Esquire Coffinberry's Great-Grand-Niece

I open Outlook, and see a message from the women's group I "belong" to; the subject line says "E----'s Baby." Who is "E----"? I wonder. I click on the message. No help there. I still have no idea who is being talked about. But nevertheless, congratulations to "E----" and her sweet new little one. So, tell me again: Why would I say I "belong" to this group?

The wheels of justice may roll quite slowly, but they do move nonetheless. I was delighted to hear today from my Legal Aid Clinic professor that the SSDI appeal brief to the Appeals Council that I wrote during Finals last spring for my pre-adolescent client was successful! The Appeals Council remanded to the local ALJ, and the fully-favorable decision came in over the weekend. I am very excited for this young man and his family, who have been in dire need of this help. Hooray!

His heart was all a'flutter Round the bend came number ten-- Toot-toot! Peanut Butter! Would you eat a mashed peanut off of a railroad track? Mmmm, I suppose that depends on how hungry you are. In some ways, we have become much more germophobic than we need to be, I suspect. (I've long been a 5-second rule person, depending on where the offending ground is... kitchen, maybe; zoo, no way!) My husband's grandpa (who lived well into his 80's) used to say that if you haven't eaten a bushel of dirt before you die, you haven't lived. Mice and ants are a fact of life (that's why God invented cats and bug spray). Before the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 food manufacturers could and did put non-food extenders into goods sold to the public, to increase their profitability. As the ever-more-urban public became increasingly dependent on mass marketed ingredients and food stuffs, they had less knowledge of the processes and sources providing their edibles, and thus more...

We have a lovely snowfall outside, with sugar-coated trees and ice-coated streets. Wanting to avoid the traffic snarl likely out there (last time it did like this, my 16 mile commute took 2.25 hours), I'm leaving for work in a minute. In personal terms, these last several days have been a whirlwind of emotions, but things are looking to settle down positively now. Meanwhile, I'm not so sure about this (perhaps it is the beginning premise that is wrong... I would rather be a SMART car than a sports car, in the first place), but it was fun: I'm a Dodge Viper! You're all about raw power. You're tough, you're loud, and you don't take crap from anyone. Leave finesse to the other cars, the ones eating your dust. Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

It's a day for doing budgets and taxes, for closing up the first month of 2009 and preparing to enter the second month. Not a lot to tell about, really. A new niece was born the day Obama was inaugurated. Both cool new beginnings. I personally am exhausted after 6 weeks of focused work on two complex trials, and ready to switch gears a little. I also think I've got a sinus cold. But I have managed to put in at least 30 minutes of exercise in 25 of the last 31 days... if you know me well, you know that is remarkable. I was the kind of kid who hated PE by the time she was in second grade. But now I crave the exercise time, even when tired. It is a very strange thing. I was looking at the walnut tree outside the window (the one a squirrel planted a dozen years ago), thinking that it's another three months until the leaves begin filling the view with lush green. It seems like forever.

You Are a Dash Your life is fast paced and varied. You are realistic, down to earth, and very honest. You're often busy doing something interesting, and what you do changes quickly. You have many facets to your personality, and you connect them together well. You have a ton of interests. While some of them are a bit offbeat, they all tie together well. You friends rely on you to bring novelty and excitement to their lives. (And while you're the most interesting person they know, they can't help feeling like they don't know you well.) You excel in: Anything to do with money You get along best with: the Exclamation Point What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Our stake 's 14-18 year old youth are going on Trek this summer (Mr. Coffinberry & I are lead pa & ma, which is a quaint way of saying people-who-fill-in-for-whatever-is-needed). Of course, Trek is a large part of our young people's focus of study this year, then. In an attempt to combine this year's YM/YW theme "Be an Example of the Believers" with Trek (and respond to an itch to compose something brought on by Elder Uchtdorf's talk last fall), this is what I came up with. A handful of young people will be singing it a week from Sunday at a Trek Kickoff Fireside. Can you tell I'm a Scouter at heart (ahem, I usta be a Bobwhite, a good ol' Bobwhite too... )? Let me know what you think, and if you use it for some purpose, I'd love to know that, too.

So you thought I'd never post again. You were probably right. But here I am, with a free morning at last, and all sorts of things to think about. On my mind today: how to make a career decision. Like the puppy chasing cars--what does it expect to do when it catches one? After decades of wrestling with "you can be whatever you want to be," I finally decided to be a Lawyer. Now I find that I still have to decide what I want to be. And this in a seriously down economy. I have been offered an opportunity to put off actual practice as a lawyer for another year, and gain experience in the criminal law side of things. The pay is low, as lawyering-pay goes, but it is a job, which is a real big deal in this down-market. And the experience would be good. But I won't be doing actual law practice yet, so that means that if people ask me for legal help (as some have already done), I will have to say no to them still. But (like Tevye, I'm running out of hands here) taking this ...

Having a need of a shawl to complete a pioneer-reenactment clothing set, I bought two skeins of red yarn last month, and invented this. It is very simple. Use standard yarn (I used RedHeart brand) and a J-hook. 1. Chain (178-small) (186-medium) (194-large) (202-very large). 2. (Neck-edge) Turn, and single crochet in each chain back to beginning. (This makes a sturdy neck-edge for your shawl.) 3. (Body of shawl) Turn. *Chain 6, skip 3 stitches and make a single crochet in the 4th stitch.* Repeat between * until you get to the end of the line, ending by connecting a chain into the end of the line with a single crochet. 4. Turn. Chain 3. *Single crochet in top of the chain loop, chain 6.* Repeat until you come to the last loop in the row; attach to that loop with a single crochet. 5. Repeat Row 4 until on your last row you make only one chain 6 and fasten in with a single crochet in the top of the next loop. (Don't cut off the yarn yet. Keep going.) Scalloped Edging: This edging start...

The choir director pauses the practice. The time for our rehearsal is nearly past and gone--next week we will sing to close the adult session of stake conference. She wants us to ponder the words we sing. Oh, Savior, stay this night with me; behold, 'tis eventide... She paints a picture of words for us, the pleading of a soul who must face the world again soon, but for just this moment, feels the Spirit and wants that feeling to stay. Just a little longer. Please ? Lik e the Nephites , who touched His feet and His hands and listened all day to the sound of His voice; and with their tears begged him to stay. Abide with me. 'Tis eventide, and lone will be the night if I cannot commune with thee, Nor find in thee my light, The darkness of the world, I fear. . . I think about her words. The words bring an image to my mind. A child, in the dark, wishing for a nightlight that only a loving parent can bring. Yes, I know that craving. *** The room is dark. There are small windows, hig...

Do you think that Duct-tape Man and Recycle Girl brought home enough candy? (Egads!)

Happy Hallowe'en!

Daughter's fifth-grade class is earning money for classroom activities, and as part of tonight's Harvest Festival is having a bake sale. Two goodies, packaged in a plastic bag, for Fifty Cents. She is bringing White-Chocolate-Topped Brownies. When I was a teen, my school did the same thing... we used our money to earn a trip over the mountains and through the woods to go to the Fair in Knoxville in the fall, and a roller-skating party in the spring. The bake sale has a long tradition in my family. Here, circa approximately 1961, is what my grandmother baked for: If baked goods aren't your cuppa tea, could I interest you in a coupon book in support of the Longmont High School Music Boosters? They're only $20.

Many folks, I would guess, are at least passing familiar with what it might mean to be a practicing Jewish mother (of a hundred-some years ago, maybe), if only because of the beautiful images of Sabbath preparation and ritual led by Golde in Fiddler on the Roof. What is not so known, I would guess, are the rhythms of life familiar to a Mormon woman, the harmonizing patterns small and great organizing and shaping life. Rhythms that come daily, like family prayer; weekly, like teaching in Primary; monthly, like fasting for the poor or worshipping in the temple; or twice annually, like joining brothers and sisters around the world in hearing the words of the prophets at general conference. Circles of life opening and closing with rituals marking the passage of time as children grow up and go on missions and start their own families. I find myself in a strange place in life, at the moment; one that I find hard to articulate. My rhythms of life continue, with defining central meaning to me...

In a move not unlike that contemplated by the founding fathers in the unamended Constitution, the elementary school slotted the second-place vote-getter as Vice President. So, Daughter is thrilled to be veep to her very best friend, who is the student body president. Oh, and I passed the Colorado Bar. And Kelly & Company--THANKS for dropping by (and for the root beer). Mr. Coffinberry met me at work to take me out for Sushi to celebrate, then we got the kids and took them out for ice cream. But I am so sorry we missed you! Let's have you and yours over soon to celebrate.

I found this picture on facebook, and poached it for my blog. I guess somebody is deep in thought, out there at college. He asked for a sweatshirt the other day... I said, can't you get one out there, like with your college logo or something? Oh, no mom, he told me, that would take money, and money is scarce. Go figure. So I got him a $10 fleece pull-over from Wal-mart, to keep him warm on the 1 1/2 mile hike to campus. Meanwhile, got an email from the missionary son. He got the copy of the Colorado Bluebook I sent last week (he got our only copy, the rest of us have to use the internet to figure out our vote). His first question: Why do we have so many constitutional amendments on the ballot? A good question, indeed. Maybe Professor Collins would like to use that for a final exam question for this year's iteration of Local Government . And speaking of voting, the student body president vote isn't until tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow... bar exam results could be released as...

It's after dinner, and Mr. Coffinberry and I decide to go for a little walk, so that our step-counters (courtesy the Walking Challenge ) will read something a little more substantial than the ~2000 steps our sedentary jobs provoke. Son Three is at Driver's Ed class (how did that happen?) so only Daughter-one-and-only is home. I shout down the stairs: "You wanna come on a walk with us?" "No," she cheerfully replies, "I've gotta work on my campaign." "What campaign?" I wonder aloud over the rail. "For President." Remembering with chagrin my 2nd grade encounter with classroom campaign debates over McGovern and Nixon (as a memory oddment floats by: Gina Dearth and Steve Hammer spoke for McGovern; I was for Nixon--after 36 years, why should those names pop to mind?), I try to imagine how this campaign must look to 5th grade eyes. Not wanting to indicate any current bias (here in 2008 I am deeply undecided, which is just as well,...

We have another Eagle in the Nest. Last night, Son Two underwent his Board of Review for the Eagle Rank advancement. He had lots of support, and wonderful letters of recommendation; and now he is an Eagle Scout. Here is a picture from the second phase of his service project last spring.

The odd thing was, as it was happening very late Sunday night, we were on the front porch enjoying the storm, marveling at the amazing quantity of water coursing down the street into the storm drain, and smugly feeling grateful for our cozy, dry home on its little man-made hill. After our guests left and the rain stopped, we made our way to bed. All was quiet, then we heard Son Two whisper at our door: "Mom, Dad? Code Red." Well, that's not a normal "I have a question" or a teenage "I need to talk" or even "I need a drink of water" (that hasn't happened in years, or at least since anyone was tall enough to reach the sink--and Son Two is 6'2"). So we quickly grabbed robes and went to investigate. Oops. Uh-oh. Apparently a window-well on the west wall of the basement had a casement with a crack in its caulking. The rain came down so fast that it filled up that window well and rose up to the window and in through that crack. Son Two...

This interesting little link was recently brought to my attention. Here's what it said about me: Likelihood of you being FEMALE is 90% Likelihood of you being MALE is 10% What does it say about you?