Blog Vacation

As much as it pains me, and it really does, I'm taking a short break from my blog world. I have come to realize that I am addicted to my laptop once on it. I need to concentrate on home right now to keep the Holiday stresses at bay by getting my housework/family chores done. I am the great procrastinator, and happily shove everything to a later day without pause.
There are now curtains to be hung in Jedd's room, bookshelves to be filled in the stairway and a dog who desires to be walked daily. I have put these things off with glee to be popping from blog to blog. But I'll be back in the new year. I love checking in on all of you and seeing what's new in your lives. Don't forget me okay? It's simply two short weeks:)!
So... Merry Christmas All!......may Jesus fill your heart this season....

Winterthur anyone?

Good Day!
Well, it's going to be in the 60's today...60's! What a silly weather for December. I'm going to throw open the shop door and glory in it. Annie's working today for Anne, so Jedd is coming to work with me. It'll be hard to live up to the day his sister gave him yesterday, schooling on the shed roof with hot cocoa, but I think I'm going to come up with chores so he can earn Christmas cash.
Tomorrow is my day off and I plan on keeping Emma home from school and having a play day with the kids. Gift shopping, movie, lunch out. You get the idea. I thought about a field trip to Baltimore or Washington, but I don't want to deal with the crowds... I thought about taking them to Winterthur, but I don't know how enjoyable that would be for any of us with Jedd along. He is all boy and hates things like that. Gardens and pretty houses? No, not so much.
If you've any day trip ideas, please send them along...What do you think? Should I force the boy to Winterthur? Does anyone else want to join us in that trip if we do it?

Burnt Fingers and Aching Backs or The Joys of Christmas Preparations

I have spent the last half hour wrapping gifts. It must be done craftily (by that I mean sneakily,not martha stewart style) obviously, with an 11 year old bursting with curiosity lurking in the corners. He is the most unusual kid in that he will sleep like a teenager...till 10 if I let him go. When I was his age I was up early looking for peep frogs outdoors or whatever. So, this is my time to wrap. I bring it all down to the kitchen table and spread out, after Emma leaves for school and before the other two awake.
I was at a get-together last night for the women merchants of downtown Cambridge and the hostess was surprised when I told her I used to have it all wrapped by Thanksgiving night. There were a few years there when the kids were little when Thom and Damien would take the kids to the movies on Thanksgiving night and I would stay home and wrap to my heart's content and my back's despair. My hostess said she always waited till Christmas Eve to wrap all the gifts and decorate the tree. HUH! Talk about putting some pressure on one's self! I would be the ghastliest human on earth that night if I did that!
Right now I think the pressure is too great on Jedd as it is. He's wondering where the gifts are hidden this year. I did change the location. How does he know? Has he been peeking when Emma is at school and Thom, Annie and I are all at work? There aren't many times he's totally alone, but there are enough to cause great temptation at this time of year!:)
Tonight I need to bake 13 dozen cookies for a cookie exchange tomorrow night. I always enjoy it while I'm there, but I'm always dreading it this night before. If anyone has a really easy recipe to roll out 100 balls per tray and bake for three minutes or less, I'll pay big bucks if you'll share it by 5 p.m. tonight!
Dear Father in Heaven, please give me wisdom and guidance throughout this day and an extra measure of calm about this baking business tonight I plead....

Seventeen!!!!

The twins have turned seventeen! Seventeen! Normally I'd go into their birth story here, but they've asked me not to this year. I think they're tired of it. I tell it several times a year:)

December 7th. What a lovely event to redeem the date for those who love us( think grandparents), and were part of the Greatest Generation and heretofore would think of Pearl Harbor.

They can never decide what to do on their day, jointly. This year options were tossed around. Finally, the other day I said,'Stop! We're doing pizza and cupcakes here, invite friends."

It was amazing. They stopped and invited friends. It was as if the decision was too large for them to make and they wanted it taken out of their hands. I had fully expected resistance and instead I got what I took as relief. It was very nice, indeed! (that word is there as an inside joke for Kate Howard:) )

Here are some shots from charades:

And the cupcake queen delivers the goods...... Linnea was thought of here and greatly missed, with her wonderful cupcake wedding cake.....

There were so many memories of past birthday parties with all these girls present. We've missed a few years of parties due to swim team...but some of these Salisbury girls have been to birthday parties here since they were tiny....I love watching these girls grow up and become such interesting people in their own right....not just so and so's daughter. Do you all know what I mean?

Thanks to all of them for coming and making MY daughters' birthday so lovely.... Big hugs to all of them and all of you...

A Happy Heart

I left with a light heart to go off to work yesterday, because of the prospect of snow.
A customer was standing by the windows and said to the others in the store, "You know they call me weather woman because of my accuracy...it's going to start snowing in the next few minutes." We all kind of said, "that would be nice"..."hope so"....etc. But I'd heard just a few minutes before it would be later in the afternoon before the snow fell...
About 5 minutes later it was coming down like mad!!! Oh happiness in the store with a bunch of grown women jumping and screeching like children.
The three customers were infused with Christmas spirit and their spending expanded! Happy shopkeeper!
...and then holiday happiness continued throughout the day. It just never stopped. At 10 p.m. Jedd and I were walking the dog in amazement as the snow still fell. We went down by the boats and across the park and delighted in it all. Every once in a while a giant snowball smashed my back and a happy boy snorted with glee...The dog was bouncing through it all, licking it , oblivious to the snowballs smashing into his back.
The return trip home was frigid, walking into the wind, but an 11 year old was willing to walk snuggled under his mom's arm for warmth. Joy!
Right now I am sitting in front of my fireplace with a dog at my feet. Some kids are sleeping, one is awake. I have a giant cup of coffee at my fingertips...
Thank you! Thank you, Father, for the happiness in my heart. Please help me to appreciate these moments in the coming weeks. Please help me to not get caught up in the stress of Christmas and miss the joy of your son's birth....

a december haiku

Where does the snow fall?
blanketing over the earth
why here, is it rain?

power-less

It was an interesting day yesterday. It started with one of my customers coming in at 10:30 and spending a nice fat sum, and mentioning that she was out shopping because her power was out. It had gone out around 10. After a while she moves on with her day and I move on with mine.

At 4 p.m. Emma calls the shop to see if I have power there. The house has lost it. I said yes and didn't think much more about it. The kids said they were fine.

At 5 I locked the shop door, and started clearing the register when some ladies knocked on the door and asked to come in. They looked around and left after 10 minutes or so. I re-locked the door and the phone rang. Another customer from thewestern shore wanting 7 pair of pajamas sent out. That took a while to sort through. At about 10 of 6 I finally got out the back door. As I turned the corner to my street I was surprised to see that although every other street had power, ours was still out.

It was very dark.

I went in the front door and Jedd was sitting in candle light with another cache of coins that he'd unearthed set before him and Adventures in Odyssey playing on an old fashioned battery powered tape player.

The boy was beaming with joy! He loves it when the lights go out. Emma was in a bit of despair. She had a rough draft of a descriptive essay due online early the next morning. Obviously there was no way to work on the computer.

I was hungry as a bear (and grumpy), and asked them to get in the car...we were going out to dinner. Emma was faster than a speeding bullet, Jedd was moaning "please...don't make us go out to where there's power! It might be back on when we get home and we'll have missed the time without it!" Two very different children's views. (Annie was on a mission to get toe shoes with chalice, on the western shore.)

As I was herding the boy out the door, Thom pulled up. We gently shoved him in the car and set off.

Jedd's happiness when we arrived back home lit up the house. The power was still out. We built a fire in the living room and put on the gas fire in teh kitchen and put candles and lanterns all around. I admit it is lovely, but I miss coffee at the snap of my fingers and t.v. as background noise. I miss liight strong enough to read by and my laptop...

At around 7:10 the power "popped" back on.

At around 7:30 the phone rang. It was the Howards asking if we had power. Theirs had been out since just before ours came on. We asked them to come over and it turned into an improptu party. It was so much fun!:)

It all goes back to the post 2 previous. We're all so busy we don't have time to just hang out with friends in the middle of the week. God arranged it, and I enjoyed it IMMENSELY! Thanks Howards, for sharing your time with us:)

Now here are some shots from the store. Especially for Marianna.....

Wish you could come hang out with me here Marianna:)....... have a great day everyone who has stopped by!

Christmas Cash

Whenever Thom and I are at a checkout line in a store we have two very different methods of paying for things. He just hands over bills and pockets the change. I often finger through the coin compartment of my wallet and hand over, say, $18.47 in exact change or find the change amount so that the cashier gives me back bills in change.

Each and every night Thom dumps his change out of his pockets and starts fresh ; changeless each morning...

For the past two days Jedd has been rolling Thom's change for him. He has been a kid on a mission. When he ran out of the first round of wrappers we did a special run to the bank for more. But they were the old fashioned flat ones, and he couldn't get them to fold at the end. He was used to the type you buy at Walmart with pre-rolled edges; so Thom picked him up after work, took him to buy more specialty ones (at which time Jedd also finagled him into extras like Captain Crunch and other kid Walmart necessities) and the rolling continued into the night.

When all was said and done, the boy ended up with over $300.00! I think I'm changing my ways at the check out lane from now on...that's some nice Christmas cash!

sickness and solitude

I've just been visiting Northwinds Blog,

http://www.hayleytaylor.blogspot.com/

and would like to touch on some of her subjects as they've been on my mind lately as well. (plus it's an absolutely lovely blog to visit and to help one appreciate the beauty of a college girl's literary mind.)

1. Enjoying rude health. I was saying to my husband several weeks ago that it's been ages since I've been down for a few days with a minor illness that would allow me to lay around and read. A small sickness which would make it inconsiderate for me to go out in public and infect friends and neighbors.



2. People (read Americans) do "busy" themselves. Why? Are we afraid that others will find us less important? That we won't be "needed"? That we won't be popular? Loveable?

As a nation, we make sure everyday has an after school activity. We are teaching kids how to be workaholics. My husband grew up in a family like that. None of his family just "sits". They're all incredibly busy all the time. It tires me listening to their days. Even their vacations are exhausting! Thom says God put us together so I could teach him how to sit and relax (He kindly never points out that I could be learning from him how to do more).
When our kids were little Kate Howard and I used to spend a lot of time a Great Marsh Park. Often we'd see school buses unload kids and herd them in groups, or we'd watch them with the ymca summer camp program walking the hot tarmac, and sagging in the summer sun, and we'd say to each other, "when do those poor children get to sit under a tree and read a book!?"
There's so much that must be done daily. Shouldn't we learn to enjoy solitude and peace when we can so that we can be content and calm? I can hear the edge in my voice when I have too much on my plate and it isn't pretty. Filling each moment is just plain unhealthy in my book...
But slip over to Northwinds Blog, she puts it all so much nicer....

Christmas Conundrum

Today is the first of 5 Mondays before Christmas where I'll be adding an extra day to the work schedule and be open for Christmas shopping. Today is also the day I feel burdened by the fact that I've been way too lenient with Jedd's schooling, or unschooling as it may be, and feel as though it's time to step it up several notches before Christmas vacation. For the first time in weeks I'm not angry at the dog for waking me up at 6 a.m. to let him out. I've got blueberry-cream cheese muffins in the oven and have put the table extensions from Thanksgiving away. (Let it be understood that the muffins are from a package, I simply added milk, and shoved them in the oven. I'd not want anyone to have a twinge of mother guilt for putting cold cereal in front of their child this morning. That is what happens most mornings here.)
Now I'll have some necessary mommy-time before the kids rise-up for the day and I can tumble Jedd out of his chair-bed by 8a.m. I've been known to let him sleep till 9:30 or 10:00 just so I can have some quiet time. Some people don't believe it, but once that boy is awake it is non-stop chatter the entire day. And it is good chatter. He is very inquisitive and so learning constantly from his questioning, but frankly sometimes it makes my ears hurt and I just need silence. All the more so as I age. I really don't want to become one of those grouchy, old, bitter ladies who snap at all children and tell them to be seen and not heard, but am I the only one who thinks there is a grain of true wisdom in that saying?
Back to the origin of this train of thought. I'm going to tighten up his work schedule. I've been preaching all year that " what is a grade level, but some arbitrary decision of some higher ups? That all kids learn at their own pace and by homeschooling I can tailor that to the kids' needs." Today I woke thinking, " the school year is almost half over and the boy is going to fall behind if I don't make him do some serious work!" (Annie, if you're reading this, this does NOT apply to you! You are fine!)
Does anyone else homeschooling panic about now every year? I remember doing this in the past with the kids. But it's been 3 years since I've taught them at home. It's mainly the math and English... We have been extremely lax in that. I suppose it's because we were talking to some homeschoolers yesterday and one of the boys was saying he was reviewing all his work to really understand it so he wasn't doing grade level work. He seemed rather embarrassed by it (at least that was the impression I got from his words. He is actually a very well spoken, intelligent kid.) Jedd is at grade level now, and I don't want him to be embarrassed next year if he's not doing work labeled "7th grade". And I know him, he would be! The conundrum of teaching them at home, huh?!
Lord, please give me a peaceful heart and your daily dose of wisdom to press on with the job ahead with a sense of calm and diligence....

Inherent Tidiness

I struggle mightily with a dustcloth and cleaning products as you may have noticed in previous posts. So the scene I saw when I passed Jedd's room this weekend struck me as being very humorous.

I should back up over 11 years to minutes after the boy's birth. I looked at him for the first time and thought he looked just like a miniature version of my brother Chris. Both of my brothers are oddly tidy men and have been since boyhood. They shared a bedroom growing up and I have no recollection of that room ever being a mess. My room on the other hand, which I never shared, was always a wreck! I mean appalling. I'd be sent to clean it and would go up with every intention of doing so, but as soon as I saw a book anywhere, under the bed, in the closet, that I hadn't seen in a while, I was lost into it for hours. Nothing got done. Clothes were piled everywhere. I'd wake at night and know intellectually that that was not a giant grizzly bear sitting at my desk at one in the morning, but I'd bear it (no pun intended) for about 5 minutes, then count to ten and run down the hall to my mom's room where I'd fly through the air from her doorway to her bed, so the bed goblins couldn't get my feet and send her jolting awake by the bounce I made when I landed on her bed. She was usually a good sport about it I must say. I only stopped this ritual at the age of 12 1/2 when she re-married.

So back to this past weekend. Thom took the kids away for a retreat at a resort in Northeast Md for a night. I was blissfully alone in my house for the first time in about 20 years. I did nothing. I thought about calling girlfriends and organizing a night out, but then realized that I wanted to sit in peace in my house...and enjoy the solitude. It was really....good.

I watched a netflix movie which was very sweet and I highly recommend called, " Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont". It's about an elderly lonely woman (Joan Plowright) is befriended by a young writer (Rupert Friend) in London. I was sobbing at the end so have tissues at hand if you decide to watch it. I thought about watching it over again right away I enjoyed it so much; but then I thought "no, I can go read in bed as late as I'd like without guilt of keeping my hard-working, early-rising husband awake with the light." So that is what I did.

But when I went upstairs to read in bed I passed Jedd's bedroom. And this is what I saw....

He "made" his chair, as if it were a real bed, before he went away. His entire room was clean.

He has a very nice loft bed which sqeaks any time he moves. He slept in it for about a month and then took to sleeping in this chair and ottoman instead for the past 5 months or so. But usually he makes it a chair by day. Now, apparently he's decided to let the world know that it is now a bed. If anyone wants a relatively new loft bed and mattress I have one available.

I have never made the kids make their beds, ever. They know how to do it and if they want to they can. I do it when I change the sheets. Sometimes I get on a kick, especially if I have new sheets or pillows and make it every day for a few weeks. Otherwise one of us shakes out the blankets and spreads them into the air so they land nicely over the bed and we climb in. I love a freshly made bed, it's just not high on my daily priority list.

It's interesting to me mainly how Jedd is a tidy little creature, (mainly in his own room it doesn't seem to spill over into public areas) just like my brothers. Thom isn't. It isn't natural to my daughters, though they both seem more organized in their chaos than I was or am.

My sister shares in my cleaning disability. We both try very hard to keep our homes clean and they are relatively so. Don't be afraid to come eat here. We vaccuum and wash floors and toilets and counters. It just doesn't come natural to us. But the homes we grew up in were always clean. My mother has the gift of keeping a clean house and I don't ever remember seeing her do it. I can't remember seeing her clean a toilet or a floor once in my whole life but it was always done. Our home was aways beautifully decorated and clean enough for a magazine to show up and do a photo-op at any time. I don't remember dust bunnies in any room but my own. I'm going to have to ponder this more... I'm intrigued by how this was accomplished....

tragic tales of postal offerings

AAAH.... my very own, dear laptop has been returned to me. I've been without it for 11 days. It's been difficult posting and even visiting neighbor posts on the ancient laptop (which while only being about 5 years old, truly looks like something from the 1970's to my modern eyes.) Then the cord on that laptop broke and I was computerless. This is a bad state to be in . All my finances for the store get registered into my laptop daily. Now I have receipts piled up and stuffed into pockets waiting to be entered onto my spreadsheet. Oh, please let me find them all....

It is getting wonderfully, yet creepily dark outside. I could see the brightness of the red patio umbrella outside when I came down to let Eli out this morning. Now, as I sit here at the table with coffee and Emma, we notice how black it's gotten. It's gotten much windier and the rain is pouring down. This is technically my day off, so I should be able to stay here and nest. But I went antiquing yesterday after work to find some new display pieces and they're being delivered to the store this morning. A wonderful old oak chest and hutch top and a painted green corner cupboard. I'm usually more of a pine person than oak, but this piece was rather special and a very good price so I snatched it up.

I'll put photos up as soon as it's situated and filled....

And the most important thing I must do today is go to the post office. Denise, if you read this, here is my confession...

I have not mailed that package out to you yet!!!! I am worthless when it comes follow through on posting things. I've had the package sitting here, taunting me for about 5 weeks. I pass the post office EVERY DAY! You are probably going to the post box every day waiting.....

I'm not a bad friend, really. I'm a LAZY friend.

Hayley, if you're reading this...I've not mailed out the check for your rowing team....(Idon't think) I wrote it out and stuck it in the envelope, put it on the side of the register at work and then couldn't find a stamp. As far as I know, it's been thrown away, because I can't find it anywhere. Unless Janna found a stamp and stuck it on and mailed it. In which case, never mind. But I don't think that's the case so, I'll give it to your mom in church.

Now my mother expects me to mail some things back to her in Vermont that she forgot to take home last week. ( Imagine groaning sounds here....). I can do a lot of things, but when it comes to mailing anything at all...I'm a total failure....

Oh...and the 2 week sweet-fast thing....I failed....after about 7 hours....

Well, you're probably all dismayed at my confessions of slothfullness, but quite frankly I feel un-burdened now:)

slingin hash

Have you ever dreamed of jettisoning your life as you know it and running away to the west, north, Canada, desert, -you pick and insert here- and working as a waitress in a diner in the middle of absolutely no place? Ala "Alice" in Mel's Diner of the infamous television show of the 70's or 80's. I have no clear memory of the timespan of that program.

It's nothing to do with my life now. I am very content. I've had this little fantasy for years. Actually if we're honest we all have it in some form. Some people dream of being movie stars or singers or artists when they're sitting in a cubicle making cold calls for life insurance.

And my family is allowed to accompany me on this fantasy new life . I never liked waitressing in big fancy restaurants. I have always preferred working in little small town places. ( keep in mind here, I said "working", I have no aversion to eating in fancy restaurants)

Whenever we eat out at a little greasy spoon I think quietly to myself, "hmmm, I wouldn't mind working here."

I picture a long counter fronted with spinning stools and on it are glass topped stands filled with donuts. There is always a small bank of green milkshake makers on the work counter behind it. Coffee makers are constantly brewing fresh java and bags of chips are clipped to a stand for easy grabbing to throw on a plate. The special of the day is a tuna melt and the soup du jour is chicken noodle. The deep fryer is working overtime with extra crispy sweet potato fries and in a nod toward modernism buffalo burgers are served. The windows have cafe curtains hung at the half window and the name of the establishment is printed in white in an arch across the top half of the window. I prefer mostly booth seating with a few tables thrown in. There is definately a ficus plant or two. But they're plastic.

And somehere is a jukebox in which music hasn't been changed since 1981.


There's a warmth to people in these places that I find missing in the finer establishments. A comraderie among blue-collar workers that white-collar workers eschew (in my opinion) in favor of a "higher decorum".

So, yep...that's my fantasy.....

What about you? Any secret fantasies about what you'd do for a living if you didn't do what you are now?

knitted garments

I love knee socks! I love chilly days with long cozy skirts and cuddly knee socks. Yeah, tights are okay, but knee socks...better. And to top it off a tight-necked sweater turtleneck with a sweater vest over that. I'm snug right now and very pleased with the nippy weather which allows me to dress so. I heard tell there could be a flurry or two. Jedd and I did the happy dance around the living room at the prospect...

will it be a sweet success?

What gives me the right to eat with unabashed glee one moment at the Chinese Buffet, and then beat myself up and complain for hours on end to anyone who'll listen? My philosophy has been, for the last few years, oh just enjoy the weight I'm at now because in two years I'm gonna wish I was still at it.. That's a bad philosophy.

So, I'm putting it out here publicly right now...

For the next two weeks I am giving up sweets. Let's start small and realistically. I'm not out to lose 50 pounds or go on a strict diet. That doesn't work for me. I'm going to start by simply fasting something. Hey, can I make this prayerful or does it not count since my first thought was for my own health and not to fast on God's behalf? I'm gonna risk it, since I couldn't do it without His help anyway...

Okay...on my mark...get set...go! Sweetfast is now underway......

On an important note: Annie and Anna got home late last night. I'll have proper info on their trip when Miss wakes up but ...what I've gotten thus far in my sleepy stupor last night was that:
a. Annie wants to possibly find a school to attend out there...she loves Colorado.
b. they have a wonderful art walk on 1st Friday nights...
c. my daughter is finding her own way in this world and I'm finding a way to inch a little bit out to give her necessary space in her exploration.
d. while "c" is exciting, it's painful at the same time. I'm truly excited to watch her find her way. I'm a bit jealous at the open canvas before her. That one is very hard to confess....This must be where the hindsight is 20-20 comes strongly into play. I remember those years as sometimes being tormented chaos. I didn't have Christ as my rock and and usually chose the wrong path out of rebellion. And both my girls possess a confidence in themselves because of their position with God that I craved back then.
I'm realizing as I write that there is a huge blindspot in my thoughts. MY future is a blank canvas too. In twenty years I'll probably look back at this stage in my life and be envious of those entering it, because once more I'll then have the benefit of "hindsight" won't I? Writing can be so very cathartic...
Father, please renew my energy to live for you. Let me see the picture you're painting on my blank canvas and when others look at it may they see YOU.

Meet Mrs. Kotiash

Jeannie Peipon is no more..meet Jeanne Kotiash, married woman. If you link to Marianna's blog you can read her ongoing serial on the exciting weekend the family had last weekend. The pictures look amazing. It's like stepping back in time to these little villages. It is humbling to see the work which goes into heating one's house and feeding one's animals. And Marianna's gift with words makes you feel the whole experience as though you were there (if she doesn't write a book on her Ukrainian experiences she is doing a huge disservice to the world!)

~I wish Jeanne and Kolya all the love and happiness possible. I hope we get to meet Kolya stateside someday soon.

By the way this was Jeanne and Kolya's civil ceremony. Their church wedding, which will take place before God, is January 12. That is the wedding that they consider the recognized ceremony, when they will start sharing their life together as man and wife under one roof. I'm thinking God will honor that mightily!

Here's the link:

http://www.ukrainiac.wordpress.com/

Lord, please bless this couple and their families. The Peipons have been such an inspiration to many of us for their sacrifices on Your behalf. Help me to be willing to hear Your direction for me and my family...

Colorado Glory

Happy 1st day of November! Leaves are floating by my window and rays of sun are filtering through the trees. I get to stay home with Jedd today as Janna is opening the store. It's a fine day to rake leaves and plant my bag of 100 tulip bulbs.
~I plan on trying to put the house back in to some semblance of order after the past few days of activity. There are piles of blankets in the living room and a blow-up bed to be returned to it's lenders from our overnight guests. Emma had a few friends over for halloween last night and there are candy wrappers and faux spider webbing all over the front porch and yard from them and trick-or-treaters. Every year I add another big bag of candy to the offerings and we still run out early. We get literally hundreds of trick-or-treaters here. It gets very expensive.
~Annie and Anna got off safely yesterday and I got the call last night that they had touched down on Colorado soil. I was a bit jealous watching them go through the gate. It has been a long time since I climbed aboard a plane and had an adventure. I was actually given a pass as the mother of a minor, to go through the gate with them. I got into line showed my i.d. etc., but when it came turn for me to put my purse through the x-ray machine, they wanted me to take of my leopard combat boots...well, that was a little too much effort to go another 15 feet. Their gate was directly in front of the security check, so I felt no guilt about saying, "see ya!" and turning around. Of course there were big hugs which held up the line for another 45 seconds or so...but the boot removal would have held it up longer so I'm guilt- free over that:)
~Lord, thanks so very much for the safe travel for our girls. Please give them wisdom and guidance in these coming days and please surround them with a hedge of protection. Most importantly Father, if you can use them to your Glory, please do so!

It's good to sit for a while in the peace of my kitchen this morning. My mother and aunt and uncle came down from Vermont on Sunday night to spend Monday with us. It was a whirlwind tour of lunches and antiquing, and driving and learning to play cribbage. I have wanted to learn that for years and even bought a cribbage board which sat around the house for about 5 years. I thought it came missing the pegs and directions and finally, since a teacher hadn't been in sight for so many years, threw it out or put it into the goodwill bag just weeks ago. Then my family arrives with a cribbage board and knowledge. Now, if I could find someone else who knew how to play, it could very well be my new addiction. (Oh, they laughed when I said my board hadn't come with pegs. Apparently, there's a slider on the bottom of all of them where the pegs are stored. Mine was all wood so I never noticed it.)
The girls came back from Harvey Cedars retreat on Sunday night, Annie was gone all day Monday for a volleyball tournament (they won!) Emma was gone to school all day, and they heard of Annie's adventure to Colorado this coming Wednsday. So it did appear to an outsider as if my family life was insane with juggling all these different places for different kids. And who got what car for what trip. But it was really just a burst of insanity not the norm. Actually writing it, it doesn't look at all nutty. Must have been the moment.
Anyway they were off back home yesterday. And I was exhausted last night. Not that they were problems, I loved every moment of it. It must just be my age:)
~So tomorrow Annie goes to Colorado with Anna Harr to visit Sarah Meadows. They took care of the details themselves, and booked the trip a bit too close for comfort for rush hour and Anna's accounting class, but all these things tend to work out don't they? I'm taking the girls, oh, today! I was thinking it was tomorrow. Lost a day in my sleep! So, I'm taking them today to BWI. They are dressing up as crayons for the trip. to be honest, I think they put more energy into their costumes than in the travel details. (sorry girls, but I think you both know it's true:) )
I'm excited for them, going off on this adventure. If they weren't the solid Christians that I know them to be, I might be concerned with sending my 16 yo off to visit a friend states away unaccompanied by an adult. But I think this is going to be such a great growing experience for them. Well and they are going to sweet Sarah's home.
Tim and Sue will pick them up Sunday night. If the girls should pop into your mind over these next days, please offer up a prayer on their behalf.

It is pouring rain outside, the wind is blowing and the temperature is a little bit on the cool side. It's lovely! The kind of day to stay inside and cook an all-day stew. I really hope the world doesn't do that though...or at least the population of Cambridge. I have to go open the shop at 10:30, and I would really like to have a bit of business. I'm whiling the days away for Halloween to come and go. I'm ready to turn the store into Christmas, but I refuse to do so before Oct. 31st. Oh there are some things out already which have been selling briskly, but they're just set around, I have wreaths and trees in back just waiting to do their job.

I have the news on while I watch this. They are talking about all the designers who are making affordable clothing for the everyday woman. Really!? I think a little, gold, bubble skirt for $89 dollars is very expensive. How many of those can they really sell? Maybe the question is how many should they sell. It takes a very specialized body to wear one and only a tiny portion of an age group. Unfortunately, there are some who don't have that internal monitor warning them against a look. For instance, when I was 14 or 15 my great aunt Nell came to visit. My parents decided we'd take her on the boat for a cruise. Aunt Nell was, I believe, 76 at the time, so it doesn't really matter if she was in relatively good shape, at that point things wrinkle and go south, don't they?

When Aunt Nell shed her beach cover-up there was an audible gasp and my brothers ran for cover below deck.

You see Aunt Nell was in a crocheted string bikini...

On that note, I'll end here.

Lord, please protect their thoughts from what may be pictured there at this moment....

There is a bit of red on the leaves of the tree outside my kitchen window this morning. I find this especially pleasing as I had resigned myself to the fact the leaves were just going to fall off without color this year due to lack of rain. Then last night we have a touch of rain and voila'! Color! Thanks God. It is black out this morning and breezy and very autumnal feeling. Though iwouldn't presume to try out the little nut brown cardigan yet; they say we're to get a high of 74 degrees. At least it looks like autumn now:)
I'm looking forward to this weekend. The church is having ladies outdoor movie night and showing Anne of Green gables...I'm packing up my popcorn, drinks and chair and definately heading down for that! The next night we're meant to be going to two parties at the same time. One a costume party and one a birthday party. I realized last night that I not only have us double booked...but our built in babysitters are going to be in Harvey cedars for the youth retreat. Jedd is fine home alone during the day but I can't leave him home alone at night! Could spell trouble. Thom and I are guilty of often blowing off parties...because we're (I) social cripples. But we blew off the costume party last year and then on top of that Linda (whose party it is) bought 3 lovely glass cake stands at the shop last week and was walking. So I told her I'd drop them off on my way home from work. She was leaving early the next morning for West Virginia so needed them. At 12:15 in the night, I sat bolt upright in bed. I forgot to deliver them! I pulled on clothes and put the leash on the dog and drove to the store. It's scary in that back parking lot in the middle of the night. Eli the wonder dog stayed right by my side. I don't know if he was scared too, or protecting me. We fetched the cake stands, drove to Linda's and put them on the front porch where she'd have to see them when she went out to her car. I just hope some of the folks that were walking the streets in those wee hours didn't also see them. I haven't spoken with Linda since then...but I sure can't blow off her party again! Thom and I may just have to do the parties in shifts. Boy do we take our girls for granted!
~The next night my aunt and uncle are coming in from Vermont for a visit. I'm very excited to see them. We've been cleaning and taking garbage bags full of clothing and such stuff to the Lutheran Mission. Nothing like out-of-town guests to get the house cleaned up...
~I suppose I should go wake the other kids (Emma has already been in school for an hour) Jedd has the new Peter and the Secret Of Rundoon book, so he stayed up late reading. I shut him down at 11:30. Which seems to be his new bedtime as he always has his nose in a book, in bed. I can't bring myself to make him close the book at 9:30 which seems a very reasonable time for an 11 y.o., because I remember reading till the flashlight died under the covers, and then taking my book to the bathroom and locking myself in there till I could barely keep my eyes open when I was his age. It seems silly to make him sneak-read when he can sleep in on the other side of the night. On the other hand he is definately re-setting his internal clock this way, I'm quite sure. That can't be good, can it?
Now I'm babbling so I'll end here...Have a good day dear friends who have taken the time to stop by and visit~

The Simple Life

It's Tuesday afternoon so obviously I've survived the boat trip. It was actually fun. The band was on the top deck and I stayed on the first deck for most of the trip, though I did wander upstairs for a while to look out over the river. I couldn't really watch the paddles much out the back window as they tended to make me feel a bit seasick in their movement, but it was okay after a while. The Hyatt Regency looked like a city from the water. Absolutely stunning. I just can't begin to imagine the electric bill monthly for that establishment. Thom has said that next year he'll go with me. I guess I made him feel guilty about my having to go alone....not that I said anything other than, "lucky". There were plenty of friends on board and some new people to meet, a silent auction that did bring in some big money. There were helicopter rides, plane rides, weekends and dinners being auctioned off as well as some pretty nice baskets of things. Food was plentiful, and cake with my favorite icing. You know the kind...basically lard and sugar. I LOVE that stuff. Forget the healthier whipped cream or some such nonsense the grocery stores tend to use now...give me old fashioned artery clogging badness and I'll call that a real treat!
I took a few of my kids to Annapolis yesterday. Emma called from school desperate to leave, since she'd finished her work for the day by 11: a.m. So I told her to come on home and we'd go to Trader Joe's. Anything to avoid the housework that needed to be tended to. Annie is a responsible child and stayed home to to schoolwork. Jedd blew everything off with glee and was in the car waiting for Emma and I to get out there and leave. It was fun just to get to the western shore for a change of scenery. We hadn't left the peninsula since summer together.
We went and looked a chairs for the room off the kitchen and then entered "the mall" so Emma could use a Delia's gift card from months ago. And there's always the joy of a chick-fil-a visit:)
A bad accident had traffic backed up for miles when we were trying to leave so we bought magazines and read in the car for a while waiting for things to clear up. Aside from a bit of an unexplained snarl of traffic at the Bay Bridge the trip was pretty uneventful for us. It's always nice to get back to the Eastern Shore where the worst traffic jam looks like simplicity after the Annapolis traffic. Honestly, I am so spoiled I'm upset by a line of 5 or 6 cars at a Cambridge traffic light!
I think I'm starting to hear some rumbles of thunder...can it really be? They were calling for possible rain off and on for today. Maybe this headache I've been carrying all day is from unremembered atmospheric pressure of a storm. My body has become so un-used to it due to the lack of any weather systems in months that maybe it's rebelling. Cheer up head, release the pain! We need the rain!

dog, coffee press and dry land

There's no hope of a lie-in on a Saturday morning when your 136 lb. beast-dog needs an outing and food. For some reason Eli thinks that I am the only one qualified to let him out in the morning. Even if everyone else is awake and I'm not. At first i found this sweet and endearing. Not so much anymore. Oh well, the older I get, the more it hurts my bones to laze the day away anyway.

Last week these wonderful ceramic french presses came into the shop. In three colors. I'm pressing my coffee now and it is so easy. No waiting while I pour it over my Melitta filter; in fact no filters. I've rotated to the pyrex version of these over the years, but these are much prettier. I don't have room on my counter to leave a traditional coffee maker out since my cupboards are so low. I now have a ridiculous amount of options. The melitta filters that sit atop your mug (which Damien Howard got me hooked on about 16 years ago) which make a great cup of joe! but sometimes I'm impatient with the pouring. I'll bring out my percolator if I'm having a few people over, but that is way to much hassle for everyday.. Somewhere in the recesses of a storage closet I keep an electric auto-drip. Couldn't find it the last time I actually needed it. In fact if you're ever over and a party starts and we need it, remind me I think it's over the microwave right now. Maybe it'll still be there then. So now, the french press. Pour the water in, wait a minute or two, press, drink. Rinse out pot and press filter when done and store in corner till next coffee break.

~Jedd is off to Hershey Park with family friends today. Annie and Emma are going to a scavenger hunt at church with the youth group later this afternoon and evening. Thom is playing music in Easton somewhere today. ( I am a caring wife, I just don't always hear the "where's" of his music locations when it's a private gig and doesn't involve my attending.)

~I'm off to open the store this morning and then tonite to a 4 hour cruise down the choptank with a blues band playing for a fund-raiser which benefits the Patch Adams Gesundheit clinic. (think Robin Williams movie) Doesn't that sound horrible...( not the clinic, the boat trip)trapped on a boat for 4 hours with a band that has the potential to get very loud with no possible escape!? Thom has bought a ticket in support, but won't step foot on the boat. (can't blame him) I feel I must go since it's my friend who's organizing the event and I sold tickets for her through the store. How can I encourage others to go and not go myself? Really! How? If you come up with a valid way I'm staying on land!

~Lord, please be with my family as they go their separate ways today in travel. Please help Kathleen's fundraiser be a success in everyway. And thankyou for all your mercies and kindnesses you show us.

tormented parenting

Parenting is hard and it is exhausting. Lately I''ve been trying to get the point across to the twins that college is not the end all and be all of life. There are so many other options out there. There are apprenticeships, travel and plain old work. Please don't misunderstand-I'm not trying to talk them out of college. I just feel like our society has pushed across such an importance on taught education as contrasted to self-taught education. Not attending college hardly makes one un-educated. Thom and I look at all our friends and question how many of them needed the degree they possess to do what they're doing? Some definately do...doctors, lawyers, engineers. Some could have gone to a cooking school and been better off and happier. Or started a business and learned trial by error.
I always hear that kids need the life experience of college. I don't see college as life experience. I see life as life experience. I see college for many ( not all! ) as opting out of real life and staying in school a bit longer to avoid life. Before you get your knickers in a twist reading this...I am not anti-college! I think holding down a job and going to classes as well is great. I do not want to put a second mortgage on my house to send my kids there under the guise of parental responsibility. Since when!?
I graduated from a very good boarding school and went off to Florida to work on a scallop boat. I experienced life! It was hard and exhilarating. I'm not saying I want my kids to do that...but I don't want them to feel forced into debt either. I'm not against high school graduates flying over to europe and seeing the world. I prefer it done on a mission field than free fall.
I'm really just thinking out loud...I don't like the pressure I see my girls under right now thinking they need to have a clue at 16 y.o. what they want to do with their future...it makes me sad. They haven't experienced enough actual life to make a decision like that. I want them to be learning things now because it excites them. Not because some official somewhere said they need to know it to graduate. What sense does that make? I'm very frustrated and any feedback in any way for either side of this college thought would be appreciated. Set me straight with your logic please if you disagree because I'm at a loss here. I'm all at sea on this one. I want happy productive kids who'll be happy productive adults. My kids at this point probably believe I don't want them to go to school and I know it is coming across that way. That's not it at all...I just don't want them to feel forced to go to school .....I should probably delete this, I'm fairly certain it's going to get me into trouble...

sleepless musings

It's now 5:07, at 3:38 this morning (thank you digital clocks) I got up for that to familiar walk down the hallway to the bathroom. I was actually smiling as I could feel the temperature had dropped and the wind was blowing in small gusts. " Ah, good sleeping weather", I thought to myself. I moseyed back to bed with that sweet thought of sleep in mind. I slid in gently so not to disturb Thom. He's rolled over to my half of the middle of the bed, thereby taking up all the good window space that I claim as mine, and he claims to dislike because its a.) too uncomfortable in the dip of the middle and b.) directly in front of the open window that he claims makes him stuffed up in the morning. Well, all claims aside, I try and nudge him over a bit as the sky is doing interesting things and I want to see!
First, small white clouds are floating swiftly by in front of a starfilled atmosphere, but wait, let me put my glasses back on because I'm sure I just saw something light up. I did! How is it possible that there is lightning filling the sky, while its clear with stars and just a few wispy clouds? It is lightning, but it can't be heat lightning at this temp can it? There isn't any thunder. There's a dog barking wildly annnnnnd, a man telling him to be quiet. But that guy is whispering very loudly. He doesn't say the dog's name so what if he's a burglar or something worse and not the owner? I'll just push Thom over a little more so I can put my ear against the screen. Nothing. Ooooh...I'm awake now aren't I? This isn't good. Why am I so itchy? I think spiders are biting me in my sleep every night. I need to find a copy of Charlotte's Web and see what season she had all her babies cause I've been seeing an abundance of them lately.
More Lightning. Still no thunder.
Why is that Thom's arm feel like lead weight when he drapes it over my waist at night? Oh, it would be like lead weight then wouldn't it? I move it off. I'm not going to get back to sleep:( I want to get back to sleep. What is that rattling on the far window? This breeze is wonderful. Maybe I should just get up. I think I hear squirrels in the attic. What if they climb down the walls and in through the hole in the kitchen ceiling where we changed light fixtures around!? Thom needs to close that tomorrow. But how? I don't want a scrap of wood on my ceiling. Maybe I could nail a framed picture on the ceiling. That would be ridiculous!That's night terrors speaking. Don't some people get their best ideas in the middle of the night...that couldn't have been one.
There's the garbage truck. I know Jedd didn't put out the kitchen trash. Should I get up and run for it? No, I'd probably step in one of Eli's lawn ornaments. That would be sad.
I'll get up, but not for the trash. I've passed the point of no return for sleep. Decaf coffee would be good. then there's a chance for a late morning nap. I'll blog...I'll share my sleeplessness with my friends. Maybe Marianna and /or Jeanne are awake in the Ukraine and we can talk through comments. I miss them. I miss sleep....

marshmallows and beer

The inside of our home smells like a forest fire this morning. We had our second night of manmade "autumn" last night, and there was a windshift which blew the smoke from our firepit directly into the north windows and filled our house with it. But that's okay because the wind also blew in a slight cold front. It got down to 60 last night. Also, the little trick of having the girls wash the car yesterday? It rained a bit and we had a tiny thunderstorm.

~ It was really lovely to watch the lightning last night. It started out slow. Just heat lightning really, which is fine, but it's not the same feeling of excitement without the thunder crashing in after it. Rather like watching a movie without a soundtrack. Tends to get a bit boring . But in the end there were a few rumbles. It was also another night without a moon to observe. Very confusing...

In the midst of all this we had a bit of excitement. Annie came out and said she was off to pick up Emma from her volleyball game. Very kind. She'd been having dinner and laid her clear plastic temporary retainers for her teeth on the plate while eating when Em called and asked to be picked up. So Annie dashed out the door. Eli the horse-dog came by and saw the plate at his eye level and you already know the rest... He ate them. Poor Annie! She was devastated. She doesn't care for Eli at the best of times, so this didn't endear him to her. And she also understands that he truly isn't at fault here. She is so responsible that I don't think this was ever a thought that crossed her mind when she rushed off to do us the favor of getting her sister. (I think she knew we'd each had a beer around the fire and didn't want us driving:) .

I must say that my eyes are still stinging a little from last night's autumnal adventure...I love my life:)

Pull up a chair

Jedd and I have decided to move on with the season change, despite the lack of actual "seasonal change". Although it reached a high of 90 yesterday, Jedd put together a copper firepit for me. Then last night as the temps dropped to a chilly 80 degrees or so, we lit a fire and pulled chairs around it. Just Jedd and I. Thom and Annie were away at different functions. Emma walked to the door and looked out at us every once in a while. Without saying it I believe she thinks we may have lost a bit of brain function due to the heat. It was lovely. The stars were sparkling and though we haven't been able to locate the moon for days, we knew it was out there somewhere. (an aside... we've been trying to look at the moon each night to mark it's progression and cycle change for Jedd's science. But we haven't been able to find it since we began looking about a week ago. We've even walked down to the river, but alas, no luck. I think we're going to have to go out at midnight, but really, shouldn't an 11 y.o. be in bed by then?)
~ I plan on being out there again tonight if anyone would like to join me.
~Oh... I also had Annie and Becca wash the car yesterday in hopes that it would bring on rain.
I might turn the air conditioning to very, very cold today at work and wear the little nut brown cardigan too!
Happy Leif Erickson Day to you all, Celebrate it wildly and wonderfully!

flawed pay-day

I find I have nothing to say today...so I go visit Damien's blog to see his quote of the day. It is;
"Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it". I took that as meaning, " GO!" and so here I sit and write. Of course, it is Monday which means the sink is full of dirty dishes and heaven knows I'll do anything to avoid the big clean up.
~ It is approximately 752 days since our last rainfall ( give or take several hundred either way), I miss so deeply the sound of it. And still I've not been able to wear my cute little nut brown cardigan from Anthropology. :( The news just said yesterday's high was a record breaking 92. Huh... ( I have noticed a burst of moths about the house in the past few days though...please oh please don't be feasting on the afore-mentioned sweater...)
Kind of thinking about going into work today. I'm usually closed Monday, but it is a holiday...maybe people are visiting town. I know many schools are closed (not Emma's, she went flying out the door this morning with seconds to spare) and banks etc. I imagine all government buildings are as well. Which always seems ridiculous to me. We are paying how much money out in tax dollars today for a day of remembrance to good ol Christopher Columbus? Half the country thinks he should have no credit at all for discovering America, the other half can be rabid in their defense of him. But...I hazard a guess that few people will even discuss him today. They'll sleep in, do chores and errands and hopefully...Shop...in my store. I think his name will be omitted from most conversations. Sad. What we pay out would probably send a few new helicopters to our troops. But I'm just babbling.~

Word for Word Fun

Words are wonderful~ It's a simple truth. I anticipate each day my turn at a fun little game that Damien Howard has running on his Fingerpost Blog. (Not to mention his his witty and pithy quotes of the day which he aligns with the perfect photo or illustration for our enjoyment)
If you haven't found it or tried it yet this is a call to you to try it and repeat it. (It does make it more fun for the rest of us if it is visited daily by numerous people. Then we can even go back to our little secret addiction and perhaps play twice a day)
Once you're at his blog look for the word for word game on the right.
See you there!
http://www.damiensfingerpost.blogspot.com/

Stars, Crabs and Parsnips

Ah Monday... again. A weekend of excitement has passed... again. The dishes from yesterday are piled high...again. I could wash them now; or I could take a photo. I did wash a cup so I could drink coffee as I write:) Perhaps it's time to let Thom install a dishwasher. Though I don't really believe all of this would fit in one. Maybe we should do as all the newer home remodeling mags do, and install two dishwashers, then we could be really gross and noone would be the wiser (unless I uploaded more evidence).

We had a wonderful meal at Bob and Janna's last night. It was served family style and as the bowl of green veggies came by I passed it on; declaring my freedom from cooked greens at age 46. (I like them fine raw, I just truly strongly dislike them cooked) The roasted parsnips came by. Uh Oh! Really? Can I declare two veggies, at one meal, unedible; as a guest? I started to, but then Janna said they're sweet, like sweet potatoes. Oh? I ask..not turnipy? Oh no, she insists.

I tentatively put a long strip on my plate (which is very bland with its roasted pork loin , roasted potato, and spot of orange with the carrots (2)). Everyone else's plate beams proudly with their greens.

I cut off a very tiny piece of parsnip. I determine to try it while it's still warm so I go with it first. -Doesn't this sound like the actions of a 4 year old? I am very aware of this the entire time-

Have you ever had parsnips? They are fabulous! I'm converted! I know my mother never reads this blog so I'm safe from her I told you so's!!! Gosh all the years of missed parsnips. 46. Just because I thought they would taste like turnips.

~ The night before was Fred and Lex's annual crab feast.

We're delighted to be asked to attend. Thom had to play music in Easton so couldn't accompany me. I go with Beth and Maryanne. Familiar faces are everywhere. A blues band strikes up, and Fred is wandering with bushels of crabs which he harvested that morning. Children are running in and out of tables. You can truly see folks faces and shoulders easing and letting go of the stresses of the previous week.

Inside this home whose walls are covered with books, books and more books (yippee!) are tables which

bring to mind the old term "groaning board".

They look as though they should be swaying under all the weight of the food. There is much to choose from. I avoid all greens and go for many different pasta and grain salads. I grab a giant chocolate cookie now to avoid the loss later (you know they won't last!). We sit at one of the many long picnic tables set before the river and dig in. There's talk, laughter and song. The sun has started setting over the water. How good can life get?

~Before we depart I pull a notebook out of my bag and sit in front of a shelf of books and start writing down titles from bookspines that look like further investigation into them is warranted. My kids have taught me that sometimes you can judge a book by its cover.

~When we leave we walk down a pitch black lane by the light of the stars and moon to our car. Maryanne points out the Big Dipper. I love the deep country, where you can clearly see constellations. I can never find them in our backyard sky.

Whenever I see stars that abundant I am instantly awed and thankful to God, that in the immensity of our galaxy ,when I witness such a sight, I no longer have the feelings of insignifigance that I did in my youth. I don't wonder about my place or my size in scale to the universe. I'm His child. He knows right where I am and what I need at all times. I can glorify Him with the thrill in my heart at such a sight!

Homeschooling in a tree

Two weeks ago Jedd got it into his head that he really wanted to build a tree fort. Thom told him to consider a design and then the two of them worked out something that would fit our tree, in our yard. It has been astounding to watch; sometimes from a distance, sometimes right in the tree helping hold down wood while Jedd saws. There have been several nights where it's black outside and the boy has flashlights and lanterns hanging from various branches and angles.

There is a swarm of bees in one of the trees that Jedd learned wouldn't bother him, as long as he didn't ever again spray them with yard guard! Now they busily work together in harmony:)

~He has taken to bringing books out there and doing schoolwork or just reading, whenever he's run low on supplies and can't do any "real work". He calls his dad at work several times a day to see if he's found any usable scraps or if he'll be home early to help. His brain has been working non-stop on new configurations. In the photo you can see a big ramp up the front. While there are wood rungs nailed to one of the trees ladder-style, he built this yesterday in the hopes that his 136 pound dog might be able to ascend the tree with him. (nope). But it works well for kids to scamper up more quickly. And a lovely addition to the yard landscaping don't you think?

~He has plans for a trap-door, with a tractor seat pulley system, (maybe the dog can get up that way?) windows , and exit onto the shed roof (there was brief talk of a bridge to Thom's shed roof as well, I nixed that)

~ Note the basket pulley system. He's rigged the clothesline to the shed roof. The green line to the basket is what he uses to pull the basket up to the roof with whatever tools or ipod system he's stuck in it. The red line is what I pull to bring it back down when he needs a snack up there! Clever eh?

The twins are happy visitors in all this, but he lets them know, it is his fort!

Just think...2 weeks ago this was in his imagination, now it's his reality...how good is the life of this 11 year old? And isn't this just the way it should be?

A Going Home

This past Monday my mom called from Vermont with the news that my Uncle Bill had gone to rest a bit before attending a big bash that night with my Aunt Janet. When it seemed that it was past the time when he should be getting ready my aunt went to wake him up. I'm sure you've already figured the rest out...Uncle Bill had died in his sleep during that nap. He was 73. He was overweight, but still active and in good health.

I made arrangements to meet my brother, Chris, at his home in N.J. so we could drive up to Connecticut together. It was nice to spend uninterrupted hours together on the ride.

We met up with my mother at a Chili's restaurant first (where all you Office fans will be happy to note we shared an "awesome blossom...extra awsome". They're pretty horrid actually, greasy and all that:( . ) From there we drove to the funeral home, where my brother ,Jeff, was waiting for us. An impromptu family reunion in the parking lot and then onto the rest of the family inside.

~ My aunt did not expect me to make the trip and since I couldn't make it to my grandmother's funeral this summer, was surprised when I walked in. I was enveloped in those wonderful auntie arms and hugged for a fabulously lengthy time. I treasure hugs. I hadn't seen Aunt Janet or any of the cousins from that family since the last family re-union which was at least 7 years ago! And yet...it might have been yesterday.

~We all connect like there has been no time put between us. God must make that happen. We laugh over old stories and what are now family legends. My family knows how to put the "fun" back in funerals. Later some of us carry over to a local restaurant and keep the laughter going. And then it's on to a cousin's home from the other side of the family who has generously offered to put us all up for the night. Gosh, going home is wonderful.

The next morning Chris and I go to a local florist and pick up mums, pumkins and gourds and head over to the Ellington Cemetary. Our father, who died when I was 8, is buried there among his people. It is a beautiful spot. Actually, Ellington is simply a lovely place to have lived. So many memories rush over me as we drive. While other towns around there have grown and changed so dramatically I have no recognition, good ol' Ellington is still as quaint and lovely as ever.

~We dress up Dad's grave and then our grandparent's. They'll look nice when the funeral party comes with Uncle Bill.

As we walk a few yards away Chris brushes away grass from a small 6"tile sized square imbedded in the ground. We call my mom over, who has met us there. "Look at this. It looks like a pear engraved on this. (We think that's funny, since my mom and sister have The Pear Tree shop and I have Pear tree South.) As my brother further brushes grass away in the upper right corner it says" Mema", the name the grandkids all call my mother. Very strange! We all laugh, my mother a bit nervously. I snap a photo.

~Onto the little steepled clapboard church where my brothers attended nursery school much to my envy at the time. The family are already gathered inside and in the parking lot. We head inside and take our seats, pull out hymnals and open with Amazing Grace. Then the pastor says a sermon deeply imbedded with the gospel. All 4 of Uncle Bill's kids offer words of praise and thanksgiving to their dad. Giving him a send-off he'd of been so proud of. Especially the thanks for making them go to church in their youth to give them the firm footing of Jesus Christ as their savior and the Bible as their guide. Wow!

~ We had to leave for home right after the service, but I'm so grateful for the time I was able to have with everyone. We are planning a new family re-union down by the Snipsic Lake, where we can show a new generation the island with the Indian burial ground, tell the stories of supposed hidden treasure, and boy are there ghost stories! We can share with them what was once family stomping ground. It all took place on Mountain Road, many of us lived there, cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents. I lived in the farmhouse my dad grew up in and his mother before him. More cousins lived just a hillside away. It was once pretty much all family land all the way down to the lake and we had free reign. Well, unless the cows were loose...then they had free reign.

I'm especially grateful to you Lord, for the safe travel, and fine, fine fellowship. And for the tiny, happy smirk on Uncle Bill's face that let us know he was seeing the angels come to take him home when he died in such peace. Please be with aunt Janet and the cousins in these coming days....

clocks, towels and parachutes

Aahhh...It's Monday again:) I just did up the Sunday dishes (extra deep pile this morning as it was Thom's birthday yesterday and I made side-dishes and everything for the Sunday meal!woohoo!) I am being accused of once again giving Thom a gift that is really meant for myself. You give a lactose intolerant man one icecream maker one time and they never let you live it down! (you moms will already understand that when I gave that gift I wasn't really giving an icecream maker per se, I was giving the gift of "quality time" using it with his children for a lifetime of happy memories. Unfortunately , it was from Wal-Mart so it didn't last a lifetime...or even a week.)
~This year I am giving him a double -sided station clock. He has always been fascinated by time pieces. But, since our house is full of elliptical arches between rooms, I suggested the appropriate and only place to hang it would probably be best in the kitchen, between the kitchen itself, and the small room off it. Yes, that does happen to be my office at the moment. But he does watch the evening news there almost nightly and as he sits almost always says, "What time is it? Is it 6:30 yet?" I think my case ends there don't you? It is a gift for Thom entirely.
~This weekend I washed one load of laundry three times ! The same load! I guess Al Gore would not be happy. I put it in Saturday morning before work, then went off to work and didn't get home till 9 p.m. So it had sat in the washer for 12 hours. It stunk! I set it on delay to re-wash at 5 a.m. thinking I'd put it in the dryer before church. I remembered it at 5 last night where it had once again sat all day, wet, in the heat. I washed it yet again and finally put it in the dryer where even this morning it still sits. I've pin-pointed where I went wrong. I thought someone would check to see if there was laundry in the washer which needed to be transferred. Nobody ever does do they? I know people went in there that day to get clean clothes...I know the downstairs vibrated with the noise of the washer shaking in spin cycle, thereby alerting people to the fact that the washer was in use.
I can't wait for cold weather simply so that wet laundry doesn't grow heat spores and stink when forgotten about. And let's face it, towels are toast once they've been left in the washer on a hot day. They may smell kinda okay when re-washed and dried...but once they're against your wet body...YUCK!!!! I do not understand how my grandmother had the same set of towels for approximately 50 years. They were paper thin and stiff by the end. We could have written secret messages on them and folded them back up, put them away and used them in a spy situation, because who would look in a closet at towels for directions or maps to a treasure etc.?
I have to replace all my towels every couple of years because the stink won't ever come out of them once they've spent a significant period of time in the washer on a hot day. My grandmother always worked full time so it's not that she was home all day. (during the war she sewed parachutes for the soldiers, how cool is that? Some soldier drifted behind enemy lines hanging from a parachute my little grammy sewed!)
~Well, it's 8:30 and time to wake the troops here and get the day started. Perhaps we'll start with a lesson on laundry....

poor me

Today is one of the 2 days a week where I'm car-less. Emma takes one car off to college and then high school. Annie drops me off at work and then takes the van down to Salisbury for volleyball. So far, Emma has been able to fetch me from work, but its been a close call since she sometimes squeezes me in between school and a volleyball game. It's not really that big a deal since I'm only about a mile from home. But I'm an American darn it! I NEED to have a car sitting in the parking lot all day, un-used, to feel secure! I'd get sweaty if I had to walk home and dinner would be late! What if it rains? What if it snows? What if its really really cold and I can't find my mittens and there are no pockets in the particular coat I've pulled from my All American closet that morning in which there are at least 8 others to choose from?
~Yeah... isn't God so very, very wise to take my car away from me?

Meandering Mondays

I love Mondays. The store is closed and I can meander around my house, catching up on little chores (I tend to ignore the big chores), planning a trip to the market, etc.
~Emma has already left for school. I've nudged Jedd awake (while his alarm is already being steadfastly ignored while it beeps 6 inches from his ear), put in my 2nd load of laundry and hung some of Thom's shirts. A sink full of dishes has been washed and put away (we don't usually wash on Sundays, I know we're disgusting, but who wants to argue over whose turn it is on Sunday!)
~ As I'm putting away books this morning I read one as I walk to the bookshelves," The Unprocessed Child", and find this lovely quote by Sue Monk Kidd which I want to share.
" I hope you'll hear what I'm about to tell you. I hope you hear it down to your toes. When you're waiting, you're not doing nothing. You're doing the most important thing there is. You're allowing your soul to grow up. If you can't be still and wait, you can't become what God created you to be."
The next time I'm urging one of the kids to sign up for something I think might be good for them, but which they have no interest in, I need to remember this. I actually have three kids who don't require me to fill up their social calenders and days with activities. They are very content and independent. If they're bored they pick up a book.
~I think as parents we need to be very careful we leave time for children to learn to sit and wait. I love to daydream....I'm fascinated by the subjects my mind meanders to and from and the unlikely connection of thoughts that occur:) I wantAnnie, Emma and Jedd to have that time as well.

dreams of a cold kitchen

This morning has a the crisp feel and ever so slight hint of a coming autumn about it...are you as delighted as I am about the prospect of a season change?
I wish I could stay home and bake today. Since I'm wishing, I also wish I was staying home and baking in my dream Aga Range. (I'm trying to figure out how to place a picture here, but since the twins are in Georgia with Keith Franklin and a vanload of other "college searchers" I've noone here to assist in that) It's a dreamy classic English cooker that is constantly on. There are various ovens and you just open door #1 for a 275 degree slow roast, or door #2 for 325 baking, door#3 for 375 and door# 4 for 425. You set them all for your desired temps when you first get the stove, then just insert food at will and bake. It also keeps your kitchen toasty all winter. I'd keep an old- fashioned drying rack that raises and lowers from the ceiling in front of it and when the kids come in from playing in the snow...presto! lower the rack , place wet clothing over it to dry and pull a tray of brownies out of the oven!
(I grew up in New England remember, so there is still lots of winter in my brain)
The last time I checked the price of the model I want, it was 15 grand...so no worries about coming to my house and being over-heated in the kitchen in August.

Trinity Sunday

Lord, who hast made me out of the mud,
And hast redeem'd me through thy blood,
And sanctifi'd me to do good;

Purge all my sins done heretofore,
For I confess my heavy sore,
And I will strive to sin no more.

Enrich my heart, mouth, hands in me,
With faith, with hope, with charity;
That I may run, rise, rest with Thee.
~George Herbert

Today, September 9, 2007 our pastor, Jason Shelton, gave a challenging and thought provoking sermon which I highly recommend going online and listening to. It can be found at:
http://www.providencesalisbury.org/
~ Be ready to be stirred to attempt to live the life that Jesus desires and commands you to live. Who have you specifically prayed for by name today? Who will you specifically pray for by name tomorrow?
What will I sacrifice for Jesus today, tomorrow, and any and every tomorrow I'm given after that?
Casting Crowns has a beautiful song titled If We Are The Body and the chorus should fill many of us with shame for our overall lack of outreach to the world....
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

I'm not saying that none of us does these things... I'm saying I personally often use the excuse that it's not "the season" of my life right now to do these things.
So I guess I'd ask you to name me in your prayers..ask Him to move me in His direction....

I'd also ask you to look at some friends who have followed in faith, and be inspired:
http://www.holmanfamily.org/
I know they'd appreciate your prayers greatly as well.

coffee, essays & "The Office"

~We're finishing up our first week of September, not a cool breeze or drop of rain yet, but hope springs eternal... I'm happy for the shop's first shipment of autumn coffees. Pumpkin Harvest blend puts me in the spirit mentally anyway.
We're also finishing up the first week of school. (Marianna, Annie and Jedd did end up coming back home) Annie has realized that the video courses for Algebra 2 and World History weren't going to work for her, so last night we ordered different curriculum and added a few new things for both she and Jedd.
~Emma is doing fine. She's turned in her 2nd college assignment and is contemplating a topic for her research paper. It has to be a persuasive argument on a subject within her home county (sic) OR a totally different country. Which is more difficult than it would seem. For instance the idea of writing on whether or not New Orleans should be rebuilt with government dollars would be a great paper written from either viewpoint. But...since it's not a foreign country or Emma's home county, it's not allowable.
~On a different note...I have finally seen the bottom of my dirty laundry basket. The problem now is that the clean laundry basket at the foot of the dryer is now overflowing...
~Our living room at this moment is also overflowing in the happiest way...with children. The twins talked Thom (at a weak moment) into buying the Season Three Office episodes on DVD which came out this past Tuesday. They've hoarded it until tonight and now are having a marathon 9 hour viewing with friends. They forced me to eat choclate covered ice cream and watch it with them, but after 2 hours I had to seek shelter in another room. Yes, I love The Office as much as the anyone, but I'm old and need to move my muscle-spasmed legs occasionally. Plus the crash from the chocolate was making me nod off....

Christmas in September

Last year I ordered Christmas things in August to be delivered to the store in mid-October. When October came and went I called companies looking for my stuff. I was surprised to find they hadn't held it for delivery...they'd sold it to others who could take immediate delivery. hunh! So, a little wiser this year, I requested immediate delivery when ordering at the NYC show. It has arrived. Those of you who've been to my shop know there is NO storage. So I discreetly put out vintage styled houses covered in 50's glitter, up high on shelves and hid the glitter covered pastel reindeer behind them so they couldn't be seen. Glass ornaments went into cubbies deep in the recesses so as not to offend anyone by their early appearance.
Today, this first Saturday of September, people found, dug out and bought 3 of the 5 houses, 2 of the 4 reindeer, 1 of the 6 ornaments. I'm no longer feeling guilty. They're asking when more selection is arriving...
Also one glittered halloween card and 2 cast iron scaredy cats of fright.
I'm not complaining, mind you...I'm smiling widely:)

Painting #2

Sadly, my art classes have come to an end (at least until Laura considers resuming them in the spring... Here is my latest creation. Painting number 2. It isn't quite finished; the lone red paintbrush needs some shadowing and dimension to be sure. If you find 13 other things that need to be finished, please don't let me know. I'll just get bothered.

So, one of my children started college classes this week. Emma is enrolled in Chesapeake College as a dual enrollment student. She is in English 101. I cannot shout out how proud I am of her loudly enough. Is this something that was around 28 years ago when I was her age? I never heard of it till recent years.She starts her junior year of high school this coming week.

Annie and Jedd start their school year at the same time. Annie is in charge of her own education this year. She gave me her requirements for science, history etc., and I ordered what she wanted. She also is looking forward to immersing herself in art classes and I can't wait to see the creativity that comes out of this girl. She amazes me daily on that level.

Jedd is just going to spend a year with his nose in a book. A year ago we couldn't get him to read the back of a cereal box...now he won't put the books down...a mother's happiness to be sure. I apologise if this is sounding like an obnoxious Christmas letter of all my kid's fabulous accomplishments. Jedd's hair is ridiculously long and he rarely ever brushes it...there is dog poop all over the back yard because Emma didn't clean it yesterday like she was supposed to, and Annie and Henley baked cookies two days ago and I'm still waiting for Annie to wipe up the crumbs and wash the batter bowl. So, hopefully that puts the reality back in the blog.