April 28th 2010

Where to start? Where to start?

I had this whole big blog typed out a few days ago... loaded with pictures... and there was an error while saving and I lost the whole thing. I literally walked away from the computer, SOOOO frustrated, and haven't gotten back on until today... so... we'll try this again.

I believe I left off at April 20th.

April 20th was national pot smoker's day. We didn't celebrate

moving right along.

April 21st was Kindergarten Day... which we celebrate EVERY day around here since I have a kindergartener... and I homeschool.

April 22nd was Earth Day and Jelly Bean Day

I had an orthodontist appointment that day so we didn't celebrate Jelly Bean Day... but we did celebrate Earth Day. We talked with the kids about what Earth Day was and asked them to brainstorm ways we could help our Earth. Levi's idea was to pick up trash. So, I told the kids that when we got home, we would pick up trash... and don't ya know... it was raining when we got home. We DO plan on picking up the trash around here though. Also, we have dedicated to start recycling as a family... which is harder in the country than you'd think. Unlike living in the city, out here we don't get supplied with recycling bins or bags, we don't have the option of having our recycleables picked up, and there's no recycle dumps near by. Recycling for us means making a conscious effort to bag up our own stuff and drive it half an hour away to the nearest recycling dump.

Also on Earth Day... my orthodontist's office was giving out free trees to plant. How cool is that? I came home with two willow oak trees and two white pine trees. I'm pretty excited about it.

a mature Willow Oak:


a mature White Pine:


April 23rd was Talk Like Shakespeare Day.

The closest I got to celebrating that day was sending Jason a text that said "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?" I couldn't find him. It was legit. :)

April 24th was a bunch of stuff. Arbor Day, Astronomy Day, national Go Birding Day, Sense of Smell Day, national Rebuildind Day, Bulldogs are Beautiful Day, and Interstate Mullet Toss Day. And we didn't celebrate a one of 'em. Because, we had something better to celebrate!!!

It was Levi's birthday.



(but believe me... if I have a mullet... I would have tossed it on the interstate! that sounds like too much fun)

April 25th was Red Hat Society Day. I hope someone celebrated. It wasn't me though.

April 26th was Hug an Australian Day. I don't know any Australians... but believe you me... I would have hugged them if I did.

April 27th was Morse Code Day, and national Teach Your Children to Save Day. We DID have a talk with the kids about saving their money. It fell on deaf ears though... Audrey spent some of hers.

which brings us to today...

national Dance Day! I think we will celebrate later by playing Just Dance on the Wii.... aaaaaand... I bought a new battery for my camera... so no more having to take pics with my phone! I'm back in business. Check back tomorrow for those pics.

It's also Poem In Your Pocket Day

My dad is the smartest man I know, and one of my favorite quirky things about him is that sometimes he will just randomly declare a poetry reading night. Yeah... it sounds corny, but it's a great way to get us all to sit down together as a family... and I can't tell you how many times I've answered a Jeopardy question correctly because of a poem that Dad had us read. I'm not making this up. So today... the poem in my pocket is "Gunga Din" by Rudyard Kipling.

"You may talk o' gin and beer
When you're quartered safe out 'ere,
An' you're sent to penny-fights an' Aldershot it;
But when it comes to slaughter
You will do your work on water,
An' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it.
Now in Injia's sunny clime,
Where I used to spend my time
A-servin' of 'Er Majesty the Queen,
Of all them blackfaced crew
The finest man I knew
Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din.
He was "Din! Din! Din!
You limpin' lump o' brick-dust, Gunga Din!
Hi! slippery hitherao!
Water, get it! Panee lao!
You squidgy-nosed old idol, Gunga Din."

The uniform 'e wore
Was nothin' much before,
An' rather less than 'arf o' that be'ind,
For a piece o' twisty rag
An' a goatskin water-bag
Was all the field-equipment 'e could find.
When the sweatin' troop-train lay
In a sidin' through the day,
Where the 'eat would make your bloomin' eyebrows crawl,
We shouted "Harry By!"
Till our throats were bricky-dry,
Then we wopped 'im 'cause 'e couldn't serve us all.
It was "Din! Din! Din!
You 'eathen, where the mischief 'ave you been?
You put some juldee in it
Or I'll marrow you this minute
If you don't fill up my helmet, Gunga Din!"

'E would dot an' carry one
Till the longest day was done;
An' 'e didn't seem to know the use o' fear.
If we charged or broke or cut,
You could bet your bloomin' nut,
'E'd be waitin' fifty paces right flank rear.
With 'is mussick on 'is back,
'E would skip with our attack,
An' watch us till the bugles made "Retire",
An' for all 'is dirty 'ide
'E was white, clear white, inside
When 'e went to tend the wounded under fire!
It was "Din! Din! Din!"
With the bullets kickin' dust-spots on the green.
When the cartridges ran out,
You could hear the front-files shout,
"Hi! ammunition-mules an' Gunga Din!"

I shan't forgit the night
When I dropped be'ind the fight
With a bullet where my belt-plate should 'a' been.
I was chokin' mad with thirst,
An' the man that spied me first
Was our good old grinnin', gruntin' Gunga Din.
'E lifted up my 'ead,
An' he plugged me where I bled,
An' 'e guv me 'arf-a-pint o' water-green:
It was crawlin' and it stunk,
But of all the drinks I've drunk,
I'm gratefullest to one from Gunga Din.
It was "Din! Din! Din!
'Ere's a beggar with a bullet through 'is spleen;
'E's chawin' up the ground,
An' 'e's kickin' all around:
For Gawd's sake git the water, Gunga Din!"

'E carried me away
To where a dooli lay,
An' a bullet come an' drilled the beggar clean.
'E put me safe inside,
An' just before 'e died,
"I 'ope you liked your drink", sez Gunga Din.
So I'll meet 'im later on
At the place where 'e is gone --
Where it's always double drill and no canteen;
'E'll be squattin' on the coals
Givin' drink to poor damned souls,
An' I'll get a swig in hell from Gunga Din!
Yes, Din! Din! Din!
You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!
Though I've belted you and flayed you,
By the livin' Gawd that made you,
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!"

*** HEAD'S UP!!! ***

Tomorrow I haven't found anything to celebrate... but Friday is national Hairball Awareness Day, Hairstylist Appreciation Day, national Honesty Day... and... Spank Out Day. I wonder what THAT is?

What's the poem in YOUR pocket?? Leave us a comment and let us know your favorite poem, or your favorite hairstylist. We will honor it/them on our blog tomorrow/Friday.