Walnuts on My Windshield - Issue #9

Friday, August 6, 2004

I believe that finishing well is at least as important as starting well. Scott and I both tend to be pretty good starters. Well, actually, I'm okay, and Scott is an AWESOME starter. However, we both have a tendency (one of us more than the other) to let things fizzle out at the end.

On the recommendation of our financial advisor, we took a weekend away last month, for the purpose of praying, hearing from God, and getting on the same page concerning matters of financial planning. It was a very nice, but intense weekend. After completing a seven hour questionnaire, we were supposed to set at least one concrete goal in each of six areas of life: marital, family, spiritual, physical, social, and financial. Well, true to Roberts form, we ended up with a total of nineteen goals. I suppose we tend toward over-achievement; or maybe it's just overkill.

This past week we began trying to implement some changes that will bring us closer to some of those goals. I have already learned that living purposefully takes more time and effort than simply sashaying through life! Thankfully, we are still happily married, and the kids are doing well. None of the goals are achieved yet but we are on our way.

Ball season ended with a bang. Well, that would be summer ball. Fall ball starts in two weeks. Scott's team, "Promise Keepers," was ranked in the middle of the league throughout most of the season. The post season tournament was Tuesday night. Their first game was at 8:30; a victory would send them against "The River," the #1 team in the league, at 9:30. The River has not lost a game in two years. Needless to say, we have lost to them.

Our guys played stellar ball the first game. In fact, it was definitely the best they've played all year. We were whooping and hollering like crazy, and they won. Actually, the game was called because they were so far ahead. The only weak spot was at pitcher. Our regular pitcher was gone, and the back-up guy wasn't quite as good.

We were well-warmed-up and ready to take on The River at 9:30. There was a bad call in the first inning that really hurt us. Scott was so, ummmm, let me use the word "determined" to make sure that the injustice was righted, that Katie and I both feared he would be ejected. However, he let it go and the team played even more aggressively. The River pulled ahead and built up quite a lead. Suddenly, I turned from my conversation with one of the other wives to see Scott warming up on the mound! Had he taken leave of his senses? Scott is not a pitcher! He plays right center! I've never seen him pitch in my life!

Well, pitch he did, and not too shabby, considering. As you may imagine, he liked being in the middle of the show in and telling all the infielders (who have lots of experience at their positions) what to do. They just nodded and told him to pitch. They were probably praying, too. He did strike out one batter to end the inning, and he was really excited about that.

In the end, we lost, but it was a valiant and noble effort all the way around. Now Scott is talking about needing to practice pitching. "I really like pitching. . ." Well, we'll see what the fall season holds. It's kind of funny that Scott, who is so young and energetic and athletic is now playing ball with a bunch of mere children. He's the second oldest guy on the team, but that surely doesn't slow him down!

Until next time,
Patty

From My Bookshelf:

Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss is subtitled, "The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation," and rightly so. This author wages all-out war on the misusage of its and it's, and she does it with style and a humor that is insightful and sometimes downright biting. Writers, editors, proofreaders, grammarians, and others who take the English language seriously would really enjoy this book. I gave it a 9.

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck also merits a 9. God gave us four kids, and their needs, abilities, and interests are all different. Josiah has some unique challenges that have made reading difficult for him. In order to motivate him to keep reading, I spend a good deal of time seeking out books that may interest him. He has just about finished all of the Wally McDoogle series and the Willie Plummet series. There are still a few books in the Hank the Cowdog series that he hasn't tackled, but I was running out of ideas. When I asked the children's librarian for some help, she took 30 minutes to wander through the stacks and hand write me a list of titles and authors at his reading level that might appeal to him. Thank you, Ms. Kitty!!! One author she recommended was Richard Peck. To try to interest Josiah in him, I picked out one of his books on tape. I figured if he liked hearing it, he might read other books by the guy. In the end, I was in the car more than Josiah, so I listened to A Year Down Yonder. It was wonderful! A fifteen year-old city girl is forced to spend a school year with her eccentric grandma is a rural town "down yonder." The grandma ends up being the neatest lady - she has the kind of character I want our kids to develop. Anyway, I loved it.

Turnabout Children by Mary McCracken was a superb reference on learning disabilities. It ranks a 10, and I will have to buy myself a copy of this one. Mary is a specialist in the evaluation and remediation of kids with various learning disabilities. This book chronicled five of the more memorable students she has worked with, and when I read the chapter called "Charlie," I was reading about Josiah! The similarities were so striking that it was eerie. I am excited, because now I have some practical strategies to help him more.

Quote of the Week:

"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." Walter Kitteredge

I'm in de-cluttering mode, so I really need to remember this one!

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