It was a dark and stormy night...

I was reading an article on writing today and this famously trite novel opener was discussed. My brain started thinking about dark and stormy nights. Really, there's nothing wrong with a good story that happens to begin on a dark and stormy night. In fact, some stories would be really bad if they didn't begin on a dark and stormy night. Did you ever see the movie, "Clue"? I mean, if it started all bright and sunny, we'd all be horribly mislead and probably demand our money back.

Anyway...

I thought about a few of my own stories that have happened on a dark and stormy night. Not stories I've written, but stories from my own real life. And there is one particular dark and stormy night that really tops them all.

Only... it actually did begin bright and sunny. That would be because it began in South Africa.

My husband at the time and our children and I were visiting a friend in Cape Town and we had driven along the southern coast to spend a few days in the George and Knysna area. On our last morning there we drove inland a bit to the Cango Caves (amazing) and the Cango Wildlife Ranch where we rode ostriches and ate crocodile (chewy).

It was mid-afternoon by the time we were ready to make the several hour drive back to Cape Town. We all consulted a map and found that there was a little road that seemed to take a shortcut that connected us up with the main highway on a diagonal, rather than driving all the way back down to the coast and then along the coastal highway. We turned onto the road.

After a few miles, the "road" turned to dirt. We decided to continue on it, thinking that since it was on the map, it must be fine. I stared around at the landscape of the Little Karoo Desert and didn't see much of anything. Except that our bright and sunny day... was slowly turning to a dark and stormy night.

I sat in the back seat of the car with my 4 month old son and 23 month old daughter on either side of me and asked if there were lions in the Little Karoo. My friend laughed nervously. That was my answer.

Black storm clouds rolled in as we continued to roll along our dirt road. I glanced at the fuel gauge and noticed that we had less than a quarter tank left. None of us had any clue how much longer we were going to be on our "shortcut" through the desert.

It was a dark and stormy night. A night as black as ink with not a light in sight other than our headlights and rain drops the size of golf balls. Very little fuel left and no idea where we were... I seriously thought that this dark and stormy night was going to be my last... when we finally hit a paved road again.

I breathed for the first time in over an hour as the lights of a place in the middle of nowhere dotted the side of the road. We stopped quickly to get gas and then continued on to Cape Town.

You think this is the end? Oh no... because the storm (of aforementioned dark night) became more furious as we drove. Lightning began to flash across the sky. It lit up a huge rock, the size of a volleyball, in the middle of the road... just before we hit it.

My friend held control of the car and got us to the side of the road. Then she and my husband got out to survey the damage. One tire was blown and the axle was damaged. In the driving rain, they got the spare tire on. They climbed back in, competely soaked, and we continued to drive slowly to Cape Town.

We arrived sometime in the very early hours of the morning and collapsed into bed. I thought again about how I had seriously thought that dark and stormy night was going to be my last.

But it wasn't. And the next morning dawned bright and sunny.

Just For Fun

I had a few minutes of free time tonight, so I cleaned out my filing cabinet. Just for fun. (OK, I can hear you all laughing. If you know me then you know that I really do think this is fun.)

Anyway, as I sorted through piles of paper I no longer needed, I came across a fun page in my Teaching File. It's a fun list of real answers that students have given on science tests. Here's the list... just for fun.

1. When you breathe you inspire. When you do not breathe you expire.

2. H2O is hot water. CO2 is cold water.

3. Nitrogen is not found in Ireland because it is not found in a free state.

4. Three kinds of blood vessels are arteried, vanes, and caterpillars.

5. The moon is a planet just like the earth, only it is even deader.

6. Dew is formed on leaves when the sun shines down on them and makes them perspire.

7. Blood flows down one leg and up the other.

8. Rhubarb is a kind of celery gone bloodshot.

9. When you smell an ordorless gas, it is probably carbon monoxide.

10. Mushrooms always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas.

Graduated

Yesterday my grandmother, Louise Wright, Graduated from Earth. That's the way I refer to it. Time on this Earth is an intensive learning course. When we're done, we Graduate. And my grandmother Graduated with honors. Here are a few of the reasons why:

She married one of the best men I've ever known, my grandfather. And he was really handsome in those Navy sailor suits, so I can see why! Together they raised 6 children - my dad was the second oldest. At the time of this post they also had 24 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren (and 2 on the way). The best part is that we love getting together, being with each other, and sharing in each others' lives.

She had a love of music that she gladly passed on to the rest of us. There was always music in her home - lots of singing around the piano. I love the fact that after her children left home she decided that she wanted to learn how to play the harp. It was always heavenly to hear her play.

She loved to feed you good food. There are blackberry bushes all along the road near her home and we would pick bucketfulls (about half in the bucket and half in our mouths) and then come back and make blackberry jelly, blackberry pie, blackberries on ice cream, and anything else we could think of. When I heard that she had Graduated, I got out some bread and had blackberry jelly from those bushes in her honor.

I always felt loved by her. I always felt like she thought I was wonderful. She sent the most beautiful letters in her lovely handwriting that told you how special you were and how much she knew you were going to do amazing things. I always felt better after talking to her.

I will miss her very much while she is gone. But I also know that one day I will Graduate and then I'll see her again. I will give her a big hug, ask to hear her play her harp, and see about picking any blackberries.

Love you Grandma. Happy Graduation.

Soccer Season

I am not much of a sports fan. I rarely watched sporting events on tv while growing up. I ditched the football games in high school and college. I do occasionally like to play sports, but I prepare to be laughed at. I've been told that an arabesque looks dumb while bumping a volleyball. And that a grande jete just doesn't work on the soccer field.

However, when I had my children I was determined to let them choose whatever activities they enjoyed. Turns out, I have two soccer players.

So, despite my own lack of talent in the sport, every fall this is where I find myself:


They had a scrimmage two weeks ago, but today they had their first games. They both won too!

Here's my daughter on a sub break.

And my son's team just after their 6th goal! (He's #11)

And in spite of my own lack of soccer "stuff" I find I really enjoy watching my childrens' games.

Maybe that's just because they are playing. :-)

Undercover No More

I've been working on a couple of big projects for my company all summer with the intention of getting another job in the fall. Well... now that I'm staying there officially, the Director of Sales leaked it to the office that I was now available to help run the company (or something like that). Within 5 minutes I had a swarm of people at my previously quiet spot of desk all asking for everything under the stars. I had to keep myself from laughing. No longer can I hide in my projects, head down at my computer, patiently waiting for the job fairy to carry me away. No, the reality is I've been offered a position to help run the company and I am undercover no more.

This should be fun.

Cheater Cookies

I'm all for making cookies from scratch. But I'm not against a great shortcut either!

I found a recipe for FAST cookies and tried them out. They're GOOD!

All you do is take:

1 Cake Mix (any flavor)
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs

Mix together, drop on ungreased cookie sheet, bake in 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes.

Voila! Instant cookies!

I did this with a lemon cake mix and they were amazing. I'm going to try it with a chocolate cake mix next time.

August Reads

Lots of good books this month... not the least of which was...

Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer - Do I even have to recommend this one? If you're not on the Twilight series train yet, get on! This final book in the series delivered all I hoped it would and wrapped up the ending perfectly. Good job Steph!

Homeless Bird - Gloria Whelan - I decided to try a few more of her books. This one was set in India and followed a girl who has an arranged marriage at 13 years old. It was a fascinating story and a great ending.

Listening For Lions - Gloria Whelan - This book is similar to The Secret Garden, but with a twist. It has a bit of Out of Africa in it as well. I still have a soft spot for stories in Africa and this one found that spot again.

The Time Thief (book 2) - Linda Buckley-Archer - The first book was originally called Gideon, Cutpurse and Gentleman but aparently it's been renamed to The Time Theif (book 1). This follows the story of two British tweens, their families, and various people they meet in both the 1770s and modern day. I liked the first book better, but still the history is fun.

Saving Juliet - Suzanne Selfors - All Shakespeare fans... this is a good one. A young actress playing the part of Juliet ends up magically in the famous story. Only this time, the heroine will do whatever it takes to keep Juliet from meeting her usual end.

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs - Betty Birney - This is a classic "there's no place like home" story, where a young boy sets out to find wonders in his own backyard. The characters are a lot of fun and it's a good think.

Beastly - Alex Flinn - The story of Beauty and the Beast from the Beast's point of view. Set in modern day New York City too! It's a fun read. A little on the sappy side, but then again, it is a fairy tale.

The Castle Corona - Sharon Creech - I've read several of Sharon's books (Walk Two Moons, The Wanderer, Ruby Holler, etc.) and usually really like her stories. This one, however, disappointed greatly. It was an attempt at a fairy tale but the plot was boring and the resolution was anything but. Read her other books instead.

The Host - Stephenie Meyer - I've been holding off on reading this one because I just wasn't sure I'd like it. Hello! I love it! The whole alien/host love triangle thing sounded random but it is sooo well written and the story is marvelously told. Again, go Steph!

And so ends summer reading... And my bedside table is unusually empty! I need more recommendations! Anyone?