Choir Tryouts

Yesterday after I arrived home from school, the four of us quickly ate hot dogs Mare had prepared outside on the gas grill, then loaded up into the car. The boys ate theirs without wearing any shirts, and their hair was combed perfectly. They didn't wear shirts during supper because Mare wanted them to stay neat and clean, and as you might know from experience it's difficult to keep food off a young boys shirt. Plus, taking a shirt on and off can mess up perfectly combed hair. We drove North to Baldwin City, the home of Baker University, the college from which I received my masters degree. But, we didn't go to Baker, but instead we went to a former lumberyard there converted into an arts center on the same block as the university, but just to the south. There, Jack sang our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, for his audition for a children's choir which meets there. Mare went with Jack while Leo and I explored outside. He sang for the director and she said he did very well. So, it looks as though Jack will be joining a children's choir this fall.

Tonight I'll be at the high school from 6:30-8:30 for an open house. I'll be meeting parents and showing off the great job Mare did decorating my classroom.

It looks like I've ran out of time to write. See you later.

I

It's me again. . .Margaret

No, I'm not Margaret. No, I'm not really addressing any of the followers of this blog who happen to share the name Margaret. I don't harbor any ill will against the name Margaret, nor am I secretly prejudiced for it either. Me writing "It's me again, Margaret" is what is referred to as an allusion. It should not be confused with an illusion, like what David Copperfield, Chris Angel, or any other magician practices. An allusion is a reference to a well known event, work of literature, song, or play found in literature, music, movies, or drama.

The allusion I alluded to was from a Ray Stevens (or is it Stephens?) song bearing the title, "It's me again, Margaret". In the song, a phone stalker calls a female target by the name Margaret and half whispers, half pants these words: "It's me again Margaret. Are you naked?" Back when the song was made the idea of a man doing this to a woman was considered playfully, innocently, harmless. Nowadays, this kind of behavior might earn the caller a restraining order. It would probably qualify as sexual harassment, and come with a conviction as a sex offender. But, when Ray Stevens (or is it Stephens?) sings about it, it's just funny.

Anyway, the entire reason I went on about Ray Stevens (or is it Stephens?) and his song "It's me again, Margaret", and the mini-lesson about allusions, and the veiled warning against making anonymous, heavy breathing phone calls, is to say that I've returned at nighttime, in the same day to add another post to this blog. Get it? It's me again . . .Margaret. It's an allusion to the Ray Stevens (or is it Stephens?) song.

The bad part of this whole thing is I've used up all the time I had allotted myself to write about my family by writing about allusions, Ray Stevens (or is it Stephens?), and unlawful phone use.

My family is good. Boys are fine. Marian is fine. I'm fine. I'll catch you on the flip-side

. . . See that's another allusion. Only this time it is referring to the antique (or is it vintage?) recording medium called vinyl records where the listener was forced to physically flip the record over in order to listen to the other side and . . . .

Mom and dad have made it back to the flatlands of home. I received a text from mom saying they spent fourteen hours on their motorcycle in one day on their way home! They are hard core! I told them they had won the "Iron butt of the year award".

I'm trying to get prepared to leave for school and have ran out of time. My bathroom remodel project might be getting around the halfway point. I insulated the ceiling and installed the ceiling fixture electric boxes. I did some other things too, and if I had left myself a little more time, I'd write about it all.

Have a great day, I know I will.

Pictures for your enjoyment

Recently I uncovered a bunch of pictures I'd saved on a flash drive and thought I'd share them with you.

Enjoy!

This first is Jack as a little guy sleeping in his car seat. I'm amazed at how a person can have the same characteristics as an infant as they do for the rest of their lives.

I apologize about the rotation of the other picture. I guess I need to learn how to manipulate these things.

School days, school daze . . .

I can't hardly believe it. I have to report back to the high school today. Summer has officially ended for me. I know what you're thinking, "Boo-hoo, Clayton. You had all summer off while the rest of us worked!"

Well, you are right. I did have all summer off from school. I loved every minute of it, I think. There might have been a few minutes here toward the end of summer when the temperature rose above the 100 degree mark that I might not have loved, but all in all it was a good summer. I didn't accomplish everything on my to-do list, but I did accomplish a few things off it:

Clean out garage

Repair garage door

Clean out workshop

Remove three unnecessary clothesline poles

Build a new pantry cabinet

Build a new book shelf

Install basketball goal

South Dakota family reunion

Ride bicycle to Humboldt

Complete masters degree

These are some of the things I can think of right off hand which I did manage to remove from my list. I did all those previously listed items toward the beginning and middle of summer. That means I started on the biggest item on my summer to-d0 list about two weeks too late. I took the first steps to begin remodeling out bathroom the last week in July. Guess what? The bathroom is far from done and we STILL do not have a bathtub to use. I'd say I'm about halfway through remodeling the bathroom, and I aim to get it done here in the next few weeks.

So, I guess I should supply you with my list of things I didn't get accomplished over the summer:

didn't travel to Oklahoma to visit my sister Clarie's family

didn't scrape and paint exterior of house

didn't go camping once a week

didn't get back porch organized and utilized

didn't write in my journal or maintain my blog

didn't play my guitar everyday

didn't write any songs

didn't write any fiction

Obviously, when an entire summer has transpired, there have been numerous moments I should have been recording on this blog or in one of my journals, but didn't. So, as long as I'm making lists, I might as well make a list of things I wished I had written about for you, the reader, and for me and my family's memory:

rainy fourth of July spent in the dry, newly cleaned-out garage

attending Feldhaus family reunion in Howard, South Dakota

the first "bad" camp out our family has experienced

Jack's and my only camp out of the summer

riding to Humboldt on my bicycle

cleaning out garage

removing those clothesline poles

remodeling the bathroom

visiting with Clarie and her kids

My hope and plan is that with school resuming, and along with it a schedule, I'll be more apt to sit and make entries into the blog and to resume writing in my journal. Now that I'm no longer pursuing a master's degree, I plan to write some fiction and some songs. But, before I can be completely at ease, I must complete my bathroom remodel. I've worked very hard to get done what's been done. It had been leaking from the tub and possibly from the toilet it looked like well before we bought the house three summers ago. I had to remove plaster and lath and the floor. But, I could not have done what's has been done without the help of my father, who helped move the toilet and run some plumbing all in one day. Also, my father in-law, Rick removed the old window and installed a new one. Lastly, my cousin Ross, came up and ran electric for me. All these guys did the "thinking" portion of remodeling the bathroom. Really, all I did was the demolition. It was hard work, but any dimwit can remove plaster and lath. These three guys were clutch in their efforts to make good use of their time and knowledge. Thank You!

It's a little after six a.m. and I am anxious to get on up to the school and see everyone again at the big district breakfast. I still need to stop by Casey's general store and check on the air pressure of my bicycle tires. Tonight after I return, we'll go to the Home Depot to purchase what remains to be needed for the completion of the bathroom.

To all my family: I love you and any success I may have at anything is directly contributed to you and your support and not my own efforts. Have a great day and check back here for an update.