A Flock of Flamingos

I'll bet you didn't know that when flamingos migrate, they do so mainly at night. (Oh, the things one can learn from using Google!) These bright birds can travel about 370 miles in one night at approximately 31-37 mph. 

Over the weekend a flock of pink flamingos landed on our lawn. It was indeed a nighttime migration. We do know that these birds only traveled about 7.5 miles from Daisy Court. Thanks, Youngs!

 I wonder where they are migrating to?  

In order to make 'em fly away, we merely needed to make a donation to "Avon Walk for Breast Cancer." For a $10 donation, the birds would be removed. For an extra five bucks, we could choose who the next recipient (victim?) would be. That's a pretty clever way to run a fundraiser, eh? 

Our neighbors were wondering what was going on with the colorful lawn art, so they also were willing to pay somebody to make the foul fowl vanish.

I wanted to contribute to this fundraiser since breast cancer research is near & dear to my heart (or someplace relatively close), so the birds are off to a new location. 

I do not know the gal who is raising money for breast cancer research, but I appreciate what she's doing. Check out her donation website & sponsor her, if you feel compelled to do so. I am sure that any amount will be appreciated.

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

A little sleep, a little slumber

It has been reported that cats sleep an average of 16 hours each day. Zzzzzzz.... I'll bet that was a really fun job collecting the data for that research project. Ha! Although I have not conducted any scientific research on the matter, I would say that our two cats appear to sleep even more than 16 hours out of every 24. True, they are large and lazy beasts, but those are attributes of the Maine Coon breed that appeal to us. Bartholomew and Jemima are very low-maintenance, non-demanding pets. Quiet, too. That's only because they are asleep all of the time.

Purrhaps Millie could take this "cat nap study" on as a 5th grade science research project. Well, maybe not. I don't really care how much sleep B and J are getting. I know it's a lot more slumber than I'm getting. Just look at 'em.
I'm jealous. Nothing seems to bother these two kitties once they are asleep. Not so for me. I awoke again at 4:30 this morning, probably because that's what time I got up yesterday morning. My internal alarm just went off. And there, at the foot of my bed, lay a sleeping feline. Or maybe he was lying... ;-) It wasn't long before I began questioning the proper usage of lie, lay, lain. Arrrgh! Next I contemplated the horribly abused apostrophe. (But that's a topic for another day.) Then I tried to remember if I had really locked the back door before I went to bed. It's these kinds of silly thoughts that keep me from going back to sleep. It's really dark at that hour, and quiet, and kind of boring if you are the only one awake pondering proper grammar and such.

I know why the cats can sleep the better part of the day. They don't have to worry about word usage, punctuation, etc. -- their only concern is if the litter box is clean or if there is enough food and water. It's a rough life. They are both napping right now.

Our cats seek out the sunniest spots they can find for an afternoon snooze, but they don't need directions or a map to get to the land of Nod. They wake up just long enough to reposition themselves so as to stay in the direct path of the sunbeam. Why does warm sunshine make people/animals so sleepy? I have to admit that I, too, sometimes fall victim to the sleep-inducing properties of a sun-drenched sofa when Millie is reading her history lesson aloud to me, especially if I've been awake since 4:30 in the morning. Uh-oh! It looks like this afternoon is going to be a tough one for me. I'm sleep-deprived, and it's sunny. I just hope that I don't start snoring too loudly. I am my father's daughter, you know.

What have we been up to?

I don't have a creative theme or topic for this entry, nor do I have any photos, so this one will be more of a laundry list of what we have been doing the first few weeks of 2009.

Mr. Smith has been/is currently on the road. I am certain that there are some frequent flyer miles accumulating somewhere. Since the start of the new year, D. has been in Flagstaff for a couple of days, & he was in Ft. Worth for four days last week. Yes, he was here over the weekend! We all got up at 4:25 a.m. this morning to send him off to St. Louis, where it is brrrrr-cold. On Wednesday, he is scheduled to fly to Little Rock. Thursday evening it's off to Phoenix for Friday meetings. Finally, on Friday evening, we will get to see his smiling face back here in Roseville. There is another trek to Ft. Worth planned for the first part of February, so we'll keep his rollerbag accessible.

I'm not sure what I'm up to, but I seem to keep busy. :-) In this new year, I tried really hard to read The Shack (by William Young); however, I simply could not get beyond the first ten pages, or so. This book has been recommended as a "must read" by many friends. And these are recommendations from friends who normally have similar literary tastes to mine. I must not have been in the right frame of mind the five different times I sat down to read it, coffee in one hand, paperback in the other. A short read like this would normally not take me much time to read, but I just couldn't do it. I did talk to one other friend who had a similar experience, so we both agreed to put the book down & just say, "No" to reading it. I am currently looking for a replacement book. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Since we don't watch TV around here, I need something to do while my mister is hopping from state to state.

Classes resumed at Sierra College last week, and M. is enrolled in another math class this semester. This time he's taking Trigonometry. He is also back at the gym working with his personal trainer 3X/week. (That's the home schooler's version of P.E.) He had to take a week off from the workout routine to allow his mouth to heal after the oral surgery. In case you are wondering, the Tooth Fairy left M. a crispy $20 bill in exchange for the 4 whopper choppers. I know that's a bit excessive, but that's the smallest denomination that Mr. Smith...uh, er...I mean the Tooth Fairy's husband had in his wallet. I never have cash, and somehow leaving my debit card at my son's bedside just wasn't going to work.

In Dad's absence, Jr. is happily driving the BMW. He's doing a great job doing the manual transmission thing -- he's no greenhorn! That boy can get to where he needs to go without stalling. Great-Grandma Mildred would be proud. :-)

Our resident ballerina had her first rehearsal for PTB's Alice in Wonderland this past weekend. Liesey was offered two roles in the spring show. She's a Fairy and the Duchess. Why is it that all ballets have fairies? The choreography & costumes are lovely for the fairy scene. The "Cook/Duchess" segment is very silly & nonsensical, so it will be quite the change from a traditional ballet dance routine. The performances are scheduled for April 18 & 19. Liesey-Lou continues to dance about 10 hours/week in her regularly scheduled classes, and now there will be additional hours each weekend with all of the rehearsal time. Looks like we will need to order more pointe shoes very soon.

Miss Millie did not audition for the spring ballet. Perhaps auditions were too soon after Nutcracker for that girl. I think she's about done with dancing, except for tap! Our little girl is looking forward to many fun play dates with friends, and many activities with the family in lieu of spending time rehearsing at the studio. This past weekend, she got all of us to go on a 13.33 mile bike ride. She measured it on Google Earth, so that is an EXACT number. Millie even packed apples, oranges, and walnuts in her bike bag so we could have a snack along the bike trail. Despite a broken bicycle chain (a new one at that) that had to be mended on the trail, and a few saddle sores, we had a great time. Oh! That reminds me that I took a picture with my cell phone. I'll have to insert it here. And I thought that I didn't have any photos to share!

New Baby

To celebrate our 21st year of "mawwage," we decided to add a new BABY to our household. Yes, you read that correctly. We didn't have to wait nine months to get her, either. She weighs in at a hefty 14 pounds and is from Italy. She's only been with us one day, and she's already fitting in.

Don't get all excited! We have not added a 4th Smithling, but we do have a new Gaggia Baby. It's an espresso machine, not a real baby. Real babies are fun, but they cannot make espresso drinks.

She's sooo photogenic! Say, "Latte!"

We experienced a bit of a bitter disappointment with the first machine we purchased -- a Sirena, designed by BMW & made by Saeco for S-bucks. We got it on sale right after Christmas, so it seemed like a good deal. What a sleek machine! "She" looked lovely on my kitchen counter, but I was interested in something more than good looks. Sirena was NOT cooperative & wouldn't heat up. We couldn't prime the pump. Nothing. Dead. We exchanged it for another one. The 2nd "Mermaid" didn't work either, even with three technically proficient people actually reading the directions. (Frequently, instruction manuals are tossed aside at our house, as we all like the challenge of making things work without the mundane task of actually reading directions.) I was just about ready to box #2 Sirena up, when I tried a few things which actually resuscitated her. She brewed a few really good cups o' espresso, but then I couldn't get the silly thing to make steamed milk. Talk about temperamental... Who, me? Or the beastly machine? I was getting steamed. Well, not really. This kind of stuff doesn't make me angry, but I do want it resolved as quickly as possible. I calmly donned my consumer affairs hat, and negotiated the return of the unwanted item. (See, that B.S. degree from Purdue does get put to use.) The manager at Star$$$ really didn't want to have to refund my money. She assured me that they have never had any other espresso makers returned, but I'm not sure I'm believing that one. She tried to get me to exchange #2 for the "3rd-time's-a-charm" special, but we were not interested. I think my very pleasant-yet-determined stance worked. Who says that nice guys (gals) finish last?

As we were searching for technical support, I read several scathing reviews (on-line) regarding this particular model. Other folks seemed to have the same woes that we experienced. It was time to start from the very beginning, a very good place to start.

After thoroughly researching several brands & models, we next decided to get a Gaggia from Whole Latte Love. I like their punny name. Although it took a while for the delivery, it was worth the labor of waiting. Our "New Baby" is a keeper. I am learning to speak Italian so she understands me. She contentedly gurgles & froths milk, and she can make a mean cup o' joe, too. We are communicating just fine.

So, if you do not hear from me or see me for a while, you will know where to find me. I'm in the kitchen where I'm going to be practicing pulling the perfect shot with just the right crema. I doubt if I'll give up my day job to become a barista at the local coffee house anytime soon. And don't worry 'bout me -- I won't be experiencing a caffeine high as a result of all my practice, as we are an unleaded household. Let's see... a double shot, skinny, decaf. latte; light on the foam, but add the whip? Nah -- I'll take the plain ol' boring decaf. Americano.

Breakin' the chain

I rarely share/forward things that I receive via e-mail unless it is something really funny. I never have liked receiving e-mail chain letters promising to magically or mysteriously produce some result or answer to prayer if it is sent to 18 people within 6.5 minutes of receipt. (DELETE! I wonder if sending the message directly to the trash counts as forwarding it to one recipient. Probably not.) At any rate, I have willfully & deliberately broken many a chain over the years, and nothing BAD has happened to me as a result of not forwarding a silly e-mail -- well, at least not yet. ;-) Plenty of really good stuff happens daily even if I don't check my inbox!

If you are looking for the missing or broken link in the "chain," I'm it. I'm not superstitious and I do not believe in luck. Prayer seems to be a much more reliable option, thank you very much.

I am concerned that now I have shared this information with you all, my "loving, yet mischievous" friends & family members will inundate my inbox with e-mail of this nature as a way of having fun at my expense. Just stick to sending friendly updates & photos. I really love receiving pictures from friends & family. (Hint! Hint!) Remember, you may kindly skip forwarding any chain letters.

The following list is from one of those e-mail messages that is meant to encourage -- there were no strings (chains?) attached. I won't be forwarding it on to anyone, but since I thought there were some practical suggestions, I am going to include it on our blog. Read it or skip it. You decide!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you
walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
Read God's word & talk to Him about what is going on
in your life. (He already knows, but he wants to hear
it from you!)

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following
statement, "My purpose is to__________ today. I am
thankful for______________."

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat
fewer foods that are manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries,
wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy
vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things
you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the
present moment.

8. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

10. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else
does.

11. You are not so important that you have to win every
argument. Agree to disagree.

12. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the
present.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no
idea what their journey is all about.

14. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

15. Frame every so-called disaster with these words:
"In five years; will this matter?"

16. Forgive everyone for everything.

17. What other people think of you is none of your
business.

18. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

19. However good or bad a situation is; it will change.

20. Your job won't take care of you when you are
sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

21. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you
need.

22. Each night before you go to bed complete the following
statements: I am thankful for__________. Today I
accomplished_________.

23. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

24. When you are feeling down, start listing your many
blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.

25. Make it a habit to NOT forward "chain letter" e-mails! :-)

Only floss the teeth you want to keep?

We are keeping these, but we certainly will NOT be flossing 'em!

M. had all four wisdom teeth extracted this afternoon. Our dentist placed the monster molars in this cute little case -- what a nice keepsake! I'm thinking that we should make some jewelry out of these pearly whites. NOT!

Our boy seems to be recovering quickly, despite the Vicodin-induced stupor. A homemade milkshake is on the menu tonight for the "patient" -- the rest of us will be eating leftover split pea soup.

I am sure that the tooth fairy will be winging by tonight. I wonder how much money four really big tusks will garner...

Happy 2009!

Our family enjoyed a yummy pot luck dinner with five other families on New Year's Eve, but we headed home WELL before midnight to avoid encountering drunk drivers & other crazies on the drive home. It's never popular to be the first to leave a fun gathering, but it did feel good to get home at a decent hour. (Every party needs a pooper.)

We actually managed to stay awake until midnight to help usher in the new year. It's an amazing accomplishment for Mr. Smith & me to stay up that late. Well, we were awake, but certainly not the life o' the party -- that's Millie's job. The Smithlings never have trouble burning the midnight oil. All three of the Smithlings are night owls; however, they do have trouble getting up the morning after a late night of revelry. And on New Year's Eve they DID imbibe a bit of the bubbly. Don't worry, it was "ciderpagne" or sparkling cider.

Opening the bottle of Martinelli's cider conjured up memories of an incident that took place many years ago when I was a junior in high school. I feel a flashback (not a hot flash) coming on! :-) A few of my "older & more mature" 12th grade friends & I convinced two 17-year-old boys that we could pass ourselves off as being 21. We went to the store & purchased two bottles of bubbly (sparkling cider), chilled it & later served it to our unsuspecting "victims." These guys were impressed with the fact that we didn't get carded. We were careful to wrap the bottle of "champagne" in a linen cloth -- to show that we had knowledge of how to serve the beverage, but mostly to conceal the label. Our serving presentation added to our credibility -- we made quite an impression on these "less cultured" individuals. After a few glasses of the effervescent liquid, the two guys appeared to be quite intoxicated. My girlfriends & I giggled about the condition of these boys, which led the young men to believe that we, too, were getting tipsy. We never revealed the truth to these two. Perhaps it is possible to act silly after a few glasses of carbonated sugary-goodness. Or maybe they were pulling one over on us. Who knows? Recalling that episode made me laugh, and the kids enjoyed hearing the tales from my youth.

Back to 2009: When the clock finally got to midnight, I got a new year's smooch from my "Schnookums." We then went outside with the kids to bang pots, whoop, holler, & awaken our neighbors. We lit a few leftover fireworks from Independence Day, but they were all pretty much duds. After approximately 1 minute of celebrating, we headed indoors to enjoy our glass of Martinelli's. What a wild party. We ARE getting old.

Once again, no one in our family made any resolutions. We are all perfect & don't need to make any changes for 2009. Yeah, right...