Creature or Wild? Yeah, We Got That.

Each week, Josie does a creative writing activity in which she gives her readers two prompts, and we can choose either one to inspire a post.  This week's words are creature or wild.  I'm going to choose both of them!

I have loved writing tests ever since I took a class on it in college.  It's one of the things I really miss about teaching.  My kids don't really appreciate written tests on healthy eating, so my test writing skills have gone unused for the better part of 15 years.   Until recently.  Clark has been putting together a "personality test" and has asked us readers to help him with some scenarios.  I have been all over it.  As I go through my days, I keep thinking, "Oh, that would be a good scenario for Clark!"  I haven't passed all of my great ideas along, mostly because I don't want to seem off my rocker, but they are in my head all the same.

This weekend, a few scenarios presented themselves.

Scenario A:

Long after the kids have gone to bed, it is discovered that a bat is flying around the room where 4 of the kids are sleeping (or almost sleeping).    If you are one of the kids in the room with the bat, which of the following describes your reaction?

(I am not even close to good enough to come up with official Doctrine "answers", but I have some of my own based on actual events.) 

1.  Run screaming from the room, hysterically crying that you may have possibly been bitten and need immediate medical attention.
2.  Calmly leave the room to find an adult to handle the situation.
3.  Stay under the covers, knowing someone else will do something to get rid of the bat.
4.  The next morning, when everyone is talking about it, realize you slept through the entire thing.

Scenario A, part 2

If you are one of the adults in the house, which of the following describes your reaction?

1.  Run screaming from the house, hysterically crying that you may have possibly been bitten and need immediate medical attention.
2.  Sigh, then retrieve the butterfly net which has, in previous bat scenarios, been repurposed as the batnet.  You may get the net, but you do not make any move to enter the room where the bat is flying.
3.  Look at the net-holder, roll eyes in derision, grab the net, go in the room, catch the bat, then release it out the front door.

I was very proud of my kids.  Not one of them panicked or screamed, even though all four big kids were in the room with a bat flying and swooping at a pretty good clip around the room.

(FYI, Phoenix is the one who stayed in bed, and Giant remained asleep until after it was over.  Buttercup and Star were the ones who left the room to get us.)

I was less proud of my husband and mother-in-law.  Our answers to the above scenario?

MIL:  1*
COW: 2

Guess which one described my reaction?

Scenario B:

At a large gathering with good friends from church/school, it is discovered that a bat which has taken up residence on a tree in the front yard (assumed to be the bat which was caught and released the night before).  What is your reaction?

1.  Run screaming from the yard, hysterically crying that you may have possibly been bitten and need immediate medical attention.
2.  Pretend the bat isn't there and set your chair up under the tree, because the space under that tree is the best on the property, and you aren't going to give it up.
3.  Go investigate the bat, having a closeish look.  You want to get a good look, but from a safe distance.  You aren't crazy.
4.  Get tired of having a bat hanging around, and right about when other bats are coming out from their normal slumber, grab the bat with your bare hands, carry it away, and release it into a nearby field.

Clinging on for dear life.

Yes, is was LOW on the tree trunk.

I have to say, I was very disappointed to not have a single person run screaming.  It would have been so funny to watch.

A couple of people just set up their chairs, but did give the bat furtive looks every so often.

Most people at the party had a bit of a look at it, then paid it no mind.

No, I did not grab the bat!  While a bat doesn't scare me, I am not about to go all Turtleman on it, thank you very much.  One guest did, though, and I was thiiiiis close to seeing some people run screaming.  Lots of jumping and people yelling, "Are you crazy?!?!?" but no screaming and running.

I have no idea what your answers say about you, but I'd love to hear what they are anyway!

We think we have found where the bats got in the house and have sealed it up.  Cross your fingers we won't have any more wild creatures visiting us again any time soon.

*May be a bit of an exaggeration.  She didn't exactly run screaming from the house, but she was panicked.  Jumping around, yelling at us to get it out of the house.  I think she slept with one eye open that night, if she slept at all.

Have a lovely day!

There's a Limit to My Eco-ness

As Jak knows, I'm not a fan of Stephen King.  While I do think he has a fantastic imagination and a wicked way with words, I do not like being creeped out.  Stephen King is all about creepy.

Unfortunately, there is a stretch of Interstate-65 between Indianapolis and Chicago which makes me feel like I am smack dab in the middle of one of Stephen King's novels.  I have traveled this stretch of road many times, and it never gets less creepy.

Honestly, it's Indiana.  From the interstate I shouldn't see much more than corn, soybeans, farmhouses, and barns.  Yet, at somewhere around Exit 200, something odd shows up on the horizon, and the creepy crawlies go skittering up my spine.

"What could possibly be setting Christine's heart to thumping?" you ask. 

Windmills. 

Giant windmills.

Giant, alien-like windmills.

Lots and lots of giant, alien-like windmills.

No exaggeration, these things go on for miles and miles.

It honestly feels like an alien invasion. 

It's bad enough when there's no wind and the windmills are still, but when they are moving, all slow and methodical and calm...shivers!

I tried to get some photos to give you some idea of the hugeness of these things,

but, they're in the middle of Indiana farmland.  Everything but a chicken looks big next to a soybean plant.

This last photo has been zoomed way in so you can almost see the grain bins next to the windmill.  Grain bins are approximately 125 feet tall.  Look how much bigger the windmill behind it is!

They're HUGE I tell you!

And when I say they go on for miles and miles, I mean miles in all directions.  Miles along the freeway, and as far as the eye can see to the east and to the west.

I am all for eco-friendly.

I recycle.  I compost.  I have an organic garden.  I dry laundry on the line.  I raise my own pigs for meat, for Pete's sake!

I am going on record as saying I am completely opposed to wind-power if this is what it looks like.

Maybe if the windmills looked more like the whimsical variety of Holland I could get on the bandwagon.

These at least add to the landscape.  Eco-friendly shouldn't simply mean a "friendly" way of acquiring energy.  Aesthetics need to play a part, too. 

Thirty years ago I saw the movie "Children of the Corn", and for over two decades afterwards I was scared to death of cornfields.

I've lived in the middle of 200 acres of corn for 8 years now, and I can finally say I find cornfields to be pretty.

I don't want to have to go back to being afraid of cornfields.  Please, Energy-makers, don't make me.

The beginning of the end for Stephen King and me.
Can you say, "Malachi"? 
 

Linking up with Josie and her Two Shoes Tuesday Hop.  Our word choice prompts for today were "early" and "wind".



Have a lovely day!

The Big Day

Each week, Josie chooses two words as writing prompts.  We are to write something original (not just link up a past post) with one of the two words as the theme.  I have never done one, seeing as how my brain just couldn't come up with anything before.  This week, though...  This week, I'm in!

Your choice of word prompts for Tuesday, June 25th are: 

 big  or  waiting
 
I hope you'll join us!

 

********************

Nineteen years ago today, Hubby and I stood in front God and a church full of friends and family to receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.  It was a big day only in that it was the first day.  It was the first time we committed ourselves to sharing our life and love.  We have made this same promise every single day, whether it be out loud or in our actions.  To us, marriage is not simply "a piece of paper" but a sacred union.  It cannot be broken.  Most days, it is easy to make this promise.  On those days in which we are just plain annoyed with each other, it's harder, but it is even more important to do so.  Knowing that this is a sacred union, we are much more motivated to communicate better and clear up the disputes to bring us back around to the easy days. 

 

But today, as we humans are known to do, we will celebrate the first day.  The BIG day when we first committed ourselves to each other.

 

For me, the wedding day was not what one would consider a normal wedding day.  For much of it, I wasn't surrounded by throngs of people.  I went and had my hair done, headed to my grandma's to get a shower, then to my dad's to get dressed.  I dressed alone.  I waited for the photographer alone (except for the moments I had to talk my little sister into actually wearing her flower girl dress).  It was a peaceful morning of preparation and anticipation.

Oh, the hat.  The one regret I had on that day.  My mom had picked it out and gushed over it.  I, being the nice daughter, agreed to wear it.

 

Once everyone started arriving, things got hopping.  We had a few photos taken at the house, then on to the church.  We were married in a beautiful, old church where Hubby had gone to elementary school.  He grew up in a town that, years and years before, had been part of my family's farm.  Many of the streets have my family's names, and I'm related to half the people there.  We thought it was a wonderful place to wed.

 

It was a beautiful Mass, and we smiled the entire way through.  We were completely relaxed and simply enjoyed ourselves.  I asked my mom to accompany my dad and me down the aisle, seeing as how they had been divorced a good long time, and he wasn't really representing the both of them.  She was hesitant at first, but finally agreed.  We're both glad she did. My brothers and his sister did the readings, cousins were the servers, aunts were the Eucharistic Ministers.  His grandparents brought up the gifts. (My grandparents were there, but my grandpa wasn't able to do it.)

 

 

We all had a good laugh when, during the vows, Hubby flubbed my name.  He has some explanation, which he thinks is reasonable, but as far as I'm concerned, after 7 years of dating, he really should have had that part down pat.

 

 

Before the ceremony my youngest sister (about 7 at the time, and quite a corker) issued me a dare.  At the moment the priest said, "You may kiss the bride," she wanted me to look at Hubby and say, "I'd rather kiss a goat".  When the moment came, I could feel the giggle waiting, knew she was anxiously waiting for me to speak.  Hubby and I both smiled, knowing I wanted to say it out loud, but I couldn't do it.  We simply kissed, and everyone cheered.  Both Hubby and I have said it plenty of times since then, though, and each time it reminds us of that wonderful day.

 

The reception was in a converted barn at a local golf course.  Nothing fancy, to say the least.  It didn't matter.  We had a blast, dancing and visiting and laughing all night long. 

There was the usual cutting of the cake,

(yes, he did smash it in my face, but I got him better than he got me)

 and the first dance (to this):

  

Again, nothing fancy.  Basically just swaying.  My guy has lots of talents, but keeping a beat just ain't one of them.

 After the reception was over (we were close to the last to leave) we headed to our hotel.  All of the out-of-town guests were already in their rooms by the time we got there.  We made it to the front desk to check in, but were told they gave our room away.  Since we hadn't checked in before 6:00, they thought we weren't going to need it. 

Yes, there we were, bride and groom, with no room at the inn.  They apologized profusely, and immediately started calling around town to find a room for us.  Unfortunately, there was some convention or something going on, and no hotel rooms were to be found.  Finally, they found a room (notice I didn't say "hotel") for us at no charge.  We were directed about 5 minutes down the road to...

DON PONCHO'S MOTOR INN.

Kid you not.  That is where we spent our first night as husband and wife.  We had to walk through a dark, dingy bar sparsely filled with old, lonely men (silent at 1:30am on a Saturday night) to get to our room on the second floor.

Can you think of anything more romantic?

We had a flight to Miami at 8:00 or so the next morning, and without cell phones, we had no way to wake up in the morning.  (Surprisingly, Don Poncho's didn't have wake-up calls.)  We had one of our parents call us at 5:30 to wake us.

The next morning we made it to his mom's house, packed up our luggage, and headed to the airport.  It wasn't until we were checking in at the airline that I realized I had left my purse back at my mother-in-law's house.  I had no ID, and half our money was in it.  (Remember those promises we made?  We got to practice living them right away!) 

Fortunately, this occurred back in the day when people simply trusted each other.  I managed to fly to Florida, drive a rental car, go to places for folks 21 or over, and fly home without an ID.  No one batted an eye when I said I forgot it.

Nineteen years ago, on that big day, we never, ever could have imagined all that we'd do and go through.  No married couples can.  That's why marriage is so hard, and the promises so important.  Without having any idea what is going to be thrown at us, we have promised to do it together.   It is overwhelmingly reassuring to know that we both believe this with our entire beings. 

For better (Bermuda) or worse (law school) in sickness (his, kids', mine, or swine) and health (six kids!) for richer (Bermuda) for poorer (once again, law school), we're doing it together.

Now, go on over to Josie's Two Shoes to read some other takes on the theme or to link up your own!

Have a lovely day!