"I Thought I Heard..."

The early elementary school years were amazing, music-wise. It was in this time that I learned such greats as

Do-Re-Mi

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Great Green Globs of Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts

The 49th Street Song

&

Polly Wolly Doodle

I learned last week (after announcing a particularly interesting sneeze on my part) that Amazing Jess has not heard of Polly Wolly Doodle. There might be so many others who haven't, so I thought I would enlighten.

I couldn't just tell you about it. I had to include something so you could hear it. And as I don't really like dealing with midi files and such online, YouTube seemed a good choice.

I'm not a big fan of Shirley Temple any more. Not like I was when I was younger. Yet I still have a loyalty to her because as a be-ringletted, singing-loving child myself, we had enough in common that I somehow cannot write her off as completely annoying. I tried her version. It did not have my favorite verse in it. Besides, I have straight hair this week.

I enjoy (cartoon) Alvin & the Chipmunks occasionally. Occasionally. This song seemed right up their alley. But they changed some of the words! And it was just a little too high at the end.

At last, I found one. A choir version. The words are pretty understandable in it, and it's a really fun rendition. Plus, I got this thing about choirs (having been in so many for so long).

So here you go, Wondering & Waiting World. Enjoy the Greatness of

Polly Wolly Doodle

Good 'Ole Fashion Stake-Out

I may be, in fact, the best sister who ever lived.

See, I live with my older brother and he basically finances my entire life. Needless to say, jobless me has very few options when it comes to repaying his generosity. For example, a few weeks back I watched his kids for a week while he and his wife were at a conference in Vegas.

Well, this Father's Day presented another opportunity. I'm typically the type who enjoys making gifts or at least searching long and hard for that perfect, meaningful something. But this year, with funds running short, I gave the gift of time and sleep.

Last night at 12:30 am I packed up the folding chairs, pita chips, Apple Jacks, and sci-fi novels and headed out to the Bridgeport Mall to wait out the night in front of the Apple Store, thus reserving a spot in the iPhone 4 line for my tech-loving brother who stayed at home to sleep so that he could go to work today. He met me at about 5:30 this morning. We finally left triumphant at 9:30 am.

I could have sold my spot in line for $150 cash. Did I? No. Instead, Daven is now a proud owner of the iPhone 4. I dunno what it does, or why it's so cool, or why hundreds of people showed up to wait for hours and hours. All I know is, I got the 29th spot in line. I'm pretty much the best sister in the known universe. (And yes, I'm totally bragging).

Happy Father's Day, brother.

I Know It Sounds Fishy, But I Bearly Saw You

I went fishing today.

It was the same place I went last time, but this time, it didn't snow.  Phillips Reservoir is a secluded reservoir that sits between a mountain and a cliff face and offers an incredible view of the Tooth of Time. It was a beautiful day--if a little windy--and the participants caught a lot of little rainbow trout.  Lovely little things, those fish.  When we toss them back in the water, they lay there for a few stunned moments before jumping back to their little fishy action as if they suddenly remembered they left the iron on.

After we had helped the participants tie wet and dry flies onto their leader lines, we let them go forth and fly fish while we enjoyed the sunshine and solitude.

"What is that?" Jenny from England said, pointing to the far end of the lake, where a little inlet stays busy keeping the reservoir full. A brown shadow stood where it had not been only moments before, but even at that distance, I knew what it was.

"That is a bear," I said confidently. 

"Is it?" a participant asked. 

And right on cue, the bear turned its head and they all saw the truth. It surveyed us from afar as our excited voices carried towards it across the surface of the water, then slowly sauntered away.

It probably thought we were stealing its fish.

No Lie

Institute tonight!

Institute is one of my favorite things. I look forward to it all week. It happens to falls on Thursday. AND my teacher is nice. AND there are typically red vines aplenty. AND I have a friend there. AND the church is true.

Basically, institute is the bomb diggity.

Bomb Diggity

1. n. Totally THE awesomest, no lie

2. n. Awesomeness in its purest form

Outlaw

Okay--I know it's Friday. I'm breaking the law. But in my mind it's still Thursday. And there's something I need to get off my chest that particularly pertains to my Thursday. So without detail or context, here goes.

I don't think I've ever been more confused in my entire life. Have you ever felt like you were being torn in half by your own emotions? Well, that's how I feel. I feel happy and worried, excited and upset, exhausted and alert.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggggggggggggggggggggggg--I thought all of this was supposed to end eventually. And just when I had felt so wonderfully peaceful about everything. Here I go again with all the confusion and hesitancy.

There I said it.

I feel like a Thursday Chronicles outlaw--I'm a cowgirl . . . on a steel horse I ride.

I'm wanted, dead or alive.

Gorgeous!

Getting to see

this

today?

Well,

All

I

can

say

is

"Thursday--

Welcome Back!"

Don't Have a Cow

Actually, having a cow really isn't all that bad.  I rather like mine.  Granted, I just got him today, but still.  He seems to be a rather sweet little bovine. 

During lunch today, I finished reading Rick Riordan's series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. AND I LOVED IT. Any series that gets me excited enough to read the whole thing, start to finish, in a month and 2 days has got to be good. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE.

So when it came time to pick a name for my calf, I chose the most sensible option: Tauros.*

Eh.  It's all Greek to me.

*The more popular spelling of "Taurus" is actually a Latinization of the Greek "Tauros".  Cool, huh?

Board

Last Thursday was busy.
This Thursday was not.
Asked for some boards,
Now those boards I have got. 
Used them to fix a big hole in my fence
Cuz holes in horse fences just don't make much sense.
But now that that's over
I've got naught left to do
'Cept laundry, and celebrating
Fine Thursdays with you!

El Fin.

Dear Friends, Readers, and Thursdays,

I promise I have not abandoned you. Last Thursday I was a mother to three cute, messy, energetic, lovable children. Needless to say, I didn't realize that Thursday had come until Friday. You can imagine my dismay and utter surprise. What?! It's Friday?! When I have three children of my own will I actually forget all about space and time and cease to exist on every online forum in the known universe? Will I stop celebrating the best day of the week? What kind of a person am I?!

But the real mother is home now. And I seem to have regained my understanding of the passage of time as well as my sense of identity.

So Happy Thursday! Today I spent my time picking giant, red, juicy strawberries and transforming those strawberries into jiggly, sticky, delicious jars of jam. There is nothing better than starting your day by collecting and eating mud covered berries and ending your day by cooking and slurping warm jellied fruit.

Ahh--welcome back to my life Thursday. Welcome back.

Sincerely,

Me

Do. Or Do Nut. There is no Nut.

I supported Relay for Life.

I got to eat a doughnut (which is rare these days).

I was able to save a doughnut for my new roommate.

I was able to give away 10 doughnuts to my co-workers.

That's one good Thursday morning. Let's see what the afternoon brings!