My Opinion on Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time (Daylight Savings Time) ended today, and I am very sad. I understand why we turn our clocks back one hour in the fall and turn them ahead one hour in the spring. It is, supposedly, to save energy. Maybe it does and maybe it does not. I cannot say for sure. But, I do know that it messes with my family's schedule big time.

People get very excited about the alleged extra hour of sleep. I admit. I did get an extra hour of nap time today, and that is where it ends for me. So too ends my sleeping in until 7 am on the weekend. Why you ask? My dear, sweet Jillian will be up by 6 am or earlier now. She is three and does not comprehend the idea of getting extra sleep. Jillian runs on her internal clock.

We put her to bed between 8 and 8:30 every night, and she falls asleep somewhere between 8 and 9:00.  She gets up at least once or twice after we lay her down. Once to go to the bathroom again despite the fact that I make sure she goes potty before I tuck her in. Most nights she gets up again claiming "I can't sweep."

In essence, she goes to bed when she is good and ready. It does not matter what we want. The same is true when she wakes up. Jillian is up when her body tells her to wake up.  We try to get her to lay down again, but she is up five minutes later and has usually woken up either Molly or Coilin in the process. When we have her lay in bed with us as an attempt to get some extra sleep, Jillian winds-up playing with my face. (Apparently, my face is more fun that Silly Puddy.)

I know that I am not alone in the world. While at Joann Fabrics today, the cashier told us she suffers the same fate with her dog. The dog gets up when it wants to; the dog does not understand the concept of time. So for the next four months, I will be getting up a little earlier than I would like. Instead of complaining anymore, I will consider myself lucky to be able to spend some extra time with my daughter.

Everyone should have Visitors

There is not doubt in my mind that everyone should have people come to visit their homes from time to time. It seems like that is the only time the house gets a really deep clean.

Don't get me wrong, we dust, vacuum, and such. But with three kids, we do not have the time or energy to move furniture and sweep and dust around it. We would rather spend our time playing 'Candy Land' and 'Chutes and Ladders' with the kids than pulling out the entertainment center.

I do have to say that having visitors is awesome too. Today, we had a visit from a high school friend, her husband, and her sister. The friend and her husband live out of state, and we only see them one or two times a year. It was very nice to see them. We look forward to their visits.

Part of the anticipation of a visit is the cleaning. Boy, did we ever clean deeply today. As a result, I am exhausted. In fact, I dozed off while typing this. With that in mind dear friends, I'm heading upstairs to spend some time with my wife, and then, I am going to bed.

Stuck In the Driveway Part VII

It is Fiction Friday again. We are going to continue with our story from last week. 


Stuck in the Driveway Part VII

Stan began to stir. The light in the room flooded his eyes. "Uh, man." His eyes began to burn and water from the light. "It's so bright," Stan said as he rubbed the back of his head with one hand while he wiped away the tears with the other.

"We are sorry to hit you so hard Mr. Brogan; but, we had to make it convincing."

"Convincing?" Stan said turning to the sound of voice. Three men were standing in front of him. Stan addressed the only one he knew. "That was convincing all right. Why did you grab me early. I thought you weren't getting me until after the meeting."

"There was a black sedan at your business, 'Brogan's Green Thumb' sir," Agent Walker said.

"Ok, so why not grab me in the woods? Why did you have to crack me over the head?" Stan asked.

"Your are forgetting the black sedan," said Agent Walker. "We didn't know for sure if they had someone planted in the woods."

"That was probably just the Investors" Stan said.

"No, it wasn't," Agent Walker replied. "It was a Sergeant Owens."

"Who?"

"Seargant Owens, retired Special Forcees. He works as a hired gun now," said Agent Walker. He did nothing to hide his disgust. "The Investors were not coming to meet you. They sent someone to kidnap you."

"Dear, God. Ok, so what happens now?" asked Stan.

"We secure the rest of your family. We have your wife and your daughter," said Agent Walker. "However, we are still looking for your son. He is not where you told us he would be."

"No, he and his friends never came home. That's why I was running to work. His friends' cars had me stuck in the driveway. I had to take his friend B.J.'s car and...," Stan stopped. "Check Bob Snyder's house. His son, B.J. left his car at my house, but that doesn't mean they didn't end up back at his place."

Agent Walker looked at one of the other agents. "Agent Phipps, check it out." Agent Walker returned his attention to Stan. "Sir, is there any chance that your son went to 'Brogan's'?"

"I can barely get him to go there during the week to help me out," Stand said. "There is no chance that he was there. In fact, nobody would have been there. That's why I schedule the meeting with the Investors today."

"Mr. Brogan," asked one of the other agents.  He had also left the room while Agent Walker and Stan had been talking. "Do any of your son's friends have a yellow Pontiac Sunfire?"

"No," Stan said. He was concerned. "That's my cousin Beverly Thomas' car. Why?"

"Her car is at 'Brogan's' right now," the agent replied.

"What's your name agent?" Stan asked. His concern was growing.

"Agent Jones," he replied.

"Agent Jones. I need you to tell me that the Bev is okay."

"Well, Mr. Brogan," Agent Jones began.

"No," Stan cut him off.

"Mr. Brogan," Agent Jones said. "Your cousin was taken by a man."

"Was it this Sergeant Owens?" Stan asked.

"At first it was."

"What do you mean, at first it was?" Stan asked.

"Please Mr. Brogan," Agent Walker interrupted, "let Agent Jones finish."

"Sorry," Stan said. "Please finish."

Agent Jones told Stan about his ransacked business and how their men had seen Sergeant Owens carrying Bev out. "That's when someone wearing fatigues came running out of the woods and took out Sergeant Owens, and ran off with your cousin, Ms. Thomas."

"That's Mrs. Thomas. Bev's married to Tom Thomas, an old friend," Stan said. The agents just looked at him. "What? I didn't name him Thomas Thomas. Blame that one on his folks. Who took her into the woods?"

"From what we can tell it was someone who was camped out in the woods right across from 'Brogan's'," said Agent Jones.

"It was Eddie!" Stan said excitedly. "Eddie Johnson. Yeah, Eddie saved her."

"Who is Eddie Johnson?" asked Agent Walker.

"You should know him," Stan said. "He's retired Special Forces like your buddy Sergeant Owens. Eddie served in the First Gulf War. He has never been the same since he got back. Eddie's being living the life of a vagabond. You say he ran off into the woods with her."

"Yes," replied Agent Jones.

"And it sounds like your guys lost him?" asked Stan. The agents looked at each other. "He took her to the old mill. I guarantee. It's the safest place in around here."

"I am not sure how safe this old mill is," said Agent Walker. "It's pretty easy to find."

"Yeah, maybe the upper level is," Stan said. "But I bet you guys didn't know that there was a basement. You really have to search for the entrance. You will miss it at first glance. That's where they are."

"Are you sure that Eddie would not have hurt Mrs. Thomas?" asked Agent Walker.

"Not a chance," Stan replied. "Eddie is still in love with her."

"Mr. Brogan," began Agent Jones, "how sure are you that no one else knows about the basement entrance?"

"I'd stake my life on it. Why?"

"Our men heard a gunshot sir," said Agent Jones.

"Then, someone else is in the mill," Stan said. "No way Eddie shot Bev." Tears began to form in his eyes. "No way." Stan's voice started to crack. "You guys need to go in there and check it out." It was getting hard for Stan to talk. "Have you guys found my son?" The gravity of the situation and of the events he had put in motion we becoming unbearable. Why, he thought to himself, did I have to get involved with those Foreign Investors.

"We'll find him, Mr. Brogan," Agent Walker said.

"My wife and daughter are safe?"

"Yes, Mr. Brogan. Like you, they are now in Witness Protection," said Agent Walker. "We'll have your son soon too."

To be continued...


Copyright © 2010 Writing for Fun

Cooking: A Way to Unwind

Last night I talked about how snuggling with my wife and children "makes things all better." It soothes me, and I am not so macho that I cannot admit that. Tonight, I was reminded of another activity that soothes me - cooking.

I was not in the best of moods before I started to make dinner tonight. After a few minutes of cooking though, my mood mellowed. I am trying to figure out what exactly it is about cooking that calms me down. Several possible reasons come to mind. First, let me tell you what I made.

We had Pumpkin Pancakes, a simple potato hash, eggs, and sausage. Yes, we had breakfast for dinner tonight. It is a favorite of the kiddies. This was not a hard meal to make; but, it required some planning and prep work. The planning was in starting to cook items in sequence that would allow everything to be done at once. The prep work was in mixing the pancake batter and chopping the potatoes and onions.

The chopping is the most cathartic part of the prep work, and not because I am envisioning that the potato is actually some coworker that has ticked me off. For me, it is the methodical repetition that is so relaxing. I cut the potato in half lengthwise. Then, I cut each half into three piece, again lengthwise. Finally, I cut across the potato to create similar sized cubes. This process did not take long; but, by the end, I was starting to feel better because I was able to let my mind go.

Next, it was on to determining in what order to cook each menu item. It was obvious - the potatoes - they take the longest. After I started them, I knew I needed to start the pancake batter. And, on it went until I had finished making dinner. This problem solving portion of cooking allowed me to get my mind working again.

The best part of cooking is the eating. The pancakes, sausage, and eggs were all excellent. The potatoes, on the other hand, were a little blackened. I started off cooking them with the flame too hot, and I was not watching them as closely as I normally would. They got a little crispy while I was mixing the pancake batter but they were still good. Even Molly ate some.

It is interesting to me that my last two posts have been about things that chill me out. In the end, it makes sense. Things have gotten stressful at work. But, it is nothing that I have not been through before. I know how to cope with these stresses. As a result, I guess I am more aware of how snuggling and cooking help me cope when external forces are trying to bring me down.

A Call to Snuggle

Men of the world, I challenge you to snuggle with a loved one at least once a day. I promise you that it will make your day better for I have successfully tested that theory this very night. Come and read with me as I tell you what I mean.

I put my children to bed about 30 minutes before I started to write this post. Actually, I started the process of putting them to bed. (Some nights it drags on and on. Tonight has been one of those nights.) It seems lately the my youngest daughter is very much in Daddy mode. That is more than all right with me. Considering the fact that she did not want much to do with me when she was a baby, I am loving this. One of the results of her recent gravitation towards me is a request that I lay in bed with her before she goes to sleep. I know that many of you parents are thinking that this is a bad idea, and that she will never learn to go to sleep by herself. Not true. The same thing happened with my oldest daughter and she falls asleep on her own now. But, that is a discussion for another day.

Anyhow, Jillian really likes it when I lay down with her. Besides, how can I resist when she asks like this: "You sleep with me? For just a minute Daddy?" It is a win-win situation. All of my children can curl themselves into the tightest ball. Jillian is the best at it though. She burrows into my chest so tightly that it is as if she becomes part of me. I lay there for a minute, kiss her good night, and down the stairs I go. She is satisfied and I am filled with a daughter's love for her Daddy.

It is kind of ironic. My son woke up crying while I was drafting this post. Coilin almost never wakes up after I lay him down.  He must have known what I was writing about and wanted his share of snuggle-time. And, that is all he needed tonight. Coilin was crying, and I went into his room. I checked his diaper. It was dry; so, I just held him for a few minutes. He grabbed onto my hand while I was holding him. That gets me every time. Against my will, I laid him back down, and have not heard a peep since.

I will not get into details about how I snuggle with my wife. But I will say this, the best snuggle time is early in the morning when the house is cold and most of the covers have fallen off of the bed. You know that time before Mr. Sun begins to wake the earth from her slumber, when all that you have to keep you warm is a thin sheet. That is when I pull my wife close and warm up the both of us. That is an excellent way to start a day.

In fact, the perfect snuggle day would start with me snuggling with my wife and end with snuggle time with my children. Today, I ended the day perfectly and I have to say thank you to all three of my little ones tonight. It was a rough day at work and the time we spent together, made it all better. Men of the world I tell you in closing to pull that special someone close to you tonight and relish in their love and affection.

Happy Birthday Big Brother

Yesterday I talked about how I think that Saints are good role models. Tonight, I want to talk about role models that are still walking among us here on earth. I am blessed to be able to count my brother as one of my role models.

My parents split-up when I was about five years old, and so, my brother would have been about ten. From that time on, he has always looked out for me. When we were younger, he would include me in some of the things he did with his friends. Even if it was just going over to the neighbor's house and hanging out at the picnic table while they were shooting the breeze, it always made me feel special to be included with the "Big Kids."

Everything was not always smooth sailing. Hey, we were brothers after all. I remember we got into a fist fight in our driveway. He was a teenager; so, I was at least eight. The truth be told, it was not much of a fight. I was really the only one throwing punches. He was holding back. We always had an unwritten rule that you did not throw a punch to the other one's face. I decided to break that rule on that day. My brother was enraged, and I was waiting for the smack down I knew he could levee on me. But, he did not return the favor. He let it go, and taught me a valuable lesson about restraint.

In college, I was struggling for cash and he helped me pay for books on at least one occasion. My brother did not have to do that. It was not in his job description. Besides, he had his own college tuition for which he had to pay. But, that is how he always was. In that instance, he taught me about charity and helping someone in need.

Now, we are adults, and he continues to inspire me. With every problem or struggle that he faces, he finds a solution. His son is lucky to have a father like him. That boy will be able to learn from his Dad the same kindness and caring that he taught to me. I am proud to call my big brother a role model, and I know my children will and do look up to him too.

 Incidently, he is celebrating a milestone birthday today. Happy Birthday! Thank you for all you have done for me. I could not have asked for a better big brother.

All Saint's Day 2010

Today is All Saint's Day. For those of you who do not know what this day is, this is the day when Roman Catholics honor all of the Saints known and unknown. What does known and unknown mean? Known Saints are the people who have been canonized (recognized) by the Church as being Saints and typically have a feast day on which they are honored. An Unknown Saint is anyone else in heaven.

I am not here to give you a lesson about the Catholic Church. Instead, I want to discuss a point our Priest made about the canonized Saints in his homily (sermon) tonight. He said that all of the canonized saints started out just like us.  They were people who had their own trials and tribulations; but they rose above those problems to do God's work and spread His Word.

For him to say that people like St. Joan of Arc or St. Peter (the Apostle Peter) was like me, was comforting and ironic.  Two weeks ago I was trying to explain the concept of Saints to my CCD (Faith Formation) class. One of the things I told them was that Saints were people just like us. As kids do, one of them asked a tough question. She asked me if Saints ever told lies. I told her I am sure they did at one point or another, and then it came to me. St. Peter denied that he knew Jesus three times just like Jesus told him he would. Anyway you slice it, Peter lied. In a way, that is comforting. He showed a great sign of weakness. But that is not how we define him today. He is recognized by Roman Catholics as the First Pope. He had done great things before his denial and continued to do great works after it.

Both St. Joan of Arc and St. Peter had humble beginnings. St. Peter began his life as fisherman. St. Joan of Arc was born in the peasant class in 15th century France and eventually led an army to help the King of France regain his crown from the English. They went on to do astounding works in the name of God.

My point is that we can be inspired by learning and honoring saints.  It does not matter if you are Catholic or not. The Saints were good people who were doing great things for the people of their time. For me, those are the best role models to have. This is especially true at a time when it seems decent role models are becoming scarce. Here is a link to a site that lists all of the canonized Saints and brief biography. Pick one and read about him or her and tell me that you are not at least a little bit inspired.