Stark Raving Terror

Thursday was a weird day for me...I had someone tell me that I should join Tumblr, and in the process, I discovered that there are a lot of people who have posted about the Camino there (I had to choose some stuff I was interested in for my news feed...). Then, I made the mistake of reading the posts of others about their pilgrimages... Which made me really wish that I could go back to the Camino this year like I said I would. So, as a break from grading, I ended up looking at how much it would cost to fly to Spain this summer.

Do you see where this is going? Yep. I booked a flight to Madrid, leaving June 2nd and returning on August 5th. It was really exciting at the time, but now I am confronted with the fact that I haven't really been exercising to speak of, and I just signed up to walk 500 MILES in the space of two months, and I only have 46 days to physically prepare myself. Either this is God nudging me in this direction, or I'm being very, very stupid.

I can handle the lists and the planning and the gathering of necessities for my pack. I can get mentally and spiritually ready. I can swing the cost and the expenses along the way. What I have no idea if I can handle is the physical aspect of this pilgrimage. What if I have to fly home early because of a recurrence of my tendinitis? What if I make my already bad back worse?

And then, this recurring thought also pops into my head: what if I wait and miss this opportunity because all of my problems are worse? Backs tend to degenerate over time, not get better. Something tells me that, if I'm going to be doing anything that requires physical prowess, now is the time, not later.

I just don't know if I made the right decision, and could use a little peace. Barring a clear sign that I am not supposed to do this, I could use lots of prayer for this time of preparation: that I can gain the fitness I need, and that I can finish the Camino without injury. Health is my word for this year, so it would be great if I could gain some health in these areas, too.

I could also use some peace in all of this. St. James, pray for me!

The Best Laid Plans (PHFR #11)

You know those trees I planted back in November?  Well, of the three I planted, only one is still living--the digdogs destroyed the two that I planted in the back yard.  I'm probably going to have to buy older trees if I want to plant them in the back yard--preferably at a size that the dogs can't chew up.  I actually thought that all three of them had died, since the one in my side yard didn't begin blooming and putting out leaves when all of the rest of the trees in the neighborhood did.

So, when I saw this, it made me incredibly

Happy

It is blooming and putting out leaves!!!

Pretty/Real

And, the pollen counts and weather have been cooperating lately, so I've been spending more time outside again.  Have I mentioned before that I love my deck?  I do, and I really want to replace it/spruce it up.  Eventually, I may see about extending the roof so that it is covered and I can sit outside when it is raining, but that is a project for another year. :-)  No one told me when I bought my house that I would perpetually have projects that I want to do on it.  Don't get me wrong. I love my house as is, but I keep looking at things and thinking, "this room would be better if..."  One of these days, I'm going to look around and say, "this house is perfect." At least I hope so!

I'm not sure the dogs like spending the afternoon/evening outside as much as I do.

Of course, having the dogs means that at least some of the things I want to change are because of them...See the scratch marks on the screen door?  At some point, I want to change the screen door and back door to a set that has a built in doggie door through both of them.  Then I don't have to play the "I want out. No, I want in. No, I want out" game that they play sometimes, and I don't have to worry about them when I leave for work.

Compost bin update:  

So, the inexpensive option is not going to work for me... The youngest digdogs figured out how to get into it, and had a grand old time playing in the leaves.  Once they were done, this is what it looked like:

This is actually about 2 weeks ago. They have since spread the leaves around the yard further through play.

So, I'm kind of back to square one, and will probably be buying some wood and power tools in order to build something that is dog proof.  I was really hoping that the cheap option would work, at least for a while! I saw some pictures of a 3 bin system, which look like they might be workable. They better be pretty big bins, though, as the leaves you see in this picture is only half of my front yard, and the front trees have since lost the last of their winter coat (what kind of tree keeps hold of its dead leaves until it grows new ones, anyway???), along with boatloads of what reminds me of the pollen stamens of non-bearing mulberry trees.

Funny

Taking pictures of the animals is always a bit tricky: 

Are they real, or are they Robo-dogs?!?!?

I love this picture except for the eyes--It shows that Ginger is finally warming up to Sassy, and that they could eventually become friends. I keep hoping, anyway. I have other pictures of them together under the table, which is Ginger's safe place, but they are either too dark, or Ginger looks incredibly sad and long-suffering.  

An example: 

See? dark AND sad.

But then they do crazy stuff like this:

I'm really a cat, mom! I promise!

Ginger usually does stunts like this when she feels like I'm spending too much time focusing on something other than her--in this case, it was my computer, as I was working on grading.  

And, when they are just being cute and sweet, it is often so fleeting that, once you get your camera, you've missed it.  I was lucky to catch Ginger cuddling with Bubba, though.

My roommate actually took the picture--I'm quilting in the background.

There is a reason why people should not allow me near gardens: I have the black thumb of death.  The newest proof:

These mini roses were really beautiful before Spring Break, I promise!!!

I thought that making sure it was nice and moist before leaving for spring break would be enough, but this is what I came back to. Thankfully, they weren't that expensive, and I was able to enjoy them while they lasted.  Since I've been here, I've bought 3 plants for my office, and only one is still living--my first orchid died over the summer because I over-watered it while I was working from home, and my current orchid is thriving here in my office.  I may need to give it away before I leave for the summer, or it may be doomed as well!


Please go over to Like Mother, Like Daughter to visit others that are seeking to capture contentment in everyday life!

My Very First Stitch Fix Box

As most of my family can attest, I am a bit fashion challenged--being in the height of fashion has never been a need of mine, and it has only been in the last 2-3 years that I have been willing to look at my clothes and say, "Hmmm.  I really don't want to look like a frump.  Maybe I should update my wardrobe."  Because of this, I tend to wait to go shopping for clothes until I can go with at least one or two of my sisters, since I really can't be trusted to always choose things that both look good on me and aren't either 20 years too old or 20 years too young, style-wise.

When I dress myself--This particular shirt will likely go in the donate bin
(It is also last Summer before I started losing weight and eliminating dairy)

This has created a bit of a conundrum for me, since I'm in the process of losing weight, and some of the clothes that I know look good on me are now not hanging right...and this is after only 10 lbs lost.  In my body's defense, some of it is probably less bloating due to no more dairy in my diet, but it is still sad when one of your favorite shirts no longer looks very good.  Since I live something like 12 hours away from the nearest relative, this means that, when I DO go shopping, I tend to take pictures and then text them to one or more sisters for advice.  I always feel a little worried that they get tired of the, "which one of these outfits look better?" texts.  So, when I talked to a colleague and heard about Stitch Fix, it seemed like a good compromise....I get help with clothes that look good on me, and I don't have to pester my siblings to get it.  I decided that I would reward myself with a StitchFix box for every 10 lbs that I lose.  I got my first box in the mail today, and amazingly, I feel like the stylist nailed what I like and what looks good on me!

They even help you to accessorize. Such a blessing for the accessory challenged like me.

The way that StitchFix works is that you pay a $20 stylist fee, and then they send you 5 pieces of clothing/accessories.  If you keep all 5 pieces, you get 25% off of the cost of the clothes, and they also credit you for the stylist fee toward the cost of the clothes.  Unfortunately, if you don't keep all 5, there is no discount, but you still get the $20 stylist fee to put toward your purchase.  I was pretty impressed with this first box, and if all of the items had fit, I would have kept the whole box.  Because I'm not getting that wonderful discount, I ended up returning 2 of the five items, so that I would pay the same as if I had kept all 5 items.

The dress that doesn't fit, and the infinity scarf beside it.  I was so very sad when this dress wouldn't zip up! I loved the burgundy and the pattern of the scarf, but without the dress, I'm not sure that I have anything I could wear it with. Most of my shirts are navy and purple!

I do have to say that I kind of expected the cost of each individual item to be less expensive--the cost is more along the lines of Kohls  or JC Penny's when it is full price, than Target.  I also hate that 2 of the 3 items I am keeping is hand-wash only.  One of them, a cardigan, won't be washed very often because it is outer wear, but I actually almost returned the shirt because it is hand wash only.  I love my washer, and am always looking for ways to make my life easier. I may see if I can wash it in the delicate cycle inside out, since the front of the shirt is all lace, and I don't want it to get snagged.

A ubiquitous dog picture, just because she is much cuter!

Sassy and the other dogs were very curious as I tried everything on, I suspect because the smell of the dyes before any of the items are washed are interesting to their sensitive noses.

So, I have one new outfit from the box, and I will definitely be doing this again.  It isn't really economizing on clothing, but if they last a decent amount of time, I'm willing to pay a little more for the items.  I definitely won't be going to a monthly cycle, though.  I can't justify that much money on clothing each month!

The outfit without the cardigan.  I really like the way these jeans fit! 

 Now, I just need to do the work and lose the next 10 lbs.  Once that happens, I can see how Tiffany (my stylist for this box), and the rest of the Stitch Fix team do next time.

And with the Cardigan. Amazingly, Ginger was cooperating for the picture...A real rarity!

GAPS update and other musings.

So, I've been weighing myself daily, and today, my weight was at 182.8 lbs.  That means, since the beginning of the year, and in spite of cheating a couple of times (popcorn and other things while at my Nephew's wedding, plus a couple of Breve Lattes and that one time I already wrote about), I have lost 10.8 lbs.

Here is my update picture:

My exercise clothes are fitting better. I'm not sure
the change is all that noticeable, though.

I'm getting to the place where I have no more excuses--I have to stick to this if I want healing! I'm working on being better with following the diet.  I also got behind on my fermentation, so I spent a couple of hours last night putting up some new ferments: beets, and carrots.  I plan to put up some sauerkraut later this week as well, since I'm down to half a jar. Getting a food processor for Christmas has to be the best gift EVER!

The ferments and most of my food processor. That one quart of carrots looks darker because I used sauerkraut juice to prime it for fermentation.

I finally started walking the dogs again today, as well--It was derailed because of sickness.  Being sick during the first week of school is never fun. When you accidentally drink left over tea in a travel mug you forgot at the office, you end up giving yourself several more days of coughing.  I was almost over the cough when I re-infected myself, too! I'm just glad that the fever didn't return as well.

So, I have been hacking and coughing up a storm, and if the cough doesn't go away soon, I will have to go back to the Dr. about it.  I'm really hoping it doesn't come to that.

This last weekend was the wedding of another of my nephews.  His bride seems really nice, although I didn't get to talk to her all that much.  I did, however, get to spend time with my siblings, which was a wonderful, wonderful thing.  I wish that all of them could have come, but I understand having family and kiddo obligations.

Sister Selfie--It was a joint effort. I couldn't figure out how to push the button, so my sister did that while I held the phone.

My outfit for the wedding.  I'm so glad for fashion advice!

Watching my sister dance with her son at the reception, I realized that this is an experience I will probably never have.  It is part of the cross of following Church teachings on sexuality, and I embrace that.  It is just a tiny bit bitter-sweet, even as I rejoice in my nephew's joy and my sister's transition to a new stage of life as well.  Every yes has a no embedded in it, and my lack of children means that I'm free for other things.  I look forward to seeing where the Lord will lead because of my obedience.

In the mean time, I color!  (This is a page from the coloring calendar I got for Christmas!)

Procrastination at its finest!

Identifying with Jonah

These last few weeks have shown me that I have more in common Jonah than I ever believed.

My time volunteering with a religious order in Chicago this last summer showed me that I needed to revisit the possibility of having a religious vocation.  I started to work hard at the vocation process--prayer, listening to God, researching and contacting various orders, letting myself be open to wherever the process leads.  Then, I began to get information back from various orders, and most of them were/are cloistered orders or no's because of my age and my food allergies.  While the idea of being hidden in God appeals to me, the idea that this is where God might be calling me scares me. Aside from feeling not worthy of such a calling, I'm also worried about pursuing something that really isn't what God has for me in the first place.

Another issue is whether pursuing a religious vocation is a way for me to run away: from romantic relationships, from responsibility, from life.  I don't really know that is the case, but it is always possible...how does one know??? I think at least part of this fear comes from having never really fallen in love with another human being, not even my ex.  I sometimes wonder if I even have the capacity for the kind of love a woman should have for a spouse--I have more emotion toward my digdog than to other people most days.  Most vocation stories talk about falling in love with Jesus.  If I don't have that capacity for humans, how could I ever make the leap of doing so to God?

And, in the process of all this questioning, I've had a bit of a knee jerk reaction...Praying the liturgy of the hours fell by the wayside first.  If I quit praying, I didn't have to worry about God confirming or denying where He wanted me. Then, I got sick this semester--colds really do suck, but don't necessarily require missing my hours of Adoration, even if they are in the middle of the night.  I either skipped or got substitutes anyway.  And then, I ended up missing Mass--which acted as a bit of a wake-up call to what was happening.  I've gone to confession since then, but I'm at a loss of how to get beyond the fear I have.  I don't really want God to send a whale to swallow me whole, but my fear (maybe stark raving terror is a better description) is still there.  I don't know that I have enough courage to confront this head on.

I'm not sure that I really WANT to know where God wants me anymore, which really means that any discerning is at a standstill.  I realize that my recent actions are much like a 4 year old shoving his/her fingers in her ears and yelling, "I'm not listening" repeatedly.  It doesn't mean that my awareness of this behavior gives me an idea of how to get beyond the impulse. Just because I want to surrender to God's will doesn't mean that I know how to go about it.  Neither do I want to continue my mini-tantrum.

Maybe I need that whale after all.

Annulled. Now What?

One of the hazards of moving is that, when you give your new address to others, they might write it down wrong or miss part of it.  This happened at the Tribunal office, and I first learned of this when they called me today to let me know that my Annulment has finally come through...the letter they sent was returned because they forgot to add my apartment number.  So, I'm not sure how long it has been that my marriage was Annulled, but it has been and I'm free--free to marry or enter a religious order, free to move on.

Proof that all of Bryan/College Station are Aggie-Crazy.  This truly is a "thing."

I have mixed feelings about this....Based on what the tribunal told me back when I got the first instance, I didn't expect to hear from them for another year.  Maybe I should have, since I've been praying for it to come through daily since I turned in the paperwork.  It isn't that I don't think prayer works...it is just that I figured that the backlog the tribunal told me about would preclude it from getting here any time before the 2 year mark.

A selfie with my sister-in-law over Christmas. While I was there, I realized that Bryan/College Station is truly becoming my home. 

It is kind of like the shifting of sand underneath your feet as you walk down a sand dune--you have to be careful of your balance or you will end up landing on your butt.  I can now start dating, or pursuing a religious vocation.  I can consider myself to be truly free, but the next step is unclear to me.  I think it is time to spend some time in Adoration before I go much further, and let the sand settle beneath me before I take the next step, whatever that is.

Whenever I think of sand dunes, I think of these--Taken at White Sands National Monument

I'm just thankful that I CAN move forward.  This is definitely a blessing for this new year.

The picture is fuzzier than I'd like, but this is my outfit for the second day of the semester.  I've been truly blessed!

Poetry fluff

At my core, I'm a gooey, saccharine, hopeless romantic--I often try to hide it, though (and I'm probably not very good at it--I'm a terrible liar). I am attracted to guys who are rational, linear, analytic thinkers, and, at least in my experience, being a hopeless romantic tends to turn that kind of guy off.  I'm not sure if it is because they perceive romance and sentiment as neediness or if they just see it as unnecessary, but it usually means that I dial my romantic side back when I'm in a relationship.  I'm not ashamed of the fact that there is still a little girl inside of me that wants to be a princess swept off of her feet by a knight in shining armor. I've just grown realistic enough to know that most knights have tarnished and dented armor.  Besides, I am not the kind of girl that needs saving.  As much as I like the idea of a knight in shining armor, I think my parents instilled their daughter with just a little too much of their mid-western independence and ingenuity for me to be a passive princess, and my temperament is just a little too feisty to be resignedly patient.

This is one of the windows on the same floor as my office. Kind of looks like something you might see in a fairy-tale castle, doesn't it?

That being said, the sentiment of the following song appeals to my romantic side, and it captures the wistful hope that many single women have, just as it points to what it means to being open to whatever God has for us.

The longer I'm single, the more I suspect that I will remain so, and I'm good with that--life might not be how I envisioned it when I was in high school and college, but I have a blessed life: A wonderful job, an awesome parish, affectionate fur babies (err, pets), and tons of nieces and nephews to spoil.  It doesn't keep me from dreaming sometimes, though.  And, that is where this particular poem came from.  It is corny, but like the above song, shows a wistful hope for what may or may not happen.

The Dreams of this Hopeless Romantic

To be kissed senseless while held in a dip

To receive flowers for no reason at all

To be serenaded on some moonlit night

These are the dreams of this hopeless romantic

To be asked to pray at the end of each date

To be surprised with an impromptu lunch

To take classes together for ballroom dance

These are the dreams of this hopeless romantic

That he'll hold my hand during everyday moments

That he'll read me poetry for bedtime stories

That he'll cherish me all of our days

These are the dreams of this hopeless romantic

That he'll communicate with just a look

That he'll be deliberately pursue our courtship

That he'll place Christ at the center

These are the dreams of this hopeless romantic

That I'll want to bear his children

That I can help him get to heaven

That I will love him all my days

These are the prayers of this hopeless romantic

_____________________________________________________

When I was younger, I would often separate out my gooey romanticism from my practicality--the older I get, the more I wonder if there is a way to reconcile these two disparate parts of my personality.  Is there such a thing as a practical romantic? If so, that is what I'd like to become.

Saying Goodbye to the Philosopher

I think that I have made a personal record...After 3 months of dating, my relationship with the philosopher has ended.  This is actually the shortest that I have ever dated anyone, with 6 months being the shortest before this.  I think that the amazing thing is that I'm largely ok with this development, in part because I had an inkling that this might happen a couple of weeks ago, and in part because the Lord has given me a lot of peace leading up to this.  I'm still processing it, but I'm at a really good place in my life--I have a job that I love, a parish that is downright awesome, and a new town to learn about and explore.

One of the flowers blooming around campus at my new job.  I look forward to the fall colors.  I also look forward to the spring when more plants will be blooming!

God used the Philosopher to get me out of my comfort zone back home and bring me to here to a better job and and an awesome parish.  I can only be thankful for that.  I don't regret the move, and honestly, I don't regret my behavior during our relationship.  I conducted myself to the best of my ability in a Godly fashion, not without struggle, but with integrity.  I hope that he can say the same.

So, my job for the next few months will be putting down roots where I am, and following where ever the Lord may lead...Right before I came here, I started a new journal, and decided that I needed to make my theme to be "Putting down roots."  I actually had the perfect journal to use for that theme, as well.

My current Journal.

I had already started doing so before the break-up, but now it starts in earnest.  I now have an hour scheduled for weekly Adoration at my parish, and will begin teaching CCD classes this coming Wednesday...I'm co-teaching the 6th grade boys, so please pray for me!!!  I hope to go dancing tonight at the local country-western hot-spot, and am finding my way around pretty well.  I also plan to go for a bike ride just for the fun of it this afternoon--something I haven't done since I was a kid exploring my neighborhood!  Just as I did before I started dating, I plan to enjoy being single--spend time with friends, exercise, work, and grow.  Yes, it can be lonely, but I'm learning that, when you take it to Christ, that loneliness becomes solitude--it is all a matter of perspective.  

This is my favorite Superbowl commercial ever--it seems to best illustrate the following poem!

Tilting at Windmills

Loss of sleep feeds my melancholy

A voracious monster who

Sucks at my marrow with abandon

The unknown will be known

And he is poised for another feast

His utensils gleam, napkin beneath the chin

This outcome might bring sorrow

A slow drip of nectar or a 

Great 10 course dinner--I know not which

One thing is certain: Melancholy's glut

Will be his downfall.

Like an illusion, he transforms

Prayer and gratitude diminish him

And the monster morphs--

Shadows dissipated, he is a pesky mosquito

Defeated with a timely swat.

(sorry this isn't a sonnet--hopefully next week!)

Settling in

So, I have now been in Central TX for a little over 2 weeks, and I'm finally getting settled into the area, although I still use my GPS whenever I want to find something.  Even so, I have found the nearest (nice) laundromat, the nearest Starbucks, how to get to work and home, and the nearest grocery store.  I've also found a really good home parish.  This is their website, and I'm really enjoying the worship, the community, and look forward to getting more involved.  In fact, I have committed to teaching CCD for the 6th grade boys class, so I'm going to need some extra prayers!  It doesn't start for another week and a half, so I will be able to spend some time getting prepared. :-D

The truck as it was originally packed for our trip here. we had to re-do the tarp at the Sunland park exit since it kept coming off.

I'm also in the process of working on my classes: I have seven this semester, so I will be incredibly busy during the week.  I should actually be working on my Argumentation and Debate class right about now, but I'm being a bit of a bum at the moment.  At this point, it is late enough that it will have to wait until tomorrow evening or during my office hours.  I will also be going to the bank and the post office during lunch.  I don't get to start riding my bike regularly to work until Wednesday, it looks like.  I can live with that, but I really want to get into and stay in the habit.

This is the truck after the redo.  It still billowed, but not as bad.  We made it all the way to Ft. Stockton, although the tarp was in tatters.  We had to buy a new one the next day.

I'm not sure what the digdog thinks about all this, although she is much less skittish than she was when we first started packing and then unpacking...she isn't sticking to my side like a limpet anymore, but she still prefers to stay pretty close.  I think that she is worried that I'm going to go away again like I did when I went to Spain.  At the same time, she is really liking the new yard, and she and my niece's dog have been having fun running around in it.  My favorite part about our yard is that there are 2 trees close enough that I will be able to hang a hammock from them come next spring.  I suspect that it will become one of my favorite places to read, assuming that the mosquitoes aren't terrible.  I may need to take out stock in Citronella candles...

The local running store.  I haven't gone there yet when they are open, but I'm hoping that I can find a running group through them.  

 One of the nicest parts about my new job is that I have an office all to myself--no more cubicle-like desk space.  Because of that, I've gone a little overboard in decorating it.  I have even bought a plant, in spite of the fact that I have the black thumb of death.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can actually keep it alive for the duration.  From what I've read online and from my friends, it is actually a low-maintenance plant.

My office.  I even bought curtains!

My plant.  The mini-posters behind it are from Zen Pencils, and are all quotes by Emerson.

And, today, I unpacked my last box.  I'm officially all settled in, and I'm really thankful for that.  That means that I actually have a place to work from home, as well as that it is restful enough that I will actually be able to focus.  While I was a slob about keeping my room clean growing up, I've found that having a tidy space to work actually helps to keep a person focused.  I still need to do something about an office chair, since my ball doesn't seem to be keeping it's air.  I'm using our one folding chair at the moment, but it isn't very comfortable.  Since I've had my exercise ball for 4 years, it is probably time and past time to replace it.

My wall.  These are dance cards from the late 20's from various high school and college dances, a hat from the 30's-40's, and a fan from the same era.  

My bed.  Fat Cat likes having a clean room, too!

I still have a blank wall in my room, but I'm not sure what to put on that particular wall yet.  I'm hoping that I can find a nice print of art at some point in the near future.  Some of my wall hangings were put in my office, and there were a couple that I had to get rid of because they got damaged in the move.  It is kind of nice, though, as it means I can add to my repertoire of pictures.  I may see if I can find a nice Picasso print, since he is probably one of my favorite artists. 

But the thing is that this city and our apartment is becoming home.  I miss my family, but this was a good move for me, and I look forward to putting down roots.  Next thing you know it, I'm going to start sounding like a Texan with a drawl and everything!

The Big Announcement...

So, I found out earlier this week that I'm going to be moving to Central TX for a new job, and I start on the 20th of this month.  So, I've been really busy with packing and taking care of last minute details, such as finding a place to live and a way to move our stuff. Things are coming together so that my niece can move with me, since she really wants to go to the junior college that I'm going to be working at--they have a veterinary tech. program, and the town has a university that has a veterinary program, so it will be a good move for both of us.  

This is a picture of the outside of the apartment we are trying to rent.  It has a yard for the digdogs, washer and dryer hookups, and a DISHWASHER!!!

As for what the job is, I will be teaching Communication Studies/Speech at the oldest Junior College in TX!  It looks like my schedule for the fall will be 5 sections of public speaking, and one section of Argumentation and Debate.  I've never taught the latter before, so I'm going to be busy keeping ahead of my students this semester.  Even so, I'm really excited, as teaching full-time is my dream job, and I have been jonesing for a chance to teach at the college level again.  

It also has the benefit of being about 3 hours away from where the Philosopher lives, so we will be able to see each other more often.  All things being equal, I would love it if we can see each other on a weekly basis, but realize that every other week is probably more realistic.  It is also only about 6 hours from my sister Sarah, so I'm going to get to see her more often as well.  She doesn't know it yet, but I'm probably going to crash her Thanksgiving dinner, as long as she will let me (although I don't know if it is really crashing if you ask permission!).  

The Philosopher sent these to me as a congratulations on the new job.  As far as I can remember, this is the first time anyone has ever sent me flowers.  I'm so blessed with him!

Because I'm moving, I'm probably not going to be writing very much in the next week or two, but will try to begin posting 3x per week once I'm settled so that all of you can keep up with what is going on in my life. All I know is that I'm really excited to be starting the next chapter in my life, and look forward to sharing the journey with all of you!

No Sonnet today, but...

So, I've dropped the ball this week and didn't write a sonnet.  However, I did write some other poetry, so I will share one with you in lieu of the sonnet for Sonnet Saturday.

I might have some big news in the near future, so I'm kind of waiting until I get confirmation before writing a regular blog post. :-)

The Blank Page

It has possibilities
And curiosity wells
Within me, for it never
Ends as I begin.

Emotions peter out with
Writing, replaced by gentler
Iterations: clarified
Like heat works butter

A catalyst, self-renewed
With a flip or a scribble,
So long as the notebook remains:
She calls me, "Create!"

Such siren songs require my
Undivided attention
And compels me with love's strength--
A dreamer's playground.

Transformed and Transforming, I
seek what is no more, what was.
Possible, now verity
Not blank--Works of art!

My Day In Pictures

A friend of mine has been posting a picture daily of ordinary things in her life that bring her joy, and has tagged them #100OrdinaryDays on her Facebook page.  I really like the idea of doing something like this, but often forget to take a picture a day after about the 15th or 20th day.  I have also been talking online with someone I met through CatholicMatch.com  for the last 2 weeks.  Since he has an M.A. in philosophy, I will call him the Philosopher for any future posts that include him.  Anyway, because I was trying to think about ways to get a better idea of his day to day life (he lives near Dallas), I asked him to chronicle a day of his life in pictures, then promised to do the same for him.  It seems like a more doable option than the picture a day my friend is doing on her Facebook feed, anyway.

Beyond this, I'm going to try to keep my captioning to a minimum and let my pictures speak for themselves...

Morning, Sleepy Head!

Now that you're awake...Breakfast?

Did you say "WALK???"

You did! You did say  Walk!!!

Pretty as a picture

Prayer while Commuting

The paths around the construction

Beautiful Summer Morning

My Building Straight ahead!

Finally to work!

Breakfast and my current favorite tea.

Back to my Car via the parking Garage

Now to look at the other foot...

Waiting for the Doctor

View from the bridge between my parking lot and the parking garage.

Lunch!

My view of the Lab I work in.

Keeping from burning myself on the steering wheel.

You can see Juarez from here!

Looks like Monsoon season is starting early!

A lazy dinner

Typical Rush Hour Traffic a few hours late

Hi, Aunt Ruth. Take my picture!

Do I have to get my picture taken???

Who's There?

Welcome HOME!!!!

Chores before Bedtime!

Icing the site of injection.

Lighting the Candle on the Family Altar...and Lucy. Time to go to Bed!  'Night all!