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Which of These Have You Read?

Posted on August 31, 2008 by auburnchick

My knitting stuff is progressing, but I don’t really have pictures to show you…hence this non-knitting post (course, I tend to have a lot of those).

This post is all about the books you’ve read — or haven’t read.

Bold the ones you’ve read, italicize the ones you’ve started but haven’t finished, cross out the ones you hated, and underline the ones on your book shelf! Combine indicators as appropriate.

The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown (I didn’t like this because of my Christian beliefs)
The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy – Douglas Adams
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J. K. Rowling
Life of Pi – Yann Martel
Animal Farm: A Fairy Story – George Orwell
Catch-22 – Joseph Heller
The Hobbit – J. R. R. Tolkien
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Lord of the Flies- William Golding (read this in 7th grade…weird, weird book, and the movie is scary!)
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
1984 – George Orwell
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – J. K. Rowling
One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel García Márquez
Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini (loved this book…has a nice twist at the end)
The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold (very sad, but powerful book)
Slaughterhouse 5 – Kurt Vonnegut
Angels and Demons – Dan Brown
Fight Club – Chuck Palahniuk
Neuromancer – William Gibson
Cryptonomicon – Neal Stephenson
The Secret History – Donna Tartt
A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess
Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C. S. Lewis
Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides
Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
The Lord of the Rings- J.R.R. Tolkien
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
Good Omens – Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman
Atonement – Ian McEwan
The Shadow Of The Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
Dune – Frank Herbert

Hmmm…I haven’t read much, have I?  Now, I have read almost all of James Patterson’s books.  Does that count for anything?

LOL

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: | 4 Comments »

An Award for AuburnChick

Posted on August 30, 2008 by auburnchick

One of my sweet Ravelry friends, Melly, did me the honor of giving me this:

I “met” Melly when I noticed her beautiful creations on Ravelry.  This is a very talented lady.  Her work is breathtaking.

Melly’s mother created the award for Melly’s blog, which you can find here, and instructed her to pass it on, with the following instructions:

1. Please put the award on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. You must nominate at least 4 fellow bloggers for this award.
4. Add links to the recipients.
5. Leave a comment so the recipients know they have received an award.

(Please save the award to your own harddrive and do not link to mine….thanks!)

What a lovely way to recognize some of our favorite blogs.  To be fair, I really do love all of the blogs I’m subscribed to.  I’m also fully aware that there are many, many blogs that I haven’t visited yet.  I try to visit the blogs of those who visit mine, but it takes time.

Anyhow, here are the blogs I’m going to pass this award along to:


Knit by God’s Hand

Knitting Rose

smariek knits

Stitch It! Podcast

Susan’s Weblog

Wendy Knits

Filed under: Knitting | 6 Comments »

To Cut – That is the Answer

Posted on August 29, 2008 by auburnchick

Thank you, all, for your suggestions.  They were very helpful.

I’ve got to say that I was not exactly in the mood to get my hair cut.  After seeing my family off the afternoon before, I was a bit down in the dumps.  I guess I felt left out, but it was my own choosing.  I certainly didn’t want to take a chance that my dogs would have to sit through a storm in a boarding facility…without their Mama.  We’ll see what Hurricane Gustav does.

My spirits improved after Soccer Chick’s guy “friend” (don’t ask…that’s another story) texted me, requesting my magical apple-orange juice that works wonders when her allergies are acting up.  Somebody needed me!  What better way to take your mind off of yourself than by doing for others.  I made extra and called my friend, Bea, who’s going through chemotherapy.  She loves this juice, and this was her week of treatment, so I wanted to cheer her up and give her a mega dose of Vitamin C to make her feel better.

Buoyed by the good feelings that accompanied my visits, I decided to stop by the hair cuttery, armed with your advice.  I don’t have a regular hairdresser, ditching mine a couple of years ago after she charged me $30 to condition Soccer Chick’s hair…all without telling me beforehand that there was an extra charge.

Not kosher in my book.

I’ve floundered from one place to another, holding my breath each time.  Most people cannot cut naturally curly hair.  Oh, they’ll tell you that they can, but they can’t.  Trust me.  I know.  I’ve come home with bad cuts many times.

I nervously sat down in the gal’s chair.  As she ran her fingers through my hair, she told me that she cuts her sister’s hair, which is just like mine.

A sigh of relief.  This girl stood a good chance of actually knowing what she was doing.

She told me that she thought it would look good cut just below my shoulders with a bit of layering to kep it from sitting too heavily at the bottom.

Boy did I hear a “ding, ding, ding.”  All of your suggestions in one sentence.

Good girl.

When she got done, I had my doubts still, wondering if she had cut enough.  I mean, when I get a cut, I like to KNOW I’ve gotten a cut.  I really want to get my money’s worth.

I attempted to take a picture.  Please forgive the quality.  It’s not great, but it will give you some idea of what the cut looks like.

AuburnChicks New Haircut

AuburnChick's New Haircut

The Ponytail Look

The Ponytail Look

I think I’ll probably have to wear it in a ponytail or a headband cause yes, it’s still big.  But hey, at least I can tell it’s cut.

When I compare the before and after pictures, I will admit that I think I like it longer better.  That’s okay.  It will be nice to have a change, and it will grow out again.  Overall, I’m happy.

Thanks again for the advice.  Y’all are terrific!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

To Cut or Not To Cut – That is the Question

Posted on August 28, 2008 by auburnchick

The members of the Chick family will be doing their own thing this weekend. Mr. AuburnChick is taking Soccer Chick to a soccer weekend. Rockin’ Rooster will be going to an Auburn game with his cousin, and I am staying home to babysit the animals (and save a passel of money…which I’ll spend on the next big trip…think VEGAS).

So, what does a girl do when she has the weekend to herself? She spends time pampering herself.

First of all, I have a gift card to Kohl’s, which I still haven’t spent. Can you believe that I’ve had it since March and haven’t stepped foot into the store yet? Shocking, I know. Especially when you hear that I drive by said store every single day…at least two times per day. It’s only about a mile and a half from my home too!

Pampering should also include things that beautify yourself, so I’ve been contemplating cutting my hair.

You might remember this picture…

The curl you see is natural, and it is VERY thick. This limits me in what I can do with it. Too short is not good. I’ve done the afro look before (not my choosing, but my mom’s when I was a young chick…you’ll NEVER see those school pictures).

I’m thinking that I might like to cut it to my shoulders, which would still be a big change.

You know how you just get in the mood for something different? Well, that’s how I’m feeling. I’m of the opinion that it’s only hair…it will grow back.

However, being the fickle person that I am, I’m still going back and forth and hence enlisting help.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your opinions. Hurry though! With the family out of town, I’d love to take care of business this weekend.

Mucho gracious!

Filed under: This-n-That | 5 Comments »

Olympic Knitting – Part 2

Posted on August 26, 2008 by auburnchick

As you probably already know, I went on a dishcloth knitting spree during the Olympics. I organized an Olympic Dishcloth Knit-a-Long on KnittingHelp.com. You can find the thread here. My objective was to use up my cotton stash, which had grown quite large in the two years I’ve been knitting. We travel quite frequently to soccer tournaments, and I’m always surprised at the different colorways that Michael’s and Joann’s carry. I remember one find that was especially delicious…self-striping Sugar ‘n Cream! Lovely stuff, I tell you.

When I left off of this topic (you can refresh your memory by going to this post), I had completed Dishcloth #8. I wasn’t nearly done.

Dishcloth #9 is called Flurries Dishcloth. Here’s the link for the free pattern. I used Tahki Cotton Classic.

Flurries Dishcloth

Dishcloth #10 is the Dayflower Cloth, and it’s a free pattern that you can find here. I used Sugar ‘n Cream, and the color is Natural Stripes. The yarn is self-striping and really pretty up close. The pattern was so much fun and literally flew off of my needles. I’m really surprised how quickly it went by.

Dayflower Cloth

Next, I knit up 4 Corners Dishcloth, and I used Sugar ‘n Cream. The color is Rose Twists. I loved this yarn, and the pattern was fairly easy, except for the provisional cast on (used the video here on KH), and the garter stitch graft (instructions found here). You can find the free pattern here.

4 Corners Dishcloth

The next dishcloth begged for me to use my I Love This Cotton, and the color is Buttercup. The pattern is called Christmas Lace Dishcloth. It’s free, and you can find it here.

This was a FAST knit…took me under two hours. I’m not sure exactly because I started it while in car loop picking up my children and then stopped while I cooked dinner and cleaned the house a bit. I picked it up and finished during the diving events one evening.

Christmas Lace Dishcloth

This dishcloth (I’ve lost count by now) is called Eyelet and Bead Cloth. The pattern is located here. I used Sugar ‘n Cream, and the color is Ecru.

Eyelet and Bead Cloth

The next pattern was a bit different for me. I found it on Ravelry, and it was written by Eloomanator. You can find it under her name. The pattern is called Eloomanator’s Diagonal Knit Dishcloth. What an awesome pattern! I used the rest of the skein of I Love This Cotton (Buttercup). Here’s the finished project:

Eloomanator's Diagonal Knit Dishcloth

Dishcloth #15 is called the Squidge Cloth. Here is the link for the free pattern.

The reason why it has this name is because you’re supposed to use a much smaller needle than normal…to tighten up the stitches for a tight gauge, which makes the cloth squishy.

I used Sugar ‘n Cream, and the color is called Tie Dye Stripes. It is a self-striping yarn. I used size 3 needles, cast on 48 stitches (the pattern calls for 40 or a multiple of eight) and completed 60 rows.

The Squidge Cloth

The next cloth called the Mason Dixon Washcloth, and you can find it in the Mason Dixon Knitting book. I used Sugar ‘n Cream Twists, and the color is Country Twists.

This was a fun pattern! It was a bit tedious, at first, but once I got through the third or fourth round, I was set.

Mason Dixon Washcloth

Dishcloth #17 is called Intertwined Dishcloth. You can find the free pattern here. I used Sugar ‘n Cream. The color is Ecru. This one gave me a fit! I think that’s because I was getting pretty burned out by now, but I desperately wanted to use up that yarn! I made it 3/4 of the way through before I discovered I had made a mistake. Unable to fix it properly, I frogged the entire thing and had a tantrum on the floor, determined that I was done with this KAL. About ten minutes later, I picked up my needles and tried again. I guess you could say that the Olympian spirit has infiltrated my person. I dove in again, adamant that a pair of needles and yarn would not get the best of me. The effort was worth it.

Intertwined Dishcloth

Well, my 18th (and final) dishcloth leaves a lot to be desired. I wanted to use up the Cornflower yarn I had, and that’s just what I did. However, it wasn’t enough to finish up the pattern. I debated about buying more of that color but decided I wanted it finished, so I pulled out the remnants of the Tea Rose yarn and knit the last third with it. It’s a bit funny looking, but oh well.

The name of this pattern is called Springing Up Flowers. The pattern is located here. I used Sugar ‘n Cream, Cornflower and Tea Rose.

Springing Up Flowers

Here’s what all of my cloths look like, stacked on top of one another…

18 Dishcloths Completed - Olympic Dishcloth KAL - 2008

And here are the remnants of yarn leftover…

Perhaps one day I’ll get around to knitting up some “scrap” dishcloths. I know it won’t be for quite a while, though. I’m a little dishclothed-out.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

Double-Dog Dare You

Posted on August 25, 2008 by auburnchick

Today when I awoke, I eagerly awaited the time when I would get home from work so I could start knitting something that isn’t a dishcloth. Last night was the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics, and I finished off my last dishcloth (I’ll try to post pictures tomorrow).

Of course, I had a few small chores to do (as most moms do), and then I had to take Soccer Chick to meet with her sports trainer. When we got home, it was dinner time. I let the dogs out since they had already eaten and needed to do what most living things do after they eat (i.e. go potty).

All of a sudden, Mr. AuburnChick walked out of the other room and informed me that I better check on the dogs. Apparently, Molly and Pele had escaped…once again.

Yes, I said “again,” as in this-is-not-the-first-time “again.”

Grrr…

I don’t understand why, but almost every dog we’ve ever owned has been an escape artist and a runner. Our first family dog, Cali (spoken like “Collie,” but with that weird spelling…blame Soccer Chick for the name), was a Beagle. You think Beagles can’t run? Think again. Every time she spied an open door, she bolted. Boy was she fast too. That was the most stubborn dog I think I’ve ever faced off with. Eventually, we parted ways, with me giving her to a good friend who had the magic touch and got that dog trained so she could leave the door open for hours and the dog didn’t leave the house. Of course, “Duke,” as they renamed her (weird for a female, but my friend’s husband was a John Wayne fan…whatever), continued to exhibit Beagle traits by raiding the leftovers each night.

Anyhow…I digress…

Aubie, my nine-year-old lab mix, has also been a runner…from day one. One time, she ran across a busy street and into another neighborhood. Mr. AuburnChick almost gave her up to the streets that day, but the Chick children, who were quite young, cried so much that he relented, and we all jumped into the car to find her. Imagine our consternation when we finally spotted her…in somebody’s backyard. All we could see was Aubie being sprayed with a hose. Aubie saw us and started trotting down the street. We drove very, very slowly, holding the back door open and calling her name. Aubie calmly walked on, occasionally looking at us over her left shoulder and plodding on. We probably drove half a block in this fashion until we finally coaxed her in the car.

We were fuming but inwardly relieved that she was back home where she belonged.

Pele joined our family about a year and a half ago when Soccer Chick saved her birthday money and used a PowerPoint presentation to convince Mr. AuburnChick to allow her to bring a second dog into our home. Pele has been fairly easy-going since the get-go, but one bad habit he brought to us was his digging. Pele is a lab/heeler mix, and he has BIG paws! It wouldn’t take him long to dig a swimming pool, let me tell you. However, he’s never been much of a runner…just a digger.

Last summer, I fell in love with Molly when I spied her at our local animal shelter (all of our dogs, except for Cali, came from animal shelters). From day one, I knew that Molly was a runner; however, she only weighed ten pounds when she came to my home, so she was easy to chase down. No so anymore.

When you combine Molly’s mind with Pele’s paws…well, you’ve got trouble. I like to tell people that Molly is the brains of the operation, and Pele is the muscle. What a team.

At first, the dogs only escaped to my neighbors’ yards. Thank goodness for kind neighbors…until the day when one of them called me on my cell phone and kindly, but firmly, told me that I would be replacing his sod if I didn’t do something ASAP. Boy, did I fuss at my dogs. I was mortified.

I can’t tell you how many kitchen items I have used to plug the holes around the fence. I used to own a George Foreman Grill…the kind with the tall stand. Due to my doggies’ exploits, the grill has been dismantled. The skillet part is in one hole, and the stand is in another. Hey…whatever works.

I bought a wireless pet containment system for my yard and put the special collars on Molly and Pele (Aubie does not need this because she’s older and pretty much stays home now). However, I don’t always put the collars on the dogs. They know this too, let me tell you. They also found a new place to dig. Under the fence gate…the gate that leads to the outside world.

Great.

And I wondered why there was so much dirt getting tracked into the house. It’s because Big Bad Pele was digging his little heart out…working it a little at a time so I wouldn’t notice. Have you ever seen the show Prison Break? Well, that’s exactly how M and P work.

The worst feeling in the world (well, okay, ONE of the worst) is to suddenly look out your front window and see a white streak go past. That’s when I know that the dogs have escaped.

This has happened so many times that Rockin’ Rooster can put on a helmet and jump on his bike in about five seconds flat. He has a nose for where the dogs run, usually arriving home holding onto Molly’s collar and Pele walking calmly beside her.

So, now that you know the history, you’ll understand my afternoon. As I said, I was excited to finally get to knit something besides a dishcloth, when we discovered that the dogs had escaped once again. After they returned home (yes, they do sometimes come back on their own), I got mad. I got out the shovel, heavy rake, and hatchet and proceeded to clear the weeds behind the gate. The hole beneath the gate was deep. As I hunted for something to put in the hole.,I laid eyes on the plywood I use to cover the windows during hurricane season.

Hmmm…my brain frantically put the pieces together. Would they fit??

I did a little more dirt-rearranging and wedged two of those babies into the ground, covering them with just enough soil to make it look like the dogs would be able to dig.

Heeheehee…

That’s my evil laugh.

In the middle of this chore, Mr. AuburnChick walked outside.

“You picked a strange time to work in the yarn,” he calmly said to me.

I looked up at him between my sweat-soaked humidified hair strands, holding out my dirt-streaked arms and gave him a look that wasn’t exactly loving.

He got the point and walked away.

Yeah, don’t you dare offer to help after that comment, I thought to myself.

So, the plywood is down.  All that remains is for the dogs to test it out.  I double-dog dare them to escape this time.

I sure hope I don’t lose the dare.

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

In the Eye of the Storm

Posted on August 23, 2008 by auburnchick

Well, it rained pretty much all night. Fortunately, there was no lightening or thunder…just the steady rainfall. It was the kind that makes the soothing sound that eases you gently into sleep. Before it started storming, I took these pictures so that I would be able to compare the water levels afterward. This is a pond that is across the street from my house:

Water Level Before the Arrival of Fay

A Close-Up of the Water Line Before Fay Arrived

A Close-Up of the Water Line Before Fay Arrived

When I woke up this morning, the rain had stopped, but that’s only because we were in the eye of the storm. Here’s what it looked like:

In the Eye of the Storm

In the Eye of the Storm

Is the Water Higher? In the Eye of the Storm

Is the Water Higher? In the Eye of the Storm

The Water Level Halfway through the Storm

The Water Level Halfway through the Storm

The other side of the storm is headed our way, so the water levels will probably rise even more. The ground is saturated. When I walked across it, I sank as if I was walking on a sponge. Parts of my town were built on the bay, so you can only imagine how rain affects us.

I have been knitting more dishcloths, though. Rainy days are good for that. I’ll post photos of my newest creations on Monday, after the Olympics are over. I will say that my cotton stash is almost gone. Yippee! Stay tuned!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Fay, Fay, Go Away

Posted on August 22, 2008 by auburnchick

Living in Florida has its pluses…beaches and warm weather…it really doesn’t get much better than that.

Every coin has two sides, and living in Florida is no exception. High humidity and little things called hurricanes top my list of downers.

I’ve lived in Florida for about 18 years, and I’ve been through my share of storms. I have run away from more than one hurricane, even driving all night with two children under the age of five and a fish. Yep…me along with half of Florida on the Turnpike. Not the fastest trip I’ve ever been on, but when you have a Category 4 storm heading your way, you run faster than you can say boo to protect your babies.

This latest storm has been a bit unusual, cutting across the state and turning around to get the part it missed. I don’t believe in share and share alike when it comes to tropical storms. South Florida can keep the rain. I like the way my hair looks when it’s dry.

Regardless, the Lord has other plans, so Tropical Storm Faye is headed my way. I did what every responsible mom does and headed over to Target on the way home from work. The funny thing about preparing for hurricanes is that you purchase items, in mass quantity, that you might never get around to using. And the stores take advantage of shoppers’ crazed mental state, making everything seem like a great deal too! How would you like to buy seven Pimento candles for $5? Sounds good to me. I drop 14 in my basket. Musn’t run out…in case the power decides to take a break for the weekend.

Ok, I’m exaggerating, a little bit anyway. I didn’t buy Pimento, but I did buy three humongous candles, two of which are different scents due to the Chick children not paying attention to the labels. So now my house is going to smell like pomegranates in one room and apples in two others.

Blech.

At least I’ll be able to knit if the power goes off, although I might be sick to my stomach.

In addition to batteries, bottled water, and candles, there’s also the dilemma of what food products to buy. You have to buy non-perishables in case the power goes out, but you also need a few things for the fridge so you can eat until the power goes kaput. This would seriously be a good time to begin a fast because about the only other things you are going to eat are chips and Chef-boy-ardee. Actually, that sounds yummy, but it’s certainly not the healthiest diet. Oh well, who cares. It’s only for a few days.

After I picked up the children from school, I carted them to Publix (a grocery chain in the South) and spent about $70 on not much of anything. The grocery budget is blown to bits. Hopefully the foliage outside my house won’t be.

I’ll post before and after pictures after the storm passes. Please keep us in your prayers. Heavy, heavy rains are expected, and flooding could be an issue.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

AuburnChick Feels Young Again

Posted on August 21, 2008 by auburnchick

This afternoon, after work, I headed out to run a couple of errands. One of the things on my to-do list was to pick up more Amaretto and Sour mix.

First, I need to assure you that I do not drink much. I do not like beer or hard alcohol. I’m more of a fruity kind of gal. To be quite honest with you, I really don’t even like the taste of alcohol.

When my children were young, Mr. AuburnChick and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas. It was the first time we were away from the young ones, and at first I was terribly distraught. I got over it and enjoyed the pampering I received that week. When we got home, we were a bit depressed. We knew that real life was going to be an adjustment. The first evening, we went out to eat. I have never liked to cook much, but I was especially gagged out at the idea that night. We went to the bar while we waited for a table, and I lamented my grief to the girl-bartender.

“Honey, I’ll fix you my favorite drink,” she said with a wave of her hand.

Presto! The drink she put before me was an Amaretto Sour.

That was the best drink I’d ever had! It could have been a combination of the taste and my depression, but ever since then, Amaretto has held a special place in my heart. It’s smooth, doesn’t go to your head like the hard stuff, and you can mix it with other yummy stuff.

Hence, my errand today.

I’ve been knitting dishcloths each night while watching the Olympics on TV. Amaretto Sour goes quite nicely in this scenario. So, I headed over to my local liquor store.

Now, I have to tell you that even though I have been adult for quite a few years, I felt very uncomfortable pulling into that parking lot. However, I didn’t have much choice because the regular grocery stores do not carry my favorite Amaretto. As an up-and-coming teacher, I would really hate for a future student to one day recognize me as “That Lady Who Frequents the Liquor Store, Brown Bag in Hand.”

Anyhow, when I got there, I be-bopped out of the car into the store. I had not taken two steps before I hear the words, “May I see your ID.”

I looked behind me. There was nobody else there.

“Me,” I asked, pointing to myself.

“Yes ma’am.” (remember that I live in the true South).

Um, okay. I held up my billfold with my drivers license showing.

“No, ma’am. We need to scan it. Can you please pull it out.”

Um, okay. I watched as they ran it through one of those credit card scanner things.

Yep, it confirmed that my age really is what it says. Heck, I could have shown them the stretch marks on my belly.

“We’re sorry, ma’am, but we just had to check.”

Um, okay. Let me see if I can get this right. I am 38 years old, and you’re apologizing for carding me??? Are you kidding? Why in the world would I be upset? You have just made my day week year!

It’s nice to know that I can throw on a pair of shorts, t-shirt, and flip-flops, put my hair in a ponytail, wear very little make-up, and look under 21. (Good thing they didn’t check out the hair too closely…they would have seen the white hairs starting to crop up.)

Soccer Chick was not amused when I recounted the story for her. Actually, she didn’t exactly believe me. Eat your heart out girly. When you get to be my age, you’re gonna wish you were carded occasionally too!

With the Chick children starting school this week, Rockin’ Rooster entering high school, and the reminder that I’m getting older along with them, it sure was nice to feel young again.

Filed under: This-n-That | 4 Comments »

Some Things Never Change

Posted on August 19, 2008 by auburnchick

Day 2 of Rockin’ Rooster’s high school career, and we’ve quickly discovered that he may be a teenager on the outside, but on the inside, he’s still my spastic boy-child.

How many of you have both boy and girl children? Those of you who do have probably noticed something. Girls tend to be more put-together from the onset. Perhaps this is God’s way of preparing females to be the all-knowing, take-care-of-everything people they will one day have to be.

Boys, on the other hand, come into this world outfitted as space cadets. Bless their little hearts. Boys are often the sweetest of the two sexes, but I believe this might be due to the fact that their minds are too busy flitting from one thing to another to hold grudges and whatnot.

It was not without hope, however, that I sent Rooster to school yesterday hoping that he had magically outgrown his natural tendencies.

Not so.

When school ended, he was the first of the Chick children to find my car. As we waited for Soccer Chick to stop doing that annoying thing where girls have to talk to every single person on their way out, Rooster and I began to chat.

“So, Mama, sometime between homeroom and first period, I lost my billfold. You know, the thing I put my entire allotment of lunch money for the week.”

Sigh.

Don’t get mad, I told myself. After all, only the night before, I was crying my eyes out over my baby growing up. I mentally placed an image of Kindergarten Rooster over the high school face I was now looking at.

“So, darling Space Case, whatever did you do? Did you get money from your sister, by chance?”

Oh no. That would have been too easy. He sucked it up and went without lunch. I felt terrible. Even more so because a few days before school started, I had lectured the Chick children on not making a 911 call to my office demanding money or lunch. I tend to be a hard-core disciplinarian. Mr. AuburnChick is a softee. I cannot tell you the number of times he showed up at that school last year with a Subway sandwich for girl-child. Yeah, it got to where he didn’t need to show picture ID to the staff.

That’s embarrassing.

So, after this lecture, you better believe that Rooster did not call either one of us to tell us about his mishap.

I felt terrible.

Rooster, surprisingly, was cool as a cucumber and readily accepted blame. He knew he would be making his lunch the rest of the week.

Well, after coming home, he washed his clothes (yes, I make my kids wash, dry and fold their own stuff), and he excitedly called me from the laundry room.

Yep, you guessed it. He found his wallet, money intact. That morning, he had changed his shorts after he realized that the pair he was wearing was dirty (go figure…he finally wants to wear clean clothes!). The only problem was that he didn’t remove the wallet he had already placed in one of the pockets. And he had forgotten this fact. Until he pulled the shorts out of the washing machine.

Wet or not, it was a great moment.

Until Tuesday morning (yes, this story gets better…keep reading)…

A grocery shopping trip yesterday afternoon left us with a well-stocked fridge. There was plenty of food for lunch, and Rooster decided to take his lunch. I dropped off the kids with a wave and went along my merry way to work.

As I reached down to grab my own lunch from the seat, I noticed something.

Yep. You guessed it.

It was Rooster’s lunch.

Sigh.

Do you remember my post a couple of weeks ago about finding white hairs on my head?

This is a classic example of why.

All I could picture was my boy-child, starving at lunch again. I tried to call him, but apparently he decided to follow the rules and turned off his phone.

So, I texted Soccer Chick instead. She doesn’t follow the rules. She texted back immediately, assuring me that her spastic brother had taken his lunch money, “Just in case.” Good thing.

I’m thinking I might just have to go back to Office Max and purchase that extra insurance for the graphing calculator I purchased yesterday. In Rooster’s own words, “I don’t exactly have a good track record for being responsible.”

Ya think?

Some things never change.

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