Serials and Scenarios ~ Keeping Kids Safe Podcast

(Part of me hesitates to post this just because I don't want to even think about it. But.)

Learn about effective ways to keep your children safe from harm and find out what you can do to help stop crimes against kids on Friday February 19th at 11-12 CST on Kitchen Chat.

Margaret McSweeney will interview Marc Klaas, father of Polly Klaas who was kidnapped and murdered in 1993. As a legacy to his daughter, Marc founded KlaasKids Foundation to help stop crimes against children. Please tune in to Kitchen Chat with Margaret McSweeney Friday at 11:00 am CST!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Fortunately, Unfortunately, Finally

Let me share a bit about my alarm apprehension. I don't know why a black cloud of terror comes over me when I face a security alarm. Maybe it has to do with my not liking to be told what to do. Or maybe I've just not had great experience in this area. For a short period of time I worked in a huge house that was converted into a non-profit organization. I'd occasionally have to put on a program after everyone else had left for the day. My job required me to enter the dark building, head to the little beeping box on the wall and to punch in a code. I did set the alarm off once when I panicked and reversed numbers. And another time because, why, I don't remember. I talked to the very nice alarm guys more than those times as well when I called to report an oops.

I always felt this horrible anxiety drop over me the second I put the key in the keyhole and I'd rush to the box to silence it before bad things happened. But it's not like I ever had a Swat Team loosed on me.

So on my unfortunate Sunday morning. Without the benefit of coffee and with a time limit. I balked at the whole idea of the alarm.

Fortunately, the call to a shower and a toilet was stronger than my fear of setting off the alarm. 23 carefully explained that the red button was bad. Very bad. We must not push it. Then she went on to describe the other three buttons. Fortunately, three out of four were our friends. She gave us a pep talk, went over the magical colors and what they meant and sent us on our way. As she headed out the door, before it banged shut she turned. Fortunately. "Hey, here's the security code word in case something goes wrong."

Unfortunately, all sorts of visions danced through my head. Cold gun muzzles against my throat, tear gas gagging me and clouding my vision, me, weeping in a pile on the floor followed by fingerprinting, strip searches. Least of all was the realization that, unfortunately, I was riding in the car in pajamas that were tucked into my sweat pants, my hair was in an unruly smash-sided mess and my legs were unshaved. I didn't even stop to consider the shape of the elastic on my underwear.

Fortunately, we made it to the house without any mishaps that would require the exchange of information with unprepared motorists. Fortunately I remembered the instruction about the red button. We neared the door. I pressed white and then we unlocked the door. Beeping sounded from inside the quiet tomblike home. Unfortunately, that did not sound right. Shouldn't it have stopped. "Rob. It's beeping."

Unfortunately, he looked nervous. "She said it beeped when you shut it off. It's probably okay." I hit the white button again and braced. Surely it would stop. Right? Well. Technically. (But NOT fortunately.) It did. The friendly little "I'm here. Don't forget about me." beep disappeared. But it was replaced with it's big brother. The bellow. The "WHO ARE YOU?" screamed through the house.

UNFORTUNATELY.

Frantic and nervous displays of panic and energy followed as I went to the wall box and pushed the off button. Unfortunately that didn't stop it. Then. The. Phone. Rang. Unfortunately. The alarm company wondered if everything was okay. Fortunately, we could say, yes, yes it was. Unfortunately they didn't release us on our own merits. We needed proof. Fortunately, we had it. The last magic word 23 blurted when she second-guessed our ability to handle the security system.

So. No more danger of the Swat Team. And we finally figured out how to turn off the alarm. Fortunately. Showers. Check. Coffee. Check. Fortunately.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ I Feel Good.

Did I set off the alarm? More tomorrow.

Today.

Today I'm reporting that 23 and I moved to Shred Level 3 and survived. Seriously, I'm proud of myself. Plank moves, high-impact, abdominal-wrenching moves. And not only did I survive I'm not even miserably sore today. Oh, I feel the muscles I never knew I had, and the ones I've been punishing every day for the past 20 days. But they kind of remind me that I'm making some way better choices...ones to be healthier and to get fit. I never thought I'd ever say that I like how exercise makes me feel. But. I think I do.

That's my Wii Mii doing some sweet moves at the finish line. She's currently sleeping...but I'm not going to post an actual picture of me doing any moves. Not pretty.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Fortunately, Unfortunately

Sunday morning I woke up early, looked at my clock, told my bladder to go back to sleep and quit whining and I passed out for a few more minutes. My bladder didn't stay asleep long, and when I opened my eyes to check how stinking early it was, I noticed that there were no red numbers on my clock.

I turned and looked at Rob's. Nope. None. Our electricity was out. There was not a new foot of snow and gale force winds were not whipping through the trees. Hmmm. Why? Unfortunate, methinks.

We have a well. And electronic ignition on our stove and furnace. No electricity = no heat, no water, NO COFFEE!!!! This is serious.
Fortunately, my bladder woke me so we could possibly get going, arrive on time, and still get coffee in us.

Unfortunately, I didn't plan for the electricity to take a powder and didn't know where the nearest flashlight was. Fortunately, there was just enough light that I might be able to read the power company's phone number. Unfortunately, dim lighting and font the size of insect footprints was not a good combination.

Fortunately, the others knew where a flashlight was. Unfortunately, we all needed showers (did I mention coffee?). Fortunately, 23 was pet-sitting at two houses, and she had to go to one of them anyway. She packed up her stuff (including her snacks for her Sunday School Valentine's Day party) and headed out. She gave us the keys and the alarm information for the second house. (Does this foreshadow anything for you?) I grabbed personal items and shoved them into a bag while Rob did the same. Unfortunately, this house was the one I grew up in and I knew it only had one shower. (Don't know how the five of us did that.) Fortunately, we were both wide awake and no one was likely to sleep during shower time. Fortunately, the alarm has this sweet key chain with four buttons. One you don't push unless you've been kidnapped or hijacked. That's the red button. 23 made sure to tell me multiple times about the red button. "Do NOT push that one!"

To be continued. Hey. I have to go to work.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Borrowed Book

Click to visit a brand new Christian fiction blog. Giveaways, interviews and reviews.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Fresh Air Coming Soon

Looking to make a difference for a kid this summer? Click on the picture. Fresh Air Fund is seeking host families.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Happy, Happy, Whipping

Sanguine is the next temperament I'm going to attempt to squeeze into a mere kitchen tool.

Sanguine is the party personality, the stay out late and sleep-in, pass the chips and dip temperament. Easily distracted, but oh-so-much fun. Short projects, tiny deadlines, things requiring direct, positive and to-the-point details, sanguines are your team cheerleaders.

So I've decided the kitchen whip is my best picture of sanguine.

Whips are used to froth, fill with air, fold and usually make some awesome party food. A meringue? You gotta whip it. Souffle? Ditto.

You aren't going to use the whip for comfort foods like stews and sauces or casseroles. You won't need a whip when preparing dinner or for grilling out. But, the whip brings color, sweetness and fun via sides and desserts. A party isn't a party without something fluffed or folded. Not essential to the basics or life and death issues, but essential for life as it is designed to be lived with colors, spices, scents, laughter and joy.

Kind of makes me want to go hang out with a sanguine. Just for a fresh breath, a new way of looking at things. Whip in the new and whoosh out the old air, quit looking at the clock and the deadlines and responsibilities for a bit.