Ash Wednesday - Looking within

[Lynlee]

For some Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of 40 days to look within, to re-evaluate their lives.
http://www.churchyear.net/ashwednesday.html (note - this is written from a catholic viewpoint. Others may follow different traditions.)
Wishing you blessings if you are taking a lenten journey.

Some of the birthday quotes for today.

I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself. To cut yourself out of stone.
Henry Rollins
Why do you think the old stories tell of men who set out on great journeys to impress the gods? Because trying to impress people just isn't worth the time and effort.
Henry Rollins : American
Type: Musician
Born: February 13, 1961
A woman's place in public is to sit beside her husband, be silent, and be sure her hat is on straight.
Bess Truman
I've liked lots of people 'til I went on a picnic jaunt with them.
Bess Truman : American
Type: First Lady
Born: February 13, 1885
Died: October 18, 1982

All of us, whether or not we're celebrities, every one ought to spend part of their life making someone else's life better.
Jerry Springer : American
Type: Celebrity
Born: February 13, 1944

I'm seeking to change only the one I can change - that is me. Looking to continue to work on better habits, wholesome hours of activity and rest, interaction and meditation...

[Lynlee]

yoga this morning. then home.
I'm not sure I've made a good beginning on a lenten journey.
Habit I'm reinforcing is getting dishes wash daily - which is mostly being done.
The new habit I seek is to be finished in Living Room and Kitchen by 10, computer and tv off. I have only made that 4 nights so far this month, so its time to move from here and get Kitchen closed for the night.
TV and computer need to go off now.

[scattered]

LynLee - Sleep Tight!

I have a long day of driving in front of me and unfortunately it will be in the rain. Tonight DS14 has his interview at the School of Humanities. Last night I put the ham bone in the crock-pot with beans and mirapoix so I will get that in the base and cooking before I leave.

I need to get going and get in the shower. Have a great day everybody.

[DeeClutter]

We finally manged to get gd out of bed by 7:12! DD had tried for 45 minutes before she left. We have to leave here in 10 minutes. DD probably would pull her out of bed except she's in a loft bed.

Very muggy here and I think it's supposed to rain later on.

What is mirapoix, Scattered? I need to find a good recipe for bean soup. We have a ham bone in the freezer just waiting.

DD put her blender in our room this morning (after she made her morning shake). Gd has been using it at will and wasting (big time) the ingredients for dd's shakes. She asked last night, "What do I have to do? Hide my blender?" Guess so. Sadly so. Gd eats from the time she gets home (and remains very thin I might add). She didn't want what we were having for dinner so told dd to go ahead and starve her!

Need to run. Have to go to W mart for water after school run. Otherwise there will be no coffee tomorrow!

[Emptynester]

Had first scheduled company in the remodeled house last night. 9 people plus us for Happy Hour. They liked the house. It is all clean now so might invite more people over tomorrow night. It was tight with the number we had so have to split up friends to come over.

Off to town about 10 for meds run and chiro appointment.

Next up, I have to get started on decorations for La Fiesta on March 1. It is an annual 2 day spring celebration where I volunteered to be co-chair but have wound up being chair of sub-committee.

Think I have some good workers - just have to work around the main chair as she is a micro manager.

We have to decorate for the dance on the first night and a lunch on the second day. I'm going to use the same decor for both but just arrange the tables differently. Will make small cactus gardens for center pieces with large cardboard cut outs of cactus on the walls. Found huge painted desert scene that I can use to cover one wall. Theme is Cactus Club if you hadn't already guessed.

Time to get some breakfast. TTFN

[helia]

Good morning! I really like mornings. Each one is a new start, a do-over from the previous day.

I think I can be home most of today!! I've done my Tarjay run and the groc. store run; the van is gassed, and I got cash last week. Dh and I went to a coffee shop for coffee and a chat last night, so those errands shouldn't be needed today. I do need to get to the library at some point in the next few days. Dinner will be leftovers, so I won't need to do a lot of cooking today either, though there are some green beans I need to use up. I hope to get caught up on some things today! I need a day like this.

So far, I have said good bye to the girls, let dog out, let dog in, checked emails - replied to a couple, had a mug of tea. Per emails, I may have lunch with a dfriend tomorrow, which will make my Thursday pretty jam-packed, but today is open so that is just fine.

I'm going to check in with dd14's sewing/design tutor next and see if they're meeting tomorrow afternoon.

Tomorrow night, dh, the girls and I are going to go see Broadway's Lion King in Detroit. We're all looking forward to that!! That will be our family Valentine's Day treat.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Ivy suggested a Lenten thread and theme for that thread for those on a Lenten journey this year. I've made a sticky in the PWYC forum and will update the opening with Ivy's words if she would like.

A link is here:

http://shesorganized.net/phpbb/viewtopi ... =17&t=3068

I'm up and on the treadmill which is a great improvement. Tummy is empty but stable. I'm feeling tuckered on the treadmill which is to be expected. Since fasting will not be part of my Lent (at least not for religious reasons!) I will probably cut my workout short today and get to breakfast faster than usual.

[Lilac]

Haven't posted in a few days but have stayed cuop.

Dd1 and dgd16 were sick on Monday. Dd2 had dgs8 home sick that day. Yesterday dgdalmost22mos was sick. I am hoping to avoid it, but at least it has been a quick bout for each of them.

We are back on track with the bathroom reno. The new shower kit came in Monday and we swapped them out. Then last night dh cut the bottom to size and cut the new drain hole. He is calling the plumbers today and is hoping to meet them here this afternoon, so that they can work on tapping into the existing drain. He is anxious to start tiling. Of course, he has to put the membrane that is part of the shower kit on the walls and ceiling before he can start tiling.

I have a hair appt this afternoon. It is driving me crazy. I don't know if I will be able to put up with this long enough to get it grown out or not.

Other than the hair appt., I hope to be home all day because I have cleaning and laundry that needs done.

Guess I better do meds and breakfast, so I can get started.

[Harriet]

Kathryn, the thread was already up in J and C, posted by Ivy.

I can remember being terrible about staying in bed until the last minute as a young teen! Remembering my late dh's answer to a child not getting up in the morning. He would lift the mattress and roll the child onto the floor. He wasn't much for yelling and the only way I knew it happened was a squeal. Happened once for dd33, once for ds27. And after that, just, "Don't make me come in there." And you would hear a disappointed, "Yeess, sirrr." They teased me that he was the easy parent in the mornings. I would always sing, "Good Morning, Good Morning, the sun shines today. Get Ready, Get ready for work and for play!" to many groans. In fact, ds27 used to beg me to stop before I'd gotten out a few words... hmmm... We were both imitating parents. My late dh imitating his father the Chief Warrant Officer and I my mother the first grade teacher. Interesting.

Seriously, though, teens need more sleep than pre-teens or college-age. Like Lynlee mentions, our bedtime may be the point, more than our discipline in dragging ourselves out of bed. Someone guest starring on an old Dr. Oz recommended that an alarm clock set for one hour before the time you would like to go to bed is more important than the alarm clock set at the time you want to arise. At one hour before bedtime, time to finish up everything you can, go through evening routine and hit the hay.

NOT holding my household up as example in the last few days. Dd had a big science test Monday, a big math test yesterday and a huge math project with presentation due today. Child needs a nap.

I understand the "picnic jaunt" quote by Truman. I liked my group of neighbor friends until I went to the crab house with them and watched their personalities change with the beers. Wanted to say, "Hello? Who are you and where are my neighbors?"

Especially like the quote about trying to impress people just isn't worth the time and effort.

Thanks for the reminder of lent - I've heard more about lent here on these boards than all my life in Protestant churches, so this is really not a tradition for me. I was probably posting here before I had any idea that the Mardi Gras craziness in New Orleans was in any way seasonally linked with a church calendar. I certainly see the benefit of giving some things up. I can see how doing this communally, in a planned calendar fashion, could be valuable for folks.

[blessedw2]

lent and the other day was I believe shrove tuesday d twins?

dd younger sigh put off some important dates - she had been so dedicated to her work and then I saw a huge lazy streak happening (learning to play her piece, homework and other things (and she had been doing so well - but it is a good learning time for her even though hard - consequences teaches but I am working hard to keep my own frustration in check)

hello to all
I am so sorry I can't respond to each of you individually as of but I read the posts and think of all of you!!!