This is what we did this morning

B - Guilty Pleasures

(Guilty Pleasures is my alphabetic summer jaunt through fiction at my favorite library.)

I've just finished reading "Come, My Beloved" by Pearl S. Buck. Letter B for my summer of guilty pleasure reading through the library (although I must confess I am feeling less guilty about it). A quick glance over at Amazon shows that it is no longer available, even on the used book listing.

I'm not sure how to sum up the book. It was a story that covered four generations of a family struggle through pain toward justice with roots (of some kind) in the Christian faith. It takes place largely in India (which of course was delightful to read) through the time of the British Empire until Ghandhiji and his followers have extricated India from the control of a far away crown.

The conflicts were inter-generational, racial, and social class. Religion, Christianity and Hinduism mainly, were put side by side in such a way that I wasn't sure if Buck was 'agreeing that all paths lead to one' or if she was just putting it out there. Romance came in unexpected and frank ways. Insights into being a missionary kid (3rd culture kid) were clearly described by a missionary kid herself.

It took me a while to get into this historical romantic novel, but as I finished the book and looked on Amazon I realized that I had begun a relationship with Buck, and hope to continue on in friendship with her. I don't know if I would recommend it, but I think I like the way Buck writes and thinks.

hee hee hee heee

Anna on the Hammer Dulcimer

Today at Riddles and Rhyme time at Waterville Public Library, we got treated to a hammer dulcimer exhibition. Toward the end, the kids got to play all kinds of fun percussion instruments from around the world. Then after all was said and done, the kids got a chance to try their hand at the dulcimer. What a fun morning!

The picture of discretion

Today after my therapy appt., Marc and I met at Starbucks.

As we were sitting at the table, he looked at me and asked 'Did you do something different to your hair today?'

'Yeah', I answered, 'I haven't had a chance to take a shower yet.'

'Okay,' he said, 'That's what I really wanted to ask, but thought it would be nicer the other way.'

Shheeesh.

Car Key

Well, my morning was taken up trying to get our van to the garage. You wouldn't think that it would be so all consuming, but it happens to be VERY consuming when you don't have keys to said vehicle.

That's right. NO Keys. Yes, that's right, NO keys. I had to say that to the garage (actually to several people at the garage), to AAA, to two separate tow-guys, and to my neighbor. No Keys. I have lost both sets of keys. I even lost it a little with one guy at the garage and said 'yes, no keys - and I'm really a brunette!

To complicate matters further, the van was parked in the garage, nose-first (why would I do it any other way?). So then I had to sign a waver that said I wouldn't hold them accountable for any damage that might happen while pulling my van out of the garage.

All because of no keys.

I'm not sure which is worse... feeling like an idiot, or having the tow-truck guy look at me like I'm the sorriest excuse for responsibility ever.

(I should add that the garage has been awesome this morning. A+++ to rayhaskellflm.com for customer service.)

Mexican flower

Looking for something else, I found this image at this blog:
http://talesfromthelaboratory.typepad.com/

For more wonderful photography, check it out.

What a picture...

From where I'm sitting I can look directly at Marc, laptop on one knee, Sofia on the. They are both looking at the computer screen and Sofia is playing with Marc's beard. Saturday afternoon contentment.

Saturday Morning bliss

My heart is full.

I woke up around 5:30 thinking about the sermon that I need to polish and pull together for tomorrow. So instead of stewing in thought, I got up and began to work in the quiet of the morning, cool air coming through a window, warm cup of coffee, sitting in my favorite and oft-neglected IKEA poing chair, with my laptop on my lap (again, thank YOU to my LOVE). I wandered in and around email and internet diversions as I looked at the word document.

Realizing that it was 7:30, I just went to tell the kids they could get up and quietly get breakfast and watch tv. (Marc has been so suffering with allergies, I was hoping he could get some extra rest.) So the kids got up and got their Saturday morning breakfast (Caleb pouring the milk over the Chocolate Lucky Charms for all three of them), and they are now quietly watching tv.

But the kicker was when Anna brought me my bowl of Chocolate Lucky Charms (with milk)
and said 'here mommy, we got this for you'.

So the house still remains blissfully quiet. The kids are working as a team. Marc is still resting. And now I'll put my headphones back on and get this sermon polished up.

Aahhh. Saturday morning.

Ruth Bell Graham

I'm not usually affected by headlines and the death of famous people, but I have to admit that this one got me this week.

Washington Post Article

AP article

Monk

We just watched an episode of Monk. The show ended with the Captain's wife serving him with divorce papers.

Natalie tries to say something helpful... "You know the old saying.... when God closes a door..."

The captain interrupts her "When God closes a door, sometimes He breaks your heart."

ouch.

Audible.com

Well, I've joined the audible generation. Hoping to put my ipod to good use this summer, I've just joined audible.com. It will be quite a stretch for me to get consistent to listen to books, but I think a healthy habit to build.

Back in the harness again

It has been over twelve years since I worked at summer camp, and that long since I have been in a climbing harness. We were invited to a birthday party at a Rock Wall today, and when they offered the chance to the adults, I couldn't pass it up. I was surprised at the strength that I found in myself (I made it all the way to the top - on the easiest climb). Caleb said 'Mom, you're afraid of heights, aren't you?' 'Yes, C aleb' 'Why did you do it then?' Without thinking I answered, 'So my fear wouldn't have control of me.'

It was such a fun experience... I'm looking for excuses to go again!

Anna on the Rock Wall

We were invited to a birthday part at the Alfond Youth Center today. We had the chance to climb the rockwall. Here is Anna having a turn in the harness. Caleb wasn't interesting in trying it.

This morning

This morning, we did our first of several Penny Car Washes at Vineyard Church of Waterville. Here I am holding a sign. After we washed each car we gave the driver a penny and a very cool business card that said 'this is a practical way of showing that God loves you'.

A - Guilty Pleasures

(Guilty Pleasures is my alphabetic summer jaunt through fiction at my favorite library.)

My first attempt at reading fiction through the alphabet - Baseball Cat by Garrison Allen - has been an exercise in... well, an exercise. I'll take responsibility for reading at hours when I'm not the most awake. But I really don't think this a good book. It's a mystery, which I usually love, and lose myself in quickly. But I'm nearly halfway through, and frankly I don't even care 'who-dun-it'. And then there is all this misplaced sexual .... frustration? It's almost as though Allen was trying to combine two genre's in a way that just doesn't work.

So I've been laboring through this book. I alternately think 'I have to finish this book - it's part of my 'guilty pleasures series' and then thinking... 'this sucks, I don't want to finish it.' So today I'm deciding to not be a slave to my own legalism. I'm going to return this book to the library, and move onto B.

Anna's Quilt

the three borders (the purple border is also the backing)

Anna in her new bed

sisters in bed (lately every time we tell Sofia to smile she does that to her mouth)

Anna's Quilt is done

fresh from the cleaner and put on her bed....

the pattern I used was 'Around the World'

the six main materials that I used in the pattern (I used another yellow, a colorful heart/bugs, and a purple for the borders. I used the border purple - which has a happy pattern in it - for the back)

Reading

I walked into the kitchen the other morning, and this is what I saw. My two guys reading. *sigh*