Open up the Windows

I love this time of year.  I have been waiting on these cool days since June!  The coffee taste better in the morning; I sleep better and feel energized all the way around.  Downstairs in my studio I have two large eight foot wide sliding barn doors I open up and let the cold air into the room.  I put on a fleece and take it all in.   When we built our house six years ago, I designed it so we could open it up and bring in the fresh air.   Before a/c, people used to live with windows open so the subtle breezes would keep the house cool and comfortable.   Out west, where we have spent time in the summers,  hardly any of the homes have a/c.   They only need it three or four weeks out of the year and if they are hot they sit in the shade.  Novel idea.   Anyway, this past Saturday morning I woke up to a beautiful and clear 50 degree day and immediately opened up the house.  It seemed like everyone just took a sigh of relief and said, "Thanks be to God" for a gorgeous day..... even the house.   It gets to do what a house should do, breath.... and so do we.


We have all gotten soft.  I have gotten soft!!  Back in high school and college I drove a Jeep CJ7 back and forth to Birmingham and loved every minute of it.   If it was hot, I would take off my shirt (don't worry, I won't subject the world to that these days) and if it was cold I would turn on the heater that blew directly on my gas pedal foot and wear a jacket.  Was I tougher back then or just young and oblivious?  Now I drive my CJ to the hardware store and back and that's enough for me.   Yet on a day such as this, I can't think of a better vehicle to drive and feel that I could make it all the way to Birmingham.  So open up the windows and get outside!   It is what we were designed to do!  As for me, if I ever get my Jeep out of the shop with my new clutch, I will take the top off and get back on the road.  (Top meaning Jeep top of course, not my shirt).  Lord help us all......

Getting to Church on Time

I have to say that I had a great up bringing in Tallahassee, Florida. I had a great family and friends, and life just seemed to be a little simpler back then. During the week, my dad worked, my mom toted our carpool  back and forth to school and on Sundays we went to church.  Church…..well that’s where the happiness kind of died. First of all, I’m not saying that church was bad, it was good for me. It was the getting ready for church that was such a terror. My parents were mild mannered, sweet, and gentile southern people until it was time to get ready for church....then it was “game on”. Of course, I brought a lot of the yelling on myself as I would lay in bed until the very last minute and just before the hammer was thrust upon me, I was up and frantically getting ready while my sister and I would be reminded that we weren’t doing anything after church until our rooms were clean! “I have had enough!”, they would say. Oh…it was a true Norman Rockwell moment.  Most of my friends that spent the night remember the same kind of behavior. The worst was when I would switch beds and my dad would storm in my room to wake me up in a roaring thunder, only to find my guest in the bed instead of me. After the drill sergeant left my friend in varying degrees of shock, he would find me and continue his Sunday morning ritual that might rival the Marine Base at Paris Island. Eventually, we were up and out the door with our tail ends somewhat intact. Once we got to church, it was like it never happened and all was well. I loved getting to church.

I can’t help but to laugh about those mornings now because its seems the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. It doesn’t matter how early we get up for church, we are always trying to get out the door in the same manner as our parents. The kids can’t find shoes, jackets, or socks. “What about breakfast?”  “Tuck your shirt in!”  “I said GET DRESSED!”  “We don’t have time, get in the car!”  "Please!!!"  These are a few regular favorites of mine. Please, don’t judge us; we are just doing the best we can.  If you have never had to get kids up and to church on time, well this might be lost on you.  But, take my word for it, it isn’t easy. Anyway, I’m pretty sure our kids are glad to get to church ….just like me.  Whew!

Technology Can Be Your Friend

I’ll admit it, technology finally saved my life a couple of weekends ago. It was the last day of dove season in Georgia and Will and I went to a field we have gone to a couple times this year with several degrees of success. It has been so good for Will to go as there is no substitute for experience. This particular afternoon was going along like most as we set up in the middle of the field with our lab Wilson crying out for some action. It was later in the afternoon when I notice the constant hum of a small airplane circling above. At first I thought is was a local farmer that had taken off from his pasture for an afternoon flight, but after it kept circling five or six times, I started to care. Without even looking knew it wasn’t a farmer, but “The Man”; Georgia’s finest in wildlife law enforcement. I looked up to see a GA on one wing and WILDLIFE on the other wing.

Yeah… this particular day I forgot to get my three day non resident license and it was only a matter of time before “The Man” would be walking through the field checking us for violations. They used to offer one day license for $11! Those were the glory days. Well, I was in violation and I needed to work fast. So in superb fashion, I picked up my Blackberry, looked up the phone number on the internet and called Georgia Department of Natural Resources for a license. Will asked what I was doing and I plainly stated that I was getting a hunting license. Within minutes I had Sarah on the line where she had all my information in the computer and I had a confirmation number. I had no pen so I grabbed a stick and wrote my confirmation number in the picked peanut field. In the heat of battle, word traveled quickly through the field that “The Man” was here so be ready. I never missed a beat and kept my composure as I continued the painless process of getting a license over the phone. I gave her my gmail address and it was in my inbox within minutes. Wow, that was easy.

“The Man” was making his rounds, wandering from hunter to hunter making sure we didn’t have too many birds, plugs in our guns and all licenses were current. Well, mine was very current. I introduced myself and Will to “The Man” and proceeded to show him my license…on my phone. He wasn’t too excited about the electronic license, but what do you do. I thanked him for coming by, gave him a bird Wilson had picked up by mistake to give to guy hunting just down from us, and sat back down.  I turned to Will and said, "you just passed your first of many checks by ‘The Man‘. Congratulations.” Will just said, “yeah”…..it was a special moment.

At the end of the day I sent Will to get the truck so we wouldn’t have to tote our gear all the way across the field.  While I waited I had about 10 minutes to myself in the twilight of the evening to reflect on the day's events. There are so many lessons to be learned and taken from this episode in the field. Gun safety, the essence of cheetoes eating, why we drive on the right side of the road and the Brits drive on the left, why did Wilson eat the only bird we shot, what am I going to be when I grow up and why we eventually had to go home…to name just a few. But, if you ask me, the most important lessons of the day are: keep cool under fire, don’t let your 10 year old see you sweat, stay focused, and most of all….technology can be your friend. (I can’t believe I just said that).

It's A Dog's Life

In our family we have two dogs, our full blooded, superstar field trial black lab named Wilson, and then we have Georgie.  Georgie came to us from the Franklin County Human Society where she may have some lab in her, but also some rottweiler, doberman, beagle, etc. Personally I think her parents were full blooded Franklin County hog dogs that could take down the Apalachicola forest wild boars without getting winded. The funny thing is, she is as sweet and funny as can be and the kids love her! She can also be a huge pain when she gets into the trash if it is not properly stored and spread it all over the yard.  I think this is just bred in her. She will go to the pantry, grab a box of Triscuts or loaf of bread to take out into yard where she may or may not eat it. (I am looking at a box of crackers in the yard as I write). 

We think she used to have to fight for her meals when she was a puppy due to her interesting eating habits. When we put food in her bowl, she gives us a look, picks it up and walks to a safe and, sometimes, undisclosed, place to eat. She totes her bowl everywhere!  We will find them in the yard, living room or hidden in a closest, as if it was saved for the hard times to come. Georgie doesn’t know how to play fetch, but chases the ball with Wilson. Wilson brings it back and drops it at my feet; then Georgie picks it up and runs off with it as if to say “Wilson…this is fun”! Poor Wilson just rolls his eyes and chases her around to get his ball back. Siblings….

Recently, I have let them sleep upstairs with Will in his room. He has to keep the door shut so she won’t go out for a midnight snack and the box of Triscuts I picked up in the yard….again.  Margaret always says it could be Wilson too, but I never knew him to wander in the middle of the night although I have caught him pulling cookies off the kitchen counter.  Last night I was awakened by some whining coming from Will’s room. It was around 2:30 a.m. when I got out of the bed to see what was the matter.  I opened Will’s door, Georgie walked to the bathroom, got a good drink from the toilet, walked back to Will’s room only to give me the “that will be all” look as she made her way back to bed. Who is the master here?

They both have it made. They sleep on my old chairs when it’s cold and rainy, and lay in the yard, basking in the sun on gorgeous days only to be roused (sometimes) if a neighbor is walking by. We think we teach dogs, but in as much, they teach us. There are so many dogs that I have known over the years that I would love to come back as in my second life. Some dogs seemed to have figured out the system and know better, while some never learn. Wow! That sounds familiar. Could that be applied to us? The old saying, “it’s a dog's life”, is so true and not a bad way to pass the time.

Georgie Girl ... and her food bowl ....

Wilson