The irony of it all!

Did I hear this wrong? I was listening to NPR's All Things Considered (I listen to whatever is on when I'm folding laundry) and the traffic announcer began by talking about their sponsor. However, it struck me as hilarious when she worded it in this way:

Traffic made possible by Toyota.

Truth in advertising!

"Coo..."

Wow, it's been a small while since I last visited here. After many family members requesting me to write a bit more often, I thought I'd take that chance now. Actually what prompted me to write today was the sheer happiness I felt today.

It is an overcast day. Rain softly drains from the clouds, and the air has a chill in it. The mood is not depressing, but completely cozy. I spent today reading, cleaning, ironing, and doing laundry. I had finished doing the dishes a while ago, and everything in the kitchen was in it's place when I took a break for lunch. Opening the cupboard for a dish, I couldn't help but break into a smile! My white bowls looked like many doves nestled away and crowded together, ready to withstand the cold of the day. I could almost see them draw back to avoid the cold wind as I opened the cupboard door. Perhaps there is a bit of an overactive imagination here, but it had a cheerful effect none the less!

In other happenings, Lee and I returned from the November Lock-In this weekend. What a wonderful time! We had a brunch at church consisting of quiches, breakfast pastries, and all sorts of goodness. Then services included Matt, Nick, Lee, and Nathan who all gave really thoughtful messages. I was impressed and delighted, proud of all of them, and cramped in my hand from writing so fast! They all focused around baptism, what to do with your life, and how to live better (though it was not planned to be that way).

After church (there were so many friends present!), we socialized and munched on snacks of brownies, cookies, fruit, cheese, and crackers. Then Mr. Schurter led an interactive bible study, after which we had a spagetti dinner with salad, and garlic bread (this church can never be accused of not feeding the flock!!!).

After sunset, we drove over the mountains to the gym and spent the rest of the night munching on leftover goodies (see, I told you!), playing table tennis, raquetball, volleyball, and most importantly, basketball.

Late in the night the men reliquished the court to the ladies. Renita, Dennise, and I promptly started a half court game vs. Rosie (my MIL), Kathy, and Tim. The husbands, fathers, and friends sat on the benches in great amusement. I'm told that Ed taped these proceedings and also has the commentary of the benchsitters.

My sweet FIL was kind enough to tell me that Lee could rest easy about losing me, I wouldn't be drafted...ever! If I remember correctly he said this with a gigantic grin on his face!! What a great support. The ladies game was actually very hard to play!! With opponents like the Kathy, who makes you laugh so hard you simply cannot guard her, and the ever so scrappy Rosie, who can grab any ball within 4 feet of her, I didn't expect to do well. But it was GREAT fun!

Later that night, Renita, Dennise, Vanea, and I found a quite room, poured some warm drinks, pulled a sleeping bag over our legs and chatted away a good portion of the night. Rosie and Kathy found us later and joined in. It turned out to be the best conversation I've had in a while. At 6 o'clock a.m., after my last cup of warm, wonderful fruit tea, I succumbed to sleep.

Turns out that Kathy, Rosie, and Renita perserved through the whole night and then went to work cleaning up, and cooking breakfast for everyone (with Katrina doing a good bit of the cooking). Rosie woke Lee and I up around 9, and we had time to finish off the last omelet (THANK YOU katrina!) and some of Rachel and Justin's bacon (now everyone not there is jealous!!). It was perfect.

Lee and I went to his family home afterwards and while he slept for a few hours, my in laws and I went for a blustery, evening walk that wound through a corn field planted between a river and train tracks. Dinner was a treat with wholesome chili and fluffy biscuits, finished off by a generous heap of ice cream.

So, in essence, my weekend was delightful, and my week is continuing as such. Which has really been a most enjoyable gift.

Thus, you have been updated.

Well Said:
"Live each season as it passes;
breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit,
and resign yourself to the influences of each."
~Henry David Thoreau

Last week was Lee's birthday, so we went out to eat at a Brazilian steakhouse for the first time. There was meat galore! After we had finished we practically had to roll ourselves out the door. Even Lee, meat lover that he is, talked about not eating meat for a while. :) So happy birthday to him, yay!

About midweek, Lee and I met with his parents and ate at a Cracker Barrel together. Be prepared, when you order pancakes, they give you massive quantities! Then I went to their house and spent the rest of the week with them, my sister-in-law, and her 7 month old baby.

I enjoyed the luxury of a large garden that I didn't have to plant and enjoyed canning lots of salsa to take home with me. I also got in plenty of play time with my little nephew and experienced the changed temperament of a child who's teething. He wasn't the happiest camper around, but still so very sweet!

An Evil Sickness Creeps In

Lee and I had to miss church this weekend. It all started Friday with Lee knowing that he was getting a cold. Saturday he felt quite sick, and I actually started to get those hot, pressurized headaches as well. Problem was that I had already made TWO pans of fudge, and one LARGE pan of lasagna for potluck. So we had a three-fold duty this past weekend.

1. Get well
2. Get well while eating as much lasagna as possible (i.e. brunch, lunch, dinner, midnight snack, repeat...)
3. Pawn fudge off on everyone we knew! (No one has accepted so far, but Lee came up with the brilliant plan to bring it to his office.)

I vanquished my cold by Monday morning (lucky me!), but Lee has singlehandedly wiped out 2 1/2 Kleenex boxes thus far. I believe he's going for all three.

Yesterday I did all the grocery shopping, by bike of course. :) I do enjoy my bike. I got in about 12 1/2 miles and hit a top speed of 27.5 mph on a backwoods trail. Maybe not incredibly smart, but OH so fun!

Well I'm off to try and talk my way into in-state tuition. Otherwise I shall be substituting this fall, which would almost be more fun. So however it turns out, it will be just right.

photo cortesy of amazon.com. I have always wanted one of these. They are gross, disgusting, repulsive, yet I strongly believe that if my head feels likely to blow to bits because of incredible amounts of mucoid pressure and I reach for a tissue from this particular box, I will laugh so much that I'll immediately feel 50% better. This is only a hypothesis of course, and Lee won't let me buy it just to prove this. Always squashing my scientific inquiries...bah!

Identity Crisis?

I had so much fun yesterday! I had a hard time choosing whether to spend the day as Betty Crocker or the Home Depot Regular, so I chose the very modern and hip choice of both. :)

After doning an apron to make some whole wheat bread for hamburgers last night (I absolutely love cooking for someone!), I was cleaning and putting away some supplies I had just bought, such as paper towels and a towel rack. This particular rack was one that hangs on a wall. It came with two screws, two drywall screw holders and no instructions. I've used these before, but for someone who has never screwed things into drywall, I this would have been very confusing!!

So while still in my flour smudged apron I pull out my lever, line up the towel holder, get out my drill (thanks Dad!) and fit it with the drywall bit. Drill through the drywall, which mingles drywall dust with flour on my apron. :) Come back to the drywall, hammer in the little plastic things. Mount the towel holder, screw in the screws and whalla! Then I look around pretty proud of myself and realize there is a chance that going from bread making to drilling through drywall may not be a completely normal for a lot of people.

Wedded Bliss

I wanted to assure everyone that Lee is also doing well under his new circumstances. I hope this puts everyone's mind to rest. :)