder what he wants to call it?
And does calling it something different change what it is?)

This is why I obsessively read Michael Yon's epistles from the front:
My baby boy (ornery though he is) will likely be in Afghanistan before the year is up.

I don't normally promote R-rated movies, but if you have a mind, check out this Brothers at War trailer.
I think it might be worth braving the language to gain some understanding of the situation in which our military men and women find themselves.
If you look at the website, be sure to look at the Share Your Story section.



Here, here, and here are some good stories on Gary Sinise, who is one the the few members of Hollywood to do something positive for both the military in the Middle East and also the people.
Go Gary!


I don't think I'm done with this topic.

Do you ever wonder what you can do to help?

More to come on that.

Sorry, no funnies today.

Oh, okay, if you insist.
How about this?

Somehow, a dreary day

And I don't mean the weather.
I felt a little "off" all day.
No particular reason.
Drove to facilitate a music therapy session and didn't want to go.
Wished I had called and cancelled.
Pulled out my guitar when I got there and discovered I had forgotten to put the strap back on it after a friend borrowed it this weekend.
Do you know how IMPOSSIBLE it is to walk around while playing a guitar with no strap?
Well it is!
I managed to jimmy a strap out of some ribbon and the session was great.
Music and human interaction energized me.
By the time I got home I was tired and sad-sacking it again.
Five piano lessons wore me out.
Dinner was frozen french fries and fish sticks.
I was gloomy.

Maybe it was too much weekend.

Jeff and I went car shopping on Saturday.
We were strong and did NOT come home with a new car.
We drove some very nice Mustangs.
I liked them surprisingly well.
We found a couple of cars that seem to be good possibilities.
Not Mustangs, sorry Bethany.
Time and our mechanic (Bruce, did I mention him already?) will tell.

Saturday night we went to a church talent show of sorts.
We sang some Everly Brothers songs with our friend Ron.
Maybe I will post pictures later.

Yesterday was Jeff's birthday.
All the family came over.
Nine adults and six kids.

We ate pulled pork with homemade hoagie buns.
And a dark chocolate-cherry cake with whipped cream filling and ganache icing.
Oh my.
After which, all six kids ran back and forth through the house like screaming banshees.
This was one of the four days a years that I wish I had a bigger house.

My Mum is visiting from New Zealand for three months.
Here she is shooting Jon's paintball gun last night.


And in a quieter moment, reading to Natalie.


Day off tomorrow.

Maybe I'll take a nap.

Hi ho, hi ho, off I go....

to the Better Living Show tomorrow at the Expo Centre.
All kinds of fun stuff for GREEN living.
Last year I got my two kiwi plants.
The male died, sniff, but the nursery replaced him.
With a much more virile male, obviously, because he survived Oregon's very tough winter.
In a couple of years, I hope to have lots of these.


I also discovered Solatubes, a very nifty invention, of which we now own two.
My formerly dim living room and VERY DARK hallway thank me.
The same company also installed an attic fan, which lives inconspicuously on top of the roof and uses solar power to suck the hot air out of the attic whenever the inside temperature triggers the thermostat.

How cool is that?

A small rant

I can't figure out why people drink bottled water.

Let's look at the reasons to NOT drink it.

1. It takes lots of energy (think "terrorist oil") to produce the empty bottles and ship the full ones.
2. The discarded bottles use up lots of landfill space.
3. Messy people create litter when they don't bother to throw them away in a rubbish bin.
4. It is expensive.
5. Most of the time it doesn't even taste very good.
6. Bottled water is often plain old tap water.
7. Most bottled water is wasted. When was the last time you went to a function and DIDN'T see mostly-full bottles of water being tossed away.
8. It takes up grocery store shelf space that could be used more productively by purveyors of CHOCOLATE.
9. Sometimes, INNOCENT BYSTANDERS GET HIT IN THE HEAD BY A FULL BOTTLE OF WATER THAT IS BEING KICKED AROUND BY STUPID TEENAGERS.
10. I'll think of another one in a minute.

Now, the reasons TO drink bottled water.

Ummmmmm.

1. The REALLY EXPENSIVE ones taste good.
But so does the water from my Brita pitchers, of which I have two in my fridge.


2. Water in third world countries is not safe to drink.
But let's see....we're not in a third world country, are we?
3. If not for bottled water, we would use more paper cups.
So carry a nice eco-water bottle already.
Like this:


Here is the link to these nifty Eco bottles. They are a little spendier than plastic bottles but healthier for you and sturdier.

Now, are you convinced?

P.S. Did you notice I further refined my linking skills?

Sue's Very Horrible Friday

Here it is (although I am SO over it already).
I had a doctor's appointment at Good Sam Hospital on Friday morning.
Didn't want to go, but duty bid me do it.
Jeff came too.
Probably just to make sure that I actually went.
We were planning a nice lunch together at Quizno's.

Time spent waiting in doctor's office: ONE HOUR.

Detoured over the west hills of Portland on the way home.
It was a pleasant drive, guided by TomTom.

Left a package at a friend's apartment.
Tried to start the car.
Nothing.
Tried again.
Still nothing.
Called favourite mechanic.
His name is Bruce and you can't have him.
Unless you already do.
He said, "Sounds like the fuel pump. Hit on the gas tank and maybe it will get you home."
Jeff pounded on the gas tank with a rock.
It got us to the end of the driveway.
Called insurance company.

Time spent on phone arranging a tow: TEN MINUTES

Time spent waiting for tow truck: ONE HOUR.

Time spent waiting for driver to hoist the car onto his flatbed: HALF AN HOUR.

Drive home in a very bumpy, smelly tow truck: ONE HOUR.

Time spent shopping on the way home as planned: ZERO HOURS.

Time Jeff got home from work after all the delays: ELEVEN O'CLOCK PM.

Money paid to tow company over the covered amount: THIRTY DOLLARS.

Number of delicious Quizno's chicken carbonara sandwiches eaten by ME on Friday: ZERO


Phooey.