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Howdy, Word Lovers! Last week’s Word of the Week was sangfroid. According to Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary, sangfroid means: the ability to stay calm in difficult or dangerous situations. I seem to panic when the situation is a mere trifle, but generally am rather sangfroid when the danger is real. Perhaps sangfroid is just another word for being in shock???

Today’s word is meretricious and here’s my guess:

meretricious: (mer-ə-ˈtri-shəs) 1. vicious merit 2. a rather run-of-the-mill trick 3. looking delicious in the mirror

What’s your guess? Submit a comment now!

Tomorrow’s Post: What act of kindness did you do for Lauren Rousseau?

You might also like: Word of the Week: sangfroid; Word of the Week: eurytopic; Word of the Week: balneology; and Word of the Week: nascent

The hubby’s birthday is in a few days and while some of you may remember this note from FB last year, he hasn’t had the chance to see it himself. (He chooses not to be on FB, which would probably be his only fault.) Here’s what I wrote last year: 

Since I have already written lessons I have learned from the hubby last year at this time, I have decided, after spending 12 non-stop days with said hubby (on a vacation to wonderful Alaska) that I should add to the reasons why I’ve decided that spending eternity with this guy is an okay thing to do.  You see, I have not spent 12 days straight with the hubby since before he started working for his present company in 1983.  But, while we make this work and actually work well, we are never really apart.  He calls me every night when he’s away and that started when we were dating. And that leads me to Number 1 and Number 2…

1. He has his priorities straight.  The hubby and I started dating when he was the student manager of the Purdue University dairy.  That meant many potential date nights had to take place at the dairy, because he was “on duty.”  And somehow he made going to that dairy fun and interesting.  One night we were leaning on the fence and enjoying a wonderful Indiana country sunset and one cow came up to the fence to have my hubby scratch her nose.  His comment, “How can you not believe in God when you look at this sunset and this cow?  Both are an engineering and artistic miracle.”  I think I fell in love with him for the first time in that moment. God has always been at the top of his list for all we have done, even though adhering to that was not easy for him.  He even made the DSL promise that our future grandchildren be raised in the faith.  That’s my man.

2. I am next on his priority list.  Despite his hectic schedule and the financial demands of a mortgage, 4 college educations, endless lessons and league fees, etc., the hubby would rather spend his free time and extra cash on me…to a fault.  He very much spoils me rotten.  When I tell him he has spoiled me, he says, “That’s the way I want it.”

3. The kids (and yes, this now includes the DSL) are next after me. Do not get me wrong: If you are my hubby’s kid, I have pity for you, because he refuses to have anything other than the very best from his children in all that they do. If you are told to mow the grass, you’d better mow it with a vengeance! But, that’s just because he demands this of himself.  Let me be clear:  He knows he’s far from perfect and he does not expect perfection from his children, but if he suspects you slacked, you are in big trouble! On the flip side, he would give every one of his “kids” the shirt off his back. If you are his friend or “adopted,” then you can pretty much expect the same. Yes, the hubby has his own set of “adopteds.”

4. He’s ambitious.  I prefer “achievement-oriented.” His visions for the future are as big as the state he lives in.  And there is always a future in his mind.  Example:  I marry him and 4 seconds later he wants to buy a $ 3 million dairy farm. Fortunately, he referred to # 2, saw the petrified look on my face and decided against it. But, that’s my honey. Everything is a big idea!  What’s even more scary is that he usually executes these big ideas ahead of schedule.

5. I can have big eyes for a fabulous dinner menu and never worry about finishing my dinner. Hubby to the Rescue!

6. He’s good at just about everything he does. It’s just fun to watch him try new things.  However, I will always be better at yoga than he.  Unfortunately for me, he. Does. Not. Care. Grr.

7. He can cook and he likes it.  This is essential for one who can cook and does not like it.  And yet, he graciously allows me to make all my comfort foods at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I particularly like that he makes semi-homemade pancakes for his kids almost every Saturday morning along with omelets and bacon/sausage.  They think he’s the only one who can do so.  🙂

8. He gives back to the community.  If there is a worthy cause, Bruce will do what he can to help out.  You may not always know that he helped, but he probably did. He really does not want the accolades, particularly if he’s doing it for the church, but he’s there when you need him.

9. He seldom misses the big moments in his kids’ lives. Even though he manages almost 1/3 of the U.S. for his company, he works his schedule so that he can be there as much as humanly possible.

10. He’s passionate and enthusiastic.  If he does it, if he experiences it, if he supports it, it’s to the nth degree.  There’s seldom a question about how he feels about something, good, bad or indifferent.  He has more energy in his pinkie (even now) than I have in my entire body…on a good day…a really good day.

11. He’s concerned about his country, his world, and his company.  I’ve seen him forego things that would easily benefit him to take care of someone else a world away, just because it’s the right thing to do and promotes goodness long-term. I wouldn’t argue with him on politics and right and wrong. You’ll lose…trust me.

Are there things about the hubby that drive me crazy?  Absolutely.  In fact, I have a rather lengthy list.  But, would I gladly live with these things to enjoy the “ride” with him and all of the stuff listed above all over again?  Yes, indeedy.  Time and time again, despite his imperfections, he has proven he understands agape love.  I want to grow up someday and be the female version of him.

Happy Birthday, my love!  Enjoy another year of extreme awesomeness!  You deserve it. Oh…and Happy Birthday to his lovely sis and nephew, who happen to have birthdays today!

Monday’s Post: More dictionary fun….Word of the Week!

You might also like: What Would an Archaeologist Say About This in 100 Years? and Lessons Learned from Facebook Page Insights

Last week we honored Avielle Richman, who had a loose tooth and loved horses. Since we had had a horse lover the week before, I didn’t want to repeat what I had done for Jessica Rekos, but I found it a little difficult to find an act of kindness that had to do with loose teeth! Somehow I think I might get arrested if I were to volunteer to help a kid yank out their loose tooth!

Fortunately, two media concerns helped me discover other ways to help others from my very own home. When I was in the hospital, I was given a magazine to read (because I was getting totally bored!) and it’s one I grew up with: Woman’s Day. My mother religiously read that magazine every month and I occasionally indulge in the same avocation. Believe it or not, this issue spoke about helpfromhome.org. Help from Home has a pile of ways people can help others without ever getting out of their P.J.’s. So, this week I clicked on some links that edged “click tallies” closer to a target goal. Once met, corporations will donate money to worthy causes, such as providing more trees in areas where they are sparse and feeding impoverished children in Peru.

I also grew up with 60 Minutes in my living room every Sunday evening and this week they discussed mercyships.org this past Sunday evening. Mercyships.org sends ships to African countries where people still believe that tumors are spiritual curses. They believe this so vehemently that people with tumors can be cast out of their homes and communities. People in these countries are also often blinded by cataracts. Thus, the nurses and doctors on a mercy ship provide much needed surgeries to remove tumors and cataracts and deliver basic medical care to those who need it most. They are a Christian concern, regularly praying before and after surgeries for their patients, but will help anyone in need (regardless of religious belief) for free. In fact the doctors and nurses there actually pay for the privilege of working on these ships–they raise their own support. The ships have their own fire departments, schools and other needed services. Because of this, romances often bloom and marriages and families ensue!  Some children are raised entirely on the ship to the point that they don’t even recognize mailboxes when they are on vacation in the U.S.! Many plan to live and work on these ships for the rest of their lives.

If you haven’t yet done your act of kindness this week, may I suggest you go to these web sites and see what you can do to help these organizations? And then, please take a moment to let me know how you helped! So, this brings our MIP act of kindness to 68!

This week we honor Lauren Rousseau, a permanent substitute teacher at Sandy Hook. Here’s what CNN said about her:

Lauren Rousseau, 30

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Howdy, word lovers! Last week’s word was eurytopic. According to Merriam-Webster, eurytopic means tolerant of wide variation in one or more environmental factors. The daughter guessed that it had something to do with being perfect and she was pretty close to the right definition! I must be eurytopic because I tolerate the messy condition of my youngest’s room, right? Thankfully, I won’t have to be eurytopic much longer since he departs for college later this month. But perhaps we should pray that his future roomie has this quality???

Today’s word is sangfroid.  My “French” alarm is going off on this one, so if these definition guesses don’t make much sense, then blame it on those croissant people.

sangfroid: (säⁿ-ˈf(r)wä) 1. to be sad about being frozen. 2. the song Freud sang poorly 3. to sing about being cold.

What’s your guess?

Tomorrow’s Post: What did you do in honor of Avielle?

You might also like: Word of the Week: eurytopic; Word of the Week: balneology, Word of the Week: flehmen; and Word of the Week: nascent

The youngest is cleaning out his room and the other areas of the house where his belongings have migrated in preparation to going to college this fall. It’s kinda like an urban 21^st century archaeological dig, if you ask me. Here is what I predict he will unearth at these excavation sites of his:

1. An empty aquarium with blue rocks only (He just HAD to have those BLUE rocks.) with one measly, slimy green plastic tree
2. Gum wrappers from the 1990s
3. Various assorted items he “stole” from his two older siblings
4. Every Bionicle known to man, each one missing an essential part.
5. Broken drumsticks
6. Clothes he wore when he was 6 (He will probably argue that they still fit, too.)
7. Books about dinosaurs, none of which he has read
8. The school library book I had to pay to replace 10 years ago
9. A Netflix rental for Pan’s Labyrinth which he swore he didn’t have
10. Five unused Bibles (They will magically get into his suitcase by the Bible fairy.)
11. 4 half used cans of Axe spray, in various, conflicting scents
12. Expired gummy multi-vitamins (bottle still full)
13. 4 empty prescription bottles for his ADD meds, all of which have expired
14. 200 dull pencils with no eraser left
15. 101 dried out pens
16. 6 boxes of dried out assorted colored markers
17. 7 packs of dried out modeling clay in assorted colors (His life is just a rainbow!)
18. 4 pieces of unused poster board, with at least one corner torn each and two creases each
19. 16 pairs of scissors that used to reside in my kitchen drawer
20. 29 pictures of old girlfriends and girls he wished were his girlfriends
21. 8 sports bottles with the remnants of red Gatorade welded to the bottom
22. 4 partially empty, flat-tasting cans of Pepsi Max (which is my favorite beverage, I might add!)
23. A dusty gorilla mask that he wore in 6^th grade
24. 1 gorilla hand (See # 24)
25. 2 gorilla feet (See # 24)
26. 10 stuffed animals that he insists he’s grown out of, but won’t throw out or donate
27. 3 mostly unused tubes of toothpaste with the caps all missing
28. 16 razors (and yet we still have to remind him to shave every other week)
29. 4 razor blades still in their original packaging
30. 2 retainers that are too small for his mouth now
31. 3 boxes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle band-aids
32. 2 boxes of Power Ranger band-aids, none of which still have the sterile outer wrapping
33. 4 issues of the Swim Suit Edition of Sports Illustrated (He will swear that these just walked into his room somehow.)
34. Several rolls of assorted colors of electrical tape
35. 1 roll of duct tape in which the beginning is permanently cemented to the roll.
36. A partially chewed rawhide bone
37. 2 super-sized bottles of mouthwash, both 90% used accompanied by a very interesting stain on my carpeting
38. A fruit roll-up from 1995
39. 4 birthday cards with money still in them
40. A dead partridge…pear tree and bird seed optional.

Monday’s Post: Are you eurytopic?

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