Setting limits has it's consequences

I admit: My grandchildren are a little spoiled when it comes to the computer at grandmas house. They tend to have free reign with few rules. We set the timer and switch turns. We are expected to be of good cheer and apply helpfulness to anyone stuck in a particular game.

That said:
Crankiness has erupted in my sanctuary and I put my foot down! If you can't be on the computer and get along, then the computer needs to be turned off. If you 'accidentally' forget to set the timer then the computer goes off.
This morning there was a little selfishness in regards to the computer usage... so I made a new rule. You earn your time on the computer. Each minute of reading a book (and I have a LIBRARY FULL OF BOOKS TO CHOSE FROM!) results in 2 minutes of computer time.
Mr. D was not amused. In his 8-year-old way he stomped off to the bathroom to sulk. Then he (cerebral as he is) got the brilliant idea to write me a note:
Dear Grandma
I never want to see you a gen
Hate, Daniel
-----------If it wasn't so darned cute it would have hurt my feelings-------------
Then he stomped off to write another note:
Hugs | Kisses
0      |     0
0      |     0      
0      |     0
Hate Daniel

-------Again... so darned cute!... (Oh, and he had arrows pointing to the totals that equaled '0'! --------------

Then he stomped off to write another note:
Be mad at me you meeney.
Hate Daniel
------- Then he stomped off to write another note:
Hate me so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so moch
Hate Daniel
--------Again... stomped off to write another note:
When he came back to hand me the note I asked him if it was another 'hate note'... yes!
Dear Gramma
Wiy are you beyeg so meen Dount see me agen meen
mad at
Daniel
-------- Is this precious? I asked him if he was going to keep writing 'hate notes'???
The next note said:
I am seryes you meeneey.
Hate Daniel
------I turned to older sister 'A' and said: I am going to keep these hate notes and when he is 20 years old I am going to show them to him and ask if he remembers writing me the hate letters.
Get ready for the next precious statement.......
Big sister 'A' asked me: Will you be alive then?
Sheesh! I can't cut a break with these kids! LOL
We are all friends now. Aunt Nell showed up and we watched a movie and said night night prayers. The house is calm. But what a sweet memory this is going to be!

The T-Shirt Project

Coming out of the library, you can see another piece of installation art.  This one is the T-Shirt project.  It is meant to allow victims of sexual assault to not only express what has happened to them, but to also educate others on sexual abuse.  I wish I could post all the pictures.

We had an event at the college last week.  An art event called "Washed Ashore".  All of the pieces were gathered within a six month period along the Oregon Coast.  The plastics that were gathered were cleaned and sorted by color.  Then the artist assembled them into fascinating displays.  I didn't get a picture of the artist (you can see her being interviewed in the picture with the 'rib cage' instalation).  I liked this display much more than I thought I would.

Spring!

THIS is what I wake up to each morning!!!

Smudger

OK, you've seen the feral cat (aptly named: Feral) and now it is time to introduce the elderly matron of the family:

Smudge.

She is called Smudge because, as a new kitten, the white splotch on her lip looked like she had gotten some thick cream on herself and had not yet washed it away.  Here is a series of pictures... she is camera shy.

The problem, in part, is that she does not want her picture taken, so getting a photo that includes her white cream spot may be problematic... and set for the future.

Give me a break... I don't want my picture taken!

I am not going to cooperate!  Go away!

*Heavy Sigh*

And that folks, is my elderly cat (17 years ole) with her bad attitude!

Trees

I stole this picture from the National Geographic Photo of the day site.  I was searching for a nice tree to etch onto the sliding glass door in my bedroom.  The trees are perfect and the kung-fu master is simply inspiring.  I love the depth that is portrayed here and also the mountains in the background.

ASL Session in the Portland Oregon Temple

Attended the ASL session of the Temple today. So spiritual!

I suppose that first I should explain about our temple. It is a little unique. Here is the front of the temple:

However, most Portlanders don't think of this as the front! Here is 'our' front:

Beautiful! Right?

Anyway, in January they started having monthly temple sessions in ASL. Today was my 2nd time attending and it was fantastic. I don't know if I can adequately explain how cool it was to get the message in a language other than my native language (English). I really had to concentrate on what was being said. And, truthfully, I didn't get it all. Which I was fine with. I wasn't there trying for perfection. I wanted to learn... which with me is always a haphazard, imperfect experience.

I did feel an extra closeness with the branch members that were there. That was weird. I go to church with them every Sunday. It was cool though, to chat after the session and feel like we were of one mind.

So, next month I'll go again. I'm pretty excited about that.

Also: In the chapel session I was reading in Alma about prayer. That it is not only important to have formal personal prayer (I call this physically praying) but to also have your every day activities and thoughts to be focused in prayer (I call this spiritually praying). Alma explains that both are important. Woot. Or: Word!

Feral. Cat with an attitude. And not a good one.

It has taken me several years to get a decent picture of her. She is very skittish and doesn't like to be cornered. And, to be honest, she is very afraid of all things human. Except me.

My fault, really.
She was born down the street from my house. I only learned about her because her mother, and a couple of her aunts, would traipse to my porch twice a day to scarf the cat food I left out for my two cats. My cats, at the time, were outdoors cats. As far as I knew, both were perfectly content to live outdoors. Until this colony of kittens kept showing up and eating both breakfast and dinner.

I got tired of feeding every kitten in the neighborhood and started searching for a rescue organization that would help me with the cost of fixing the lot. Oh, let us be honest. I was flat broke and wanted them to foot the entire bill.

Animal Aid came to the rescue.
If I would keep at least one of the cats/kittens and feed the (now we know) ungrateful thing for the rest of its life AND help find homes for the remaining cats then they would pay to have the cats health screened, altered and ear knocked. Ear knocking is done so that they can tell, on the off chance that the cat is stupid enough to get trapped a second time, that they have already screened and fixed the cat.

I heartily agreed.

Feral is actually a twin. She and her twin were inseparable. That is, until the day I lured them into the trap. The twin escaped. Never to be seen again. Feral, on the other hand, was carted off to the vets to be screened, altered and ear knocked. When I got her back I kept her in the cage for two days so that she would know for sure that I would feed her. When I let her out she bolted. It was several months before I saw her again, peeking out from behind my Japanese Iris.

Truth be told, I was glad she was alive. I had worried that she had run off and gotten herself killed in some unpleasant manner.

I managed to catch a glimpse of her every few months and felt bad that the whole trap/vet situation had traumatized her. Then came time for me to move. I didn't know what to do. I had made this commitment to take care of her and yet... she really wanted nothing to do with me. Just about a month before moving day she did something extraordinary. She came into the house. I had left the front door open to catch a nice summer breeze and she just sauntered in and sat by the door. I stood up and she bolted. This went on for a couple days and I was beginning to think I may be able to lure her into a trap if I had it in the house. No need. She decided she liked me and climbed into my lap.

WOW

I managed to get her and my other two cats to the new house, a long story that deserves its own post, and more or less comfortable. Now, three years later, I finally get a picture of her.