Until our PODS come on Jan. 6, I’ll be living in an unfurnished house with a dog, the Internet, the stuff we brought in our car, no job, and no cable or rabbit-ear TV.
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Day 7: Sunday, January 4, 2009
Get up around 8 a.m. to get ready for church.
Go to Redeemer Pres about 15 minutes away, where John has visited before. Some of the guys there are going to help us move in on Tuesday night! Very kind of them to help virtual strangers!! We talk to several people after church, all quite friendly. This may be the church we end up at.
Darra is crazy glad when we get home. We eat leftovers from last night. Yum!
Watch some Reba.
Clean the upstairs bathroom since my father-in-law is coming tonight. He’ll be commuting from Atlanta and staying with us part of each week. John reads.
Start cleaning the baseboards upstairs when Darra starts barking madly. Father-in-law has arrived much earlier than expected. Unload his Suburban, which has boxes of our china and boxes of liquids from our house (like liquids from the pantry and cleaning stuff).
Unpack some of the boxes while John and his dad talk.
Make dinner.
Watch some Reba and Kitchen Nightmares. Work on putting dates on this year’s calendar (2009).
John goes to read upstairs.
Post to blog. Check email. Check Facebook.
Walk Darra one more time.
Try to decide if this post will be last installment of Unfurnished House. Technically we have one more day of Unfurnished House on Monday, but it will be a BUSY last day before the PODs come on Tuesday.
Go upstairs to read before bed.
Showing posts with label Personal Journal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Personal Journal. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Until our PODS come on Jan. 6, I’ll be living in an unfurnished house with a dog, the Internet, the stuff we brought in our car, no job, and no cable or rabbit-ear TV.
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Day 6: Saturday, January 3, 2009
Got up by myself at 8:30 a.m. to take Darra out. Not freezing cold outside but foggy.
Make a smoothie for breakfast. Waste time on internet.
Tired of sitting upright. Go upstairs to read a book in bed.
Eat lunch. Watch some Reba.
Walk to Starbucks in the shopping center across the street to read on a couch. Stay for 2 hours.
Get back, walk Darra.
Watch more Reba.
Go to the nearby mall that’s 5 minutes from our house to scout for supper. (John’s dad said to have dinner on him.) Everything at the mall has too long of a wait on a Saturday night after New Year’s (maybe next time, Cheesecake Factory!), so we head back to the shopping center across the street from our neighborhood.
Go to the local Italian place in the shopping center. Inside looks nice; the wait is an HOUR. But we opt for eating outside and are seated immediately. The food was VERY good, even in spite of having just watched multiple episodes of Kitchen Nightmares the past few days (about bad restaurants). We will definitely go there again.
Return home. Watch some more Kitchen Nightmares. Go upstairs to read before bed.
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Day 6: Saturday, January 3, 2009
Got up by myself at 8:30 a.m. to take Darra out. Not freezing cold outside but foggy.
Make a smoothie for breakfast. Waste time on internet.
Tired of sitting upright. Go upstairs to read a book in bed.
Eat lunch. Watch some Reba.
Walk to Starbucks in the shopping center across the street to read on a couch. Stay for 2 hours.
Get back, walk Darra.
Watch more Reba.
Go to the nearby mall that’s 5 minutes from our house to scout for supper. (John’s dad said to have dinner on him.) Everything at the mall has too long of a wait on a Saturday night after New Year’s (maybe next time, Cheesecake Factory!), so we head back to the shopping center across the street from our neighborhood.
Go to the local Italian place in the shopping center. Inside looks nice; the wait is an HOUR. But we opt for eating outside and are seated immediately. The food was VERY good, even in spite of having just watched multiple episodes of Kitchen Nightmares the past few days (about bad restaurants). We will definitely go there again.
Return home. Watch some more Kitchen Nightmares. Go upstairs to read before bed.
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Until our PODS come on Jan. 6, I’ll be living in an unfurnished house with a dog, the Internet, the stuff we brought in our car, no job, and no cable or rabbit-ear TV.
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Day 5: Friday, January 2, 2009
Got up at 6 a.m. with John. Checked the weather online. Supposed to rain today. Supposed to rain on the day we unload the POD next week. Went back to bed.
Wake up again at 8:30 to pounding. Wonder if someone is in the house. Darra is on alert but not barking, so it can’t be a dangerous situation. Wonder where noise is coming from. Possibly from next door. Pounding nails and hanging pictures at this hour?
Take Darra outside. Eat breakfast. Think about what needs to get done today, like the kitchen, which I deliberately didn’t clean up yesterday so I’d have something to do today.
Waste time on internet.
Work on my sister’s resume.
Post to blog. Waste more time on internet.
Go downstairs to get something. Lie on floor, stare at ceiling. Darra whines to go outside, but it’s muddy in the backyard.
Eat lunch and watch more episodes of Reba.
Spend half the afternoon writing a review of the book Forsaken by James David Jordan.
John calls. Drive to bank to open new account.
Return home. Take Darra out for first time since this morning. (She never rang the bell.)
John gets the mail. Get several Christmas cards and newsletters from friends. Decide Christmastime is the best time of year to move – guaranteed mail from people you know.
Watch more episodes of Reba. Make dinner. Get craving for pudding. Or cake. Or ice cream. Mostly pudding though. Can’t have it. Can’t afford extras right now. As soon as the POD comes, and we unpack, I can make a smoothie and pour it into the push-up pop containers I bought a long time ago for frozen treats when I have an ice cream/dessert craving.
Watch episodes of Kitchen Nightmares. Both of us would really rather read, but there’s no comfortable place to lounge. John decides we should go to Starbucks or something tomorrow for couches to read on. Darra will just have to live with it for a few hours.
Go upstairs to read in bed.
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Day 5: Friday, January 2, 2009
Got up at 6 a.m. with John. Checked the weather online. Supposed to rain today. Supposed to rain on the day we unload the POD next week. Went back to bed.
Wake up again at 8:30 to pounding. Wonder if someone is in the house. Darra is on alert but not barking, so it can’t be a dangerous situation. Wonder where noise is coming from. Possibly from next door. Pounding nails and hanging pictures at this hour?
Take Darra outside. Eat breakfast. Think about what needs to get done today, like the kitchen, which I deliberately didn’t clean up yesterday so I’d have something to do today.
Waste time on internet.
Work on my sister’s resume.
Post to blog. Waste more time on internet.
Go downstairs to get something. Lie on floor, stare at ceiling. Darra whines to go outside, but it’s muddy in the backyard.
Eat lunch and watch more episodes of Reba.
Spend half the afternoon writing a review of the book Forsaken by James David Jordan.
John calls. Drive to bank to open new account.
Return home. Take Darra out for first time since this morning. (She never rang the bell.)
John gets the mail. Get several Christmas cards and newsletters from friends. Decide Christmastime is the best time of year to move – guaranteed mail from people you know.
Watch more episodes of Reba. Make dinner. Get craving for pudding. Or cake. Or ice cream. Mostly pudding though. Can’t have it. Can’t afford extras right now. As soon as the POD comes, and we unpack, I can make a smoothie and pour it into the push-up pop containers I bought a long time ago for frozen treats when I have an ice cream/dessert craving.
Watch episodes of Kitchen Nightmares. Both of us would really rather read, but there’s no comfortable place to lounge. John decides we should go to Starbucks or something tomorrow for couches to read on. Darra will just have to live with it for a few hours.
Go upstairs to read in bed.
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Friday, January 02, 2009
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Until our PODS come on Jan. 6, I’ll be living in an unfurnished house with a dog, the Internet, the stuff we brought in our car, no job, and no cable or rabbit-ear TV.
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Day 4: Thursday, January 1, 2009
Got up at 8:30ish a.m. since John has the day off (January 1). John took Darra outside.
Made breakfast: a smoothie. Would rather have hot oatmeal, but it’s packed, and I refuse to buy some when we already have it, technically.
Start laundry load.
Waste time on internet while John finishes his book.
Go to the nearest Lowe’s to buy wood planks. The decks on the 2nd and 3rd floors have a gap beneath the railing that is big enough for Darra to slip through if she’s determined enough to end everything. The wood planks will solve that problem. We discover several other stores around Lowe’s. Drive around that area some more.
Go home and eat lunch. Watch some Reba. Stare at the wall.
I suggest we discuss furniture placement. Walk around the house deciding where things will go when we unload next week.
Next week seems so far away.
John doesn’t want to stay and watch more TV, so we take Darra with us to drive around some more, using my printouts of places I’d looked up. Takes the rest of the afternoon. Discover lots of stores and shopping centers. Realize now we know where all the stores are that we’d want to go to, and they’re all within about 15-20 minutes of our house, but … none of them are close to EACH OTHER.
Get home. Watch some more Reba on the plasma TV. Watched an episode of Bones. Getting really tired of having no couches to sit on.
Work on LinkedIn profile while John watches the Bones episode. Wonder if “systematization” is a word. It is.
Watch some episodes of Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay. Vow to avoid restaurants as much as possible.
Walk Darra. Very short walk.
Watch some more Kitchen Nightmares. Read a book before bed.
Never did write any resolutions today, the first day of the new year.
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Day 4: Thursday, January 1, 2009
Got up at 8:30ish a.m. since John has the day off (January 1). John took Darra outside.
Made breakfast: a smoothie. Would rather have hot oatmeal, but it’s packed, and I refuse to buy some when we already have it, technically.
Start laundry load.
Waste time on internet while John finishes his book.
Go to the nearest Lowe’s to buy wood planks. The decks on the 2nd and 3rd floors have a gap beneath the railing that is big enough for Darra to slip through if she’s determined enough to end everything. The wood planks will solve that problem. We discover several other stores around Lowe’s. Drive around that area some more.
Go home and eat lunch. Watch some Reba. Stare at the wall.
I suggest we discuss furniture placement. Walk around the house deciding where things will go when we unload next week.
Next week seems so far away.
John doesn’t want to stay and watch more TV, so we take Darra with us to drive around some more, using my printouts of places I’d looked up. Takes the rest of the afternoon. Discover lots of stores and shopping centers. Realize now we know where all the stores are that we’d want to go to, and they’re all within about 15-20 minutes of our house, but … none of them are close to EACH OTHER.
Get home. Watch some more Reba on the plasma TV. Watched an episode of Bones. Getting really tired of having no couches to sit on.
Work on LinkedIn profile while John watches the Bones episode. Wonder if “systematization” is a word. It is.
Watch some episodes of Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay. Vow to avoid restaurants as much as possible.
Walk Darra. Very short walk.
Watch some more Kitchen Nightmares. Read a book before bed.
Never did write any resolutions today, the first day of the new year.
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Until our PODS come on Jan. 6, I’ll be living in an unfurnished house with a dog, the Internet, the stuff we brought in our car, no job, and no cable or rabbit-ear TV.
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Day 3: Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Get up at 6 a.m. with John. Once John closes the bathroom door, shutting Darra out, she goes to a pile of dirty laundry (darks) and lies on John’s dirty underwear, staring at the closed bathroom door.
Take Darra out, implement Fiendish New Potty Plan: If she doesn’t go in the first minute or two, I take her back inside. When she does do her business, she gets a treat immediately. She already knows to ring the bell to go outside, but now that we don’t have a doggie door and a fenced yard, I’m re-training her to go outside and go IMMEDIATELY, so I’m not standing there in the cold. She’s got to learn now that every time she goes outside, it’s NOT necessarily a walk!! After a minute or two this morning, I make a move to go back inside, and she halts, not budging. Immediately goes potty. I think she’s starting to get the picture.
Start laundry load #3.
Eat breakfast, go online. Post to blog. Check email. Check Facebook. Update Amazon wish list.
Think about getting dressed since it’s 8:30 a.m.
Reboot laundry. Get ready for the day. Wash down shelves of laundry room cabinets and store stuff there.
Hand wash some dishes. Clear off the counters and find a way to organize all the random paper and pens that don’t have a home because we don’t have desks, so they’ve been all over the place. Feel good about cleared countertops.
Reboot laundry. Start load #4.
Think about the fact that today is Dec. 31. Think about making resolutions, as I eat some chocolate. Ponder that this is the first year we’ll be alone for New Year’s Eve not by choice.
Look up directions to the nearest Costco, hoping it’s closer than BJ’s or Sam’s, which are both at least 20 minutes away.
Feel guilty about ignoring Darra, who looks especially pathetic. Take her on walk to neighborhood next door.
Eat lunch while watching Reba. See that the 2 newest episodes of House are on hulu.com!!
Reboot laundry.
Figure out directions one more time for hitting two stores in one trip. Take deep breath, leave Darra UNgated!! (since it’s obviously pointless), and gear up for serious driving in Raleigh.
Head out onto I-440, the loop around Raleigh. Eeeks. End up at the nearest SuperWalmart, about 15-20 minutes away. The store I patronize the most isn’t close anymore!
Also excited to see a pet store AND an Aldi’s across the street from Walmart. Yay! Aldi’s is probably the only store cheaper than Walmart!
Before going back home, I have to call John to ask him which exit we are on 440, which direction to go, etc.
Manage to make it home. Wonder how Darra fared while I was gone for 2 hours. But apparently John got home right after I left, so we still haven’t left her for a significant period of time.
Unpack groceries. Watch some more Reba. Make supper. Watch another episode of Wire in the Blood. Cannot get warm. Wrap up in afghan.
Walk Darra in the freezing cold. It’s a short walk. Thank goodness, she does all her business, so we’re not going outside again.
Try to figure out how to maximize bedding and pajamas for optimal sleeping. No socks or sweatshirt: too cold. Socks and sweatshirt: too hot, then sweat, then get cold from sweat drying. Really want my own pillow and bed, which are inaccessible for another week at least.
Waste time on the internet.
Read before bed.
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Day 3: Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Get up at 6 a.m. with John. Once John closes the bathroom door, shutting Darra out, she goes to a pile of dirty laundry (darks) and lies on John’s dirty underwear, staring at the closed bathroom door.
Take Darra out, implement Fiendish New Potty Plan: If she doesn’t go in the first minute or two, I take her back inside. When she does do her business, she gets a treat immediately. She already knows to ring the bell to go outside, but now that we don’t have a doggie door and a fenced yard, I’m re-training her to go outside and go IMMEDIATELY, so I’m not standing there in the cold. She’s got to learn now that every time she goes outside, it’s NOT necessarily a walk!! After a minute or two this morning, I make a move to go back inside, and she halts, not budging. Immediately goes potty. I think she’s starting to get the picture.
Start laundry load #3.
Eat breakfast, go online. Post to blog. Check email. Check Facebook. Update Amazon wish list.
Think about getting dressed since it’s 8:30 a.m.
Reboot laundry. Get ready for the day. Wash down shelves of laundry room cabinets and store stuff there.
Hand wash some dishes. Clear off the counters and find a way to organize all the random paper and pens that don’t have a home because we don’t have desks, so they’ve been all over the place. Feel good about cleared countertops.
Reboot laundry. Start load #4.
Think about the fact that today is Dec. 31. Think about making resolutions, as I eat some chocolate. Ponder that this is the first year we’ll be alone for New Year’s Eve not by choice.
Look up directions to the nearest Costco, hoping it’s closer than BJ’s or Sam’s, which are both at least 20 minutes away.
Feel guilty about ignoring Darra, who looks especially pathetic. Take her on walk to neighborhood next door.
Eat lunch while watching Reba. See that the 2 newest episodes of House are on hulu.com!!
Reboot laundry.
Figure out directions one more time for hitting two stores in one trip. Take deep breath, leave Darra UNgated!! (since it’s obviously pointless), and gear up for serious driving in Raleigh.
Head out onto I-440, the loop around Raleigh. Eeeks. End up at the nearest SuperWalmart, about 15-20 minutes away. The store I patronize the most isn’t close anymore!
Also excited to see a pet store AND an Aldi’s across the street from Walmart. Yay! Aldi’s is probably the only store cheaper than Walmart!
Before going back home, I have to call John to ask him which exit we are on 440, which direction to go, etc.
Manage to make it home. Wonder how Darra fared while I was gone for 2 hours. But apparently John got home right after I left, so we still haven’t left her for a significant period of time.
Unpack groceries. Watch some more Reba. Make supper. Watch another episode of Wire in the Blood. Cannot get warm. Wrap up in afghan.
Walk Darra in the freezing cold. It’s a short walk. Thank goodness, she does all her business, so we’re not going outside again.
Try to figure out how to maximize bedding and pajamas for optimal sleeping. No socks or sweatshirt: too cold. Socks and sweatshirt: too hot, then sweat, then get cold from sweat drying. Really want my own pillow and bed, which are inaccessible for another week at least.
Waste time on the internet.
Read before bed.
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Until our PODS come on Jan. 6, I’ll be living in an unfurnished house with a dog, the Internet, the stuff we brought in our car, no job, and no cable or rabbit-ear TV.
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Day 2: Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Get up with John at 6 a.m.
Take Darra out. She only does half her business, but I’m too cold to care that I’ll have to go back out again soon. She’s distracted by every noise and enjoying herself. I’m not.
Eat breakfast. Darra also eats hers, which is good. Unload dishwasher. Make list of things to do today.
Back upstairs to unpack John’s remaining bags that he brought home yesterday. 4 piles of laundry to do.
Shower. Start first laundry load. Set timer downstairs in kitchen to remind myself the laundry is up there by the bedrooms.
Eat breakfast. Check email. Check Facebook. Post “Day 1” to blog. Ignore timer for laundry. Realize too much time has been spent online this morning. Typical.
Reboot laundry upstairs.
Feel guilty about ignoring Darra. Bring her toys to basement level where there’s carpet and play with her. Liveliest she’s been (INside the house) since we arrived.
Eat a snack.
DSL guy comes to set things up. While he’s busy, I do a walk-through for the rental company to indicate any pre-existing defects in the townhouse that they haven’t caught. I’m pickier, so I write down more than they did on the form. Don’t want to have to pay for damage that we didn’t do.
Check on laundry. Open double doors of laundry closet to find water dripping from cabinet knobs. Didn’t realize it would get that humid in there. Will keep closet doors open from now on. Discover that dryer didn’t dry at all. Change setting and try again. (We don’t have our washer/dryer now anyway, but when the POD comes, we’ll keep them in the garage instead of lugging one set down 2 flights of stairs, and lugging ours up 2 flights. Then repeating in reverse when we move out in 13 months.)
Walk Darra. She stops at the base of the stairway to each house, thinking it’s ours. (The front door of each house is on the second level, so you have to walk up a flight of stairs to get there. The stairs end at the sidewalk.)
Finish walk-through of house. Darra sleeps in sun on second-level deck. I scrounge for lunch. Spend way too much time on Facebook.
Reboot laundry. Discover that the lint trap in the dryer is NOT REMOVABLE. What kind of dryer is this. Does GE want the house to burn down around us? Have they not read the studies that show how easily lint in a dryer catches fire?? Reconsider switching out their dryer for ours, even with lugging up and down stairs.
Darra sleeps in sun on deck outside the kitchen while I look up dog parks in Raleigh.
Waste time on Internet.
Answer question on phone for person who replaced me at my job when we moved.
Reboot laundry. Take Darra outside to do her business.
Tired of house. Gate Darra into our bathroom, then go to mall down the street to check it out.
Crabtree Valley Mall is probably the biggest I’ve ever been to. It has a major parking garage that is, frankly, confusing and intimidating to someone who is the polar opposite of adventurous!! I’m mentally exhausted just trying to get in and park.
Walk the mall all the way around on level 1, then on level 2. Feel like a Mall Walker. Consider joining their Mall Walker group (hey, one holiday mall sign said that the mall walkers had a holiday party and got treated by Trade Secret!). Lots of “northern” fashion that is unfamiliar, but I would never wear anyway. (Try knit knee-length dress with tights and boots.)
Stop at a styling salon for prices. Stop at Payless. Stop at Franklin Covey store. Weirdly excited that there’s a Franklin Covey store! Never been to one. Linger for a long time, looking at planners. Wonder if I could get a part-time job there. And then get discounts.
Finish up at the mall, ready to go home. Mission accomplished: got to know the mall, and didn’t buy anything. Next hurdle: trying to get out of the parking garage. Even though my M.O. is to return the exact way I came in since by default it’s already “familiar,” that way involves awkward awful left-turn intersections in the parking garage. So I go out the back way, which is not familiar. But successfully leave the mall.
Come home to find that Darra broke out! She somehow upended the gate in the master bathroom doorway and has been trapped instead in the carpeted master bedroom. Good thing I shut the door just in case. Relief: no bathroom accidents or chewed up items. Just a wildly ecstatic dog who has no idea that we’re bummed the gate is no longer effective.
Darra and I go for our first mail run at this new address. We have real mail!
John comes home. We look up directions for how to get to various stores. Darra starts to play with her toys, the first time she’s done so by herself since we arrived.
Start dinner. Watch Reba on the plasma TV. Talk to John’s mom on the phone.
Clean up from dinner. Watch a British crime show, Wire in the Blood, on the plasma TV. Eat a British dessert called spotted dick.
Walk Darra, work our way through the neighborhood next to ours. Start a new book before going to bed.
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Unfurnished House: Day 1
Day 2: Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Get up with John at 6 a.m.
Take Darra out. She only does half her business, but I’m too cold to care that I’ll have to go back out again soon. She’s distracted by every noise and enjoying herself. I’m not.
Eat breakfast. Darra also eats hers, which is good. Unload dishwasher. Make list of things to do today.
Back upstairs to unpack John’s remaining bags that he brought home yesterday. 4 piles of laundry to do.
Shower. Start first laundry load. Set timer downstairs in kitchen to remind myself the laundry is up there by the bedrooms.
Eat breakfast. Check email. Check Facebook. Post “Day 1” to blog. Ignore timer for laundry. Realize too much time has been spent online this morning. Typical.
Reboot laundry upstairs.
Feel guilty about ignoring Darra. Bring her toys to basement level where there’s carpet and play with her. Liveliest she’s been (INside the house) since we arrived.
Eat a snack.
DSL guy comes to set things up. While he’s busy, I do a walk-through for the rental company to indicate any pre-existing defects in the townhouse that they haven’t caught. I’m pickier, so I write down more than they did on the form. Don’t want to have to pay for damage that we didn’t do.
Check on laundry. Open double doors of laundry closet to find water dripping from cabinet knobs. Didn’t realize it would get that humid in there. Will keep closet doors open from now on. Discover that dryer didn’t dry at all. Change setting and try again. (We don’t have our washer/dryer now anyway, but when the POD comes, we’ll keep them in the garage instead of lugging one set down 2 flights of stairs, and lugging ours up 2 flights. Then repeating in reverse when we move out in 13 months.)
Walk Darra. She stops at the base of the stairway to each house, thinking it’s ours. (The front door of each house is on the second level, so you have to walk up a flight of stairs to get there. The stairs end at the sidewalk.)
Finish walk-through of house. Darra sleeps in sun on second-level deck. I scrounge for lunch. Spend way too much time on Facebook.
Reboot laundry. Discover that the lint trap in the dryer is NOT REMOVABLE. What kind of dryer is this. Does GE want the house to burn down around us? Have they not read the studies that show how easily lint in a dryer catches fire?? Reconsider switching out their dryer for ours, even with lugging up and down stairs.
Darra sleeps in sun on deck outside the kitchen while I look up dog parks in Raleigh.
Waste time on Internet.
Answer question on phone for person who replaced me at my job when we moved.
Reboot laundry. Take Darra outside to do her business.
Tired of house. Gate Darra into our bathroom, then go to mall down the street to check it out.
Crabtree Valley Mall is probably the biggest I’ve ever been to. It has a major parking garage that is, frankly, confusing and intimidating to someone who is the polar opposite of adventurous!! I’m mentally exhausted just trying to get in and park.
Walk the mall all the way around on level 1, then on level 2. Feel like a Mall Walker. Consider joining their Mall Walker group (hey, one holiday mall sign said that the mall walkers had a holiday party and got treated by Trade Secret!). Lots of “northern” fashion that is unfamiliar, but I would never wear anyway. (Try knit knee-length dress with tights and boots.)
Stop at a styling salon for prices. Stop at Payless. Stop at Franklin Covey store. Weirdly excited that there’s a Franklin Covey store! Never been to one. Linger for a long time, looking at planners. Wonder if I could get a part-time job there. And then get discounts.
Finish up at the mall, ready to go home. Mission accomplished: got to know the mall, and didn’t buy anything. Next hurdle: trying to get out of the parking garage. Even though my M.O. is to return the exact way I came in since by default it’s already “familiar,” that way involves awkward awful left-turn intersections in the parking garage. So I go out the back way, which is not familiar. But successfully leave the mall.
Come home to find that Darra broke out! She somehow upended the gate in the master bathroom doorway and has been trapped instead in the carpeted master bedroom. Good thing I shut the door just in case. Relief: no bathroom accidents or chewed up items. Just a wildly ecstatic dog who has no idea that we’re bummed the gate is no longer effective.
Darra and I go for our first mail run at this new address. We have real mail!
John comes home. We look up directions for how to get to various stores. Darra starts to play with her toys, the first time she’s done so by herself since we arrived.
Start dinner. Watch Reba on the plasma TV. Talk to John’s mom on the phone.
Clean up from dinner. Watch a British crime show, Wire in the Blood, on the plasma TV. Eat a British dessert called spotted dick.
Walk Darra, work our way through the neighborhood next to ours. Start a new book before going to bed.
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Unfurnished House: Day 1
We won’t get our storage PODS back until Jan. 6 because of the holidays and high volume of business (I guess a lot of people are moving this month using PODS). So our (rented) townhouse currently houses one queen-sized air mattress (note to self: THANK MOM for perfect, unrequested Christmas gift!!), and some items that came with the house: an ironing board, plastic deck furniture outside, a washer & dryer, and shoe shelving units in the master closets (must tell Mary!!). Until The Day The PODS Come, I’ll be living in an unfurnished house with a dog, the Internet, the stuff we brought in our car, no job, and no cable or rabbit-ear TV.
A.k.a., The Simple Life.
Day 1: Monday, December 29, 2008
Got up with John at 6:30 a.m. (I think). Tried to wake up while John took a lukewarm shower since apparently the water heater wasn’t working properly. Got dressed, knowing I’d have to take Darra outside on a leash soon.
Try to convince John to have a bowl of cereal before going to work, then realize I had spoons but no bowls. John took a breakfast bar to work instead. He fixed the water heater before he left; it had been on the “vacation” setting.
Took Darra outside. Not too chilly, just comfortable with a pullover. She sees a rabbit and tries to take off. Have to re-orient her that it is POTTY time, not PLAY time.
Back inside, the iPod Bose unit is unpacked and the iPod set to the playlist Hymns. It was 7 in the morning, and now that we’re in a townhouse, we have neighbors on both sides of the walls. Have to be volume-conscious.
Want to start unpacking the few kitchen boxes we brought with us in the car, but I’m starving. Start hunt for plastic bowls instead. Jackpot: first box. Eat cereal with skim milk instead of rice milk for the first time in 2 years. Darra watches me, and ignores her own breakfast.
Start unpacking the kitchen boxes, including the ones that John brought from his car. Last night before coming to the house, we had driven to John’s work and got his car that he’d left there before Christmas. It had all his stuff in it that he’d used while renting a basement in Raleigh since the beginning of November (while he commuted, and I stayed in our house in Georgia). Darra climbs into her bed (which I’d put in the kitchen so she’d have a soft place instead of hardwood floors) and stays there looking woeful.
All (few) kitchen boxes unpacked and half put away, I reach a stopping point as I can’t decide exactly where I want things to go. (No sense putting them away only to take it all out and rearrange later.) Even though the kitchen cabinet layout is almost identical to the one in our former house, I still can’t decide where I want things. The cabinets ARE about 6 inches taller, and there are enough minor differences between kitchens that I can’t just use the exact same storage plan. Darra still ignores her breakfast.
Abandon kitchen and decide to take a break. Realize it’s only 8:45 a.m. Feels like afternoon. Put away packing materials from unpacking kitchen boxes with several trips down to basement/garage level where all boxes will end up eventually. Clean up a bit in kitchen. Think about kitchen cabinet arrangement. Rearrange the few cans and items in pantry.
Head upstairs to bedroom, the only place to “sit down” inside the house. Turn on computer and connect to someone else’s wireless network (our wireless will be set up tomorrow). Sorry, Foley network, it’s only for 1 day. Check Facebook. Check email. Email John to see if there are any folding chairs at work for him to borrow and bring home. Email everyone in my Contacts that we have a new address. Go to www.hulu.com to watch 2 episodes of Reba from Season 1. Darra still hasn’t eaten her breakfast.
Put computer away and unpack my suitcase in the master bedroom. Think about what will go in the large, separate his/her walk-in closets. Rearrange the small, unattached cabinets and shoe shelving that came with the house in the closets. Consider unpacking John’s suitcase. Leave it unpacked.
Start to unpack the toiletry bags in the bathroom, stop to go downstairs, get a cleaning washcloth, and come up again to wash out the bathroom drawers and cabinets. Not because they’re unclean; I’m just picky. See black scuff marks on some of the doors up here. Go down 2 flights of stairs to basement level to get Magic Eraser. Come back up and remove black marks. See serious dust on baseboards, top of doorway moulding, and in ridges on doors. DO NOT start cleaning all that. Save it for later. Continue to unpack bathroom stuff until finished.
Step out of bathroom to realize that Darra has taken up residence next to the sliding door in our bedroom that leads to a balcony. She is konked out in the sunlight on the floor. Decide not to go down another flight of stairs to get camera. She’d move anyway.
Look at clock and realize John could be home for lunch soon, and I still don’t have makeup or hair done. Do that. Brain starts thinking about New Year’s Resolutions. Moves to thinking about what we’ll do for Dec. 31 to celebrate. Acknowledge, probably nothing. Darra is still sleeping hard in the sunlight on the floor. Think about walking her, but John will be home soon anyway.
Decide to create blog post of what to do when there’s nothing to do. Write.
Realize it’s past lunchtime. Go to microwave lunch and see a metal rack in the microwave that is in fact part of the microwave, as it rests on built-in pegs. ???! Wonder what in the world is going on there. Remove metal rack and finish with lunch.
Feel very guilty and decide to walk Darra. Explore neighborhood, not as complicated as it initially looked in the dark last night. Close to a lot of other neighborhoods, which is good for walking the dog and running.
Need to go get groceries so we don’t eat out tonight. Must leave Darra for first time, gated in the bathroom, when she’s used to having a doggie door to the outside and therefore free rein in the house.
Go to grocery store, which thank goodness is basically across the street from our neighborhood. No need for complicated directions. It’s similar to Publix. I only buy things from my list, keeping in mind that we’re paying for a mortgage AND rent in January.
Come home just as John is pulling in. We manage to get both cars into the tiny box that is billed as a two-car garage. He brought home chairs from the office, so we won’t have to eat dinner standing up. Darra is ecstatic that we’re home. She finally starts to eat.
John works electronic magic and hooks his computer to the plasma TV that came with the house (which is located in what normal people think of as the dining room). Darra climbs into her bed, again woeful and forlorn. Probably wondering where her couch is. We watch some Reba as I make dinner.
Though it’s dark out, we walk Darra and see how people have arranged their furniture in the front living room that can be seen from the street. A surprising number of people haven’t pulled their curtains or blinds closed yet.
Return to thinking about kitchen. Decide where everything will go. Agree with John’s mom, who said I have more kitchen stuff than she does. Almost done mentally organizing kitchen with items I have to recall from memory, but get tired of it. John goes upstairs to read.
I give up on planning the kitchen. Walk Darra one more time before bed. Some old guy down the street watches to make sure I pick up her poop. Clean up kitchen, run first dishwasher load, clear countertops. Finally decide on kitchen organization. Each cabinet has a post-it note on it with what will eventually go inside. Feels good to be done. Head upstairs to read my book before bed. Surprisingly full day, no boredom.
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
A.k.a., The Simple Life.
Day 1: Monday, December 29, 2008
Got up with John at 6:30 a.m. (I think). Tried to wake up while John took a lukewarm shower since apparently the water heater wasn’t working properly. Got dressed, knowing I’d have to take Darra outside on a leash soon.
Try to convince John to have a bowl of cereal before going to work, then realize I had spoons but no bowls. John took a breakfast bar to work instead. He fixed the water heater before he left; it had been on the “vacation” setting.
Took Darra outside. Not too chilly, just comfortable with a pullover. She sees a rabbit and tries to take off. Have to re-orient her that it is POTTY time, not PLAY time.
Back inside, the iPod Bose unit is unpacked and the iPod set to the playlist Hymns. It was 7 in the morning, and now that we’re in a townhouse, we have neighbors on both sides of the walls. Have to be volume-conscious.
Want to start unpacking the few kitchen boxes we brought with us in the car, but I’m starving. Start hunt for plastic bowls instead. Jackpot: first box. Eat cereal with skim milk instead of rice milk for the first time in 2 years. Darra watches me, and ignores her own breakfast.
Start unpacking the kitchen boxes, including the ones that John brought from his car. Last night before coming to the house, we had driven to John’s work and got his car that he’d left there before Christmas. It had all his stuff in it that he’d used while renting a basement in Raleigh since the beginning of November (while he commuted, and I stayed in our house in Georgia). Darra climbs into her bed (which I’d put in the kitchen so she’d have a soft place instead of hardwood floors) and stays there looking woeful.
All (few) kitchen boxes unpacked and half put away, I reach a stopping point as I can’t decide exactly where I want things to go. (No sense putting them away only to take it all out and rearrange later.) Even though the kitchen cabinet layout is almost identical to the one in our former house, I still can’t decide where I want things. The cabinets ARE about 6 inches taller, and there are enough minor differences between kitchens that I can’t just use the exact same storage plan. Darra still ignores her breakfast.
Abandon kitchen and decide to take a break. Realize it’s only 8:45 a.m. Feels like afternoon. Put away packing materials from unpacking kitchen boxes with several trips down to basement/garage level where all boxes will end up eventually. Clean up a bit in kitchen. Think about kitchen cabinet arrangement. Rearrange the few cans and items in pantry.
Head upstairs to bedroom, the only place to “sit down” inside the house. Turn on computer and connect to someone else’s wireless network (our wireless will be set up tomorrow). Sorry, Foley network, it’s only for 1 day. Check Facebook. Check email. Email John to see if there are any folding chairs at work for him to borrow and bring home. Email everyone in my Contacts that we have a new address. Go to www.hulu.com to watch 2 episodes of Reba from Season 1. Darra still hasn’t eaten her breakfast.
Put computer away and unpack my suitcase in the master bedroom. Think about what will go in the large, separate his/her walk-in closets. Rearrange the small, unattached cabinets and shoe shelving that came with the house in the closets. Consider unpacking John’s suitcase. Leave it unpacked.
Start to unpack the toiletry bags in the bathroom, stop to go downstairs, get a cleaning washcloth, and come up again to wash out the bathroom drawers and cabinets. Not because they’re unclean; I’m just picky. See black scuff marks on some of the doors up here. Go down 2 flights of stairs to basement level to get Magic Eraser. Come back up and remove black marks. See serious dust on baseboards, top of doorway moulding, and in ridges on doors. DO NOT start cleaning all that. Save it for later. Continue to unpack bathroom stuff until finished.
Step out of bathroom to realize that Darra has taken up residence next to the sliding door in our bedroom that leads to a balcony. She is konked out in the sunlight on the floor. Decide not to go down another flight of stairs to get camera. She’d move anyway.
Look at clock and realize John could be home for lunch soon, and I still don’t have makeup or hair done. Do that. Brain starts thinking about New Year’s Resolutions. Moves to thinking about what we’ll do for Dec. 31 to celebrate. Acknowledge, probably nothing. Darra is still sleeping hard in the sunlight on the floor. Think about walking her, but John will be home soon anyway.
Decide to create blog post of what to do when there’s nothing to do. Write.
Realize it’s past lunchtime. Go to microwave lunch and see a metal rack in the microwave that is in fact part of the microwave, as it rests on built-in pegs. ???! Wonder what in the world is going on there. Remove metal rack and finish with lunch.
Feel very guilty and decide to walk Darra. Explore neighborhood, not as complicated as it initially looked in the dark last night. Close to a lot of other neighborhoods, which is good for walking the dog and running.
Need to go get groceries so we don’t eat out tonight. Must leave Darra for first time, gated in the bathroom, when she’s used to having a doggie door to the outside and therefore free rein in the house.
Go to grocery store, which thank goodness is basically across the street from our neighborhood. No need for complicated directions. It’s similar to Publix. I only buy things from my list, keeping in mind that we’re paying for a mortgage AND rent in January.
Come home just as John is pulling in. We manage to get both cars into the tiny box that is billed as a two-car garage. He brought home chairs from the office, so we won’t have to eat dinner standing up. Darra is ecstatic that we’re home. She finally starts to eat.
John works electronic magic and hooks his computer to the plasma TV that came with the house (which is located in what normal people think of as the dining room). Darra climbs into her bed, again woeful and forlorn. Probably wondering where her couch is. We watch some Reba as I make dinner.
Though it’s dark out, we walk Darra and see how people have arranged their furniture in the front living room that can be seen from the street. A surprising number of people haven’t pulled their curtains or blinds closed yet.
Return to thinking about kitchen. Decide where everything will go. Agree with John’s mom, who said I have more kitchen stuff than she does. Almost done mentally organizing kitchen with items I have to recall from memory, but get tired of it. John goes upstairs to read.
I give up on planning the kitchen. Walk Darra one more time before bed. Some old guy down the street watches to make sure I pick up her poop. Clean up kitchen, run first dishwasher load, clear countertops. Finally decide on kitchen organization. Each cabinet has a post-it note on it with what will eventually go inside. Feels good to be done. Head upstairs to read my book before bed. Surprisingly full day, no boredom.
Unfurnished House: Day 2
Unfurnished House: Day 3
Unfurnished House: Day 4
Unfurnished House: Day 5
Unfurnished House: Day 6
Unfurnished House: Day 7
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Things I've Learned From My Husband
Well, a few things. I am supposed to be packing up our house right now.
(1) Simplicity. Sometimes as I'm cleaning, I'll notice an item that I've had for years and think, "Do I really need to keep this?? Why do I have it?" And the voice in my head is John, trying to make our lives easier. (Not to mention, saving us headaches in the future when we're packing said items. Ahem.)
(2) The art of self-evaluation. If John wasn't so cynical, he would make a great psychologist. He has a gift for reading people. (But no one would visit a psychologist who would say, "The solution is simple: Stop being an idiot and don't do that anymore.") In our four years of marriage (anniversary on Thursday!), he has come to know me better than I know myself. Seriously. He'll point out things that I never realized about myself (both good and bad). It's shocking. I'm either frightfully oblivious to some things or in serious denial. I'm working on getting to know him just as well, though I know I'll never be on the same par.
(3) Frugality. (Stop snorting, John.) It's true. I AM more frugal than I was when I was single (which amounted to about 5% frugal). The percentage still isn't as high as I - or John - would like it to be, but more often, I do find myself thinking "Why do I need to buy this?" when I'm still IN the store, which is even better than thinking it the next day and then returning something.
(4) Relaxation. Anyone who knows me fairly well knows that I like to be efficient. Not necessarily in a multi-tasking sense, but in spending every minute completing tasks and crossing things off my infinite to-do list. In my mind, there's ALWAYS "something" I could be doing. If I need a break from computer work, I can go do laundry or pull weeds. I'll read a book for pleasure as a break, too, but in terms of "just sitting there," "relaxing," and not doing anything else - that just goes against the way my DNA is put together. John has taught me that IT IS OK, even GOOD to sit and (by my definition) "do nothing," and just take a deep breath and enjoy life and the moment. Granted, right now I do that maybe once a week for 2 minutes, but he's working on it.
(5) "Good enough" is an acceptable standard. Not ALL of the time of course, but for a perfectionist to relent and complete something to a "good enough" level, it's safe to say that progress is being made. Instead of killing myself to reach the unattainable level of Perfection, sometimes it's ok to stop at "good enough." My definition of "good enough" is probably still closer to "perfection" than to "average," but I do have more time to enjoy things in life now instead of stressing out about reaching a ridiculous personal standard. I regress, OFTEN, but you'll hear me say "that's good enough" where I didn't say it in the past.
(6) Discernment. For example, just because a book catches my eye and creates a passing interest in my mind, doesn't mean I have to buy it. If it's an author I've never read before, I check the library first, or add it to my Christmas list. This sure has saved us a lot of money! John periodically (and I mean, OFTEN) culls from his books the ones that he didn't really enjoy or won't read again. I've followed his example, critically examining my shelves for books that I wouldn't recommend to someone else. What remains are books that I truly enjoy and love to lend.
(1) Simplicity. Sometimes as I'm cleaning, I'll notice an item that I've had for years and think, "Do I really need to keep this?? Why do I have it?" And the voice in my head is John, trying to make our lives easier. (Not to mention, saving us headaches in the future when we're packing said items. Ahem.)
(2) The art of self-evaluation. If John wasn't so cynical, he would make a great psychologist. He has a gift for reading people. (But no one would visit a psychologist who would say, "The solution is simple: Stop being an idiot and don't do that anymore.") In our four years of marriage (anniversary on Thursday!), he has come to know me better than I know myself. Seriously. He'll point out things that I never realized about myself (both good and bad). It's shocking. I'm either frightfully oblivious to some things or in serious denial. I'm working on getting to know him just as well, though I know I'll never be on the same par.
(3) Frugality. (Stop snorting, John.) It's true. I AM more frugal than I was when I was single (which amounted to about 5% frugal). The percentage still isn't as high as I - or John - would like it to be, but more often, I do find myself thinking "Why do I need to buy this?" when I'm still IN the store, which is even better than thinking it the next day and then returning something.
(4) Relaxation. Anyone who knows me fairly well knows that I like to be efficient. Not necessarily in a multi-tasking sense, but in spending every minute completing tasks and crossing things off my infinite to-do list. In my mind, there's ALWAYS "something" I could be doing. If I need a break from computer work, I can go do laundry or pull weeds. I'll read a book for pleasure as a break, too, but in terms of "just sitting there," "relaxing," and not doing anything else - that just goes against the way my DNA is put together. John has taught me that IT IS OK, even GOOD to sit and (by my definition) "do nothing," and just take a deep breath and enjoy life and the moment. Granted, right now I do that maybe once a week for 2 minutes, but he's working on it.
(5) "Good enough" is an acceptable standard. Not ALL of the time of course, but for a perfectionist to relent and complete something to a "good enough" level, it's safe to say that progress is being made. Instead of killing myself to reach the unattainable level of Perfection, sometimes it's ok to stop at "good enough." My definition of "good enough" is probably still closer to "perfection" than to "average," but I do have more time to enjoy things in life now instead of stressing out about reaching a ridiculous personal standard. I regress, OFTEN, but you'll hear me say "that's good enough" where I didn't say it in the past.
(6) Discernment. For example, just because a book catches my eye and creates a passing interest in my mind, doesn't mean I have to buy it. If it's an author I've never read before, I check the library first, or add it to my Christmas list. This sure has saved us a lot of money! John periodically (and I mean, OFTEN) culls from his books the ones that he didn't really enjoy or won't read again. I've followed his example, critically examining my shelves for books that I wouldn't recommend to someone else. What remains are books that I truly enjoy and love to lend.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Dear Diary
I started writing in a new journal this week. This is volume 21, and the cover is embroidered brown fabric. Not a journal I would have picked a few years ago, and it got me thinking about all the journals I've had.* (As an adult; I'm not counting my Ramona Quimby diary when I was 7.)
1. My first journal, begun on Monday, June 26, 1995. "I have decided to keep a journal of sorts, tracking my spiritual walk." I don't even think you can buy steno notebooks anymore?
3. Journal given to me for my birthday in high school, from my friend E.B.
4. The small, bright strawberries on this journal caught my eye in the store.
6. A journal whose cover consists of books on shelves. A must-have for a bibliophile.
7. Classic Winnie-the-Pooh and books. Nuff said.
8. This cover has (reproduced) signatures of famous authors on it.
9. This is the journal from my time in Papua New Guinea. I was there about 2 months, and I filled up the entire book with descriptions and experiences.
10. Leather journal that one of my college friends bought for me in Italy during his semester abroad.
14. This book had a pocket on the front. It was cool, though I didn't really use the pocket for anything.
16. While we were dating, John went on a trip to Rome and bought me this journal. He wrote a lovely sentiment on the inside cover. =)
20. I bought this journal at an Italian store called Fabriano, when we went to Rome in 2007. Fabriano is an AWESOME stationery store, founded in 1264. The paper in the journal and the cover are hand-fashioned using the same techniques the company used hundreds of years ago. And, of course, it's blue.
21. The newest journal.
The Joy Journal (by Barbara Johnson): Where I write about things that made me happy or made me smile (events big or small).
My next journal (also from Fabriano):
*I realized that I forgot to include one journal! It's been on my desk by the computer, to type up my "O History" posts. So the new journal is actually volume 22.
1. My first journal, begun on Monday, June 26, 1995. "I have decided to keep a journal of sorts, tracking my spiritual walk." I don't even think you can buy steno notebooks anymore?
3. Journal given to me for my birthday in high school, from my friend E.B.4. The small, bright strawberries on this journal caught my eye in the store.
6. A journal whose cover consists of books on shelves. A must-have for a bibliophile.
7. Classic Winnie-the-Pooh and books. Nuff said.8. This cover has (reproduced) signatures of famous authors on it.
9. This is the journal from my time in Papua New Guinea. I was there about 2 months, and I filled up the entire book with descriptions and experiences.
10. Leather journal that one of my college friends bought for me in Italy during his semester abroad.14. This book had a pocket on the front. It was cool, though I didn't really use the pocket for anything.
16. While we were dating, John went on a trip to Rome and bought me this journal. He wrote a lovely sentiment on the inside cover. =)
20. I bought this journal at an Italian store called Fabriano, when we went to Rome in 2007. Fabriano is an AWESOME stationery store, founded in 1264. The paper in the journal and the cover are hand-fashioned using the same techniques the company used hundreds of years ago. And, of course, it's blue.21. The newest journal.
The Joy Journal (by Barbara Johnson): Where I write about things that made me happy or made me smile (events big or small).
My next journal (also from Fabriano):
*I realized that I forgot to include one journal! It's been on my desk by the computer, to type up my "O History" posts. So the new journal is actually volume 22.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Something Blue
My sister sent me this photo of a runway dress from somewhere. Because she knows me so well, what style I like and of course, that I love blue.I would LOVE to have this dress. Though I might chop off the random yellow ribbon. Maybe.
And I'd be smiling when I wore it.
Times like these make me want to get a sewing machine, find a similar pattern, and wish I was a competent seamstress.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
My dress is dead
I've been putting together a list of clothes to take on our cruise next month and trying on dresses for the 3 formal nights (John already has his tux).
It's sort of like shopping, only in your own closet, looking at fancy gowns that haven't been worn since the days of chaperoning Prom and Homecoming as a teacher. (Wearing a fancy gown was the ONLY reason I signed up to chaperone those things.) Naturally, each dress must be tried on since it's been years since I last wore it.
One dress was my favorite, a simple cherry-red strapless floor-length by Jessica McClintock. (Used to LOVE Jessica McClintock and try on dresses for fun at the mall. I'm sure the clerks hated us.) At the time, the store only had one size larger than I needed, and there weren't any more of that dress available in the right size. So I got the dress altered down one size, to the size I needed, even though it felt like I had to lose half my lung capacity to wear it. The red dress was only worn two times, once to a boyfriend's company Christmas party that had a formal theme, and once to Prom in 2003 (sans escort).
Alas, yesterday when I tried on the red dress (key word: TRIED), it became clear that it didn't fit anymore. It fit everywhere except the last 5 inches of zipper. So the problem is not a bigger waist or butt (girls, that's what an A-line cut is for!), but a bigger ... ribcage??
Just to pursue any last shred of hope, I took the dress to be altered today. The seamstress got out the measuring tape and determined that I'd gained 3 inches in my upper storey, based on the zipper gapage. ?!?
So the red dress must go. It's one thing to try to lose weight to fit the butt or waist area, but this particular obstacle cannot be overcome. I'm still trying to decide if this is a GOOD thing. John thinks it is....
R.I.P. Red Dress. It was fun while it lasted.
(That's another teacher in the picture with me.)
It's sort of like shopping, only in your own closet, looking at fancy gowns that haven't been worn since the days of chaperoning Prom and Homecoming as a teacher. (Wearing a fancy gown was the ONLY reason I signed up to chaperone those things.) Naturally, each dress must be tried on since it's been years since I last wore it.
One dress was my favorite, a simple cherry-red strapless floor-length by Jessica McClintock. (Used to LOVE Jessica McClintock and try on dresses for fun at the mall. I'm sure the clerks hated us.) At the time, the store only had one size larger than I needed, and there weren't any more of that dress available in the right size. So I got the dress altered down one size, to the size I needed, even though it felt like I had to lose half my lung capacity to wear it. The red dress was only worn two times, once to a boyfriend's company Christmas party that had a formal theme, and once to Prom in 2003 (sans escort).
Alas, yesterday when I tried on the red dress (key word: TRIED), it became clear that it didn't fit anymore. It fit everywhere except the last 5 inches of zipper. So the problem is not a bigger waist or butt (girls, that's what an A-line cut is for!), but a bigger ... ribcage??
Just to pursue any last shred of hope, I took the dress to be altered today. The seamstress got out the measuring tape and determined that I'd gained 3 inches in my upper storey, based on the zipper gapage. ?!?
So the red dress must go. It's one thing to try to lose weight to fit the butt or waist area, but this particular obstacle cannot be overcome. I'm still trying to decide if this is a GOOD thing. John thinks it is....
R.I.P. Red Dress. It was fun while it lasted.
(That's another teacher in the picture with me.)
Thursday, June 05, 2008
A Penny For Your Thoughts (Part 1)
Even though the title is a cliche (that you really don't hear anymore from people younger than 70?), I actually borrowed it from a scrapbook kit that was advertised online. It's an interesting kit, mainly because of the "copper" tin that hold the scrapbook and looks like a penny.
I don't want to buy this kit because I'm not that keen on the contents, but the cool tin and the idea for the scrapbook caught my attention. (If I could buy JUST the tin....) The point of the book is to "celebrate ten years that have brought 'change' to your life."
Since I am currently on the closer side of 30, I really had to stretch it a bit to come up with 10 things. 20 years from now, I'm sure the list will come more easily!
Here's my 10 Years That Have Brought "Change" to My Life:
(1) 1985: Our family moved from Illinois to Kansas, thereby leaving behind our extended family. Most of my cousins lived in the same vicinity, and our families got together often to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. Leaving them was pretty hard.
(2) 1994: First semester of college. I came home at Christmas break, and my sister's friends asked, "What happened to your sister?" I had left home a meek mouse and returned, a more confident, outgoing person. Still have shyness issues, but at least I don't act like a mute in a group conversation anymore. Much.
(3) 1998: First trip abroad- and by myself. I'm independent in that I like to do things my way, and I know how I want them done, but I'm NOT independent in the sense that I don't like change and The Unknown scares me. The Unknown drags me, kicking and protesting, toward Change. QED, I avoid situations I'm not familiar with. Traveling overseas by myself was one of my worst nightmares before I actually did it. I spent two months teaching at an MK school in Papua New Guinea, then went sightseeing in Australia and New Zealand on my layovers, without doing any advanced tourist research at all. I just arrived at the airports and somehow managed great 8-hour sightseeing experiences.
(4) 2000: Fell in love with God's Word. Becoming a Christian at a young age and growing up in a Christian home, of course I read the Bible, believed it, and tried to follow God's commands. But that fall, I began to read a chapter of Proverbs in the morning and a Psalm at night, and I finally began to understand what David meant when he wrote about how he loved God's law. I'd had my (almost!) daily Bible reading times over the years, but somehow this season was different; God really used His Word to work in my heart.
(5) 2000: Colored my hair red. My hair had become that worst description a novel can use to describe a pathetic character: "She had mousy brown hair." Not beautiful brunette like Penelope Cruz or Anne Hathaway, but gray-brown hair that was best described as Blah. I met my friend Christy that year also, and somehow on one shopping trip to Walgreens, we bought hair dye. Red hair dye. Ironically, after applying the dye, it was disappointing, not really red at all. After consulting the toll-free Clairol help desk, we went out and bought a bolder red, which provided better (read: more startling) results. Several months and hair appointments later, I settled on a certain shade and found my True Hair Identity.
Part 2 to come later (not in another month - sooner, I promise!).
I don't want to buy this kit because I'm not that keen on the contents, but the cool tin and the idea for the scrapbook caught my attention. (If I could buy JUST the tin....) The point of the book is to "celebrate ten years that have brought 'change' to your life."Since I am currently on the closer side of 30, I really had to stretch it a bit to come up with 10 things. 20 years from now, I'm sure the list will come more easily!
Here's my 10 Years That Have Brought "Change" to My Life:
(1) 1985: Our family moved from Illinois to Kansas, thereby leaving behind our extended family. Most of my cousins lived in the same vicinity, and our families got together often to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. Leaving them was pretty hard.
(2) 1994: First semester of college. I came home at Christmas break, and my sister's friends asked, "What happened to your sister?" I had left home a meek mouse and returned, a more confident, outgoing person. Still have shyness issues, but at least I don't act like a mute in a group conversation anymore. Much.
(3) 1998: First trip abroad- and by myself. I'm independent in that I like to do things my way, and I know how I want them done, but I'm NOT independent in the sense that I don't like change and The Unknown scares me. The Unknown drags me, kicking and protesting, toward Change. QED, I avoid situations I'm not familiar with. Traveling overseas by myself was one of my worst nightmares before I actually did it. I spent two months teaching at an MK school in Papua New Guinea, then went sightseeing in Australia and New Zealand on my layovers, without doing any advanced tourist research at all. I just arrived at the airports and somehow managed great 8-hour sightseeing experiences.
(4) 2000: Fell in love with God's Word. Becoming a Christian at a young age and growing up in a Christian home, of course I read the Bible, believed it, and tried to follow God's commands. But that fall, I began to read a chapter of Proverbs in the morning and a Psalm at night, and I finally began to understand what David meant when he wrote about how he loved God's law. I'd had my (almost!) daily Bible reading times over the years, but somehow this season was different; God really used His Word to work in my heart.
(5) 2000: Colored my hair red. My hair had become that worst description a novel can use to describe a pathetic character: "She had mousy brown hair." Not beautiful brunette like Penelope Cruz or Anne Hathaway, but gray-brown hair that was best described as Blah. I met my friend Christy that year also, and somehow on one shopping trip to Walgreens, we bought hair dye. Red hair dye. Ironically, after applying the dye, it was disappointing, not really red at all. After consulting the toll-free Clairol help desk, we went out and bought a bolder red, which provided better (read: more startling) results. Several months and hair appointments later, I settled on a certain shade and found my True Hair Identity.
Part 2 to come later (not in another month - sooner, I promise!).
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Defending the Dress
A long time ago when I read Reader's Digest on a regular basis because someone I knew had a subscription, I also masochistically read the "That's Outrageous!" section. I hated reading this section, which detailed odd legislation and court decisions (such as when a criminal breaks into someone's house and gets shot when the homeowner defends his property, then the criminal sues the homeowner for shooting him - and wins). The section was like watching a horror movie - you want to look away, but you can't. I couldn't believe some of the things that actually occur in this country, but I couldn't stop reading, either.
Today I ran across a story that would be a perfect candidate for "That's Outrageous!" (if RD still includes that section?).
Apparently, it is not against the law in Oklahoma for idiots to stick a camera under a woman's dress in public and take a picture.
Because, according to the state Court of Criminal Appeals, the woman is in a public space where there is no "reasonable expectation of privacy" (which is sort of the litmus test phrase when dealing with legal issues of privacy).
In a weird, twisted world, one could see how the court's argument makes sense to some people - the woman IS "in public." (The incident took place at a store.)
However, you'd think that there is a "reasonable expectation of privacy" UNDER a woman's dress. I GUESS NOT.
One of the dissenting appeals judges wrote, "In other words, it is open season for peeping Toms in public places who want to look under a woman's dress."
And the peeping pervert's defense attorney (why must we implicate poor random "Tom"?) blames the law for allowing such a loophole. Absolutely, utterly ridiculous. This means there's another issue to write your state legislator about and make sure that the LOOPHOLE is closed in your state.
In the mean time, I refuse to change my clothes in deference to the depraved.
Ladies, I say that when some jerk comes around with a camera and tries to pull this stunt, scream "Sexual harassment!" That kind of currency goes a lot farther these days.
And make sure you're wearing a beautiful dress, so that you'll look good on TV when you're interviewed.
Today I ran across a story that would be a perfect candidate for "That's Outrageous!" (if RD still includes that section?).
Apparently, it is not against the law in Oklahoma for idiots to stick a camera under a woman's dress in public and take a picture.
Because, according to the state Court of Criminal Appeals, the woman is in a public space where there is no "reasonable expectation of privacy" (which is sort of the litmus test phrase when dealing with legal issues of privacy).
In a weird, twisted world, one could see how the court's argument makes sense to some people - the woman IS "in public." (The incident took place at a store.)
However, you'd think that there is a "reasonable expectation of privacy" UNDER a woman's dress. I GUESS NOT.
One of the dissenting appeals judges wrote, "In other words, it is open season for peeping Toms in public places who want to look under a woman's dress."
And the peeping pervert's defense attorney (why must we implicate poor random "Tom"?) blames the law for allowing such a loophole. Absolutely, utterly ridiculous. This means there's another issue to write your state legislator about and make sure that the LOOPHOLE is closed in your state.
In the mean time, I refuse to change my clothes in deference to the depraved.
Ladies, I say that when some jerk comes around with a camera and tries to pull this stunt, scream "Sexual harassment!" That kind of currency goes a lot farther these days.
And make sure you're wearing a beautiful dress, so that you'll look good on TV when you're interviewed.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
O History, Part III
Previously, I had begun to describe how John and I met and started dating, using my journal. Part II is here. The next mention of John in my journal is the entry for Sunday, January 26, 2004. From the journal:
On Friday [January 23, 2004], I got home, and John STILL had not called. [We were going on a date to see the play Noises Off!, but no official pickup time had been established.] I called him at 6 p.m. - two hours before the show began!! He came 15 minutes earlier than the established time (he's always early). I figure this is God's way of forcing me to be on time.
On Saturday (1-24-04) we went to Phantom of the Opera in Orlando. I wore a black skirt with black hose, then sat between John and Mary in the back seat of Mary's parents' car! Awkward!
Phantom was ok. Paul [Mary's boyfriend] met us at a restaurant for supper after the show. I had an "argument" with John over paying for my dinner. He wasn't supposed to do that!
[A while back, my friend Yvette and her husband had gone to a pool party, and John was there also. Yvette said that John had a tattoo on his arm. I couldn't believe it - was it really the same guy? She said she was pretty sure it was. I wanted to know for sure. So Mary and I cooked up this scheme before we went to see Phantom, for how to find out about the tattoo. We thought about conversation topics that could lead to a conversation on tattoos, like body piercings. Then we planned out how we could bring up THOSE topics, which would lead to a conversation about tattoos. At the restaurant after the show, we got the planned conversation going, moving from one topic to the next until we got to tattoos. John said, "I have a tattoo." He rolled up his sleeve and showed it to us. Mission accomplished.*]
Then the four of us went to the Mall at Millennia, where we split up, guys/girls. Good talk with Mary. =)
Naturally, today I was all awkward around John at church and lunch. Back to the question:
Do I like John's attention, or just the attention???? Had a long talk with Christy, who kicked my butt, as usual, putting things in perspective. She said I was over-analyzing.
Well it's my spiritual gift!
Seriously, I had a talk with Mary later, and she told me some things John had told Paul at the mall last night. Basically: he feels exactly the same way I do: scared, doesn't want to smother/scare away, is interested, waiting to see how it goes, uncertain.
Lord, grant me patience!! May I continually seek You in this!!
[*After we were married and talked about that night, John said that he TOTALLY knew what Mary and I were doing, that it was so obvious. Maybe. Maybe not!]
On Friday [January 23, 2004], I got home, and John STILL had not called. [We were going on a date to see the play Noises Off!, but no official pickup time had been established.] I called him at 6 p.m. - two hours before the show began!! He came 15 minutes earlier than the established time (he's always early). I figure this is God's way of forcing me to be on time.
On Saturday (1-24-04) we went to Phantom of the Opera in Orlando. I wore a black skirt with black hose, then sat between John and Mary in the back seat of Mary's parents' car! Awkward!
Phantom was ok. Paul [Mary's boyfriend] met us at a restaurant for supper after the show. I had an "argument" with John over paying for my dinner. He wasn't supposed to do that!
[A while back, my friend Yvette and her husband had gone to a pool party, and John was there also. Yvette said that John had a tattoo on his arm. I couldn't believe it - was it really the same guy? She said she was pretty sure it was. I wanted to know for sure. So Mary and I cooked up this scheme before we went to see Phantom, for how to find out about the tattoo. We thought about conversation topics that could lead to a conversation on tattoos, like body piercings. Then we planned out how we could bring up THOSE topics, which would lead to a conversation about tattoos. At the restaurant after the show, we got the planned conversation going, moving from one topic to the next until we got to tattoos. John said, "I have a tattoo." He rolled up his sleeve and showed it to us. Mission accomplished.*]
Then the four of us went to the Mall at Millennia, where we split up, guys/girls. Good talk with Mary. =)
Naturally, today I was all awkward around John at church and lunch. Back to the question:
Do I like John's attention, or just the attention???? Had a long talk with Christy, who kicked my butt, as usual, putting things in perspective. She said I was over-analyzing.
Well it's my spiritual gift!
Seriously, I had a talk with Mary later, and she told me some things John had told Paul at the mall last night. Basically: he feels exactly the same way I do: scared, doesn't want to smother/scare away, is interested, waiting to see how it goes, uncertain.
Lord, grant me patience!! May I continually seek You in this!!
[*After we were married and talked about that night, John said that he TOTALLY knew what Mary and I were doing, that it was so obvious. Maybe. Maybe not!]
Thursday, February 28, 2008
My Everything
Recent events have renewed my appreciation for my husband, for who he is and what he does. God blessed me so much more than I deserved when He brought John into my life. John means everything to me (next to God, of course).
John makes me laugh with his silly sayings and wickedly clever wit.
He knows me better than anyone else, almost reading my mind sometimes.
He spurs me to be a better Christian, wife, daughter, sister, friend.
His self-discipline is an example to this indecisive and easily sidetracked female!
He praises my strengths and dispels my self-doubts.
He plays Scrabble with my grandma.
He values being organized without raising it to the level of being obsessive-compulsive!
He is an English major in disguise; his reviews on his blog are well-written, critical, thoughtful, and insightful - and the words he writes to me are wonderful!
He is a wise financial planner and "saver," who makes me feel secure about our future, no matter what may come.
He is incredibly patient with me.
He values my family (and extended family) as much as I do, even when he doesn't understand our dynamics!
He encourages my hobbies - and knows how to calmly admonish me when they get out of hand!
He will eat almost anything I cook, and would even be happy eating the same 6 meals every week (if I wanted to do that).
He loves to read, possibly more than I do.
He's convinced me to like what I feel are my physical flaws - because he loves every part of me and tells me so, frequently.
He still honors his parents, even though he's not under their roof anymore.
He looks forward to the time when he can lead a Bible study and help others grow in the Word.
He fixes and enhances things on my blog and Facebook profile for me!
He is a hard worker.
He is a confident world traveler who figures things out even when he doesn't speak the native language.
He surprises me by mailing cards to me at work.
He doesn't object when I listen to my Celine Dion playlist on the iPod. And he buys me Celine Dion concert tickets just because he heard about it on the radio!
He listens to all of my stories, like when I recount my weird dreams.
He follows the biblical mandate to be the head of our home, even when it's difficult. (Er, even when I make it difficult.)
He goes to social gatherings with me even though he'd prefer to stay home and read a book.
He hugs me randomly because he knows I need it.
He lets me snuggle against him during a movie even though it might not be comfortable for him.
He means more to me than mere words could possibly describe.
John makes me laugh with his silly sayings and wickedly clever wit.
He knows me better than anyone else, almost reading my mind sometimes.
He spurs me to be a better Christian, wife, daughter, sister, friend.
His self-discipline is an example to this indecisive and easily sidetracked female!
He praises my strengths and dispels my self-doubts.
He plays Scrabble with my grandma.
He values being organized without raising it to the level of being obsessive-compulsive!
He is an English major in disguise; his reviews on his blog are well-written, critical, thoughtful, and insightful - and the words he writes to me are wonderful!
He is a wise financial planner and "saver," who makes me feel secure about our future, no matter what may come.
He is incredibly patient with me.
He values my family (and extended family) as much as I do, even when he doesn't understand our dynamics!
He encourages my hobbies - and knows how to calmly admonish me when they get out of hand!
He will eat almost anything I cook, and would even be happy eating the same 6 meals every week (if I wanted to do that).
He loves to read, possibly more than I do.
He's convinced me to like what I feel are my physical flaws - because he loves every part of me and tells me so, frequently.
He still honors his parents, even though he's not under their roof anymore.
He looks forward to the time when he can lead a Bible study and help others grow in the Word.
He fixes and enhances things on my blog and Facebook profile for me!
He is a hard worker.
He is a confident world traveler who figures things out even when he doesn't speak the native language.
He surprises me by mailing cards to me at work.
He doesn't object when I listen to my Celine Dion playlist on the iPod. And he buys me Celine Dion concert tickets just because he heard about it on the radio!
He listens to all of my stories, like when I recount my weird dreams.
He follows the biblical mandate to be the head of our home, even when it's difficult. (Er, even when I make it difficult.)
He goes to social gatherings with me even though he'd prefer to stay home and read a book.
He hugs me randomly because he knows I need it.
He lets me snuggle against him during a movie even though it might not be comfortable for him.
He means more to me than mere words could possibly describe.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Why Not
When I was a senior in high school, I participated in a pageant. NOT a beauty pageant (I never would have done that, low self-esteem, anyone?), but the scholastic Junior Miss pageant. My 3 main reasons: My friends were doing it (so at least I wouldn't be participating with only Strangers); it would look good on my college applications; and I hoped it would help me overcome my severe shyness and boost my confidence. (Some of you have no idea what I was like in high school.) I prayed every night that I wouldn't win - meaning I'd have to do it all over again at the state level. (Not because I arrogantly thought I was that great - just trying to ask God not to apply His sense of humor to my situation.)
One of the interview questions was the infamous What is your favorite book? I've always thought this was a dumb question for people who enjoy reading a lot. A bibliophile reads many genres and types of books; it's difficult to narrow it down to ONE favorite (besides the Bible). I found out about the question from the girl who was interviewed before me, so fortunately I had time to come up with an answer (Jane Eyre, surprise surprise).
Since then, I tell people I read most genres except horror and trashy romance novels/erotica. Mystery is my second favorite genre, but I have to confess that Christian fiction is the fiction I read the most. I say "confess" because some people have a negative bias against Christian fiction, but that's a topic for another post.
When I come across a fellow reader of Christian fiction, we always compare notes about the latest books. I figure, I might as well share the opinions online. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I'm joining The Husband in posting my thoughts on (some of) the books I've read.
One of the interview questions was the infamous What is your favorite book? I've always thought this was a dumb question for people who enjoy reading a lot. A bibliophile reads many genres and types of books; it's difficult to narrow it down to ONE favorite (besides the Bible). I found out about the question from the girl who was interviewed before me, so fortunately I had time to come up with an answer (Jane Eyre, surprise surprise).
Since then, I tell people I read most genres except horror and trashy romance novels/erotica. Mystery is my second favorite genre, but I have to confess that Christian fiction is the fiction I read the most. I say "confess" because some people have a negative bias against Christian fiction, but that's a topic for another post.
When I come across a fellow reader of Christian fiction, we always compare notes about the latest books. I figure, I might as well share the opinions online. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I'm joining The Husband in posting my thoughts on (some of) the books I've read.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Enter: Mr. Rogers or Robert Frost
One of our neighbors called last week to ask a favor. She was scheduled to have outpatient surgery, but her planned ride home had to cancel (a heart attack is a pretty good excuse). She asked if I could pick her up at 10:30 on Monday. Since I work from home and my schedule is flexible, it was not a problem. I arrived, as planned, at 10:30 a.m., expecting a short wait before driving the neighbor home.
I planned my menu for the week.
I hadn't done my daily Bible reading yet, and hadn't thought to bring my Bible, but there was a KJV Bible in the waiting room. Tried to read my three chapters and gave up after 10 verses, leaving it for when I got back home.
Talked on the phone for an hour with a friend.
Made a few lists.
Watched a surprisingly good kids' cartoon on Disney that cleverly includes classical music (but without a bunny or a duck).
3 hours later, I got home, after helping my (thirtysomething) neighbor into her house and making sure she was settled with everything she needed.
I'll admit, I was a little impatient about the delay, but I AM the Girl Scout Who Was Never A Girl Scout: I am always prepared. I'd brought paper to write on, books to read, and things to do, though I did forget a snack, which I usually also bring. I actually got several things done on my list of things to do that day, without the distractions of home (read: dog, Internet, laundry).
But I was doing something that not many people have the opportunity to do, and that, sadly, I have done rarely: Love my neighbor.
The church we attended in Florida has excellent evangelistic outreaches, which they describe as "loving your neighbor in a practical way." Providing free water bottles at the beach, as one church member builds a fantastically complex sand castle (he's won competitions). Washing the windshields of cars whose owners are attending the public elementary school graduation being held at the church. And other ideas that provide a forum for talking to people about Christ, while meeting their practical needs at the same time.
With our busy lives and culture of entertainment, it's easy to drive straight into the garage and close the door without ever saying hello to a neighbor. These days, the definition of neighbor is "stranger." But being a neighbor is more than just living next door to someone. It's sacrificing time for them, just as you would for a relative or a close friend. It's serving them without expecting anything in return. It's taking an interest in them, far beyond sizing up whether you can trust them or not to pick up your mail while you're on vacation.
The Bible doesn't provide a modern context when it instructs us to love our neighbor. But other passages point the way: Care for the widows and orphans. (Maintain the small backyard of the single mom next door, who lets the yard go because she has cancer.) Share with those in need. (Instead of selling things at a garage sale, set them out on the driveway with a "Free" sign, or join freecycle.org.) Practice hospitality. (Not just with the new people you meet at church, but also with new families who move into the neighborhood.)
This past week was the annual missions emphasis week at our church, to remind us of the lost all over the world and to support missionaries in their global work. It was also a reminder that I don't have to travel to another country to love and serve the lost. I can start with the neighbors on my street.
I planned my menu for the week.
I hadn't done my daily Bible reading yet, and hadn't thought to bring my Bible, but there was a KJV Bible in the waiting room. Tried to read my three chapters and gave up after 10 verses, leaving it for when I got back home.
Talked on the phone for an hour with a friend.
Made a few lists.
Watched a surprisingly good kids' cartoon on Disney that cleverly includes classical music (but without a bunny or a duck).
3 hours later, I got home, after helping my (thirtysomething) neighbor into her house and making sure she was settled with everything she needed.
I'll admit, I was a little impatient about the delay, but I AM the Girl Scout Who Was Never A Girl Scout: I am always prepared. I'd brought paper to write on, books to read, and things to do, though I did forget a snack, which I usually also bring. I actually got several things done on my list of things to do that day, without the distractions of home (read: dog, Internet, laundry).
But I was doing something that not many people have the opportunity to do, and that, sadly, I have done rarely: Love my neighbor.
The church we attended in Florida has excellent evangelistic outreaches, which they describe as "loving your neighbor in a practical way." Providing free water bottles at the beach, as one church member builds a fantastically complex sand castle (he's won competitions). Washing the windshields of cars whose owners are attending the public elementary school graduation being held at the church. And other ideas that provide a forum for talking to people about Christ, while meeting their practical needs at the same time.
With our busy lives and culture of entertainment, it's easy to drive straight into the garage and close the door without ever saying hello to a neighbor. These days, the definition of neighbor is "stranger." But being a neighbor is more than just living next door to someone. It's sacrificing time for them, just as you would for a relative or a close friend. It's serving them without expecting anything in return. It's taking an interest in them, far beyond sizing up whether you can trust them or not to pick up your mail while you're on vacation.
The Bible doesn't provide a modern context when it instructs us to love our neighbor. But other passages point the way: Care for the widows and orphans. (Maintain the small backyard of the single mom next door, who lets the yard go because she has cancer.) Share with those in need. (Instead of selling things at a garage sale, set them out on the driveway with a "Free" sign, or join freecycle.org.) Practice hospitality. (Not just with the new people you meet at church, but also with new families who move into the neighborhood.)
This past week was the annual missions emphasis week at our church, to remind us of the lost all over the world and to support missionaries in their global work. It was also a reminder that I don't have to travel to another country to love and serve the lost. I can start with the neighbors on my street.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Family Valentine Weekend
I'm on a quick trip to Florida (nice weather change) to attend a friend's bridal shower since I can't attend her wedding. John couldn't come because he had to work. =( On Valentine's Day, we had a family dinner with my mom's cousins who were visiting. Things I've learned this weekend, which includes a lot of family history:
--How to play soccer with a Florida panther.
--When my sister got her dog, he came with anxiety pills.
--My uncles put my aunt in the dryer when they were young.
--My parents have a huge, wonderful old roll-top desk that has always been in our house, for as long as I can remember. When he was in college, my dad bought this old desk, including its accompanying wooden rolly chair, for $10.
--My grandma used to play pranks with her friends on unsuspecting drivers.
--My dad was #297 in the Vietnam draft lottery.
--My sister thinks I'm "submissive."
--How to fold napkins into a heart shape.
But I still haven't learned how to handle missing John when we're apart.
--How to play soccer with a Florida panther.
--When my sister got her dog, he came with anxiety pills.
--My uncles put my aunt in the dryer when they were young.
--My parents have a huge, wonderful old roll-top desk that has always been in our house, for as long as I can remember. When he was in college, my dad bought this old desk, including its accompanying wooden rolly chair, for $10.
--My grandma used to play pranks with her friends on unsuspecting drivers.
--My dad was #297 in the Vietnam draft lottery.
--My sister thinks I'm "submissive."
--How to fold napkins into a heart shape.
But I still haven't learned how to handle missing John when we're apart.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Wow
For weeks, John has been referring to a "Big Present" he got for me and wouldn't even give hints because he said that ANY hints would give it away.
We gave in this morning and opened our presents for each on Christmas Eve. Of course, the Big Present was saved for last.
John gave me 2 tickets to the
CELINE DION CONCERT IN ATLANTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is absolutely the last thing I ever expected! Every now and then, I've said that "if we are ever in Las Vegas, I am totally going to Celine's show." Like we'll go to Las Vegas for vacation or something.
I didn't know this, but apparently Celine is going on tour for the first time in years, since she settled in Las Vegas. John heard on the radio that tickets for the Atlanta concert were going on sale, and he bought them. He also gave me the new Celine CD, Taking Chances, so I can get caught up on the new songs.
The concert is January 17, 2009, so I have lots of time to figure out what I want to wear!!
We gave in this morning and opened our presents for each on Christmas Eve. Of course, the Big Present was saved for last.
John gave me 2 tickets to the
CELINE DION CONCERT IN ATLANTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is absolutely the last thing I ever expected! Every now and then, I've said that "if we are ever in Las Vegas, I am totally going to Celine's show." Like we'll go to Las Vegas for vacation or something.
I didn't know this, but apparently Celine is going on tour for the first time in years, since she settled in Las Vegas. John heard on the radio that tickets for the Atlanta concert were going on sale, and he bought them. He also gave me the new Celine CD, Taking Chances, so I can get caught up on the new songs.
The concert is January 17, 2009, so I have lots of time to figure out what I want to wear!!
Friday, December 14, 2007
O History, Part II
Previously, I had begun to describe how John and I met and started dating, using my journal. The next mention of John in my journal is the entry for Wednesday, January 21, 2004 at 9:25 p.m. From the journal:
So on Monday, I went to meet Penny, Kelly, Mary, and Yvette to get together and chat at Wendy's [the restaurant]. I felt like throwing up the whole time because right after that I was going to meet John at Carrabba's for dinner.
So I prayed and prayed: Please give us lots to talk about and avoid Awkward Moments!
We didn't have any problems. =) Thank You, Lord! [Some of the conversation covered the Italian language. I drank so much water, I had to keep going to the bathroom, so I was embarrassed that I had to keep leaving to go to the bathroom. Carrabba's plays "Italian language lessons" in the restroom, apparently, so I'd try to remember some of it to talk about when I got back, to "cover" for having to leave YET AGAIN to go to the bathroom. Later, John said it was kind of weird/funny that I kept doing that. His perspective: So you have to go to the bathroom. Big deal.]
From there, we went (in separate cars) to his Monday night Bible study, which consists of Dan & Laurie and another married couple. [This was not part of the original Date Plan, but John convinced me to go, and I didn't want the evening to end yet. This Bible study quickly became an important part of our relationship, and the two other couples played vital roles in our wedding plans and ceremony!]
After the Bible study, we walked out the door to leave [it was dark]. I was parked last in the driveway. John thought I'd already begun to back up, so he began to back up also - and ran into me!! I was laughing so hard, even the next day. My line: "John, if you didn't have a good time, you could have just said so." What a cool story!
Future dates that have been scheduled: On Friday, we're going with Paul & Mary to see a play and then Saturday is Phantom of the Opera in Orlando.
I had to REALLY hold myself back tonight: DO NOT CALL HIM! He didn't call either, but he has to call before 7:30 p.m. on Friday to let me know the transportation situation & meeting time, etc.!
In the midst of this spirit of impatience, I looked at my perpetual calendar for today and got sucker-punched. Today's verse:
Wait on the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)
Just like that. Um, Lord, are you trying to tell me something?! Talk about direct.
But for the first time, I really do feel patient (in a different sense!), ok with waiting to see what happens longer-term. It's a little fun to just take it one day at a time....
O History, Part III
So on Monday, I went to meet Penny, Kelly, Mary, and Yvette to get together and chat at Wendy's [the restaurant]. I felt like throwing up the whole time because right after that I was going to meet John at Carrabba's for dinner.
So I prayed and prayed: Please give us lots to talk about and avoid Awkward Moments!
We didn't have any problems. =) Thank You, Lord! [Some of the conversation covered the Italian language. I drank so much water, I had to keep going to the bathroom, so I was embarrassed that I had to keep leaving to go to the bathroom. Carrabba's plays "Italian language lessons" in the restroom, apparently, so I'd try to remember some of it to talk about when I got back, to "cover" for having to leave YET AGAIN to go to the bathroom. Later, John said it was kind of weird/funny that I kept doing that. His perspective: So you have to go to the bathroom. Big deal.]
From there, we went (in separate cars) to his Monday night Bible study, which consists of Dan & Laurie and another married couple. [This was not part of the original Date Plan, but John convinced me to go, and I didn't want the evening to end yet. This Bible study quickly became an important part of our relationship, and the two other couples played vital roles in our wedding plans and ceremony!]
After the Bible study, we walked out the door to leave [it was dark]. I was parked last in the driveway. John thought I'd already begun to back up, so he began to back up also - and ran into me!! I was laughing so hard, even the next day. My line: "John, if you didn't have a good time, you could have just said so." What a cool story!
Future dates that have been scheduled: On Friday, we're going with Paul & Mary to see a play and then Saturday is Phantom of the Opera in Orlando.
I had to REALLY hold myself back tonight: DO NOT CALL HIM! He didn't call either, but he has to call before 7:30 p.m. on Friday to let me know the transportation situation & meeting time, etc.!
In the midst of this spirit of impatience, I looked at my perpetual calendar for today and got sucker-punched. Today's verse:
Wait on the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)
Just like that. Um, Lord, are you trying to tell me something?! Talk about direct.
But for the first time, I really do feel patient (in a different sense!), ok with waiting to see what happens longer-term. It's a little fun to just take it one day at a time....
O History, Part III
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