NaBloPoMo | BulgingButtons

November 8, 2015
by BulgingButtons 2 Comments

The Beverage Industry Has Stolen My Idea

When my son was little this time of year brought about a special drink. We called it Christmas Punch, and we looked forward to it every year. The first time we would have it would be Thanksgiving, then it would show up again throughout the holiday season, all the way to New Year’s Day.

We even would sometimes have it on airplanes. He would order one part and I would order the other, then I would mix it up for us. What a treat!

What is Christmas Punch? It’s just 7-Up and cranberry juice, in about equal parts.

It’s delicious, and it’s a beautiful deep pink color, just right for the festive time of year.

Well, apparently word got out, and the beverage industry now offers it pre-mixed and bottled. A couple of different versions are available. I broke down and bought a bottle today, just to try it. I brought it home, and my son tried it too. We’re in agreement, “homemade” Christmas punch is better. Maybe because we missed the pink, I don’t know. I just think that ours tastes better. Let me know if you try it.

November 8, 2015
by BulgingButtons 3 Comments

What is it About the Owl?

Last Friday I gave my fourth graders a five minute recess at the end of the day. They were happily playing on the playground when one of my little girls came over to show me something her friend had given her. It was an eraser with a picture of an owl in the middle, no doubt a leftover from Halloween.

Had I known, I would have chosen a different theme.

My student was troubled, though.

“I can’t keep it,” she said.

“Why not?”

“It has an owl on it,” she said.

“What’s wrong with the owl?”

“I’m Navajo,” she responded, as if that would clear things up for me. It did not.

She went on to tell me that owls are considered bad luck in Navajo culture, but she didn’t want to just throw the eraser away. She was troubled because she wasn’t sure what to do. I held out my hand and she happily gave it to me, then skipped off to play, unburdened by the offending owl.

This morning, I noticed the owl on my counter and suddenly realized, I have owls all over the classroom. Each student has an owl with his or her name on it, and I have bulletin board borders with owls on them. There is a large owl on one board that shares messages with the students. Even the mini-posters with the class rules have owls on them. I had no idea.

If that one little eraser was troubling to her, what must that classroom feel like?

I think it may be time to redecorate the room. I wonder if she’ll notice.

November 7, 2015
by BulgingButtons 2 Comments

This Dog

This dog saved us. My son and I were reeling from life’s twists and turns, and we were trying to figure out how to be a family of two. I was also trying to figure out how to be a mother to a son who couldn’t always be with me. It was gut wrenching and stressful, but we forged ahead, what choice did we have? We were there for each other, but we were still hurting our own separate hurts.

Then it happened. We met this dog. I wanted an older dog, one who already had some training and wasn’t as high energy. House training and chewing and all the puppy stuff seemed totally overwhelming, so no puppies for us. It seemed like a good plan. We also needed a dog that was cat friendly.

We went to a local rescue organization and we walked the rows. Several animals were too large or too small or not cat friendly. Then there were those that were listed as high energy, so we took a pass on them, too. Finally, at the end of the row there was this dog.

She was adorable. She was listed as moderate energy and unknown with cats. We took her out in the play yard where she was interested in us, but not overly so. We took her into the cat area, where she was very curious, but not aggressive. We took a look at her intake sheet and learned that she was only 8 moths old and had already been returned by another family. Before that, the rescue had pulled her from the county shelter where she was slated to be euthanized. She was healthy and beautiful, how could that be?

We adopted her and she peed in the car on the way home. She also barked the whole way. Loudly. My friend met us at home, and off to the pet store we went, purchasing about $200 worth of supplies. That was on top of her (not cheap) adoption fee. Then, on top of all of that, I signed us up for obedience classes. This dog was going to need to bond with us, and what better way than through classes?

We took this dog home, and found out very quickly that she was insane. Barking, jumping, cat chasing, you name it. The mantra, “she’s only a puppy” went through my head all the time. Patience was the key to working with this dog. We took walk after walk after walk to burn off energy. Over time she became easier to live with. We kept going to training, and we found ourselves enjoying her company more and more.

Funny thing about her arrival, she showed up at a time of upheaval and stress. She created more of both, but by doing that she took the focus off the problem of the demolition of my marriage and family. She became the most urgent stressor, and therefor the one that we gave our energy to. I think that helped us heal more quickly.

This dog has been a wonderful dog. She has outgrown most of her crazy, although she is still cat insane (the kitties have found a nice new home together, and we are now a cat free household). This dog is sweet and loyal and loving. This dog is the reason I walked for miles and miles when my divorce was making me crazy, helping me to clear my head and exercise my body. This dog is a love and a joy, and I’m so glad we have her.