Covid Dreams

Have any of you been having strange dreams lately? If so, don't feel like you're the lone wolf. According to numerous pyschologists across the country vivid, colorful dreams are on the uptick due to the pandemic. Evidently dreams can be a way of releasing stress or they may just be a sign you're spending more time in a deep slumber.

So whatever it is, I've been sleeping a lot lately. And I've been dreaming alot. Can ya blame me? This weather has been perfect for sleeping! So along with the sleep comes dreams, and boy, I've really had some whoppers recently! Let me share the best from this past week.

So here I am, once again, playing basketball (yep -another basketball dream!) This time; however, I'm playing on the dream team in the dream gym. The dream team consists of every teammate l ever played basketball with, and the dream gym is none other than that eclectic,little gym in the old school building. You know- the one with a legal capacity of 250 but occassionally held crowds as large as 1250. And don't forget, if you're attempting a floor length pass, watch out (Kathy Schroeder)! That ceiling is lower than you think! Wow! Those were the days! The energy was electric and the crowds were crazy!

So anyway, it was a night of lights out basketball. We simply could not miss! Every single shot went in - swosh, swosh, swosh - no matter how awkward or how outrageous!

There was the legendary - Lea Schrieffer, sinking her left/right hand hook shots from either side of the bucket. Boom! Boom! Boom! Remember how she made those look like magic?

And there was the unforgettable Janet Allen. She was swishing 15 foot jumpers, one right after another! And the graceful Lisa Niemann and Patti Chaney were taking turns, waltzing down the lane, slam dunking lay-up after lay-up! Wowsa! I never knew Patti could jump so high!

State free throw chamption, Linda Eggerss and the ambidextrous Wanda Brown were the free throw queens. They were shooting free throws backwards, with either hand, and they were still clearing nothing but net! And even I got into the action when I hit a couple of infamous half court BUCKET shots! It was unbelievable! And of course, the crowd went wild!

The defense was just as amazing! The elbow flying Susie Pattee ruthlessly pulled down 25 rebounds and her ferocious sister, Kathy, "spiked" the ball right out of the opponents hands, accounting for 10 blocked shots! If you didn't know better, you would have sworn we were playing volleyball! Bam! Bam! Bam!

The scavenging duo of Mary Dunlevy and Cindy Scott, tallied 15 steals, many times ripping the ball away from the opponent before they even knew what happened! And again the crowd went wild!

Kris Nielsen was once again the sly fox, continually tapping out the opponents inbounds pass, but doing it so deviantly the referee called it out of bounds on them!

The ever scrappy Debbie Nielsen and Serena Jensen took numerous offensive charges all game long - so much so that Debbie spent most of the game on the floor! I'm pretty sure she went home with a broken nose, but I'm sure she'll be okay! And again, the crowd went wild!

So suddenly, I twitched and looked to my left. "243". I see "243". What? 243 points? Are you kidding me? Holy moly! Then I look again. Oh - it's not the scoreboard. It's my alarm clock! 2:43 A.M! Okay, but what about the fans? Where are the fans? I still hear 'em! I look to the foot of the bed - no one there! But the roar??? Where's the roar? I look up. There it is! It's a fan alright - one fan - my ceiling fan! Oh man! I knew it was too good to be true!

Such was the vivid dream of one night last week. Look for my other dreams, coming soon to a theatre near you - "Losing my Purse in Disneyland", "Getting Robbed Again", and the ever thrilling "That *&^$#$ Coin Machine!"

So tell me - what have you been dreaming about? I'd love to know!

'Tis the Season of Firsts

Wow! Just like that, summer's winding down and fall is knocking on our door. Ready or not, here it comes! It's the season of changing colors, cooler temperatures and the harvesting of crops. Fall is definitely a time of change. Yet to me, fall is also the season of "firsts." Let me explain.

With fall comes the "first" day of school, the "first" sign of frost, that "first" pot of chili, and that long awaited "first" football game. While the calendar might suggest that fall has not yet officially arrived, the season of "firsts" has already begun for our family.

Let me start with my granddaughters. Joslyn (12) and Maggie (8) have started going to a new school this year. That certainly brings many new firsts - especially "first" impressions - faculty, facility, teachers and friends - that's a whole lot of "firsts!"

Then there's my niece, Hana. She experienced her own "first" when she packed up and left for her "first" year of college. Oh my! Talk about life changing! She's doing fine, but the rest of us are still trying to adjust to that "first." (Miss ya Hana!)

And last but not least, I've recently had my own personal "first" - my "first" city council meeting, sitting on the opposite side of the table! Scary but oh so interesting!

So that's just a sampling of the recent Stamp family "firsts." Oh yeah, there's more. So much more that I'm starting to contemplate another "first" - becoming a member of the "wine of the week" club!

Recently my daughter-in-law, Margaret, told me a little story about another "first". It gave me such a chuckle. I just have to share! So here goes:

My son and daughter-in-law recently purchased a new vehicle - one that I would say is pretty classy. Put it this way - it's definitely something you would not see your grandma driving!

Anyway, it's the "first" day of driving the new vehicle to school. Margaret is the chauffer and sweet, little Maggie is buckled up in the back seat. (Joslyn's classes are primarily online at this time.) The new, black, shiny "land yacht" (as I call it) smoothly makes the drive and arrives at the school just prior to the ringing of the first bell, and wouldn't ya know, every single high school kid is on the playground. And of course, every teenage head snaps a simultaneous 180. Yep! Instantly at least 90 pairs of eyeballs became glued to the land yacht! Oh my goodness! You'd think Marty McFly had just driven up in "Back to the Future's" souped up Delorean!

So with all this attention, our little Maggie couldn't help but notice! In her sweet 9 year old voice, she says, "Mommy! Why is everyone looking at us!"

And her quick thinking mommy replies, "Because you're so pretty Maggie!"

Well, that's all it took. Maggie paused for a moment and right before she exited the car, she turned and said, "Well I guess I did get new glasses!"

And that my friends, is another new first. Maggie now wears glasses!!