Up!

I received this in an e-mail today and had to share.  But I did not want to do that ‘forward to my e-mail list’ thing.  So here it is on my blog – enjoy!

UP

This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word.  It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj],  [n] or [v].

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP?   Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election (if there is a tie, it is a toss UP) and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.  We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.

At other times, this little word has real special meaning.  People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

And this is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is blocked UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.  We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with (UP to) a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP.  When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. 

When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for a long time, things dry UP.  One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now . . . My time is UP!

Oh . . . One more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?

U

P!

Did that one crack you UP?

Out with the old; In with the new

Yesterday was my 22^nd wedding anniversary.  There was no grand celebration or special trip – just a typical day.  With one exception; I bought my husband new shoes.  Please don’t laugh.  Let me tell you the story.  Before I can tell the story though, I need to let you in on a few facts.

In the weeks before our wedding, we purchased a microwave oven for our home.  It is still in operation today.  In the appliance department, the microwave, along with a coffee pot, has endured the entire tenure of my marriage.  In close second is my washer and dryer.  They were purchased four years into our marriage while I was pregnant with my first child.  This week, the washer cleaned its last load.  Now, in its place is the most beautiful washing machine.  It has more buttons than I know what to do with!  It is my early Christmas present from the in-laws and I am very, very thankful.  My favorite feature of the washing machine is that it plays a song to let me know my clothes are finished.  

In third place were my husband’s dress shoes.  He purchased these shoes in a hurried shopping trip to Walmart when our daughter was two-years-old.  If my memory is correct, we were going to a funeral the next day and he had no appropriate footwear.  Since then, he has worn these shoes to every church service, wedding, special event and funeral we have attended over the last 14 years.  People, the shoes were old! And by now, you can only imagine how ugly.  Well here – judge for yourself.

14 year old shoes

 

When he installed my new washing machine on Friday it made me realize how old so many things were in the house.  I did not think about the coffee pot, or my cookware, or even our master bedroom furniture (psst – it is 30 years old).  No, what came to my mind were his worn-out, dress shoes.  It was time to toss them out the door with the washing machine.

After dinner yesterday, I took him to DSW and he found an incredible pair of fashionable, comfortable shoes.  They were on clearance - woo hoo!  Here is a photo of the new ones:

He wore them to church today.

I am still patiently waiting for the day when I can replace the bedroom furniture and the microwave.  My excitement and joy over a washing machine has been great.  I can’t imagine how enthused I will be when I get new furniture and a microwave that does not sit on the counter.  I know, I know – it’s so retro. 

Do you have an item in your home that you are ready to toss and replace?