Ash Wednesday - Looking within

[Nancy]

The things on my mind from doc. visit I mulled over on my walk. My blood work was good a1c could be down a bit. He said come back in a yr. can get help with meds. by getting them at a diff. place so moving my one most expensive Rx that's good! Yea!!!

No granny duty until dgson come after school.
Chickens are out two eggs today.
Lunch is done.
Table has been cleared and spiffed!

[Lilac]

I started feeling better and was very relieved. I went to my hair appt and it looks nice. Wish I could replicate it. I told her that I want to go back to every 4 weeks. I just hate looking shaggy.

Hadn't heard from dh and then he called at 3:08, saying the plumbers will be there at 3:30 and I am getting in the car now. I hope he beats them here but it will be a toss-up.

Norma I was just thinking of you today. I really enjoy hearing about the things you do with Cowinkie and Sweetie. That sounds like a fun Mardi Gras meal.

Dh just came in and the plumber had just drove up.

[ellyphant]

Hello to all!

Have to tell you about my closet! Have needed another shelf for it for over a year. Today I removed the large pull-out shelf from the bottom of one of my kitchen cabinets...and it fit perfectly in the closet!! Never even realized that shelf pulled out. It wasn't needed in the kitchen, but is wonderful in that closet. Was able to get lots of things off the floor of closet. This is where we store sleeping bags, air mattress, luggage, vacuum, table leaves, step stool, mop, swiffer...you get the picture!
Can't wait to show DH, but needed to tell someone!

We have church tonight. It's the usual Wednesday night prayer meeting. I doubt we will hear anything about Ash Wednesday. Have never observed Lent, but for 20 years did belong to a denomination where we were encouraged to add something rather than give up anything. Will continue my Bible reading and devotion reading. The devotion will be done in June. It is a one-year, page-a-day, book which I started last summer.

Off to make supper. DH is expecting lasagna, but I think it will be something easier than that...

[helia]

You look beautiful, Lilac!

Yea for getting meds cheaper, nancy!

It's beautiful here too, bookie. Skies are clear and the sun is shining!

How fun to order a Valentine's day gift for yourself, Elizabeth. Looking forward to seeing what it is -- unless you already shared and I've forgotten.

Yes, you're confirming our suspicion that being in the school play would add a lot to dd14's already full schedule, Cowinkie.

Sun not snow - that's good, Sadie.

Done:
x a.m. routine
x gathered towels in MBR
x 2 lols washed; 2nd is drying
x arranged to borrow a book from one of our pastors tomorrow
x ordered coffee for moms group Valentine's Day brunch tomorrow
x vacuuming chore
x paid a couple snail mail bills
x finished new Year cards! --Unless dh reminds me of someone I've forgotten.
x recharged my phone and my ipod

It is SO beautiful outside that I need to be outside too. So, after I drop off dd14 at the school for synchro, I'm going to the park (the kind of park with a lake, river, miles of paved trails) across the street to go for a jog. It is 39-ish outside now, sunny, and clear!

I'm off to change my clothes, drop off dd14, go for a jog. Then, I'll heat up some yummy leftovers for a tasty low-effort meal tonight.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Yay! It is a quiet day on the boards. I'm overwhelmed and glad I didn't have to catch up on pages and pages of posts!

The hospital run was easy, we were in and out with only $3.50 in parking, so that is a record. BUT, there was an event at my friend's apartment that she was avoiding so she kept coming up with errands to run. We had lunch (McDonald's, i.e. the last place I ate out before I got food poisoning), then banking, groceries and finally to her accountant, in my village, so yet another 20 minute detour. I was exhausted and got home at least an hour later than I expected in the worst case scenario.

Then I wanted to wash and clean out the car because I was going to have all three boys in the back tonight and needed to put the third belt into place, adjust the front seat. The car was too filthy to use anymore so it needed bucket washing. That was all done and I came in to two long back-to-back phone calls and 12 emails that need addressing (they still aren't done.) Dh finally started dinner and we ate just in the nick of time. The boys are late getting here so I had time to do the dishes. There's still a mess of paperwork in the kitchen but I'm feeling slightly calmer now. But exhausted.

I hear car doors so I'm off.

[Lynlee]

Waving from Thursday.

I was unaware of the Mardi Gras connection to this season until last year. (Sydney's Mardi Gras being more about gay pride than anything else.) I still don't quite "get it". I had no idea of the lenten thing either beyond it being a section in a recipe book, until I was hanging out weekly with a catholic mostly women's group at a retreat center. I was surprised to see a similarity with advent in terms of making a personal stock take in preparation for the new life to come. Apologies to any catholics if I have that totally wrong. Its just my take on it.

Interesting to hear the talk on teens and sleeping. I seemed to lapse into what is teen sleeping (late to bed and late to rise) with perimenopause and am still post menopaually trying to undo that late bedtime habit.)
It certainly does help me to eat at a reasonable time at night, no stimulating tv or computer or social vibe going later at night or my bedtime is just delayed further. So I'm aiming for wind down to start at 8.30pm. And be finished up in K/LR at 10. I've only achieved the latter 4 times this month so there's a bit of a struggle with that.

Last night dinner was late, phoned someone later than I wanted to, the tv stayed on "somewhat interesting" as opposed to "brainless", dish washing was late too, then I tried soduko and got that muddled until 11, then cleaned in bathroom some floor for a new bathmat (I like a clean floor for fresh bathmat), and the basin and surrounds, before bath and teeth, then wondered why sleep didn't get me. Its pretty obvious. Tried to sleep with radio, not really helpful.
Not much time today to practise a nana nap.
I will stick at this as I think its the only hope I have to getting longer resting in bed, as my waking times seems settled reasonably to rise 7-8 mostly. If I need give something up its past 8.30 pm interesting tv.

today I cancelled pay tv. Gosh - they did it from Saturday. It was good in that there is always something mindless on there. I need get the HDRecorder going for the tv so I can chose when I watch what more easily. I bought one. Its still in the box.

thats one ph call done anyway.
Maybe I can afford a cell ph with the money.

today.
library books due - renew or swap. Yes to whoever is into teen fiction. I finished the first book of a series - had already read a much later one. Going to see if I can get another. Hive - Higher Institute of Villainous Education. Also another Terry Brooks - who is in adult section. I've been reading from several of his different series all with future time post calamity theme with olde world fantasy beings added - as I can find the books on library shelves. Certainly not reality readings.
Support group also today.
A bill to pay.
I want to do something extra around here too. Before 8.30pm is best.

Waving to Kathryn - What a big day for you, and now a baby sitting night. Take care of you. I hope tomorrow can be a recovery day.

[Cowinkie]

Lynlee...
I try to get to bed by 9.... A routine started when I was working. However some nights sweetie and I like to listen to ol' time radio shows, easy listen music or an audio book. Every once in a while I do stay up to watch tv till 10. Most tv shows bore me. I wasn't allowed to watch tv on school nights from 1-12 grades; the exception being Sunday nights. I learned to love reading and still do. In fact just got back from a head cut and the library. I still love going to look for books.

Sweetie ate gumbo for lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. I guess I should make it more than twice a year. Sweetie is taking me out for a very nice Valentine dinner tomorrow...usually we wait for the following day. Must have been the gumbo

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Lynlee: At one point, people used up the excess fat and other rich foods before Lent with the big blowout/pantry cleanout being on Fat Tuesday. A final hurrah, so to speak, before buckling down for deprivation. In fact, for some, Lent was a season of fasting. Since the forty days of Lent (between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday) are actually 46 days on a calendar, it is important to note those extra days are the Sundays, for feast days among the fast days.

I'm not sure how serious the fast was (was it like Ramadan when one fasts from sunup to sundown, or was it just certain foods one was fasting from or was it complete?) But Sundays aren't included when you give up Something for Lent. My condition for that is that Sundays aren't included as long as you attend church that day! Actually, in the very early church, Lent was about discernment of the church community as a whole (their relationship among each other and as a group with God), not the individual's relationship with God.

My babysitting is done. Dh is over at his friend's house for the evening so there's a quiet house for me now. I let the boys leave the lego mess since they'll be back on Saturday. They have Ice Age to finish and then will watch Chicken Run if there's time that day.

Their mom confided to me that as we went downstairs, she was looking at the spaces and placing her furniture! And looking at my furniture and picking out pieces she hopes I'll leave behind!!! If this all works out, I'm going to be so happy to have such a wonderful family growing up in this house.

`

[Harmony]

I tried to get here several times, but DH kept interrupting, or phone calls, or chores needing done pronto, or the doorbell, or or or..

Yes Kathryn you were very busy today!

I really tried to get my studies caught up, did three days' worth and might try another one this evening. I got really behind with them.

Baked my turkey out on the pass through window shelf in the roaster. It turned out delicious! I made gravy, sweet potatoes, we ate the carrots and onion from the cavity, and I made a big bowl of broccoli from the garden. Yumm! And there's lots of left-overs. I will try to do something creative with some of it. I sliced some nice for lunch sandwiches. Just did all those dishes. Waiting for stuff to dry before I can put away, the roaster, pots & pans, etc.

I got laundry caught up except the last load from today to fold up.

DNeighbor came over to hang out here while her nsdh was over there cutting the lawn and loading up his new tractor lawn mower to take away with him to where he's staying. He was so out of sorts on the phone with her that she didn't want to be around when he was, so we sat out on our porch till he left. Last week he came over and snatched the grandfather clock. I feel really bad for her.

DH is at youth group. I'll do another day's study while it's quiet.

Has anybody watched the Westminster dog show? I did and enjoyed it. Brought back a lot of memories when I used to show the breed I raised.

[Cowinkie]

Harmony....
I watched. My favorite is the working breed. Boxers are included in that group, but so are sEveral other breeds I love. Banana Joe was so fun to watch. I loved the way he moved when being shown. How long did you show dogs and what was your breed. I always wondered if there is a dress code for women in the ring. Most wear form fitting suits. I assume that's so their clothes don't compete with the dog they are showing.....but why not pants?