A Simple Woman's Daybook~March 7, 2011

To join in focusing on the simple things and pleasures of your daily life or to read other people's entries, you can click here.

So, For Today...

Monday, March 7, 2011

Outside my window...it is sunny and bright out and 10:05 am. There is a pretty good breeze and some billowy, white, puffy clouds. Promises to be a great day here with a high of 62 degrees.

I am thankful for...Jen and Lowell's opportunity to be in Scotland right now. They should have landed just a few hours ago. We are thankful all of them are well and things will be normal at home for Mary Jane and Read as they care for the kids and that Jim can go tomorrow to help out too.

From the learning room...life has a mind of its own in spite of the plans we try to make. Most work out, some don't. It is a skill to just roll with the punches and accept that ultimately we are not in charge. Sometimes our prayers are not answered with a yes, because someone else has prayed for their own yes which may make our answer a no. What I mean by that is if two teams both pray to win a game as an example..one will get what they want, the other will not. It can't always be everybody's way.

I am reading...The Sweet By and By....I am enjoying this book. There seem to be a lot of books out written in this same style lately, where each chapter is about a different person in the story and their thoughts. The style reminds me of The Help.

From the kitchen...hmmmm, not much right now. Still recovering from the big crab feed so staying away from the frig, stove and sink as much as possible.

I am wondering...when I plan to get dressed and up and at it today. Up a lot last night battling a nasty cough from a mild cold, so didn't rest well last night at all.

I am hearing...Peaceful by Kenny Rankin...beautiful!

Today if I could change one thing...that Robert would not have to be away from his family for over a year while off to a worn torn country to protect our freedoms. My wish is that this crazy, mixed up world would finally learn that wars do not solve anything, love does.

I am quoting.." I have come to realize that I have Very. High. Expectations. Of myself. Of my kids. Of my house. Of my work. Perfection is an exhausting task master. A wise friend once said that your disappointment is defined by the delta between your expectations and reality." Adelle Gabrielson.

I am thinking about...When and where Jim and I will go for our full time mission for the church? Will it be 6 months, 12, 18 or 24 months in duration? Will it be in the next five years? Yep, I think it will be. I am going... to get a lot done today once I get done with this post! Errands to run, manicure, etc. Going to spend some time talking with Laura about our summer plans and options.

I am missing...the good old days when people were friendlier, not as rushed, there was no road rage, or so much disrespect. The simpler, sweeter times. It is my naivete or has it gotten so much worse? Rudeness is inexcusable, what purpose does it ever serve?

One of my guilty pleasures...having the time and opportunities to do what I want, when I want. Such a rare commodity in this decade of life. Never since before kindergarten have we had this privilege and we are loving it. You cannot imagine what it is like to suddenly be rid of that big snow ball, hot on your heels, of things you have to do right now, as it is the only time available..unless you are doing it too. If your time is coming, look forward to it, it is a wonderful gift...nothing to fear.

Pet Peeves...Gas prices nearing $4.00 per gallon. This is economic recovery for who, exactly?

One of my favorite things..Robert Mitchum in War and Remembrance. He reminds me of my dad in that role.

An enjoyable movie I have watched lately...Jim and I have been watching War and Remembrance lately, a mini-series with lots of discs. It is excellent but pretty heavy, so I watched Letters to Juliet the other night, so delightful. You must be thinking how many times does she watch a movie? A lot sometimes and I enjoy it just as much every time. I know some people think it is weird...it probably is. What can I say??

I am curious about...the remarkable resiliency of the human body. What an amazing creation! You actually can budge that scale in a downward trend with effort and diligence.

A few plans for the rest of the week...mani/pedi, maybe hair cut and color? Working tomorrow the early shift (yay) at the Family History Library after dropping Jim off at the airport. Some visiting teaching, shopping with a client for two sofas, blogging, Weight Watchers, Spring open house at the Elegant Clutter on Saturday. Nothing major, just things that I want to do and need to do. Life maintenance kind of stuff with some fun thrown in, maybe going to the movies? I am on my own so I can choose spontaneity!

Here are some photos and some thoughts I am sharing with you...I barely made it to work on time last Tuesday as when we arrived on Temple Hill this is some of what caught my eye. We work in the most beautiful place with ten full time gardeners, it is a feast to the eyes every single week. I am so happy to have my iPhone with a camera at the ready everywhere I go.

I love all the brilliant colors and happy little flowers.

The Blog I visited with the Most Beautiful photos this week.....White and Shabby
As much as I love color, there is something so magical about white. I just love these photos. This is a German woman's blog with Google translator! Interesting!

Crab...There Shoulda Been Eight!

Last night we had a wonderful dinner with some very special friends. It was our annual crab feed started many years ago by our friends, Barbara and Bill. Remember how I was telling you on Monday that Dave and Jim are best friends? Well, there use to be a third musketeer, and that was Bill. Those three were such a kick together and loved each other like brothers for many years. Long, very sad story, short...we lost Bill to cancer 5 years ago. Bill and Jim had been close friends since they were in Cub Scouts together and grew up on the same street.

Bill and Barbara started an annual crab feed to celebrate her birthday in January. It became a tradition, a bit of a sacred cow, to all of us and something we looked forward to every year. After Bill's passing we didn't have it for a few years. I think, although unspoken, we just couldn't. But the last three years we have been doing it again and it is wonderful. We never circle around the table without thinking of him and how much we miss him...there shoulda been eight last night! He is always with all of us in spirit.

Bill

The funny thing about the crab feed is if you are hosting you don't cook anything. You just go get the crab and get the house ready. So the first thing I wanted to do was put a little spring in the house and get the Valentine's Day mantel put away. I didn't do too much because it seems way to early for Easter so..this is what I did.

The mantel rebirth...

I put this hemi-sectioned bird cage up. It is really a neat spring accessory. It actually can be hung on the wall as the back side is flat but I decided to just set it on the mantel with some candles.

A Spring Rabbit...too old to be a bunny!

I got out my old stuffed rabbit that we have had for years and years and stuck him up there with a couple of little books, one of them is The Velveteen Rabbit. (The books should be straightened up a bit and not hanging over the edge. Lazy phot0graphy) These are the kind of photo botches that use to make me crazy, when taking photos for my portfolio of houses. The glass candle sticks needed some fat pillar candles but I didn't have any yet, so used these amber bejeweled votive cups...they worked in a pinch.

I love these little bird staring into the nest as if anticipating...

Voila!

I took down my apple green and berry wreath and put up the picture I like to use now until the fall. This is an original water color that I bought at Goodwill for $35.00 one year. I treasure it! It is the best thrift store item I have ever found. So that was all I did to the dining room decor to get ready. It is looking a little more springy and didn't take much time at all.

Next order of the day...selecting the china, etc...

These dishes Jim and I have had for years. He has always calls them our presidential dishes. I renamed them our Mount Royal dishes because this same pattern was used in the mini-series North and South by the Main family, the Mount Royal Plantation owners.

I usually use black napkins and stemware.

They have this touch of lavender in them so I arranged these flowers to go with them. I am no flower arranger (Maureen don't look too closely), but I wanted something that was low enough so you didn't have to remove it during dinner. I didn't have a short vase so I used a cut crystal biscuit jar someone gave us. It worked just great and what else can you use a biscuit jar for anyway?

Thank heavens for baby's breath that
helps hold the flowers in place.

This shot is for Nellie since she had one
of a candle through a glass on
Tablescape Tuesday this past week..

Friday evening arrived and the guests came with their contributions to the dinner...

Lee and Dave brought the most gigantic,
delicious artichokes and the very best
lemons we have ever tasted.

Stacey and Rob brought this incredible wonton, green salad with grapes, peanuts and all kinds of other wonderful salad ingredients.

And Barbara brought crunchy French Bread, Mud Pie and a beautiful fruit torte. Somehow I missed a photo of all that. Oh yes, now I remember... She and Lee were serving the dessert while I was lazing around, chatting with Stacey! I am so bad...Sorry Barb and Lee!

The funny part about this whole dinner party thing is that the once the food and people gather around and all the food comes out on the table you could have used paper plates. No one really notices and you just sit back and enjoy your good friends, and the food and forget about the rest.

It has served its purpose by then; setting a nice, welcoming mood for the real event, and letting me fool around with the part I love best. This dinner could not be more perfect for me. My comfort zone personified...the decor and buying the crab, and Jim unwrapping it and throwing it in a bowl. Perfect.. and that crab is the best fast food on the earth, by the way!

So once we are ready to eat all the mismatched dishes for crab shells etc. emerge and we try to find a spot for everything. As you can see, Jim even brought the melted butter to the table in a pan. Yikes..oh well. As I told him earlier, when we were getting ready, he could have worn his PJs to the dinner. These are those kind of friends...like family, where you can just relax and be yourself.

Lee, David, Rob and Stacey!


The friends..Lee, David, Rob, Stacey, Barbara,
Jim's empty chair and me.
Poor Jim I forgot to get his photo during dinner.


Barb

Lee and Dave

Stacey and Rob
The young'uns of the bunch

I hope they all enjoyed the evening as much as we did.
Thanks for coming guys, and Bill, we missed you, as always!

Martinez ~ Beyond Jury Duty

Most of the people that live around here have spent some time in Martinez. It is the County Seat and so this is where you go for Jury Duty, to renew business licenses, County records, etc. Rather ho-hum kinda stuff unless you are called as a witness as I once was...very hair raising! Thursday we went to Martinez for our Day Trip. It was very relaxing and fun to get outside on this one gorgeous day this week.

Alesha

One of our objectives in going to Martinez was to see an Art Gallery where our niece is the Director. Alesha majored in art at UC Davis and has been the curator in various museums over several years. She also studied in France so she has a fine appreciation for art. Her job these days is putting art shows together. She does them around the country and has even done some across The Pond. The new gallery, The Goods, is in the Citrus Salon in Martinez.

I think it is brilliant to have these two
businesses joining forces.
What a great way to decorate a salon!

There are some fun, whimsical pieces in the gallery.
Most of the prices are very reasonable.
There is an emphasis on San Francisco art
that we really enjoyed.

This shot is a piece I would really love to own. I think this would be so fun in our dining room. I just adore that tray with the San Francisco skyscape served up like some decadent dessert choices! Which incidentally, is exactly what it is to Jim and me. Gotta get it for sure!

I have to go back or just order it online, even more convenient! I love an element of surprise in a room and this would totally fit the bill. What I like so much about whimsy is it totally takes any stuffiness out of a room and makes it more fun and relaxing. You can find the gallery and online sales here.

This is just a big ole pepper tree
on the street in the downtown area.
We had one in our yard when we first moved in.
Had to cut it down when we built our addition.
We were pretty sad to lose it!

Antiques For Sale

If you are collector of antiques or treasured junque, Martinez is your place. There are many, many antique stores in fact, I'd venture to say you'd be hard pressed to find something contemporary in town.

I use to really enjoying antiquing but I think I lost my love of it while staging homes for sale. I just like a more uncluttered look. A vintage cottage look is fine but less little stuff and less crowding feels good to me now. And I like less muted colors. So I went into a few places but didn't stay long. And didn't buy anything. I feel like our nest is featured, I am in a different place now. Never thought I'd see the day....

Jim spent some time outside on the phone talking with the other grandparents about their time together with the girls while Jen and Lowell are away. The weather was so nice I preferred to be out there myself.

We went to a Thai restaurant called
The Lemongrass Bistro for lunch.

We shared Pad Thai and another dish.
We also brought a doggie box home
to help me stay on program.
Everything was extremely fresh and good.
Had to skip the bakery today too!

The Martinez Museum

All Aboard or All Are Bored?

The station we take Amtrak from if we ever travel by train. It has been several years since we have. Jim is not a fan of the slowness, me either. Sometimes you could get out and walk faster. It was fun though the time we got to go with Laura and Robert and the boys!

We went down to the Martinez Marina
and saw someone flying this kite.

This is my favorite photo of the day.

This weeping willow tree was so drop dead gorgeous and the birds singing out here by the shore were almost deafening. Their chorus was so loud because there were so many. They seemed so happy for the sunny day!

The Marina

This is a haven for ducks and geese.

The bridge.

This photo struck me as just being so linear and flat with the bridge crossing the Carquinez Straights... even the bottoms of the clouds are flat.

We took a little drive up the side
of the mountain to take a look.

We enjoyed our outing and the quality time alone, away from our chores and responsibilities. We discussed upcoming events and Jim took a little snooze at the Marina and I read my book and listened to the birds serenade me. It was one of those days where it was too hot with the windows closed and too cold with them open. Spring is in the wings...a few more weeks of winter......hopefully. My wish for you is to be seeing evidences of it in your neck of the woods too.

Gird Up Your Loins~ Part 2

I felt a little bit like Orson Wells must have felt when his broadcast of 'War of the Worlds' was aired and he scared everyone! When I realize that Nellie thought there had been another earthquake in Chili yesterday I realized I had to make my re-posting a little more obvious than just titling it 'Thoughts From This Time Last Year!" Tuesdays are kind of crazy so I may occasionally re-post something from the past on those days. This post is the second part of the one from yesterday.

The other day I wrote this post and thought that I might like to add something again today. Over my life from time to time I have heard people discussing the Second Coming of Christ and how scary it is. I have heard people say I am not ready yet to give up life as we know it, I still want to see my children grow up and have children of their own, or do thus and such first.

I have always found that a little perplexing. Why Scary? I guess if they really analyzed it what they mean is the things leading up to it will be scary. We do see evidence of that for sure. But if our heart is in the right place it will be a great day...not just dreadful. Through prophesy we know that no one except our Father in Heaven knows when this will occur, but the Lord has given us enough scriptural information to know ~ the time is at hand. We are truly Saturday's warriors living in the last days of the earth, as we know it. All we need to do is look around to realize things are accelerating and Satan is having his field day right now.

But we know that when He comes again there will be a thousand years of no sin, with peace, perfect health, no death, etc. How can we not want to say, "Hasten the Day!" If we have prepared ourselves by adding a little oil each day we should not fear.

Anyone who has held and loved a perfectly innocent baby that is seriously ill in their arms will want that day to come sooner than later! Anyone that has felt the ravages of war, or been the victim of a crime, or suffered in any number of ways should want to see Him return, and soon. If we are converted to Christ we will know Him when we see Him return and we will be filled with immense joy.

Gospel scholars often speak of something being a 'type and an image' of Christ. An example would be when we are baptized it is a 'type and an image' of Christ's death and resurrection. I am not a gospel scholar in the time honored sense, by any means, but I had this thought while pondering and praying a few years ago and to me it is true.

This is a painting of Jesus comforting his mother
but I see it as the way He will comfort
us all when we return to His presence.

Isn't everyone going to be present for the second coming? We may not be standing on the earth when THE Second Coming of Christ occurs but we will all have our own opportunity to experience it when we pass from this life to the next. Will our return not be our own personal 2nd coming when we see Him again?

Just like we fear the events leading to the Second Coming of Christ like natural disasters, wars and rumors of wars, escalating crime, heartlessness, etc... we can definitely fear the approach to our own personal second coming. We should not fear our passing, but I think it is human to have some fear about what we will need to pass through to get there. Our death itself will be sweet, but the road may be rocky getting there with terrible illness, pain, suffering or whatever. Just like the Second Coming we do not know when it will occur. Only God is in charge of that. I just personally see a lot of similarities between the two events.

So my point here is that we should all be getting ready for the Second Coming, the big one and the smaller one. Because whichever one we do experience, we will experience one of them. And we should travel the same road in preparation for both. By staying on the path to the tree of life through our faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ we need not fear. We just add a little oil everyday and we will be protected.

Isn't that why we are constantly being reminded to study ponder and pray? Isn't that why we attend church, serve others and try to become more like Christ in word and deed? This is the time to prepare to meet God. When the need arises, the time for preparation is past. Step by step, day by day we can be ready and waiting for His return. And I love knowing how this story will end (although not really end, right?)~Christ will be victorious and the righteous will be with Him forever. We will be given all that He has by His grace, for doing so little in return. That is the definition of an endowment, receiving a lot by committing to a little. And that is why we do go forward with a perfect brightness of hope, laying all fears at the feet of the Savior.

The art work on this page contains the paintings of Liz Lemon Swindle, an artist I love for her amazing interruptions of the events of the Life of the Savior. Her work can be viewed here: Many of her paintings are for sale and they are magnificent when seen in person.

Thoughts From This Time Last Year....

Haiti less than 2 months ago

Chili~Today

When I wake up in the morning there is usually something I want to write about on my mind first thing. This morning I was thinking about adversity, the Last Days, and the 2nd Coming of Christ. Then I clicked onto my computer and saw the news about the major earthquake in Chili 8.8 with the effects threatening to be having some affect on 1/4 of the globe! I read that the effects may even be felt as far away as Japan. The Pacific Islands including Hawaii, Alaska, Coastal California may be hit with a tsunami...Hawaii being the most lightly target for now with La Jolla, CA and other coastal towns bracing, just in case.


I don't know about you but that makes me feel very small and insignificant when I think of the power and force behind these natural disasters. They seem to be coming at an ever-increasing pace. The prophecies of the last days are happening right before our eyes. As faithful Christians we look forward to the 2nd coming of Christ and our humanness also allows us to dread what will be and already is coming before hand. Sometimes it makes me want to just gather all the chicks back to the nest where we can just be together to weather the storms coming. We just want to make sure there are no empty chairs, that we are all on the same page and embedded in the same faith in Jesus Christ. That we can be together as a family and support each other close at hand. It is probably not to be in this life, but it is what we want.

Personally, I feel like for the last several years the trials and adversity suffered by families and individuals seems to be increasing quite rapidly too. Is that just me or do you feel it too? My prayer list get longer and longer.

30 years ago there were not as many people affected by the huge things as there seem to be now. Just about every family we know has something major to be dealing with~things that are life changing and very difficult. Things that are wide spread like birth defects, cancer, autism, devastating illnesses, unemployment, loss of homes, substance abuse, divorce, human slave trading and trafficking, increasing crime in every corner of the globe, etc.

The paradox to me is that traditionally and historically these types of things have brought people closer to God but looking around it feels like just the opposite is happening this time. What I see is the faithful getting more faithful and the unbelievers seem to be increasing in their pride and thoughts that they can handle life on their own. They are all for living it up, doing your own thing and the heck with any kind of moral conscience. Is this just me or do you agree?

The biggest perplexity to me comes when I wonder why people choose not to look to Christ. It is just that 'looking to the serpent on the stick and living' as we have read about in the old testament scriptures...is too easy? Are people just too stubborn to admit they might need divine help? Or even worse, to admit there actually is divine help? I know I say this all the time, but it really is odd to me.

A friend of mine is suffering a devastating loss of employment and loss of her home right now as she lives in a cottage on the estate in England where she has been employed as a chef. The family in the big house is splitting up, the property being sold and she and her husband are left out in the cold. No job, no house. Of course this has knocked them for a loop but this wonderful LDS couple has such strong faith and it will see them through this rough spot in their earth life.

On one of her two really down days I wrote this on her post as a comment....

Painting by Greg Olsen

"I once heard a talk, I think it was by Sherry Dew and she talked about living a life so intuned with the Lord that when you awaken in the morning the Devil says, "Oh, No, she's awake!"

One of his biggest tools is discouragement and when we awake refreshed and full of faith it so pleases the Lord and disgruntles the other one. That is you, my sweet friend. Full of faith and pressing forward with a prefect brightness of hope. I love you and things will work out.

When I have discouragement I try to remember that picture by Greg Olsen where the little girl is reaching up to Christ and He is leaning over to give her a hand up. He is there and you are reaching up! I am so proud of you.

And sometimes you just have to keep thinking in faith until you truly adopt that paradigm into your heart, hook line and sinker, that God really is in charge. That is when the fear leaves and the peace comes. I have had to do that many times with Hazel's health issues and other things too. It is incredibly amazing to be lifted up by the strong arm of the Lord."

My friend and her husband will survive and prosper and their faith will lift them up. Is there any other way to deal with the adversities of life that really help? If so, I am not aware of them. A little oil in our lamps each day helps us to be prepared and prayers for others really makes a difference. It is how we gird up our loins.

I have more thoughts on this...maybe tomorrow I'll do part 2.