Don't Step Here Signs

In the middle of night a demonic sound screeched from the upstairs hallway. Makes my heart race. Not the sort of thing I welcome during my coveted sleeping hours. Good thing my husband is the one who heard it.

When he reached the top of the stairs he found all the bedroom doors shut, "spooky", he said, not normally one to fear much. What he found was our cat feeling quite ill, working on a puke puddle which did not 'surface' until morning (for us anyway). That's when our son Dexter decided to do something about the mess.

He made a nice little 2-sided cheeseboard sign that read: "Don't Step Here". Very helpful considering the convergance of camoflouge and the early morning slumber walk to the bathroom. However it ended up, a Canon moment to be sure.

I've thought how nice it would be if life offered such signs. Something flashing and illuminated, like "Really Big Mess Ahead. Go Around." That could be really convenient. I mean, there are a lot of life situations and annoyances I'd rather skirt around and stay on the pleasant track.

But wait a minute, if there were just a bunch of redirecting signs who would clean up the messes? God knows there has been a cheeseboard sign over me at least once (ok, maybe twice), and somebody cared enough to stop by with a mop and an encouraging word that moved me out of my muddy puddle.

So, Dave and I gathered the Resolve cleaner, damp rag, paper towels, plastic bag. Blot, blot, spray, blot. Cleaning up what we could and moving along.

The sign is still there though, just for a grin.

"HI Shelley!" and the Really Blank Look

After a work meeting, complete with name tags, I spent my lunch time Friday school shopping with one of my boys. As I meandered through the trendy store, endured an overly chipper fast-talker of a sales girl's explanation of the difference between loose fit and low loose fit vs. low boot loose...and that's where she lost me. I nodded politely, I think, and then a woman came out of nowhere "Hi Shelley!"

I could see she was also school shopping with teenager, but for my life I could not have told you who she was and my blank face conveyed it. Then it occurred to me, I slapped my hand over my name tag and peeled it off with a smile. "My name is Shelley," I said laughing, "who are you?"

I guess really the question should have been, what is your name? Because before I knew that I could have told you a bit about who she is, a friendly woman with a great sense of humor.

"Shelley," Becky said a few minutes later, "what do you think of this shirt?" And we talked a little about how even though we're school shopping for our kids doesn't mean we shouldn't look for ourselves. This is what I've been telling my kids for years, even when we're not school shopping.

Funny how a little humor goes a long way. I left there with a smile, a story, and a new shirt.

Thanks Becky, I hope you find this blog!

Back-to-School cars

"Mom, did you hear that? 'Back-to-School laptops and ipods'?" said my son Wes in disbelief of a radio commercial. "Who are these people?" Then, with a bright sarcastic smile, "Mom, can we talk about Back-to-School cars?"

The next day my 23 year old son Trevor, "Mom, did you hear that (television) commercial? Back-to-School laptops for high school kids?! Even in college I never saw every student with a laptop." He laughs, "What are these companies trying to pull?"

I just laugh! -in not only good humor, but with gratitude, for practical minded kids. They don't always like to hear this, but I guess not being able to, and at other times, choosing not to buy them everything they want, is paying off!

But I have to say, a Back-to-School car really does sound good.

I rode my bike into town today for some exercise and to mail my mother's birthday gift. I thought while I was there I should check my PO Box that I have just for writing, but I have to confess, there usually isn't much there. Mixed up in the myriad of junk mail was a thank you note with such encouraging words from someone my husband had given a book to, and there was a check...dated from March. Huhmm. I decided that I should have more faith and check that box more frequently.

And now I guess if I'm going to see more in that box I better get to finishing those stories for Heavenly Humor. I learned so much at the writer's conference I went to in Philly, I'm excited to already be applying some of it.

A few weeks ago Barbour Publishing accepted two stories for Heavenly Humor for the Dog Lover's Soul, and asked me to write three more. I love writing these funny stories from this crazy house where lots of people and pets come and go!

Also, I recently was the recipient of a Cecil Murphey scholarship to attend a Writer's Conference in Philadelphia. I am very excited about what I will learn there - Thank you Cecil!