Baby sitting around the neighborhoods was probably my first job at 12 or 13 years of age. Taking care of Shirley and Janell while Mom worked was probably my first job. There was no pay except what I needed or cash if I wanted to go roller skating or to a movie. The "job" also included fixing lunch for Dad, Mick, Bob, Shirley & Janell and cleaning the house, doing laundry, etc.
The next "job" I had was when I went to Lincoln School of Commerce. I lived with a family in Lincoln. In exchange for room and board and $5.00 a week, I watched after their 3 kids and did the house cleaning. The mother was recovering from some sort of heart problem. The course I took at LSC was just a one year course so that was as long as that job lasted. The three kids I watched after were all very smart and I often wonder what ever became of them.
Sue
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Grasshopper
At the request of LDCP I am going to try to review a book. I'm not very good at this so bear with me.
The book is "Grasshopper" by Barbara Vine.
The story takes place in England. It is told by the main character, Clodagh. She is and electrician and is called to do some work and finds the lady of the house is someone from her past, Liv. This brings back memories and her story.
When Clodagh is a teenager she has an obsession with high places. Her boyfriend, who is 16, is killed falling off a pylon that the two of them had climbed. Clodagh is blamed for this because she is older at 17. After finishing high school she is sent to live with her mothers cousin, Max and his wife, Salina, while she takes classes at a very minor college. She is not interested in the courses that she is taking and misses a lot of class time. Clodagh is very afraid of underground spaces. Although she adapts to living in the basement apartment of her cousin, she cannot bring herself to use an underground walk to the school. Therefore she finds a longer route above ground. She is called to her adviser's office because of her poor academic record. On her way to meet with her advisor she is forced to use the underground tunnel because of a murder on the overpass. About half way through she has a panic attack and is rescued by "Silver." Silver, which is short for Silverman, happens to live in a top floor apartment in his parents house which is next door to Max's. Silver is living on an inheritance from his grandmother's estate. After Clodagh is kicked out of school and has a fight with Max and Selina, she moves in with Silver.
There are several odd characters living full or part time with Silver. The thing that draws most of them together is that they like to wander around London on the rooftops. Wim, who is very agile on the roofs. Johnny is a burglar. Liv had been an au pair until she had a miner auto accident with her charges while drinking. She ran from the scene and was "rescued" by Johnny. She had stolen some money from her employers and after Johnny brings her to Silver's she become agoraphobic.
While climbing around on the roofs, Wim discovers a couple that are hiding from authorities because they ran off with their foster child whom they could not adopt because he was mixed race and they are white. Silver, Clodagh and Wim decide to help the couple escape to Australia where they can live as a family.
The book has a lot of different story lines that eventually come together.
The reader is informed in the last few pages the fate of most of the characters, but is left to guess on some of them. I found the book easy to read, but the story lines were kind of far out there.
Since I haven't reviewed a book since high school, I hope this isn't too confusing to follow.
Sue
The book is "Grasshopper" by Barbara Vine.
The story takes place in England. It is told by the main character, Clodagh. She is and electrician and is called to do some work and finds the lady of the house is someone from her past, Liv. This brings back memories and her story.
When Clodagh is a teenager she has an obsession with high places. Her boyfriend, who is 16, is killed falling off a pylon that the two of them had climbed. Clodagh is blamed for this because she is older at 17. After finishing high school she is sent to live with her mothers cousin, Max and his wife, Salina, while she takes classes at a very minor college. She is not interested in the courses that she is taking and misses a lot of class time. Clodagh is very afraid of underground spaces. Although she adapts to living in the basement apartment of her cousin, she cannot bring herself to use an underground walk to the school. Therefore she finds a longer route above ground. She is called to her adviser's office because of her poor academic record. On her way to meet with her advisor she is forced to use the underground tunnel because of a murder on the overpass. About half way through she has a panic attack and is rescued by "Silver." Silver, which is short for Silverman, happens to live in a top floor apartment in his parents house which is next door to Max's. Silver is living on an inheritance from his grandmother's estate. After Clodagh is kicked out of school and has a fight with Max and Selina, she moves in with Silver.
There are several odd characters living full or part time with Silver. The thing that draws most of them together is that they like to wander around London on the rooftops. Wim, who is very agile on the roofs. Johnny is a burglar. Liv had been an au pair until she had a miner auto accident with her charges while drinking. She ran from the scene and was "rescued" by Johnny. She had stolen some money from her employers and after Johnny brings her to Silver's she become agoraphobic.
While climbing around on the roofs, Wim discovers a couple that are hiding from authorities because they ran off with their foster child whom they could not adopt because he was mixed race and they are white. Silver, Clodagh and Wim decide to help the couple escape to Australia where they can live as a family.
The book has a lot of different story lines that eventually come together.
The reader is informed in the last few pages the fate of most of the characters, but is left to guess on some of them. I found the book easy to read, but the story lines were kind of far out there.
Since I haven't reviewed a book since high school, I hope this isn't too confusing to follow.
Sue
Friday, September 21, 2007
The week in review
Sunday was the Denton picnic.
Monday Abby had a volley ball triangular with Battle Creek and Stanton. Three teams meet and each plays the other two. Abby's team beat both other teams. They never lost a set.
Tuesday we had a little stormy weather so no golf. I had a gift certificate from the NWAGA tournament at Eldorado Hills so I went shopping. They had just got in some new Nebraska stuff so I got a new sweatshirt and spent the rest on golf balls. I am now supplied for probably all next year.
Wednesday - Although golf league is over, some of the ladies still go out to play, so that is what I did. I am not bowling this year. My team disbanded and I need to get my trigger thumb fixed before I try it again. I am kind of tired of bowling anyway. The thumb surgery is scheduled for Oct. 18.
Thursday - Donna invited me to a salad supper with her sorority. After the supper the visited a jewelry store that has moved from downtown to a new building. Some of the women are really into fine jewelry. I don't see the need to wear $8,000.00 rings. I would be afraid of it getting stolen or lost.
Tonight, weather permitting will be golf and supper out.
Speaking of bowling, The team I went with to national bowling in Charlotte placed something like 467th and we each got back $22.68. This didn't quite cover the expenses. (ha ha).
Work has been kind of boring this week. The third week of the month us usually kind of slow. We are done with last months stuff and aren't into closing out this month. Unless there are a lot of car sales we have a slow week.
This coming week most of the tv shows start a new season. It is time to check the schedules to see where they have moved my favorites and to see what new programs are offered. The number of "reality" shows is getting out of hand. The only one I watch is "The Biggest Loser". How can they really be put in some remote part of the world to "survive" with a film and production crew? What has happened to "family shows"? Every sitcom revolves around sex. Even the kid on 2 1/2 Men knows more about life than I knew at 21. This kind of stuff is sending the wrong messages to our children. The only celebrities that get any publicity are the ones that are getting into trouble. I'm already tired of hearing about OJ, Brittney and Justin, Paris and all the others. Why don't we hear more about Tiger Woods and the good he does for kids? We don't get bombarded with the "good stuff" like we do the "bad".
The PGA gives a lot of money to charities, but do you hear much about the good they are doing. Not all athletes are bad. Some give a lot of time and money with underprivileged kids. Which ones do you hear about? Yah, the ones in trouble.
OK, enough ranting and rambling. Everyone have a good weekend.
Sue
Monday Abby had a volley ball triangular with Battle Creek and Stanton. Three teams meet and each plays the other two. Abby's team beat both other teams. They never lost a set.
Tuesday we had a little stormy weather so no golf. I had a gift certificate from the NWAGA tournament at Eldorado Hills so I went shopping. They had just got in some new Nebraska stuff so I got a new sweatshirt and spent the rest on golf balls. I am now supplied for probably all next year.
Wednesday - Although golf league is over, some of the ladies still go out to play, so that is what I did. I am not bowling this year. My team disbanded and I need to get my trigger thumb fixed before I try it again. I am kind of tired of bowling anyway. The thumb surgery is scheduled for Oct. 18.
Thursday - Donna invited me to a salad supper with her sorority. After the supper the visited a jewelry store that has moved from downtown to a new building. Some of the women are really into fine jewelry. I don't see the need to wear $8,000.00 rings. I would be afraid of it getting stolen or lost.
Tonight, weather permitting will be golf and supper out.
Speaking of bowling, The team I went with to national bowling in Charlotte placed something like 467th and we each got back $22.68. This didn't quite cover the expenses. (ha ha).
Work has been kind of boring this week. The third week of the month us usually kind of slow. We are done with last months stuff and aren't into closing out this month. Unless there are a lot of car sales we have a slow week.
This coming week most of the tv shows start a new season. It is time to check the schedules to see where they have moved my favorites and to see what new programs are offered. The number of "reality" shows is getting out of hand. The only one I watch is "The Biggest Loser". How can they really be put in some remote part of the world to "survive" with a film and production crew? What has happened to "family shows"? Every sitcom revolves around sex. Even the kid on 2 1/2 Men knows more about life than I knew at 21. This kind of stuff is sending the wrong messages to our children. The only celebrities that get any publicity are the ones that are getting into trouble. I'm already tired of hearing about OJ, Brittney and Justin, Paris and all the others. Why don't we hear more about Tiger Woods and the good he does for kids? We don't get bombarded with the "good stuff" like we do the "bad".
The PGA gives a lot of money to charities, but do you hear much about the good they are doing. Not all athletes are bad. Some give a lot of time and money with underprivileged kids. Which ones do you hear about? Yah, the ones in trouble.
OK, enough ranting and rambling. Everyone have a good weekend.
Sue
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
ANOTHER FUNNY
Giving an excuse for being late for work, a guy said he had been in a fight. He said he rear ended a vehicle, The driver, who happened to be a dwarf, got out and looked at the damage. He looked at the drive and said "I'm not Happy." The driver replied "Which one are you." and the fight was on.
lol
Sue
lol
Sue
Monday, September 17, 2007
9/17/07
This weekend was not a golf weekend. I think that is more newsworthy than golf. Friday evening Jerry got home too late to golf and our usual golfing buddies couldn't make it either. On the off chance that there would be someone to golf with, I went out to Fairplay. There is usually another group of 4 couples that we sometimes join if we are short players. NO ONE WAS THERE. Sniff, sniff. Since I was all ready to play, I played nine holes by myself. I won. lol. When I got home, Jerry was heading for the shower and our friends were ready to go out to eat. Eating out on Friday nights whether we play golf or not is our regular Friday night activity.
Saturday- Abby had a volleyball tournament. This started at 8am so no sleeping in. There were 16 teams in this tournament. There are "pools" of 4 teams playing on 4 different courts. Each team plays 2 sets the against the 3 teams in their pool. This sets up the tournament matches. There are 4 tournaments played on 4 different courts. The teams that play are selected by how many games won and by how many points. They are Gold. Silver, Bronze and Platinum. Abbys team won the Gold, or top bracket. They only lost on set in all the games they played. We had planned to golf after the volleyball, but they didn't get done until 2:30. The weather never really warmed up much and it was raining off and on so it was a good day to skip the golf.
We had supper at Utechts, and watched the Huskers get embarrassed Saturday night.
No surprise there since USC is supposed to be #1.
Sunday was the Denton picnic in Oakland. This is not a real big picnic because it is only Jerry's brothers and sisters and their families. Jacob went with Jerry and I because Joe wanted to get a start shingling his house. I spent a little time tossing a football with Jacob until the other kids arrived. The kids all had a good time playing in the park. Kendra played a couple of songs on her violin. This is her second year of lessons. Always nice to catch up with family. Then it was home (Jerry had left with his truck from Oakland). I decided the lawn could wait a couple of day to be mowed. I finished the laundry, paid some bills and watched "Rear Window."
By the way, Janell, you are not the only one that doesn't get the Noah/ woodpecker joke. I think I have to explain it to most of the people when I tell it.
Sue
Saturday- Abby had a volleyball tournament. This started at 8am so no sleeping in. There were 16 teams in this tournament. There are "pools" of 4 teams playing on 4 different courts. Each team plays 2 sets the against the 3 teams in their pool. This sets up the tournament matches. There are 4 tournaments played on 4 different courts. The teams that play are selected by how many games won and by how many points. They are Gold. Silver, Bronze and Platinum. Abbys team won the Gold, or top bracket. They only lost on set in all the games they played. We had planned to golf after the volleyball, but they didn't get done until 2:30. The weather never really warmed up much and it was raining off and on so it was a good day to skip the golf.
We had supper at Utechts, and watched the Huskers get embarrassed Saturday night.
No surprise there since USC is supposed to be #1.
Sunday was the Denton picnic in Oakland. This is not a real big picnic because it is only Jerry's brothers and sisters and their families. Jacob went with Jerry and I because Joe wanted to get a start shingling his house. I spent a little time tossing a football with Jacob until the other kids arrived. The kids all had a good time playing in the park. Kendra played a couple of songs on her violin. This is her second year of lessons. Always nice to catch up with family. Then it was home (Jerry had left with his truck from Oakland). I decided the lawn could wait a couple of day to be mowed. I finished the laundry, paid some bills and watched "Rear Window."
By the way, Janell, you are not the only one that doesn't get the Noah/ woodpecker joke. I think I have to explain it to most of the people when I tell it.
Sue
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Elk
Jerry & Joe left Norfolk Thursday evening to go to Chadron for their elk hunting trip. They have been saving and looking forward to this for about a year. The way I understand it is the owner of the ranch raises the elk, tags them and turns them loose in the wild. He has a bunk house for the hunters and feeds them all their meals while they are there. J & J were the only 2 hunters there for the days they were there. This is nice because no one will be shooting into them. The rancher told J & J that there was one huge bull that had a red tag, meaning it was about 9 years old and the oldest one out there. He had not seen it for about 8 days. He drove them out to the timber and left them. He came back to check on them later. Since they had not scared anything out of the woods, he took them to another area. They found the big bull and Joe asked Jerry if he wanted it. Jerry said he didn't think he could hit it because he was shaking so bad. Joe said he was too, but took the shot. The big bull is his. Jerry did get a "smaller" one later that morning. I can't put up the pictures, but the antlers on both of them are as tall as they are. This is a trip that Jerry has talked about for years. If it weren't for Joe, he probably would never have had the opportunity to do this. Joe will probably get to keep both sets of antlers since we don't really have a spot for them in our house. I don't think Jerry even needed the new camos. Joe will be allowed one room in their new house that will be his room to display all his hunting trophies. Angie calls it the "Redneck room."
In the meantime, I had another golf scramble to play in on Saturday. Once again my partner, Donna, and I were 1 stroke out of the money.
Our interim pastor told us Sunday that Noah took one of every creature on earth except a woodpecker. lol.
Anyone want to come up for an Elk dinner?
Sue
In the meantime, I had another golf scramble to play in on Saturday. Once again my partner, Donna, and I were 1 stroke out of the money.
Our interim pastor told us Sunday that Noah took one of every creature on earth except a woodpecker. lol.
Anyone want to come up for an Elk dinner?
Sue
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Dream
I had a real crazy dream the other night. (What dreams aren't crazy). First I have to tell you what we did over the weekend. Friday night we played our usual Friday night 9-hole golf. Saturday we played 18, watched the Huskers tromp Nevada and then had a cook out at our house with the Utechts. Sunday, as always Labor Day weekend, Fairplay had a couples tournament. We invited our good friends, the Swansons, from Wayne to come over and play with the Utechts and us. The Swanson's got some money back, but we didn't play bad enough or good enough to place. We had a great time and the fun with our friends was worth the money. We stopped to buy groceries and get Jerry a pair of camouflage bibs for his upcoming hunting trip. OK, this all must have been on my mind when I fell asleep Sunday night.
The dream- You all know how dream jump around. First we had just finished playing golf and were supposed to pick Joe up for some reason. (Don't know how he got into this). It was dark and it seemed like we were somewhere that we weren't supposed to be. I was on a road on a high ridge and Jerry was down below. We heard someone coming and he dove behind a bush to hide. When the coast was clear, he jumped up and started running up the hill at a speed like in a movie that was fast forward. The funny part is he was wearing his camouflage bibs. When he got in the van we started down the road and there was a wooden crosswalk that we had to get out and take apart to proceed. Then I woke up. I guess we got away. When I picture Jerry running up that hill in fast forward speed, in him camos, I can't help but giggle.
Monday, Jerry had to go to work so I stayed home and did laundry, ironing and hemmed up his new bibs. I didn't do too much else, but watched a couple of movies on the telly.
How was everyone's long weekend?
Sue
The dream- You all know how dream jump around. First we had just finished playing golf and were supposed to pick Joe up for some reason. (Don't know how he got into this). It was dark and it seemed like we were somewhere that we weren't supposed to be. I was on a road on a high ridge and Jerry was down below. We heard someone coming and he dove behind a bush to hide. When the coast was clear, he jumped up and started running up the hill at a speed like in a movie that was fast forward. The funny part is he was wearing his camouflage bibs. When he got in the van we started down the road and there was a wooden crosswalk that we had to get out and take apart to proceed. Then I woke up. I guess we got away. When I picture Jerry running up that hill in fast forward speed, in him camos, I can't help but giggle.
Monday, Jerry had to go to work so I stayed home and did laundry, ironing and hemmed up his new bibs. I didn't do too much else, but watched a couple of movies on the telly.
How was everyone's long weekend?
Sue
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