Slanty Shanty 101

The neighborhood kids have been creatively living on a thought stream when they get together to play in the afternoon. They are determined to build some sort of fort or shelter. They have spent countless hours rummaging through piles, scoping out the pipeline for stray items and sneaking away useless treasures from their homes to add to their material list.  You can see the cogwheels of their brain turning as they try to see their idea to fruition.

I have been a happy observer of this childhood entertainment. I told myself to step back and see what they come up with, this should be amusing at the very least. The first fort was on my back deck using full leaf bags as walls and towels as the roof. It had a couple of rooms and it quickly turned into a 'His' and 'Hers' club.

The leaf bags eventually went away in the trash pick-up and I thought the shelter idea would go away with it, but those kids were determined to build something! This time they stacked round branches we had stored from an old tree in the corner of the yard. It really looked like a fort the Pilgrims may have built. I was impressed to say the least.

Over the next few days the wood pile and towels have taken different forms all over my yard. Some of the wood I have no idea where it came from. When a kid really wants to accomplish a task, magic seems to happen and progress takes place.

One structure made me a little nervous, so I stopped observing and stepped in with a minute lecture on Engineering 101: Stable Structures, OSHA and the statistics of these two ratios creating noggin knots if not executed properly. I think they understood my explanation because they immediately re-engineered the slanty shanty.

The 'Slanty Shanty'
Photo by: Chandra Brown

Their drive and willingness to work as a team has affected me in a curious way. Being an independent person, I like to do it myself, all by myself and take the failure or credit myself. Watching their spirit as they worked in unison toward their goal made me wonder if my independent streak needs a counter measure.

'The Lean To'
Photo By: Chandra Brown

Their passion makes me want to build them a sturdy, permanent fortress that I can use too, namely a shed. Maybe I'll ask the kids if they want to help me and insert myself in their world for a moment. I think they would be a great counter-balance to my independent streak.

My Shed Inspiration:
Leaning Pear, Sugar Shack Bakery-Wimberly, TX
Photo By: Chandra Brown

A Love Letter

I've been thinking about my Grandma's quit a bit lately, both women were lovely matriarchs of large families. The older I get the more I wish I knew about these amazing women. I have splendid memories of visiting them in Wisconsin during my childhood, but I so wish I could have known them as children and learned why they thought the way they did and what events shaped and molded them into the beautiful women I experienced. Their legacy lives in the details and memories of their children and grandchildren, a puzzle that can be pieced together by sharing those specific perceptions.

This is my small view of Arlita, my grandmother on my Dad's side. When I imagine her as a child I would say she was a whippersnapper, as a teenager; spunky, as a wife and mother; hard worker, as a grandma; sweet but sassy and as a woman; fiery.

As I write about her my mind is flooded with the great impressions she left on me. One of which was her way with words. She wrote this when I was seven and I've kept it all these years hidden in the pages of my journal.

Grandma Debee and my Dad at my wedding

A Love Letter

I wrote a letter to my kids

It was short and sweet

And when I read it over

I knew it wasn't very neat.

Should I start all over?

Tear up the messy sheet?

Indeed, they might discover my weakness

I don't write so neat.

No, I'll send it on its way

Another day I won't delay

For I want them to know today

How much I love them every day.

Poem By: Arlita Debee

Heaven

Have you ever had a person grace your life for a short moment and leave an impression on you that lasts a lifetime? I've always wondered why certain wonderful people cross paths only to be together for a hiccup in time, why is so hard hard to hold onto those people you feel a certain affinity toward?

Suzanne was the type of girl you could talk to about words and she wouldn't get bored. She loved literature and poetry. She was constantly trying to get her poems published in contests. We would spend hours chatting about her upcoming writing career.

She called me up one night and said she just had to read her latest creation aloud to someone and she knew I wouldn't mind. When she was done she told me her latest work was dedicated to me and she was entering it in a contest under my name. I asked her why not take the credit for the work with your own name? She said it would be fun to write under a ghost name since famous writers tended to do that. I let her have fun with her little joke and promised when the poem received its due praise I'd be honest and tell the world who really wrote it.

Needless to say, Suzanne moved away to the East coast not long after that. We both said we'd keep in touch but you know how that usually goes. I never knew if her poem made it farther than the post box but here it is for old times sake.

'Trees and Sky' Photo by: quinet

Heaven

I watched the snow flurries falling from mysterious, shrouded heavens last night.

I watched as those pure-white, glittering sprinkles,
frozen tears from the faces of the angels
dusted the slumbering earth with perfection.

Poor Snowflakes
Cast from divinity down into the sullied world of flesh
to breath the finite breath of humanity,
and lie forever in the hands of time.

They lived shortly, quietly, brilliantly
giving only one brief scintillating flash of God
And then mortality.

I watched the snow flurries falling from the mysterious, shrouded heavens last night.

And for a moment I believed that I could see the very curtains of the sky fall away
Leaving only the glow of my spiritual haven forever
burning like a cinder in the depths of my eyes.

April 4, 1994
by: Suzanne Derryberry

Whispering Wind

I've been looking back through my old high school and college journals because I found them lurking in some dark, hidden corner of my attic I desperately want to clean out. I think they would make good kindling as I read some of the entries. There's a load of 'cheestastic' thoughts, (a term my daughter and I coined) a bunch of gushing sentimental ravings and most of the pages take up long sermons. Boy, I haven't changed much through the years. (Ha! Ha!)

Before I decide to chuck the old memories in the fire in my quest for catharsis; there were one or two things in my endless writing that may be worth saving. I may just share a few of my youthful thoughts in the next few posts for old times sake.

Who knows in another 20 years, I may riffle through this blog and have a bonfire, but for now this old poem made it out of the past and still has some bearing for the present.

Saint Matthew and the Angel: Rembrandt, 1661
'Whispering Angel'  Photo by: carulmare

Whispering Wind

A whispering wind bestows its wisdom in the ear of whom it chose,
but who is worthy to receive such wealth in a world full of woes?

What is this secret the wind whispers?
Where did it begin?
Was it from a woman's womb
or perhaps a weathered tomb?

Whose privileged ear does this breeze tend to brush?
A nursing infant whose mother quiets him with a hush
or an aged man sleeping eternally into dusk?

Journeying to the depths and heights,
searching for the answer morn and night,
I questioned wise men near and far
of whose answers seemed quite bizarre.

Traveling far my heart had to know
what was this secret the wind lay hold?
For this was the key to life unbarred,
free from sin and the bondage of scars.

Desperation enveloped my soul,
this curiosity has done its toll.
I fell to slumber under its weight
and that was where I met my fate.

I slid endlessly into a dream,
free from torment of my own scream
for the answer to this undying silence.

And then a whisper gently came to recompense

Speaking lowly and with only one sound,
the Breath of Life filled my ear with
the glorious answer releasing my fear.

Finally, the treasure I have found.

My heart raced with exhilaration
as senses savored this new incantation (mentation)
A smile disclosed this inward vision
and then….
I awoke.

Chandra Brown

UPDATE: 10/27/2017
OK, Since I've been accused of so many things that are not true recently... I am not, nor have I ever been a witch or involved in any divination practices with my consent. The word I used in this poem, 'incantation' certainly has it's roots in words used in magic spells. An unfortunate choice on my part, sure, I'll own it. I have always loved words and stringing them together has been a great enjoyment of mine. I've even admitted to using some a bit too liberally, as an amateur poet, I do this. So, I'll replace incantation with the word mentation. It means to think carefully on a matter. That better fits my personhood.
The poem is about the questioning and discovery of Love. I was single when I wrote the poem and had many musings (yes, I know that word can be taboo too) about the subject, I was studying the Victorian era where they were not open socially with their love interest and usually wrote notes and poems masking their feelings and intentions. (Read John Donne: The Flea- what a 'crafty' fellow).
So I mimicked what I was learning in the style of the poem.
Even the Apostle Paul called the subject of marital union between a man and a woman a mystery (Ephesians 5:32). I have been married for 19 years now and I still am baffled at God's design and gift within marriage.

Tell Me A Story

The neighborhood kids were playing at my house all day, you could hear spurts of laughter as they chased their imagination across my yard. The sun played in the trees casting a perfect environment for carefree outdoor play.

Watermelon, apples and cheese accompanied their picnic in my playground, giving them the extra energy to act out their game. Younger kids and older kids played off each others energy, giving and taking in perfect harmony.

Observing their interactions, remembering times past when space and time had no meaning, when thoughts were barely out of the gate and another soul playmate picked up on the vibe and interacted in sync.

The art of play; living in a moment of innocence, child like curiosity, the art of being in the present and enjoying every minute.

Live in the moment as you listen to this light, airy depiction of a story about a frog told by a girl.  Let's see the world how children see it.

Raconte Moi: Tell Me a Story
Performed By: Stacey Kent
Lyric Translation

Children are giggling and laughing in my office as I write this post: PERFECT!

The Test Of Love

I've mentioned the good man I've found in my husband in previous posts and said I was going to tell you more about him.  Yesterday was his birthday and we celebrated with a homemade meal. I roasted champagne rosemary chicken, tossed a blackberry vinaigrette salad and served it with warmed french bread and a delicious Zinfandel wine. Alex, our daughter has been interested in baking lately so she helped make a lemon orange glazed pound cake for dessert.

Happy Birthday Champagne Toast!
Photo by: Alex Brown

The day was a constant drizzling rain that kept us indoors and we welcomed the lay low atmosphere. It brought memories of when we first met.

It was 1997 and the Winter brought a nasty blizzard to Colorado. He was living in Westminster and I was about thirty minutes away in Lakewood.  We were at that puppy love stage when all you can do is think about each other all day long and just wish to be together. The blizzard meant we didn't know when we would be together again. I remember a phone call and a loving caution to be careful and two hours later Nathan was at my doorstep. He battled hazardous road conditions and potential personal peril driving his 'Big Red' (as I liked to call it) Landcruiser across the town to be with me. Ahh, those early days of love are grand!

Oh, the ways true love can be tested!

Not only did he battle old man weather to be near his new found love, he also sacrificed dearly in the form of material loss. We were planning and getting ready to cleave to each other, which meant leaving our former abodes behind to make one abode but that meant re-arranging priorities. He owned a beautiful car he dearly loved, I got to drive it around town every now and then and feel like a speed demon. We both loved the exhilarating feel of that lovely piece of machinery but the piston (or 2 I'll have to ask him) cracked and the repair bill was the deciding factor between really making a home or not. He gave up the Porsche to be with me.

Nathan's Baby!
Photo by: Nathan Brown

Over the years, we both have had to sacrifice for each other in some form. Each time, each circumstance, we both feel the pain for each other. I say that is true love. We are willing to give away what means something to us for the sake and benefit of the other.  Give me a moment while I swoon!

I saw a good man over sixteen years ago, and I see a great man today!

Nathan Brown you are IT!

Bucket List: Item Number 55

Seven wrinkled shirts are beckoning for my attention in the laundry room and I should make sure they get done before the dinner bell tolls but I just can't seem to find the gumption to pull out the iron and do this chore.  I'm not very good at it although I should be, my Grandpa Koch owned Band-Box Cleaners, a dry cleaning store and my Mom ran the place in high school, you would think that skill would have rubbed off on me at some point growing up. So here I am skirting my duties to play in my own thought world for a few minutes.

Recently I had to listen to myself and take my own advice and I am glad to say it was good advice and I was right.  I wrote a post a long time ago about not letting circumstances get in the way of a possible passionate adventure and my word came back to haunt me, or maybe I should say, taunt me into casting care to the wind and just go with the flow.

A dear friend of Nathan's presented him with an outing that was right up his alley. The tickets for the outing were free, the only catch was the parking, food and babysitter for the day. Nathan was excited, I could tell, with the light dancing in his big brown eyes as he told me about this fun day. I got excited because I was going to be included; a date with the hubs is like winning the raffle at the fair for me. We don't get out much with work and school schedules.

Pace Car leading the racers after the crash
Formula One Austin 2014
Photo By: Chandra Brown

We were excited and grateful at the amazing thoughtfulness of 'Fat Jon' and his wife Teresa for inviting us to the Formula One race here in Austin. They won the tickets through their Combat Vet Association and of all their friends, they asked us.

For those who know,  Formula One is not your typical venue. It wreaks with money and the ticket prices alone, in my humble opinion, should cause mini-heart palpitations. Well, when you research the parking lot tickets a massive heart attack should follow. A general ticket runs about $139 per person. Parking, according to the website was anywhere from $95 to $200 buckaroos. Although I survived the initial sticker shock, I did find that element of crazy to laugh about. I envisioned pulling up to the parking lot in our falling apart VW Passat, that we don't spend a dime on because the old gal just isn't worth it anymore, dole out a $100 dollars and in James Bond bravado tell the parking attendant not to scratch the baby.

The parking tickets got me thinking about the food prices and that's when I went ballistic. If parking is that much, food has to be horrendous and it's probably BAD food. I was threatening to wear baggy clothes and store food in my not so conspicuous parts in order to thwart the food cart scammers.

Then the battle of the babysitter came tumbling down the thought stairs hitting me square in the back of the head. It has not been our luck solidifying babysitters, all of the ones we use are amazing but they tend to be so good they are too busy and we end up not winning the scheduling battle, even when we pay premium prices and have an easy kid to watch. So I try, knowing the end result ends back at square one.  I'll just say, the whole dating scene living here in Texas for the Browns is easily summed up in the Myth of Sisyphus.

Nathan and Chandra Brown
'Kicking Sisyphus in the Nuts'
Photo by: Chandra Brown

Admittedly, we could deal with the monetary problem, eating beans isn't beneath us but finding the child care was looming in our face.  I called two babysitters and to no avail. We were stalled out at this point moving forward.

Now this part is where it gets interesting. Our lovely, generous parents (in-laws) were in town when we were discussing this event. They know we are frugal and responsible and don't do things that are rash, like spend $100 on a parking spot. We chatted about the pros and cons and their over 50 years of wedded wisdom was much appreciated; they said GO! Little did we know they left a little advantage in the form of money to tip the event in our favor which I found in a Bible after they had gone back home. Sneaky, sweet parents!

Problem solved, right? Not really, and here is where the interesting part begins. The part many may not understand and I still am grasping it myself but I know the lesson has to do with obedience and sacrifice and testing. This is where passion may begin to have a deeper meaning for me. I don't like being vulnerable and telling it like it is to the www or to strangers or even people I know for that matter, but this lesson hopefully will show God is in control (something He specifically has said to me, but that's another story)

Even with all the initial hurdles seemingly taken out of the way, there was one last dilemma to encounter. It had to do with loyalty. We were both excited to finally have a date and one that was on our bucket list. Nathan's birthday was around the same time and he tends to take the back seat for celebrations because he has to work or we are a little tight in the budget. This event was beginning to pan out perfectly, when the thought occurred to me, "You forgot to tithe this month."

Don't we know it!
Photo by: Chandra Brown

I did the quick bank check and realized if we went to the event even with the gifted money we would be cutting it extremely close, and mortgage is in the beginning of the month, leaving us with virtually zero in the account. The hounding thought of not giving our first fruit to God nagged me, we've been faithful even during these hard years of struggling financially. I had to be honest with Nathan and be the bearer of not so fun news and make a decision from there.

We would forgo the event and be obedient to God instead.  I sent the tithe check and we went about the next couple of days in our usual way. No complaining, no boo hooing.

Then our friend sent a link he found for parking that was only $20 for motorcycles. This renewed information put that light back in my husband's eyes and got me to put out the S.O.S to my very busy neighbors. Two angels heard the call and said they could split the day and take care of Alex. It looked like we were going to have that long awaited date after all.

Bugatti
A step or 100 up from the VW Passat
Photo by: Chandra Brown

Mama Mia-Ferrari
Photo by: Chandra Brown

Highlights of Race Day:

The first lap of the race a Formula One car crashed and had to be lifted off the track by a crew and a crane. Nathan and I were glad the driver was not hurt but it brought an exhilarating adrenaline rush knowing 2.6 million dollars was put out of commission right before our eyes and we didn't have to care about it.

We made out like bandits, the Formula One event cost us $42 dollars when all was said and done.

Nathan and I got to see so many beautiful cars. One of our favorite at home date nights is to sit and watch Top Gear together. We actually got to see many of the cars Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and the Stig drive.

I say this was opportunity executed with SUCCESS, we totally scored in the passion adventure factor!