My sister Leslie and her friend Megan are hiking the Appalachian Trail, which is crazy enough on its own. They don't shower very often and they wear the same clothes every day, probably averaging about 10 + miles a day.
But let's add to the mix a deranged man, suspected in 4 homicides, as well as escaped con. Let's add him to the terrors of the Appalachian Trail.
You wouldn't catch me dead in that place. But here they are, hiking away with a mass murderer on the loose, who said he "wouldn't come in with out a fight," including his small hand gun and large folding knife.
Pray for them. Please!
By the way, today is Leslie's birthday. She's 27 now, I think. Wow. What a birthday adventure.
29 June 2005
26 June 2005
Alright, already. You're DONE!
Negativity should be banished from the workplace.
Shut up, in your cubicle, even if you are talking to yourself. I can hear you over here and you're not fooling anyone. You hate life and the world.
Get over it.
Find something to be happy about. Besides your baby, who is now almost, if not over, 30.
If only we could say all the things we want to say, all the things that could change someone's life (for good) forever.
Shut up, in your cubicle, even if you are talking to yourself. I can hear you over here and you're not fooling anyone. You hate life and the world.
Get over it.
Find something to be happy about. Besides your baby, who is now almost, if not over, 30.
If only we could say all the things we want to say, all the things that could change someone's life (for good) forever.
Stir Fry and Spaghetti
Isn't it fabulous when friends surprise you at work - with a bag packed for the weekend and their own pillow.
Thank you, Cat, for cooking for me, helping me save the flowers, and in general being someone I love to share a house with.
I will miss you next week and the one after, too.
But I was sure glad to have you around this week and weekend. Thank you, dear.
Thank you, Cat, for cooking for me, helping me save the flowers, and in general being someone I love to share a house with.
I will miss you next week and the one after, too.
But I was sure glad to have you around this week and weekend. Thank you, dear.
Come again?
My friend is going to France.
Lucky bitch.
Just kidding. I love you and may be more than tremendously jealous.
Oh, Lance. Win for her if for no one or nothing else. She deserves that much. She and her mom.
Lucky bitch.
Just kidding. I love you and may be more than tremendously jealous.
Oh, Lance. Win for her if for no one or nothing else. She deserves that much. She and her mom.
Summer Weddings
It was the third of the summer. And the final one, for me anyway.
And it was the best - beating by far the one I was in last weekend.
It was outside on the hottest day of the year. Everyone was soaked in sweat. No one was dry. That way, no one could be embarrassed. So in a way, it was a bonding experience. Jenn would be proud for my acknowledgment of bonding.
Despite that, it was the most peaceful, beautiful, happy, jolly wedding ever. Perhaps it was the celtic music playing, or the barefoot bridesmaids and groomsmen, or the linen shirts and simple, but perfect, dresses. Perhaps it was the fact that two of my favorite people were finally going to be joined together for life, knowing that they deserved each other more than any one else I've ever known. Perhaps it was the hundreds of little sweat-soaked children running around trying to cool off in the shade or the flushed babies on their mothers' laps. Or seeing many of the most radiant, generous, and loving people that have walked across my life all in one place.
Whatever it was, it was beautiful. It drew me in. I stayed for hours, resting in the peace that comes from knowing truly good people, who love you and who love Jesus. It makes a difference. He is the difference.
Today was a perfect reminder of the good in life and in people. My faith was restored and rejuvenated.
And it was the best - beating by far the one I was in last weekend.
It was outside on the hottest day of the year. Everyone was soaked in sweat. No one was dry. That way, no one could be embarrassed. So in a way, it was a bonding experience. Jenn would be proud for my acknowledgment of bonding.
Despite that, it was the most peaceful, beautiful, happy, jolly wedding ever. Perhaps it was the celtic music playing, or the barefoot bridesmaids and groomsmen, or the linen shirts and simple, but perfect, dresses. Perhaps it was the fact that two of my favorite people were finally going to be joined together for life, knowing that they deserved each other more than any one else I've ever known. Perhaps it was the hundreds of little sweat-soaked children running around trying to cool off in the shade or the flushed babies on their mothers' laps. Or seeing many of the most radiant, generous, and loving people that have walked across my life all in one place.
Whatever it was, it was beautiful. It drew me in. I stayed for hours, resting in the peace that comes from knowing truly good people, who love you and who love Jesus. It makes a difference. He is the difference.
Today was a perfect reminder of the good in life and in people. My faith was restored and rejuvenated.
20 June 2005
The weekend was unusual, to say the least
And we were in Kentucky. And in Wal-Mart. What else could we expect but a man, with a incomprehensible southern accent and two teeth that appeared to be soddered together on the bottom right side, a greasy mullet and a plaid, worn shirt tucked into dirty jeans.
He swore up and down (I think) that they didn't have car window paint in automotive, only car paint.
The five of us just stared, perhaps with our heads tilted to the side, trying to figure out if this was really happening.
We backed away.
Shortly thereafter, Suz called from the depths of one of the automotive isles. She'd found the window paint.
And speed beads. "Who needs Mardi Gras when you have speed beads."
She's very funny.
He swore up and down (I think) that they didn't have car window paint in automotive, only car paint.
The five of us just stared, perhaps with our heads tilted to the side, trying to figure out if this was really happening.
We backed away.
Shortly thereafter, Suz called from the depths of one of the automotive isles. She'd found the window paint.
And speed beads. "Who needs Mardi Gras when you have speed beads."
She's very funny.
14 June 2005
In Love
I'm in love with Google.
There's so much more to it than what you see.
I'm at a librarian conference and I just learned more about Google.
I'm in love with it!
There's so much more to it than what you see.
I'm at a librarian conference and I just learned more about Google.
I'm in love with it!
12 June 2005
Maddie words
She's been here for less than a week, and she never ceases to amaze me with her vocabulary. Whether it's the way she says words, like Jackskin (for Jackson, the cat), or her understanding of things (she told me out of the blue what the middle names of her aunts and uncles were), she's just adorable.
I have a billion stories that I wish I could recount here, but it could bore those of you who don't know her.
She named one of my old dolls JoyLan, after me, of course, and mistakenly called it Joy-a-Loin later that day. I was momentarily disgusted.
She used the word "despise" correctly a few days ago.
Ok, cutest and saddest story of the week. Well, there are two.
1) Maddie's going to bed for the night in the futon room. She starts bawling and Emily asks her what's the matter. "I'm nervous," she says, "About the dark." It was the first time ever that she's mentioned being afraid of the dark. That earned her the right to sleep in the yellow room with her mom for the night.
2) Maddie napped for a few hours yesterday afternoon. Em and I went to Wal-Mart, where there was an absurd amount of questionably strange people, and we had enough time before Katie and Maddie woke up to take a walk. When we got back, we found Maddie in the yellow room screaming and crying because she has locked herself in the bedroom. These are old fashioned door handles, meaning there is no key that fits and the hinges and screws are all on the inside. None of us are handy enough to know how to pick a lock and it's late on a Saturday evening. Emily talked to Maddie, trying to calm her and get her to unlock the door, which can be difficult even for an adult to do with these locks. Maddie couldn't do it. She was hysterical. Dad called the locksmith, and he was on his way, when Emily decided to assuage Maddie with some fruit snacks. She told her that, if she could unlock the door, she would be able to have some more. We heard the package of snacks crinkling behind the locked door, and then the handle rattled and, after a minute or so, she unlocked the door. She came tumbling into her mommy's arms, her face red and eyes swollen from crying.
Then she asked for another package of snacks. She's such a Gottschalk!
I have a billion stories that I wish I could recount here, but it could bore those of you who don't know her.
She named one of my old dolls JoyLan, after me, of course, and mistakenly called it Joy-a-Loin later that day. I was momentarily disgusted.
She used the word "despise" correctly a few days ago.
Ok, cutest and saddest story of the week. Well, there are two.
1) Maddie's going to bed for the night in the futon room. She starts bawling and Emily asks her what's the matter. "I'm nervous," she says, "About the dark." It was the first time ever that she's mentioned being afraid of the dark. That earned her the right to sleep in the yellow room with her mom for the night.
2) Maddie napped for a few hours yesterday afternoon. Em and I went to Wal-Mart, where there was an absurd amount of questionably strange people, and we had enough time before Katie and Maddie woke up to take a walk. When we got back, we found Maddie in the yellow room screaming and crying because she has locked herself in the bedroom. These are old fashioned door handles, meaning there is no key that fits and the hinges and screws are all on the inside. None of us are handy enough to know how to pick a lock and it's late on a Saturday evening. Emily talked to Maddie, trying to calm her and get her to unlock the door, which can be difficult even for an adult to do with these locks. Maddie couldn't do it. She was hysterical. Dad called the locksmith, and he was on his way, when Emily decided to assuage Maddie with some fruit snacks. She told her that, if she could unlock the door, she would be able to have some more. We heard the package of snacks crinkling behind the locked door, and then the handle rattled and, after a minute or so, she unlocked the door. She came tumbling into her mommy's arms, her face red and eyes swollen from crying.
Then she asked for another package of snacks. She's such a Gottschalk!
You have GOT to be kidding me...
Lesson #8,751 in patience and bad attitudes:
I didn't want to go. Anywhere this week. I just wanted to stay with my sister and her two children here at home.
But I had commitments. Dang it!
Early morning. Dad takes me to the airport 2 hours away. I go to check in and my confirmation number doesn't work. The bar code doesn't work. The flight number doesn't work. I start freaking out on the inside. The nice man takes my itinerary behind the counter and says he does not understand what's going on. Then, he finds it.
"What day did they say you were flying?"
"Sunday."
"Yeah, well, the date says the 13th. Today is the 12th, right?"
"I have no idea." I stood there dumbly and then said, "oh my gosh."
I grabbed my ID and itinerary, thanked him for his help and dashed to the door I had entered 5 minutes before.
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Come get me. My flight is tomorrow."
Four hours wasted. Dad didn't mind. Thankfully. I only minded my stupidity.
And this is the lesson I learned, courtesy of God:
Bad attitudes get you nowhere, literally. I didn't want to go. I packed my suitcase with building spite and dread. I was angry. My chest was tight with self-pity. And it took me two hours away and some humiliation to discover that fulfilling obligations is part of life. Doing it with grace and joy relfects God. Ok, I get the message. Sorry.
Plans change. Pay attention to your own responsibilities.
I didn't want to go. Anywhere this week. I just wanted to stay with my sister and her two children here at home.
But I had commitments. Dang it!
Early morning. Dad takes me to the airport 2 hours away. I go to check in and my confirmation number doesn't work. The bar code doesn't work. The flight number doesn't work. I start freaking out on the inside. The nice man takes my itinerary behind the counter and says he does not understand what's going on. Then, he finds it.
"What day did they say you were flying?"
"Sunday."
"Yeah, well, the date says the 13th. Today is the 12th, right?"
"I have no idea." I stood there dumbly and then said, "oh my gosh."
I grabbed my ID and itinerary, thanked him for his help and dashed to the door I had entered 5 minutes before.
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Come get me. My flight is tomorrow."
Four hours wasted. Dad didn't mind. Thankfully. I only minded my stupidity.
And this is the lesson I learned, courtesy of God:
Bad attitudes get you nowhere, literally. I didn't want to go. I packed my suitcase with building spite and dread. I was angry. My chest was tight with self-pity. And it took me two hours away and some humiliation to discover that fulfilling obligations is part of life. Doing it with grace and joy relfects God. Ok, I get the message. Sorry.
Plans change. Pay attention to your own responsibilities.
05 June 2005
amazing construction
I love words. This sentence from Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man jumped out at me. The sounds are fantastic!
"They smelt that old obscene stink of darkness, that old slavery smell, worse than the rank halitosis of hoary death."
"They smelt that old obscene stink of darkness, that old slavery smell, worse than the rank halitosis of hoary death."
the death of kitty
Mike's cat died on his birthday morning.
She had fought long and hard, and she was pretty old, bless her little heart.
I'm so sorry, Mike.
She had fought long and hard, and she was pretty old, bless her little heart.
I'm so sorry, Mike.
03 June 2005
weekends for a working woman
I haven't really decided what to do for fun after work. This week, I've been so tired every evening, that I barely accomplished anything. I've had a load of laundry in the dryer for 20 hours now...oops!
Dad and I walked down to the golf course restaurant by our house for dinner tonight. We couldn't bear the thought of one more measly meal because of our sad efforts in the kitchen. Don't get too excited. This is about the trashiest golf course in the world. I didn't actually know they had food - all I've ever heard about is the bar, cleverly called "The 19th Hole." Needless to say, that's not where we went.
The dining area was filled with people over the age of 60, most of whom live on the lake. But it has a great view of Lake Manitou - which I had forgotten, or perhaps I had never known, that it can be beautiful. With the sun shining orangely on the water, it was very peaceful.
The food was par. Chicken strips were good, but my salad tasted somewhat like women's perfume, the kind that makes you choke when it wafts past you. I didn't eat much of that.
Now I'm off to go bowling with some high school friends - it's guys night out and I'm joining. Truly it is like high school. I miss having all male friends. Or any male friends. It should be a good night.
Dad and I walked down to the golf course restaurant by our house for dinner tonight. We couldn't bear the thought of one more measly meal because of our sad efforts in the kitchen. Don't get too excited. This is about the trashiest golf course in the world. I didn't actually know they had food - all I've ever heard about is the bar, cleverly called "The 19th Hole." Needless to say, that's not where we went.
The dining area was filled with people over the age of 60, most of whom live on the lake. But it has a great view of Lake Manitou - which I had forgotten, or perhaps I had never known, that it can be beautiful. With the sun shining orangely on the water, it was very peaceful.
The food was par. Chicken strips were good, but my salad tasted somewhat like women's perfume, the kind that makes you choke when it wafts past you. I didn't eat much of that.
Now I'm off to go bowling with some high school friends - it's guys night out and I'm joining. Truly it is like high school. I miss having all male friends. Or any male friends. It should be a good night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)