Happy Birthday, Domer!!

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Debbie

(My son — AKA My Favorite Domer, or He-Who-Won’t-Read-My-Blog — turns 22 today. This post is dedicated to him.)

Dearest Domer:

It seems like the past couple of decades have just flown by.

Weren’t you just born? Wasn’t I just rocking you to sleep, singing lullabies and ballads, then putting you down, hearing you cry, and doing it all over again?

Wasn’t I just taxiing you to and from school, watching you play T-ball when you’d rather be filling your pockets with special rocks and picking dandelions to give me afterwards?

Wasn’t it just yesterday that I kissed a boo-boo, patched a scraped knee, cut your hair myself? Weren’t you just climbing into my lap for me to read to you? Weren’t you just learning how to ride a bicycle, begging me to “Hang on, mom!” until you got your balance?

Where did that little boy go?

Didn’t I just attend another parent-teacher conference, accompany you door-to-door on fundraisers, put together a Halloween costume at the last minute, and dream up something fun for you to do when you complained of boredom?

Weren’t you just playing a tennis match, testing for another karate belt, performing at a band concert? Weren’t you just at the dentist’s office, having your wisdom teeth extracted? Didn’t I just finish teaching you to drive, or dropping you off at college for the first time?

Twenty-two years has passed so fast (take heart, parents of young kids!). Just think of all the things we can’t do without today that weren’t around 22 years ago — Facebook and YouTube, iPads, cell phones, laptops, e-readers, debit cards, and disposable contact lenses!

And in a little over two months, you’ll be graduating from college and flying off into the world on your own.

Will my work be done then?

NO!

I didn’t know it when I signed on to be your mom that a mom’s work is never done! You don’t believe me? Why, it says so in the Mom’s Book (and you’ll just have to trust me on this, since you’ll never be privy to the Mom’s Book!)

But I’m not complaining — far from it.

I hope you’ll always know I’m there for you, kind of like a safety net.

I’ll always be your biggest fan, your champion, your cheerleader. If anybody dares to hurt you, they’ll have to go through me first.

Mama Tigress, Mama Lioness. Don’t mess with my cub!

And when things don’t go the way you hope, I’ll be right there with open arms, ready to comfort and make it all better.

Until you’re able to face the sometimes-cruel world on your own again.

That, I promise.

Everybody told me having a baby would change my life. I didn’t know how true that was.

You did, for the better!

If I had to, I’d walk through fire for you.

I love you that much.

Happy Birthday, my son!

Love, mama

Where’s Spring??

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Debbie

How is it possible for it to have been snowing off and on for the past week, without having snow on the ground??

Not that I’m complaining — well, maybe a tad because the sky has just been so dreary, and we’ve almost forgotten what the sun looks like.

Still, I’m told we’re “springing forward” an hour next Sunday at 2 a.m., and if the past is any indication, that extra hour of daylight probably will translate to warmer weather. Or so we hope!

But it doesn’t have to be sunny out to get decent pictures.

In fact, professional photographers say the diffused lighting of a cloudy day can soften the subject, especially if you’re photographing portraits.

So I went outside the other day and snapped a few shots.

The hard part was braving the freezing temperatures and the blowing/spitting snow.

Not to mention the curious stares of the neighbors — all safely tucked inside their warm homes and likely wondering, “What’s she doing NOW?”

You’d think they’d be used to it!

Anyway, here’s a round bush dotted with snow:

Pretty, huh?

The snow plows which cleaned the city streets after our last big (3.5 inches) snowfall pushed the snow into deep banks along the sidewalks. Guess they figure nobody’s out for a walk anyway. Since that time, the banks have turned into sloppy balls:

A deconstructed snowman, perhaps?

And because the snow was flying fast from the North, we got a row of evergreens that look like they’ve been flocked:

Christmas-y trees in March

Mother Nature does an especially nice job outlining deciduous trees in white:

These tress are probably wondering where Spring is!

Darling Doggie Dallas accompanied me on my photographic expedition. You can see by his grimace that he’s not exactly happy to see the snow go. Every time I try to shovel it off the patio (so he won’t track wet into the house), he barks and fusses at me. Kind of like he thinks I’m the one who’s taking away all his fun!

C’mon, mom, point that camera somewhere else!

Q’s Remains

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Debbie

When I took Darling Doggie outside yesterday, I could tell a storm was on its way (The Weather Channel only confirmed it). How did I know?

This is what greeted me:

Sun dogs often predict rain or snow.

So it didn’t surprise me when the snow started falling mid-afternoon. Falling fast, like feathers swirling in a pillow fight.

And after we’d had between three and four inches of the white stuff, we got some freezing rain.

So when I arose this morning, I saw the result:

Ice covers the buds on this silver maple tree.

And this:

Snow, snow everywhere!

And this:

A snow-covered bush

And this:

Tire ruts show how deep the snow is.

Now, I much prefer having snow at the end of the year, rather than the beginning. Something about a White Christmas is very appealing, and what’s a New Year’s Eve without a definite chill in the air?

But nobody asked me. And now we’ve got this snow on the ground. Just when everybody is starting to think Spring.

Even the flowers!

These are going to be yellow daffodils.

Throw Me Something, Mister!

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Debbie

We traveled to Gulfport, MS over My Favorite Domer’s month-long Christmas Break.

Visiting family, shopping, trying new restaurants, walking outside in warmer temperatures — all that sounded pretty good. Besides, Domer had to fly from there to Miami for the ~~sorry~~ ~~lousy~~ ~~miserable~~ National Championship ~~slaughter~~ game.

One fascinating difference between Central Illinois and the Mississippi Gulf Coast is their propensity to partay. Not that Illinoisans don’t like to have fun; just that we’re a bit tamer about it!

Anyway, as soon as New Year’s Day is over, folks down south bring out their Mardi Gras decor’ — and it’s especially obvious when Lent begins early as it does this year (Feb. 13).

It’s like they put Christmas back in the attic or storeroom and haul out Carnival.

Cool.

They bedeck their houses with purple, gold, and green garlands; hang lavish wreathes on their front doors; begin attending (and hosting) fancy formal parties; and some scramble for cheap plastic beads and other collectibles during a plethora of parades.

Of course, that’s easier there than here. After all, they don’t have snow on the ground!

Another thing that’s popular during Carnival season is the King Cake. This delicacy happens to be one of Domer’s favorites, and his grandmother never fails to make sure he gets one.

This year was no exception.

And guess who else happens to love cake? Any cake, not just the King variety?

Dallas! Witness his patience while Domer partakes of a hefty slice:

Please? Can I have a taste??

Winter Misery

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Debbie

The one person you never want to see in your hometown is Jim Cantore.

Not that he’s not cute as a bug and smart as a whip.

No, it’s because he always shows up when bad weather is on its way. Or has already arrived.

Tornadoes? Hurricanes? Blizzards? Yep, poor Jim gets ’em all.

If you’re lucky enough not to be where he is, you can watch him on The Weather Channel. Better for your nerves, you know.

Anyway, Jim’s probably wearing hip-high waders, standing in the middle of storm surge with floating debris circling like sharks, talking about uprooted palm trees and windows shattered out of buildings.

Or he’s in an L.L. Bean parka, stocking hat, and insulated gloves, pointing out downed limbs, frozen water pipes, and a coating of ice on streets and sidewalks.

Not something you want to endure in your lifetime.

Wonder what poor Jim did to deserve the difficult assignments (or are they plum assignments? I sure wouldn’t know). Perhaps it’s just his nature, to follow the bad weather, sympathize with its victims, and explain it so those of us not suffering through it will understand what happened and why.

But I think it must be depressing, having to listen to all those sad stories from residents affected by Mother Nature’s wrath.

Speaking of weather, have you noticed that suddenly, we’ve got named winter storms?

The first time I heard The Weather Channel talking about “Athena,” my interest piqued. But as they moved to “Brutus” and “Caesar,” it became just plain annoying.

We’ve been calling hurricanes by name since the 1940s, way before many of us were born, so we’re used to that. Besides, hurricanes don’t generally roll in one right on the heels of another.

Winter storms are different. As soon as one crosses the Rockies, another one forms to take its place. It’s nothing to see two or three of them dotting various locations on the map, with weather casters looking like jugglers trying to keep up with who’s who.

The idea of naming winter storms started with the 2012-13 winter season. Weather casters claim a name gives a storm personality, raises public awareness, and makes it easier to track.

What do you think? Do you prefer something descriptive like “Snowmageddon” or “Blizzard of 1980?” Or do you like giving winter storms a name like “Draco,” “Gandolf,” and “Khan”?

I’m not sure, but I think misery is misery, regardless of what you call it!

Traveling in a Pack

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Debbie

I think Chicago emptied out on Sunday afternoon.

The reason I say this is that the highways were excessively crowded then, just when I was trying to get back home.

You see, My Favorite Domer insisted he had to be back on campus by 1 p.m.

‘When they ask you specifically to be in the pep band for a soccer game,’ he told me, ‘well, you can’t say No.’

Okay.

So I crawled out of bed at 5 o’clock — yes, Virginia, there’s such a thing as 5 in the morning! — got dressed, ate, and helped him load the car for our return to ND.

Campus was strangely quiet. Even the students who had to stick around over the Thanksgiving holiday were nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps they were sleeping late. Or watching TV or visiting in friends’ rooms.

After a quick lunch, I hugged Domer and got back in my car.

But I was far from lonely. Or alone.

The toll road was packed. So was I-65 in Indiana (read: parking lot!). So was I-57 in Illinois.

Everybody going somewhere.

Many of my fellow travelers were students. You could tell by the way they were traveling in packs, two or more to a vehicle, suitcases piled to the rooftop, college stickers affixed to their back windows.

And they were in a hurry. Sure, the state police were out in droves, pulling over traffic violators and writing tickets as fast as they could.

But these kids didn’t seem to care. They’d see an officer, slow down and act all nonchalant, then speed up again.

They were whipping from lane to lane, jockeying for position. They’d roar up behind me, cling to my rear bumper a while, then gun their motor and fly around me like I was standing still.

Frightening? Yes, definitely.

I found myself praying for them, that they’d reach their destination safely.

I’d want somebody praying for my son if he drove like that.

Which he doesn’t. Thankfully.

And maybe my prayers helped. I didn’t hear of any fiery crashes along the roads I was on yesterday, so I have to assume all is well.

But somebody really should be teaching these kids to drive more safely!

Black Friday

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Debbie

I blame years of newspaper reporting over my distaste of Black Friday.

After all, it’s the media that whole-hardheartedly embraces any excuse for advertising revenue. And who can blame them? Money is how their business stays afloat.

Listen to the ads on TV, all urging you to part with your money. Look how fat the newspaper is getting with sales fliers as the holidays near.

My e-mail boxes have been stuffed with promotional copy for weeks.

Merchants want me to go to the mall, or Wal-Mart, or one of the tech stores. And spend my money.

Buying early Christmas presents. Treating myself, too.

Eating something other than leftovers for lunch or dinner. Or both.

But I’m holding out.

It’s far too early to think about Christmas. My soul’s not ready.

Shoot, when did we decide to go from Halloween right into Christmas anyway?

Especially when there’s something called “Thanksgiving” in between. The day we’re supposed to give thanks, relax with family and friends, eat ourselves into a stupor. Succumb to the L-tryptophan in turkey and take a nap.

Not go shopping.

When I was working as a newspaper journalist, every year I’d head out early on Black Friday. I’d go to the mall (why traipse all over town when the mall was where the shoppers were?)

I’d survey the landscape a while, then pick some unsuspecting “victim” to drill:

How long did you have to wait in line?
What are you buying that you couldn’t get some other time?
Do you do this every year?
What do you like best about Black Friday?

That sort of thing.

Most interviewees were pretty agreeable, as I recall. They were tickled at being picked, eager to see their names in print, and helpful in pointing out other people I should talk to.

But mingling with the masses wasn’t where I wanted to be. I wanted to be home with my family. Playing board games or cards. Sipping hot cocoa with marshmallows. Sampling the leftovers. Watching football on TV.

There are folks who enjoy the bustle of Black Friday. The crowds. The sales.

Some, I suppose, get it ALL done on that day, and that must be an incredible feeling.

Still, I won’t be joining them this year.

Call me jaded, but I feel sure a month is enough time for me to carefully pick out Christmas presents, rather than grabbing stuff just because I see someone else wants it.

To leisurely shop when it’s convenient for me, rather than when the stores tell me I should arrive.

To get into the proper frame of mind for giving. And receiving.

How about you? Do you do Black Friday?

Note: Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Go Vote on Tuesday

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Debbie

Tuesday just can’t come fast enough.

For Tuesday is Presidential Election Day in the United States.

A day we’ll go behind closed doors and vote our preferences, then wait to learn who are the winners and who are the losers.

Regardless of your political affiliations, if you’re at all like me, you’ll be glad to see this whole mess end.

Far too long, we’ve been inundated with ads. With finger-pointing and name-calling.

“He said…”

“No, she said…”

“Well, he meant…”

And so it goes.

While some people have genuinely followed the whole process — listening in on candidates’ forums, watching debates, researching the issues — others made up their minds early and now turn a deaf ear to anything that might be contradictory.

In this country, that’s their right.

I hate to sound like a curmudgeon (and perhaps things have always gotten ugly in election years), but it seems to me that this one has been nastier than others from the past.

More rumors. More lies. More money frittered away when people are hurting.

And fewer places to turn for unbiased, factual reporting.

Most of you know I was trained as a journalist. “Fair” and “impartial” were our bywords long before FOX News adopted them and ran with them.

Sad to say, I wouldn’t fit in with the profession any more, so it’s a good thing I got out when I did.

Journalists used to be proud of being told, “You call ’em like you see ’em.”

Now it’s all about money. Ad revenues. Staying on the good side of those in power.

But I digress.

What’s important is that we still have the privilege of voting. Of being a small part of the electoral process. Of feeling like we matter.

For we do, you know.

Every vote counts. If you doubt that, ask the person who stayed home, only to learn his candidate lost by one vote.

So GO VOTE. Our forefathers fought and lost their lives that we might have that right. Surely they deserve not only our gratitude but also our exercising of the rights they sought to preserve.

Fall Prepares to Leave

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Debbie

The bottom is supposed to drop out, temperature-wise, this weekend, so I decided I’d get some late autumn photos before nothing is left but sticks!

This sugar maple is decked out in reds and yellows

What says “Autumn” more than a yellow Chrysanthemum?

This Dogwood has all sorts of pretty colors, from shades of gold to crimson and bronze

I don’t remember my Crepe Myrtle turning this pretty last year!

Ooh, looks like somebody’s going to have to do some raking!

This miniature Japanese Maple is a profusion of brilliant red leaves

Even sidewalks get into the act — some feature leaves so deep you can really swoosh through them!

Here’s another yard just begging for a rake

In a sea of reds and yellows, this purple mum truly stands out — I like to think it knows how special it is!

Has Autumn been spectacular in your neck of the woods, too?

Note: So far, nobody has correctly guessed my Darling Doggie’s name! But you still have until 6 p.m. CDT on Sunday the 28th to guess. If nobody comes up with a correct answer by then, we’ll just have to toss all the names into a hat and draw one out — I’ll announce the winner on Monday the 29th (and make arrangements for shipping the earrings to them). Thanks to everybody who played along!

Glimpses of Autumn

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Debbie

Nobody around here really expects this Fall to be very colorful.

Too little rain. Too much heat.

But on my Saturday afternoon walk — minus the Sheltie, who doesn’t cotton to my carrying a camera and posing shots! — I found a few tiny glimmers that Mother Nature is preparing for Fall regardless.

A peek of color here. A hint of things to come there.

See if you agree: