i don’t understand…

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Rachel Dinger under Blogging, Photos, Thoughts

Can someone please explain this to me? I think it has something to do with the WordPress viewer on blogging categories. But what do you mean I have 16 likes on my post, and only 10 views? According to my stats, I’ve only had 6 visitors. How in the blazes do you “like” something that you haven’t viewed?

I am obviously frustrated over this issue. : )

Now, I’ve gone back to the Topics page and scrolled through 11 hours of Photo posts, looking for mine. I have finally determined that people are seeing the title of my post, and whatever cover photo it includes… and “liking” that. No further? Nothing else? Why would you look through a list of blog posts and not go look at the blog itself?

When I finally found my post, I had only one photo on it as a cover photo. So, if this is how they “like” my post, without viewing it, then all they like is my title and the lone picture of an azalea. Flattering, I’m sure. And that was a photo that was put in at the last second, just for the featured cover image! It’s not even in the post itself!

Does anyone else find this frustrating? I love to know that people are reading my blog and enjoying both the writing and the pictures, but I want to see the numbers on my stats page. I want to know who’s looking and from where, and whether any other blog posts catch their interest. Of course, I have my blog set up so they can view everything, if they’re patient enough, from the home page. And that’s fine, but instead it’s, “Compliments to the chef for your blog title, but I’ll just punch “like” and keep going.”.

Startled, bewildered, and confused… but still willing to try and understand. : )

Anyway, if I’m incorrect in my hypothesis of why this phenomenon can occur, please explain it to me. I would love to know more. But until then, thank you for all the love my cover photo has received, but please come by and look at the rest of the post. The other pics are even better than that one!

darlings of the north…

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Rachel Dinger under America, Friends, Kids, Photos

It is a well-known fact that I can’t resist taking pictures of kids. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that I can go to singles Bible conferences and come back with pictures of my friends’ children. Not only do I have to document how much they’ve grown since I saw them last time, they’re just so darn cute!

The same can’t be said of all of us grownups. I’m sorry, but it’s true. Besides, I really have to be in the mood for taking pictures of adults, because with some of them, you have to actually negotiate a deal before they let you. Or you have to completely awake. I was pretty tired, last weekend.

My little pals have grown so much since I saw them last! The baby has decided that standing up is an interesting thing to try out, and my little BlueJay has turned three. THREE! How did that happen? I held her on the day she was born, and now she’s a big girl that needed some memory-jogging, in order to remember me. (see below for comparison between the day she was born and now)

So, I visited them in the dining room, before every meal, to the point that I could see her sit up straight and her eyes pop with excitement, whenever I walked into the room. The baby wasn’t as excited, but then, he had real cereal to eat, which is much more exciting than any grownup.

On Sunday, I came in to find her hair done up in baby socks (instead of the old-school rags), in order to give her lots of curls for going to church. And as adorable as she is in PJs and baby socks, seeing her running around the building, after her curls were out… that was pretty funny. I think when the curls began to bounce, so did she. She ran into the room I was in, and just about jumped on a friend of hers (age two) who’s a little less excitable. He looked slightly alarmed, but then again, maybe he’s used to it.

I can only hope that I’ll be able to get up to PA sometime during the summer, before these kids get much bigger! Before long, they’ll be taller than I am!

rambling through the day…

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Rachel Dinger under Books, Coffee, Kids, Memories, Thoughts

My requirements for a blog theme are relatively simple. No sidebars. Or rather, I want as much of the screen to be covered with writing and/or pictures as possible. So, every once in a while, when I go review my theme options, I fall back on my old favorites. But when I found the Book Lite theme, it allowed me to highlight some of my photographs, as well as my writing. Also, for the newbies that find their way to this blog, there are now footers that will help them navigate the morass. Or am I supposed to say that the widgets in the footers will help them? I’m not even sure how to put that in a sentence.

As much as I liked the new theme, something still wasn’t quite right, until I changed the side panels of the page to black, then things looked and felt more contained. And changing the pictures for every single page was quite fun, even though look through my Australia pictures can be heart-wrenching. I miss those girls something terrible.

My workday was a little busier than usual, though I haven’t figured out why. It’s not like we have bread and milk for the students to make a run on, with the prediction of snow or ice tonight. If it actually happens, I don’t expect it to last, as it’s supposed to be in the 50′s tomorrow. But while at work, I managed to smash my finger in the cash register drawer, forget to bring my paycheck home (after my boss made a special trip for it), and have the coffee run out during an unexpected 3pm rush. How did that happen?

You would think that letting the coffee run out wouldn’t be that big of a deal, since I wasn’t being lazy, just busy at the register. But when I was growing up, my dad and my grandpa couldn’t live without their coffee, and I still tend to think that those who are working or studying very hard shouldn’t be deprived of their caffeine. Watching any of the regulars (grad students and professors) leave the building without their coffee (time constraints, you know) did not leave me very happy, even if it wasn’t my fault. Silly of me, I know.

Hmmm…. what else? If you have a Kindle, I was just checking out the free e-books available on Amazon, and I discovered that Brian Jacques’ Redwall is available! Did I mention it’s free? Check it out now, the price may go up tomorrow, for all I know. Of course, I’ve read it a hundred times (or something like that), but I’m sure there are others out there that still need to read it. Enjoyable for both children and grownups, this is Jacques’ starting book to the entire wonderful series. And I still can’t get over the fact that there will never be another new Redwall book, since Brian Jacques’ died.

Meanwhile, on my lovely friend Jaci’s blog, Me and My SoldierMan, she’s having a giveaway for the New Year, involving a Starbucks gift card and OPI nail polish. I will admit to knowing next to nothing about nail polish (it doesn’t last long when I play my guitar), they sound like lovely prizes to me. I’m always up for free coffee, especially! Also, f you’ve never read her blog, you should stop by! Not only are the book/movie reviews and puppy stories great, but her discussions of current events are fascinating (and spot on).

We’re almost to February… how did that happen? Nothing much happening in that month, unless curiosity about how college students behave around Valentine’s Day counts. We don’t sell flowers, so maybe we won’t get to see anything interesting happen… or maybe we’ll have some teary students. You wouldn’t believe how having a credit card declined and not being able to pay for lunch brings all the stresses of the day/week/month to the surface.

But in MARCH, I am hope-hope-hoping that I will be able to attend a conference in PA, but I’m not certain I can afford it, at present. I’m ready for a road trip, not having been anywhere out of state since… November. That’s forever! Ok, I exaggerate, but I love a good road trip, especially if it takes me 10 hours from here. That puts me within short driving distance (3 hours or less) of most of my friends and one of my best friend-cousins. So, if you think of it, pray I’ll be able to go.

Oh, and I almost forgot. A lady came in to work with her 1 year old toddler, and of course, the poor darling was ready for her nap. But I didn’t mind the initial howling. Every time a child walks into our location (admittedly, not very often), I enjoy talking to them, and wish more came through. I’m sorry, college students are just NOT as interesting, though some are great fun to talk to. I’m longing to be a nanny again, if possible, or maybe I just miss my Aussie darlings. The sweet toddler made me miss my Bub, who is no longer a baby, as she approaches the age of three. How did THAT happen, again? I can’t quite realize it, because she always remains an almost 2 year old, in my mind.

So, that’s a bit of everything happening right now. I have such an exciting life, right? ; ) More photos taken around Clemson, soon, I promise!

bits of the day-to-day…

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Rachel Dinger under Family, Food, Kids, Photos

home is in my heart…

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Rachel Dinger under America, Exercise, Family, Food, Friends, Kids, Memories, Nature, Photos, Thoughts, Travel

The saying about the residence of heart and home is true, but I can honestly claim several places that I consider home. When I miss each of these places, I sometimes wonder if I left a piece of my heart behind, but I think it’s more like I took them inside my heart, and carry them around with me wherever I am.

Before I left for Australia, I lived in Pennsylvania for almost five years, working as the housekeeper of this camp. GWH is very dear to me, both the people and the camp itself. So, having missed the last Labor Day Conference, I was thrilled to make it to this one.

As part of the “young people’s group”, my friends and I stayed in the Den (where the snacks are located), where we enjoyed the added benefit of having an air-conditioner. The weekend wasn’t all sunny, but no matter the sunshine content, the air was swelteringly muggy. You know, that wonderful feel of walking through soup.

My friend C. had never been to GWH, and was pleased to find that our weekend residence is where all of the camp directors stay… which means the costumes for Girl’s Camp. She loved trying on the hats, as you’ll see.

It’s such a big conference that you can never spend a long enough time talking to anyone, so I compromise, and do lots of running around hugging people, assuring them that I’ll see them again before the weekend’s over. Old friends that I’ve known since before they had their four children, or newlyweds that have welcomed their first baby. Much older friends that are the support in the local church, and I keep a close ear/eye out for how their health is doing. If they go home to be with the Lord before I see them next, they will be blessed, but I will miss their hugs.

My dearest cousin was able to get out on Saturday, so we could enjoy her and her baby, as well as get her in on the Ultimate Frisbee fun. How many years has it been since we had all my cousins on that field? Way too long. I remember a year when the Funks and Dingers made up at least 10-15 of the Frisbee participants. And I will continue to warn the guys, do NOT underestimate the pregnant one that’s cherry-picking in the end zone. She will take you out.

I got to take a wander down the hill, one afternoon, and revisit some of the buildings that I once cleaned from top to bottom. The discovery of a fancy-schmancy new coffee maker in the Old Dining Room was a bit of a surprise, but I like the paintings on the wall. I wonder if anyone I know did them. The Welcome sign on the front door hasn’t changed in the last 70 years, though I remember that it took me three or four years to notice the pineapple design, or realize that pineapples are symbolic of hospitality. Who knew?

My interest in floral photography hasn’t let up, and I took advantage of every interesting bloom I could find. I will furthermore admit that the bumblebee shot didn’t look that cool until I played around with the effects on Picasa. I am not THAT good a photographer. But I finally figured out how to highlight the buzzy little fellow. Other plant life drew my attention in the main meeting hall, behind the Dining Hall, and in front of Nancy’s house. I still think those flowers look like someone drew on them with a Sharpie.

My bruises from the weekend are starting to fade. I got a bit sore after playing Ultimate (haven’t played since sometime in Australia), and then I bashed myself up a bit more playing volleyball for three nights in a row. I haven’t played vball in well OVER a year, because the local court in Emerald got flooded before I arrived. That and Aussies don’t seem to play volleyball very often. I know, it’s sad. I only have one or two pics of the games in the Annex, but I sure wish I had some pics from the final guys versus girls game. With about thirty people to a team, the guys not being allowed to spike, and the ref being determined to keep his son-in-law in line, it was quite hilarious.

I also got to go on a short hike to Caledonia, but we had a dinner deadline for two of the girls, so we weren’t out for THAT long. Muddy, steamy, and just nice to be back in Pennsylvania. Though, there was a bit of a speed competition going on between the cousins, but they had to slow up for a family photo, at one of the bridges.

Babies and kids, seemingly everywhere. Some of them, I just met, and others, I’ve known them since babyhood. How did they get so big? How did all my friends come to have children that are SO cute? I cannot resist taking pictures when they’re around, because who doesn’t want to capture this time in their lives?

At our Second Annual Justin-Sponsored Picnic, after the speech, and after the guys made sure the hotdogs were thoroughly cooked, I got to hang out with two of the girls that were making friends. One had just learned to point at her eye and nose, so there was a near-catastrophe when she tried to point at someone else’s nose. We switched to “where’s her nose?”, instead of “where’s her eyes?”, and then they began to play follow-the-leader around the picnic tables. Such a precious age.

My time there wasn’t really long enough, but I know I’ll be back, sometime in the New Year, and then I can talk to more people, one-on-one. There are friendships that never grow old, and you just keep making them stronger and stronger. These are the ones that you go “home” for. Because when I’m with those that I love, I am home.

not-quite-wordless…

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Rachel Dinger under America, Kids, Memories, Photos

friend-cousins are the best friends you can have…

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Rachel Dinger under America, Australia, Family, Friends, Kids, Memories, Photos

When I was a teenager, we had a neighbor across the street, named Rachel. Yes, there have always been lots of Rachels floating around in my life. It can make things confusing, but never dull. My brother was about five years old and had enough trouble understanding that other people can have your name. So, he discovered his own way of differentiating between our neighbor and I.

Shortly after making her acquaintance, my baby bro christened her “Friend-Rachel”, and said it like it was one word. If he was talking about me, he said Rachel, but if he was talking about her, then he gave her that full title. We were amused by his way of naming people, just like we got a chuckle out of his names for different things. For example, the Disney version of Robin Hood was Robin-Hood-the-Fox and the live action movie was Robin-Hood-the-Man.

Somewhere along the line, and I don’t remember how it came about, our cousins would come to visit, and he began to refer to them as his “friend-cousins”. For weren’t they both his friends AND his cousins?

In the years to follow, my cousins and I picked up on this term, and we’ve never let it go. We call each other “friend-cousin” when we’re face to face, when we send text messages, and when we’re on Facebook. Oh, not all the time, but it’s entered into the family lingo, where it will probably always remain.

So, some friend-cousins came to visit us, recently, and this is what came to mind. Our cousins have always been our good friends, so what better name to call them? And I hope this never changes.

And yes, as you’ll see, I did pass out some of my presents from Australia. When one of the kids didn’t want to put on the hat I brought them from Australian Outback Spectacular!, my brother decided to model it, instead. Such good times.