The Secret of Living

The Required End of NaBloPoMo Post

Yep, I did it.  Even with the trip in the middle.  Not always the most incredible content, but every day there was a post, including today.  

Why do I do this to myself?  I think it's fun.  And challenging.  I love a challenge.  Or I should say that I love a challenge that I have a chance of winning.  

I spent a while today taping walls.  We have three rooms that we want to paint.  I still need to pick the colors for those rooms, but they all need to be primed first, so I am taping.  I also like tasks that have a completion point.  When I am done taping the rooms, I will know that I am done with that task.

And now, I know that I am done with NaBloPoMo, a fun challenging task that I set for myself.  Good night.

Dimming the Lights

I am trying to get excited about Christmas.  But once again, I am feeling more Scroogish and Bah-humbugish than Yuletide-ish.  And yes, those are all words.  Not proper English words, but they describe how I feel right now.

I wish I could explain these holiday doldrums.  I love Christmas.  I love seeing family.  I love remembering the greatest gift of all - our salvation and the miraculous way our Savior came to join mankind on our little earth.  But... I am tired right now.  Maybe it's the end of Thanksgiving week, and that's all it is.  I don't know.

I've been battling a lot of "keeping-up-with-the-Jones-itis" lately too.  Not because I want what they have - but because I am also suffering from "I-dream-of-Jeannie-itis" and I want to be able to just bob my head and have all the little projects done, and then I want the money to be able to do the big projects.  I dream of a redone master bath, and a redone kitchen, and wood floors and some new furniture for the family room.  All things that are attainable - some day.  Not now though.  Not without going into debt and that's not going to happen.

Then I look around and get angry with myself.  I have a lovely home.  I have a BIG home - big enough for several families in several countries around the world.  I do not need to be jones-itis-y (yes, that's another word.  I know because I just made it up.).  I need to be THANKFUL.  And right now, I'm not.

Instead, I'm feeling like the light isn't shining very brightly in my soul.  It's been dimmed.  Too much stress, too much angst, too much worry, not enough Christ.  

And whose fault is that?  Mine.  

I need to remember whose light it is, and get out of the way, and not dim it.  I need to let His light shine in my life.  I need to remember - yet again - for the millionth time, I'm sure - who I belong to - and it's not myself.  And even as I write this, I am feeling thankful.  And the world looks a lot brighter.

One Photograph

Tonight I was going through some old photo albums.  While I like having photos accessible on the computer, I think I need to update my albums again.  There is just something about looking through albums that triggers memories.   Just pick one photograph and you'll see what I mean.  This one in particular gives me so many memories.

This photograph was taken almost 22 years ago, on my honeymoon.  We took it from the deck of my grandparents' cabin in Wisconsin.  It was a peaceful calm time that I wish I could go back to sometimes.

Life is so much more complicated now.  We were college students then.  K was in the last year of his bachelors degree, and I had started graduate school.  We had no debts, a paid off car that my dad had given to me, and a sublet apartment for the summer.  Our lease in married student housing would begin in the fall.   I remember our budget.  It was under $500 a month - and that included going to movies and on dates. But we didn't have much.  As a result, our honeymoon was very low budget.

Housing was my grandparents' cabin.  I loved that cabin.  It had been in the family since my mother was a child.  I had gone there all my life, first while it was my great aunt and uncle's cabin, and then later when my grandparents bought it from them.  It wasn't a big cabin - just two bedrooms, a living room/kitchen, and a large sleeping porch - and a deck - and downstairs was the storage room, plus a few sets of bunk beds for everyone to find a place to sleep.  We always had a good time when we gathered at the cabin.

It was strange to be there alone.  But it turned out to be a wonderful place to have a honeymoon.  And a few years later, the cabin was sold, and the era was over.  But my memories of it?  They are lasting forever.  I am thinking of so many events, so many memories, so many people... all from one photograph.  

Seven Quick Takes, Post-Thanksgiving Edition (November 27)

-1-

I actually wasn't all that full yesterday.  Very comfortable, but not uncomfortable, if you know what I mean.  I didn't put out the spread that I might have with extended family here, but since it was just our small family, I decided to keep it simpler.  We had a great dinner.  Very relaxing.  And now we have leftovers!  

-2-

We played a new board game last night.  Well, it's not exactly new.  I got it for my birthday (in JULY!) and we hadn't had a chance to play.  It's called "Ticket to Ride" and it was fun.  I didn't win though.  I came in second by 2 points - quite a close game!

-3-

I didn't go shopping first thing this morning.  Or second thing.  Or third.  In fact, I slept in until after 8 a.m.  Lovely.  Now I have things to do and will have to get off of the computer soon.  

I do have shopping to do, but I hate crowds.  We'll go this afternoon and it will still be too crowded but I need a few grocery items.  

I know what I'm getting R and I know what I'm getting Nina, but I haven't a clue what we're getting Mac.  I guess we'll figure it out eventually.  

-4-

It's time to put the Christmas lights out!  I am so excited!  We live in a great neighborhood for lights, and we enjoy participating.  I bought new lights for the bushes this year, and I hope that they look good. 

-5-

I just noticed that Nina left an open tab on the browser, and took a look to see what she was doing on the computer.  Apparently, she was looking up Banana Slugs.  Ick.  Why?  Never mind, I don't want to know.  Nothing like seeing the characteristics of gastropods to make you not hungry anymore.

-6-

Back to work on the house.  I'm tired of decluttering, cleaning, and other things.  But I did get to buy a piece of wall art for the house last week, and K likes it too, so that will be fun to put up.  And it is helpful for deciding about a couple of paint colors.  Somehow we're figuring this all out.  We really need to finish the painting soon.

-7-

Only three more posts to go for NaBloPoMo.  And three days to payday.  It's always hard when the last day of the month is on a Monday.  Emotionally, it feels like "if only the last day were a Sunday - so close!  yet so far! because we would have been paid WEDNESDAY - because of the holiday if only...", but it's on Monday, so we'll be paid on Monday.  Oh well.  Another reason to wait to shop, since I would have to move money from our savings to be able to shop for gifts now.    But we'll have to brave at least the grocery store because the milk is gone.  And I need milk to make mashed potatoes for open face sandwiches!  Or maybe I'll make turkey salad sandwiches.  Yummy.  I love turkey!

Thankful Thoughts

I get so caught up sometimes in what isn't in my life, that I forget to stop and be thankful for what I have.

I have a family.  My husband has a job.  A roof over our heads.  Warm clothing and more than enough food to eat.  We are all in reasonable health.  And that's just the material items.

Because the thing I am most grateful for?  Is that I have eternal life with my Lord and Savior.  I have a future full of hope and joy.  Sometimes I get all caught up in what is here on earth, but this treasure?  It won't go there.  

We had a fairly simple Thanksgiving day.  The menu was almost what I'd planned, except I wasn't feeling well yesterday afternoon/evening, so I didn't make any desserts.  We had a frozen pie, so I baked it after the turkey and rolls were done, and it is waiting to be eaten soon, with ice cream.  We are so blessed in so many ways.

I wish some things were different.  And that's okay, as long as I remember to be thankful for that which is before me.

Happy Thanksgiving Day to everyone.  I hope that you are surrounded by family and friends, and that you are feeling thankful for them as well.  May God bless you all.

Our Thanksgiving Menu

Turkey.  Currently thawed, in pan in refrigerator.  Ready to cook, or at least it will be after we get rid of the disgusting parts currently residing inside the "cavity" of the bird.  Why do they call it a cavity?  I usually only use that word to say "congratulations, you didn't have any cavities", or "woe is me, R has another cavity and we will have to try to get it filled and that was so much fun the first time, I would just love to do it again."

Moros y cristianos.  Cuban black beans and rice dish.  Maybe it's not exactly American traditional, but we LOVE it.   And it's just the five of us tomorrow.  Of course, it is not likely that R will eat of the moros y cristianos.  Nor will he eat the turkey.  Hmmm, I better figure out what I am going to feed the boy.  Because otherwise, he will just eat...

Rolls.  Not homemade.  I'm using up my homemade energy on the dessert.  More on that later.

Jello with fruit in it.  Because spouse and daughter requested it.  I do not care for this dish very much, though I may partake of a bit.  I'd rather have a real fruit salad.  But I am all for doing what the people in the house wish to have.  After all, it's a holiday.

Tossed Green Salad.   Because that's what everyone in the house voted on having tomorrow.  No yams, no sweet potatoes, no mashed potatoes.  We are truly a sad household, as we will not be having a carbolicious meal tomorrow.  Unless we count the dessert.  Which I definitely do.

Dessert.  Cherry pie has been requested by the spouse.  And I am happy to give him what he wants.  Though I'd better finish making it and the other dessert tonight, because tomorrow the turkey will take possession of the oven.  Did I mention that it is a 22 lb turkey?  For 5, make that 4 people?  Leftovers, here we come.  After eating the other dessert, which is either pumpkin roll or pumpkin pie.  I haven't decided yet.  Perhaps I'd best decide soon.

And for the leftovers, meals that we're planning are:  soup (made with the turkey carcass of course.  Yummm.);  open face turkey sandwiches.  turkey with gravy and mashed potatoes, with white bread.  <--- ah!  There are the carbs.  We're just postponing them a bit; and lots of yummy sandwiches.

I guess that looks pretty plain as menus go, but we decided that with the 5, make that 4, of us, it would be best to keep it simple.  I'll have enough cooking to do when Christmas comes, as we're going to have a full house.  That is, if I can finish cleaning and painting and all that.  Back to work again, I guess.  But blogging is far more fun!

Imagination

I have absolutely nothing tonight.  Nothing.  So I read blogs instead.  And then I said, aha - I'll try the Imagination Prompt thing that Miriel talked about.  I couldn't be as funny as she was, so I'll try talking about a few of them for a bit each instead.  And I won't even skip the prompt if I don't like it.  First up:

Describe a typical day in elementary school.  

Okay, a typical day.  Kids walk in the building.  Teachers teach them.  Kids go home.

Or maybe I should describe a typical day when *I* was in elementary school.  But I can't remember that far back, since I'm all old and everything.  And I went to 4 different schools and which one should I describe?

Okay, I'll pick a typical day when I walk into an elementary school now.  I walk into the office and ask which room I'm subbing in.   Someone walks me to the room I'm subbing in, where an assistant principal or a secretary or librarian or whoever they could find to monitor the classroom until a substitute teacher could arrive shows me the substitute teaching plans folder if I'm lucky, or hands me a post it note if I'm not lucky.  The children eye me and wonder how soft I am and what they can get away with.  I then keep them a) alive for the rest of the day; b) in some semblance of order; and c) hopefully with some knowledge made clearer.  At the end of the day I am exhausted, and have earned a bit of money.  The end.

One food you would never give up is...

Chocolate.  Cheesecake.  Sunflower seeds.  How am I supposed to write even a sentence about that????  But if I have to pick ONLY one food... I pick... Oranges.  Because they are always such a treat when you have a perfect one.

Describe a favorite vacation of your married years.

In the summer of 1992, K and I went to the Black Hills in South Dakota.  It was a fabulous vacation.  It didn't start out that way, but it turned out that way.

K had limited vacation then, and he had to schedule it weeks in advance.  And the day before we were supposed to leave, I woke up with a 104 temperature and a horribly sore throat.  I went to the doctor where I learned that I had strep, and I was put on antibiotics.  

The next morning, I was a bit better, but not great.  We stayed home that day, but since I was improving, we decided that we'd leave the next day.  When I woke up in the morning, it was evident that I was not anywhere near 100%, but definitely better, so off we went.  K had packed for the trip with my minimal help, and we left by late afternoon.  We had lost an entire day, so we drove through that night, with a few stops.  Around 4 a.m., I woke up and felt a LOT better, and I started driving for a while.   I remember watching the sun rise, and being able to see the Badlands in the distance.  We arrived there at 8 a.m., and enjoyed a couple of hours there before I needed to nap.  

I could write a lot more about this, but it was just a wonderful trip.  We saw the Badlands, Wall Drug, the Black Hills, Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, the Needles Highway, and more.  We hope to take the kids there this coming summer if we are able to take a vacation.  We camped in the Badlands, and at Wind Cave, and I remember sitting next to the fire with K, thinking that this was the most wonderful vacation we'd ever had.  

It was our last vacation as a couple alone, as we had Mac the next year.  Part of what made it special to me was that K took care of me.  I was better, but I definitely was recovering.  I hadn't been sick much before that illness, and I found out what a caring man he is.  I remember being very irritable and hot and I needed to nap, but it was too hot in the tent during the day (though very cool at night - the Black Hills are mountains, after all!).  K told me to get in the car, and that we'd take a drive through the back country.  I fell asleep listening to him softly singing.  When I woke up, I was rested, and he'd been enjoying driving and looking for birds and other wildlife.  

This prompt has been very good for me today.  I had a difficult day, one that I don't feel much like talking about at this point, and I was feeling irritable that I was having to face something alone, since K is actually at Boy Scout camp right now.  He will be home late tonight, with the teens, and I was grumpy and feeling alone and upset.  Now I am thinking about his good qualities, and what a dear man I am married to.  He'll listen to me talk about today if I need to talk, but maybe I don't need to anymore.   Maybe I just need to rest and be with him, and remember that I am loved, by God, by my husband, and by my family.  These blessings are not something I can take for granted.  And I am thankful for them all.