JWalking: The Blog

I sat in the chair, looking up at CJ, when I noticed a beam of sunlight across her T-shirt. "Every kid in the neighborhood has just let out a little scream of joy," I said. The rain that had filled the day came to a pause--just long enough for the kids to have their moment of pretend and to collect the treats that would last them through.... well, I guess it depends on the kid (or the parent!). RJ2 had been on "door duty" most years--sometimes in costume, sometimes not. This year, she was adamant about donning a costume and joining friends in the street. She had a choice to be a bunny or a dancer. What she doesn't know is that her mama wore that tutu for her first dance recital! CJ's costume came together out of an evening of playtime she had with her sister. Santa was coming to visit with his big bag of toys. And to look like Santa, CJ put a deflated red rubber ball on her head. Upon entering the room, I said, "You look like an eraser." The penc...

" N o, I can't blog right now. I'm taking care of 85 babies, and it's been just a bit tiring for me." You've heard me talk about the Reflections program in my Daybook blogs for the past two months. Forty years ago, the National PTA put together a program for students with a bent toward arts and literature. Reflections is a theme-based competition, affording students the opportunity to express themselves through their arts medium of choice. I love this, of course. Encouraging kids to be creative--bring it on!! I couldn't wait to be chairperson. I always thought that the whole program at our school needed a bit of a promotional boost and definitely needed an element that would allow it to linger past the closing ceremonies. And, earlier this spring, I was up to that challenge. Now, I'm taking care of 85 babies. There were 85 entries into the program this year. (There were 51 entries last year.) And they're all at my house now. (Well, except for a...

Undo Video

American Idol Season 8 contestant Matt Giraud Sue J. in the Matt Giraud-style fedora Pumpkin in Fedora * * * Somewhere in the patch is a pumpkin for you--Go find it this weekend!!

E die and Chatty Kelly have asked me how the Family Room is progressing. As you can see, we're up to our ceiling in a dark rosy pink! Not exactly what I'd call Daredevil, but that will change soon. Will try to put something other the The Daybook and "A Painter's Progress" on the blog--LOL!! We did have a fun outing to a local pumpkin patch. ( Catch the slideshow at right. ) I am absolutely taken by the pictures of these rich orange fruits out in the fields of mangled wild morning glory vines. It doesn't speak of a traditional Autumn at all, but I love the colors! OK, crankin' up the Chris Tomlin and back to my roller!

* * * FOR TODAY, Wednesday, October 7, 2009... OUTSIDE MY WINDOW... Dark. Breezy. I'm thinking "storm's coming," but I've been wrong about that too many times to say the rain is coming for sure. My ankle--twisted in a college tennis class--serves as my barometer, and it's not twinging today. The grass seed that my husband planted and fertilized has not only sprouted but is truly showing some depth this morning. I AM THINKING... As I commented on ADHDMe 's blog the other day, I've been enjoying the days, lately, and not feeling like writing about anything in them. But, because a big reason why I blog is to stay connected with folks, I'm writing this morning. I'm thinking that I'm enjoying these days more--full as they are! I AM THANKFUL FOR... CJ's working so hard at school and being so committed to following her teacher's guidelines. She doesn't get a lot of homework because they do so much at school. B...

I wrote a fan E-mail the other day. I told you how much I enjoyed reading Nora Raleigh Baskin 's book Anything But Typical . Since writers are now listing websites and other means of contact on their book jackets, it made it fairly easy to find her. Just had to say how amazed I was with her ability to get inside the brain of an autistic teenager and to have him speak to us in "our language." Absolutely captivated me. Well, she wrote me back, which was awfully kind. I wasn't really expecting anything, and the part of me that might have expected something was expecting one of those pre-packaged thank-you's. (Who has time to write thank-you's to readers?) No, she was sincere, and she was grateful to have someone take the time to find her and to acknowledge her work. Her thank-you was a warm, fuzzy start to the day, as if her book hadn't touched me enough. * * * S peaking of the book, I have to share this wonderful story from the book. ...