The novelty is g-o-n-e

October 7th.
That's the day we will close this pool.
I blogged back in August about
what happened when the rains came.
I am still so seriously contemplating change.
The tarp will be placed and we will have some time to think.
For husband, the pool was initially a novelty.
Well, the novelty has worn off.
It's work.
It's expense.
And, I truly hate the way they utilized this space
where it was placed the year before we purchased this house.

We are thinking gazebo with landscaping.
Maybe (only maybe at this point) a hot tub.
Lots to ponder while the cold winds blow.
But, it won't hurt my feelings a bit if we
are done being "pool owners."

Reaching towards the sun

The Zebra Grass is in all its splendor...
Swaying, reaching, dancing in the wind towards the sun.

We'll miss you Butch Cassidy

“What happened to the old bank? It was beautiful.”
“People kept robbing it.”
“That’s a small price to pay for beauty.”

Were any man's eyes as pretty as Paul Newman's?
What a talented actor.
What a humble man.
What a legacy he leaves
in philanthropic giving.
A real star, in every sense of the word.
May his star continue to shine brightly.

Some needed perspective

Thanks to my friend Roberta over at Spiritually Directed
for sharing this tidbit to contemplate....
Any questions?

Welcome fall

I love this time of year.
I feel the crispness of the morning
as I walk out to get my paper...
I can hear the almost audible sighs of the grass
and the trees
and the late blooms
no longer wilting in the oppressive heat.
The breeze blows,
the chimes sing
and there is finally relief.
Sweet relief.

I'm tired, and I'm weary

I can't remember a time when I felt so much personal stress over an election. Truly. I am not kidding when I say that I've had people who I both respect and love say things to me like, "Oh, so you've drank the Kool-aid?" and jokingly, "What? Are you feeling guilty about being white?"

As I've stated before, having and voicing an opinion is rather new to me in my adult life. I don't do it without feeling as if I have to defend myself and my opinion, and yet, I don't want to. I don't want to have to explain why I think, with all my heart, that Barack Obama is a breath of fresh air. I don't want to have to explain why every time I hear the man speak, I am more impressed with his ability to succinctly articulate his thoughts and plans. I don't want to explain why I think, when faced with difficult situation, his ego will be the last thing in the way of a sound decision. I feel all of this with my gut, with my heart, and with my brain. That's enough for me.

The vitriol that is being spewed makes me nauseous. The meanness and spitefulness hurts my heart. The fact that he is a bi-racial person, and that makes a difference to many people in this day and time, makes me infinitely sad.

I am ready for it all to be over. I don't want to see him have to stoop to the same tactics as his opponents. It truly seems to make him uncomfortable. I hate that his campaign has to "go there" at all. I hate that any of them have to resort to name calling and character assassination in order to gain points and votes. It's not a contest to see who can sling the best zingers.

What happened to simply stating what you think about the issues facing our nation, and letting your positions and ideas speak for themselves? Let people hear what you have to say and then let them digest it all and decide. Each and every one of us comes from a different perspective and life experience. Yours is no less valuable than mine, and we all will come to our own determination of what makes sense to us.

So, let's stop bickering about it. Let's just be quiet and listen, and then, at the end of the day, go where your heart tells you is your truth. It really is as simple as that.

Slime-o-rama

My sissy sent me this photo of a ginormous

slug she saw on her back porch wall.

She taped the quarter next to it for comparison.

Does anyone know anything about slugs?

Well, other than the reputation they've

garnered for being lazy? :c)

A healthy meal

I decided to get some healthy things to cook at the store on Saturday, as husband has recently lost 25+ pounds and I wanted him to know that I supported him in his efforts. I saw the new Ziploc Steam bags and decided to give them a try. I purchased some nice baby carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash to put in the steam bags and also some rice with peas and mushrooms as a side. I also found some seasoned tilapia fillets in the seafood section, which I thought would be good grilled with the veggies and rice. I prepared the fish on the George Foreman Grill and had this nice plate waiting for him when he got home...

He took one look and said, "My, that looks so.... healthy." Yep, it surely did. I don't cook fish at home very often at all as it tends never to taste as good as it does when you buy it out at a restaurant. But, I decided to give this a whirl, and he was game when I told him that on Monday we'd have grilled fish and veggies with rice.

As I was popping the cork on some wine, I heard him say something about adding some taste to his plate. He's not a big fish and vegetable person, and so I knew this was a stretch for him, but I knew he'd appreciate my efforts to support his eating more healthy.

I turned around to sit down at the table with my wine and burst out laughing....

He sure enough added some "taste" to his meal...

I seriously made him stop with fork in midair and wait until I grabbed the camera....

Yep, smother it with cheddar and anything tastes good!!
That's my man!

Don't you need more?

On the front cover of the new
Gardener's Supply Company catalog!
Adorably cute acorn feeders for fall.
Oh yes, I am sure I need at least ONE
more feeder, don't you? :c)

The time will come... maybe

There is no doubt about it. I thoroughly enjoyed singing in the little church choir where I was biding my time until I could go "home" again to the parish where I was baptized and confirmed. We were a small group of 10, and because we didn't sing something special every week, there was plenty of time to practice and perfect each piece we did perform. Heck, we initially were called "The Occasional Singers" until we knew that there was commitment enough to schedule a regular Monday evening practice. Only then, did we start to see ourselves as a bona-fide choir.

Last December, we did the Bach Cantata 142 along with the choir of my home parish. It was a moving experience, and one that made me know it was time for me to venture home again. The toxic rector had left, and walking back into that nave for the first time in two years, really was like going home.

Since that time, I have been hugged and asked countless time by choir members at St. T when I am going to join them. "We didn't know you could sing! Come on! Join us. Please?" I simply have smiled and told them that for now, I just needed to be out in a pew, on my knees, soaking in the joy of being back home. But the truth is that it scares me. I do not read music and have to learn music by practice. This choir has been singing together for years and years, and are so wonderful. They sing two anthems each Sunday, and of course sing the hymns and Psalm along with the congregation too. They are also a small choir, but their voices mesh so beautifully together. It intimidates me. I am afraid that I can't learn that amount of music each week, and I'll somehow always feel as if I am lagging behind or unsure of myself.

In my mind, I know that we are simply singing a joyful noise to the Lord. Even if I goofed up a bit, no one would notice but me, but still it's kept me from moving in that direction. In the other choir, we practiced and practiced pieces we did, and by the time we performed them, I felt confident. Can I learn this much music each week? I really have missed singing, I have. I belt out the hymns in the back pew and even quietly sing along with the descant on some. But taking that step of going to practice, donning a robe, and being a full fledged choir member is still causing me to pause. I want to, but I don't. I keep thinking that I'll just go to a practice, but I don't. I hate feeling so unsure and hesitant. I just keep waiting for the time to come when I'll know I am ready. But, will it? Charlie Brown sure seems confident standing there next to Linus. Wish his bravery would rub off on me.

More Alaska beauty

Yet another breathtaking scene taken by
my friend on his trip to Alaska...
I love the contrast of the cold blue ice
with the green of the trees on the bank
soaking in the sunshine.

Hope everyone has a Saturday
filled with moments to savor.

Breathing a sigh of relief

Tenex is an oral, centrally-acting, alpha2-adrenergic receptor agonist used alone or in combination with other drugs for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure).

It works by producing a decrease in sympathetic outflow, resulting in a reduction in peripheral vascular resistance, renal vascular resistance, heart rate, and blood pressure.

When we knew that puberty was no match for Lexapro alone, I was nervous. I knew what medications were out there for use in anger/aggression issues in autism, and they were not pretty. The thought of putting Sam on something that would diminish his personality in any way, and potentially cause horrid side effects had me feeling more than a wee bit anxious. Yet, I knew we had to do something. He would not be able to stay calm at school when stressed, and that was a bigger known fear than the unknown potential side effects of adding a new medication to his regimen.

After discussing it all with the very kind Dr. S. we settled on trying Tenex. It has been around for a long time and is used to treat high blood pressure. Use in anger/aggression with autism is considered "off label" but people have had great success with it, and so it is listed in the potential arsenal of meds to try. We started with 1/2 of a 1 mg tablet for a week. The biggest side effect is drowsiness, and so you have to see how that plays out as the body gets used to it. Sam did great. So, we upped the dose to a full 1 mg tablet after a week, and the results have been nothing short of amazing.

Since we've been on the Tenex for a month, he is so much calmer and happier overall. He seems much more "tuned in" and Ms E reports he is working more efficiently and is understanding the material at school in less time and with less effort. He got annoyed a week or so ago about a schedule change, but the behavior did not escalate at all. Yay! Hip, hip hooray!!! At home, he has been more verbal and purposeful in his expressive speech, and we've not had a single episode of his getting anxious or angry about anything. It's like he's a different kid all together. One little pill, once a day, and I am breathing such a huge sigh of relief. Take that, puberty!

Random Meme

It's been a while since I've been tagged, and it could not have come at a better time, as I had nothing prepared for today, so here it is. The random meme for my tagger, Anne:

1.How many songs are on your iPod?
Uh, according to iTunes .... 1786? Course, that's ALL our music, not just mine!

2. What music would you want played at your funeral?
Would have to give this some thought.

3.What magazines do you have subscriptions to?
Well, used to subscriber to "O" but let that go... I do read my mom's recycled More magazines

4. What is your favorite scent?
Bath and Body has a new scent, Black Amethyst and it's heavenly

5. If you had a million dollars that you could only spend on yourself, what would you do with it?
Pay off the house, and travel to Ireland, Scotland, and England

6. What is your theme song?
Lately, probably Olivia Newton John's version of Let Go, Let God

7. Do you trust easily?
Very much so

8. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
Always think first, then act.

9.Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
Like Anne, this election debacle is weighing heavy on me.

10. Do you have a good body-image?
Yes I do. It's not perfect, but that's OK now.

11. Is being tagged fun?
For the most part, especially when you have no post prepared for the next day.

12. If you had more hours in the day, how would you spend that time?
Reading, blogging, taking photos of the birds.

13. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
Barefoot Moscato... Oh, my... just try it.

14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Anne is a jewel and reminds me of an emerging Monarch. Beautiful, and spreading it's wings.

15. What’s the last song that got stuck in your head?
Girlyman's I Wonder Where You've Gone

16.What’s your favorite item of clothing?
My Woolrich lounge pants.

17. Do you think Rice Crispies are yummy?
Only if they are made into Rice Crispy treats, and even then, won't go there.

18. If you had $100 to give away, who would you give it to?
Barack Obama

19. What items could you not go without during the day?
Definitely my computer, and my Dunkin' Donuts coffee

20. What should you be doing right now?
Thinking about what we are going to eat for dinner.

I shall break the rules and not tag a soul. Anyone who wants to play along is welcome.

Blowing water out my nose

OK, so I've already blogged about Mark Schweizer's series of books, and I am now on the second one, The Baritone Wore Chiffon. It was happily given to me by a fellow parishioner at church last Sunday as I returned her copy of The Alto Wore Tweed.

So, I am reading about Hayden's latest adventures last night, when I literally almost spewed water out my nose from laughing so hard...

Seems the new interim priest and his wife have "interesting" ideas on how to observe occasions at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, and decided to put on an Edible Last Supper. You know, stage a table just like the Last Supper, with all of the disciples and offer foods of the day to the parishioners....

"From a distance the entire representation looked quite attractive. But, as the buffet line moved closer and closer to the table, it became apparent that most of the mannequins playing the disciples had seen better days. By the time we had reached the table, several beards were askew and St. Andrew's arm had fallen off, landing in a plate of creamed corn.

Cynthia Johnson, now back at work at the Ginger Cat, had brought the coffee and was serving it at the Mary Magdalene Coffee Bar. She was, of course, dressed accordingly. I stopped to say hello.

"Cynthia, it's so good to see you. I must say that you look lovely this evening. Sort of like an Arabian hooker."

"I'm Mary Magdalene. I looked her up and found out that she was a prostitute, so I went down and got a belly dancer's outfit in Boone. Do you like it?" She snapped her fingers and did a little spin."
------------------------

Oh, mercies, I am still laughing. I adore these books and am wondering why it took me so long to hear about them and read them.

Holy Hanna...

I was reading through the Schafer Autism Newsletter, when I came upon a blip about a program airing soon on Discovery Health...

It profiles the Kirton family of Utah, who has not one, not two, not even three... but six, (yes, I just typed the word six) kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

From the Discovery Health story:

SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept 04, 2008 When John and Robin Kirton first married, they knew they wanted to have a large family -- but like many couples, they had no idea what they were in for. Today, the Kirtons are the parents of six children -- each of whom has been diagnosed with autism. Discovery Health presents an intimate view of life with multiple autistic children in AUTISM x6, an hour-long special premiering Wednesday, October 1, at 8 PM (ET/PT).

To say the Kirtons live modestly would be an understatement. The entire eight-member Kirton family resides in 1,100-square-foot house with a single bathroom located outside of Salt Lake City. Caring for the children's special needs requires round-the-clock supervision, making it impossible for either parent to have a permanent full-time job and causing financial resources to be scarce. Autism x6 takes viewers into the Kirtons' world and offers a view of John and Robin's daily struggle to maintain order in the midst of chaos, where the household can spin out of control the moment they turn their backs.

Considered to be a spectrum disorder, autism ranges from severe to mild -- and the Kirton children span the entire spectrum. Viewers will meet:

-- Mary, 3: Diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) -- the least severe form of autism
-- Ammon, 4: Diagnosed with classic autism -- the most severe end of the spectrum
-- Sarah, 6: Diagnosed with classic autism
-- Nephi, 9: Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome -- a high-functioning form of autism
-- Emma, 10: Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome
-- Bobby, 14: Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome
--------------------------------------------------------

Dear Lord in heaven. I think I'll be watching from behind my hands over my face, just peeking out between my fingers as I cringe on the inside and thank my lucky stars above.

When the hummers are away...

The honeybees will play!

I can just imagine the conversation
going on here...
"Let me in! Let me in!"
"I was here first!"
"Just move your leg to the left!"
Pure sugar intoxication!

Pure Genius

Those smart birds at iTunes know how to market, let me tell you. Husband downloaded the newest version and they've added a feature called their Genius Sidebar. Oh, yeah. Genius it is too. As you are listening to all your favorite songs, a list comes up of "other songs you are going to absolutely love and can't live without, just like the one you are listening to" for you to preview.


I fell victim the very first time I went there yesterday. I was innocently listening to The Wailin' Jennys when my "list" came up of other songs I might like in that genre. Oh. My. I clicked on a song by Girlyman and was mesmerized. I am a total sucker for three part harmony. And these people can do it, and do it oh, so beautifully. Their newest album is called Joyful Song, but I found that I liked their older offerings, Remember Who I Am and Little Star, even more. Pure, spine tingling harmony. Is there anything better? Simply genius... of Girlyman and iTunes. Go ahead. Go listen to a few of their ballads (try Amaze Me... #12 on Remember Who I Am or #11 I Know Where You Are off the Little Star album) with your eyes closed.

When opportunity knocks

I couldn't help but stop in the middle of the road
to snap this photo the other day.
I thought it was quite a funny scene actually.
Why is it funny you ask?
Well, because these Canada Geese
were happily eating their way across the field
while the men in the background were hard at work.

This is an area sod farm and they were sowing new seed!
Wonder how long it took once they were done
back there for these guys to change feeding spots?
You sow, we'll eat.
Opportunity knocked.
Smart birds!

Fennel followers

My sissy, as I have mentioned, has made her yard
nirvana-land for butterflies and birds.
She planted this fennel specifically to attract
some Eastern Black Swallowtail butterflies.
The other day she went out to look and, lo and behold,
the plant was covered with the beautiful
black, white, and yellow caterpillars!

I'm just a girl... a just girl

Know how when you blog, you just sort of sit down and let the words just go from your brain to your fingers? Then, you just have to preview it so that you can just see how it looks and just how it sounds to you? You tweak it here and there, but most times, just go with the flow because you just want to be spontaneous and creative?

And later, just when you read it for the umpteenth time, and it's been posted all day long for the whole world to see, you notice that you used the word "just" ten bloomin' freakin' million times?

Geez... wish I could just stop that annoying habit.

Feeding the hummers

I went by my sister's house on Monday morning
to sit on her porch and feed the hummers.
I swear, there must have been 40 of them flitting
from her house to the neighbor's porch and back.

She took down most of her feeders and I sat
still while they slowly but surely trusted enough
to come sit on my hand and sip some nectar.

The feeling of their wings beating against my fingers
was pure and delightful magic!

My Little Critter, Sam

Last week, Sam's schedule was off. We had Monday off for Labor Day, Tuesday was an odd activity schedule day, Wednesday I picked him up early for an appointment, Thursday I was late getting him from work, and then Friday, Ms E was going to be out, which meant a sub. I could tell he was stressing about it all by Wednesday. So, I made a deal with him. Do good the rest of the week, and we'll take your birthday money and go shopping on Saturday. (Bribery... err.. offering good rewards for good behavior, I mean... works every time.)

Bless his heart, he rose to the occasion and did great, even with the sub on Friday. So, on Saturday morning, I asked him where he wanted to go. I was not surprised in the least when he thought for a bit and then said, "Books A Million!" So, off we went.

We've not been there in a while, and I don't know why. I like it there. It's open and airy. Plenty of room in their kids section. Room we need, because Sam is a prolific book sampler. Half the fun for him, I think, is simply touching them all, opening them, gently reading them, and carefully replacing them exactly where he found them. He'll even straighten as he goes.

So, there we were, in the kids section at BAM, along with other kids half his age and size, ooing and ahhing over Arthur, Thomas, and Bearenstain Bear books. He immediately found a collection of the Bearenstain Bear books he does not have, along with Dr. Seuss read along books with CD's and also one of the Cars movie. Nirvana for him.

As he was holding these, I heard, "Look Mom!" He had found one of his favorite books when he was little, Mercer Mayer's I Was So Mad. He proceeded to put his bounty down, and find a chair where he could sit down and read it aloud to me. The only chair available was right next to a dad who had found refuge while his wife and kids shopped. Well, you know, that didn't phase Sam. He just plunked down, and with me on the arm of the chair, proceeded to read the story with fun and entertaining intonation. I couldn't help but wonder what this man was thinking. I could even sense his discomfort, and giggled to myself as Sam went on page by page, giving good emphasis to "I was SO mad."

Here he was, a 16 year old bigger than me, still finding huge joy in Little Critter. I didn't say a word. Just smiled, helped him pick up his bounty and grinned at the man as we took our treasures to the register. My little critter can be such fun to be with at times. For that moment, I am sure you'd all have loved to be me.

Lonesome Gull*

Another photo taken in Alaska...
Talk about having to bone up on the shore birds!
Hmmm... a Blogger Alaska trip says Beth.
Wouldn't that just be a hoot?

*I love you guys!
I'd never have known it was
a Lonesome Black-legged Kittiwake!
Dang, and I thought my title was so witty!
------------------

Speaking of Bloggers...

Not only does she write eloquently about the challenges
of having a child with special needs, but Cindy's post
on how she feels about pit bulls made me want
to buy her a beer on her birthday.

I am proud and pleased to meet her
acquaintance and to add her to the list
of places I love to visit. :c)

Destination someday

Here are some very beautiful photos
a friend took recently on a trip
to Anchorage, Alaska....

Just soaking in the beauty and hoping
to see it in person some day.

Hope everyone has a beautiful Sunday.

Ruthie's Auctions

You simply must check this out! My sweet, sweet blogger friend Ruthie is a prolific knitter, hence the name of her blog, Nature Knitter. Not long ago, a friend gave her oodles and oodles of yarn. Ruthie being Ruthie, came up with a wonderful plan for all that yarn! She is going to use it to create one of a kind items and then auction them on her blog to benefit several worthy causes. What a splendid idea!

So, the first item is now posted and up for bidding. Please support her as she puts all this yarn to use in order to benefit others. Not to mention, you get an original work of art by a wonderful soul.

Go on. Go visit and send her Blogger love and support!

Owning who I am

Here is the truth of me. I grew up needing to be the perfect child. I was eager to please and was careful not to disappoint. Compliant. Seeking approval. Needing affirmation that I was OK. Very tenuous self-esteem. Chubby, and made fun of by others. Always on a diet, even at the age of 10. Eating over the counter diet pills when I was only 11 or 12. Having no clue how to get healthy, but losing weight seemed to be the holy grail. It would fix everything, including feeling horrible about myself.

To compensate, I was an A student, in the honor society, editor of the yearbook, Girls State representative, yada, yada, yada. But, I was never OK in my own skin, and I still avoided conflict and others being displeased with me at all costs. Go along to get along girl. Losing myself in the process. Never really knowing exactly who I was if I am being truthful. I was whatever made everyone else happy. I relinquished all my external control to everyone else around me. And, to get some control back, I ate. Food was my drug of choice. My balm. What is it they say? It's not what you are eating, it's what's eating you? In college, away from the constant eye of those who knew me, my weight ballooned. Once home, as a young adult, I was on and off diets constantly, and thoroughly disgusted with myself. I still would not make a decision without worrying about what others, including my family most often, would think. More often than not, I needed input from everyone. God forbid I disappoint. Then someone might not love me.

Why am I sharing all this intimate detail? Because for once, I felt strongly about something potentially controversial, had an opinion, and felt compelled and confident to share that opinion here on this blog. I never thought twice about it. Just sat down here and typed it out. Wow. What progress. I never once thought about someone being offended. Well, it is my blog, and these are my thoughts, and I've felt safe here. Those who know me IRL and who have come to know me virtually know that I am not a mean spirited, hurtful person in the least and so I never dreamed I'd be flamed. But flamed I was, on several fronts.

That sad, insecure little girl of only eight years ago, when I faced using food as my drug of choice and got to know myself in the process, recoiled in pain. If I had been slapped, it would have hurt less than the words spoken and written. It was never my intention to judge at all, only to offer my questioning perspective and my being genuinely perplexed. Instead, an "anonymous" poster from Muskegon, MI told me I was playing God. (Uh, you do know you are never really anonymous, don't you?) So, I have no right or business writing my perspective and opinion on my blog? I beg to differ.

Yes, it's easier not to "go there." It's much easier to go along to get along and to sit on your questions and keep them to yourself, because you just might find there are people who don't agree, and well, that might just be unpleasant. You know, keep this journey blog about faith, birds, and Sam alone. Stifle the urge to pose any thoughts that others might find disappointing or controversial. But, that's not who I am now. It's not who I've fought in my own mind to become. Guess what? It's OK to have a different opinion and to give voice to that opinion. Yes, I do have a right to have one. And, if I want to voice it here, I am fully entitled. I don't ask anyone to read this blog. If you come and you don't agree, so be it. You don't have the right to slam me anonymously. There will be no more anonymous comments on this blog. If you are fully offended by me, take me off your reading list. I don't want to make this blog private, but will if I need to. I owe no one an apology. I won't give one. I've earned the right to be heard when I have something to say. I am worthy and my opinions are valid.

I should have just deleted the comment and moved on as if it were a blip on the radar screen. Those who have been blogging for a while, and have been flamed, have developed thicker skin than me. But, I'm getting there. Slowly but surely, I am getting there. So, my first reaction was to run away. I couldn't bear the thought of others coming by looking to pick a fight when the reaction I got already had me so very raw. But, I've had a few days to process it all. This is part of my journey just as much as having a child with autism is, just as much as learning more about birds is... maybe even more. I want to thank all of you who have sent emails and reached out to me with love and support. I'm OK. I'm growing, and sometimes growth means taking some time to be silent.

"And then the day came
when the risk to remain
tight in a bud was
more painful than the
risk to bloom."
---Anais Nin

Hummer paradise

My sister has created her very own paradise at her house. She and her neighbor have planted oodles and oodles of flowers and shrubs to attract the hummers as well as beautiful butterflies. In the evenings at her house, there are probably 30-40 hummers happily zipping around and coming to the feeders they've hung on their porches.

There are so many that you can sit and hold one of these small feeders, and they will come perch on your hand and sip the nectar. I thought the photo she got above was quite comical. She had put the feeder down on the porch rail and this hummer was wanting a drink, yet waiting for the other visitor to finish. :c)

Things that make you shake your head

I do not want to be political on this blog, but events of yesterday have left my mouth agape.

Even if I fully disagree with Gov. Palin's conservative stances, I respect her right to have them. However, in my mind, if her daughter had been given good information and the guidance to make decisions which would impact her life forever, she might not have to be dealing with an unwanted, unplanned pregnancy.* Further, for Gov. Palin and her husband to issue a statement that they are "even prouder to become grandparents" when they have a new developmentally disabled four month old is way beyond bizarre. (And yes, as a mother of a child with autism, I am comfortable saying this.)

Even worse in my view, for any mother to decide to accept the nomination to be Vice President of this country when her own family is dealing with a crisis like this speaks volumes. Signing onto this ticket, knowing that a very private matter in the life of her young 17 year old daughter would be laughing fodder and material for national and international scrutiny, leaves me simply stunned and speechless. I'm just sayin'... Sarah. Honey. Really. What were you thinking?

*I say this because she has been such a staunch advocate of abstinence-only education.

Godspeed

Within the next couple of hours Louisiana will be hit.
Hopefully, everyone has left or taken safe shelter.
It's so hard to imagine the fear and the dread.
May God watch over all the people in Gustav's path
and may there be many rainbows in the aftermath.

P.S. And on this day, if you would, please send my
friend Diane some warm Blogger community hugs.