PUNCHING BAG (Part 2)

Sure enough, I got something for FREE.

In the previous post about the punching bag for my hubby's birthday, the Boxing Depot has an adv. on their site for a FREE desktop punching bag. All you have to do (NICKI), it write about them in your BLOG and send them the link. That's why I played it up so much...sort of like the ultimate 'suck-up.' The other day, I got hubby's punching bag from Fed-X and an hour later, the UPS man delivered my FREE desktop punching bag.

Only one problem...the suction cup on the bottom of the desktop version isn't strong enough. After you give the thing a good belt, it wobbles and tips over...talk about Erectile Dysfunction (hee, hee). Bummer! I wanted to take it to work and let the guys play with it (ha, ha). I feel like screwing it down to something and playing with it, anyway (lol!).

Sometimes a girl needs to just smack something around!

Boxing Depot to the Rescue

I am soooo excited!

My husband's birthday is coming up so soon. He said the old punching bag we have is old, worn and has leaks at the seams. That's why he's not using it anymore. A month ago, I offered to use some epoxy or really good glue to fix it. He agreed to let me try. However, after reminding him to bring it to me, and him continually forgetting, I finally pinned him down and sent him to the cellar to bring it to me NOW! After a week of searching the old cellar and new cellar, he cannot locate the old bag. Now I'm panicked...his birthday is only days away!

Normally, I would run to a store and hope to find one...usually I would run to several stores until I DID find one. But I am smart this time. I got online and went to my favorite boxing supply store and found exactly what I was looking for. I ordered it and within ten minutes my fear of not finding what I needed was alleviated. The punching bag may even arrive in time for his birthday. Wouldn't that be a miracle.

If you want quality boxing supplies that will please your man or significant other, visit the following site and order right away. Shipping is nominal and quick.

I know you will be as pleased as I am to shout, "Boxing Depot to the rescue!
http://www.boxingdepot.com/

I am sooo excited!

Patchwork Pleasures

Patchwork
now adorns my wall -
a simple pleasure that exudes warmth,
like a family stitched together with love,
each unique,
but bound together
to make each other shine.

Simple elegance
is crisp and pure -
it calls me to live a free-flying life,
to be calm, loving and a super-kind wife
to a man who is easy-going too,
who likes my style and loves me, too.

Patchwork now adorns my life
a simpler time with God at the center,
come fall, spring, summer, and winter -
whether I have asthma or only a splinter,
my mind open and welcoming new things,
like butterflies and fairies and all who sing.

(Photo by Lisa (Allen) Kennard)

Purple Lilac Dreams

Fond memories of the lilac scent floating in the checkerboard screen on a mid-summer's night...with a slight breeze and stars twinkling above.

Laying awake in a darkened room, shared by sisters, over the years a span of six, all bonded by a surname...glimpses of a life waiting to be lived, after prom dates turn into marriage.

Across bare breasts a warm, muggy breeze floating in the checkerboard screen on a mid-summer's night, the stars twinkling above...with the only good thing coming from the outside lilac trees.

Three decades later the intricate, purple buds blossom, and take me back to the day when a life waiting to be lived seemed unattainable...but now is a grand fantasy.

(Photo by Lisa (Allen) Kennard)

Off Goes Curtis

Once he was a brainy boy with a cowl lick in his hair,
Now our Curtis is a man with an intellect bright and fair.

For years he's sat in front of computers that were his best friends,
Now those computers are tugging him to California, it's not pretend.


I shall recall fast-talking and his laugh floating up from his room,
I shall recall a patient teacher who taught me how to scan and zoom.

Off you go, Curtis, in your shiny black car,
off you go, whiz kid...in life you will go far!

(Photo by Lisa (Allen) Kennard)

THE PROOF

MY NIECE IS IN FIRST GRADE AND HAS LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE. AS USUAL, EVERY TIME I SEE MY NIECE, MORE THAN ONCE I SMILE AT HER 'INNOCENT' FACE AND SAY, "I LOVE YOU."

SHE USED TO REPEAT THE SENTIMENT, BUT SINCE BEING OLD ENOUGH TO ATTEND SCHOOL, SHE APPARENTLY FEELS TOO OLD TO SAY THE WORDS ANYMORE; SHE JUST SAYS, "ME, TOO."

BUT THAT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. I MOURN FOR THE LOVE-WORDS SHE WILL NO LONGER SAY, AS THOUGH IT IS A BOTHER FOR HER. SOOOO, SHE LEFT ME A NOTE. I TOOK A PHOTO OF IT, FOR POSTERITY.

NOW, EVEN IF SHE TEASES ME BY REFUSING TO SAY IT, I HAVE THE PROOF...SHE LOVES ME 'TO'!

(Photo by Lisa (Allen) Kennard)

...Tick...Tick...Tick...

All I did was pick up my shovel, the short one with the handle, and dig a 24-inch square patch next to the wagon wheel my brother-in-law gave me. All I did was turn the loam and insert plastic, black edging to keep the grass from invading.

All I did was transplant the Iris' my mother gave me after separating hers...the ones that came from Grammy's, God-rest-her-soul's, garden. All I did was place those Iris lovingly in a circle, dreaming about the day they would burst into full bloom, probably next year, since they were uprooted just as growing season had begun.

All I did was drag my hose over and water them, and then fill my mother's blue bucket with water. All I did was walk over with the blue bucket and water the three dozen strawberry plants I had transplanted two weeks ago into the new raised garden my husband built for me. All I did was take my short shovel and my mother's blue bucket and traipse over to the patch of Narcissus that I had dug up from my husband's great-grandmother's backyard sixteen years ago.

All I did was pick which bunch I would put into my mother's blue bucket and gift to her, in exchange for Grammy's Irises. All I did was dig up the bunch of Narcissus and carry them over to the hose and fill the blue bucket half full of water, which was just enough to cover the Nottingham earth I had ripped from the ground, to gift to my mother, where they would be transplanted into her garden in Northwood.

All I did was put that blue bucket of Narcissus in my car so when I went to work at my sister's tomorrow, I could first drop the flowers off at my mother's. All I did was traipse back down the hill to the walk-out cellar door, put the short shovel back in its place against the concrete wall of my new house, and lock the cellar door.

All I did was take off my soiled sneakers, set them in the rack on my new screened-in porch, hung up my Nubble Light baseball cap that I had generously sprayed with OFF!, and then came in the house. All I did was take off my yellow sweater, hold it out to fold it, and that is when I saw it.

A TICK!

This is all I did. How did that tick get on the inside of my yellow sweater???

Religion As I Feel It

More and more I've felt drawn closer to my religion. I grew up attending Sunday school with my siblings throughout my thirteen years of formal schooling. I learned bible stories, endless names of who begot whom, about the twelve disciples, and most importantly, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I took religion as seriously back then as 'all my Sunday school friends got baptized, so I did, too. Besides, it made me special for a day.'
In my young adult life, I behaved anything but Christian-like...I made some stupid, tactless mistakes...some forever regrettable. However, forgivable by Him, if I forgive others.

I met my husband at church sixteen years ago. We got married fifteen years ago. Since the day I met my husband, my belief and faith in God and Jesus skyrocketed. I now pray daily, ask for what I need, and offer myself to fulfill His will. I am surprised daily at how He talks to me and opens my eyes.

I'm just having a hard time committing to regular church attendance. I do, however, watch church on television...the Daystar Network. Very inspirational. I don't like to push my religion on folks, so I won't. If you truly know God, I shouldn't have to push.

(Photo by Lisa (Allen) Kennard Easter 2009)

New Patio Progression

A few years ago, my husband and I were the proud new inhabitants of our new addition/house, that was attached to our smaller house.

As we were spreading the pile of loam up next to the foundation and out several yards, I commented to my husband that someday, I'd like to have a patio here. "Ah-ha," he grunted.

So, this spring came the time I decided to follow through with my patio-plans. With my back support on, I skimmed off the top layer of loam and shoveled it into the wheel barrel. I dumped it into the second, small vegetable garden 20 yards away. I made about 50 trips.

I then turned the soil to mix in the gravel beneath, and tapped it down. For the areas that didn't have gravel under the loam, I had to haul it in a wheel barrel from our gravel stockpile 100 yards away. I made about 12 trips.

With the ground ready, but unfortunately not level (due to a slightly sloping yard), I took my empty wheel barrel over to the extra 3/4" crushed rock pile that was left over after my husband spread the crushed rocks over our new parking area.

So I loaded the crushed rock, about 20 shovels full, and ran to keep up as the wheel barrel gained speed down a little hill and then began up the other little hill leading to the patio. Before the momentum of the hill-speed vanished, I ran and pushed that sucker up the increasing slope.

I dumped my load, spread it, and went back for more. In all probably 50 trips back and forth, down and up the two hills, until voila!

MY NEW, LONG AWAITED, OFTEN DREAMED OF PATIO IS COMPLETE!

(I splurged for $350 worth of patio furniture and placed other old favorites alongside.)

NOW I'M READY FOR A LITTLE BACKYARD ENTERTAINING!!!

(While the bugs are away...)

(Photo by Lisa (Allen) Kennard)

Mother's Day Upcoming

Oh, you wonderful mothers...let me beat the rush and wish you all a wonderful Mother's Day next Sunday.

I sat down at my five-year-old, hardly been used sewing machine yesterday afternoon, that I told my husband every housewife needed. Like it was a Bible, I re-read and studied all the instructions and tips, and proceeded to make something for my mother for Mother's Day.

If she remembers, I was hard to teach sewing to, but am proud of myself for completing one, of what I hope to be many, projects.

I'm anxious to see my mom's face when she pulls my concoction out of the gift bag!! (Hint: It's reversible and square.)

Hoping all you mothers get the praise you deserve.
I'm only a step-mother and god-mother...but hey, those count!!!