It's a busy season and our minds get caught up in lots of different things (a shiny new baby, in my case). We all know that especially during this time of year we have to be intentional about the things that are important or we can lose them. What are five things you try to be intentional about, whether it be for this season specifically or in general?
This is the challenge this week over at RevGalBlogPal and it's a great one. Rather timely too as I've been trying to recommit myself to some things that I've let go, and to rethink how/why I do other things. Here's my list:
1. Both my husband and I are trying much harder to DE-CLUTTER our home. We are packrats and we are sloppy. When you combine those traits with long work weeks, a dash of laziness, and a home with few closets, you can get chaos. We're also sentimental so we keep things, like a rock one of our kids painted in kindergarten to look like Frankenstein (but of course we can't remember which son, and neither can either of the kids!) And we're thrifty so we don't like to throw away things that might come in handy SOMEDAY. We are trying to spend at least a few minutes of every weekend to really think about the multitude of things that fill our shelves and drawers and corners, and why we are keeping it.
2. I am trying to slow down when I can -- to do ONE task well, rather than 2 or 3 without thought.
3. I am making sure that I take at least a few minutes everyday to just sit and breath, paying attention to the tension in my body and the intentional relaxation of those taut places.
4. For Advent, I have been lighting the Advent wreath and using a devotional reading.
5. Exercise. It's something I've let slip, and I'm the worse for it. I don't feel as well, my body isn't working as well, and the scale isn't working in my favor. Life has gotten so crazy that it's been very easy to skip my classes. I'm trying to find other ways to get exercise in if I can't make class.
6. And an extra: A dear aunt on my mother's side recently passed away. During her last few months, as we realized she was slipping away, I started recognizing easy it is to let family connections slip, especially when they don't live nearby. I've re-established contact with some cousins and an aunt whom I haven't seen in years. They are all that's left on my father's side of the family, and I've realized that I want to keep that connection. So I've been emailing them regularly and I've talked to my aunt a couple of times. I've also tried to email/talk with my own siblings at least once a week. None of us live close by so it's easy to forget to talk them. Suddenly it's been a month, and then two . . . NO more.
Showing posts with label Friday Five. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friday Five. Show all posts
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Friday Five
You'd think that being on summer break would give me more time to Friday Fives. Nope. But I did get a chance today to play. Sharon posted this sequel to last summer's Decisions, Decisions on RevGalBlogPals:
. . . A decision from history: There is a chair that still sits in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall). Legend has it that it was George Washington's chair, the back carved with a half sun. Benjamin Franklin would look at it and wonder whether it was a rising or a setting sun. Eventually Franklin decided it was the hopeful symbol of the rising sun, a sign of the future of our new republic.
. . . A decision from history: There is a chair that still sits in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall). Legend has it that it was George Washington's chair, the back carved with a half sun. Benjamin Franklin would look at it and wonder whether it was a rising or a setting sun. Eventually Franklin decided it was the hopeful symbol of the rising sun, a sign of the future of our new republic.
How do you decide? Check out the following pairs and tell which one of each appeals to you most:
1) Sunrise or Sunset -
Both are beautiful, but I tend to see a lot more sunrises than sunsets. I drive easterly to work and am usually up before the sun rises.
2) To the Mountains or To the Beach
The beach. Definitely the beach. I do like mountains, but the beach calls to me.
3) Coffee or Tea
Again, I like both, but I'm definitely more of a coffee person. Need that morning jolt or two!
4) Advent or Lent
Advent.
5) "Raindrops on Roses" or "Whiskers on Kittens"
Actually the bright copper kettles and brown paper packages tied up with string are more appealing though. I can take or leave either of the suggested pair.
BONUS: Tell more about one of the pairs. Why did you choose it? Difficult or easy choice? A story from your own experience?
Sunrises have been pretty frequent in my life. Our bedroom is on the east, so the early light helps me wake up. Some memorable sunrises: Digby,Nova Scotia, August 17th, 1977. We have the most gorgeous sunrise photo taken on our honeymoon. Most people who see it, assume incorrectly that it's a sunset. Also for many years, we took our students to an overnight environmental school in Saco, Maine for a week. It's on the beach, and ouir tradition was that one morning during the week we woke up all the students before dawn, herded them sleepily down to the beach (in their pjs and coats!) for the sunrise. I have wonderful memories of singing "Sun" songs with 150 6th graders -"Here Comes the Sun", "You are My Sunshine" as we waited for the sun to rise. That's one experience I have treasured over the years.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Friday Five: Word Associations
As posted at RevGalBlogPals by Songbird:
It's been a busy week for me, trying to get back into the routine after a post-Easter vacation. (How did it get to be Easter 3?) So to keep it simple, here's a Word Association Friday Five, with a bonus twist for those feeling creative. First, for each of these five words -- all of which remind me of my *most* excellent vacation -- share the first word that comes to mind when you read it.
1) Airport - Logan
2) Baseball - Autographs
3) Art - The Old Man
4) Chocolate - LIndt
5) Grill - Summer!
Bonus: Tell us a story that comes to mind based on one of the word pairs.
Baseball and autographs are linked in this way. When my parents were on their honeymoon, way back in 1953, they were at a hotel having dinner. My mother, who was a big baseball fan, recognized 2 players from the Cleveland Indians having dinner at a nearby table. She made my father (who never understood the fascination of baseball) go over and get their autographs. No one had paper, so the two players signed their names on a paper napkin. When we were going through my parents' things after both of them had died, we found the paper napkin in an envelope in Mom's cedar chest. The autographs were still legible. We actually looked up the players (and for the life of me, I can't remember who they were!). One name was basically unknown, but the other one had a decent record, and his autograph was actually worth about $40 on Ebay. We gave the napkin to my cousin who was more like my mom's little brother to her instead of her nephew, who really appreciated it!
It's been a busy week for me, trying to get back into the routine after a post-Easter vacation. (How did it get to be Easter 3?) So to keep it simple, here's a Word Association Friday Five, with a bonus twist for those feeling creative. First, for each of these five words -- all of which remind me of my *most* excellent vacation -- share the first word that comes to mind when you read it.
1) Airport - Logan
2) Baseball - Autographs
3) Art - The Old Man
4) Chocolate - LIndt
5) Grill - Summer!
Bonus: Tell us a story that comes to mind based on one of the word pairs.
Baseball and autographs are linked in this way. When my parents were on their honeymoon, way back in 1953, they were at a hotel having dinner. My mother, who was a big baseball fan, recognized 2 players from the Cleveland Indians having dinner at a nearby table. She made my father (who never understood the fascination of baseball) go over and get their autographs. No one had paper, so the two players signed their names on a paper napkin. When we were going through my parents' things after both of them had died, we found the paper napkin in an envelope in Mom's cedar chest. The autographs were still legible. We actually looked up the players (and for the life of me, I can't remember who they were!). One name was basically unknown, but the other one had a decent record, and his autograph was actually worth about $40 on Ebay. We gave the napkin to my cousin who was more like my mom's little brother to her instead of her nephew, who really appreciated it!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday Five: Quick Picks
!
We're in the midst of 'it' and I'm hoping that it is not just me who is starting to get a bit overwhelmed. So for today I am asking for five quick picks of things that are good in your life. And as a bonus, 1 pick for a thing you could do without.If you want to describe them? Great.If not? That's fine too.
1. Original Peeps - especially yellow and pink chicken peeps. Blue is just wrong! And I can't eat them right out of the box. I have to let them get "stale" first. I open the box and let them "air dry" for about a week until they're hard and crusty outside. Weird, I know. And let's face it, peeps need to be chickens!
2. My Keuring coffee machine. It was giving me a bit of problem for a couple of days, but all is well again. Add a box of Green Mountain Dark Roast Sumatra or Espresso Blend , and I'm happy. Strong black coffee, no sugar.
3. A bonus snow day! I needed the day. My supply of patience and good humor was exhausted, and both the kids and I were worse for the wear.
4. My knitting --- I am about to start Laura Nelkins' Mystery KAL. I did a mystery shawl several years ago, and decided it was time for another one. Here are the yarn and beads I'm using:
5. High speed internet. I have not taken it for granted yet. I find new things to love every day.
And something I could do without:
Aside from the never-ending snow, I could use with a lot less stress at work. Not knowing what I'll be teaching next year is getting old. . . .and will I have to move my room again??
If you play, send me a note so I can check out your list!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday Five: Favorite Bible Verses
Songbird posted this Friday Five at RevGalBlogPals:
Twenty years ago, I was on a Pastoral Search Committee, and one of the questions we asked the ten candidates we interviewed in the first round was to tell us their three favorite passages of scripture. I loved hearing the variety of verses quoted and even learned some that I didn't know, such as the last line of one of this week's lectionary passages:
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
I love this verse. It keeps jumping up and waving its hand in front of my face. From a Sunday school class as a kid, to a sermon I preached in college, to a gathering I attended at Andover Newton, to the NYE 2004 event where Ken Medema sang a song based on this text, to its appearance in the lectionary . . . it pops up continually to remind me what my task is.
Twenty years ago, I was on a Pastoral Search Committee, and one of the questions we asked the ten candidates we interviewed in the first round was to tell us their three favorite passages of scripture. I loved hearing the variety of verses quoted and even learned some that I didn't know, such as the last line of one of this week's lectionary passages:
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
For today's Friday Five, list your five favorite passages/verses from the Bible and tell us something about why you love them.
At different times of my life, different verses have been my favorites because they spoke to me in the place I was at the time. My first Bible, a Revised Standard Version, was given to me in 1962 by the First United Church of Christ,Congregational in Milford, Ct. I used that Bible for many, many years and it's marked up, highlighted and written in. It's a wonderful record of my spiritual journey. Some of the highlighted passages leave me wondering what it was I wrestling with at the time. Obviously it was soul-churning at the time, but from 40 or so years later, the question or problem is gone from memory. Other highlighted passages take me right back to some of my darkest nights. I use a different Bible nowadays - the New Oxford Annotated Bible, NRSV -- most of the time, and some of the same verses are marked. So here, in no particular order, are some of my very meaningful passages:
1. Psalm 121: This is the RSV which is how it's ingrained in my memory
| I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come? | ||
| My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. | ||
| He will not let your foot be moved, he who keeps you will not slumber. | ||
| Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. | ||
| The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. | ||
| The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. | ||
| The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. | ||
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This is a psalm I've always liked probably because it was one of my mother's favorites. Despite life-long Sunday school classes, I wasn't ever required to memorize scripture, but this comes close to a memorized passage. I've always loved the images in this psalm. As a child I loved the language too - especially verse 6. I still go back to this psalm at times of great anxiety.
2. Psalm 51: 10
|
Bound Book Congregational Church, Bound Brook, NJ is where this verse first found me during the 1964-1965 school year. Ms. LeNorth's 5th grade Sunday School class, to be precise. I don't remember the activity, I don't remember the gist of the lesson, I just remember this verse which I've prayed many, many, many times since then.
3. Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters,* by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual* worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world,* but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.*
This passage was the theme for the UCC National Youth Event in 2004. I was co-leader of The United Church of Jaffrey, UCC's senior high youth group and the pastor and I took a group of our youth to this event. We spent the year before the event fundraising: we sold nuts, we flamingoed parishioners' lawns, we held car washes, and the congregation "voted" through cash donations in jars what color the pastor would dye his hair and appear in the pulpit with. (Pink was the winning color!) It was a year of fun and fellowship, and especially growth in faith, as we all wrestled with this passage and what it means to be transformed.
4. Psalm 141:3
Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD, keep watch over the door of my lips!
This verse became a mantra with me when I was in college. I can be outspoken at times, but I am someone who processes ideas by talking it out. People who know me well understand that about me. They understand that when I am confronted with a new idea or challenge, I often start reacting and speak my thoughts. Frequently my initial reactions morph into completely different reactions once I've talked it through. People who don't know me hear my first thoughts, and are "turned off" to me. It took me a long time to understand that about myself, and then change my ways. I don't always succeed. At the very least, I am usually able to preface my immediate reactions with "my first reaction is, but I have to think about it --- and I'm thinking aloud here.. ." or something to that effect.
I also need this verse in my role as a classroom teacher. Students don't always hear what we mean. They miss the tone that is used; they hear only part of what we say; they misinterpret what we say. Words can hurt, especially when some of our students have language disabilities. It's important for teachers to be very mindful of not only what we say but how we say it.
5. Luke 24:13-32
13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" 19 He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him." 25 Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. 28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?"
I love this story because it reminds me how often we (I!) don't recognize God among us, within us. We don't recognize "our hearts burning within us" until we're slapped over the head with it. And it also reminds of the times when I do recognize God breaking through. Even when we're most disconsolate, God reaches us and the Spirit makes Itself known to us. This passage made its first impression on me during college. I was struggling with choosing a major, finding a path to follow, and I was having a great deal of trouble with a roommate. My best friend invited me home one weekend and I made my first trip to the state that would later become my home. She took me to her tiny American Baptist church that Sunday and the pastor preached on this text. Suddenly I felt that "burning" and realized that I wasn't alone. I had this wonderful friend, I had a supportive church group at college, and of course, I had God. The 2nd time this story deeply affected me was several years ago when I co-taught Confirmation class with the pastor. We used this text as one of the foundation texts for the year-long class. When the confirmands led their confirmation service, they used it to describe their individual faith journeys. The openness and honesty of their testimony ( I can't think of a better word, despite my sometimes negative reaction to that word) brought us all to tears. How we long for the burning of our hearts, despite the fact that our response leads us to places we might not want to go.
Bonus:
Micah 6:8
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
I love this verse. It keeps jumping up and waving its hand in front of my face. From a Sunday school class as a kid, to a sermon I preached in college, to a gathering I attended at Andover Newton, to the NYE 2004 event where Ken Medema sang a song based on this text, to its appearance in the lectionary . . . it pops up continually to remind me what my task is.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Friday Five: Books!
This is one Friday Five from RevGalBlogPals that is definitely right up my alley!
So tell us what you're reading, what you would and would not recommend--five books or authors! And if you don't want to do that freestyle, here are some questions:
1. What books have you recently read? Tell us your opinion of them.
I've read 4 books so far in 2011. I am an avid reader and I comment on just about every book I read at goodreads.com and in this blog. For the most recent comments, check out a post earlier today on Mary Roach's Packing for Mars. I've also reviewed a couple of mysteries earlier this month.
2. What books are awaiting your available time to be read?
I am currently reading three books: The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny and Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass, and Zero, The Biography of a Dangerous Idea. In my physical books-to-read-soon stack I have a Martha Grimes from the library, Half-Broke Horses, Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, Confessions of a Knitting Heretic, Death of a Perfect Wife, and Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis. I also have a number of books on my Kindle waiting to be read - Trollope's Barchester Chronicles, Five Little Peppers and How they Grew, Hospitality the Sacred Art, The Goddess of Fried Okra
3. Have any books been recently recommended?
Just about all of the books on my list are books that have been recommended by my blog and Ravelry friends, my in-person friends, and a few are titles from a Fred Wolff series of writing workshops I've attended.
4. What genre of books are your favorite, along with some titles and/or authors you like best?
I've been an eclectic reader most of my life, but lately I've taken to reading series that feature strong detectives and murder mysteries. Most of them are set in another time/place - The Inspector Rutledge books by Charles Todd, the Kate Shugak novels by Dana Stabenow, the Armand Gamache books by Louise Penny, the Maisie Dobbs books by Jacqueline Winspear, the Inspector Jury series by Martha Grimes, the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma Jones series to name a few. I also really enjoy historical fiction set in England. I DISLIKE books that glorify violence and gore or that dwell in darkness. I stopped reading Patricia Cornwell because I felt nothing but darkness when I read them. I also have never cottoned on to the James Patterson books, Sukie Stackhouse books or Dean Koontz which seem to be popular with some of my colleagues at work.
5. What have you read lately that you have a strong urge to recommend? (or to condemn?)
I definitely recommend Louise Penny's books, Stiff and Packing for Mars by Mary Roach, and At Home by Bill Bryson. I also highly recommend Sara Miles' book Take This Bread . It's one of the best books on communion I've ever read.
So tell us what you're reading, what you would and would not recommend--five books or authors! And if you don't want to do that freestyle, here are some questions:
1. What books have you recently read? Tell us your opinion of them.
I've read 4 books so far in 2011. I am an avid reader and I comment on just about every book I read at goodreads.com and in this blog. For the most recent comments, check out a post earlier today on Mary Roach's Packing for Mars. I've also reviewed a couple of mysteries earlier this month.
2. What books are awaiting your available time to be read?
I am currently reading three books: The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny and Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass, and Zero, The Biography of a Dangerous Idea. In my physical books-to-read-soon stack I have a Martha Grimes from the library, Half-Broke Horses, Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, Confessions of a Knitting Heretic, Death of a Perfect Wife, and Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis. I also have a number of books on my Kindle waiting to be read - Trollope's Barchester Chronicles, Five Little Peppers and How they Grew, Hospitality the Sacred Art, The Goddess of Fried Okra
3. Have any books been recently recommended?
Just about all of the books on my list are books that have been recommended by my blog and Ravelry friends, my in-person friends, and a few are titles from a Fred Wolff series of writing workshops I've attended.
4. What genre of books are your favorite, along with some titles and/or authors you like best?
I've been an eclectic reader most of my life, but lately I've taken to reading series that feature strong detectives and murder mysteries. Most of them are set in another time/place - The Inspector Rutledge books by Charles Todd, the Kate Shugak novels by Dana Stabenow, the Armand Gamache books by Louise Penny, the Maisie Dobbs books by Jacqueline Winspear, the Inspector Jury series by Martha Grimes, the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma Jones series to name a few. I also really enjoy historical fiction set in England. I DISLIKE books that glorify violence and gore or that dwell in darkness. I stopped reading Patricia Cornwell because I felt nothing but darkness when I read them. I also have never cottoned on to the James Patterson books, Sukie Stackhouse books or Dean Koontz which seem to be popular with some of my colleagues at work.
5. What have you read lately that you have a strong urge to recommend? (or to condemn?)
I definitely recommend Louise Penny's books, Stiff and Packing for Mars by Mary Roach, and At Home by Bill Bryson. I also highly recommend Sara Miles' book Take This Bread . It's one of the best books on communion I've ever read.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
My Friday Five: Christmas Traditions
This is the current RevGalBlogPal Friday Five: Whether a RevGal or a Pal most of us in this cyber community have enhanced responsibilities during this time of year. We also have traditions - religious and secular - that mark the season for us in a more personal way.
For this Friday Five please let us know five of the things that mark the season for you.
1. Music: I have an enormous collection of Christmas music which I do not allow myself to play until the Friday after Thanksgiving. I held out until Advent this year which is a goal I had set for myself. I have to admit that reaching that goal was more an accident of circumstances. Had I not had Thanksgiving company, a Saturday full of busy-ness, I most likely would have caved. My husband complains a bit about my collection because it's 97% traditional carols, classical, and religious, and only 3% secular holiday music. And by traditional carols, I mean carols sung by choirs or by the great standard vocalists of yore: Andy Williams, Tennessee Ernie Ford , Perry Como, for example, or instrumental versions (Windham Hill recordings, Manheim Steamroller, and recently the Transiberian Orchestra) of the same. My absolute favorite Christmas album is one from childhood. It's a recording of a concert by the Harry Simeone Chorale. The music selections followed the scripture readings for the season --and the carols are interspersed with the readings. Unfortunately the vinyl is scratched in several places, but I still listen to it several times a season. A couple of years ago, a CD with the same name by the same choir was released, but the music selections were changed and the scripture readings were omitted. Not nearly as good! Another must-listen is also from the past - John Denver and the Muppets Christmas album based on a TV special from way back when. I've branched out a bit, with Jewel, Charlotte Church, and a few other more modern musicians, but I definitely trend traditional. The last time I counted, I had more than 50 CD's and about a dozen vinyl recordings on the Christmas shelf.
2. My tree: Our tree is huge, and it's live. I prefer balsam fir which is readily available here in New England. We plan to go pick it out today, but it probably won't be put up until next weekend. My tree never comes down until Epiphany, or the Saturday after Epiphany. My Cuban father taught us that the Three Kings didn't arrive on Christmas, but on January 6th when they arrived bringing gifts for Jesus. If he had had his way entirely, we wouldn't have received presents until then, but my stubborn Yankee mother convinced him that Santa Claus arrived on Christmas Eve after we were fast asleep! We did occasionally put straw out for the camels on Epiphany Eve when I was really young. Our tree is full of a grand mishmash of ornaments - many handmade by our sons over the years, some collected over the years on their behalf --- for many years our tree was full of Star Wars ornaments, but they have found a new home with the son to whom they belonged, assorted antique glassblown creations, and sundry others. Every year I think I want to do a theme, but every year I realize that the pastiche of ornaments represents our life. And the lights on the tree have to be multi-colored, tiny, and non-blinking!
3. Stockings: In my childhood home, we hung our stockings on the mantel or stair banister in the houses that didn't have a fire place. Sometime during the night Santa came and filled them. He placed them at the foot of our beds. We were allowed to wake up early (but not before 4 am!) and open our stockings, but we had to stay in bed until at least 7 am! I have such wonderful memories of tiptoeing over to the windowsill to turn on the electric candle in the window, and then my sister and I (we shared a room) would go through our stockings in that warm, dim light. When my parents FINALLY awoke, all 5 of us children would all gather on their bed and share the delights of our stockings with them. They were always, always convincing in their surprise over the treasures we'd received. That's probably one reason why naive, trusting me didn't know for sure the truth about Santa until I was 14! My own kids enjoyed a similar tradition but they went one better once they reached high school. They started filling a stocking for us. We love the stockings our kids fill for us! They give us the most ridiculous gifts which we thoroughly enjoy!
4. The Manger: Growing up my mom had a cardboard stable with a fold down flap. Inside were plasterish figures of Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus. On the fold down flap were the stable animals, shepherds, and the Three Kings. Somewhere along the line, Mom acquired 3 plastic Wisemen on brown camels. So our Nativity had SIX wisemen. Over the years, the plastic camels lost a leg or two, and were propped up with matchstick or popsicle legs. Who took ownership of that manger scene when we were clearing out my parents' house after their deaths was one of the toughest decisions we made as siblings! A couple of years before my mother died, she bought me a Willow Tree nativity which I treasure. It's on the sideboard in my dining room where we can see it daily. It's the first decorating I do for the season.
5: Window lights: I have 24 windows that need window lights during December and most of January. It's the chore I hate most about decorating, but it'a also a must. I spend the better part of an afternoon plugging in all the lights and setting all the timers, and then spend the better part of the week, getting all the timers synched. Some day I will splurge and buy the automatic battery operated candles, but so far, the budget doesn't stretch to the outlay of cash, although I think in the long run they will cost me less. My lights have to be warm white too. And no twinkling!!
And the bonus? Tell us one thing that does absolutely nothing for you.
Blinking, flashing, garish light displays, especially when accompanied by music. A new local tradition is a huge light display on the local Catholic school that has been choreographed to music. It's a donation from a prominent business in town, and it draws many visitors. But it does nothing for me. I don't like garishness, I guess.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Friday Five: Decisions, Decisions
Rev. Songbird posted this at RevGalBlogPals.
Since I've been in the midst of a discernment process, I've done a lot of reflecting on how we make decisions. But don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to reveal a dark story about a poor decision, or a self-flagellating story about an embarrassing one. Let's keep it simple and go with five word pairs. Tell us which word in the pair appeals to you most, and after you've done all five, give us the reason why for one of them.
Here are my decisions!
1. Cake!! Wins out over pie 99.99% of the time, although there are a couple of pies that are strong contenders (pecan, a homemade lemon meringue, and a toasted almond cream pie to die for at a local restaurant.) But give me a cake, preferably "Mrs. Crossley's Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting", or the wonderful toffee-ish Burnt Sugar Cake, which sounds awful but is indescribably delicious!
2. Train. However, train travel rarely is a possibility for us. Loved taking the train in England from London to Penzance, and I took the train from New Haven, CT to Cincinnati, OH once. That was a 24 hour trip that took me to Washington, DC, Stoughton, VA and Charlestown, WV before depositing me EXACTLY 24 hours at a station in a seedy part of the city. I hate air travel, though it does get you there more quickly than other modes.
3. PC.
4. Equivocal. I can always see the other side. Too much so, sometimes.
5. Peter. I've always felt a bit sorry for him. He's the rock but Paul got the publicity!
Since I've been in the midst of a discernment process, I've done a lot of reflecting on how we make decisions. But don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to reveal a dark story about a poor decision, or a self-flagellating story about an embarrassing one. Let's keep it simple and go with five word pairs. Tell us which word in the pair appeals to you most, and after you've done all five, give us the reason why for one of them.
Here are my decisions!
1. Cake!! Wins out over pie 99.99% of the time, although there are a couple of pies that are strong contenders (pecan, a homemade lemon meringue, and a toasted almond cream pie to die for at a local restaurant.) But give me a cake, preferably "Mrs. Crossley's Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting", or the wonderful toffee-ish Burnt Sugar Cake, which sounds awful but is indescribably delicious!
2. Train. However, train travel rarely is a possibility for us. Loved taking the train in England from London to Penzance, and I took the train from New Haven, CT to Cincinnati, OH once. That was a 24 hour trip that took me to Washington, DC, Stoughton, VA and Charlestown, WV before depositing me EXACTLY 24 hours at a station in a seedy part of the city. I hate air travel, though it does get you there more quickly than other modes.
3. PC.
4. Equivocal. I can always see the other side. Too much so, sometimes.
5. Peter. I've always felt a bit sorry for him. He's the rock but Paul got the publicity!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Friday Five: Pets or Not?
From RevGalBlogPals:
My friend Judy told a group of friends last week that her beloved hermit crab Al died. She missed Al--after six years of his company, even though she was not sure how pronounced his personality was or if he had one!
With the chewing exploits of our third dog, puppy Maisie, I am wondering about the pets we presently own and have had in the past.What about you? Tell us about the animals in your lives. If you have no pets, give examples of friends' pets or imaginary ones!
1. Did you grow up with pets?
We had several pets when I was a child. My first remembered pet was Jimmy, a parakeet. He was blue and yellow, and it was my job to feed him and change his water. One day I came home from kindergarten and my mom told me that Jimmy had flown away while she was cleaning the cage. I believed her. While I missed Jimmy, I was happy he was outside playing with other birds. I didn't realize what had REALLY happened
until I was in high school! Jimmy was followed by Mitch, a canary, named after Mitch Miller of "Sing Along with Mitch" fame. My sister also had canaries - Pippin was one of them, from the Hobbit. When the birds died, we buried them in check boxes under a tree, and made small crosses for them out of popsicle sticks. I remember holding a funeral for one of them. Our first dog was mixed breed, mostly Sheltie, named Fidel. My father was from Cuba, and he named the dog Fidel because they were sons of b--tches. Fidel was followed by Max, another mixed breed, named for Maxwell Smart. Guppies were also part of our household for a while, and we had a series of small turtles.
2. Do you have any pets now?
Right now we have 2 cats and a bird. The official names for our cats are Phoebe and Clio, however, I'm not sure which is which! They usually go by "Hairy Cat" and "Not Hairy Cat", and both of them respond to "Beautiful Cat." My sons gave me my parakeet 7 or 8 years ago as a Christmas present. They were in college at the time, and one afternoon went to a pet shop. They brought the bird home and hid it for almost a week. Every time I went up to one son's bedroom, the door was shut tight, and when I knocked, there was always a minute or two of rustling and "just a minute, Mom"s. You can imagine what I was thinking at the time!
3. What is the funniest or worst thing any of your pets have ever done?
We were blessed for a few years with a wonderful chocolate Lab named Rosie. As a puppy she chewed everything, and what she liked most was wood. She chewed chair legs, table legs, baseboards, and shutters. We still have evidence of her gnawing in various places. The worst thing she chewed was the black walnut arm of an antique chair.
Rosie was very docile and gentle. She had a crate in a corner of the kitchen as her hidey hole, and she enjoyed lying there. One afternoon we left her at home, in her crate, unlocked. We were gone 3-4 hours. When we got home Rosie was sleeping in the unlocked crate. We'd been home for a bit when my sister called. She and her family had driven up to our town to climb our local mountain, and stopped by the house. We weren't home, but they came in to use the bathroom and get drinks. She said that they had walked into the kitchen, past the dog's crate without seeing it. She assumed that we had taken Rosie with us. It wasn't until about 10 minutes later that Rosie noticed they were in the house. Rosie got out of the crate, and ambled over to my niece, (about 4 years old at the time), and sat down next to her. Some watch dog!!
Rosie also loved to roam the neighborhood (no leash laws at the time -- it's a very rural area), and didn't always want to come home. She also LOVED to ride in the car. So sometimes, when she was being stubborn about returning home, we'd start the car. It never failed! She'd come running home.
4. Who is/was your favorite pet?
Rosie, our still-missed, Chocolate Lab. We had her for only a short while. When she was 5 she developed diabetes. We gave her insulin shots twice a day for almost a year, but she got progressively worse. She started going blind, and then had problems with her bowels and her hip. My husband had a heart attack, and at the same time (same day, in fact) my mom went into the hospital for what was thought to be appendicitis. That turned out to be colon cancer. Between helping my husband recuperate, and helping with my mom's care, and knowing that Rosie was really in pain, we made the decision to euthanize Rosie. We still miss her!
5. How did you train your different pets?
Train pets??? I thought they trained us!! We did take Rosie to obedience school, but we didn't do our homework.
BONUS: Pictures of a pet or one you wish you could have.
My friend Judy told a group of friends last week that her beloved hermit crab Al died. She missed Al--after six years of his company, even though she was not sure how pronounced his personality was or if he had one!
With the chewing exploits of our third dog, puppy Maisie, I am wondering about the pets we presently own and have had in the past.What about you? Tell us about the animals in your lives. If you have no pets, give examples of friends' pets or imaginary ones!
1. Did you grow up with pets?
We had several pets when I was a child. My first remembered pet was Jimmy, a parakeet. He was blue and yellow, and it was my job to feed him and change his water. One day I came home from kindergarten and my mom told me that Jimmy had flown away while she was cleaning the cage. I believed her. While I missed Jimmy, I was happy he was outside playing with other birds. I didn't realize what had REALLY happened
until I was in high school! Jimmy was followed by Mitch, a canary, named after Mitch Miller of "Sing Along with Mitch" fame. My sister also had canaries - Pippin was one of them, from the Hobbit. When the birds died, we buried them in check boxes under a tree, and made small crosses for them out of popsicle sticks. I remember holding a funeral for one of them. Our first dog was mixed breed, mostly Sheltie, named Fidel. My father was from Cuba, and he named the dog Fidel because they were sons of b--tches. Fidel was followed by Max, another mixed breed, named for Maxwell Smart. Guppies were also part of our household for a while, and we had a series of small turtles.
2. Do you have any pets now?
Right now we have 2 cats and a bird. The official names for our cats are Phoebe and Clio, however, I'm not sure which is which! They usually go by "Hairy Cat" and "Not Hairy Cat", and both of them respond to "Beautiful Cat." My sons gave me my parakeet 7 or 8 years ago as a Christmas present. They were in college at the time, and one afternoon went to a pet shop. They brought the bird home and hid it for almost a week. Every time I went up to one son's bedroom, the door was shut tight, and when I knocked, there was always a minute or two of rustling and "just a minute, Mom"s. You can imagine what I was thinking at the time!
3. What is the funniest or worst thing any of your pets have ever done?
We were blessed for a few years with a wonderful chocolate Lab named Rosie. As a puppy she chewed everything, and what she liked most was wood. She chewed chair legs, table legs, baseboards, and shutters. We still have evidence of her gnawing in various places. The worst thing she chewed was the black walnut arm of an antique chair.
Rosie was very docile and gentle. She had a crate in a corner of the kitchen as her hidey hole, and she enjoyed lying there. One afternoon we left her at home, in her crate, unlocked. We were gone 3-4 hours. When we got home Rosie was sleeping in the unlocked crate. We'd been home for a bit when my sister called. She and her family had driven up to our town to climb our local mountain, and stopped by the house. We weren't home, but they came in to use the bathroom and get drinks. She said that they had walked into the kitchen, past the dog's crate without seeing it. She assumed that we had taken Rosie with us. It wasn't until about 10 minutes later that Rosie noticed they were in the house. Rosie got out of the crate, and ambled over to my niece, (about 4 years old at the time), and sat down next to her. Some watch dog!!
Rosie also loved to roam the neighborhood (no leash laws at the time -- it's a very rural area), and didn't always want to come home. She also LOVED to ride in the car. So sometimes, when she was being stubborn about returning home, we'd start the car. It never failed! She'd come running home.
4. Who is/was your favorite pet?
Rosie, our still-missed, Chocolate Lab. We had her for only a short while. When she was 5 she developed diabetes. We gave her insulin shots twice a day for almost a year, but she got progressively worse. She started going blind, and then had problems with her bowels and her hip. My husband had a heart attack, and at the same time (same day, in fact) my mom went into the hospital for what was thought to be appendicitis. That turned out to be colon cancer. Between helping my husband recuperate, and helping with my mom's care, and knowing that Rosie was really in pain, we made the decision to euthanize Rosie. We still miss her!
5. How did you train your different pets?
Train pets??? I thought they trained us!! We did take Rosie to obedience school, but we didn't do our homework.
BONUS: Pictures of a pet or one you wish you could have.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday Five: Forgetful Jones Edition
This was the weekly Friday Five posted at RevGalBlogPals, I didn't post the video because it takes too long for my dial up account to download it!
What's the last thing you forgot?
I don't remember??? Seriously, the last "major" thing I forgot was to include our passports when we packed for Michigan. It wasn't a huge deal; it just meant we couldn't go home through Canada to take in some sights. And since our plans changed anyway, we wouldn't have had the time.
How do you keep track of appointments?
Mostly in my head, but I also put them on the scenic calendar in our kitchen by the phone. I could put them on my phone, but as my son says, "Mom, your cell phone looks like a toy!"
Do you keep a running grocery list?
Yes. We have one of those shopping list pads on the refrigerator that we add to all week. Since my husband does all the shopping, and I do the cooking, it's how we communicate our food needs!!
When forced to improvise by circumstances, do you enjoy it or panic?
Both. As a teacher, I'm always improvising, even though I've thoroughly planned. In fact, I've discovered that my best lessons happen when I improvise. I've also discovered that the more thoroughly I've planned, the more likely I am to improvise. Someone told me that I'm able to improvise so well, because of the planning. I don't know!
I must enjoy improvising, since I do it often!
What's a memory you hope you will never forget?
That's a tough question. There are many moments I hope I don't forget: when our children were born, the summer I spent caring for my mom as she died, holding my father's hand as he died, sailing in the Caribbean, visiting England and Greece, a really scary experience in the center of a labyrinth, laughing with friends in a dorm hallway at a Halloween party so heartily that others thought we were intoxicated --- and all we were drinking was ginger ale and Tang!!
What's the last thing you forgot?
I don't remember??? Seriously, the last "major" thing I forgot was to include our passports when we packed for Michigan. It wasn't a huge deal; it just meant we couldn't go home through Canada to take in some sights. And since our plans changed anyway, we wouldn't have had the time.
How do you keep track of appointments?
Mostly in my head, but I also put them on the scenic calendar in our kitchen by the phone. I could put them on my phone, but as my son says, "Mom, your cell phone looks like a toy!"
Do you keep a running grocery list?
Yes. We have one of those shopping list pads on the refrigerator that we add to all week. Since my husband does all the shopping, and I do the cooking, it's how we communicate our food needs!!
When forced to improvise by circumstances, do you enjoy it or panic?
Both. As a teacher, I'm always improvising, even though I've thoroughly planned. In fact, I've discovered that my best lessons happen when I improvise. I've also discovered that the more thoroughly I've planned, the more likely I am to improvise. Someone told me that I'm able to improvise so well, because of the planning. I don't know!
I must enjoy improvising, since I do it often!
What's a memory you hope you will never forget?
That's a tough question. There are many moments I hope I don't forget: when our children were born, the summer I spent caring for my mom as she died, holding my father's hand as he died, sailing in the Caribbean, visiting England and Greece, a really scary experience in the center of a labyrinth, laughing with friends in a dorm hallway at a Halloween party so heartily that others thought we were intoxicated --- and all we were drinking was ginger ale and Tang!!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Summertime
The current Friday Five at at RevGalBlogPals is an invitation to share what I like or dislike about summer. So here goes:
1. The relaxed schedule! I don't have to set my alarm for 4:45, I don't have get on the hamster wheel that has me driving to work at 6:20 and driving home again at 6:20, I don't have to cram all my errands and chores into Saturday, I don't have to always balance what I need to do with what I want to do. I can stay up past 10 pm if I want to, or go to bed early. I can have a whole 2nd cup of coffee instead of pouring the 2nd cup and leaving it on the table since I never really have time to drink it during the school year.
2. My porch! I love sitting on my porch in the glider/rocker I brought home from my parents' porch, a glass of ice water with lime and mint, and either my knitting or a good book in my hands. Or sitting there in the dark at night, watching bats swoop around the yard, or the fireflies twinkling.
3. Open windows! Despite the fact that the birds can wake me up earlier than I wish them to, I love hearing them as the dawn breaks. I love the sound of the wind and wind chime in my pear tree. I even like the sound of the June bugs attacking the screen despite the fact that the sound terrified me as a child.
4. The sometimes perfect weather like yesterday -- low 80°'s, brilliant blue sky, only the faintest whisp of a cloud, and no humidity. If I could find a place to live that had weather like that most of the time, I'd be happy. It's hot enough to go swimming, but not so hot that you can't still get chores done.
5. Ice cream at the local ice cream stand, fresh veggies from the garden or in our CSA basket, and lots of fresh fruit -- local strawberries, local blueberries, and even a few cherries from our tree in front, although the crows and squirrels get most of those.
Summer for me is the time to recharge my battery, to rest and vegetate, at least for a couple of weeks. Then I can start my planning for the next school year - reading the new books I need to read, developing the new lessons I need to plan, getting familiar with new curriculum, and learning whatever it is I need to learn in order to head back into the classroom refreshed and rejuvenated. If you're a teacher, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
1. The relaxed schedule! I don't have to set my alarm for 4:45, I don't have get on the hamster wheel that has me driving to work at 6:20 and driving home again at 6:20, I don't have to cram all my errands and chores into Saturday, I don't have to always balance what I need to do with what I want to do. I can stay up past 10 pm if I want to, or go to bed early. I can have a whole 2nd cup of coffee instead of pouring the 2nd cup and leaving it on the table since I never really have time to drink it during the school year.
2. My porch! I love sitting on my porch in the glider/rocker I brought home from my parents' porch, a glass of ice water with lime and mint, and either my knitting or a good book in my hands. Or sitting there in the dark at night, watching bats swoop around the yard, or the fireflies twinkling.
3. Open windows! Despite the fact that the birds can wake me up earlier than I wish them to, I love hearing them as the dawn breaks. I love the sound of the wind and wind chime in my pear tree. I even like the sound of the June bugs attacking the screen despite the fact that the sound terrified me as a child.
4. The sometimes perfect weather like yesterday -- low 80°'s, brilliant blue sky, only the faintest whisp of a cloud, and no humidity. If I could find a place to live that had weather like that most of the time, I'd be happy. It's hot enough to go swimming, but not so hot that you can't still get chores done.
5. Ice cream at the local ice cream stand, fresh veggies from the garden or in our CSA basket, and lots of fresh fruit -- local strawberries, local blueberries, and even a few cherries from our tree in front, although the crows and squirrels get most of those.
Summer for me is the time to recharge my battery, to rest and vegetate, at least for a couple of weeks. Then I can start my planning for the next school year - reading the new books I need to read, developing the new lessons I need to plan, getting familiar with new curriculum, and learning whatever it is I need to learn in order to head back into the classroom refreshed and rejuvenated. If you're a teacher, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday Five - On Saturday Morning
From the RevGalBlogPals, courtesy of RevSongbird:
Here are five things to ponder about dates. I hope you'll play!
1) Datebooks--how do you keep track of your appointments? Electronically? On paper? Month at a glance? Week at a glance?
I mostly keep dates in my head. This is getting a little more difficult as I age. I also use a little pocket calendar that I get courtesy of my local education association. At home we have a regular wall calendar with boxes big enough to write on. I love searching for the perfect calendar - it has to have beautiful photography, and the photos have to suit both my husband and me. So no tractors or trucks, no joky or cartoons, no advertising, etc. I usually go with wonderful travel photography, national parks, flowers, or my favorite - a calendar featuring a Psalm quotation and a photo of God's glorious creation. I used to use a Palm Pilot, but then forgot to look at it. For school, I use my plan book to note things like assemblies, field trips and deadlines.
2) When was the last time you forgot an important date?
Last spring. I totally spaced a meeting of the local education association executive board. I finished up at school earlier than usual, and decided to take advantage of the "free" time, and went home early for a change.
3) When was the last time you went OUT on a date?
Date? What's that? To be honest, my husband and I never dated, if you can believe that! We met in college and spent a lot of time together as part of a group. None of my friends had a car on campus. He was a couple of years older, working on campus, and he had a pickup truck. He used to take a bunch of us out on Saturdays to a local pizza place. He and I spent a lot of time talking on the phone, getting to know each other that way. We joke that our first date was after we got married and went to a movie together. I guess I could say that the last time we went "out on a date" was last May when we went to see the newest Indiana Jones movie. If you asked my husband, he'd say our last date was grocery shopping together though.
4) Name one accessory or item of clothing you love even though it is dated.
I have a pair of culottes that I live in when it's hot. I have no idea how old they are, but definitely in the 10-15 years old era. I also have a knit dress that is equally as old, but doesn't look dated. It's got an empire waist, and is sort of A-line with short sleeves. I love this dress, but it's wearing out. It's very flattering too --- looks great when I'm thinner, but still looks good when I'm not-thinner.
5) Dates--the fruit--can't live with 'em? Or can't live without 'em?
I LOVE DATES! My mom used to make the best date bars, but I can't find her recipe. We used to have stuffed dates at Christmas too -- stuffed with cream cheese and/or walnuts.
Here are five things to ponder about dates. I hope you'll play!
1) Datebooks--how do you keep track of your appointments? Electronically? On paper? Month at a glance? Week at a glance?
I mostly keep dates in my head. This is getting a little more difficult as I age. I also use a little pocket calendar that I get courtesy of my local education association. At home we have a regular wall calendar with boxes big enough to write on. I love searching for the perfect calendar - it has to have beautiful photography, and the photos have to suit both my husband and me. So no tractors or trucks, no joky or cartoons, no advertising, etc. I usually go with wonderful travel photography, national parks, flowers, or my favorite - a calendar featuring a Psalm quotation and a photo of God's glorious creation. I used to use a Palm Pilot, but then forgot to look at it. For school, I use my plan book to note things like assemblies, field trips and deadlines.
2) When was the last time you forgot an important date?
Last spring. I totally spaced a meeting of the local education association executive board. I finished up at school earlier than usual, and decided to take advantage of the "free" time, and went home early for a change.
3) When was the last time you went OUT on a date?
Date? What's that? To be honest, my husband and I never dated, if you can believe that! We met in college and spent a lot of time together as part of a group. None of my friends had a car on campus. He was a couple of years older, working on campus, and he had a pickup truck. He used to take a bunch of us out on Saturdays to a local pizza place. He and I spent a lot of time talking on the phone, getting to know each other that way. We joke that our first date was after we got married and went to a movie together. I guess I could say that the last time we went "out on a date" was last May when we went to see the newest Indiana Jones movie. If you asked my husband, he'd say our last date was grocery shopping together though.
4) Name one accessory or item of clothing you love even though it is dated.
I have a pair of culottes that I live in when it's hot. I have no idea how old they are, but definitely in the 10-15 years old era. I also have a knit dress that is equally as old, but doesn't look dated. It's got an empire waist, and is sort of A-line with short sleeves. I love this dress, but it's wearing out. It's very flattering too --- looks great when I'm thinner, but still looks good when I'm not-thinner.
5) Dates--the fruit--can't live with 'em? Or can't live without 'em?
I LOVE DATES! My mom used to make the best date bars, but I can't find her recipe. We used to have stuffed dates at Christmas too -- stuffed with cream cheese and/or walnuts.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Friday Five on Saturday
1. What is the thermometer reading at your house this morning?
It's 13° here in my corner of NH. I hate the cold.
2. Snow—love it or hate it?
I like snow, sort of. It's beautiful, especially from inside a cozy warm room. I hate driving in it though. I'd miss it however, if we didnt' get any. The winters that are snowless are long and ugly.
3. What is winter like where you are?
This year we've had lots of snow. December was a record month for snowfall. It makes up for an almost snowless couple of last winters. Right now there's about 2 feet of snow on the level, but we haven't had measurable snow in a couple of weeks. We do miss school when there's more than a 3-4 inches of snow, depending on the timing. So far, we've only had 2 snow days, and both times we received 10-14 inches of snow.
4. Do you like winter sports? Any good stories?
I used to ice skate and cross country ski. I don't any more. As a kid I loved sledding. Now I hate getting cold and wet! I think I'd still enjoy all those sports if I had time and didn't hate the "side effects". I'm also more nervous about breaking bones!
5. What is your favorite season, and why?
I really like summer because of the freedom and long days of light, but I hate hot humid weather. I think I love either late spring or early fall-- warm, even hot, days but cool nights.. . .
Bonus: Share a favorite winter pick-me-up. A recipe, an activity, or whatever.
A trip to a tropical island???
It's 13° here in my corner of NH. I hate the cold.
2. Snow—love it or hate it?
I like snow, sort of. It's beautiful, especially from inside a cozy warm room. I hate driving in it though. I'd miss it however, if we didnt' get any. The winters that are snowless are long and ugly.
3. What is winter like where you are?
This year we've had lots of snow. December was a record month for snowfall. It makes up for an almost snowless couple of last winters. Right now there's about 2 feet of snow on the level, but we haven't had measurable snow in a couple of weeks. We do miss school when there's more than a 3-4 inches of snow, depending on the timing. So far, we've only had 2 snow days, and both times we received 10-14 inches of snow.
4. Do you like winter sports? Any good stories?
I used to ice skate and cross country ski. I don't any more. As a kid I loved sledding. Now I hate getting cold and wet! I think I'd still enjoy all those sports if I had time and didn't hate the "side effects". I'm also more nervous about breaking bones!
5. What is your favorite season, and why?
I really like summer because of the freedom and long days of light, but I hate hot humid weather. I think I love either late spring or early fall-- warm, even hot, days but cool nights.. . .
Bonus: Share a favorite winter pick-me-up. A recipe, an activity, or whatever.
A trip to a tropical island???
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