The book of days

 I have a notebook I carry around all the time.  If anyone knows anything about me- they know I almost always have a notebook with me.  I’ve had this habit since I was in high school.  It started with “THE BOOK,” which was kind of a public slam-book.  After that, I started carrying a notebook around all the time.  It was my journal, list book, idea book, good for quotes to remember, notes, and nonsense.  Over the years the books have been different, some big, some small, some more interesting than others.  

Six or seven years ago I was visiting a church- which was hosting a visiting preacher.  I’m sure that guy meant well- but his message was waaaaay off base.  I needed something to distract me from his awful theology, so I opened my notebook and started taking notes.   When I say “taking notes” I almost never mean that I am writing down anything useful.  I’m usually writing down words and phrases that catch my imagination or make me smile.  When the speaker mispronounces a word or uses a mixed metaphor- when they say something odd because they are nervous, or they are thinking faster than their mouth is moving.  I’ll write down verbal ticks- and other things that the speaker would never remember having said.   I write down bad grammar and incorrect statements.

Sometimes when all the magic in the universe comes together, and I’m not distracted by any of the above misfortunes, and I can focus on the actual message of the speaker or at least their intent, I write down phrases which seem to be important- or which cause a mental image that I think I can put on the paper.  

So- I have notes in my notebook.  I also have lists of daily chores, grocery lists, Christmas card lists, to-do lists.  I have recipes, calendars, addresses, phone numbers, and of course nonsense.  I have stickers, pictures, drawings, and tiny sized memes.  

I’m writing this because I only have two pages left in the notebook I started in March of 2018.  It’s hard to change books- it’s hard to decide which one will be the new one- the one that will be with me every day.  How I will do the lay out- if I will include sections (as I should do to help it make more sense- even to me.) I try to guess how long I think it might last (I was pretty close on the last one.)     I try to keep my life in order- 

But- as usual, it is way too messy to be bound.                              

90 seconds of life

 

The average length of a traffic light is one minute and 30 seconds.

Yesterday I stopped at a traffic light a few car lengths behind the vehicle in front of me so that I wasn’t blocking a business entrance.  The car behind me honked.  I looked in the review mirror and saw the woman behind me talking to me angrily.  I thought, ‘Doesn’t she see that I didn’t move forward so that I wouldn’t block the business entrance?’  A few seconds later honked again.  This time when I looked in the review mirror, I saw she was talking to me and gastrulating angrily.  I started to feel irritated.  Where did she think she was going? We were all stopped at the light!  Why are people so impatient? 

I thought about the day before when I was sitting in line at the pickup line at my kid’s school.  I was the last person in line, so when the bus in front of me moved forward one car length I just waited.  I didn’t move because I was on a slight incline; I was driving my husband’s manual, and I just didn’t feel like putting it into gear to move 15 feet.  This white minivan driven by the proverbial Karen swooped in behind me and immediately honked her horn so that I would move up one car length.  Ugh!  So, I put it in gear and idled forward.  I was going so slowly Karen swerved into the next lane.  I knew that was a bad idea for her, but people are so anxious to do the next stupid thing what can you say to them? 

I knew that the lane I was in moved faster than the other lane 90% of the time.  So, by the time I got to the pickup point, Karen was about 6 cars behind me in the other lane.  Thinking about Karen made me feel more irritated about the woman honking behind me. 

She honked for the third time and when I looked at her in the review mirror this time she was pointing to the right.  I looked to my right and saw that the business entrance I was not blocking for those who wanted to turn in or pull out was a Chicken Express.

Suddenly I understood. By not blocking everyone else coming and going from Chicken Express, I WAS blocking her.  I was the one person between her and the promise of delicious fried chicken.  I mean, I’m a vegetarian and I want Chicken Express sometimes.  (They have the BEST fried pickles, not to mention all the other fried veggies.)

Well, by that time the people in the left lane had blocked the entrance from anyone in the other lanes being able to turn in, so I was only leaving it open for anyone who wanted to come out.  I thought, ‘Huh, maybe I should move forward.  I guess she thinks I’m being a jerk by not letting her in because let’s face it- it is all about HER in right now.’ 

But a devil had landed on my shoulder by that time- and he said, “You have the next 20 seconds of her life in your hands!”  An angel on the other shoulder said, “She just wants chicken and fried pickles! She thinks you are a jerk, don’t make her right!” 

I decided I was a jerk at that moment. I decided I was the master of her fate.  I decided she would learn patience at my will.  HER LIFE WAS IN MY HANDS!

James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” 

Then the light changed- and I put my husband’s silly car in gear and let the woman have her chicken.

T+M4

 Meow-Meow Meow-Meow and Tamzin

Last Christmas Tamzin met Meow-Meow Meow-Meow.  They were good friends right away.  They traveled together, had great conversations, and when they returned home after the New Year they continued enjoying one another.  Then, something happened during the pandemic.  Everything was chaotic, and they lost touch.  Months went by and Tamzin and Meow-Meow Meow-Meow didn’t see each other.

Just last week Meow-Meow Meow-Meow showed up at Tamzin’s door again.  Where had she been?  She’s not telling.  No hard feelings about losing touch though- it has been a hard year for everyone- what with the social distancing, mask-wearing, and reduced public appearances.  The truth is when you want to engage in relationships you need to make an effort- especially in these difficult times.  The effort can be a struggle.  Like Tamzin and Meow-Meow-Meow-Meow, we need to be generous with our understanding, forgiveness, and compassion.  We need to engage as we feel comfortable to do so.

It is certainly not the time to be reckless with your health or wellbeing.  We need to make good choices.  Sometimes those choices include reconnecting with people we’ve lost touch with.  It might mean forgoing social distancing with just one person, and understanding you are taking a chance with your physical health - in order to maintain your mental and emotional health.  

We all still have to live our lives.  We are in this for the long haul.  None of it is going away soon.  

Tamzin and Meow-Meow-Meow-Meow spent a great day at the park together yesterday.  They decided not to focus on social distancing (from each other) as much and instead give careful attention to limiting the number of people they hang out with, and germ-fighting with soap and water.

the dentist says I need some work ....

 

there are a number of crowns in my near future!

Be humble

Stevia

Taking the ill advice of some medical professional I"m sure- I bought a supply of single servings of Stevia.  Now- my tea and I are suffering.

I 'nowman

She picked this dress out today and whispered, "I 'nowman!" She has a hard time with "s".  Sometimes she comes to me and says, "I 'cared!" Her eyes are wide, her hands-fingers spread up near her face. Sometimes she can even set herself a tremble to make the scene more convincing.  Her favorite song is "Baby 'hark."   She is my extra precious ❤️.

joy in the morning

Good shepherd

English History Mystery

My ignorance of English history is paying off. 
I'm reading The Other Boleyn Girl. I'm 100 pages from the end and I still don't know what's going to happen! 
I know all the queens have to go- the story is about one who is not queen (the other sister) but I don't know if she gets killed too, what's going to happen to her children (who are also Henry's) how many more queens there will be, what Oliver Cromwell is up to, why Thomas More is in the tower- when the Church of English is established in this timeline- what's gonna happen to the pope?!  What do the Lutherans have to do with it?  When will the Bible be officially translated into English and available to read in this storyline? Are they all speaking French? What made Henry so crazy? For all the documentaries and biographies I watch and read- I would have thought I would have this all worked out by now. 

Alas, no- it is all a surprise to me in this book.  How fantastic is that? Love my ignorance in isolation :)
As soon as I finish the book I'm going to do some sketchy wiki research and watch the movie- there might even be a series to entertain me. 

Isn't he wonderful?

Leave behind your regrets and mistakes
Come today, there's no reason to wait
Jesus is calling
Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy
From the ashes, a new life is born
Jesus is calling

O come to the altar
The Father's arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood!...

from- Oh come to the altar: Elevation Music

Sometimes we think we are okay- but really there is something off.  Right now there are A LOT of things off. There is so much fear and anxiety- and so, so much stupidity which leads to way too much sarcasm  ...

I'm not really worried for my family unit.  We're fine.  Daniel and I are both listed as "essential workers."

I mean, I'm not sure how "essential" my work is, but I got the notice today that I am in fact "essential," so I can go to campus if I need to use technology or pick up materials.  The point is, we aren't losing any income as a result of the shelter in place order.  The girls' school has provided online classes for them to finish our their school year.  I'm working from home exclusively, D is working from home part-time- and going into the office part-time. 

We're not sick.  We have some TP- (although I noticed we are getting a bit low so I should probably be a bit more proactive on that account.)

The internet is mostly working.  We have enough food. We can go out and walk the neighborhood- or if it stays warm- go out to the pool.  (the girls swam today, but it was too cold for me to venture in)

Everything is mostly fine.

I read an article today that said, you know that uneasy feeling you have?  and I thought "YEAH!" It said that feeling is shared grief over what we have lost.  We've all lost our old normal- at least for a while.  Even if everything is still okay with us- there is still something missing.  

It is okay.  I have plenty to keep me entertained.  I have lots of stuff to do around the house.  The problem is that it is still left undone.  I'm not doing the things I should do, I'm not even doing the things I really want to do- I'm stuck.  I'm wasting time looking at facebook and avoiding the real news.  

I'm waiting for the next thing, and I'm tired, and my tummy hurts.

If that's what's happening with me, what about all the people who are deeply affected by this mess?

I've been thinking about that verse and chorus for the past few days- 

Leave behind your regrets and mistakes ...

Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy ...

Jesus is calling.

day 5

day 4

isolation day 3

The girls and I are home for a few weeks.  We are observing social distancing- modified.  I've let the girls go visit with the neighbor kids.  Thursday we plan to go visit my aunt and cousin.  D is still going to work, and T will go to daycare twice a week as long as it is open. 

I will start teaching classes from home next week- and the girls should start getting online lessons from their school next week.  We just need to make it through the last 8 weeks of the semester, and 12 more weeks until the end of the school year.

Yesterday was kind of messy- today has been quiet.  E was up early, L not until 11:00, T is still sleeping at 1:00pm!  Poor little monkey- I think she might have an earache. 

E and L got new computers so they can do their school work to finish out the year.  I got them started on a Chrome extension typing club.  I need to take a look around online to find other educational sites they might enjoy.

 I made a list of things for the girls to do today.  E is all over it- L is not.

I was thinking of putting the tent up today for an outdoor classroom/playroom/reading room, but the news said flash floods--- so I'll wait. :)

This is not a bad time- just a different time, let us all take a deep breath and do our best.

subtitles

I had a dream that everyone was speaking in a language I couldn't understand.  It seemed like it was going to be okay though- because there were subtitles floating around just at chest height of the speaker. 

Unfortunately,  all the subtitles were in Greek.

He said, "Do you want this iced tea maker?"
The thing is- I don't even like iced tea.
The other thing is- why would anyone actually need an iced tea maker?
It's literally ice, tea, and water.
If you make sun tea- you don't even need to boil the water.
All of these things considered- I said, "Yes. I want it."

Of course, that was always going to be the answer because I have a weakness for small appliances.

(Just recently I've thought I needed a countertop ice machine- see below for reason.)

So- this weekend I made some iced tea . . . because I could.

It went like this-

I don't like iced tea, but I do like Thai tea.

I looked up how to make Thai tea on Google.

Thai tea requires:
1. Thai tea bag/leaves
2. water
3. sugar
4. condensed milk
5. ice

Hmmm- turns out I don't have Thai tea- Indian tea it is then.
If you make Thai tea with Indian tea- is it still Thai tea? - Maybe I should just call it "Iced-chai."

I was pretty skeptical about this iced tea maker- so I set it to 'strong.' It brewed an impressively black two quarts of tea from 1/4 cup of loose leaf tea.

I tasted some super bitter black tea.

I added the sugar and condensed milk- went to add the ice- but no- no ice. What I had was an empty ice tray in the freezer.

I had some hot milk tea- and it was yummy!
I let it cool and had some cold 'iced chai' and it was yummy.

I wondered if  I could make more tea from my tea leaves.  I brewed two more quarts of tea.
It still produced a nice dark tea.

I drank all the iced-chai.  I refrigerated the black tea for later.
Turns out maybe I do like iced-milked-sweetened-spiced tea.

I'll keep the iced tea maker for while.