More Noise

It is quite obvious I am sleeping in too late. This morning again I was awaken by noise. To my defense it was 7:15 a.m. - I was not wasting away my day.

This time the noise was the familiar sound of roofers on the house directly behind us. Since our Mother's Day hail storm most of our neighbors have gotten new roofs. (to be noted our insurance company denied our claim and now isn't returning my phone calls for an appeal - but that is another blog!) All these roofers mean lots of echoing of pounding throughout the day. No big deal - unless you're our dog.

Rocky does NOT like pounding. I had to pull him out the door on a leash this morning to "do his business" because the scary noise was so close. You'd think he would have had fun barking at the men on the roof. I have also prevented him from crawling under our bed on a few occasions already this morning. Being a dog of course he does not know that the noise is no where near him - or can do him no harm. (Of course I also imagine if someone wants to break into our house all they have to do is pound on wood and it will take care of our dog. Oh my what will he be like if our roof does get fixed!).

His fear did make me wonder what things I am afraid of that can't hurt me at all. The sounds or situations that make me want to crawl under a bed. Certainly the economy, gas prices and parenting can make us all want to run for cover at some point. If we focus on the "noise" it can all be pretty overwhelming - it's at those times I need to remind myself where I am - safe in God's arms. No need to be afraid. Bring on the noise!

A Rude Awakening

With summer quickly wisking away, I decided to linger a little longer in bed and enjoy the quiet of the house.

That thought was quickly broken by the sound - the LOUD sound - of a horn blaring. Not the simple sound of a car horn. No, this sounded like a train or an ocean liner was coming down my street. I expected to see Captain Stubing if I headed out the door. As our dog ran in with one of those "Timmy's in the well" looks, I decided to see what this continuous noise was. Eventually I saw that it was not a ship but a large dumptruck that decided our house was the perfect spot to park and blare. Lucky us!

And so my day and week begins. What will it hold?

(As I write this one of my children walks in with a glass of juice and asks me to taste it - with my judgement obviously blasted away by the horn I comply. Yep it went bad - and now I'm feeling a little sick. Can't wait to get out of bed!)

Conversations Heard in the Orthodontist's Waiting Room #2

I do not intentionally try to listen in on people's conversations. However, at this visit when two friends greet each other from across the room and hold a conversation it is hard to concentrate on the magazine I have already reread a few times.

This time the topic was family and everything they were doing this summer. It was quite obvious they were dedicated to their children with fun family vacations, 3 week camps, special prep courses for college, special sports camps, classes before entering high school. I realized these women could truly afford orthodontics.

The mixed message I heard this time was one mom saying how she enrolled her son in an art class for credit since he won't have time for it during his next four years. She then went on about how the class was a joke and how the teacher didn't teach art at all (apparently she must be attending the classes with her son). His assignment was to draw 3 dogs and 3 horses. She had bought him a book on how to draw. Was this to help bridge the gap between his class and learning? No, it was for him to trace! So as her freshman son sat next to her dutifully tracing away; overhearing his mom go on about the joke his class is and how no one in the family is artistic, I wondered what lesson is actually be taught and learned.