Reflections of the Unemployed Week - 12

Week twelve has come and gone so quickly. I have been busy blogging politics, sifting through my enormous database of photos and spending time with my family. It was announced today that I have won a photo contest on Quadsville.com, small but notable as it was my first contest, the photo will appear in our local "Quad City Times" this Sunday. I was so excited to look for that next photo for the next contest but learned that I can only win once in four weeks. Although I am still allowed to participate. The perfect photo op presented itself while watching my Grandsons. The theme of the contest is "Strawberry Fields" and my precious Grandsons were doing strawberries in each others faces, how convenient.

My last blog "Illinois Senate Ok's Medical Marijuana" has introduced me to new friends with the same medical condition as myself, Fibromyalgia isn't something I normally discuss. I don't want to appear to be a whiner, its just something I "deal with" but felt under the circumstances, that I must put in my two cents for the sake of others. It also allowed me to meet others with different conditions, fighting the fight to legalize Marijuana. I've found myself writing many letters to my public servants regarding many other issues as well and it feels good to be doing something productive while unemployed. You can write yours at Congress.org

I was surprised this week to find more jobs in the newspaper than online and dutifully updated my resume' and composed cover letters. My writing skills seem to have improved and I wrote some awesome cover letters but wonder if they could be too good. I do have to admit, my strongest asset is my business writing skills and combining that skill with my creative writing skills has made a big difference in the final product. The advantage of "mailing" a cover letter and resume' vs. filling out an online application is quite evident now. Sometimes I surprise myself.

I'm still contemplating the school option and my new friends have given me some good ideas for freelancing and ideas for books. A week from today I will be taking a little jaunt to house sit for my cousin for the weekend, not that I don't have a lot of "self" time here but I am looking forward to being surrounded with wildlife and the beautiful view at their home overlooking the Mississippi River. I hope it will be inspiring as well as meditative. Camera and laptop will be in tow.

Peace
Liz

Reflections of the Unemployed Week - 11

It is now week 11 of being unemployed. Nothing new really to report. I want to thank everyone who has commented on my writing. At least I feel like I'm being productive and I'm making a few bucks in the process (and I do mean, only a "few" bucks) I could easily spend an eight hour day writing about whats going on in the news and I have a few odd ideas just for giggles but I, for some reason, feel guilty spending so much time at the computer because its not a "real job". I've made more money from just one poem than I have over a dozen blog posts. It was enough to purchase two pair of much needed glasses at the time but my poetic muse seems to have left me and who has the entrance fees anyway to enter contests? But I sure could use a pair of bifocals.

My newest endeavor is entering some of my photos in contests being hosted by a couple of big nature magazines and I've been sorting through hundreds of my photos. I don't carry my camera with me at all times, which I'm learning I should. I was leaving the grocery store on Friday and sitting at the red light, it began raining feathers. My first thought was that a bird was hit by a car but the feathers continued to fall in front of my van. I glanced up to see where they were falling from and on the top of a telephone poll, on one of our cities busiest streets was a Redtail Hawk, defeathering his dinner, one feather at a time. Now that was a shot for a Nature Photo contest (kicking self in rear for not having camera).

In the news from the workforce, more businesses are closing and more layoffs are coming on June 1st from Alcoa. One of the businesses closing is a car dealership and its not a GM dealership and a tanning salon closed its doors unexpectedly last week. I'm a bit discouraged on the job hunting, there's not much out there and our community is saturated with people looking. Every so often, the thought of relocating comes to mind but who has the money to relocate and where would one go? Its the same story nearly everywhere.

I've been spending a lot of time with the Grandsons and now that the weather is nicer we can spend more time outside. Last week I drug their toys outside and let them play until dark. Joseph learned how to climb "down" stairs, only one stair off the deck so he's in no danger, however he found the cellar doors and climbed to the top, I heard him whimpering around the corner only to find him stuck. I was running around the yard with the camera and asked Joseph what he was doing "way up there", he stopped whimpering and threw his hands in the air, indicating he really didn't know. Geffory learned how to fly helicopters and I had to teach him how not to crunch them all up in his hands before he tossed them in the air, otherwise they wouldn't fly. They have provided many great photo ops. Geffory is quite the ham and when he's doing something he deems interesting enough I hear "Grandma, take a picture". If only I knew where to send those photos?

Peace
Liz

Firsts and Food

Joseph took his first steps yesterday at Grandma's house and for a few brief moments he stood in place and clapped for himself. I've not forgotten my daughters first steps, taken in sand on the beach in Spooner Wisconsin at Leesome Lake (she too had just turned 12 months). Unfortunately Grandma didn't have her camera handy this time. However it is moments like these that prompt me to get it out and there were plenty more photo opportunities the rest of the evening.

I've never microwaved a pot pie before; a Grandma's first. The package said to microwave it on high for four minutes. Who wrote those directions? There was nothing left of it after four minutes, fortunately I had another one in the freezer and it cooked in two and a half minutes. Joseph was so patient sitting in his high chair waiting.

After letting it cool for a few minutes I gave Joseph the bowl and decided to see how he did with a spoon, I think another first (if not, it was another Grandma first with Joseph). He knew what to do with the spoon, however getting it in his mouth right side up was a challenge and after several failed attempts I pulled out a fork. I'm pretty sure he got enough to eat, though having a pea stuck to ones forehead is distracting to the onlooker.

Mom showed up before I was done feeding Joseph, or should I say "before Joseph was done feeding himself". Geffory was in tow along with Daddy (as we all know, Daddy's follow Mommy's and do what they are told), they had just been to the demolition derby and for a day in late May, it was too cold to stay.

Mom started to come in the house through the kitchen and spied her youngest covered in food and immediately closed the kitchen door. The door opened again, this time Daddy was in the lead, he too closed the door after peeking in and seeing Joseph. They must have been outside deciding if they should turn and run or brave coming in. They decided to be courageous and enter the battle grounds of what looked like a food war.

Geffory was just in time to share in the desert (peach yogurt, what else?) Afterward they were both stripped and sent to the bathtub. By this time the food on Josephs face had begun to dry and we worried it would be a permanent scar. Fortunately that was not the case and by the time the two of them were turning blue and wrinkled Josephs dinner had softened and was easily removed with a washcloth. It was a redeeming moment for Grandma as I had previously lost the last photos of the two brothers in the bath on Easter because I wasn't yet familiar with the photo program I was using. (Always delete photos on the memory card in "safe" mode).

I used to be thankful my children were five years apart, however watching the two brothers in the bath was almost like watching twins as close as brothers can be. Joseph attempted to assist me, washing Geffory's hair and at one point, for no reason, other than that of having a deep, loving bond, big brother smothered little brother with kisses. They do have their moments of rivalry, as they did later when Geffory, cunningly distracted Joseph to take possession of the die cast corvette using the flashy number 48 Jimmy Johnson car. I don't think Joseph minded, as it turns out, he is a fan of Jimmy Johnson too.

After having lost the dirt and food in the bathtub, both boys were wound for sound and a little lighter as they ran through the house squealing and chasing each other (Joseph didn't really run, just crawled really fast). I don't think Mom and Dad were used to the loud squeals and left their earplugs at the race track. Grandma and Grandpa Neil, however were having a great time encouraging them (We have the advantage of loss of hearing). And when it comes to noise and noisy toys, we live to "bring it on". I don't know yet but I bet both boys were asleep as soon as they hit their car seats.

Baby Gates and Peach Yogurt are Essential!

I had the pleasure of watching my two youngest Grandsons last night and though they ran me ragged, I enjoyed every second of it, even if I had to sweep the kitchen floor twice and vacuum the living room twice. I understand now, the need for baby gates.

I cleaned the floors before they arrived so they could crawl and play on them. They love to lay on the floor and play with cars and trucks, Daddy is a Diesel Mechanic and for being 12 months and almost 3 years old, they make all the appropriate sound effects. Geffory the "almost" 3 year old, can lay on the floor in one spot and roll his truck back and forth making engine noise, for very extended periods of time..for his age.

Now, my house is tiny and one would think that it would be an easy task to watch two little rambunctious boys, both in diapers, in the tiny house. I have new found respect for Mom and her small three bedroom apartment with three baby gates "what would she need all those baby gates for?"

Before they tore up the tiny house, I thought I would take them to the park and wear them out. It was a good idea at the time. It was a short walk and I carried Joseph on my shoulders and Geffory followed beside me. When we arrived, I first tried the swings, that lasted all of two seconds before Geffory wanted out and to run. I took Joseph down the slide once (that was enough for me) and then we opted to discover all the life in the grass while Geffory practiced throwing sand and climbing up and down stairs.

I deliberately left my camera behind, not wanting the bulky thing hindering me and not wanting passerby's to see it as there have been a string of house robberies around the neighborhood recently. I regretted it immediately. Joseph sat in the grass playing with dandelions, grass, sticks, rocks..etc, all going into the mouth. I grabbed my camera phone and thought its better than nothing.

When Geffory was Joseph's age I managed to snap a few pictures of him playing in the grass at his older brother's baseball game and one of them ended up winning a "cutest baby" contest that was being held by our local Hy-Vee grocery store. I think I captured the next "cutest baby contest" photo of Joseph, holding out a dandelion to Grandma. For a camera phone, it wasn't half bad.

I had to bribe Geffory to go back to the house to eat dinner with the anticipation of a treat after wards. While I tried to cook dinner the two boys roamed the only two rooms they had access to, the kitchen and the living room, how much trouble could they get into? I brought out the laundry basket of toys and put it in the kitchen, thinking they would play in the kitchen while I cooked. What was I thinking?

Loud noises and screams kept me running back and forth from room to room. The cars they play with that are kept under the T.V. went untouched. Instead it was the dirt in the plants, the books on the bookshelves, everything on the coffee table (being banged against the coffee table), Joseph trying out his new teeth on his brother. I was grateful when I'd finished preparing their dinners, thinking I'd get a break...Not!

I gave Geffory his plate and put Joseph in the highchair with part of his dinner (the rest required I feed him) I thought this would give me time to prepare my own dinner..Ha! Joseph scarfed down everything I gave him before I was finished. Other than the occasional "eat over your plate" directed at Geffory, he was fine on his own. Joseph barely gave me a chance to eat my own dinner but when all was said and done they finished everything and I had to come up with a treat.

For Geffory, a bowl of watermelon chunks left over from our Mother's Day barbecue and I already knew Joseph loved peach yogurt. Geffory wasn't that thrilled with the watermelon and only ate a few pieces, by then Joseph was tired of the yogurt (the first time I gave it to him he acted like it was the bomb).

I don't like to waste food so I switched and gave Joseph the watermelon and gave Geffory the yogurt. One wouldn't think a small .44 cent, generic container of peach yogurt would get a child so excited. Geffory looks like he's having a seizure when he gets excited and the yogurt was seizure inducing. Joseph ate the rest of the watermelon and wanted more so I went back to the yogurt and between the two of them, they finished it off.

By now, I had already learned that cleanup from dinner would have to wait, the pile of dirt I found on the living room floor could not. I washed their hands and set them free, vacuumed up the dirt and chased them from room to room wishing I had at least one baby gate. Though my daughter is always on the run, feeding them McDonald's Fish sandwiches and fries frequently, I thought about the yogurt and how cheap and easily it pleased the boys and wondered why more parents didn't feed their kids healthier snacks, they love it, especially the fruit and to think, I almost gave them cookies.

Pine Cones

Neil and I had all three of my Grandsons spend the night on Saturday night. We learned that you really can't plan ahead with three when you don't have a routine already. We were supposed to color Easter eggs and go to the park on Sunday. Certain things took precedence over those activities; like getting them all fed and bathed. I at least managed to get the eggs boiled and they sat on the stove most of the evening.

It took an hour to feed the 1 year old (birthday on April 28th) and I had way too much fun with Joseph and Geffory in the bathtub. I had a great many good photos of them playing in it but because Grandma isn't familiar with her new photo editing program, I deleted all but one of the photos I took of them that night and Easter morning of them digging into their Easter baskets. It doesn't matter weather I look at it as a photographer or just a Grandma, either way it was devastating and I wanted to cry.

Geffory, the two year old, reminds me of my son when he was that age; what a character. Out of all the books I unpacked and put on the bookshelves, the only one we allowed him to look at was the book on trees. You wouldn't think a book on trees would be so entertaining to a two year old. He sat on "Grandpa Neil's" lap with the book, looking at the photos and Neil telling him what the pictures were of. Who'd have thought "pine cones" would be so amusing. Every time the page turned to the pine cones, Geffory would raise his arms and squeal "pine cones" and giggle hysterically. He could have carried on all night.

The two little ones were so wore out by the time I put them to bed, they were out as soon as their little heads hit the pillows. James had been waiting all night for the movie his mom sent with him and we were finally able to relax and watch "Yes Man". By this time it was well past midnight and I pretended to go to bed so I could pack the Easter baskets and set them out. James must have been worn out as well, I wasn't in bed but maybe fifteen minutes and I peeked on him and he was sound asleep on the couch.

At 2:30 AM, I think I made it to bed and amazingly, was up before everyone. Perfectly, they all woke up about the same time and I was ready and waiting with the camera (not that it did much good). We learned Geffory loves jelly beans. According to his Mom, he'd never had them and didn't get candy. As soon as the first jelly bean fell out of the plastic egg and onto the floor, he popped it in his mouth and had and expression of amazement on his little face. I closed the egg and told him "after breakfast you can have more". Of course moments later he found that egg again and in his excitement, he looks like he's having a seizure, he snagged another jelly bean.

Joseph could have cared less about the ordeal. He was having his fun with the packaging that all the little goodies came in. I then made breakfast on a large scale, put Joseph down for a nap and we waited for the weather to warm up so we could take our planned trip to the park, however it only warmed up briefly and by that time, Mom showed up early to pick them up. I think it was a relief as both Neil and I were in desperate need of a nap of our own. We did have an awesome time with the boys and Neil wants to do it every weekend, alternating between my Grand kids and his. When you become Grandparents, what else do you do with a spare bedroom?

Peace
Liz

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I love being a Grandma, the best part are the antics of the little ones. My poor daughter though, still having two in diapers. They are all boys and full of "piss and vinegar". Lately their escapades have been worth writing down, I don't want to forget them as I've gotten great laughs and hope to be able to share with them when they grow up.

Their ages are 7, 2 and 9 mos. Maybe a week ago my daughter called to tell me what the middle child had done to his 9 month old brother, whom he loves and dotes over. Geffory climbed up the gate separating the kitchen from the living room, reached onto the kitchen counter and got himself a bottle of Fabreez. My daughter entered the living room to find him spraying his little brother with it. "He didn't get any in his face did he?" I asked, concerned for Joseph at first. "No" she said, but there is a big wet spot on the back of his head, dripping down his back". Knowing at this point that Joseph was ok, I had to bust out laughing. I concluded that maybe he had a stinky diaper and that was Geffory's solution.

Just last night, my daughter called again. As we were talking, Samantha walked in on Geffory coloring. Her conversation then turned to James, the oldest. "Did you ask if Geffory could color?" Unfortunately I couldn't hear his response but then I heard her say "Geffory needs to be supervised when he colors, who's supervising him?" she said, trying to make him understand why its important to ask. Sam repeated James' response "Joseph"! By this time, I'm LMAO...the 9 month old is supervising the 2 year old! Out of the mouths of babes! Aren't they wonderful?