Lesson 617: The Solution is Weed

Hello, Readers.

It's a big night at the Lamp Post.

First Snow!

Glad Sam and Natalie readied the woodpile.

The first snow,

with some leaves left on the trees

is so pretty.

The skies are so interesting in November.

Hazel wasn't too sure about the snow this morning,

but soon realized her sticks were easier to find.

Aunt Eloise experience a Horrible Hater incident this past Sunday

when I was leaving the pet supply store with my nephew.

My 22 year old nephew is severely impaired with significant autism.

He is non-verbal, 

but not deaf.

Unable to communicate as we do,

but completely able to feel.

I posted a summary of the account on facebook.
My photoless post circulated more than any I've shared in a year.

I never did find out the identity of the older,

well-dressed man

wearing a plaid button down shirt,

behind the steering wheel of a $40,000 silver truck.

His issue was that we were in too close a proximity to his truck.

Despite the inclusion movement

and all we've done to desensitize a public

 to community involvement 

for people with special needs,

this man thought Erik would be better off "in a place."

I'd love for the chance to talk with this person,

even though that I know data concerning paradigm shifts

is not in my favor.

The shifting of paradigms goes both ways,

I suppose.

I mean,

this guy has it all figured out.

The solution to all problems and plagues of the autistic:

"JUST FEED HIM SOME WEED!"

Thank you, Kind Sir.

I'll tell all my pals down at Barber National,

all of my school friends,

and every family learning to live with autism,

that is all comes down to weed.

Simply genius.

The annoyance that I felt was only momentary

when you add up all the moments of the week.

Eloise is:

The very next day

this anonymous gift and kind note was on my doorstep!

At least 20 people messaged me about goats needing a home.

Friend Wendy sent me my all time favorite capture

at the end of one of the best football games I've seen my Huskies play.

Handsome's book arrived in the mailbox.

And I laughed and laughed and laughed

at these T-Rex's racing.

Life really is good.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Eloise

Lesson 616: Endings

Good evening, Readers.

Natalie flipped the alpaca calendar page this morning.

The leaves are really falling

after strong winds the last two days.

The brilliance of the fall colors

fade to dimmer browns.

There is a quieter,

softer kind of pretty

to fall in November.

Football for the Junior High has ended.

It was a great challenge

and learning experience for Sam.

We are ready for sports that 

don't require helmets

so Sam's head wound can heal.

There is a bit of time between sports,

so Sam got to come home on the bus for the first time this year.

With Ellen away at college,

Sam has picked up some more responsibilities 

around the Lamp Post.

We asked Sam to load and start the dishwasher,

and reminded him not to forget the soap.

What's the soap? he yelled.

We told him the stuff you clean the dishes with--

to look under the sink.

About halfway through the cycle we smelled

a really unusual, funky kind of smell.

Upon investigation,

Sam put an SOS pad in the dishwasher,

because being the youngest,

he's been low man on the chore chart

and has been cleaning the pots and pans for most of his life.

Halloween was windy and wet this year.

No one came to my house to trick or treat.

Maybe it was the presentation of goods.

Hazel......

Gangs of kiddos turned out despite the weather.

Natalie didn't brave the weather much.

Uncle Sam did just fine.

Eloise is patiently waiting for

                                                       Tim McGraw's book to come out.

Don't bother me on Tuesday

(because I ate the Reese's).

I worked school work

and projects

and read magazine articles,

passing the time for Handsome's Health Advice.

I did anything but 

cleaning and organizing.

I like to have things reorganized 

and tidy at the end of every season.

My Fall To Do List grows every day

and I'm ending a very unmotivated week

in that department.

I also surfed Pinterest,

my favorite social media stop 

at the end of every night.

I found this and thought it was 

very worth the share.

Elosie is giving the brain a rest tonight

after a very busy week.

NO HOMEWORK!

What a way to end the week, huh?

Until next time,
Eloise

Lesson 615: Pioneer

Happy weekend, Readers!

The light is shining brightly at the Lamp Post.

Eloise is glad you could stop by for awhile.

I'm writing lesson 615 this week.

Six hundred and fifteen times 

I've sat down at my computer 

to put my thoughts

and photos

and random musings.

It was 9 years ago 

that I pioneered this blog.

I had to think back where we all were nine years ago.

It's easy to do when you keep a blog.

Here were the first photos I added of my kids--

Ellen's 10th birthday party

Three year old Sam.

Life was busy and crazy managing all those little kids.

But, thinking about the future,

and when things would be easier,

kept me putting one foot in front of the other.

Fast forward nine years,

and life is still crazy

managing older kids.

In these 108 months of writing and reflecting

(108 is an important LOST number, by the way)

I've learned to balance things out.

Taking care of my home

and those in it

is the most important thing for me.

So is time outside with my trusty camera.

I'm definitely more careful now about 

what I eat and drink.

I still drink coffee,

but not as much as I used to,

because,

well.....

I make some time to

support local businesses, too.

Time for exercise is key

to balance out my support 

of the local business across the street

from the Lamp Post.

Time to try more recipes

and ways to make healthy food

 look more appealing is important.

Time for devotion is spiritual nourishment.

Time for reading

is always essential.

Life is not complete without music.

And books about handsome musicians

and food 

and exercise.

Clock is ticking down 

to November 5th!

I got all of my life essentials

rolled into one with

my new Pioneer Woman cookbook.

It came in the mail yesterday!

Ree Drummond is just like me!

She's a pioneer, too!

She also intersperses her photos

in what she's trying to teach the reader.

Those page layouts 

look an awful lot like a yearbook page.

Ree with a camera in front of her face.

Ree photographs sunsets over water.

Ree has a decorated graduate, too.

Her arms were made for hugging.

She likes to photographs girls with dogs,

people in shadow profile,

and her son playing Huskies football

(orange and black, too)!

Similarities are quite uncanny,

aren't they?

Maybe I'll get to see for myself 

just how much we are alike.

The girls and I will be heading to her ranch in June.

Friend Jen unbelievably secured one of the rooms,

and asked us to go.

The Happy People are headed to the Oklahoma ranch.

Opting for an airplane,

not this means of travel.

Lord, that must have sucked!

Honestly,

I claim to be tough,

but I probably would have died in route 

had I been a pioneer.

Captured by the Indians, 

most likely,

 because I'm always the vulnerable one

 at the back of the pack.

That and I'm not too keen with a gun.

But, 

for the short time

I was alive on the trail,

I'd do up my wagon like this.

A few notes from the week:

Sam's injury plagued team 

played a great game on Wednesday

but came up short of a win.

It probably won't make much sense to you now boys, 

but one day you'll understand

that losses are just as important as the wins are.

There is always something to be learned.

Halloween is cancelled

because Hazel ate the trick-or-treat bucket.

Dessert was Louie's slipper.

 Weekend homework is not reading about the pioneers--
it's watching this video.

I absolutely,
100% LOVE
this brilliant piece
on the Harbor Creek marching band.

The music they make
is the drumbeat of our school system.
Without them,
the school would not have a beating heart.

Dave Lefebre--
you earn an honorary A+
from the Quest Teacher.

Click below.

Be a pioneer this weekend.
Be brave and try something new.

Eloise