umm, WHAT?

While sitting in traffic the other day I noticed this truck in front of me. Someone skipped out on Catechism a bit early. Amazing.

My head was spinning with the images before me. Was this person serious? (Imagine the back windows open! Hail Mary full of bow-chicky-bow-wow.) Hope this guy doesn't expect Mary to do him any favours...prob'ly not gunna happen.

How does he explain this to his mothers or sisters? Or Gramma? Oy.

I don't care what religion you are, this is disrespectful on too many levels.

For Sale!

Oh Holy Hannah! We live in an area that has 5-6 small communities all clumped together. While taking a Saturday drive around "town" with Thor we spied this bargain!

Granted it must have originated in Nevada (according to the plates), but somehow it ended up here. And for sale!

Why would anyone want to get rid of this vehicle?

"We can help, but YOU have to make the call..."

Ahh, kids. Back in the day I would gather up all of my 5, and a couple of other kids, and we'd pile into the minivan and head out for school every morning. I was the Kool-Ade Mom on the block, so I got a lot of kids hanging out at the house both before and after school. I loved that.

This was the day before law required seat belts. Yes there used to be a havoc in the streets and people just threw their offspring haphazardly into the back of whatever vehicle they owned and off they went. Let me tell you, a kid understood the laws of physics much faster back then.

We had the first Caravan off the line! It looked like a small white refrigerator on four wheels. Yeah, we were stylin'! We had bucket seats in front a 3 passenger bench seat in the middle, which did have a baby car seat, and the third row consisted of two folding lawn chairs. Heck, those third seats were EXPENSIVE! Ingenuity! Thor went down to Thrifty's and picked up to lawn chairs for a total of $12. When the kids complained about not having a seat belt, Thor took two of his old belts and wove them between the plastic webbing and TA-DA! seat belts! It was really fun to watch the boys tip over when you took a turn a little fast...they loved that. (You should have seen the face plants when you had to brake fast!)

The morning routine was:
1.Everyone in the neighborhood who needs a ride to school meet at the house.
2. Have neighborhood prayer. (It used to be just family prayer, but the kids began to protest so that circle on the living room floor got rather big.)
3. Everyone pile in the car. Leave the car seat for the youngest; and find a seat, or just stand, whatever... it's only 6 or 7 blocks.
4. Grab my hot chocolate travel mug.
5. DRIVE!
6. Unload everybody and their duck.
7. Drive home.
8. Do this all again in reverse at 2.

One Wednesday, (I know it was Wednesday, because in our house each kid was assigned a day. This part of the story is about #3, and the third day is Wednesday...see how this all works out?) Anywho, #3 is in the front seat crying as we leave. Everything went well until we start to pull out of the drive and she just began crying....hard.

I inquire to her distress and she burst out with, "YOU NEED HELP MOM! I LOVE YOU, BUT YOU NEED HELP!" I am even more curious so I ask why I need help? "BECAUSE YOU DRINK AND DRIVE ---EVERYDAY! AND NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO DRINK AND DRIVE!" I tried (not to laugh) to calm her down and she begins telling me that "there are hot-lines" and that I "am not alone", and that "there are people who can help " me, but that I "have to make the first step". "And while we're talking about it, THE BABY NEEDS HELP TOO! SHE ALSO HAS A DRINKING PROBLEM!" and the crying reaches an almost fever pitch. She is completely undone.

Now, in the back seat and the lawn chairs, other children are beginning to come undone also, only with laughter, which doesn't help the situation up front.

I finish the drive to school and drop off the minions but keep back screaming Mimi. I try to calm her down. She finally gets to a point where she is sounding more and more like Mary Richards, with a very high pitched staccato voice. "The. Ba. AY. BEeeee. Has. A. Drink. Ink. Ing. Prob. Lem!" (Oh Mr. Grant!) "Ev. REeee. Time. She. Drink. Inks. She. E. SPIIILLLLS!"

After a long talk I convince her we'll get the help we need; and resolve to never allow her to watch t.v. again.

I am sad to report, that after all these years, I still drink and drive.

the next phase...Carlton's log

Eiffel Tower
Originally uploaded by Adrasteia9.

I love Paris in, well, France would be great, but our next stop and conference is across Las Vegas Boulevard at the Paris Hotel - Las Vegas.

This is the poor man's version of "Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown". Come, cross zee pond - um zee boulevard, vis S'mee as vee vaux Jacques Cousteau and gets al Fraunch!

Yeah, O.k. so I have a lousy French accent, what do you want for your trip to Vegas? It's been a weekend, let me tell you! Saturday we watched conference and after the last session went to a wedding. It was particularly sad because it was two of my seminary students doing the whole "till death do you part" commitments. I can say I am not surprised, not much example on either side of their families, but it was so sad to hear those words. And as long as I am on this wedding, what struck me most deeply was the lack of blessings for the new couple being civilly married as opposed to the ones we receive in the temple.

After conference on Sunday we again went to a wedding. This time for one of Thor's associates at work. The bride had been married before and had two or three little ones and the groom, I think this was his first. It was in a beautiful setting with all the expected t.v. type wedding things. Flower girls and ring bearer, a couple of brides maids and the goofy best man with an even goofier toast. They had a garden reception and dinner with dancing.

This reception had something for everyone. Drinks for the drinkers, food for the eaters, and for the kids? Well, they had their own little bar and food selections, and to keep them occupied colouring books and crayons. I thought that was a great idea and it did what it was intended to do.

Still sad though, even if they aren't members...maybe someday.

Thor and I got on the road late, and by the time we hit state line we had seen enough crazy drivers for any trip. One particular driver had his/her own personal police escort and another had several police escorts, in CA this is known as the slow speed chase and I am wondering if it got the coverage these things normally do. There was plenty of "escorts" following the small sports car with the headlights out.

Half way between Jean and Vegas we crawled along at about 5 mph for about five miles. The big deal was someone receiving a ticket on the right. Can I tell you this is one of S'mee's pet peeves. Hello folks, the cop is too busy with the guy at the side of the road to stop and give you a ticket as well. grrrr.

We checked in and got to the room about 12:30. Nice room, large bathroom, steam shower a plus, and a teen-einsie view of the temple....WHAHOO!