I know. Don't pass out. I'm working on it. :)
One Last Party
1 year ago
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
It Ain't Mr. Rogers Neighborhood Anymore!
Well, after some thoughtful moments, I headed over to the neighbors to find out what they were recording. I was pretty sure I knew. I complimented them on their painted fence and their new rose garden, and then asked if there was something that I needed to know about since there was a tape recorder on the fence. Sunshine, the name I will be referring to as my female neighbor, told me that she and Cheerful, Sunshine's husband, were recording the dogs barking in the neighborhood. They claim that the dog's barking is bothering them incredibly. Cheerful has already gone to the dog barking police, and they have referred him to a prosecutor. I asked Sunshine why they hadn't come over or called to talk to us about this problem, because we would never want our dogs to bother anyone.
You see, when we moved into this house that we were and are so excited about last year in February, I came home to a note from the dog police hanging from our front door knob. That was day two of living in our new home, by the way. I promptly started going door to door to apologize because this was not our intention of welcoming ourselves to the neighborhood. I started out at these particular neighbors home because we already knew the neighbors on the other side of us and their dogs!!! Yes, they had called us in, and how impressed they were that I would come over and talk to them about it. I told them that I wished they would have come over and talked to us about the barking. I told them that I was very sorry that the dogs were bothering them, we exchanged phone numbers, and I reminded them that the dogs had only been in their new neighborhood two days and that could they please give them some time to get used to the new smells, sites, and sounds.
By the way - - I know for a fact that our dogs barked alot the last night we were unloading because I heard them when I came home at 10 pm from cleaning the rent house. They were worried we had left them somewhere that they didn't want to be, and we had left them outside while John unloaded. First of all, our dogs are inside pets, and the two of them probably felt as if their world had ended being left outside in this new place. Second of all, I cannot stand dogs that bark constantly, so I was beside myself that my dogs were so upset. I immediately took care of the noise, but apparently the damage had already been done. A week later, Sunshine brought our dogs some steak bones. Ah, a peace offering.
Back to yesterday, Sunshine then told me all about her new great-grandchild, her medications, and her trip to the hospital. I listened patiently, and told her of my excitement for the new baby, and that I hoped everything would be alright with her illnesses, and that if there was anything that I could do to help I would be happy to do so. Then I steered us back to the real reason for my visit. I wanted to know when the dogs were barking none stop, so that I could make sure that this did not continue to happen. She could not tell me, just that it bothers her. I then asked why they had not called or come by to talk about this with us. I again got no answer. I reminded her that I had seen them many times over the last year, at the mailbox, the dumpster, in the yard, the two weeks their grandson was in town, and he and Noble played at our home as well as theirs, etc., and that nothing had been mentioned. Oh well, it's not just your dogs its all the dogs around us. Then Cheerful comes in from the backyard, and we start all over again. They tell me about their children's dogs, that they really like dogs, and that when one of the neighborhood dogs start barking they all chime in. When this happens Sunshine and Cheerful know that they are just being dogs, but that the two of them don't know what they are saying, and that frustrates them. Uh huh!! This conversation is becoming hysterical to me, but I refrain from laughing. Cheerful brings me out the court documents that he is working on and tells me how much time this requires. I mention that I am sure that it does take some time, but probably less than a phone call or a walk next door. He states that it is very admirable of me to come over and talk with them about this situation. Uh hum!! The tape recorder was the only clue, Cheerful!! He says that perhaps they should have done the same thing. Ding, ding, ding!! Surely the court system has better things to do. The documents have five different addresses listed. I asked if they had spoken to any of these people. They had spoken to one, and Cheerful didn't like the way it went. He also doesn't like the way these neighbors are taking care of their yard.
Finally, after three times of telling me how admirable it was that I came over to talk to them, Cheerful, needs to get back to his yard work. He states that he will probably take our names off the court papers. He says that he is going to be tilling some of the yard and that it might get a little noisy. If it gets too noisy, he informs me that I can turn him in to the noise police. I let him know that I would never do that. Sunshine, starts to tell me about their summer plans, and I tell her that I need to get back home to clean my house. She says that she bets I thought that was pretty weird seeing a tape recorder on the fence. I reply that it really was, and that I felt a little violated. She then says that she bets I thought that they were recording John and I making mad passionate love to each other. I exclaim with an, excuse me!! She just smiles. I head on home, and as I get to my drive way I laugh uncontrollably. Tears, you guys!! Frustration, humor, anger, tension, etc., those kind of laughing tears.
John is gone with Noble camping through this whole experience thank you very much!! I promise myself not to say anything to him until he is home, unloaded, and showered. This is difficult for me. I really like to share my experiences with my husband, but I realize he needs to be home and relaxed for this one. He too, shares a similar response. The most fun has been plotting what kinds of sounds to record and play over the fence, but we won't. We will be kind and neighborly, and try to keep our dogs very quiet.
Today after church the phone rings, John answers it. It is Sunshine. He hands the phone to me. She says that she knows I have a green thumb, and that she has a few extra plants that she would like me to have. Ah, a peace offering!!
For now!?!?!
You see, when we moved into this house that we were and are so excited about last year in February, I came home to a note from the dog police hanging from our front door knob. That was day two of living in our new home, by the way. I promptly started going door to door to apologize because this was not our intention of welcoming ourselves to the neighborhood. I started out at these particular neighbors home because we already knew the neighbors on the other side of us and their dogs!!! Yes, they had called us in, and how impressed they were that I would come over and talk to them about it. I told them that I wished they would have come over and talked to us about the barking. I told them that I was very sorry that the dogs were bothering them, we exchanged phone numbers, and I reminded them that the dogs had only been in their new neighborhood two days and that could they please give them some time to get used to the new smells, sites, and sounds.
By the way - - I know for a fact that our dogs barked alot the last night we were unloading because I heard them when I came home at 10 pm from cleaning the rent house. They were worried we had left them somewhere that they didn't want to be, and we had left them outside while John unloaded. First of all, our dogs are inside pets, and the two of them probably felt as if their world had ended being left outside in this new place. Second of all, I cannot stand dogs that bark constantly, so I was beside myself that my dogs were so upset. I immediately took care of the noise, but apparently the damage had already been done. A week later, Sunshine brought our dogs some steak bones. Ah, a peace offering.
Back to yesterday, Sunshine then told me all about her new great-grandchild, her medications, and her trip to the hospital. I listened patiently, and told her of my excitement for the new baby, and that I hoped everything would be alright with her illnesses, and that if there was anything that I could do to help I would be happy to do so. Then I steered us back to the real reason for my visit. I wanted to know when the dogs were barking none stop, so that I could make sure that this did not continue to happen. She could not tell me, just that it bothers her. I then asked why they had not called or come by to talk about this with us. I again got no answer. I reminded her that I had seen them many times over the last year, at the mailbox, the dumpster, in the yard, the two weeks their grandson was in town, and he and Noble played at our home as well as theirs, etc., and that nothing had been mentioned. Oh well, it's not just your dogs its all the dogs around us. Then Cheerful comes in from the backyard, and we start all over again. They tell me about their children's dogs, that they really like dogs, and that when one of the neighborhood dogs start barking they all chime in. When this happens Sunshine and Cheerful know that they are just being dogs, but that the two of them don't know what they are saying, and that frustrates them. Uh huh!! This conversation is becoming hysterical to me, but I refrain from laughing. Cheerful brings me out the court documents that he is working on and tells me how much time this requires. I mention that I am sure that it does take some time, but probably less than a phone call or a walk next door. He states that it is very admirable of me to come over and talk with them about this situation. Uh hum!! The tape recorder was the only clue, Cheerful!! He says that perhaps they should have done the same thing. Ding, ding, ding!! Surely the court system has better things to do. The documents have five different addresses listed. I asked if they had spoken to any of these people. They had spoken to one, and Cheerful didn't like the way it went. He also doesn't like the way these neighbors are taking care of their yard.
Finally, after three times of telling me how admirable it was that I came over to talk to them, Cheerful, needs to get back to his yard work. He states that he will probably take our names off the court papers. He says that he is going to be tilling some of the yard and that it might get a little noisy. If it gets too noisy, he informs me that I can turn him in to the noise police. I let him know that I would never do that. Sunshine, starts to tell me about their summer plans, and I tell her that I need to get back home to clean my house. She says that she bets I thought that was pretty weird seeing a tape recorder on the fence. I reply that it really was, and that I felt a little violated. She then says that she bets I thought that they were recording John and I making mad passionate love to each other. I exclaim with an, excuse me!! She just smiles. I head on home, and as I get to my drive way I laugh uncontrollably. Tears, you guys!! Frustration, humor, anger, tension, etc., those kind of laughing tears.
John is gone with Noble camping through this whole experience thank you very much!! I promise myself not to say anything to him until he is home, unloaded, and showered. This is difficult for me. I really like to share my experiences with my husband, but I realize he needs to be home and relaxed for this one. He too, shares a similar response. The most fun has been plotting what kinds of sounds to record and play over the fence, but we won't. We will be kind and neighborly, and try to keep our dogs very quiet.
Today after church the phone rings, John answers it. It is Sunshine. He hands the phone to me. She says that she knows I have a green thumb, and that she has a few extra plants that she would like me to have. Ah, a peace offering!!
For now!?!?!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
What Would You Do???
Let's say that you left your house this morning to run an errand. When you arrived home you decided that it was such a nice morning that you would eat breakfast outside. As you sat enjoying the birds chirping, your dogs lying in the grass, and eatting your breakfast, you noticed that on your fence sat a tape recorder. What is this??? You study a little longer only to notice that there are two buttons pushed down indicating that something is being recorded. As it occurs to you that this is really strange, your neighbor's hand reaches up from the other side of the fence to remove the tape recorder. You are stunned!! What do you do?
Hit the Road Lowes!
It is with great excitement that I announce that John is no longer working at Lowes!
We did some careful budgeting and have decided that working two jobs for three years plus is over. Yahoo!!! It will be so fun to have him home. In fact, this weekend he is camping with Noble and the eleven year old scouts. This day has been a long time coming, and we hope that we can make it work. So does John's shoulder and lower back!!! Yipee!!
We did some careful budgeting and have decided that working two jobs for three years plus is over. Yahoo!!! It will be so fun to have him home. In fact, this weekend he is camping with Noble and the eleven year old scouts. This day has been a long time coming, and we hope that we can make it work. So does John's shoulder and lower back!!! Yipee!!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Honor's Testing and the Big Picture
Noble is getting closer and closer to jr. high!! On March 3, he challenged the honor's tests for social studies, math, science, and English. He feels pretty good about most of it. He said the math was a little hard, but he really wants to make honor's math because he wants to be an engineer. John and I were taken aback once again because neither of us remember being even remotely concernced with whether or not we were preparing for a professional career in sixth grade. Noble is truly amazing!! We let him know that we knew he had done his best, and that he would get into the classes that he was most prepared for so that he would be comfortable but challenged.
This jr. high thing is getting a little to close for comfort. This year has gone so quickly, and I keep trying to figure out a way to slow it down. I have yet to be successful. I remember so many times wishing time would go faster, and I know that many of us still have that desire. Most of the time it is so that something that we really want to happen will hurry up and get here. While other times we are enduring through a particular situation that we wish would just end already. There are so many landmarks in my life that I couldn't wait to get to, and so many have come and gone. I wish many times that I could see the "big picture" of my life, so that I could better prepare for what is to come. BUT that is life's challenge, to go forward with faith, isn't it? It appears that in my life, I will only get to do things as a parent once. At times this is extremely overwhelming to me. I have to do it all correctly the first time.
The other day John and I took Noble's rocking chair over to a sweet little couple expecting their first baby, a boy. Slowly, I have given away our baby things. I loved rocking Noble. Every once in awhile he will still sit in my lap, and if he only knew how much that means to me. I don't know how many of you have a copy of Love You Forever.
Love You Forever
by Robert Munsch
A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him, she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, "this kid is driving me CRAZY!"
But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
The little boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was nine years old. And he never wanted to come in for dinner, he never wanted to take a bath, and when grandma visited he always said bad words. Sometimes his mother wanted to sell him to the zoo!
But at night time, when he was asleep, the mother quietly opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep, she picked up that nine-year-old boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
The boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a teenager. He had strange friends and he wore strange clothes and he listened to strange music. Sometimes the mother felt like she was in a zoo!
But at night time, when that teenager was asleep, the mother opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep she picked up that great big boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
That teenager grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a grown-up man. He left home and got a house across town. But sometimes on dark nights the mother got into her car and drove across town. If all the lights in her son's house were out, she opened his bedroom window, crawled across the floor, and looked up over the side of his bed. If that great big man was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
Well, that mother, she got older. She got older and older and older. One day she called up her son and said, "You'd better come see me because I'm very old and sick." So her son came to see her. When he came in the door she tried to sing the song. She sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always...
But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick. The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be.
When the son came home that night, he stood for a long time at the top of the stairs. Then he went into the room where his very new baby daughter was sleeping. He picked her up in his arms and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while he rocked her he sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
I am truly blessed!
This jr. high thing is getting a little to close for comfort. This year has gone so quickly, and I keep trying to figure out a way to slow it down. I have yet to be successful. I remember so many times wishing time would go faster, and I know that many of us still have that desire. Most of the time it is so that something that we really want to happen will hurry up and get here. While other times we are enduring through a particular situation that we wish would just end already. There are so many landmarks in my life that I couldn't wait to get to, and so many have come and gone. I wish many times that I could see the "big picture" of my life, so that I could better prepare for what is to come. BUT that is life's challenge, to go forward with faith, isn't it? It appears that in my life, I will only get to do things as a parent once. At times this is extremely overwhelming to me. I have to do it all correctly the first time.
The other day John and I took Noble's rocking chair over to a sweet little couple expecting their first baby, a boy. Slowly, I have given away our baby things. I loved rocking Noble. Every once in awhile he will still sit in my lap, and if he only knew how much that means to me. I don't know how many of you have a copy of Love You Forever.
Love You Forever
by Robert Munsch
A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him, she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, "this kid is driving me CRAZY!"
But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
The little boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was nine years old. And he never wanted to come in for dinner, he never wanted to take a bath, and when grandma visited he always said bad words. Sometimes his mother wanted to sell him to the zoo!
But at night time, when he was asleep, the mother quietly opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep, she picked up that nine-year-old boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
The boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a teenager. He had strange friends and he wore strange clothes and he listened to strange music. Sometimes the mother felt like she was in a zoo!
But at night time, when that teenager was asleep, the mother opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep she picked up that great big boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
That teenager grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a grown-up man. He left home and got a house across town. But sometimes on dark nights the mother got into her car and drove across town. If all the lights in her son's house were out, she opened his bedroom window, crawled across the floor, and looked up over the side of his bed. If that great big man was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
Well, that mother, she got older. She got older and older and older. One day she called up her son and said, "You'd better come see me because I'm very old and sick." So her son came to see her. When he came in the door she tried to sing the song. She sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always...
But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick. The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be.
When the son came home that night, he stood for a long time at the top of the stairs. Then he went into the room where his very new baby daughter was sleeping. He picked her up in his arms and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while he rocked her he sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
I am truly blessed!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Let's See if I Can Remember . . .
January 20
Noble, John, and I went to the President Bush and Laura welcome home party. We took Noble's friend, Ben, who is his democratic rival on their school talk show. I was really glad we went. Also, as Air Force One flew its last mission with President Bush aboard right over our heads, Noble remarked that one day he would fly on Air Force One. Either he would be the President or the chief aviation engineer. Maybe that means that I'll get to fly on Air Force One someday, too!! Either as the President's wickedly awesome mother, or as the chief engineer's wickedly awesome mother. Either way I'll be sooooo proud!! Gotta love my kid!
January 23
John turned 40. That in and of itself is amazing!! First of all, I can't believe that he and I are in that age group. It got here much sooner than I expected. I can still remember the party for my dad when he turned 40, and I would have been 13. I know that I thought that seemed pretty old then, but not anymore. Love ya Dad! Also, because John was told at age 9 that he probably wouldn't live that long. Don't ya just love tenderhearted doctors?!? Stupid doctor!! We showed him. Who does he think he is??? We are so blessed to have John around!! His ailments often give us a scare. Happy Birthday, Babe!
February 6-8
Went to Atlanta for a conference, the Ron Clark Academy. Had a great time. Learned alot. Enjoyed being with some of the other teachers on my campus. The school was amazing!! Also, had dinner with my cousin and his family. Thanks Bryan and family!
February 9-13
Went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with John!! Had a blast!! It was so fun to be with John and watch him relax. We relaxed on the beach, ate tons of yummy food, went four-wheeling, twice, took a sunset dinner cruise, went whale watching, had a massage, shopped, spent time with insurance buddies, and most importantly got to spend quality time together.
February 28
Traveled to Lubbock to watch Noble compete in his third Destination Imagination competition. Their team won first again, and is advancing to the State Competition in Houston the first weekend in April. Yahoo!! I'll post pictures later, as I forgot to take my camera. They competed in a category called Instinct Messaging. They had to pick an animal and use its way of communication in their skit. They chose the peacock, and Noble was the "featured creature" this year. He has a really neat contraption for raising and lowering his "tail." He made a very handsome male peacock.
Whew!! I think I made it!! I apologize for the lack of posting. Sometimes life gets the better of me!!
Noble, John, and I went to the President Bush and Laura welcome home party. We took Noble's friend, Ben, who is his democratic rival on their school talk show. I was really glad we went. Also, as Air Force One flew its last mission with President Bush aboard right over our heads, Noble remarked that one day he would fly on Air Force One. Either he would be the President or the chief aviation engineer. Maybe that means that I'll get to fly on Air Force One someday, too!! Either as the President's wickedly awesome mother, or as the chief engineer's wickedly awesome mother. Either way I'll be sooooo proud!! Gotta love my kid!
January 23
John turned 40. That in and of itself is amazing!! First of all, I can't believe that he and I are in that age group. It got here much sooner than I expected. I can still remember the party for my dad when he turned 40, and I would have been 13. I know that I thought that seemed pretty old then, but not anymore. Love ya Dad! Also, because John was told at age 9 that he probably wouldn't live that long. Don't ya just love tenderhearted doctors?!? Stupid doctor!! We showed him. Who does he think he is??? We are so blessed to have John around!! His ailments often give us a scare. Happy Birthday, Babe!
February 6-8
Went to Atlanta for a conference, the Ron Clark Academy. Had a great time. Learned alot. Enjoyed being with some of the other teachers on my campus. The school was amazing!! Also, had dinner with my cousin and his family. Thanks Bryan and family!
February 9-13
Went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with John!! Had a blast!! It was so fun to be with John and watch him relax. We relaxed on the beach, ate tons of yummy food, went four-wheeling, twice, took a sunset dinner cruise, went whale watching, had a massage, shopped, spent time with insurance buddies, and most importantly got to spend quality time together.
February 28
Traveled to Lubbock to watch Noble compete in his third Destination Imagination competition. Their team won first again, and is advancing to the State Competition in Houston the first weekend in April. Yahoo!! I'll post pictures later, as I forgot to take my camera. They competed in a category called Instinct Messaging. They had to pick an animal and use its way of communication in their skit. They chose the peacock, and Noble was the "featured creature" this year. He has a really neat contraption for raising and lowering his "tail." He made a very handsome male peacock.
Whew!! I think I made it!! I apologize for the lack of posting. Sometimes life gets the better of me!!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Christmas Day 2008
We had a great Christmas. Noble got a couple of Wii games, Da Blob and Sims City Creator. He got Outdoor Challenge for the Wii, which is a lot of fun and is an incredibly good work out. He got the board games Democracy and Axis and Allies. He also got a camouflage bean bag with his name on it. Jake got a new cowboy hat and boots, and he was done as soon as he got them. It took some convincing to get him to open all of the other stuff. Both Jake and Noble were sick, and they tried really hard to be good sports. We had ham and turkey and all the fixings for dinner. Jake and Noble broke the wishbone from Thanksgiving, and Jake got to make a wish. Merry Christmas 2008!
Christmas Eve 2008
Santa came by on Christmas Eve to visit Noble and Jake at their grandparent's house in Alpine. Apparently "Santa" loves Barack Obama. Just in case you were wondering, Noble did shed several tears and had to excuse himself from the room. "Santa" is a retired college history professor and just had to "go there" with Noble. I think this year was it for Noble, remember he wasn't keen on "believing" in change. He did bring Jake a fireman's hat and Noble a Wii controller.
Those of you die hard Republicans take a moment to enjoy "Blue Christmas," after all we'll have a new guy in town next Christmas. :)
President Bush's Legacy
I really liked this article and wanted to share.
Analysis: Bush's personality shapes his legacy
By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer Ben Feller, Associated Press Writer
Sat Jan 3, 3:23 pm ET
WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush will be judged on what he did. He will also be remembered for what he's like: a fast-moving, phrase-mangling Texan who stays upbeat even though his country is not.
For eight years, the nation has been led by a guy who relaxes by clearing brush in scorching heat and taking breakneck bike rides through the woods. He dishes out nicknames to world leaders, and even gave the German chancellor an impromptu, perhaps unwelcome, neck rub. He's annoyed when kept waiting and sticks relentlessly to routine. He stays optimistic in even the most dire circumstances, but readily tears up in public. He has little use for looking within himself, and only lately has done much looking back.
Bush's style and temperament are as much his legacy as his decisions. Policy shapes lives, but personality creates indelible memories — positive and negative.
Call it distinctly Bush.
___
Don't be late.
Bush demands punctuality and disdains inefficiency. Every meeting better have a clear purpose. And it better not repeat what he already knows.
He is up early and in the Oval Office by 6:45 a.m. By 9:30 to 10 at night, it's lights out. He likes to be fresh and won't get cheated on his sleep.
In sessions with policy experts, Bush tends to ask questions that get right to the nub of a sticky issue. His top aides speak regretfully about how the country never got to see that side of him, even after all this time. They describe a man who is deeply inquisitive, not blithely incurious as much of the world thinks.
When Bush wants answers, guessing isn't advised.
"He can sniff it out a mile away if you don't have the goods," said White House communications director Kevin Sullivan.
Other people write Bush's speeches, but he'll kick out phrases that he thinks stray from a logical progression. It's about discipline.
You can tell the issues that really get Bush going, because he talks about them differently, more passionately: education, AIDS relief, freedom. They happen to be ones that can be viewed more clearly through a moral lens. That's how he sees the world.
Bush reads the Bible regularly. Another devotion: exercise. He makes time for a workout at least six days a week, wherever he is. And he goes at it hard, especially on his mountain bike on the weekends, when he pushes Secret Service agents to keep up with him. He is competitive and likes to stay in command.
Even eating is approached with sheer purpose.
Bush wants his lunch ready when he is, and wolfs it down. His tastes are clear: maybe a peanut butter and honey sandwich, a BLT, or a burger. Former White House executive chef Walter Scheib learned from Bush never to serve a grilled cheese sandwich unless it came with a side of French's yellow mustard.
The man from a land of cowboy boots orders proper dress in the White House. No jeans allowed in the West Wing. Coat and tie in the Oval Office.
"Orderliness in the process gave him confidence," said Peter Wehner, a former top Bush aide and now a senior fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center.
And if you're in Bush's presence, turn off your cell phone. Pity the person who gets the Bush stare when a Blackberry rings at the wrong time.
Then there are his stories. He repeats his favorites. Like the one about the cheery rug in the Oval Office. Or the spectacular rainbow that day in Romania.
Who's going to stop him?
____
Bush's words betray him sometimes.
"They misunderestimated the compassion of our country," Bush said of the Sept. 11 terrorists. "I talk to families who die," he said, meaning the loved ones of those who perish in war. "Childrens do learn when standards are high," he said in promoting his education plan.
Ivy League educated, Bush is good-natured about his verbal trip-ups. Yet he appears to have grown a bit more methodical in public, as if searching carefully for the right words.
His tangled moments have undoubtedly helped shape an unflattering public perception; there are entire books of his "Bushisms." Invariably, though, people who talk to him privately — historians, journalists, dissidents — come away with a very different impression of a meticulous thinker.
It is a paradox of his presidency.
Some of Bush's sillier times are of his own choosing. He doesn't take himself too seriously.
Like his herky-jerky dance moves in Liberia, or his odd little tap dance while waiting for John McCain to show up one day. He likes to back-slap people. And when he's ready to move on, there are telltale signs. To end an event with visitors, he'll say, "Let's get a picture," and that's that.
Bush generally calls people by the labels of his choosing, too. Reporters, Cabinet members, heads of state — anyone is fair game for a nickname. The practice tends to add a touch of familiarity between people and the president, and Bush likes that.
As for fun, Bush is far from the first president with a love for sports, but he may have advanced the cause.
In baseball season, he often has a game on TV, even for soothing background noise while he works. He quietly welcomes ball players to the executive mansion for tours or dinnertime conversation. And regardless of the sport, he loves it every time any championship team comes to the White House.
Their moment is his moment.
__
Bush can flash a temper and impatience. But if he takes criticism personally — and he gets lots of criticism — he tries not to show it.
When former press secretary Scott McClellan wrote a scathing book about Bush's leadership, the president told his senior aides to let it go.
"Find a way to forgive, because that's the way to lead your life," White House press secretary Dana Perino remembers Bush advising her.
Bush is insistently — some say unforgivably — optimistic, no matter how low his poll numbers get.
"Every day has been pretty joyous," he said recently, summing up one of the hardest presidencies ever known.
The toughest moments for him come when he meets the grieving families of the troops he sent to war. Or when he meets severely wounded troops in recovery. Many of the hurting tell Bush they want to get back out in active duty. He is moved by the sacrifice.
"I do a lot of crying in this job," Bush once acknowledged.
He shows consideration to people close to him in little ways. He sends birthday notes to staff members. He remembers little details about their families. When he visits an Army post to thank the troops, he's been known to wander into the kitchen, too, to praise whoever cooked him the french fries.
The president is a proud dad of two grown daughters, Jenna and Barbara. The public got a tiny glimpse of his softer side when Jenna married Henry Hager in May. Bush said afterward that his little girl married a really good guy. First lady Laura Bush says her husband now has a son.
___
Bush is not much for the social scene. He and his wife will go to friends' homes but stay away from restaurants and Washington's other delights. His aides say he doesn't like to cause a security hassle for the public.
That's also why they say he speeds through his foreign travel. Even in the world's more magnificent sites, Bush often skips touristy stuff to stick to business, contributing to that incurious reputation.
"I'm a nester," Bush said.
Nowhere is that more true than at his beloved, secluded ranch in Crawford, Texas. He has spent more than a year of his presidency there.
Bush chops cedar, clears brush and builds mountain bike trails there. The summer heat doesn't bother him so much as enthrall him. He even set up a little competition, true Bush: People who work for him get a coveted T-shirt and bragging rights if they run for three straight miles on days hitting 100 degrees.
He relaxes by reading quite a bit, mostly U.S. and world history. He likes the spy-spoofing "Austin Powers" movies. He chills out with his wife.
His time will soon be his own.
"I will leave the presidency with my head held high," Bush says.
And he will leave behind a lot to remember.
___
EDITOR'S NOTE — Ben Feller covers the White House for The Associated Press.
Analysis: Bush's personality shapes his legacy
By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer Ben Feller, Associated Press Writer
Sat Jan 3, 3:23 pm ET
WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush will be judged on what he did. He will also be remembered for what he's like: a fast-moving, phrase-mangling Texan who stays upbeat even though his country is not.
For eight years, the nation has been led by a guy who relaxes by clearing brush in scorching heat and taking breakneck bike rides through the woods. He dishes out nicknames to world leaders, and even gave the German chancellor an impromptu, perhaps unwelcome, neck rub. He's annoyed when kept waiting and sticks relentlessly to routine. He stays optimistic in even the most dire circumstances, but readily tears up in public. He has little use for looking within himself, and only lately has done much looking back.
Bush's style and temperament are as much his legacy as his decisions. Policy shapes lives, but personality creates indelible memories — positive and negative.
Call it distinctly Bush.
___
Don't be late.
Bush demands punctuality and disdains inefficiency. Every meeting better have a clear purpose. And it better not repeat what he already knows.
He is up early and in the Oval Office by 6:45 a.m. By 9:30 to 10 at night, it's lights out. He likes to be fresh and won't get cheated on his sleep.
In sessions with policy experts, Bush tends to ask questions that get right to the nub of a sticky issue. His top aides speak regretfully about how the country never got to see that side of him, even after all this time. They describe a man who is deeply inquisitive, not blithely incurious as much of the world thinks.
When Bush wants answers, guessing isn't advised.
"He can sniff it out a mile away if you don't have the goods," said White House communications director Kevin Sullivan.
Other people write Bush's speeches, but he'll kick out phrases that he thinks stray from a logical progression. It's about discipline.
You can tell the issues that really get Bush going, because he talks about them differently, more passionately: education, AIDS relief, freedom. They happen to be ones that can be viewed more clearly through a moral lens. That's how he sees the world.
Bush reads the Bible regularly. Another devotion: exercise. He makes time for a workout at least six days a week, wherever he is. And he goes at it hard, especially on his mountain bike on the weekends, when he pushes Secret Service agents to keep up with him. He is competitive and likes to stay in command.
Even eating is approached with sheer purpose.
Bush wants his lunch ready when he is, and wolfs it down. His tastes are clear: maybe a peanut butter and honey sandwich, a BLT, or a burger. Former White House executive chef Walter Scheib learned from Bush never to serve a grilled cheese sandwich unless it came with a side of French's yellow mustard.
The man from a land of cowboy boots orders proper dress in the White House. No jeans allowed in the West Wing. Coat and tie in the Oval Office.
"Orderliness in the process gave him confidence," said Peter Wehner, a former top Bush aide and now a senior fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center.
And if you're in Bush's presence, turn off your cell phone. Pity the person who gets the Bush stare when a Blackberry rings at the wrong time.
Then there are his stories. He repeats his favorites. Like the one about the cheery rug in the Oval Office. Or the spectacular rainbow that day in Romania.
Who's going to stop him?
____
Bush's words betray him sometimes.
"They misunderestimated the compassion of our country," Bush said of the Sept. 11 terrorists. "I talk to families who die," he said, meaning the loved ones of those who perish in war. "Childrens do learn when standards are high," he said in promoting his education plan.
Ivy League educated, Bush is good-natured about his verbal trip-ups. Yet he appears to have grown a bit more methodical in public, as if searching carefully for the right words.
His tangled moments have undoubtedly helped shape an unflattering public perception; there are entire books of his "Bushisms." Invariably, though, people who talk to him privately — historians, journalists, dissidents — come away with a very different impression of a meticulous thinker.
It is a paradox of his presidency.
Some of Bush's sillier times are of his own choosing. He doesn't take himself too seriously.
Like his herky-jerky dance moves in Liberia, or his odd little tap dance while waiting for John McCain to show up one day. He likes to back-slap people. And when he's ready to move on, there are telltale signs. To end an event with visitors, he'll say, "Let's get a picture," and that's that.
Bush generally calls people by the labels of his choosing, too. Reporters, Cabinet members, heads of state — anyone is fair game for a nickname. The practice tends to add a touch of familiarity between people and the president, and Bush likes that.
As for fun, Bush is far from the first president with a love for sports, but he may have advanced the cause.
In baseball season, he often has a game on TV, even for soothing background noise while he works. He quietly welcomes ball players to the executive mansion for tours or dinnertime conversation. And regardless of the sport, he loves it every time any championship team comes to the White House.
Their moment is his moment.
__
Bush can flash a temper and impatience. But if he takes criticism personally — and he gets lots of criticism — he tries not to show it.
When former press secretary Scott McClellan wrote a scathing book about Bush's leadership, the president told his senior aides to let it go.
"Find a way to forgive, because that's the way to lead your life," White House press secretary Dana Perino remembers Bush advising her.
Bush is insistently — some say unforgivably — optimistic, no matter how low his poll numbers get.
"Every day has been pretty joyous," he said recently, summing up one of the hardest presidencies ever known.
The toughest moments for him come when he meets the grieving families of the troops he sent to war. Or when he meets severely wounded troops in recovery. Many of the hurting tell Bush they want to get back out in active duty. He is moved by the sacrifice.
"I do a lot of crying in this job," Bush once acknowledged.
He shows consideration to people close to him in little ways. He sends birthday notes to staff members. He remembers little details about their families. When he visits an Army post to thank the troops, he's been known to wander into the kitchen, too, to praise whoever cooked him the french fries.
The president is a proud dad of two grown daughters, Jenna and Barbara. The public got a tiny glimpse of his softer side when Jenna married Henry Hager in May. Bush said afterward that his little girl married a really good guy. First lady Laura Bush says her husband now has a son.
___
Bush is not much for the social scene. He and his wife will go to friends' homes but stay away from restaurants and Washington's other delights. His aides say he doesn't like to cause a security hassle for the public.
That's also why they say he speeds through his foreign travel. Even in the world's more magnificent sites, Bush often skips touristy stuff to stick to business, contributing to that incurious reputation.
"I'm a nester," Bush said.
Nowhere is that more true than at his beloved, secluded ranch in Crawford, Texas. He has spent more than a year of his presidency there.
Bush chops cedar, clears brush and builds mountain bike trails there. The summer heat doesn't bother him so much as enthrall him. He even set up a little competition, true Bush: People who work for him get a coveted T-shirt and bragging rights if they run for three straight miles on days hitting 100 degrees.
He relaxes by reading quite a bit, mostly U.S. and world history. He likes the spy-spoofing "Austin Powers" movies. He chills out with his wife.
His time will soon be his own.
"I will leave the presidency with my head held high," Bush says.
And he will leave behind a lot to remember.
___
EDITOR'S NOTE — Ben Feller covers the White House for The Associated Press.
Friday, January 2, 2009
I Knew That Was It!
Do you remember any time in your life, perhaps at school, (this happens all the time in my classroom), that you uttered the phrase, "I knew that was it!?!"
Well, I said it today!!
Noble has a pretty bad sinus infection, and I just knew it!!!!!
The Monday before Christmas he woke up complaining about a sore throat, and with all my medical training, "motherly sense," I took him right in for a strep test. It was negative. Yeah! (Noble seems to be the king of strep throat.) So we treated it as allergies. He is allergic to cedar, and it is blooming right now, so there you go! We had him on his regular Allegra, some added Singular, and last but not least Flonase. A regular allergy cocktail for my boy!! Then this Wednesday night he started running fever. Thursday he ran fever - high fever!! I asked all my usual questions - throat? ears? nose? head? neck? chest? stomach? how about under your eyes in your sinuses? All he said was that he just didn't feel good, and that he had a headache. Immediately I thought, sinus infection, but he said that it didn't hurt under his eyes. So I dismissed my thoughts of sinus infection, darn motherly sense/medical training. We had a pretty rough night last night, so I called in to the doctor's office, and we made an appointment. We marched in with 103 temperature and one pretty sick boy. Strep test? Negative. Full blown sinus infection? Positive. I told the doctor that I just knew that was it, but that he said it didn't hurt in his sinuses. I was schooled today!! Apparently we don't develop the sinuses under our eyes until sometime between ages 10-14. Noble's infected sinuses are in the center of his head behind his eyes. Who knew?? As the doctor described how it would feel, Noble nodded his head in agreement. I felt like such a doofus!! I had sinus medication in my purse, of all places. I could have helped him out soooooooooo much sooner. Anyway, we have now had our trifecta!! We have ALL been sick this holiday season.
Well, I said it today!!
Noble has a pretty bad sinus infection, and I just knew it!!!!!
The Monday before Christmas he woke up complaining about a sore throat, and with all my medical training, "motherly sense," I took him right in for a strep test. It was negative. Yeah! (Noble seems to be the king of strep throat.) So we treated it as allergies. He is allergic to cedar, and it is blooming right now, so there you go! We had him on his regular Allegra, some added Singular, and last but not least Flonase. A regular allergy cocktail for my boy!! Then this Wednesday night he started running fever. Thursday he ran fever - high fever!! I asked all my usual questions - throat? ears? nose? head? neck? chest? stomach? how about under your eyes in your sinuses? All he said was that he just didn't feel good, and that he had a headache. Immediately I thought, sinus infection, but he said that it didn't hurt under his eyes. So I dismissed my thoughts of sinus infection, darn motherly sense/medical training. We had a pretty rough night last night, so I called in to the doctor's office, and we made an appointment. We marched in with 103 temperature and one pretty sick boy. Strep test? Negative. Full blown sinus infection? Positive. I told the doctor that I just knew that was it, but that he said it didn't hurt in his sinuses. I was schooled today!! Apparently we don't develop the sinuses under our eyes until sometime between ages 10-14. Noble's infected sinuses are in the center of his head behind his eyes. Who knew?? As the doctor described how it would feel, Noble nodded his head in agreement. I felt like such a doofus!! I had sinus medication in my purse, of all places. I could have helped him out soooooooooo much sooner. Anyway, we have now had our trifecta!! We have ALL been sick this holiday season.
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