Friday, October 17, 2014

Great Hair Days and Other Thankfuls

It is incredibly, amazingly, beautiful outside today, a glorious fall afternoon. I'm looking out as I write at the flaming red maple tree in my front yard while the sun streams in through the window showing all the cat nose prints on the glass. How can you NOT be thankful on a day like this? Here are ten ways I'M thankful:

1. You may remember an earlier blog post where I told about my daughter losing her position on the volleyball team (even after being told she had done nothing wrong) to an older girl who was moved down to JV from Varsity. She still plays, but only subs in for two rotations. She's been upset the entire time, but that girl has taken it like a champ and not shown it at practice or at games, always bringing her game face. The season ended last night with a big win for JV, and just when we thought our season was over, Emma was asked by the Varsity coach to dress out when the Varsity team plays in Districts next week. It was a badly needed boost in confidence for her, although she is pretty unlikely actually to play during the game. If she doesn't get to play, then, by golly, she'll be the prettiest bench sitter there! 




2. I'm doing my best to get the antibiotics down Fletcher after his diagnosis of possible pancreatitis. I won't say it's going WELL, but, thankfully, SOME of the medicine is getting into his belly. The first time I tried, I did the surprise grab-him-with-one-hand-and-squirt-the-medicine-in-his-mouth-with-the-other tactic, which was pretty much a failure. He deflected a lot of it and it landed on the floor, where Ruby promptly licked it up. The next time, I had Emma hold him while I squirted it in his mouth, at which time he literally FOAMED AT THE MOUTH to get rid of it. It was time to get the big guns out, then, so I now give him a little spoonful of (expensive) canned food, squirt the medicine on top, and then goober it around with a spoon before giving him the food. He has fallen for it every time but once, when he refused to eat the food. It was back to Emma holding him while I squirted the medicine in his mouth (and may I add here that the amount of medicine is no more than 1/4 of a teaspoon and it's CHICKEN FLAVORED).This time, he not only foamed at the mouth but also walked across the tile floor and ralphed on the rug. I guess I'm getting enough of it into him, because not only has he not thrown up anywhere this week (that I can find...), his belly hair is growing back, because he isn't licking it any more. 


The day I foolishly gave each kitty a spoonful of canned food.

3. Emma agreed to give Fletcher his medicine the other night when I was just too darn tired to go downstairs and do it, in exchange for me buying her a container of cotton candy-flavored ice cream. Deal!

4. I received the most adorable drawing from a preschooler. She is in the primary class next door to me on the days I teach pre-k, and she is absolutely darling! She brought me this picture that she drew of us (and bear in mind she is only 3 years old and has used remarkable detail):




5. Did you know I have a chicken? Well, sort of. My amazing friend Zoe at Rewritten had a chicken catastrophe (or maybe a foxtastrophe is more like it) and lost some of her chickens. A neighbor kindly gave her some chicks to make up for her loss, and it made me think of the story of my great aunt Daisy, who once had a pet chicken. Zoe wanted to name a chick the same name as Daisy's chicken, but no one in my family knew what the chicken's name was (it's only been 100 years since the pet chicken days). Instead, Zoe named it Daisy Dillon, after my great aunt AND after me. She sends me pictures and updates on Daisy. Last weekend, however, Daisy almost met her end. A fox got in the chicken yard and was after her and a rooster. As Zoe put it, Daisy didn't have to outrun the fox; she only had to outrun the rooster, which she did. So while the demise of the rooster is sad, I am thankful my Daisy can outrun a stupid boy and will continue on her way to being a productive chicken.


Daisy Dillon, eating bugs and stuff.

6. My car has a little problem with burning oil, especially when you first start the car. You know how the Wicked Witch of the West always enters and exits in a cloud of smoke? Yeah, that's me in my car. We fill it with oil and check the gas these days, so my husband did just that before I drove the two plus hours to Emma's last volleyball game last night. I was on the edge of town, where the speed limit increases to 45 mph shortly before the entrance ramp to the highway, when I noticed the hood of the car was bouncing up and down. Quickly pulling into a gravel parking lot, I jumped out of the car in my sock feet (I had pulled off my boots for the drive) and found the hood was not latched. I'm thankful I noticed it before I got on the highway, because at 70 mph, it might have flown up. If it was my husband's attempt to kill me, then I'm thankful I have been tipped off and will know not to eat any mushrooms he tries to serve me....

7. During circle time yesterday in my primary class (3 year olds), I let each of them tell me something. One talked about a car he had seen on the way to school, one told me a story about her brother. And one girl said, "I have on underwear!" Yeah, thankful for that.

8. I've had a burning question about milk trucks for the past few months, and I finally got my answer! At one of the volleyball games this week, the grandparents of a girl on the freshman team came to watch them play, and the grandfather had on a Mid-American Dairy cap, and as he was leaving the gym after the game, I leaped out of the stands and chased him down to ask him whether butter forms in milk tanker trunks as they go from dairy farm to dairy farm and then to the dairy to process the milk. I thought maybe all that sloshing of non-homogenized milk would mean the truck was acting like a giant churn as it rolled along, but he told me the milk was too cold for that to happen. Kind of disappointing, because I was really imagining chunks of butter floating around in there, but at least I have an answer.

9. Great hair days. The humidity is at just the right level this time of year to get great curls with little frizz. A little mousse, a little blow dry, BAM! Hair done. 

10. Sonic drinks. I've been thankful before for Sonic happy hour, with half price drinks from 4-6 pm every day (EVERY DAY!), but they also have half price large drinks in the mornings before 10 am. This didn't matter to me so much before, but now that the new high school is open, I drive right by a Sonic every morning. And since I am boycotting the convenience store nearest my house because it was sold to Casey's General Stores and their prices went up and the quality of the drinks went down, a little stop at Sonic a couple of mornings a week ($1.07 with tax) makes my morning, especially when coupled with a good hair day. I'm unstoppable on days like that! 


Shhh! Don't wake her up!

What are you thankful for this week? How's your hair? Wearing underwear? Get a great mystery solved for you? Link up below. You won't be sorry!



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41 comments:

  1. Chemo is the best thing that ever happened to my hair...so yeah... hair is good.... currently yes, I AM wearing underwear... go figure! and this next bit is meant to be sung... "Sweet mystery of life at last I found you!" oh and Daisy says "Hi!"

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    1. I don't allow myself to complain about my hair, because that was the deal I made with myself when I dodged the chemo bullet, but I CAN and DO rejoice in good hair days.
      Good to know you are wearing underwear, too.
      Young Frankenstein!
      Hi back to Daisy!

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  2. First - I hate trying to give cats medicine. The dog gets excited when he hears a pill bottle snap open, the cats run.

    Second - in my house I have a saying "what would you do for a Dr. Pepper", it's amazing what the chores I can pass off for a fifty cent bottle of cherry flavored cola.

    Third - I'm glad someone has awesome hair since mine is behaving very badly at the moment.

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    1. When we had the two foster puppies this summer, they LOVED their medicine. And they had to take three different kinds while we had them - never a complaint. I'd rather stick a pill down Fletcher than liquid, but at least I have him fooled enough to get it down him in the canned food, the disgusting, smelly, canned food.
      I still can't believe she agreed to go through the whole stinky ordeal of mixing meds with canned food just for a box of ice cream, but I'm good with it.
      Not to brag or anything, but today, I have pulled it back and a little to the side into a low, messy bun and it's very cute :)

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  3. Today was a beautiful fall day here in No.VA as well Dyanne! Gorgeous day. I was actually almost hot at the end of my lunchtime walk!
    Good for Emma and her positive attitude:) It totally sucks to get bumped for someone who couldn't cut it in the "big league".
    I once had to give my cat pills. Talk about next to impossible. So scary! Straight down her throat they sometimes went lol
    Whew! Close call for Daisy Dillon. She best be on the look out. Seems Zoe's got a fairly regular "guest" showing up. I don't know how she stands the carnage!!
    Aren't good hair days the best!? Now is the time of year when hair is least troublesome. I can relate to that. However, in spite of what I just said, I flat ironed my hair today:)
    OK. I feeling like Ruby looks. See 'round this weekend!

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    1. I lurrrrrrve fall!
      Emma's been better at hiding how she feels that her dad and I have. I'll make sure to get a picture of her sitting on that varsity bench, though :)
      Who knew a cat could clench its teeth?!
      Daisy Dillon better learn how to use those wings! Hoping the "guest" has gone on to happier hunting grounds, if you know what I mean.
      It can take me over half an hour to flat iron my hair, and if it's REALLY humid, I can just forget about it. I do love it straight, though (where were flat irons in the 70s when I was in high school?!).
      Sleep well, friend!

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  4. It is also a beautiful day where I live.

    I like the drawing by the preschooler.

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    1. Isn't that the cutest drawing? I think I must need to do something about my bangs, though!

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  5. The same weather that is great for your hair is a bummer for my straight, fine hair - kinda looks like a couple strands of spaghetti unless I go a day without washing and curl it with an iron. Instead I'll live vicariously through you. I am wearing underwear too, today just like your little friend! That picture is kind of amazing for a three year old. I don't think I could draw that well.

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    1. I wish I could give you a little of my hair. I have an awful lot.
      Good to know you're wearing underwear, although by saying "today" you leave it open as to whether or not this is a usual thing for you :)
      Isn't that picture great? She got my hair really well!

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  6. Giving a cat medicine ain't no picnic, I'll give you that. Back in the old days when we bought the house, it came with 6 sick kittens. I had to give them medicine so they could be healthy enough to run away from our dog and never come back.
    Good for Emma! It isn't easy getting benched like that, especially after she'd played that position so well. Glad she's getting to dress with Varsity. That's a huge deal, even if she doesn't get to play.
    Daisy almost got eaten?!?! I didn't know Zoe's fox problem was back. Poor rooster.
    Preschool drawings are THE BEST!
    Glad you figured out the car hood problem before you got on the freeway. Have mercy!

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    1. Your dog runs a lot of things off, doesn't he? I could get a pill down him easier than I could this liquid, I think.
      My guess is she won't move from the bench except for warm ups, but it's still Varsity. Part of me is a little glad about that, because she's so tiny compared to senior girls.
      Daisy lives on the edge.
      Isn't it cute? Do my bangs look like Something About Mary?!
      HE NEARLY KILLED ME!

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  7. I'm glad for your most excellent hair day. That's awesome. And WELL DONE Emma for being so awesome and such a good sport.

    The drawing is SO cute, and I'm really pleased the little girl had on underwear. I didn't earlier, and it was actually my first time going commando! (I know!) and my second (adult) time changing in a car-park.

    #8 - I *so* call secondary clark. But I'm fascinated by your thought process and glad you found out or it would have bugged me, too.

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    1. Isn't it ridiculous how good we feel on a good hair day?
      Emma would be more excited if it didn't mean more practices.
      I love the drawing, and I love that the little girl in my primary class thought it important to tell me she had on underwear. I don't like commando, but I do like a thong.
      It was completely logical to me that there would be butter in that truck.

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    2. Ewww no! I'm not a fan of butt-floss. I just can't get on with it. Not particularly a fan of commando, either, truth be told, but it was interesting, at least. Kids and underwear though - they LURVE showing them off. I cannot TELL you the amount of pairs of undies I've been shown by their proud wearers over the years. The boys always get the best cartoons though - they get superhero pants and girls only seem to get crappy fairies or princesses.

      Your logic seems sound to me. I would've thought that IF I had ever thunk of it.

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    3. The girls go in the bathroom and take care of business. The boys goes in and have to talk to you the whole time. And show you their superhero underwear. And turn around from the toilet or urinal all full-Monty without a care in the world.

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  8. I love the drawing and yes I would be thankful she was wearing underwear too.

    I would have done the same thing, and have done similar things, to the milk man! lol. I must know these things!

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    1. One time last year, one of my little primary girls did NOT have on underwear and was wearing a dress. We didn't notice it until she was in movement class, rolling on the floor as part of an obstacle course. Yikes! Luckily, we have spare underwear, socks, shirts and pants in case of accidents. Or forgotten underwear.
      I'm pretty sure this man thought I was just a little bit wacky, but it made complete sense to me.

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  9. Your daughter definitely is such a great sport, being able to go beyond her hurt feelings and still do her best for the team. Karma definitely has paid her back for her fairness :-) No. 7 is so funny!! A couple of years back, during a parent-teacher meeting at Lily's kindergarten class, they read questionnairs where the kids had answered questions about their moms (we had to recognize ourselves). And one thoughtful kid mentioned that her mom does indeed wears undies LOL Have a great rest of the week, Dyanne!

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    1. She's really done great, hanging in there when I know it wasn't always easy.
      I love that they're so honest! And I love to pump them for information when they tell me something about their parents!

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  10. Hair? In need of a cut. Underwear? Check!

    I love #8!

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    1. I'm in need of brush hogging. Mine is crazy thick.
      Always good to know underwear status of my friends.
      Am I the only one who ever wondered about this?!

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    2. Apparently not: http://www.thankfulme.net/2014/10/my-friend-dyanne-must-have-prompted-this.html

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  11. Great list - Congrats to your daughter - she knows true sportsmanship - awesome!
    Great hair days Yay! My hair I think its ruined; I have curly /wavy mess that I have been blow-drying and straightening for years, lately I have been wearing it curly (less blow-drying-hardly any straightening) its almost cute again!
    Kudos for the three year old to proudly share that underwear was being worn that day!
    Good job with giving your cat meds -Teddy always spits out what we give him and he's a dog, we have to hide it in bread or something like that.
    Mystery solved, what will be the next mystery? Do share
    Aah the joys of owning a car that always needs; oil glad to hear that you diverted a potential serious situation.
    Great and wonderful list as always. have a great week ahead and enjoy the rest of the weekend! :)

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    1. Thanks! She's a pretty good girl.
      If I straighten my hair a lot, then it seems to forget how to be curly for a day or two. I love messy buns, especially when it's curly.
      You know, sometimes they forget....
      The vet tried to hide a pill is squeezy cheese for him, and he carefully ate around it. We seem to be at an understanding about the canned food/meds, but I fear he's getting pretty spoiled about that Fancy Feast!
      My mind is always thinking about unimportant things (like whether the milk truck makes butter), so I'm sure something will come up soon.
      The good thing about owning older cars is that they are paid for. The bad thing is that they break or become incontinent or take up smoking and such.
      Thanks, Marisa! Always good to hear from you!

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  12. Well done on Emma's good sportsmanship. You've raised her well. I'm so glad the coach noticed and rewarded her-at least that's the story I'm telling myself.

    Good hair days for curlygirls... 'nuff said.

    Glad your namesake chicken made it and can scratch to delight.

    Funny about the milk truck, I never thought about that.

    There are a few things I miss about teaching pre-school. Pictures and underwear revelations are one of those things.

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    1. I hope she was being rewarded by the coach; I really think she deserved it.
      Only curly haired girls fully understand that!
      Oh, that Daisy! I'm always nervous about Daisy updates from Zoe.
      I've worried more about the answer to that question than I have about whether I have groceries in the house or have gotten laundry done.
      Things like that make teaching preschool worthwhile! I love the things they say and the things they draw. Or make out of playdough.

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  13. dogs are clearly less picky eaters, including the medicine thing. when Ola was sick, I used to cut up chicken into cubes and then, with surgical precision, I would hollow it out and place the pill within the chicken …took about 20 minutes just to get the medicine in the chicken, never mind the dog!

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    1. The puppies took medicine twice a day for the first two weeks we had them WITH NO COMPLAINTS. They thought it was delicious.
      They have little treats now called Pill Pockets that you can tuck a pill into. Much less tedious than hollowing out a piece of chicken.

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  14. Indeed I AM wearing underwear! And pleased as punch to be doing so. I am also pleased as punch that Daisy Dillon survived, but somewhat disappointed about the butter which I had never thought of before, but was curious by the time you explained your thinking.

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    1. I'm glad to know underwear continues to be popular. Although, now that I think about it, Clark never mentioned whether or not he was wearing any....
      That Daisy Dillon! I'm hoping she continues to outfox the fox (and outcoon the raccoon, etc.)
      See? It makes complete sense that there would be butter in that truck! Thank you for joining me in my disappointment.

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  15. Emma is a tough cookie and that is a fabulous thing for a young woman to be. Life deals crap hands sometimes and we have to choose how to play the cards we have. Your girl plays like a pro. Can't imagine where she learned to be that way...
    Cats kind of suck, don't they? WHY do we love them??? But I'm totally with you on a week that does not include any puke on my floors so yay!
    Not sure why I'm laughing at the hood of the car bouncing, but somehow it's hysterical. Maybe because it's one of those things where if you don't find it funny it will make you panic and cry and that's just a damn waste of time.
    Hooray for Daisy Dillon!!!
    Do I swear more since I quit teaching? Hm...I think I have to think about that. Random.
    Moving on...I am happy to report that I am also wearing underwear. And I have to tell you, I can recall days in my life where I was so frazzled by one thing or another that finding that I did indeed remember to don underwear was kind of a triumph. I'm sure you've had those days...everyone has. Right? I mean, please say I'm not the only one in the world who has hit 10AM and stopped short wondering "oh my GOD did I put on underwear this morning?" because I had no conscious recollection of having done so...
    Trucks that carry big hunks of butter? I'm sad to know that isn't true because I would definitely want to find one.

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    1. Emma has taken the whole thing better than I have. I want to shake the coach and scream at how she upset her when she did nothing wrong, but I can't.
      Pete walked partway down the basement steps and barfed on a step, then again at the bottom of the stairs and one more little urp around the corner. I was delighted.
      It's a good thing I noticed the damn hood bouncing! It was hard to tell because of the way the sunlight was shining on it. And now I'm jumpy when I'm driving. Do you think he really is trying to kill meeeee?
      I don't want Daisy to be dinner for a fox!
      Sometimes you just need to let loose with some good swearing.
      I have to say I have never forgotten to put on my underwear. I've forgotten to put in my contacts. Or put on makeup. Or brush my teeth. But never forgot my underwear. You've probably jinxed me now.
      It made utter (bahahaha) and complete sense to me that it would make butter in there. I can't tell you how disappointed I am that it isn't true.

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  16. Sounds like a great list, Dyanne! Poor kitty! I can't imagine how traumatizing it must be that your cat has to take that medicine. I keep thinking about the nasty purple cough medicine from back in the day. Yuck! Tough for everyone though I can see. I hope the pancreatitis gets better soon. I'm glad you noticed your car, too! Hilarious about your socks. Sounds like something I would do. :)

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    1. The cat is a big baby about the medicine. But I'm hoping it helps his pancreatitis.
      It just figures that I would have to get out on a gravel parking lot in my sock feet to shut the hood of the car. At least I didn't have to do it on the shoulder of the interstate!

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  17. Hey to Daisy Dillon! She's a pretty one. And whoever made that decision to cut your daughter off the team needs a knock on the head. She'll play in better games!

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    1. She's a good player and hopefully next year she'll get to play more. Feel free to come here and knock any heads you want!

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  18. It's all about the hair, big girl panties and namesake pets. The Adventures of Dyanne are always so entertaining. The preschooler who drew that picture is the next Van Gogh I'm sure. Enjoy the beautiful days ahead.

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    1. To quote Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it." I spend a lot of time looking around....

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  19. You have great hair anyway. Any time I've ever seen a pic it looks great! My hair is usually up in something..ponytail, butterfly clip. I'm going through a "I hate my hair phase" so I might just be a little jealous.
    I love hearing your preschool stories. Kids say the greatest things. Unless you're a parent and then it's just mortifying.
    I would come over and give your cat medicine for Rocky Road. If I lived closer of course. I do have to say that I'm drooling over your description of the tree in your yard. One of these days I'm going to be somewhere else for fall and see the glorious colors.
    Have a great week, Dyanne....and don't eat any mushrooms!

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    1. I'm totally waiting for 80s hair to make a big come back. I'M IN!
      I love when those preschoolers tell me stories! There are many a parent who would DIE if they knew what I get told sometimes!
      I would buy you gallons of Rocky Road if you came to visit me, and you don't even have to give the cat medicine! I'd let you look at my tree all you want!
      Staying away from the mushrooms and watching for booby traps.

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