My Husband "Subvet" says that when our first son "Sonshine" was born the sun rose on our world, when our second son "Gator" was born the sun laughed and when our daughter "Sugars" was born all the flowers bloomed. That says it all.

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
It's about learning how to dance in the rain."
Anonymous

Your mind is the garden, your
thoughts are the seeds, the harvest can either be flowers or weeds. — William
Wordsworth

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Stealth Photography.

Well, when I first got a digital cameral I made a BIG MISTAKE.
I would let the boys look at the pictures on the little screen.
This may not sound like much of a mistake, but it IS! (So I'm bothering telling you so, to quote Dr. Seuss)
From that moment on, every time I pull out my camera, both boys drop whatever super cute thing they're doing and come running to me. I've tried to tell them that I won't have pictures to look at if they don't hold still long enough to take one...but they're boys. Holding still isn't in their vocabulary.

So, now it's either sneak, snap and run......

Or end up with 10,000 pictures that look like these.





Sonshine running to see the camera.




Alligator running to see the camera.

Learn from my mistake folks, never, NEVER let the kids know that they can look at super cute pictures of themselves on the camera!! Otherwise you'll have to take stealth photography lessons too!

Friday, June 29, 2007

Cats and Kids

We have 2 cats.


Speedy (aka Speedy-girl)

and


Mr. Ima Mess Boots (aka Bootsy)

With 3 kids under the age of 4 and 2 cats it seems like there's ALWAYS someone in my lap. Today is no exception. I actually have everyone asleep, 3 kids plus 1 husband and came in here to surf a bit. I have spent the last hour putting Speedy back on the floor. She just insists on sitting in my lap. And, in case you were wondering. I just took that lovely picture of her SITTING IN THE TUB OF SUGARS' CLEAN CLOTHES. aarrrggghhh!!
This reminds me of something funny that happened a few days ago. We've had Speedy since before we were married. That's 8 years now. We got her as a kitten and because we waited (not so patiently) [read tried] for 2 years before being blessed with kids she got treated more as a kid than a pet. Still does, actually. So the other day I'm in the computer/sewing/Sugars' bedroom and it's time for me to leave. I don't let the cats have access to this room cause I don't want cat hair in my 4 month old's crib (or clothes). So I was trying to shoo Speedy out of this room. I told her repeatedly "out" Which she does understand, but was ignoring.
That's when it happened.

Yes, I did.

I COUNTED TO THREE, TO THE CAT!

When I told Subvet, he laughed and handed me the keys to the van, saying you NEED to get out of here for awhile.
I love that man!

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Cooking

AH, I spent a goodly portion of today cooking. I haven't done that in awhile. I've visited some wonderful blogs that share recipes. I thought about doing the same, but I have a problem. I don't usually use a recipe. For example, when my aunt taught me to make sausage gravy, it went like this. First you cook your sausage however you like. Then you turn down the fire a bit and add some flour to the grease in the skillet. Enough to soak up the grease..however much that is. Then you cook it, making sure you don't have the fire up too high, stirring it constantly until you almost, but not quite burn it. (This is called making a Roux - pronounced rue) Once the Roux is ready you add some milk. Then you cook it down till it looks right. You can add as much salt and pepper as you want.

Now, if you're from the South, this makes perfect sense. If not, just come by and I'll make y'all some gravy and yummy biscuits to pour it over!!

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Sonshine Quotes.

As I said yesterday, Subvet had a little wreck in our only car. We had it towed home and it now sits looking very sad and crumpled in our driveway awaiting the ins adjuster. Sonshine saw the van and said he wanted to go in the car. I said we couldn't because it was broken. He replies, "Daddy fix the batteries. I want to go in car!" AAH, if only it were as simple as changing the batteries! This got me to thinking about other things this 3 1/2 year old says that makes me smile. As a part of his delay issues he will get a phrase or word he's heard stuck in his head and it will be repeated at odd times throughout his day. Remember the saying that little pitchers have big ears?? Well, they forgot to mention the enormous mouth that's attached!! So, here are a few things we've heard at precisely the wrong moment.
"Oh, for crying out loud."
"Stupid is as stupid does."
"Good Rip, Daddy, Good rip." (after Daddy passes gas)
"Baby Sister eating passy." (pacifier)
"Kitty spanking my hand."
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph!!"
"I can not believe it!"
"Daddy sleeping." followed by loud snoring sounds
And the funniest of all (to me) is that now every morning Sonshine puts in his breakfast order. When Subvet or I open the door to the boys' room every morning, Sonshine starts by saying "We have pancakes for breakfast." or "We have donut holes for breakfast" or "We have chocolate cookies for breakfast."
For some reason, he never asks for eggs and milk.

Go figure.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

patience

well,
I had a hard time deciding what to post tonight. I was gonna put up something funny about joining the circus so I could have a quieter, more sane life. But Subvet had a minor wreck (accident) in our only car and it got me to thinking about patience. See, he was stopped at a red light behind a truck pulling a trailer, kinda similar to what the landscapers use. When, suddenly, the truck started backing up...right into our front end. The driver said that he was backing up so he could pull into a business drive there at the corner. Was he going to drive through so he could avoid 1 of the 2 red lights in this city? Who knows..but it's feasible. So many folks do. I'll admit, there are actually only 2 red lights in town...and I know how to avoid them both. Here in Texas there is a "10 mph over the limit" rule of thumb, and even nice restaurant food must be served quickly. How do we teach our children to have patience while we're weaving through stop and go traffic cussing under our breath? Or fuming because Farmer John is driving his tractor from one field to another on the bridge and doing 15 in a 55? Subvet was stationed in Italy for 2 years back in his canoe club days. He always talks about the different pace of life over there. Since he got back to the States one thing he's insisted on is that we don't go out to eat unless we have a minimum of 2 hours to spend enjoying the meal. That's from when we're seated to when we leave. You try spending 2 hours at a restaurant table and see how often you get asked "Is there anything else I can get for you??????" Which is the nice way of saying hey, we're tired of waiting on you to quit yakking, move on and free up the seats. Oh, and we don't want the meal served until we've actually eaten everything off the appetizer plate...but that's another post. The point is that we just don't live in a patient society.

Yet, we are called to be patient. Galatians 5:22. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. So, in my struggles with patience a song from my childhood has always come back to me. It has 3 verses and by the time you've sung all 3 usually the traffic has cleared, the light changed, or Farmer John has gotten to a wide spot in the road where you can pass. This is from a children's choir musical titled "The Music Machine".

There was a snail called Herbert
Who was so very slow
He caused a lot of traffic jams
Wherever he would go.

The ants were always getting mad
The beetles, they would fume,

But Herb would always poke along
and sing this little tune.

Have patience, have patience
Don't be in such a hurry.
When you get, impatient
You only start to worry.
Remember, remember
That God is patient too.
And think of all the times
When others have to wait on you.

When Herbert was much younger
He often got in trouble
Forgetting that he was a snail
He did things on the double.

He'd crash through every spider web
With beetles he'd collide

Till one day Herbert's father
Took his speeding son aside.

Have patience, have patience
Don't be in such a hurry.
When you get, impatient
You only start to worry.
Remember, remember
That God is patient too.
And think of all the times
When others have to wait on you.

As you can well imagine
There's a moral to this tale.
Some of you may find yourselves
Behind a creeping snail.

So if you are impatient
And you're easily disturbed.
Think about this little song
And take a tip from Herb.

Have patience, have patience
Don't be in such a hurry.
When you get, impatient
You only start to worry.
Remember, remember
That God is patient too.
And think of all the times
When others have to wait on you.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Potty Training 101

Well, it's been a rough week. So I decided I needed to laugh, and y'all can laugh with me.

So, we're trying to potty train Sonshine. This is proving more difficult than expected. In order to help him get the idea of what it is that I want him to do. I've asked Subvet to take Sonshine with him when he needs to pee. Show him how big boys do it...all that. Well, Subvet is a little shy about this sort of thing but sportingly agreed.

So, the time came...and Dad and Son went into the bathroom for the first time to see what it's all about. I'm in the living room listening to the following conversation.
All from Subvet.

Come on, let's go tee tee like a big boy.
Geez, this is embarrassing.
Yeah, Daddy's a big boy...this is how big boys put tee tee in the potty.
I can't believe I'm doing this.
Yeah, Daddy's tee tee
HEY, DON'T DO THAT!!!
GET YOUR HANDS OUT OF THERE!!
Come and wash your hands.

Apparently Sonshine had decided to "play in Daddy's fountain"
Daddy was NOT amused.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Surprise!!

I'm real glad that we've already had Alligator baptised, because this would be him!!



Help Wanted

Well, I'm almost done recovering my loveseat.




In order to finish I need 4 nails.


Subvet has been to every upholstery shop in our neck of the woods and can't find anything similar. Most places have decorative nails or tacks, but these are to go
under the padding. The head of the nail is 1" square and the shaft is 1.5" long. Please leave all ideas for where to find these in the comments.
Thanks
MightyMom

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Fresh Produce

UMmmm, My Dad and Step-mother kept the kids for awhile today, as we left their house they offered us some "fresh produce" from their garden. As a result I have just finished the 1st half of my dinner. It was a cucumber and a tomato with Ranch dressing. Yes I know that this is not a great thing for a nursing mother to eat. But, hey, can YOU turn it down?? Tomatoes from the garden. Picked yesterday or today, ripe and juicy. Simple pleasures!! In about 15 minutes the bread that Subvet made earlier will be done and I'll have the 2nd half of dinner. Warm bread fresh from the oven (or in this case the bread maker) with real butter. Ha, beat that!!

God has given me many joys in my life. Some are complex beyond my understanding, like the Internet. But the sweetest ones are the simplest by far. Such as having truly fresh produce and homemade bread while holding a sleeping baby.

Such are the greatest gifts of God.

markers

OK, I took about 50 pics of Sugars last Sunday. She'll be 4 months old in a week or so and we didn't have anything but her birth pictures. So, here I am, late on Wed night, oops sorry, it's now Thurs am and I'm putting all these pics on disks and making copies for the grandparents. I need to label these disks...so, off to find a marker. I have markers, big markers, short markers, red, green, blue, black, yellow. I think I found about 65 markers total. There's just one problem. Not one of them are permanent. I've got washable with soap and water, water erasable, fades away over time (aka dissappearing ink), dry erase, only writes on a specific brand of paper, markers that write in silly shapes. I might have a marker here that will write by itself...but if I do, you can bet it WON'T be permanent. Nope, not a permanent marker in the house. Oh, wait, I found 1 just one sitting at the bottom of the box. But it's almost dried up, I better hurry up and label these disks before it stops writing!!

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

God Bless Sunday School Teachers

He hasn't been diagnosed, but my Sonshine has traits very similar to Asperger's Syndrome. This is a mild form of autism. Since "socialization" is the area where he's most delayed, I make a point of putting him in as many social situations with "age appropriate" peers as possible. This is hard because the happier/ more overstimulated he gets the wilder he gets.

Well, this week is Vacation Bible School, so I called his SS teach (who will be teaching his VBS class too) and asked if she minded Sonshine going. God love her, the answer was "I'd assumed he'd be there." Now, for those of you who haven't been to a VBS recently, it overstimulates ME. And I'm pretty calm overall. So, tonight is the second night and I was a little late dropping him off. They'd already started the dancing and music when we walked in. His class (being the youngest) sits in the front pew of the sanctuary. I have my 2 other hooligans in tow (Sugars in arms and Alligator by the same hand I'm holding Sonshine with). So halfway up the aisle I let go of Sonshine. Does he go find his teacher?? OF COURSE NOT!!! He goes straight up to the front where the leaders are dancing and tries to get as close as possible to the screen where the video is playing. Then starts running around the dancers laughing and doing his own "happy dance".

OK, hard mommy moment. Decision time. Do I trek up to the front with the other 2 kids to try and get him to the right place or do I wait and see what happens next?? Well, I waited. His teacher was talking to another kid and didn't see us walk in. After a min or two she spotted him (granted, he wasn't hard to miss) went over and herded him back in with the class. I went on home to wait till time to pick him up.

When I got there to pick him up things hadn't wound down yet so I had a chance to stand at the back and watch Sonshine without him knowing I was there. WOW, that was strange. I was also alone which was even stranger. First off, it took me 5 min to find him. YUP, he looked (and acted) just like every other little boy on that pew. Then, as I was standing there watching him from behind, no less than 3 of the other VBS helpers came up to me individually to tell me how WELL BEHAVED my son is. These are people who know us, surely they haven't forgotten which boy is mine???!!!??? One teacher even said he was one of the best in the group.

I am amazed, daily, at how much Sonshine has changed. He's constantly improving. I know that there will always be hard mommy moments. I hope that I have the strength to stand back and watch more often. And I am very grateful that God has put such wonderful, understanding, loving teachers in his life who won't blink at having him in their class.

Big White Hat posted recently about taking his son "Tiger", who is autistic, into a new social situation. He ended that post by saying about Tiger, "He will be a truly excellent man. He will achieve great things....I am proud of him."

That is exactly how I feel about Sonshine.

Monday, June 18, 2007

ooooopppsss

Low Crime Day

who says all cops do is eat doughnuts??




Thanks to Cookie at The Cook Shack for this video!! Makes me laugh every time!!!

Look before you touch

When Sonshine was almost 2 we had a big tree in our front yard. Around the tree was a flower bed that had become overgrown. While Alligator was taking his nap Sonshine and I would go out and spend about 20min a day weeding that bed. It was real easy, anything growing was a weed. Well, Sonshine found a patch of loose dirt and was playing in it. Picking up handfuls and then letting it fall in a steady stream. Getting very dirty in the process. I was bent over pulling weeds. He holds something out to me so I take it and tell him thank you. THEN, I look down to see what he'd handed me. It was a nice large piece of dried cat poop. Yup, here in Texas we have clay soil...that loose dirt should have been a dead giveaway.

From then on I've had a strict policy of looking before accepting anything from my kids.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Happy Father's Day

I thought that in honor of Father's Day I'd put up some of my favorite quotes by men.


"All Hell couldn't trip him up." Grandpa George, referring to someone (like my sonshine) who had really big feet.

"Hunger makes good sauce." Subvet's Dad. ie, the hungrier you are, the more appetizing something is.

"There never was a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him asleep." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hieroglyphics

When Sonshine was 18 months old he had about 5 words, total. That began our journey with "Therapy". Subvet and I thought he'd never say I love you Daddy or be able to tell someone his name if he got lost. Now he's 3 1/2, only 2 years has passed. Not only does he tell us he loves us all the time and can tell you his entire name. He can also spell his first name. He knows Galatians 5:22 by heart and he's now learning the 12 disciples (apostles). These are solely due to a wonderful CD I bought called the Kingdom Kids Club. Scripture set to music. Today, he spent 10 min learning how to correctly pronounce "hieroglyphics". We don't watch TV, but they can watch some Veggie Tales, Barney, or Little Einsteins on DVD. Hieroglyphics came out of a Little Einsteins video. What I've realized is that he can learn anything I will teach him. He learns "differently", but who cares? Not me, that's for sure.

Oh, wow, what a wonderful life I have!!

Harry Potter

OK, Only 34 days till Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released. So I thought I'd see if anyone wants to get some friendly discussion going.

Is Dumbledore dead?? (Or only mostly dead)

thoughts....feelings....

Perspective

Someone disappointed me today and I was very angry. In talking the situation over with Subvet he said, "See, now you have something to talk about on your new blog." I thought yes....BUT....



It was that BUT that got me to thinking. My Grandma Lillie taught me that you choose what you focus on. You can focus on being angry or you can accept things "as is" and find a way to improve the situation. My mom says "You can get glad in the same shoes you got mad in." And Subvt says "You're either a part of the problem or a part of the solution." So OK, I was PO'd for an hour, what did it accomplish? It didn't solve the issue that made me mad in the first place, but I did waste energy on fuming about it which then stole a little bit of my patience away from the hooligans (my kids). My conclusion is this: with 3 hooligans under the age of 4, I need all the patience I can muster for the. "Welcome to life on life's terms" -- another Subvet-ism. And besides, it is - truly - a wonderful life!

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Credit cards

OK, I got a bit frustrated tonight. I'm trying to pare down the number of credit cards we carry so I called 4 companies to cancel, every time was the same. Can someone please tell me why you have to a) speak to 2 people, b) answer 10 min worth of questions and c) listen to a sales pitch just for them to click the cancel button?? If I had not already made up my mind to cancel them, I wouldn't have sat on hold to speak to the representative in the first place. uuggghhh. One of the companies was Bank of America. We're cancelling because of their SSN-free card, availabe to illegal aliens nation wide. So, when the lady asked why I was cancelling, I told her. She had a whole schpeil about how the media made it up and how all card holders had "government IDs" and my information was safe. OK, I tried to explain, again, why I wanted my card canceled. She debated the issue with me. Finally, I interrupted her and asked where she was located. CANADA. I said, so you're debating this immigration issue with me and you're NOT an American Citizen?? Funnily enough, it took exactly 4 seconds more to cancel the card and say goodbye.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Thesaurus Thursday Glossary

comate - adj. hairy tufted

congeries - a collection of items or parts in one mass; assemblage; aggregation; heap.


crapulous adj. 1. characterized by gross excess in drinking or eating. 2. suffering from such excess.


dippy - foolish or somewhat crazy.

dirndl - A Dirndl is a type of traditional dress worn in southern Germany and Austria, based on the historical costume of Alpine peasants. It has a tight bodice, low neck, full skirt, lacy blouse, and apron. While appearing to be simple and plain, a properly-made, modern dirndl might be quite expensive.



In the south german dialects (bairisch), 'dirndl' originally referred to a young woman or a girl. Nowadays, 'dirndl' may equally refer to either a young woman, or to the dress as described in this article.

Dirndl is loosely based on Trachten, the traditional dress of Bavaria and Austria. Trachten is much older, and is very highly crafted and expensive. It has a different style and crest for each village, along with unusual hats and accessories.

Dirndl originated as a simplified form of Trachten, for Austrian servants uniforms in the 19th century (dirndlegewand means "maid's dress"). Simple forms were also worn commonly by working women in plain colours or a simple check.

The Austrian upper classes adopted it as high fashion in the 1870s.

The winter style has heavy, warm skirts and aprons made of heavy cotton, linen, velvet or wool, and long sleeves. The colors are usually rich and dark.

The summer style is lighter and more frivolous, has short sleeves, and is often made of lightweight cotton, silk or satin in brighter, summery colours.

Styles worn as national dress or to annual festivals can be highly ornamented with patterns and frills.

Accessories may include a long apron tied round the waist (mimicking the original form of a maid or peasant), a waistcoat or a wool shawl. For colder weather there are heavy dirndl coats in the same cut as the dresses, with a high neck and front buttons, thick mittens and wool hats.

The dirndl is generally restricted to Bavaria and Austria, but is also seen in these regions by women in the folk music business (which often targets an older conservative audience in Germany).


In Bavaria, it may often be seen on women working in tourism-related businesses, and sometimes waitresses in traditional-style restaurants or biergartens. However, despite being far from an everyday dress, a common woman in southern Bavaria may sometimes wear it at formal occasions (much like a Scotsman wearing a kilt) and certain traditional events. Surprisingly, it is hugely popular even among young women at the time of the Oktoberfest in Munich (and similar festivals in southern Germany), although most young women will only wear dirndl-style dresses (called Landhausmode), which may deviate by numerous ways and are often much cheaper.


(A typical Oktoberfest Dirndl)


Popular designs are often less plain and much more revealing and provocative (e.g. having a short skirt and/or displaying significant cleavage). A true dirndl at the Oktoberfest is usually a good way of distinguishing between a native Bavarian, and non-native visitors or residents in Bavaria.

Where the knot on the apron is an indicator of the woman's matial status. A knot tied on the woman's left side indicates she is single, a knot tied on the right means she is married, and a knot tied in back means the woman is widowed.

[Wikipedia]

factotum - n. an assistant who takes on a wide range of tasks and responsibilities



exegetical is a form of the word exegesis - critical explanation or interpretation, esp of Scripture.

frisson - n. a sudden passing sensation of excitement; a shudder of emotion; thrill



genu - n (pl genua) 1) the knee 2) a kneelike part or bend

gramineous (grÉ™ min′Ä“ É™s) put the schwa e or upside down e in the boxes...sounds like a soft "uh"
- adj. of the grass family; of or like grass; grassy
Etymology: L gramineus < gramen, grass

hetaera-n. 1) a highly cultured courtesan or concubine, esp in ancient Greece 2. any woman who uses her beauty and charm to obtain wealth or social position

Immure vt 1) to enclose within or as if within walls. 2) to imprison 3) to build into or entomb in a wall.



izzard - the letter z

Jipijapa - 1) a palm like plant of Central and South America 2) a Panama hat.

(and from The Columbia Encyclopedia)
(heepeehä´pä) (KEY) , city (1990 pop. 32,225), W Ecuador, on the equatorial lowlands. A few miles inland from the Pacific, Jipijapa is famous for thmanufacture of high-grade Panama hats, made from the jipijapa plant. It is also the trade center for an agricultural region.

Jingo - a person who professes belligerent patriotism and favors an aggressive foreign policy. [from the phrase by Jingo in a political song supporting use of British forces against Russia in 1878].

jute - 1) a strong coarse fiber used for making burlap, gunny, cordage, etc. obtained from two East Indian plants, Corchorus capsularis and C. olitorius, of the linden family. 2) either of these plants.



kachina or katcina or katchina 1 any of a class of supernatural beings who play a role in the religious beliefs and rituals of Pueblo indian peoples. 2 a masked dancer impersonating such a being 3 a carved wooden doll representing a kachina.

kampong or campong - a small village or community of houses in Malay-speaking lands.



kapok - n. the silky down that invests the seeds of a tropical silk-cotton tree. Ceiba pentandra used for stuffing pillows, life jackets, etc., and for acoustical insulation.


Levant - to run away from a debt.



longanimity - n. patient endurance of hardship or injuries; forbearance

lupanar n a brothel; whorehouse.


madtom n any of several small North American freshwater catfishes of the genus Noturus, having a poisonous pectoral spine.


maffick - to celebrate with extravagant public demonstrations.

mecopterous - belonging or pertaining to an order (Mecoptera) of carnivorous insects characterized by a long snoutlike head with biting mouthparts at the tip, as the scorpionflies.




numen - n. divine or supernatural power of presence. esp. as associated with a particular place or objet.

nudibranch - n. any shell-less marine gastropod mollusk of the suborder Nudibranchia, having external, often branched respiratory appendages. OK, that's what my good ol' Webster's College Dictionary says...Wikepedia is easier to understand: Nudibranchs, also known as sea slugs, are soft-bodied marine snails belonging to the suborder Nudibranchia, the largest suborder of the order Opisthobranchia. There are more than 3,000 described species.

Here are some pics...






okapi - The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is a mammal of the Ituri Rainforest in central Africa. Although it bears striped markings reminiscent of the zebra, it is most closely related to the giraffe. Native just to the Ituri forests situated in the north east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it was known only to the local people until 1901.



Okapis have dark backs, with striking horizontal white stripes on the front and back legs, making them resemble zebras from a distance. These markings are thought to help young follow their mothers through the dense rain forest; they also serve as camouflage.

The body shape is similar to that of the giraffe, except that okapis have much shorter necks. Both species have very long (approx. 30 cm or 12 inch), flexible, blue tongues that they use to strip leaves and buds from trees.

The tongue of an okapi is long enough for the animal to wash its eyelids and clean its ears: it is one of the few mammals that can lick its own ears. Male okapis have short, skin-covered horns called "ossicones". They have large ears, which help them detect their predator, the leopard.

Okapis are 1.9 to 2.5 m (8.1 ft) long and stand 1.5 to 2.0 m (6.5 ft) high at the shoulder. They have a 30 to 42 cm (12 to 17 in) long tail. Their weight ranges from 200 to 250 kg (465 to 550 lb).

Okapis are largely diurnal and essentially solitary, coming together only to breed.

Okapis forage along fixed, well-trodden paths through the forest. They live alone or in mother-offspring pairs. They have overlapping home ranges of several square kilometers and typically occur at densities of about 0.6 animals per square kilometer.


A young okapi calf with its mother at Brookfield Zoo, Illinois



omphalos n. 1) the navel; umbilicus 2) the central point 3) any of a number of navel-shaped stones that functioned as cult objects in ancient Greek religion esp a stone in the temple of Apollo at Delphi, thought to mark the center of the earth.

onomastics - n. (used with a singular verb) the study of the origin, history, and use of proper names.

or'-dure n. dung; manure; excrement.

oriel n. a bay window, esp. one cantilevered or corbeled out from a wall.


oubliette - n a secret dungeon wih an opening only in the ceiling.


pannier or panier (pan'yer) n 1. a basket, esp a large one, for carrying goods, provisions, etc 2. one of a pair of baskets to be slung across the back of a pack animal. 3. Also called pannier drape on a dress, skirt, etc a puffed arrangement of drapery at the hips 4. an oval framework or a pair of hoops formerly used for distending the skirt of a dress at the hips.


passe-partout - 1. something that passes or provides passage everywhere, as a master key. 2. an ornamental mat for a picture 3. a method of framing in which a piece of glass is placed over a pictue and is affixed to a backing by means of adhesive strips of paper pasted over the edges. 4. paper prepared for this purpose.

pavane - n. 1) a stately dance dating from the 16th century. 2) the music for this dance.

pavid adj (it's pah' vid like apple not pay' vid like pavement by the way) timid, afraid, frightened.

pawl n. a pivoted bar adapted to engage with the teeth of a wheel so as to prevent movement or to impart motion. (makes me think of the "brakes" on my strollers)


peruke
- a man's wig of the 17th and 18th centurids, ussu powedered and gathered at the back o th eneck with a ribbon; periwig.




Plaudit - 1) an enthusiastic expression of approval 2) a demonstration or round of applause.

poil n a yarn or thread made from silk, used for ribbon, velvet, and as the core of gold, silver, and tinsel yarn.

porrect - extending horizontally; projecting.


prate - 1) to talk excessively and pointlessly; babble 2) to utter in empty or foolish talk 3) the act of prating 4) empty or foolish talk


Preprandial - appropriate to the period just before dinner.

pretermit - v.t. 1. to let pass without notice; disregard. 2 to leave undone; neglect; omit. 3. to suspend or interrupt.

pursy - 1) short winded, esp from fatness, 2) fat or obese, 3) vain about one's wealth; purse-proud.



ramose - adj having many branches; branching


rapacious
- adj 1) given to plundering. 2) inordinately greedy; predatory 3) (of animals) subsisting by the capture of living prey; predacious.

sallet - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The sallet (also called salade) was a war helmet that replaced the bascinet in northern Europe during the mid-15th century. Some sallets were close fitting except at the back of the head where they extended and formed a pointed tail. Some Italian ones followed the nape of the neck, and had an additional plate riveted on. Many sallets were worn with an extended, padded, gorget called a bevor that protected the wearer's jaw. Some sallet versions have occularia in the form of a slit in a visor, some have this slit in the front of the helm, or even in the brim. Most sallets needed no breathing holes, as there was a natural gap where it overlapped the bevor near the wearer's mouth. Some Italian sallets had a "bellows visor" with breaths cut into the visor.

This helmet design contrasted with the barbute which was popular in Italy at the same time. Unlike the sallet, the barbute itself protected the jaw and neck. So whereas the gorget or bevor were important counterparts to the sallet, they were usually absent in barbutes. Barbutes did not pivot. Sallets did not share the barbute's resemblance to classical Greek or Roman artifacts.

One characteristic that distinguishes early sallets from late sallets is the length of the helmet tail, which became more pronounced toward the end of the century. Some helmets are of intermediate design, incorporating elements of both the barbute and the sallet. In the early 16th century this evolved into the burgonet.



salvo - n 1) a simultaneous or successive discharge of artillery, rockets, etc 2) a round of gunfire given as a salute 3) a round of cheers or applause 4) a verbal attack as upon an opponent or rival

sanative - adj. having the power to heal.



sinistral adj 1) of, pertaining to, or on the left side; left. 2) having a preference for using the left hand or side; left-handed 3) (of certain gastropod shells) coiling counterclockwise, as seen from the apex

spital 1 a hospital, esp one for lazars (those with leprosy) 2 a shelter on a highway.



stodge-v.t. 1) to stuff full, esp. with food or drink; gorge ----v.i. 2) to trudge ---n. 3) food that is particularly filling.

squill - 1 the bulb of the sea onion, Urginea maritima of the lily family, cut ito thin slices and dried; used esp. as an expectorant 2 the plant itself 3 any related plant of the genus Scilla





surfeit
- 1 excess; an excessive amount. 2 excess or overindulgence in eating or drinking. 3 an uncomfortably full feeling due to excessive eating or drinking 4 general disgust caused by excess or satiety 5 to supply or feed to excess or satiety; satiate 6 to indulge in something as food or drink, to excess.



Tomalley - the liver in a cooked lobster.

tonette - a small, end-blown flute made of plastic, which was once popular in American elementary music education. It has largely been superseded by the recorder. The range of the instrument is from middle C (c4) to d4. It is also known as a song flute.

The Tonette was introduced in 1938. Designed as a pre-band instrument, the tonette was nearly unbreakable, chromatic, and tunable. It was easy to blow and the fingering was simple. By 1941 over half of the grammar schools in the United States had adopted the Tonette as standard pre-band equipment. The Tonette's pleasant flute-like sound was also used for special novelty effects in radio, television and film.

In World War II the armed services found the Tonette to be an inexpensive and entertaining way for idle troops to pass the time.

Peter Schickele has described the tonette as "a cheap, synthetic recorder with amusing pretensions"; it is one of the instruments featured in the Gross Concerto by P. D. Q. Bach. **thanks to Wikipedia**



tre-ha'-la n. a sugary substance secreted by certain Asian beetles of the genus Larinus, forming their pupal covering.

xylomotous - (zi lot' e mes) adj boring into or cutting wood, as certain insects.

xanthus (zan' thes) adj 1) yellow 2) yellowish