When is it considered hoarding?

I need another book like 

I need another hole in my head!!!!

I know I am not alone in my book collecting.

I am writing about this for two reasons.

1.  I know there are other book hoarders out there and I don't want you to feel all alone.

2.  I want to say I admire you people who can refrain from owning your own library especially if you have no available shelf space left.

I used to think that my parents had cornered the market on all new and used books.

Not just any old book either.

Good Catholic books.

(Humor me here.  I am trying to justify my problem!)

I knew I had surpassed them when my dad dropped me off at a small "junk" store to look at the books.

I came out with 49 more!

Now let me explain my reasoning.

These were not just any old books.

First, they had been in a seminary library.

Second, they were very old and good Catholic books.

Third, my children may use them and they may not be able to find them again.

Fourth, THEY WERE ONLY $1 A PIECE!!!!

Really, I couldn't let them just sit in that store, could I?

How, I ask you, could I possibly pass them up?

So, I admit it.  I bought them.  They do not have a designated shelf yet (but I am working on that) and have brought them home.

It was not in vain though because the fifth and final reason that I procured them is in hopes that others could enjoy them as well.

I offer to you my good readers the opportunity to borrow some of my grand books.

Now, I guess that I need some advice.

Just where should I put that other hole in my head because I know if the opportunity presents itself again, I will bring home more books.

What to follow the frogs with . . . . . .

I thought I would share with everyone some of my favorite things.

My flowers.

This is the beauty of photography and the internet.  

You don't have to see my weeds and bikes plopped in the yard or the 5 billion repairs that have been neglected.  

Someday soon maybe I will be brave enough to show you all of that.

Not one of my flowers but certainly note worthy: 

"Elegant Stinkhorns"

Yes, they do stink.

Hey wait a minute, you guys were not supposed to be in this post!

You stink too!

Get out of here!

FROGS: Part 2

I guess I need to finish the story.

The end will make even the toughest of men who like frog legs cringe.

This ending is just for you, men with iron stomachs!

So, later in the evening, my eldest son was looking a little sickly.

I started to tease him about the frogs that he had eaten.

The conversation continued and as it unfolded, the queasiness I had felt earlier in the day began to overtake me.

It turns out those frogs they had eaten:  Well, they had been killed a day or two before and had been sitting on the pond bank all that time.

I had wondered at the time why some of those frogs looked particularly "shriveled" and even more unappetizing than some of the other "freshly killed ones".

What did the boys have to say for themselves?  "Oh, we thought you knew and that is why you had us eat them."

They are all still alive.  3 days later.

The boys.  Not the frogs.

As Paul Harvey would say,  "Now you know the rest of the story."

There is a special place in heaven for mothers of boys!

I am not even sure I want to admit to all of this but really, what is a mother to do?

My boys own bb guns.  That is fine.  They just a little higher powered than air soft guns (of which we do not own).

I have 2 extra boys staying with me and that makes 5 boys total all about the same age.

I took my girls to work.  Came home.

Hummmmmm, bb guns are out.

Boys are at the pond.

DUMB KIDS!

I have several rules about these bb guns.

1.  NO SHOOTING AT EACH OTHER.  EVER!

2.  Don't shoot at rocks, metal, buildings, cars, blah, blah, blah.

3.  DO NOT SHOOT AT OR KILL AN ANIMAL YOU DO NOT INTEND TO EAT!!!!!

Yep.  They broke rule number 3.

Dead frogs.

MAD!  I am and was not happy.

So, follow through is always essential when you are a parent.  They will clean and eat the frogs for lunch.

Gag.  Yuck! and everything else I can think of.

I know most men and boys are thinking, "ALRIGHT!"

While all of the women (or most) are thinking, "OH, not in the kitchen!"

FOLLOW THROUGH!

Breathe deeply!

At first this was all very satisfying.  There were long faces and comments like, "I tried to shoot one but couldn't even hit one, please, don't make me eat the frog!"

THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO SEE!

That felt good.  Satisfaction in misery.  I like my little croaking frogs in the pond.

Then came the actual deed.  Cleaning and preparing.


They look really sad huh?

 

Yes.  They started to enjoy the whole thing.  GRRRRRR.  That was not supposed to be the outcome!

I am not going to be able to eat for a week and my WHOLE HOUSE stinks!

Why is it always that the best punishments end up being fun and I am the one that suffers?

Well, shucks.  I thought, I thought it would be horrible and I would make them suffer!

I think I will break into my special secret stash of goodies.

I think I deserve one.

I think I will drink it outside because my house smells SO BAD.

God bless all you mothers out there!

Especially, mothers of boys.

And girls.

I know I just posted but I couldn't resist this.

So true, my friend.

So true.

Now, just where am I going on vacation next?

Not sure where to classify this one.

I ran across this picture . . . . . .

I am still trying to understand how to communicate with toddlers effectively . . . . . . even after 5!

Is it really possible someone has broken the code and there is a way to IMPROVE communications?

I don't really think so.

They are impulsive, irresistible, and lovable though. 

I don't know these statistics but:

If you have children who love you and are blessed to be called Mom than you are very fortunate!

Last but not least (at all), I am Catholic and very fortunate.

Oh, it is raining today.  I am very fortunate because now I have to stay inside and clean my house.

Happy day to all of my dear friends.