God Doesn't Like Vegetables

My family, we eat together. Not every day, but often enough.

"Eat something green" Leah told Seth.

"I'm a carnivore. I eat meat." Seth replied.

"Seriously you should eat some broccoli."

"Hey Abel tried to offer God vegetables, and God didn't want them. Why should we?" Nathaniel said, "Seth is just trying to be more like God."

So My Overloaded Clothes Rod Crashed... Again

"Will you fix my closet please?" I looked up at him with big sad eyes.

I always ask Seth or N8 when I need help. Truthfully any of the brothers would help me, but N8 & Seth screw things/carry heavy objects/kill bees without having to remind them a lot of times. And they don't make fun of me for asking.

(Well except that time I had a nightmare about sock snakes. They ALL still laugh at me 4 that...)

I don't feel like I am a bother to them. (Or at least not much of a bother...)

But my clothes rod fell several times while I shared a closet with Hannah. Plus once since she moved out. It's not the first time I've asked for help putting it back up. So I kinda expected some ragging...

"Again!" Seth said, then turned to a sibling (I can't remember which one.) "I'm not fixin' that thang til she gets rid of some stuff. 500 lbs of clothes and she wonders why it keeps fallin'..."

Actually I've never wondered why it falls. I've always known I have too many clothes on the rod. The Libbey part of me wanted to prove that his statement incorrect, and I could have, but when you want something from someone you are not to argue with their beside-the-point logic. (Pick your battles; I learned that in church.)

One side of my mouth turned down, "I did take some things out," I said quietly, hung my head sadly, and slouched my shoulders in mock defeat, (FYI: My shame and sadness were not faked only exemplified.)

It didn't work.

Actually he was still going to fix it.
I know he would've.
He always does.

But just in case... "If you fix my closet I'll go to town and buy you candy!"

Libbey's love candy A LOT. According to Leah's facebook page she loves candy more than she loves me. That's sad :(

"Naw I'll fix it. For free. You don't even have to give me candy."

And he did.

I feel very loved.

I went to town and bought candy anyway. Then I ate it all.
That's sad :(

Sisters and Weirdness & 'Just Friends' Friendships

Jumped off on this random story, so decided to give it a separate post.
Has been years since I did this, but I still think it's funny.

---

It had been a few weeks that my sister Shalom thought I had a crush on one of my guy friends. (I actually did, and do, adore him but you know not 'like that'.) She wouldn't come right out and say "I think you like _____." But was always saying little things to that effect, and looking all sly and saying, "I know a secret," or "I know who Esther likes," anytime I was around him or his name came up.


After a time I decided to play with her. Partly because I decided it would be funny and partly because I preferred her not to figure out who I actually did like, so she couldn't embarrass me by accidentally announcing my personal preferences to the world. (See previous paragraph.)

So...

When they were both around I would pretend to like him. Not enough for him to think I liked him but just enough to lead her on. (Honest it didn't take much. I just looked at his face a little longer than other peoples and smiled benignly anytime he said anything. I only had to do that when she was looking at me.)

(I can't remember who he was in love with at the time, but it wasn't me. And he didn't notice, and I didn't hurt or confuse him, because he didn't notice... And I would not hurt him. And it's wrong to hurt people just for my own amusement. I know that.)

After a month or so she started to say, "Yeah I've known for a long time that you liked _______."

I would answer with, "No. Just as a friend. It's not like that."

"You can't fool me." She would reply.

Leah thought it was really weird.

I thought it was really funny.

Probably my humor is warped. Not like perverted warped, just all the twists and turns of my psyche are odd.

Hmmm

Libbey Potty Humor

Spades.

Leah was losing badly. Libbeys, we like to win.

"You sunk. I make you sink" He he he Seth laughed.

"Well you're just a pooper scooper." Leah said mock glaring at Seth and dumping her tricks in the pile to be shuffled before continuing, "You're not even the guy doing the scooping. You are the scooper. The plastic thing--That's what you are."

Seth promptly replied, ""Really? Well guess what you are. You." He left a short dramatic pause before continuing, "Are the poop."

Leah sputtered a bit while we all giggled (Surely she know she was already beaten in this word war.) But she replied, "Well you are the poop still in the horses butt then."

"At least I'm warm." was Seth's retort. "You're all cold and chunky."

Yesterday when N8 came home

He knocked on my bedroom door. My family is quite social. We might not know where a person has gone once they leave the house, but at home there is usually games and conversation.

One of the 4 of us let him in, then Leah asked, "Where have you been and why wasn't I invited."

Then we all fussed about how we never see him anymore.

He said ,"I just ate. Then I went bowling"

"Who all was there? Where did you eat? Why do you never invite me?" Leah asked.

"Hibachi, and no one was there."

"No one?" even Seth, who had wandered in, was incredulous "You went bowling by yourself. How long did you bowl"

"10 games."

"All by yourself?"

"Yep...Hard day at work. Its very stress relieving."

So the 6 of us sat and discussed N8...

Then we discussed him again the next day on the ride home from work.

"Maybe He's got himself a woman," Jeff said.

"Yeah, but thats not N8. N8 would tell us." I said,

"Unless he was ashamed of her." I jokingly added

"--Or of us" Elijah dead-panned

N8: From Bald 2 Beautiful

N8 with Hannah's hair... (He knows I am posting this btw)

Doesn't mean he is going to grow his hair long....

Bubble Gum Pink

"That is the color of pink that I want!!" My sister stared at the guy in front of us, or rather at the back of his T-Shirt.

"Yeah, bublegum pink only lighter," I reiterated what she has been saying.

"I don't necessary like that shirt on him, but the pink is perfect."

We were in church (second to front row to be exact), so couldn't continue our conversation about The Bublegum Pink Shirt, but it was nice to finally see the perfect pink after hearing her needing it for so long.

Leah wants a pink shirt, but it has to be the perfect color pink, bubblegum pink or freshly chewed double-bubble bubblegum pink to be exact. We have been talking about this pink for months--literally. Maybe years

Every-time I find a pink shirt and show it to her she says "Not the right color."

But about guys wearing pink T-shirts...

Hmm.

I have a date tonight

"You have a hot date tonight?" My dad just asked me (I stayed late today after work and am riding home with him)

"No, not really",
 
"You wanna go on a date with your old dad? I mean unless you had something planned..."

So yeah and I am posting a blog. It's very rude to text while on a date. I think its a little different when you're with your dad though. What do you think?

~Esther~

"[Esther], You Look Homeless"

”You’re not wearing--”, My mother stared in dismay at my jean skirt “--Oh you are! It has holes in it.”

“Were those holes already in there? I wonder if she bought it like that?” she grimaced staring at the offensive rips. “Maybe she made them herself” She continued speaking to my friend instead of to me.

“Did you?” Mom directed her question to me this time.

“Nope. Bought it like this” I replied

“You look Poor and ragged” She didn't mince her words

“No I look comfortable” I countered

“ No you look old and worn out” Carmella agreed with mom, “You look homeless.” She continued.

I could see my mom trying to understand: Why would one of her children choose to wear rags; why would anyone choose to pay for pre-damaged clothing when they had nice clothing already?

“Attention. She’s doing it for attention” She concluded. “People will think you are homeless and then they will give you attention—maybe they will give you food” Mom tried to explain the weirdness to herself and anyone willing to listen.

“--And money” Carmella broke in

“Attention, food and money” I said “Dude I should wear this skirt more often” I leaned contentedly back against the kitchen counter.

“I don’t know about this modern look” Mom said, “ Esther’s always been kind of modern”

Mom kneeled on the kitchen floor inspected the holes close up, then felt inside the skirt, “Ok they have patches behind them.” She stood back up relieved.

“If you were anyone but my Mom. I would've kicked you”

“I wouldn't have if I wasn't your mom” she replied adding, “I hope you didn't pay a lot for it”

--
It is rather strange, and I never have understand the draw of distressed denim either until lately. This month I have become strangely drawn to white thready patches. Its very un-Libbey-like of me; we grew up with plenty of torn clothes, but they were definitely not desired or purchased that way.

(FYE I spent $17 including shipping... I bought it from this ebay seller. Its super comfortable, and really cute, but I did have to resew the backside. It wasn't sewn quite right where her home stitching met the factory stitching; it jutted out strangely. You might not want to buy one unless you are fairly confidant with a sewing machine.)

*My mother did look at the holes without flashing people, or touching my legs, or anything gross--just so you know. She is a respectable mom.

Nieces, Nephews & Stuff

My family went to the lake in the mountains Saturday with my sister and brother-in-law + their 4 children.

Lake Chilhowee is located in Polk County, so I kept asking people, " What county are we in." I poked them in the ribs after they answered, "Polk county" The name sounds just like poke.

We ate grilled burgers & grilled chicken, then swam in the lake for a while. (There was a very white girl there; she was practically translucent. Also a boy who kept swimming under Leah while we were hanging to the rope.)

We walked around the lake and picked flowers (Totally illegal--i know, but Kailey wanted some. Plus Zach gave me some). The boys were excited to catch a zippety-fast black bug, but were scared of the slowly-swimming fish--go figure.

Brian is picture crazy and his attempts to photograph his kids was rather comical. One time he was trying to get them to sit on a rock with the woods in the background, and Zachary spied a beer bottle in the woods and carried it back to be photographed with him. (We were all like, well he doesn't know one pretty bottle from another.) Another time he had them all sitting in front of the lake, but couldn't get their attention, so said "Look at the bear behind Daddy." The boys both jumped up and ran past him to see the 'bear'. Oh well.

Afterwards we dropped by sonic and I ordered a caramel java chiller to wake me up. The coffee did not keep me awake, but everyone agreed that it tasted awesome.

Sonic is offering free root beer floats today from 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM per their site.

Happiness