- ChristineFroehlich's Blog - Tehachapi News

Spinning thoughts....sometimes it's better not to think...

Spinning Thoughts

Spinning thoughts, like clouds, consuming the space inside my head,

There is no space left, with all the things to do:

running, darting, compelling me, binding, blinding me,

to think of only what is next.

The dog is whining for kibble, the coffeemaker is yearning for its morning fill, the lunch box snaps in the background to let me know, yet again, it is empty, and will not tolerate emptiness!

Groggy in the morning light, I’d better do it now. Now! NOW!

I stop thinking.

I breathe.

A smile creeps past my furrowed brow and plants itself somewhere between my nose and my chin just in time to greet the boy.

He smiles, and then we both giggle, getting louder, it spreads around us.

It’s louder than the NOW that is no longer in my head.

Why are you smiling, Mommy?

Because I can.

Poison In Paradise...if you live in BV and have something to say, now is the time....

larger view

An open letter to the residents of Bear Valley Springs...
Wasn't it one of the Fickerts family members that said Bear Valley was Paradise? Well, it would appear that my small piece of paradise is slowly being consumed by the ugliness in the human spirit of its residents. Yes it is a beautiful place to live, but how can it be a paradise, when people don't practice the caveat of "Live and Let Live."

We are at war, people are losing their sons and daughters daily, people are losing their homes due to variable rate mortgages, people are losing life-long spouses and companions due to illness. Now I ask you: how can a barking dog, a trash can gone loose, or something only slightly irritating about your neighbor compare? Why do some Bear Valley residents feel compelled to get on their soapbox or intrude and tell their neighbors how to live their lives? What gives you the right to so arrogantly assume anything about your neighbors if you don't even have the common decency to communicate your concerns with them before you write your letters to the BVSA, CSD, or animal control? It's called a conversation, try having one the next time you feel compelled to make a complaint under the cloak of anonymity and frankly,cowardliness.

It’s no wonder that many people think everyone in Bear Valley is rich and snobby! What are you willing to do to change that? I know that I am doing everything I can to give my neighbors the benefit of the doubt. I mind my own business, and if I did have an issue, I certainly would engage in the courtesy of a conversation before jumping to ill-founded conclusions. Maybe you should try having a conversation with your neighbors, about your trivial complaints, before you contribute further to the poisoning of our paradise.

The above editorial was published this week, and I just wanted to blog it too, to get some input from both people who live in BV and other local residents. Not everyone who blogs reads the whole paper and vice-versa. Have you had good or bad experiences? What are your impressions and opinions? What would you like to change?

If you have a scenario to vent please try to offer a solution as to what could have been done differently so that we can try to make positive steps. I communicating with the BV Board of Directors and the CSD , and I am trying to evoke changes for the better. I have heard allot of people venting and mumbling under the breadth but this is exactly the type of information that needs to be put out in the open. Everyone complains, no one does anything about it. So please, participate if you have something to add, and maybe we can get somewhere and come together as a community.

This First Time Mom Has Got The Kindergarten Blues …..

Well, I have to admit, I was a bit teary eyed and terrified at the prospect of my little guy going to Kindergarten. What if he gets on the wrong bus, quotes SpongeBob too often, or is otherwise fails to properly represent the average 5 year old. As I drove to work, among the many thoughts that swarmed in my mind were:

God, I hope he:

1) Keeps his fingers out of his nose today,

2) Chooses his words carefully,

3) Really likes school this year, and wants to learn

Then there’s all the back to school meetings. Am I the only one out there that is amazed but what they are expected these kids to know at the end of the year?

Let’s also not forget about the homework, and all the projects and things that will be hopefully be absorbed into his brain over the next year. It’s terrifying as a parent if you haven’t been through this scenario before.

I guess it’s that time of year, when us Moms get the Kindergarten Blues…anybody else feel that way?

I guess my little boy is growing up. Sniffle, sniffle

TUSD Bus Schedules?

I can't seem to find the new bus schedules that are usually posted in the paper. Are they in the archives? I can find them on the TUSD or Department of Transportation website either (unless they just posted in the last 2 days).

Can some be kind enough to help me out? I am primarily looking for the Cummings Valley Elementary School Routes.

Re-zoning Meeting in Stallion Springs on August 21: Wake up everyone!

There is some meeting going on On August 21 at the Stallion Springs Community Center about rezoning and developing track homes and a strip mall that will extend down the 202 from Stallion Springs.

Apparently the sod farms want to sell out and the big builders want to rezone for track homes. I say lets split it into 5 acre residential lots, and make it equestrian and farm friendly, as opposed to those ugly track homes. Can you imagine the traffic the track homes and a mini mall will bring? We all better start going to the local meetings and our own community board and meetings to get informed and speak out before it is too late.

What's wrong with politics and people today?

This is what is wrong with the whole political system today; everyone just wants to get attention, no one really cares about us voters, and if they did, they quickly change their agenda once they get into office, and feel the political pressure to do so.

Personally I think we need a new party leader, where it's not about how much money they can raise to get elected, but truly about the people. I want to see some more advocates that don't make money for taking up causes.

I'd also like to see more people taking up charitable causes without an agenda to draw attention to themselves. I wish some more folks would do something nice for someone or some cause and tell nobody, then we are really talking about the human spirit.

I challenge everyone today to do something this month nice for someone or some charitable cause and tell no one. Accolades are one thing; but the rewards we reap in those silent moments of giving are pure heaven.

I'd like to thank the person that made up the 5 day work week: ZAM! POW!

I think our society is made up of people who work too long, too hard, and for what, to drop dead of a coronary because they spent their whole life working their butts off? To never have that precious time to be with your kids,family, or enjoy your hobbies? Your friends? Believe me, I have done my time working long hours, and every weekend, for years. I am so done with that. Life is just too short.

To those of you who hate working five days a week, here's a brief message of inspiration...you are all capable of making your own hours, and your own reality, if you believe that you can. Once I decided to create my own working reality, and work 3-4 days a week instead of 5, I was able to. I just had to believe that I was worthy of it and convince my employer that giving me the hours and flexibility I wanted, would benefit business. Guess what? It did, and our business increased about 20% over the prior year.

5 Days a week, or more? ....KAZAAM! , #!, @!,POW! , *! ... To the moon, Alice!

What Grows in Tehachapi:Gardening 101?

I cautiously, put flower pots and plastic over my freshly planted flower bed, feeling like a complete dunce for planting before April. It's probably futile with the 55 mph hour wind blowing out there anyway.

I have a question for all you green thumbs; What grow in Tehachapi? What shade trees, flowers, fruit trees ( I got the apple thing already) plants, grass seed? What kind of grass seed is good for hills around the foundation of a house? When do you plant? How do you protect against frost? Gophers?

Lay it on me, before I accidentally harm another plant.

Christine~

How are the GAS Prices affecting you?

BY THE WAY, I DO SPEND OVER $300 a month in ALCOHOL.....it's called regular unleaded at the pump.

I commute, so it's costing me about $40 bucks a commute day in gas right now, Ouch! I have been brown bagging it and cutting costs wherever I can to help offset the rising prices of gas. I drive a medium sized car, so thank goodness I don't drive a big pick-up, but it still hurts.

How is it affecting you? Why do you think gas prices are going so high already? Is there anything we can do about it?

Has anyone been watching the new Addiction Series on HBO?

Has anyone seen any of the HBO series....Addiction?

It is amazingly real, educational, and a bit scary for any of us who have kids. I have been watching it, and I have to share it.with you all if you have kids out there, have a gander. These are real stories involving real people and what they go through. They had a whole show on Meth("Montana Meth"), and as I understand it, Kern County has a Meth problem. It is a very scary dark, drug!

Any comments on what is being done to curtail the problem or view points from current or former users? Do we have any community support to fight this problem in our own community?

They showed all the ingredients on the series, and it's essentially made from a combination of poisons and toxins. Yikes!