Holly's problem becomes my problem

This conversation actually happened in my house this week:
DH: (excitedly) Did you see Holly's blog this week?
Me: Mmm. Which one?
DH: The TV one.
Me: (flatly) Oh, that one.
DH: (still bubbling over with excitement) Yes. Whadda think?
Me: About what?
DH: (slightly put out now) The television.
Me: What about the television?
DH: (in awe) Did you see how big it is? How big do you think it is?
Me: No, I didn't pay that much attention. Did you pay attention to Holly's reaction?
DH: No. I didn't. I'll bet she likes it alot, though.
Me: Riiight. Read it again.
DH: (excitedly again) Do you think WE could get something like that?
Me: (just to make him work, now) Something like what?
DH: Television. Huge. In our living room.

And on it goes. The short story is, we are now in search of a television. In our defense, both of our televisions are older than me. And neither are working. Anyway. Holly, thanks. :)

PS: DH also said, at the end of above conversation: Did you see the photo of A cleaning the baseboards? When do you do that?
Me: (about to strangle) Perhaps we should borrow A. She seems to like it.

A Reprieve Today

I spoke with my boss this morning. I don't get to go sailing this weekend with him, a co-worker, a former student of ours, and our spouses. It's not that I don't love sailing. I do. I enjoy being on the water, with the wind in my hair, and only a slip of land visible (I don't want to go too far out). It's more that I turn into one big, hive-y blotch with uncontrollable itching for hours after only 15 minutes with Mr. Sun. So, to combat this, I wear Super-Duper High Power Sun Screen every morning (Because of the enormous grease factor involved with this, I console myself with the fact that I should NEVER get wrinkles. I am power-moisturized.) I have an SPF 50 shirt given to me by my wonderful mother. I have two, count them - two, wide brimmed floppy hats that go anywhere. Indeed, one lives in my car. So, when I go on the water now, it's not the idyllic photo in the magazines. Oh, no. It's me in linen pants and long sleeve shirt, with Jackie O sunglasses, SPF 800 on under my makeup, which is sliding off my face because of the oppressive humidity (the weather man calls it "air you can wear"). All this under my camoflage/beige hat that I have taped to my head because the sea breeze is trying to blow it off my head and I don't have an elastic chin strap. My co-worker said she would bring steroid shot to ward off the hive-ies, but I'll take a rain check on a shot like that.

So I did get a reprieve. And you'll forgive me if I don't show up to your pool party in a bathing suit. It's more like a coat of armor for me, thanks.

I'll trade my skin for someone elses. Any day.

This is true

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXLHWmjA5IE

In my line of work, we see this all the time. It actually happens. I did actually laugh out loud. Thanks to Brite Cloud for calling my attention to this true life action adventure. It made my day. I was on call yesterday. Took care of about 40 of these. Just yesterday.

BBBC - Watership Down

Okay, Holly, let me just say that I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. Bunnies? Really? I was thinking it would be Lord of the Flies with rabbits, and I really, really, (really, really, really) did not like LOF. So I procrastinated. And procrastinated. And finally checked the book out of the library on May 21. And I started the book on May 24. And I did not like the book. But I always give books two chapters to impress me (hey, sometimes getting to know me takes more than a few minutes). So I tried chapter 2 on May 25. Lets just say I was up until midnight last night trying to read as fast as my little eyes could process information. I love this book!!! I must also be honest and say I haven't completed the book as of yet, but I plan on it soon. I am starting the Efrafa section, but I did the old high school trick and read the last two chapters of the book (not that I *ever* did that in school).

That having been said:
I think Hazel (and it took me a few pages to figure that Hazel is a BOY rabbit) is who I want to be when I grow up. I'd like shorter ears, of course. Willing to befriend those different than myself. Willing to sacrifice for others. Willing to admit his faults (in public, if necessary). Willing to accept help of others. Willing to think "outside the box" for assigned tasks (hey, my husband is a MUCH better cook than I am). Willing to follow and trust when the "rabbit angel" (that's what I'm going to call it) called him home.

I liked Holly's quote she pulled out - I would have marked it in this book, if this book had been mine to mark in. Seems we humans are more beast-like than we'd like to believe, as least in part of this book, and through the eyes of rabbits. It also seems that we as humans lose a piece of ourselves when we detatch from nature. We have lost that connection with all God's creation, the daily rhythm, the seasonal changes, the yearly cycle, that tells us where we belong and Who we belong to. I think that "(H)e fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions,
so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us." Acts 17 And perhaps in distancing ourselves from nature, we lose sight of the orderliness of creation. We can indeed be monsters, with the finest of intentions.

As I have said previously, I have not completed the book, even gotten to the big Efrafa section, but some things I did pick up on from the foreshadowing in the previous section. Safety, absolute safety, does come at a steep price. Individul freedoms are forefeited. Within danger lies growth, both as an individual and as a group. Within uncertainty lies growth. The rabbits from Efrafa were safe, of that they could be sure. The rabbits from the hutch were also safe. But that safety comes at a price. Their brains "turned off" and they became automatons, unquestionally obeying orders, even if the orders were ridiculous or oppressive. As we try to balance safety and danger in our personal lives and our society, we should remember that lesson. Absolute safety comes at a steep cost. And danger, while one would not hope to go looking for it, provides an opportunity to stretch oneself, prove that God is bigger than problems. Even dangerous problems.

One last comment: I did enjoy the sections on El-ahrairah, the clever rabbit. It broke up the story well and served as a window into Hazel's mind, as well as other rabbit leaders. This was who they looked up to. The most clever rabbit. And this rabbit was creative and clever, even though he used it poorly.

Can't wait to finish this. And I love, love, love the language in this novel. No one writes like this anymore. What a wonderful vocabulary (even without the made up words.)

SPT Tuesday

Something Borrowed. This week was difficult to think about for SPT. I don't usually borrow items, so I didn't have any idea what I could have borrowed. Then I had it!! I borrowed this lovely lady for the entire day. Her husband and two sons let me use her all day for fun and birthday-ing. For the record, we were celebrating her birthday, which was 6 months ago. We started at 7:00-ish on Saturday morning, and ended at 11:30 Saturday evening. This is what my dining room started out the day looking like:Between us we did 63 pages of scrapbook albums - she did 30, and I did 33 (I do realize I should have let the birthday girl get more, but I was on a roll!!!) This is what 63 pages looks like!

We had so much fun, talking, eating (WW approved, of course), working, solving the world's problems, talking, and working more. Thank you, J, R, and J for letting me borrow your wonderful wife and mother for the entire day. It was fun for me, and I can't wait to do it again. You know, she did get 2 scrapbook coupons for her special day.

SPT Thursday

I have been blocked from this post for two days, so I am doing SPT Thursday. Apparently I look like spam. Funny, I've not been feeling blue or meaty looking, but maybe. . . . .

So, for this SPT, the theme was Something New. Self, I thought, What new thing brings us joy? I thought about shoes, some cute brown shoes I recently invested in. But no, That's not really joyful. That's just comfortable feet. Which I guess indirectly brings me joy. WAIT!! I have a wonderful thing that brings me joy, and is generally considered new. So here it is!!

Before you start screaming and jumping, this IS NOT a photo of my kiddo, this IS a photo of my NIECE. She belongs to these fine folks:

This is my brother and his wonderful wife, at her recent college graduation! We lovingly call them Bartalie - it's their rockstar name. They found out recently that their little bun-in-the-oven is a she-bun, and we are all excited and shopping for lacy, frilly, pink-y clothes and doo-dahs.

So this, folks, is what new thing brings me joy. A new little family member who is being welcomed with such joy and promise, excitement and love. We are looking forward to her big arrival later this year, and can't wait to start spoiling her. So, hereafter, when you see Grasshopper, that's the affectionate name for my little niece. I'm gonna be an aunt!!

Welcome

Welcome to the corners of my brain. I have blogged before, albeit briefly, and kind of got obsessed about it. Hopefully this will be a little more balanced in my life. I hope you enjoy the corners of my brain, or at least don't find the corners to be too dusty. I hope this blog will serve as a place to reflect, and renew my commitment to be God's woman in a world where it's so very easy to lose that focus. While I don't want to add more to my to-do list (it's already on two pages!), I feel that my life has been enriched by other's blogs, and that I may have something to offer others. And, let's be honest, I also wanted to blog with Holly's Bodacious Bloggity Book Club for May. If I have to participate in a discussion about a book, I am more likely to read it. So, Watership Downs, and world, here I come.