It's My Imagination » Family

School Has Started

Lynne — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:41:10 +0000

Today is the beginning of a whole new adventure. Today, my daughter begins her Freshman year of high school!

She was up bright and early, dressed before the sun came up, wearing the outfit she had chosen weeks earlier. She is so thrilled to be wearing those new shoes! The excitement was almost overwhelming and she was ready to go before I even had time to turn on the coffee pot.

We headed out the door, her in her shiny new clothes and shoes, me, looking like I wanted to go back to bed! We drove off and headed to her friends house to pick her up. I don’t think either one of them had slept much, they were both too excited. Minutes later I was dropping them off at the doors of the school. They never looked back.

A Homeless Man’s Funeral

Lynne — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:10:46 +0000

(As received in an email):

A homless Man’s Funeral

As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the Kentucky back country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn’t stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play. The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I’ve never played before for this homeless man. And as I played ‘Amazing Grace’, the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full. As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, “I never seen nothin’ like that before and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”

Apparently I’m still lost………….

Band Registration

Lynne — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 19:30:28 +0000

Today is Marching Band Registration. My daughter is a freshman this year and so this will be our first time through. I’m bringing the check book because it’s going to cost hundreds of dollars today!

We have the instrument rental, $100.

Band Uniform rental, $100

Marching shoes , $62 (2 pair)

Uniform Cleaning Fee, $10

Band Booster Membership, $25

Band Polo Shirt (for pep rallies), $28

Add-ons (I’m sure there will be!), $50

Good thing I’ve been saving up my money!

Play Around in Memphis

Lynne — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:58:43 +0000

This is a sponsored guest post written by Memphis Travel on behalf of Memphis CVB. Post powered by Sponzai.

More than just the home of the blues and barbeque, Memphis gives you plenty of ways to play around, with fun things to do no matter who you are or what you like. Of course, if you’re into Elvis, rock-and-roll and mouth-watering ribs, you’ve got to check out Graceland, Sun Studios, and the Rendezvous. But Memphis has much more to offer than this holy trinity of southern culture, with enough to see, do and eat to make it the perfect location for your next long weekend getaway.

The families out there (or the wild at heart) should be sure to check out the Memphis Zoo, one of only four U.S. zoos with giant pandas. Recently ranked the #1 zoo in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com, the Memphis Zoo lets you get up close and personal with the animal kingdom. And with the recent addition the Northwest Passage, home to Polar bears in a see-through underwater exhibit, and the zoo’s newest section, Teton Trek, kids and adults alike are certain to have a blast.

Don’t let your midtown experience stop at the zoo; the Cooper-Young and Overton Square neighborhoods are just down the street. Ask a local Memphian where to find a tasty bite to eat, great local music and ice cold beer, and they will probably direct you here. Speaking of beer … the environmentally conscious visitor can enjoy a locally brewed beer by Ghost River Brewing or walk through the natural landscape and educational facilities at the Lichterman Nature Center.

Memphis has museums for just about everything. From the Civil Rights Museum, Cotton Museum and Fire Museum in downtown to the Brooks Museum, Children’s Museum of Memphis and the Pink Palace Museum further east, the number of places to have fun while you learn are as bountiful as the barbeque restaurants. Families, friends, sports fans, history buffs, self-proclaimed food critics – Memphis has everything you need to keep everyone happy.

So when you visit Memphis, stay a few extra days. Even the locals don’t run out of things to do. And to make it easy, memphistravel.com is launching a new travel guide to help you plan your next vacation. Simply choose from a list of interests and you’ll be given a sample itinerary with lots of great ideas. You can also register for a chance to win one of twelve trip packages that include tours, gift certificates to Memphis’ favorite restaurants, hotel stays and more. Go to itinerary.memphistravel.com to get started.

Vacation

Lynne — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:54:07 +0000

Well, not really a vacation, but we did manage to finally get out to California to see our newest grandbaby. We spent 4 days out there and very much enjoyed ourselves. We even managed to spend a day at the beach in Santa Monica and the water felt fabulous. I’ve taken a few extra days off and plan to get a little painting done in our kitchen.

What have you been up to?

California, Here We Come!

Lynne — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:03:32 +0000

We leave in the morning for a quick trip to California! My srep-daghter had her 2nd baby in June and we finally found a few days that we could all go to see the new little one.

We leave tomorrow morning and will be in LA for lunch. Friday we plan to take our daughter to the beach, and Saturday is the big birthday bash for little one #1 who is turning 3. We will head home on Sunday.

I’m looking forward to some California fun!

Coaching Dilemmas

Lynne — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:13:43 +0000

Last year, my daughter played on a fastpitch softball team for a coach who needed anger management training. He didn’t get angry with the girls, but he definitely released his anger on the umps, always when his daughter was pitching and the calls weren’t going her way. I’m talking serious anger, screaming, kicking, and once, he even threw a bucket at an ump. He was thrown out of so many games, we lost count. We made the decision to leave the team, there was just too much negativity.

Last fall, my daughter tried and and was accepted onto another team. This time it was part of an organization that wanted to grow its softball teams and it felt very positive. Everything went along pretty well, but what we noticed right off the bat was, the coaches never made it mandatory to attend practices. So, most days, not everyone was in attendance and it was so frustrating. We never knew who would show up to play in a practice, much less a tournament. Add to that, the coach had difficulty communicating with both the girls and the parents, most of us usually felt pretty clueless. I believe if he’d communicated his plans in advance, there would have been higher participation. Never the less, I felt something was off, so I started searching for other teams who might be in need of an outfielder.

Thankfully, my daughter had all ready begun working out with another team when her team imploded. The coach basically decided he wasn’t going to coach anymore and announced this to the team and parents, very unexpectedly, at the conclusion of the last tournament (the girls won 4 out of 4 games that day!). It was a huge disappointment and once again, we found ourselves with a coach that I couldn’t wait to get away from. Very sad.

Now, we are delighted that not one, but 2 teams have shown strong interest in adding our daughter to their roster. The one with the stronger coach has offered her a position. He is amazing in how much knowledge of the game he has. He is teaching the girls strategy and defense, not typical in someone who volunteers! He works the girls hard, but he just wants them to be the best they can be. I’ve told my daughter that his training could help her all the way through high school, not to mention, he’s familiar with the college recruiting process. This team is also sponsored by a National Organization which is a huge financial help. The 2nd team is also a good team with good coaches. They have a more relaxed attitude, and I’m not sure they have the same experience. It’s a very tough choice, one which will have to be made in the next couple of days.

I’ll keep you posted!

Helpful Household Hints

Lynne — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:45:31 +0000

How many of these did YOU know about?

A sealed envelope – Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a
knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed. (hmmmmmm..)

============
Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords It keeps them
neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.
==========
For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put
Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won’t
refreeze. (wish I had known this for the last 40 years!)
==========
To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for
a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The
wax will fall out.
===========
Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped
in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!)..
==========
Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt
BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
============
Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of
scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw
away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would
be much more economical. Now a box of S.O.S. pads last me indefinitely!
In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get ‘sharpened” this way!
=============
Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen
peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works
every time! (Now, where to put the body?) LOL
==========
Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal
for inside windows….. This way you can tell which side has the streaks.
Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don’t wash windows
on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.
============
Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely
light scent in each room when the light is turned on.
========
Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell
freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.
=========
Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3
hours prior to burning .
======
To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the
flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt
and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
============
To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap
and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove top.

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Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring
in tomato based sauces and there won’t be any stains.
===========
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
=============
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the
corn’s natural sweetness
===============
Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your
forehead. The throbbing will go away.
=============

Don’t throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future
use in casseroles and sauces ……… LEFT OVER WINE, WHAT’S THAT?
=============
To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area
and you will experience instant relief.
============
Ants, ants, ants everywhere … Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line.. So,
get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
============
Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still,
leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
===========
When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to
tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, and
then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
=====
Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer. Clean a toilet.
Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush.
The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China.
========
Clean a vase.
To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water
and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
=============
Polish jewelry.
Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the
jewelry for two minutes..
==============
Clean a thermos bottle.
Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak
for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
===========
Unclog a drain.
Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the
drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar.. Wait a few minutes,
and then run the hot water.

Softball Days

Lynne — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:57:18 +0000

We are staying so busy with softball! Tournaments are planned about every other weekend, batting practice is on Monday nights, pitching practice on Tuesday’s and league play (double-headers) every Thursday night! It’s insane, but fun at the same time.

I managed to squeeze a couple of hours out of my week to make myself a small tote bag I can easily carry with me at the games. This gives me quick easy access to all my necessities!

Charming Couple at Mayo Clinic

Lynne — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:52:54 +0000

This is Fran & Marlo Cowan, married for 62 years! I could only pray to be so happy with my spouse!