365 Project update

Wanted to give you some links to see the work and the fun that has been seen thru the viewfinders this week.

My Facebook 365 Project group has 40 members!
Not sure how many are already taking the challenge, but these links are to the one's I know of so far.

There is some nice eye candy so go have a look!
(on photoblog if you click on the date on the calender...it will move it to that date)

From the family:
Nancy
Susie
Verna
Patty
Stephanie
Shelby
Cori
Sarah (is on her facebook account)

From friends:
Heather
Denise
Ken
Jen

Hopefully there will be more to come!

Keep on shuttering!

An Unexpected Visit

I was on my way to work today and put in Carrie Underwood's "Carnival Ride" cd.

It has the "Wheel of the World" on it, the song I used for the Christmas video.
It also has the song that I used for Levi's video, "So Small."

I was thinking about Levi and how good he has done since the surgery. And I remembered how much I liked the line that says:
"When you figure out love is all that matters after all,
It sure makes everything else seem so small."
And then I thought of how true it is.
And how for the most part, I get it. And how our family "gets it" and what a great thing that is to show to the next generation, who will hopefully see us model it.
I listened to another song and then saw that the Wheel song was the last track and I felt like hearing it, so I skipped ahead.
Now, I'll tell you.
You know a song is good, when after hearing it thousands of times, broken down to second by second increments, you still like it. And I still like this song. I listened to it and as I did, I could see pictures of you all flash before me. I chuckled as I went around one of the many round-a-bouts I drive through and at the same moment she was singing about "turning around and around."
I got to work and was at the light waiting to turn left into the parking lot and the song was ending. I thought, this is where the song "Taps" starts in the video. But this was the real cd, not the video and not wanting to hear the next track, I hit the eject button and the radio came on.
That is when I took my eyes off the light and stared at the radio with bewilderment.
The radio was a little staticy and seemed to be between two stations, but there was no mistaking it.
The song the radio was playing was "Taps."

I was at first, confused, but as I made my turn and parked the car I realized that it was one of those moments that are so surreal you will wonder later if it really happened. And as I sat listening to a somewhat peppier version of the "24 notes that tap deep emotions," my eyes filled with tears and I said out loud:
"well, hello, Dad."
No sooner had I said that, when the song went into sometime of march song with the singer singing in Spanish. I went from tears to laughing out loud as I remembered how we would laugh at Dad because he would sit watching the Spanish channel for hours (mostly for the dancing girls) and how Mike even got in trouble for taking it off the channel scan when he reprogrammed the VCR.
I was sure by this time that this was really happening and I could see his mischievous smile and I thought of the questions he always asked when I was leaving.
"You doing okay?" "Do you need anything?" and "Do you need some money?"
I gave him my standard answers out loud.
And then I remembered that look sly proud smile that mom would get when she was successful at surprising you. And I thought, they are together again and smiling at me.

By this time, I was a mess and late for work even tho I was just outside in the parking lot.
The last thing that came to mind was the image of the day that mom and dad dropped me off at Ball State for the first time. When it came time to say goodbye, Mom got in the car and barely said goodbye. I suppose, I understand now, that she didn't want to draw it out and lose it in front of me, because I probably would have lost my nerve and ended up wanting to get back into the car and go back home with them. Dad stood outside the car and the man of few words gave me the assurance that I needed that day and have held onto for a lifetime. He raised his hand, waved and said "You'll be alright."

And I swear, as I sat in that parking lot laughing and crying at the same time, I heard him say those words once again as clear as if he were sitting next to me.
It was an unexpected visit on a regular Tuesday.
But a good and needed one.

Directions to here:
"Love goes out, out like a light. Out like a flame and you cant find it anymore.
Just when you think its lost in the rain, it comes back knockin' at your door."

500 miles to nowhere

500.

As in five hundred miles.
On a bike.
A bike that goes nowhere.
As in stationary.
As in for exercise.
500 miles.
You think I could have lost one pound.
Yeah, you would think.

Directions to here:
That's all the way on Route 66 to Springfield Missouri. Where, if the bike had wheels that touched the ground, I could be resting here (again).

Time to make it right.

Dear Blog,
(and anyone else who is listening in)

It's a new year and it's time to come clean.
I have a confession.
I've been cheating on you.
You've been good to me and I have been running around on you.

It all started when those foreigners came for a visit and lured me away.
I resisted.
But they took over and registered me and I got sucked in and before I knew it,
time I could have been spending here, was spent there.

To be fair there have been other things going on.
Movies to make.
People to visit.
Grieving to do.
All legitimate things.

But the main one has been that other site.
I think it's the instant gratification.
The constant updating.
The ability to see a lot of faces at once.

If you haven't figured it out by now,
the other place is facebook.
Yes, common, blogging for the masses facebook.
In its defense, it has helped me renew connections with lots of faces I otherwise would not see.
It has helped me keep more update on family and friends.
But alas, it has kept me away from spending time with you.

So there you have it.
I'm sorry.
I'm working out a plan to treat you right.
I'm making resolutions.
And you're on the list.
I want it all.
To have the best of both sites.
When I update my status on the other, I'll update you too and vice versa.
It might just be a line or two, but no more two timing.

There are great things in store.
Photos, resolutions, family updates, Bobble updates, family history, movie moments, stories from bookland, road trips, media reviews, video clips, found stuff, favorite things and of course, flashback fridays. The sky is the limit.

Keep talking to me and I'll keep talking to you.

Directions to here:
register for facebook and when you get sucked in, you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

365 Project

Here's where I'm posting the

365 Project

When I remember how to post links on the side, I'll list the rest of the groups.

Directions to here:
I don't know if you have to register to see the pictures...sorry if you do.

Happy New Year!

and Happy Birthday, Jerry!

Directions to here:
365 Project info coming soon!

new year's hope

I always get a little giddy and hopeful when I go into an office supply store.
The rows and rows of neatly stacked office supplies have a way of convincing me that if I just had one of everything or if I had the right combination of supplies, then organization would be possible, piles would disappear and projects would never go uncompleted.

I know this is an illusion.
But every time the automatic doors slide open and I walk into Staples, I believe it none-the-less.
Same goes with the New Year.
Every December, I'm swamped with the world of retail at work and video editing for the Family Christmas video at home. It's a non-stop, all work and no play month. I start to dream about the New Year about mid month and start to form lists and resolutions and plan about how great it's gonna be to have a clean slate and about how much I'm gonna do, get done and who I'm gonna be. It's a little like the office supply giddiness.

I know this is an illusion.
But every time the year approaches the end of the calender, I believe it none-the less.

So here we go.
2009...all shiney and new.
Let the illusion begin.

New Day Dawning

On the way to work today, I was cursing the fact that I agreed to switch shifts and open the store instead of close it.

But upon arrival, I got to see the sun on the other side of the sky....
and decided to practice seeing and shooting for the upcoming
365 project.

It's time to load your film, er, uh, memory cards, pack the camera bag, take the lens cap off and start looking!

Directions to here:
It really was the best moment of the day, as I later had an unexpected $1,000 lunch appointment with the dentist, getting a temporary crown on a broken tooth : (

Are you in?

Announcing the 365 Project.

I got this idea from a blog I follow.

I'm want to try to take a picture a day for the next year.

January 1st seems like the proper time to start.
I'm looking forward to the ways this will wake me up to "seeing" new things everyday.

Did you get a camera for Christmas?
Are you like me and want to better understand your digital camera?
If so, then join the 365 club.

And let me know, so I know I'm not alone. And if you are posting them, let me know where I can find you.

For more info & ideas : http://photojojo.com/content/tutorials/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day/

Directions to here:

I plan to make a picture everyday, but will probably post them at the most, once a week...probably on Flickr.

And yes, that really is my licence plate number

Flashback Friday...picture disscection

I was too tired after all the Christmas festivities to write anything about the vintage Christmas pics I posted. But here are some commets and questions.

Picture 1:
1. Check out Janet's cowgirl outfit!
2. I absolutely love that Susie's face is so similar to the doll's face and the kewpie doll mouth matches hers.
3. Anybody know where this was taken? Mom and Dad's, or elsewhere?

Picture 2:
1. Pre back porch house. Where the door frame to the back porch was in the dining room is, in the picture, a window.
2. I love that Patty is holding the reins on the horse, just like she would have if it was a pony over at Uncle Ralphs.
3. What is Mike's gift? It looks like it's wired and he's reaching for a controller.

Picture 3:
1. I spy the Christmas globe/ball lights on the tree. I think this was b/4 dad started tying the tree to the wall. (a result of unruly grandkids...you know).
2. I love that Dave and I have the same hairdresser. (Kitchen salon...on the white folding stool)
3. Notice that the deer hoof gun rack has not been rotated to the bedroom, yet.
4. That the pre-teen hip Dave is wearing a ring.
5. It amuses me that I'm wearing a dress and red tights with a brown (albeit groovy...flower power dress)...yet red tights with a brown dress..none-the less. Even better that it was the 70's and that combination made sense.
6. That Dad is dressed in the only thing we ever saw him in before the late 70's. Long sleeve grey, dark green or black work shirt and no tan bald head. I'm sure he's instructing me on how to repack the furniture into that small box.
7. And I'm proud that up until 2003, I knew exactly where all these toys were. (on the shelves in the basement). The red box had the furniture for the dollhouse. And yes, I still have the lightbright...and the box.

That's all.
What are you comments and questions?

Flashback Friday...A Very Vintage Christmas

Ghosts of Christmas past

Ho X three

Merry Christmas everyone!

Happy Birthday, Shelby !

Flashback Friday...Aunt Kay

In Memory of Kay Vandercar

Taken at the Grange Hall in 1981.
I believe there was a "this is your life" program honoring Aunt Kay.

Directions to here:
Keeping all of our Vandercar cousins in our thoughts, prayers and fond memories of Aunt Kay.

check it

Well someone is back to posting and it's not me. Between work, video and keeping all these dr. appointments = no time.

Click on Drew's dad to see the latest.

link

So, if you couldn't see the video about sandy...

here's the link.

The Sandy comparison starts at about 3:58.

Directions to here:

FB friday is on the way...sometime this weekend.

Happy Birthday Janet and Taylor

Monica is Sandy...Sandy is Monica

I knew the Craig's list post would get a response from Sandy.

Here's pretty much what she said:


And since she couldn't get help the clean sweep the Craig's list apartment...here's what she did after seeing the post:

I'm just sayin'

I know the goal of Sandy is to get me on clean sweep or turn me in to Oprah so Peter Walsh can come and make me cry.

I know how she defines the term "dirty bird" to mean not just dirt, but messy as well.

But after seeing this on the Best of Craig's List, I think even Sandy would have to admit I'm doin' pretty good.

I'm just sayin'.

Directions to here:
Someone might need to call Sandy to see if she's alright after looking at these pictures. It might send her into a fit of marathon vacuuming.

Flashback Friday...10-4 Good Buddy

Terms of Endearment.

Junior Moore used them.

He called himself, J.R.
He called my sister, Babe.
He called his dog, Bear.
He called his son, Durwood or Dur for short.
He called underwear, skivvies.
He called his cars and trucks, my ride.

And that's just what I remember off the top of my head.

He spoke in C.B. lingo without sounding put on and had nicknames for everything and everyone.

It's just one of the things I miss about my brother in law.

We miss you, Junior.

Birth of the Cool...

Happy Birthday,
Heidi !

"I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
to hold on to these moments as they pass...."
(a long december by the counting crows)

This
is funny!

Flashback Friday...Thanks....Giving

Past Thanks Given

Thanksgiving Turkey
(or possibly Christmas ham)
Thanksgiving 2003
Thanksgiving 2007

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Shoulda stayed down on the farm.

Went to Sunday dinner and instead of my usual leaving Monday morning and going straight to work, I left Sunday night in order to be a good girl and keeping my medical resolutions and Dr. appointment on Monday.

Well, I shoulda stayed on the farm.
'Cause after 17 years of driving back and forth from Indy to Lowell, I finally met Officer not so friendly.
He was parked on the opposite side of the road, facing oncoming traffic, with no lights on, just south (I'm sure) of where the speed limit sign changes from 55 to 40 on a deserted back road at 1 in the morning.

No mercy,

no warning.

Just a ticket

and a court date.

Bah humbug.

Directions to here:
I'm thinking about removing the policeman from my flat person collection.

Flashback Friday...The patient patient

Patient: (n) One who receives medical attention, care, or treatment.

Patient: (adj.) Able to put up with pain, troubles, difficulties, hardship, etc without complaint or ill temper.

Four years ago when I turned 40, I made a New Year's resolution to find and go to the doctor for a long overdue check up and consultation.
Four years later and after two years of complaining about a sore foot and a growing list of symptoms, I finally kept the resolution and found and went to the a doctor.

For whatever reason, it was excruciatingly hard for me to pick up the phone and get this done. I dreaded it. I complained about it. I put it off. And I don't really know why.
I am blessed to have had insurance for the last 2 jobs, totaling almost 19 years and even more blessed to have only used it a total of 2 times.

In all of this, I've often thought about my Mom.
Even though I don't get sick that often, I have a feeling I would be a horrible patient.
She was not.

I remember Louetta telling a story about when they were young, mom made a comment to her about how she was having a hard time finding shoes that felt good. She later, at 26, I believe, was diagnosed with the arthritis that she would battle the rest of her life.
As a 9 or 10 year old I can remember seeing the look of excruciating pain on her face as she would battle to get up out of a chair. I can remember feeling helpless, but I never remember her complaining. In 1974, or so, she went to the Cleveland Clinic to have a knee replacement, which back then, was a huge operation with an extremely long recovery time. It meant being away from us and a long road of physical therapy (does anyone remember the homemade sand bag weights she had to lift)? But I think if she were telling this story today, she would still say it was the best thing she ever did for her health. She took a risk (they said it might not help and may even come out worse) and had one knee and then the other replaced. She never had great range of motion in the second one, but the most important thing was...the pain was reduced. She said gone, but as we all know, it was probably just less unbearable.

In my book, that was enough.
Living with that kind of pain should have extempted her, or so I believed, from other types of suffering.
I was wrong.
In 1995, she went to the Doctor in October.
I remember coming home and she was in her room lying down on the heating pad. I laid down on the bed next to her and she told me the doctor said that she had lost 85 percent of her kidney function, but it was a slow process and at that point she should outlive the other 15 percent.
He was wrong.
Within 3 months she was on dialysis 3 times a week.
Doctors, dialysis, nurses, dialysis, hospitals, dialysis, needles, dialysis, infections, dialysis.
Still, a smile. Laughter. Yes, tiredness. Yes, aches and pains. And I'm not forgetting the times it would all be too much and I'd hear her crying in the bathroom. But honestly, how many times did you hear her complain? Your answer is the evidence of her testimony.

Awhile ago, when my foot starting hurting and then I had to stand on it 8 hours a day, I saw how pain can really ruin the quality of life. I felt how on edge it can make you. How even if you didn't want it to, it could make you short with people and irritable. And I thought and said out loud almost everyday: "Honestly, I don't know how she did it."
How did she live with that kind of pain...everyday and stay the person she was?
If there ever was the model of a patient patient..it was my mom, Helen Jean Vandercar.

Directions to here:

Okay...edit.

I take that back, I heard her bitterly complain on two separate hospital visits.

The complaint?

Being surprised by lemon pudding (she thought it was vanilla)!

Daylight savings...what?

I agree with Tammy's post a few days ago.
The weather and the darkness at what seems to be mid-afternoon.
Ever since the time change, followed by the week of rain and now frost on the windshield and cold temperature, all my good intentions of posting vacation pics and catching up on birthdays and news have been trumped sleepiness and the do it later blahs.

Directions to here:
So, my lunch break is usually at 4 and when I come out of the back room at 5, it's almost dark outside...does that mean that my northern family is in the dark at 4pm? How are you getting anything done?

Doctor's orders:

"I'm sorry that I couldn't find anything wrong with you."

(a quote from my new doctor...spoken with a Russian accent after listening to my scroll like list of symptoms.)

Directions to here:

Hopefully she'll say the same thing after the labs come back and the next three appointments with other doctors are done.

Keeping Resolutions

Gonna cross this New Year's Resolution off my list today.
(well, at least the Dr. part)

Directions to here:
Yes, I know it was 2004's resolution.

Flashback Friday...For Freedom

"There was a time when the world asked ordinary men to do extraordinary things."

Band of Brothers

November 10, 1946
They said, "I do."

We're glad you did!

Happy Birthday Joshua!

Georgia on my mind.

Shel & James,

You are on all of our minds and in our prayers.

"...Georgia, Georgia, The whole day through Just an old sweet song Keeps Georgia on my mind I'm saying Georgia Georgia A song of you Comes as sweet and clear As moonlight through the pines..."

Directions to here:
Precious Lord, take their hand.

Directions to here:
Well, the scanner won.
If you want to call it a win, 'cause it's sitting next to the door and then only because I refrained from throwing it out the window.

So I'll save the scanning for next week and use the other subject and pictures already on my computer.

Turkey Supper:

I honestly don't remember life without it.

Hopefully, neither will this kid!

I don't always make it home for it,
but I'm glad that these people always pull it off.

God bless the saints that have gone before us
and thank you everyone that has stepped up to take their place and carry on the tradition!

Flashback Friday...T.B.A.

It's coming...

but I'm currently having a fist fight with my scanner.

Directions to here:
Literally.
If I had a hammer like Dave and the lightbulb story, my fist wouldn't be sore right now.

I Want...

or

either one will do.

Directions to here:
Please Cori, Ed Elser, Ed Mc. please tell me you know what "Steampunk Mod" is and that you know how to make these!

Unwanted wake up call(s)

Read this on Yahoo news today...
and I'm adding my own "rest of the story."

"Afterward, Obama traveled to Indianapolis for final campaign stop to encourage voters in Indiana to support the Democratic candidate from next door. He helped about two dozen members of United Auto Workers Local 550 in Indianapolis work the phones at their union hall."

...and called and woke up Nancy, the bookseller, FOUR times in, what is, the early morning, according to her schedule.

Directions to here:
I hate politics.

Edit

Okay...

Since Sister Susie has been on a posting roll lately...

Once you go to "the farm"...you'll have to scroll down to the second post to see the Drew-o-Lantern!

Pumpkin vs. Jack-O-Lantern

A few weeks back, Gramma Susie and Jacinda were cutting up orange construction paper into the shape of pumpkins.
Jacinda informed us that if a pumpkin doesn't have a face then it's called a pumpkin. If it does have a face, it's called a Jack-o-lantern.

I guess these two qualify as Jack-o-lanterns.

Or should I say Jacind-o-lantern.

and Gramma Soos-o-lantern.

But to see a real treat, or trick, depending on which side of the camera you're on, go the THE FARM. Is this what they mean when they say if you're not home by midnight, you'll turn into a pumpkin?

Directions to here:
So Jacinda, what category does this fall into?