Magou's Musings

Changes in Animals....

2006-12-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

There have been MANY changes in animal status - of the four and the two legged versions -
Splash died on March 13th - just was done one day - no drawn out illness...died in my back seat where he always spent the days for the past year or so....and his papa got a chance to come and say good bye - we buried him out back (shallow grave due to the frozen ground), marked it very appropriately and his picture is in my car so he still comes with me....
Boo - the brain damaged, half-blind kitty had many adventures - became quite adept at navigating the house, was soooooo beautiful and loved us so much - but she tried to get outside all the time (and had no homing instinct) - she was lost for a few days once and God brought her back - let me hear her answering me when I called, and I got to save her through the woods and bogs in back of our house - but she then got out just before Halloween and she never answered my calls.....so I said my good byes and asked God to take her quickly and painlessly - although she could not have had a better home or have been loved more I know it was a hard life for her - she had one eye left with some vision, and she would often go assover teakettle since she had no depth perception - we miss her everyday - we don't regret spending the time and money helping her to recover as much as she could because I really think she was happy in her own way, but it was her time to be done....BUT we had gotten her a pet named Bandit - and when Boo left, that meant Bandit had no one to play with - sooo of course we had to get her a friend - his name is Harry because he is very hairy and he looks like Boo - black and white with beautiful long hair - his paws are not as huge as Boo's and he will never be as special, but he has found a place in our hearts already. And last but certainly not least, we (just yesterday) bought a sheltie puppy who is named Skipper (he will be a boat yard dog as he wil go to work with papa, so he had to be a boy and he will be an honorary captain so Skipper fit just right) - he is only 2 weeks old so his eyes are barely open - so he will live at his Mom & Dad's for a while longer and then come live with us....we figure he will have fun herding the kittens around the house when he is not busy at the shop...
As for the 2-legged pet - our son came back to live with us - he asked at the beginning of April - and we (being parents there really was not a choice to giving another chance) said yes...he is doing a much better job at being a human these days - I call him the new improved son like laundry detergent - no really, he is nicer, tries harder to get along, is not as sullen and depressed....but occasionally he has had flare-ups of treating his Dad with no respect, carrying a HUGE attitude around and expecting everything to happen just the way he wants....I guess that will take a lot longer to grow out of. He has yet to remember special occasions with any effort (like a card or gift) but does say happy birthday etc. on the right day, which is an improvement.
So
The menagerie grows, I have to wait before I can have a guest room, and I am ready for the holidays...my favorite time of year to say hello, to buy cool stuff that remind me of certain people, and to do some reflecting (not too much, though, because I begin to realize how old I am!!!)
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night...:-)

Soggy then Summer

2006-06-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

Suddently Summer, that is....spent most of the last 3 months wading in basement water puddles, in swamps and bogs out back (in search of the kitty who got lost, but God helped me find her after 36 hours in the woods, myself falling into waist-deep mud & water, and leaving behind a shoes in some very deep and sticky muck), plants getting moldy after planting becasue therewas too much water....and then came this past weekend - HOT & HUMID - 90 degrees which is VERY hot for this part o fthe nation...for the 3rd day in a row - finally had to turn on the air conditioner. Just last week I was still using the wood stove to take the dampness and chill out of the air every morning - you just never know in Maine what will some your way the enxt day...ir the next minute - they have predicted thundershowers for this afternboon - oh good, more rain...
The days was wonderful for a Father's Day cookout at my parents with most of the siblings there and assorted other characters....nice to spend time int he sun and with a breeze it was very nice in the shade...of course once we got home if was infinitely better - the closer we got to the coast, the nicer the air and the cooler the breeze - what a perfect place to live...I am sooooo blessed!
So for a quick update - the son asked to come back hiome and we said yes (sort of had to being the parents and all....) and so far he really is the new improved son - occasionally considerate, occasionally helpful, not complaining about each and every item of work he is assigned at his Dad's shop, and overall a quite tolerable human - I find myzself waiting for the other shoe to fall or something but so far so good and he has been home since April 4th and no homicidal thoughts have cruised through my head or his Dad's... I know the date that he moved back in, because this is the same date that our daughter married a man she had known for 1 week before she fell in love, another 1/2 weekwhen she got engaged, and another 3 weeks before they got married - only the first week was actually spent together but she was so so sure that this one is VERY different - ah well she was beautiful (pictures, we were not able to go for the wedding, sent flowers and lots of support (what else can you do?) ....Oh here's the real bonus...he has a son from a previous marraige so I became and instant grandmother - not something I was hoping for at my young and tender age (YEAH RIGHT...) After the initial shock wore off, I realized that this gave me a new excuse to shop and a whole new type of item to hunt for - little boy stuff! oh well...alwasy a new adventure around every corner...might as well enjoy it!
Sending lots of summer vacation happy wishes - maybe the DD will come with her family soon?!

Is Blogging a Chore?

2006-01-30T13:37:00.000-08:00

Had some down time - well some not-being taken up by other nonsense time - and thought I should take a look at the land of blogging - then I started to feel like I had to write all the stuff that's happenned since the last blog - about a century ago - What if blogging is another chore and I now have extended my massive list of things that I procrastinate about to include it -
OH NOOOOO
Upon closer examination, I realized that I only write this blog for some steam-of-consciousness venting and for my very bestest and forever friend - and if I give myself permission to blog only when the mood strikes and the energy is there and I KNOW that my ff will not judge my blog frequency - or infrequency - ....then it is NOT a chore, I have no formal obligation to go back to the dark ages and write a next chapter - but just do some musing and a little catch up and call it good....and then I was free to blog again...
so much for the musing, now the catch-up
Boo kitty - still alive - seems to meet each criteria for remaining this side of heaven - is now walking, can move around the whole house and not get stuck - can find her food, is finally using the litter box, and is still the cutest although now handicapped thing in the world...she may have some vision in one eye, not sure yet. Caught her near Splash at meal time the other day - whisked her up and asked her if she was brain damaged or something?!?!?!?
Have officially risen out of the depressive episode that lasted through the holidays through the Boo adventures and through the work re-assignemnt of case lloads (but still have a job) - the clound began to lift a couple of weeks ago and I made the concerted effort with God's help each day to do a little more, have a little more energy, and choose quality use of my time rather than hide-away use of my time...so far so good...
Saw our teenager during the holidays at his work place to give him his gifts and let him know we love him - sent him the package with the rest of his gifts this past week. He has hit a first for the scrapbook - his first OUI - loss of license for 1 & 1/2 years, has to go to drunk school, etc...I don't think he understands that part - since the local court has already dealt with him and he thinks that is the only price he needs to pay for the REALLY STUPID choices...not so....
Hubby has had a horrible cold/sinus/flu thing for 3 days - actually took one day off work (the second time since I have known him) had one day doing family things and came home early today -
We are teaching line dance together at the local school, free, no pressure, most of the old dances, although one new one and everyone is having a good time, they wanted to haev some classes and some exercise and I DEFINITELY could use it - Monday nights 7-8 PM, come along!!!
Well, am going to sign off...take a look at the DD's blog and then go make dinner....from the mild-wintered (so far) Mid-Coast of Maine....God Bless

2005-11-25T19:03:00.000-08:00

This was a game thing - I got tagged and the task was to find the 5th sentence of the 23rd blog since you began blogging and publishing it - since I don't have 23 blogs to look through, I had to choose the last one I wrote and take the 5th sentence of that blog - turns out that I have REALLY long sentences they are usually run on and meander through the world of thoughts - so this was the 5th sentence and also the 5th paragraph - it was a Thanksgiving blog I wrote yesterday....

Thankful for the knowing in my heart that I am loved and cared for by my heavenly Father in more wonderous and mysterious ways than I can ever imagine - and thankful for the welling up of tears when I think of all these blessings and manymore that make my cup runneth over -

Have a great weekend!!!

Thanksgiving

2005-11-24T07:45:00.000-08:00

This is the first blog post in a long time, things have been hectic and I have simply not made the time to sit and muse from Maine...but this morning before I start with the holiday festivities I decided to make a few notes....
I am grateful for so many things - in my little corner of the world and in the larger picture of our country and the world...too many to list all but God knows each one - my frineds, my family, my health (outside of the aches and pains of getting older), my job, my home, having my step-daughter home for the holiday and oh so much more....our president, our troops, our veterans, the goodness of the American hearts guided by God, the bounty and plenty that God has showered so graciously on all of us.
The snow that is coming down outside - the first snow of the season that will stick to the ground, it is usually the only one that I am thanful for because it reminds me of the beauty that comes with the otherwise harsh Winter...the joy and relatively cheap entertainment of having a new kitten in our house - may get a chance to post about Boo another time but I am very grateful for her....Thankful that the chicadees and the nuthatches have found my bird feeder that is just outside the window where I compute - (shaped like an iris it reminds me of the spring and early summer which is the hope after the long winter) -
Thankful for the knowing in my heart that I am loved and cared for by my heavenly Father in more wonderous and mysterious ways than I can ever imagine - and thankful for the welling up of tears when I think of all these blessings and manymore that make my cup runneth over -
I send out to all wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday season....

Fall is in the air

2005-09-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since I visited blog land - here are a few things that have happened since then

- Continue to fuss about my throat - a set back last week but overall doing well, still no scratchy food though....oh well - and it turns out that I am still haivng sleep issues after all this - although my snoring is now gone - there is one more option for holding my throat open at night - am in the midst of the re-diagnosis part - setting up the referrals for another sleep study - oh well...

- Started the school year - have a department 'retreat' on Wednesday to look at caseloads - will make the best of it - as long as I still have a caseload I am happy - but one never knows - especially since there are only 3 of us consultants in the 'department' - we'll see...

- Had visitors from NY - family of 5 - 3 boys under the age of 13 YIKES - we managed to squeeze all of us into the house, and my hubby cleverly had a LOT of early morning and late evening work that kept him out of the house before the kids got up and until after they had gone to bed...it really was fun and we would have them back in a minute but it was also nice when the house was quiet again! This means, by the way, that we can now easily accomodate the Dizzy Disciple and the whole family when they take their next Maine vacation!

- And Fall is in the air - crisp at night, nice during the day but so much shorter daylight hours...and the wet days that chill you to the bone, a quick fire in the wood stove to hold off the chill before you break done and start to use the furnace regularly....and of course the leaves are turning - saw my first completely turned tree at the end of August, they are popping up everywhere now - and oh yes, the acorns are falling - hitting you, the house, the car, and what a mess to rake! Wouldn't trade it for the world!

Getting Better - HOORAY!!!

2005-08-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that I can actually swallow without pain! I have still a swollen throat and am too afraid to try anything but baby food, mashed potatoes and overcooked macaroni - but I am definitely on the mend...My husband reports that I am actually QUIET at night although still sleeping in a partially sitting up position - so that is a huge improvemnt and the surgery was at least partially successful - I am not sure about the feeling rested part yet - because I am still recovering I think, but am hopeful....in any event, I have a voice and can still sing (tried at church with the hymns this past Sunday) again great news!
Thanks for your support and prayers....they made a real difference!

Oh my swallowed a fly?

2005-08-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

I think I will start a support group for people who have had corrective surgery for obstructive sleep apnea - it is an experience that you can only understand if you have lived/are living through it (sort of like planning a wedding) - and given how much it truly tries the spirit any extra support would be welcome...This is from the voice of 2 weeks post-surgery Magou - have survived the awful first week....the all night agony waiting for the next time it is OK to take medicine - dreading any extended sleep (like 4 hours) because when you do your throat dries and it is very painful and bloody to get it working again...and the second week of continued raw throat unabel to swallow saliva without discomfort but moving up the food chain from just water
I have graduated to baby food and mashed potatoes from the box - some brands are quite tasty! And I like the Hawaiian Delight from gerber - yogurt is also gong down now...a HUGE improvement!
My husband was very disappointed - they promised that I would not be able to talk for a week HA as if...I was talking the day he brought me home from the hospital - it's not the talking that hurts - it's the swallowing, breathing, swallowing, breathing...oh well..they say I will be a new woman when this is all over - I will actually receive restorative sleep (since I will no longer be 'closing off' my airway during the night - they have removed everything that did the closing....) which will improve my overall health, my energy level, and all-importantly prevent me from falling asleep at the wheel which is what started this whole mess....
If anyone is contemplating this surgery, ask them to conatact me and I will give the real scoop as well as some helpful hints for making the grade during recoevery....off to a bowl of sherbert!!!

I Was Book Tagged

2005-06-20T22:37:00.000-07:00

I have answers to the questions, but have no bloggers to send it to - still it is a fun activity...

When I owned the most books: when I lived in North Andover, Mass...was going to school, was actually reading some classics, and would often buy books for the fun of it - my collection has dwindled since I got married but the important ones are still there...

The last book I bought for myself to read is Reading Lolita in Tehran - recommended by quite a few people but I have no idea when I will make the time to read it -

Five favorite books/most important/ meaningful... Bible, Anthology of American Poetry (Roberty Frost and Emily Dickinson, for example!), Letting God, One Day at a Time, and The Keeper of the Bees - I am told I will become very fond of the curious incidnet of the boy in the night (not sure of the edxact title, but I will be beginning to read it this week)...thanks for the time to think about this - hard question...

Two Days of Summer

2005-06-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

We have had 2 - count them 2 days of summer since March - one was in May and one happenned today - I feel very sorry for the SAD people - this is suppoed to be their time to soak up natural UV - Of course it is not a weekend so I watched it be beuatiful from work - but was working with pre-school kids today so it was super fun - Would rather be with my college friend lounging on the porch of my In-law's cottage - BUT I have 2 count them 2 personal days to take before July 1st - Wed and Thurs this week are nominated...now if only the weather cooperates -
Enjoy your summer days no matter what the weather!!!

Things make sense in mine also

2005-06-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

These are the results of a quiz I took - sent to my by the Dizzy Disciple - she ahs a like to the quiz and it is vastly interesting!!!

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan.
You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists...
after all I was raised Methodist....

Tough Love

2005-06-07T07:32:00.000-07:00

Being parents of a teenage boy/man has been extremely difficult especially the last couple of months - no help around the house, expecting personal chauffeur service, barely interacting with us, no vehicle (because we finally stopped buying and fixing them for him) and no effort to buy one, refusing to work for his Dad even when asked, and overall void of respect despite consistent modeling of what respoect looks and feels like.
Things came to a head when we gave him warning that he would need to be finding his own rides beginning this week. This week came and he had not planned for a ride, told me to tell his bioss he was not coming to work....when the boss called I said he was not coming because he had no ride, boss decided to come get him - when I told the son that his boss was coming to get him (he had gone to the store for cigarettes ARRRGH) he absolutely flipped out - swearing, banging things yelling at me 'what did I F...ing tell you to say?!?!? I'm so p-o'd I could kill someone', screaming and banging around the house....I calmly said that I thought he was not going to work because he didn't have a ride he screamed that he didn't have a ride because of his f-ing dad - I replied that he didn't have a ride because he didn't plan ahead, which made him more angry...he called his boss cancelled the ride, said he was not going to work, (I later talked to the boss and he was going to have a talk with him anbout committment to the job and showing up for work when expected - oh no, someone else expecting some semblence of responsibility from him!). When his cousin cancelled trheir plans to go play around, he called his dad and asked for a ride - told him that the reason he was not at work was because he had no ride - ridiculous lying since I had already filled in my hubby - his Dad actually refused to take him, asked him what had he been doing to help us since we had been doing daily rides, etc to help him - he tried to claim that he was trying his best, then criticised working with his dad, etc, etc, etc....The conversation ended with him being told to leave - he came downstairs told me dad had kicked him out and that he would be back for his stuff....he then got a ride to his dad's shop - did some additional swearing in front of customers when Dad had not changed his mind and we have barely heard from him for the past few days...he came one night and got clothing but has not yet returned for his 'stuff' - although we were given strict orders not to touch any of it.....yeah right - when I am ready to clean out the disaster area that is always a teenager's room, I will be touching, moving and packing anything that I please.....I am simply too busy to do anything but keep the windows open for airing out....
When we have told friends and relatives (and the son's former and current employer) the story, they unanimously concur - sayng the we have gone way beyond the call of duty as parents for the 3 years he has been living with us, that the only reason he did as well as he did was because of living here. They applaud us for finally setting limits - the phrase tough love has been used by quite a few - but the Mom in me is worried about him eating right, about how he is going to have decent clothing and shoes....oh well, he is 19, he is staying with relatives, and he is getting a new job - everyone says that in time he will appreciate what we gave him and will understand why he had to leave....I would agree if I thought he would ever consider counseling - but for now I give him to God with prayers for his growth and awareness before his impulsive and angry reactions land him in jail or worse...I trust God's plan for his life as well as ours...

Bittersweet - Update on Tess

2005-05-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

Well, my need for happy endings was not comletely shut out - but true to the style of the day (and to real life often...) there was a bittersweet ending....a remarkable story, well acted and the cinematography (sp?) added to the story immensely - reminded me of Gone With the Wind....

Spring has come.....finally

2005-05-12T06:40:00.000-07:00

The trees...the buds,...the forsythia!!!
When we have the rare day without rain, the evidence of spring is all around - and the birds are very bsy catching up with their work...I love waking up to the chirping and to the woodpecker...BUT when the chipmucks start I will be much less pleased - their noise is like an ancient torture especially at the crack of dawn on a weekend when I don't have to be up for hours...
Although it is overcast again today, yesterday was such a wondrous one that I have new hope and new energy....how grand!

Why They are Called Classics

2005-05-12T03:53:00.000-07:00

I have been up early, sending the men out to forage and hunt, then drinking coffee and flipping through channels - I landed on the A & E classroom - Tess of the D'urbervilles - a few days ago - Having read every thounsand page classic in college literature classes but not really taken the time to enjoyed them as a story (and having completely forgotten the plot of this one - perhaps I used Monarch notes for that essay?!?!) - I have found a new appreciation...this began quite a few years ago when I decided to re-read all the classics now that I did not have to - I began with Hawthorne and found a richness that astounded me. I moved on to James Conrad, again finding depth and truths in my interpretation of the stories...I stumbled when I got to Thoreau - when you had the time to be in the 'zone' he was amazing but I found that I rarely had the time to devote and I fell away from my project, despite the enjoyment I had found -
so here I stumble upon the Tess saga - which has been in installments much as it would have been when first published, I imagine - and find a rekindling of the appreciation and the awe I felt reading the other classics - the acting is superb and the story of course riveting on many levels - I find myself thinking throughout the day about the insight and keen understanding of how life's trials and adventures shape our thoughts...about the daily clash of lofty ideals and cold facts, good and evil, and about the hurtful way people can treat each other, often without meaning to....No wonder they are called classics!!!
Speaking of which it is now 7 - time for the next installment - the worst thing is that I can't remember if there is a happy ending - I am assuming not, but am hopeful...

Goodbye to Hives?

2005-05-12T03:48:00.000-07:00

The hives that plagued me for 2 solid months have subsided - just in time for my dermatology appointment - I built my hopes up for her revealing all the skin answers and had pictures of the horrible itchy things - but since they had subsided, she had no insight for me - she could not actually see them and touch them - so much for the wonders of digital photography - and had no better guess than I and my nurse had come up with - so we wait for the last remnants to leave and slowly reintroduce medicines and supplements that may have been the catalyst...so here is the pickle - do I want to find out by having a new bout of hives, or would I rather just have no further hive adventure and remain completely unaware of what caused them? hmmmm

Happy Patriot's Day

2005-04-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Patriot's Day - We have to have a holiday for running the Boston marathon so why not Patriot's Day and call it good...actually a Mass holiday but Maine piggy-backs and I do enjoy the day off - have a meeting with my officers of the college alum club but otherwise going to have a very lazy day...It is also school vacation week here (New Hamshire is next week...strange but true) so my schedule is very flexible - just a HUGE mountain of paperwork and filing that needs catching up - but will not even think about tackling that until tomorrow (I am a professional procrastinator). Have a great Patriot's Day no matter how you spend it!

From the Harbor

2005-04-15T15:48:00.000-07:00

The news from the harbor (a 5 minute walk) has been mixed this year - the 'trapped' shrimp were very nice sized and clean, came in quite well during season (limited to a few weeks in February), but the scallops were not very plentiful at all (the season for them is shorter) and were quickly snapped up - I am sure this will be reflected in the price on this summer's menus...
The lobstermen are finishing the maintenance on their boats and will be beginning their season in a few days - they are allowed to fish all year, but most take the winter off - although if the new trap lkimits are passed they will have to fish all year for the same income that they could have in 9 months...I hope that they keep the current trap limit. The crying and fussing about conservation issues regarding the lobsters is a bunch of bologna, the old fishermen always put back the 'shorts' and fish a variety of spots to make sure there are plenty of lobsters for future generations - they ostracize those who are greedy and do not follow the unwritten rueles of the trade. How amazing that they didn't need a law or government to tell them how to conserve their livelihood....just some common sense.
I have a romantic notion of what it is like to go lobstering - I have never gone even though I have lived most of my life on the coast - I know it is really hard work and often they are just 'changing bait' or 'changing water' - empty traps that you haul up re-bait and put back down - but it still seems like it would be a glorious job, especially on a clear day early in the morning...perhaps I'll hitch a ride someday but for now I'm content with my spot on the sidelines...

I Hate Hives

2005-04-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, hives - the mysterious bumpy, itchy things that turn your skin into your enemy! I have had them now for a month - various medicines and lotions have not gotten rid of them and I am really tired of scratching. I can verify that oatmeal baths and baking soda salves are indeed effective but only during the treatment - no lasting effect - and what a messy tub - The docs say it is a serious allergic reaction but of course can't figure out what the allergy is - so it is VERY difficult for me to avoid the culprit...I hate the itching, I hate the bumps, I hate that no clothing feels comfotable and I really hate that we can't make them go away....But since I never miss a chance to fuss - I am milking it for lots of sympathy! Any and all suggestions will be entertained....

Spring is Here?

2005-04-14T04:16:00.000-07:00

From the coast of Maine....still have snow - our last storm was Tuesday (yes, snow in April) - and the snow banks were so high this year, that they are still melting - some of it melts right into my basement...BUT the birds are back, they are singing and I heard a woodpecker chipping away at some tree trunk this morning - so Spring really is here - disguised as late winter...Oh, and most important, when I brushed away the snow and the leaves, there were two lonely crocus patches that managed to bloom - HOORAY!!!