Spring

My favorite day of the year is the day when you look across at the land, and seen the faintest sheen of light yellowish green tint, and you think "are there leaves?" and you realize YES, leaves are starting to bud! (look very, very closely to see that green, but it's really there! )

Weekend update, one of those weekends where its either real good or real bad.....

Friday after work, finally made it to RACK DADDY'S. I have driven by that place for years, literally, every time I drive to Ind. Center. Anyway, a few of my coworkers and I, and John tagged along too, investigated. It's a dive, but hey, it's awfully close to work which is handy. They didn't start getting busy until about 4:30 or 5. Our margaritas had about 90% tequila. Oh WOW!

Friday night we had what will probably be our last dinner for eight of the season since Clint and Andrea would have had a turn, but they were unable to come. John and the host had words after the host brought up the bill the House of Rep just passed setting a date for getting troops out of Iraq. Our host should not have said anything, but once he did, well, we just can't sit by anymore and let these stupid comments go. I think the problem is the church we are in is getting to be a little on the elitist side as far as some are concerned. Sometimes I want to go to St. Monica's and join a more diverse parish, but then I think, it's probably better if we are where we are and try to educate those we are with. So, thinking real hard about facilitating a new Just Faith season for 2007-2008. Oh, John's dessert was great by the way, buster bar dessert. MMMMM.

Saturday I headed up to work my 4 hour shift at the crop. Joann came up around 1 and we were able to have a nice long talk in relative privacy. She is in a tough spot, facing her dad's death and being farther away than she would like to be. I am glad she came by. I had been so worried. When I got back to work Tuesday I saw the e-mail that her dad passed away early Monday morning, so she's off to Chicago for the funeral. I know she was really worried about many, many things, aside from grief, but how would her mom live if he was in a nursing home was a pretty big worry. She was relieved that he didn't linger on and on, suffering, and the family suffering along with.

Left the crop about 5 and picked up the Fillas for their anniversary double date. 17 years for them (us too in May). We saw Arnez J do his stand up routine at the Majestic at Zona Rosa. That was interesting. It was quite weird, we had a table almost at the stage. And, as we were the closest white people to the stage, we got picked on, a BUNCH! But, hey it was still fun. I laughed so hard I had the hiccups for 30 minutes after we left. We stopped at the Brass Rail but couldn't get a table, just too busy.

Sunday morning, I was thinking of sleeping in, but the laundry called my name and I got up early. The boys did some yard work and oil changing. I went back to the crop from 11 to 5. Didn't get much done. Just two layouts. One is a speech and debate layout which was the best one I think. Two of my four kits have sold. That makes me happy. I wish I could think of something brilliant for a new kit. Managed to get the laundry done while we watched this new Discovery Channel program "Planet Earth". It was really exciting to watch. Great, amazing, wonderful.

Monday I only worked 3 hours so I could go to the dentist. Turns out I have a fracture in a molar and it will need a crown. Geez. School board mtg was interesting. A lot of great discussion about the expansion project, our parent surveys, elections, and more. I can't believe, only a May and June meeting and then that's it for me! John's out of town to St. Louis this time, just until Thursday. But Thursday night and Friday night are the fish cut and the fish fry. Some days I wonder if it'll ever just slow down. Then I second guess and think, "hope not!".

Jordan got her class ring! Here are some pictures. She's got a debate symbol and a martial arts symbol. Can you see the peace sign in the stone?

Steve and I went to the thrift store to find a dark colored suit for his part in the spring play. He also found this cool red tie! I printed out a guide to tying the windsor knot and he did it a couple of times, a breeze!

Random Thoughts......

Can’t help smiling

As I walk on my breaks and lunch sometimes I just have the biggest grin on my face. The actor Alistair Sim said it best in A Christmas Carol. “Oh, I don’t deserve to be so happy…. (begins laughing) I just can’t help it!” Today why the big grin? Just listening to “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” from Fiddler on the Roof. Like I said, I just can’t help smiling when I hear that song. I thank God every day for the gift of music. What a beautiful thing. It is just amazing to me how a composer / artist can take a few notes and twist and turn them into something so emotionally charged. Same thing as good writers do I guess, but with music, just some individual notes put together. It awes me. Another piece that is on the opposite end of the spectrum is the music from the movie “Glory”. There is joy there yes, but not giddy joy. It’s strong, heroic joy, woven through with sadness. How did the composer do this? What sparked it? How did he figure out how to translate emotion into musical notes and various instruments? Who teaches that? Music is a Miracle.

Travel for work stinks

John’s off again next week. This time to St. Louis. Since I’ve already volunteered for the food kitchen Monday from 3:30 to 7:30, I have to make alternate arrangements for the kids music lessons. That’s not such a huge deal. The lonely part is the huge deal. I feel like a part of me is missing when he’s gone.

Evelyn

So my good friend Evelyn and I will be at the food pantry serving Monday. I have wanted to go but was never able to. Now with my flexible hours at work, this is possible for me. So, I’ll probably make it a new habit. Can I tell you about Evelyn? She is dear to me, but the funny thing is, she doesn’t know why. I guess she’s humble. I think she’s about 81 this year. When we first started talking about Peace and Justice about three years ago, it was just the two of us, and the job was too big, we weren’t sure where to start. Then we got Pam and Carol involved and got Just Faith going. Over the years I think Evelyn has been losing faith that humans will ever change and create what we are capable of creating on this planet. She can’t believe that I am ever optimistic about humanity’s future. Of course at the rate the U.S. is going…. I just had better stop right there or I’ll get myself into trouble. Let me just say with our wealth and advanced social ideals, why aren’t we leading the world in this respect? Why are we beating up other countries? Why do we treat the planet, our ONLY planet, like CRAP? Okay, I’ll stop now. Love ya Evelyn.

Cropping Saturday and Sunday

I’ll be up at the Paperie Place most of Saturday and Sunday cropping my little heart out, and working too. My plan is to get our Road Trip pictures all scrapped. Of course it would help if I’d upload them to Walgreen’s and get them printed out. Maybe I’ll do that tonight after my hair cut.

Speaking of haircut

FINALLY getting my hair cut tonight. It needed it about two weeks ago. That means I’ll have to get some highlights and do that tonight also. My highlights are just old enough that if I cut off an inch of hair, it’s going to look like I dyed my hair darker! Ah, the lives and trials of women with gray that can’t stand gray.

Back in the music game....

While my girl scouts were busy planning their May 5th dance (money earning), I spent a bit of time with our music director. He's had a notice in the bulletin that he needs piano/organ players to help out. One of our main helpers is getting up there in years and I can understand the need. Anyway, I talked to him about it and we are going to work out some times to meet regularly, probably after Easter. I went home and dug out all my old copies from the Gather book and picked out a few to focus on. My favorite is "Shepherd Me O God". It's very lovely but haunting too.

I can't begin to say how neat this is to me. I've kind of put my piano on hold for a few years, kind of didn't want Jordan to feel like I was competing or that she had to be better than me, or I was better than her or any of that silly stuff that moms and daughters sometimes get into. Plus, I really had no reason of my own, no incentive, to practice. I mean why bother? Well, now I have a reason and an opportunity to take advantage of. I want to someday play "Little Fugue in G" on that organ! Woo Wee!

"Talking With..." by Jane Martin

Jordan performed the part of the woman in the "Lamps" segment of this series of monologues. My second favorite was "French Fries". See below.

Talking With, a radically new type of drama consisting of 10 monologues, each done by a woman and each employing a symbolically charged prop. “This is a play about women daring enough to leave their mark on those closest to them, and brave enough to allow themselves to be marked by those with whom they share their world,” he says. “It is only through this shared experience - as painful as it sometimes may be - that they - and we - are able to fully exist.”

Manic Monday

What a gorgeous day it has been. I walked outside at lunch, per my usual, and it was 72 degrees, breezy, sunny, just a wonderful day. I am getting addicted to getting outside on my lunch break. The sunset tonight is so beautiful.

Tomorrow I'll be downtown for a 3-day class but I will still manage to get outside I hope. At least on breaks if not on lunch, since I won't be able to eat at my desk so I can walk outside on lunch.

Well, with John in Nashville and many, many activities falling on Monday, here's a recap of my afternoon. So busy, but I feel good I managed to get everything done, plus with the windows down, I sure didn't mind all the driving around. Funny, I put 25 miles on my car tonight after work, just driving the kids here and there in Liberty city limits. Good grief!

3:10 - leave work
3:35 - have snack
3:45 - take Jordan to piano
4:00 - Quik Trip - gas
4:10 - blockbuster - return movies
4:20 - bank deposit
4:30 - pick up Jordan
4:45 - get Wendy's for kids
5:00 - pick up Steve from school
5:10 - home, fix my quick dinner and pack my lunch for tomorrow
5:40 - head out to take Jordan to school and Steve to guitar
6:08 - Sears to pick up page protectors
6:30 - pick up Steve
6:45 - drop off Steve at teen class TKD
7:00 to 7:50 - 50 minutes at home.
7:50 - pick up Jordan
8:10 - 8:40 - 30 minutes at home to watch a bit of "24"
8:40 - pick up Steve
9:00 - go to bed

Just for John

You are the light
That's leading me
To the place
Where I find peace again

You are the strength
That keeps me walking
You are the hope
That keeps me trusting

You are the life
To my soul
You are my purpose
You are everything

And how can I
Stand here with you
And not be moved by you
Would you tell me
How could it be
Any better than this

Let's talk about feelings

Not really, not too much anyway. I just haven't blogged for so long, a couple of weeks at least. John said "How am I supposed to know how you're feeling?". Funny! Well, today I feel great. The sun's shining. For the past three days now, I've been able to walk outside at lunch and it has been just great. Today was a bit cooler at 42, but the sun was shining in a cloudless brilliant blue topaz sky, and I can take the cold when there's a fair exchange of goodness like that!

Blue skies, nothing but blue skies, nothing but blue skies from now on.

Speaking of skies. Let's talk birds! Oh, come now. I'm not THAT obsessed. I swear! I just have such fun trying to spot something different, looking through the book to find what I saw! It's like a puzzle, kind of why I like writing code and formulas for applications. Last Saturday John drove me around to see what we could see. I photographed an American Kestrel over at Stocksdale. I wasn't as close as I would have liked, but I got some interesting pictures of it hovering and diving looking for some dinner.

We continue to toy with the idea of downsizing our house. I don't know John's thoughts about the pros/cons of such a move. Mine are multiple and complicated. These are in no particular order of course, just as I think them up. 1) We have too much, and aren't using our resources as wisely as we could. Too much is tied up in this big house. I'd like to free up some cash flow to point in other directions. Especially since we've both taken pay cuts now. 2)I hate cleaning house, so less is defintely more when talking about household chores. 3)Social concerns. Where are the 'real' people in this neighborhood? Do they exist? Just as Fr. Matt wrote in his column Sunday, where are the neighbors who will just stop by? We are that kind of people but sometimes when dropping in on people we do feel like we're interfering. We're basically living a lie in this big house. Sure, it's middle class, not too poor, not too rich, but I still feel like I'm showing off, trying to be a big shot with my 3 car garage. 4)I'm not emotionally attached to this building like we both were to our house over on 70th street. We built that house from the ground up and lovingly picked out every detail. This one was just one of 3 that we could get in Liberty in Jan 2000 in our price range. I wish we'd have gotten into that little house over on Mansfield back then, but the realtor found the lock box was off that day. I still wonder when I drive by "what if?".

NOTE: I just re-read this and I think I should add, I actually DO like my house right now. After we got the basement finished, it's very comfy. We have lots of space. I guess I have many mixed feelings about the subject. Especially when an expense comes up that isn't in the budget and it makes us come up short.

Other random items. Jordan has me reading Archangel by Sharon Shinn right now. I told her I'd read her favorite trilogy if she'll read mine. It's a pretty interesting book. The kids are both quite involved with their school theater right now, so that is keeping them busy. I'm still cross stitching my Santa. I want to finish it before the school year ends. I just got Glory "special edition" DVD and the soundtrack from Amazon today. That's been on my list for a long, long time so I thought I should just go ahead and order it. I can't wait to see the special features and documentary on the 2nd disc.