Painted Tree Roots

This weekend, my husband and I hiked around Session Lake in Ionia Recreation Area. We visit there once or twice a year. However, this time we noticed a new addition: Neon Orange Painted Tree Roots. They were only on the trail from the campground to the lake... Still... This IS the woods. Why warn people of tree roots amongst trees?

When we turned off from that trail to continue around the lake -- whew -- no more distracting orange paint,when -- you guessed it -- I tripped over a tree root. Both my DH and I pointed to the root, and said the same words at the exact same time: "THAT one should have been painted!"

(With 34 years of marriage celebrated yesterday, one should expect same words at same time. Still... that almost more scary than finding orange tree roots.)

Church and Taxes

Last year, a church near the downtown postoffice offered free stamps for people filing their income taxes.

My DH commented: "It it their philosophy, 'If you can't lick 'em, join 'em?"

Peacemaking Humor

The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

Musical Humor

Question: What is the most musical bone in your body?









Answer: A trom-bone.

Microwave Humor

From Becky Clark's FB page:

First laugh of the day, from Boy #1 — "I just put a potato in the microwave and pressed Popcorn but it’s still a potato… Did I do it wrong?"

Age Appropriate Books for Kids

On Monday, I attended a Jane Yolen talk. She is my heroine, with more than 300 books published for children and teens. I was impressed with the way she spoke to each child lined up to have a book signed. She asked their age, and if in elementary school, yet held out a YA for her to sign, Jane would say the book was not meant for her age, but that she'd sign it if she promised not to read it until she was twelve years old.

It reminded me of our younger son who was an avid reader. By the time he was ten, he was reading each Michael Crichton book as it came out. I felt awful that I couldn't keep up with him. One day I said to him, "Honey, I'm sorry. I don't have the time to read as much nor as fast as you, I can't read the books you've picked out ahead of time." "Oh, that's all right, Mom," he answered. "Some parts would be inappropriate for you to read."

Medical Staff No-No Phrases

While seeing my dental hygienist today, I joked with her how certain phrases should not be used by medical staff. The #1 biggest no-no (IMO) is "Oops."

She has been at her job for over 30 years. Some of it is mindless routine work, for her, anyway. She told me how one day as she had sharp metal tools inside a man's mouth, she muttered, "Oh, darn!" His panicked reaction made her quickly respond, "Did I say that out loud? Oh, no. You're fine. It was nothing." What caused her comment was the fact that she'd just remembered something she'd forgotten to add on her grocery list that morning.