Sweetness

The story of Jonah from Corinth Baptist Church on Vimeo.

A post with a dinosaur

Wednesday, October 6th I went out to NYC to visit the sister. Since she had to work, I amused myself on Thursday and Friday.

Thursday, I went to the American Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I got up and rode the train into the city with the sister and then she ditched me at Grand Central (j/k after giving me very detailed and accurate instructions, I would have to be extremely moronic to get lost) so she could go to work while I took the subway to Central Park west. 

Nature

There is a delight in the hardy life of the open.

There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm.

The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased; and not impaired in value.

Conservation means development as much as it does protection.
~Theodore Roosevelt (Roosevelt Memorial rotunda)

 While waiting for the museum to open, I sat on a bench on the grounds and people-watched while having some coffee & a scone.

The above photo is the statue of Theodore Roosevelt that stands at the entrance of the museum. 

To the right is a photo of a mosquito 75 times it's actual size.

Manhood

A man's usefulness depends upon his living up to his ideals insofar as he can.

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.

All daring and courage, all iron endurance of misfortune-make for a finer, nobler type of manhood.

Only those are fit to live who do not fear to die and none are fit to die who have shrunk from the joy of life and the duty of life.
~ Theodore Roosevelt (Roosevelt Memorial rotunda)

This tree was started growing in 550 A.D. and was cut down in 1891. I can't remember where the tree was growing but I do know it was somewhere in the United States.

My favorite part of the museum was the animal dioramas.  They were amazing!

And I couldn't leave without a photo of some dinosaur bones...

Youth

I want to see you game, boys, I want to see you brave and manly, and I also want to see you gentle and tender.
Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground.
Courage, hard work, self-mastery, and intelligent effort are all essential to successful life.
Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike.
~Theodore Roosevelt (Roosevelt Memorial rotunda)

I was very impressed with Theodore Roosevelt. So impressed in fact that I purchased a biography on him at a bookstore on Friday. 

Reading Woes

Sadly, I have been doing poorly on my 100+ Challenge.  Lately, I have barely had time to read during the day and fall asleep reading at night.

This falling asleep reading is baffling to me.  I never used to do that.  I could stay up till the wee hours reading without falling asleep...until recently.  I am hoping this is a sign that I am tiring myself out with activity and not that I am getting too old.

I have a huge stack of library books on my table waiting to be read and a few books that I own that are gathering dust.  I had planned to read New York: The Novel by Edward Rutherford before I went to visit the sister in October.  That is not going to happen. I'll have to read it for the next time I visit.

Airplane travel provides ample opportunity to read; and as I am going to visit the sister the first week and the brother the last week of October I will have a couple of air travel days to crack a book open.

And now I am going to go try to finish my current read without falling asleep...

I'm baa-ack...

I realize that my posts have been quite sporadic this summer. I can honestly say that I have had several posts written in my head but I simply never had the time to put them to blog.

I promised the sister that I would post more--I even committed myself to at least one post a week.  So... here is this week's...

::crickets::



Kidding...just kidding.

Today was a very busy day for me.  I woke up at 8 am. Blech.  This is the earliest I have gotten up in a long while.  But I did it for a good cause.  Today was cleaning day in our new church building!

It wasn't all that long ago that our church family was doing this. Tomorrow is the last Sunday service in our current building.  Monday is a the first official meeting in the new building--a special Women's Ministries meeting. And then next Sunday is the first Worship Service.

It is exciting and a little overwhelming.

Also today: new windows!  I have all new windows in my house...they are beautiful too!  I will post some photos soon.

Thankfully, I don't have to pay for the windows (I rent) because yesterday I spent a whole lot of money.  I bought a brand new mattress and box spring.  I have been saving for this purchase for a long time but I still cringe a bit when I spend so much money.

Until next week...

Flashback

I watched the Today Show this morning (actually, late this morning,  I watched the recorded version of the Today Show--7am is way too early) and was slightly dismayed to find that the fashion of my youth in now IN. 

Granted they recommend wearing these trends individually (swatches, stone washed jeans, shoulder pads, etc) so as to not overwhelm.  I shudder to imagine the fashion don'ts that will come out of this.

Overall, I'm decidedly satisfied that I slept in and recorded the program as the segment I wanted to watch was at most 30 seconds at the end of the program (I love my DVR).  Definitely not worth waking up early for all of that news stuff.

Tonight I rearranged my blog to move my 100+ Reading Challenge post to it's own page. As I was rearranging I noticed I am a little behind ...

Not that I haven't been reading.  But I have not been counting books that I skim ... and apparently I have been skimming a lot of books lately.

Technically, I should have about 50 books read as tomorrow is the first of July, the halfway point. 

I have to say I do have quite the list to read:

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog

Ha ha ha ha, Ha ha ha ha, Ha ha ---

I wasn't looking forward to today all that much, despite it being my day off.  I have a couple of non-day off activities to accomplish so I decided to add to that unpleasantness and have my own little pity party.

Thankfully, I found this little quiz in my rss feed today ... it cheered me right up.  Nothing like a little Princess Bride in the morning to raise the spirits a bit.

BTW -- I got an 80%. One of the best scores I have gotten on these "difficult" mental_floss quizzes.

Hah.

The last two questions killed my 4.0.  (Also the actor in question #1's video -- amazing job!).

Odds and ends

After church today, I drove three blocks to the convenience store to buy a pop (the soft pretzel was irresistible so I picked up one of those too).  As I parked my car, I thought, "I guess I could have walked here ..."

I thought it again when the sum total of my purchases was $2.34.

Course I didn't feel quite so guilty when the gentleman ahead of me in line spent $45 on two packs of cigarettes, lottery tickets and a $0.40 cup of coffee.

~~~~~~~~~~

I've been entertaining myself lately by teaching myself Microsoft Office 2007.  The sister's boyfriend "took" a class for his master's and bequeathed me his textbook when he was done.

It should entertain me for quite a while as I'm only on page 104 of 1303 pages.

~~~~~~~~~~

Meet the Robinsons is a terribly cute movie!

Memorial Day

 

 

Apparently, summer has arrived

Today, I was grateful that I work at a job that has air conditioning!  It was hot enough that the school kids got dismissed from school early -- and tomorrow is the last day of school.

The house is full of hot pets.  There a hot dog panting on the couch and a hot cat sprawled in the bedroom.

I am beginning to think that events in my life are beginning to slow down a bit. Well, they are either slowing or I am getting used to the fast pace . . .

I am still interim director at the library but I am hoping to be relieved of that position by the end of August.  I have finished teaching adult computer classes until next fall.

The next big thing is Vacation Bible School -- starting a week from tomorrow.

But there are some exciting things coming up this summer too: a couple of new little ones are due to arrive to friends,  planning a baby shower, moving to the new church building.  And this fall, I am hoping to visit the brother in Florida and go to a cousin's wedding in Boston.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you. And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t Stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too. ~"Oh the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss

What Great Things

 Today we had a special church service.  After meeting for worship and the message we moved the service to the new church building (currently under construction).

The new building project started as a seed many years ago when the congregation decided the beautiful, longstanding church building we are currently in was unable to completely fill our needs: spatially awkward, inaccessible to our older church family members, hard to heat and cool, acoustically inadequate among other things.

God has brought this project to bloom this year.

Today we had our first service a the new building.  We had a time of prayer and then the church family could write verses on the wall studs.

It was a day to bless God for his blessings toward us.

Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your hearts; for consider what great things He has done for you. ~I Samuel 12:24

Especially precious to me was the children writing verses they had learned and memorized at Awana, Sunday School, or Vacation Bible School.

The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. ~Psalm 20:7-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. ~Ephesians 2:8-10

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interests of others. ~ Philippians 2:1-4

A lovely weekend

Last night I slept on wonderfully fresh sheets courtesy the laundry line.  It was beautiful yesterday.  Warm enough to hang out my laundry -- the first time this year!

Nothing compares to sheets dried by the wind and sun.

Oh oh here it comes . . .

This week begins one of the busiest months of my year.  (This year anyway.) I am teaching a computer class on Tuesdays and Thursdays all this month. 

Then, at work, I am taking assuming the position of interim director while the library board searches for a replacement for my retiring boss. I am not looking forward to this but I am fairly certain I will do an adequate job.

Awana will be finishing up this month which means the Grand Prix race and Awards Night are this month.  Extra work all around.

Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. 

Isaiah 40:30-31

Something I have been hoping for . . .

Let me introduce you to . . .

Isn't she beautiful?  We've been getting acquainted . . .

Play day

I'm looking forward to this weekend.  I have tomorrow off. Yea!

I got a head start on the weekend by playing around with my blog this evening.  Yea! again.

This week the weather has been extremely nice--a little foggy--in the forties even.  Spring is definitely on the way.

Along with spring comes a list of dreadful things I need to get done.  Dreadful only in that I am dreading doing them not that they are dreadful in and of themselves.

1. Clean the basement (blech)
2. Scrape the paint off the garage & the porch awnings
3. Paint the garage & porch awnings
4. Clean out the gutters
5. Wash the siding on the house

But tomorrow is my day off so I'm not going to think about it . . . much.

How to tell when the timer on your stove is broken (in one easy step)

If your pizza comes out of the oven like this:

the timer on your stove is probably broken.

Generally not a people person

Recently, I have been reading books nominated for the Iowa Teen Award and the Iowa High School Book Award because I am trying to put together a teen program at the library.  The book I am currently reading is called The Year We Disappeared: a Father-Daughter Memoir.

Generally, I don't read biographies.  I just can't get into them.  I'm not exactly sure why.  So I was a little leery about reading this book.  It is the story of a policeman in the 1970s who was shot in the line of duty, the events surrounding this event and the effects it had on his family and his life.

I really like how the book is written.  It is in the chronological order of the events that happened but every other chapter is from the daughter's perspective--who was nine at the time of the shooting--and the father's perspective.

I have had to force myself to turn off my light at night because the story is so engaging.  And here I am writing about it and I haven't even finished it! (Which is why this book is not listed on my 100+ Reading Challenge post.)

This memoir is definitely a must read!

Photo from www.bn.com

Hooked up and wired in

Ah . . . .

I can e-mail.
I can browse.
I can search.

Finally!

My fancy new computer arrived on Wednesday and I have been updating and uploading since then. My very first BRAND NEW computer.

And the best part . . . . it's completely paid for -- no debt!

I am very proud of myself for this feat. 

As a result, I will be back to my regularly scheduled blogging next week.

Erg . . . who would have thought

Well, the button has been pressed there's no going back now. 

I bought a computer. 

It only took me hours of deliberation and weeks of thinking.

Who knew it would be this difficult for me to spend my hard earned money?

Now I have to wait 3-7 days for it to arrive . . .

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

My computer has died.

On Sunday, it just wouldn't wake up.

Luckily, I have been planning (and SAVING) for a new one so hopefully I will find a good deal shortly.  In the meantime, I have to resort to quick snatches over my breaks at work.

Here is an interesting post I read today during lunch -- fits me to a "T" minus the Canadian part. :-)

Walking home from church

Lazy day

Today has been a lazy day:

• I slept in.
• I read.
• I played.
• I cooked.

I love lazy days.

::sigh::

Rejoice

This is the day which the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

There is nothing much sweeter than this -- except maybe twenty kids belting out these words to the Lord!

Everything and Nothing

I had the day off today.  And silly me, I decided to rearrange my bedroom. 

I cleaned as I rearranged so now all the cat hair has been vacuumed up and the dust is all gone.  All the bedding is freshly laundered.

I can't wait to go to bed tonight!

About 3 pm I lost my steam so I have a some "things to do" on my list for next week.

I didn't do much the rest of the day.  Very nice day.  I accomplished something AND had the day off.

Now I'm going to start another book to add to my 100+ list.

2010 100+ Reading Challenge

I decided to take a challenge. A reading challenge.  100 + books in 2010.

The challenge is sponsored by J. Kaye's Book Blog. I'm fairly certain I can complete this challenge.  We shall see.

The books I read for this challenge will be listed in the post below.  I will be adding as I go -- I'm working on the 1st one right now!

1. Homeplace by Dorothy Garlock (Re-read)

2. Blood game by Iris Johansen (New)

3. Fired up by Jayne Ann Krentz (New)

4. Sizzle by Julie Garwood (New)

5. Memoirs of a teenage amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin (New / Audio book)

6. Anges and the hitman by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (Re-read)

7. Hunger games by Suzanne Collins (New)

8. Blood ties by Kay Hooper (New)

9. Catching fire by Suzanne Collins (New)

10. Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman (New)

11. The compound by S.A. Bodeen (New/Audiobook)

12. Devil's web by Mary Balogh (New)

13. The year we disappeared: a father-daughter memoir by John & Cylin Busby (New)

14. Fantasy in death by J. D. Robb (New)

15. Summer of the midnight sun by Tracie Peterson (New)

16. Wild ride by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (New)

17. The Spellmans strike again by Lisa Lutz (New)

18. Bet me by Jennifer Crusie (Re-read)

19. Shattered by Karen Robards (New)

20. Without mercy by Lisa Jackson (New)

21. Mr. Parker  Pyne, detective by Agatha Christie (New)

22. Burning lamp by Amanda Quick (New)

23. The disreputable history of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart (New)

24. Eight days to live by Iris Johansen (New)

MOVED PAGE (please click here)

It's a New Year

Which means Resolution time again.

Sadly, I don't think I did very well on last year's resolutions. Frankly, I don't want to even go back and read them -- I'm afraid that they will sadden me beyond redemption.


Despite last year's failures, I endeavor to try again.

I'm going to start a little slower this year.  (I have come to realize that I tend to dream big but have a harder time to finish out those dreams.)

I am going to start with two and go from there . . .

1. Blogging:  I have been a little sparse lately on updating my blog. I am resolved to update my blog at least three times and include at least one photo per week.

2. Cleaning:  I want to set up a good working cleaning schedule and do some deep cleaning this year.

That all. Nothing more.  For now anyway.