The Mystery of Fire

Several days ago we headed off with a full van and kids in tow to Ohio to see Laura's extended family and to transfer some belongings that we'd been storing here to family heading back to Texas.  But first we made a quick detour to the neighborhood post office to mail off some packages.  I dashed into the PO, did my business and headed back to the car where I settled into my seat and took out my Kindle Fire, ready to lose myself in a good book.  Yikes!  The Fire appeared to be as dead as a doornail, even though it had worked fine and had almost a full charge just the night before.

"Stop," I yelled  in a panic.  "We have to swing back by the house so I can get another Kindle.  There's no way I'm making a long car trip without something to read."

We backtracked and I ran into the house, grabbed my Kindle Touch and its charger and dashed back to the van and off we went.  The Touch was working perfectly.

When we got to our destination and had brought everything into the house, I was griping about the Fire not working and gave it another try and lo and behold, it worked perfectly.  What in the world?

The next day before we headed off to the next family's home, I checked out my Kindle Fire once again and it was working fine.  Great!

We carried our luggage out to the car, got in and started off.  I pulled out the Fire and took it out of "sleep" mode.  What in the world?  Again it was blank and appeared to be dead as a doornail.  I was beginning to think that just the slightest bit of cold temps were causing it to lose its charge.  Back I went to my trusty Kindle Touch.

At the next house, we unpacked and I visited with folks for awhile and then thought to check the Kindle Fire.  Voila!  It turned on without a hitch.  What was happening?  It worked fine that night and yet again, passed a quick test the following morning.  This time, I put it in my purse and carried it out to the car that way, thinking it would stay warmer in there, rather than in a computer bag.

We hopped in the car, waved our goodbyes and started off for home.  I took some sips of coffee, slipped off my shoes and pulled out the Kindle Fire.  Yup, you guessed it.  Nothing, nada, zilch!  Now I was seriously getting perturbed.  I envisioned having to call up Amazon Tech Services and go over the whole crazy story.  OK, if the cold was the problem, maybe I could speed up the warming process.  I slipped the Fire between my legs.  The Commander glanced over at me and rolled his eyes.

"I'm trying to warm it up, " I attempted to explain.

Didn't work.  I unzipped my coat and put it inside my jacket and zipped it back up.  Surely it would warm up against my body.  Nope!

Alright.  Time for the heavy artillery!  I turned on the seat warmer and slipped it under my thighs.  If that didn't warm it up, I was ashamed of the darn thing.  After a suitable period of time, I tried to bring it out of its deep sleep.  Nothing doing!

In frustration, I pushed the button again and again.  I noticed that a green light was coming on at the bottom of the Kindle when I'd push the button but still nothing was showing up on the screen.  All of a sudden, I thought I detected a faint glimmer of some words on the screen.  I whipped off my glasses and peered at the screen.  It said, "Do you wish to turn off your device?"  Turn it off?  Heck, I just wanted to turn it ON!

I touched the "Cancel" button and lo and behold, my screen lit up and my Fire was lit up like a ...well, like a Fire should be.  Hmmm, a faint niggling suspicion was starting to form at the back of my brain.  I slipped my glasses with clip-on sunglasses back on.  Huh?  The screen was suddenly completely black.  I took off the clip-on sunglasses.  The Fire was on and the images were right there.  On/off.....on/off.....Every time I put on my clip-on sunglasses, the screen went completely black.  Every time I took them off, my screen was on and  working great.

Ah-ha!  Apparently, my Kindle Fire hadn't been malfunctioning at all.  The culprit was my clip-on sunglasses.  They were polarized in such a way that they completely blocked out the Kindle Fire's screen.  Of course, since I had them on when I was outside and in the car, I was only seeing a blank screen but since I didn't have them on inside, the Fire would seemingly come back to life once we were inside a house.  Mystery solved.  I am SO relieved and boy, am I glad that I didn't have to confound Amazon (and reveal my total idiocy) by calling Tech Services.

Tentative Tickles

The last two times that we've taken little Sweet Pea and Spud to visit their Great-Grandmother in the nursing home, Sweet Pea has been very shy and quite hesitant to approach "Grandma Toots."  That's understandable since I doubt she's ever seen anyone as old or even someone in a wheelchair and she only gets to see her once or twice a year.  But on each visit, there have been little tentative steps to establish a relationship.

Today when we visited, we all went down to the lounge and at first, Mika entertained us all by playing "Boo" with her brother.

She wasn't quite sure what to make of it when "Spud" ambushed her at one point and I'm not sure that he knew what to make of it either but he seemed to be game for the fun.

When we suggested that Sweet Pea try to "scare" Grandma Toots by playing "Boo" with her, she thought it over and then (with a few appropriate dramatic shrieks from Grandma) decided it might be fun.

She leaned over and said "Boo" and Mom yelped and shivered (a performance worthy of an Oscar, I can assure you).

Sweet Pea got bolder and came over to the wheelchair and tickled Grandma Toots' leg.  "Aaaah, oooh," trilled her great-grandmother.

"I think Grandma Toots fell asleep," I said.  "Why don't you try tickling her knee and see if you can wake her up?"

Sweet Pea gave a little tickle and Mom giggled, threw up her hands and said, "Whee!"

Little Spud wasn't saying "Whee" later when we sat him on Grandma Toots' lap.  He quickly made his displeasure known.

"Who in the world are you?" he seemed to be thinking, "And what did you do with my mommy?"

We finished up our visit by singing Christmas carols acapella and at some point we looked over and saw that  Mom had nodded off.  I guess she'd had quite enough excitement for one day.  Who knows?  Maybe on our next visit, Sweet Pea will be brave enough to hitch a ride on Grandma Toots' wheelchair.

'Tis a Puzzlement!

Recently our son got one of those sets of brainteaser wooden puzzles that drive you crazy.  Well, it drives MOST people crazy but not our son. He is one of those folks who is a whiz at figuring out those type of things. His sister knows this about him and also knows that he can't rest until he works out a solution to puzzles.  I guess that's why she "gifted" him with this latest set of brainteasers.  Sibling torture, anyone?

Little Sweet Pea decided that she was going to help her daddy solve the puzzle.  Who wouldn't want a two-year-old's help, right?

"No, no, Daddy..I think this needs to go in THAT little slot right there."

"Oh, no...wait! Maybe we should put them all together in a line and play 'choo-choo train' with the pieces."

"Mika, how did you get these two pieces stuck together like this?"

"Ok, we'll just play choo-choo train this morning while Daddy thinks about the PERFECT gift to get your Aunt Laura.  Heh, heh, heh!"

A Nativity Fusion

Little Sweet Pea's birthday is right before Christmas so what nicer gift could she receive than a Little Tikes Nativity Set from her Aunt Rose and Uncle John?  We all thought it would be a wonderful way for her to envision the joys of the Christmas story.  It worked.....sort of.

She was delighted with the gift and immediately began to play with it as we talked about the different parts/people in the set and what part they played in the Christmas story.

Our first inkling that THIS Nativity scene would be her own special version came when we realized that Baby Jesus was crammed into the cow's stall and the sheep were given the place of honor in the main part of the stable.

When we had pulled Baby Jesus out of the box, her mommy had asked her, "Do you know who this is?"

"Mary," she promptly replied.  Well....there WAS a connection there, at least.

The actual Mary was soon relegated to the top of the stable next to the feeding trough, joining one of the angels.

She was soon joined by a shepherd and at several points by some wise men, although they were usually holding court over in the fields with some of the sheep.  Hmm, were we seeing a mash-up of "Away in a Manger" and "Up On a Rooftop?"

The Wise Men were demoted from riding camels to tending the donkey cart while their regal tent was taken over by Mika's stuffed kitten.

At one point, the kitten fell asleep, a Wise Man was knocked over by a sheep trying to play King of the Hill, and an angel was wandering around in the barnyard wondering where the shepherds had run off to because she had a Heavenly message to deliver.

Through it all, Mary kept her composure although from a more elevated angle than during the original event and Mika had a wonderful evening immersed in the magic of a Christmas birth that changed the world.  She may be putting her own unique spin on things now but as she continues to grow and be nurtured in the Christian faith, she'll continue to find this to be a much-beloved toy set.  Thanks, Aunt Rose and Uncle John!

A Tale of Two Cakes

What a difference a year makes!  Last year, I went to Indonesia and was able to celebrate my granddaughter's first birthday with her.  Being the cake-lover that I am, I thought she'd be a "sliver off the old layer cake", so to speak, and be equally as thrilled with her first cake.  Boy, was I wrong.

She took a taste or two of the cake and it looked promising at first.

Then she seemed more interested in the spatula then in the cake.

Then she gave us a look as if to say, "Ugh....are you guys trying to poison me with this stuff?"

She handed that spatula back over to us lickety-split and then......

She took off and didn't look back.  Her daddy and I had to eat more than our fair share to make up for her disinterest.  Such sacrifices we make!

THIS year, Mika was back in the States and once again, I was incredibly blessed to be able to celebrate her 2nd birthday with her.  She was really excited this time about getting presents AND having a birthday cake.

She bailed Grover and Elmo out of their plane before we had ever cut the cake and then leaned over and took a chomp out of the side of the cake before I could snap off another camera shot.

She tried the old "finger in the frosting" technique and employed it liberally until we brought out the silverware and plates.

She showed us that two-year-olds are much too grown up to be using spatulas and can feed themselves now.

She showed Nana exactly what she thought about having to interrrupt her cake eating in order to smile for the camera.

And she debated how to wipe her face while still stuffing more cake into her mouth.  Ah, yes....little Sweet Pea seems to have inherited her Nana's love of cake after all.  Balance has been restored to the universe.  Happy birthday, Mika!

All Things Old are New Again

When I envisioned myself getting a new car eventually, I was thinking that I'd be getting a small car.  The top two contenders were the Ford Fiesta and the Honda Fit.  In fact, I had already picked out (in my mind) a lime green Ford Fiesta with special decals on the sides which are available as an additional option through Ford.  It was going to be a black city skyline and I thought I might add a black bat or two in the sky above the skyscrapers.  My only criteria when thinking of a new car was that it would be sporty and it would be roomy enough for my spinning wheel to fit inside.  I CERTAINLY never thought I'd be in the market for a minivan again.

We drove our share of minivans when the kids were growing up.  They were great for hauling kids and pets and luggage around the country.  But those days were behind us.  It was just the Commander now and myself.  At least that is what we were thinking.  Somehow we overlooked the fact that, with two little grandchildren, we now had to be able to haul four adults and two children in carseats or else take two cars everywhere if we wanted to go someplace with all of us.

And that's how I find myself the slightly bemused owner of a new Toyota Sienna van that holds 8 passengers.  It has just about every bell and whistle you'd want.  In fact, I was joking with my book club group that I felt like I had to go to flight school just to learn how to operate the thing.  The other day I was driving over to the bookstore at night, in the rain, when I realized that I didn't have my lights on (my son had inadvertently taken them off of the "automatic" setting) and that I had no clue how to get the lights on.  I had to pull into someone's driveway while I fiddled with the controls until lights appeared.  The next challenge was trying to get the windshield wipers going correctly.  As I rolled into the parking lot, my back wipers were going, my front ones were going, I had a red triangle glowing on my dash which was alarming me because I had no idea what it meant, and I wasn't too sure that I knew how to turn off my seat, which was heating my buns.  God forbid if someone should call me because my hubby hadn't told me how to answer the phone on my steering wheel.  And forget about getting gas!  I didn't know where the gas cap release was.

It sure is slick, though, as a people mover.  We're driving around in luxury with the little ones in their carseats and plenty of room in the back cargo area for groceries and other goodies.  I'm slowly getting the hang of how to open the sliding side doors, although it is still iffy whether or not I'll get the correct door to slide open on the first try.  I'll eventually get it.  The hardest part is trying to figure out where my front end is and how far back the rear extends.  This car is a lot bigger than my little Vibe.  For now, I'm going for the pull-through parking spaces to play it safe.  Who would have thought that I'd be back amongst the mini-van crowd at my age?  It's worth it, though, for little Sweet Pea and little Spud.

Wacky Christmas Gifts

The "Not-Keeping-Up-With-Technology Gift"

Oh, boy!  My Brookstone catalog came yesterday and I finally had time to look through it this morning.  I love going through their catalog because they always have unique gifts.  Sometimes they have some pretty wacky ones, too.  I had to highlight a few that caught my eye.  Are you ready?

1.  The "Not Keeping Up With Technology Gift" - This is the iDesign Tower Stereo System.  I have to chuckle at it, though. Here is a speaker that stands 40 inches high with a TINY iPhone or iPod on top.  Hello?  Isn't the whole genius of our marvelous iPads, iPhones and small music storage devices the fact that we can cram so much into such tiny devices?  And yet we have to stick it on a monolith like this?  I'm holding out for a tiny version, thank you.

"The Annoying-As-Heck Gift"

2.  The "Annoying As Heck Gift" - Are you someone who just can't get up in the morning?  Maybe this alarm clock is for you.  It's Tocky - The Rolling Alarm Clock.  Tocky will wake you up with an alarm and then roll off your nightstand and jump and roll all over your room until you get out of bed to shut the darn thing off.  I don't know about you but I'm thinking that someone who has a very hard time getting up probably isn't too chipper once they wake up.  I suspect "long life" and "Tocky" aren't mutually compatible terms.  Duck!

"The My Kid is Brilliant Gift"

3.  The "My Kid is Brilliant Gift" - We all know them....those parents that can't stop bragging about their kids.  If you have one of those on your shopping list, how about the Go Vinci "Look What I Made" Backpack?  Now parents can not only drone on and on about their kids but they can also put their masterpieces right out there for all the world to see.  Just don't be too effusive in your praise.  Those tykes might offer to autograph it and sell it to you, for a profit.

"The Got-You-Where-I-Want-You Gift"

4.  The "Got You Where I Want You Gift" - This is the OSIM uAstro Zero-Gravity Massage Chair.  Now some folks might think it looks really relaxing.  I don't know.  I'm thinking that wife looks pretty smug walking past her hubby, who is immobilized in the chair.  She's probably thinking, "Yeah, now I can head out  to the stores and he'll be in that thing until I get home."

It is supposed to be quite a luxury item.  However, when I look at it, it looks like an instrument of torture, like the Iron Maiden.  You'd have to drug me to get me in that thing.  It can be yours for a mere $3,293.

"The Taking-Out-Aggression Gift"

5.  The "Taking Out Aggression Gift" - I have to tell you, I LIKE this gift.  I saw it the other day at our local Staples and I almost got it for my son-in-law.  I would have, too, if I hadn't already finished my Christmas shopping for him.  This little baby is the USB Desktop Missile Launcher.  You basically plug it into your computer's USB port and then you can shoot foam missiles at targets up to 25 feet away.  Not only that, you can also do this remotely via Skype and MSN messaging.  You don't even have to be in the same room.   If you really want to have some fun, add the optional sound effects and WHEE!  You've got your own miniature Gatling Gun, primed and ready to terrorize the cats and family.  I want one!

Upstaged by Grover

When my children were little, one of their favorite books was "Oscar's Book."  This is my son's well-worn copy...a Little Golden Book.   I recently grabbed it to read to our granddaughter during a Skype visit and now it's often requested when we talk via the computer.

One of the things that makes it such a great book to read to children is that the dialogue is SO dramatic, ironic, and just plain funny.  There is action, there is interaction with the reader, and plenty of opportunities for the adult reader to really put some "oomph" into the reading of it.

Because our little Sweet Pea has enjoyed that book so much, I wasted no time in grabbing these little child-sized books off the shelf at our local Barnes and Noble to put in her Christmas stocking.  I'm really looking forward to reading them to her, when I can pry them away from her.

This morning I was reading a computing magazine on my iPad and noticed a glowing review for a children's application.  It was an interactive version of "The Monster at the End of this Book."  How could I resist?  The price was right ($3.99 here in the States) so I purchased it and quickly downloaded it onto the iPad. Well then I had to give it a try, right?

What fun!  You turn the pages by clicking on an area in the bottom right-hand corner.  In case you or your little one forget, Grover will remind you.  In the meantime, Grover is animated and walks around on the pages, emoting in all his theatrical glory as he tries to get the reader NOT to get to the end of the book.  Ha!  What child could resist turning the page?

What ADULT could resist turning the page as well?  The words are highlighted as Grover speaks them in some of the "bubbles" on the pages.  For the adventurous who want to go off the beaten path, if you will, you can do other things like poke Grover and he'll deviate from the written word and respond in ways appropriate to where you are in the story.

If you are familiar at all with the story, you know that Grover tries a lot of things to keep you from turning the pages.  The reader/child will soon discover that they can cause delightful things to happen if they do things like poke the ropes or touch the brick wall he builds.  What fun!

I have to say, though, that I found myself a little jealous of Grover.  As an actress, I've always loved really "getting into" a story when I'm reading it to young children.  I love doing the voices, making the sounds, and adding the side comments before turning the pages.  Now Grover was doing it all instead of me.  I was upstaged by a furry blue puppet.  Sheesh!  But you can't keep a good thespian down and I quickly decided that there was plenty I could do in a supporting role as my Sweet Pea and I work with this application.

There is a second book available in this series called "Another Monster at the End of This Book" and I just noticed that it is available for an introductory price of $0.99 up on iTunes right now.  What a deal!  Can you guess what I just purchased?  I think there is only one downside to these two applications.  Once your little ones have had a chance to interact with them, you might never again be able to walk past them with your iPad in hand without them trailing along behind you wanting to see Grover "again."