The Front Porch Swing

[Triple Willow]

I have one of those....my oldest son.  He gets seriously bent out of shape if folks don't want to follow HIS itinerary when we all go places together.  The older he gets the more he feels the need to control his surroundings and those in it, for some reason.  I also have a sister like this and it was horribly miserable to go anywhere with her. 

Then, if things don't go the way they want them to~even things out of our control~they start acting up...and out...making everyone suffer and become stressed because they can't control themselves.  I pity him as he gets older and goes through life in a world that is never under our control.  I also pity his wife and child....I've lived with a control freak dad and it has affected our entire family. 

A vacation should never have an itinerary....it should be spontaneous, fun and full of adventure and one cannot plan adventure.  It's what happens when you are trying to plan your life. 

Yep, that family member of mine just can't understand why I don't want to go anywhere with them. They have tried to put ME on a guilt trip about it. Not going for it! lol These kind of people make everybody around them miserable. But it is all about them.

 

[Alice28]

Its a coping mechanism many people slide in to to survive. 

deb

Yup. Now that she isn't so out of control she is getting less crazy about things. I just love and support her. It's getting better. I don't even want to know how I would be if I lost my child and had to spend so many years going through what she had to.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

There must be someone special visiting Oregon right now (Bruce) ... the weather has been unseasonably warm and dry for weeks. The clouds just rolled in, it's cooled off, and started sprinkling.

 

[Tomtommom]

Yeah, I can't keep up.

I skipped 6 pages I think.

Anyway. Deb. LOVELY mosaics!

Campfire cooking: bring a box of 'just add water' bread mix. wrap some around a stick and cook over the fire. Fantastic with a bit of butter and sugar (or nutella.... yum) or stick a weenie inside after cooking.

Anything wrapped in a foil packet is great. Fish, thin slices of squash, onions, potatoes etc. Yummy juices too.

Marriage thing. Religion and government should be separated IMO. Too big of a melting pot of people to go by one religion in our governing. Also tired of the political correctness.. if people want to pray in school, let them. If they want to pledge allegance to their God, let them. As long as you're not harming others with it, who cares? We have way bigger fish to fry in this country. It's crazy that gay couples are at a disadvantage when it comes to taxes, visiting in hospitals, right, military pensions etc. religion has not a thing to do with any of that.

I went to public schools and Catholic schools. We had the option to have bible lessons once a week in public school in a separate classroom. My mom is not religious, but she signed us up so we would have understanding of the bible and a chance to make our own choices. I enjoyed the stories and the songs a lot. After we graduated we all got our own bible. I still have mine and read it every once in a while

The bible was written so long ago.. in another language. It's been translated so many times.. I can't take it word for word. I think a lot of it is also symbolic and not to be taken quite so literal. I haven't made my mind up on it all.. I do believe Jesus had the right idea: love all, don't judge, be he without sin cast the first stone etc. One thing that always stuck by me is that ANY gathering with the purpose of spreading the word of Jesus or simply to worship or anything related to the faith is considered 'church'.. No fancy building required. He held church in a field and it was open to all. That is my church.

I enjoy learning about other religions. In the end I think my faith is a mix of all.. I believe in nature and the cosmos and science and the power of positive thinking (praying?) and love... All that should encompass God. I don't believe so much in the Bible and churches, for reasons mentioned before.

Oh.. MY porch!

Back porch. Old pic. I've got a bunch of feed bins there now. Thing of beauty!

And the front. Also old

 

[Tomtommom]

Oh shoot! I forgot to tell y'all that I went and signed the paperwork to get started on Thomas' education plan. I went to the board of education and got his evaluation set up (in October) where they will see what special needs he has so we can set up his IEP. He'll be 3 in January and age out of the early intervention system and the school system takes over at that point.

It seemed to go pretty well. I really hope to have an autism diagnosis by October or they wont even consider that part.

Yes, let's ignore the big elephant in the room because it's not on paper. Okaaay... We'll see.

He's got a new 'thing' now. He's been walking on his tiptoes none stop and he's been dancing and twirling (that's not new). He's not autistic, he just wants to be a ballerina!

You like his handy work? He loves that plunger with a passion.

We keep the door strapped shut, but I guess someone forgot to close it or he figured it out.

 

[Alice28]

Oh shoot! I forgot to tell y'all that I went and signed the paperwork to get started on Thomas' education plan. I went to the board of education and got his evaluation set up (in October) where they will see what special needs he has so we can set up his IEP. He'll be 3 in January and age out of the early intervention system and the school system takes over at that point. It seemed to go pretty well. I really hope to have an autism diagnosis by October or they wont even consider that part. Yes, let's ignore the big elephant in the room because it's not on paper. Okaaay... We'll see. He's got a new 'thing' now. He's been walking on his tiptoes none stop and he's been dancing and twirling (that's not new). He's not autistic, he just wants to be a ballerina! You like his handy work? He loves that plunger with a passion. We keep the door strapped shut, but I guess someone forgot to close it or he figured it out.

Oh my gosh! Haha! I worked at a group home for children with special needs for six years and we had a kid obsessed with the toilet. There very sencory friendly I guess.... water, the noise, it's cold. I don't know. Only he started to stuff and flush toys down the toilet! And he was fast! Turn your back for one minute. I mean, a few liked the toilet, but this boy had a special love for it. Good luck with the school. I know it's so crazy how many hoops you have to jump through to get a kid what they need.

 

[LindaB220]

We are about 4 miles from "CHICKEN SHACK RD", in Oconto County.

Love the story about the Phantom chickens crossing the road. Maybe call your coop "The Other Side". As in, why did the Phantom chicken cross the road, to get to THE OTHER SIDE.
OK, maybe a little too obscure...

Let me ask, is the Phantom chicken a musical? I wonder who will star in it. Bee, too bad you fat cochin is no more.

 

[LindaB220]

Oh shoot! I forgot to tell y'all that I went and signed the paperwork to get started on Thomas' education plan. I went to the board of education and got his evaluation set up (in October) where they will see what special needs he has so we can set up his IEP. He'll be 3 in January and age out of the early intervention system and the school system takes over at that point.

It seemed to go pretty well. I really hope to have an autism diagnosis by October or they wont even consider that part.

Yes, let's ignore the big elephant in the room because it's not on paper. Okaaay... We'll see.

He's got a new 'thing' now. He's been walking on his tiptoes none stop and he's been dancing and twirling (that's not new). He's not autistic, he just wants to be a ballerina!

You like his handy work? He loves that plunger with a passion.

We keep the door strapped shut, but I guess someone forgot to close it or he figured it out.

Been there, done that. My youngest DD Brandi's son Patrick is almost 12 and he started his testing at 3 Super severe ADHD. Still has the mental capacity of of maybe 7 yr old. Maybe. Still can't get off the bus by himself or open the door. No latchkey for him. Can't be trusted to just get a ready snack and watch TV. His little brain just keeps on running and running and running. He's almost mute in school. They didn't know he could talk. But get him home and he talks incessantly Brandi is a saint, I know it. But he lived with me for over 6 of those years and I handled it.

 

[TexasLisa]

Well, Chicken Shack is the name of the gas station at the corner that sells broasted chicken - so I'm fairly sure that is where the name comes from. Not as cool as the Phantom Chicken story.

The WisDOT doesn't have anything to do with the names of the local roads, those are proposed by the developers and approved or not by the County Development office.

I HATE to be scared because I swing first, ask questions later. Then breakdown and cry because I get upset about it.

Gave my sister a black eye one morning - teach her to wake me up by jumping on me. Also almost killed a guy in college - I got him in the throat when he jumped off the bunk bed at me... the force of him jumping down hitting my fist almost crushed his larynx (so he said), sprained my wrist on that one. DH has also learned not to scare me ... Fight or flight - my fight always takes over. Yep, I am bound to become extinct.

The house was built the rock was already there. If you will notice its actually two rocks one on top of the other.

There are four Big rocks next to my water tank, here are two. and Behind them are about four more.... But this area is Boulder land. All made of a pinkish granite loaded with iron so cell phones dont work here.

Photo of my property from space. I captured about six acres of it.

Deb, quit that!!! You keep saying 'that's another story'. You have to tell them. PLEASE

Lisa

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Yeah, I can't keep up. I skipped 6 pages I think. Anyway. Deb. LOVELY mosaics! Campfire cooking: bring a box of 'just add water' bread mix. wrap some around a stick and cook over the fire. Fantastic with a bit of butter and sugar (or nutella.... yum) or stick a weenie inside after cooking. Anything wrapped in a foil packet is great. Fish, thin slices of squash, onions, potatoes etc. Yummy juices too. Marriage thing. Religion and government should be separated IMO. Too big of a melting pot of people to go by one religion in our governing. Also tired of the political correctness.. if people want to pray in school, let them. If they want to pledge allegance to their God, let them. As long as you're not harming others with it, who cares? We have way bigger fish to fry in this country. It's crazy that gay couples are at a disadvantage when it comes to taxes, visiting in hospitals, right, military pensions etc. religion has not a thing to do with any of that. I went to public schools and Catholic schools. We had the option to have bible lessons once a week in public school in a separate classroom. My mom is not religious, but she signed us up so we would have understanding of the bible and a chance to make our own choices. I enjoyed the stories and the songs a lot. After we graduated we all got our own bible. I still have mine and read it every once in a while The bible was written so long ago.. in another language. It's been translated so many times.. I can't take it word for word. I think a lot of it is also symbolic and not to be taken quite so literal. I haven't made my mind up on it all.. I do believe Jesus had the right idea: love all, don't judge, be he without sin cast the first stone etc. One thing that always stuck by me is that ANY gathering with the purpose of spreading the word of Jesus or simply to worship or anything related to the faith is considered 'church'.. No fancy building required. He held church in a field and it was open to all. That is my church. I enjoy learning about other religions. In the end I think my faith is a mix of all.. I believe in nature and the cosmos and science and the power of positive thinking (praying?) and love... All that should encompass God. I don't believe so much in the Bible and churches, for reasons mentioned before. Oh.. MY porch! Back porch. Old pic. I've got a bunch of feed bins there now. Thing of beauty! And the front. Also old

I love that stone pathway.