A Simple Woman's Daybook~September 5, 2011

Just For Today...Monday, September 5, 2011

As my friend Marie's says about writing a daybook post or reading one," It is like sitting down together for a chat over tea."

Outside my window...it is Labor Day, it is 9:00 am and it is chilly outside. Jim is already out "laboring" helping a friend frame a new door they put in last week. Honestly, the man never stops. I don't know why it should surprise me all the time but it still does. He went to the doctor yesterday regarding his six hornet stings. His hands looked like boxing gloves. He got some meds and discovered his hands had more stinks than he thought...the count is now 9! But the medications have helped and now they just look like somewhat deflated boxing gloves so in his mind it is OK to proceed with more work. Argh! Oh well, better than a couch potato, right?

I am thankful for...Jim is getting better, it was kind of scary when the swelling started going up his arms.

From the learning room...to keep trying, always keep trying to accomplish what you know is important! Discouragement is one of Satan's greatest tools. If discouragement can grab a hold of you, you will quit trying. That is his in! Never Give Up. I feel like I have been hitting a wall lately in my learning about genealogy and the mountain seems so huge...but I will not give in, I will not give up!

I am reading..."What The Scriptures Teach Us About Adversity" by S. Michael Wilcox, "Abraham Lincoln, God's Humble Servant" by Ron Anderson and "Rutka's Notebook" (The Polish Anne Frank.) The first two books we bought at Education Week after hearing the most amazing lectures by the authors and the last book was given to me, by Stephen when we had lunch together with our spouses at Ed Week. All three are excellent and should take a bit of time to read.

From the kitchen...I need to go shopping and plan the week today. Every Monday that is my job. I have found that it is better to shop after the weekend then before it. You spend less money and you are not in the "weekend mode" of thinking about food so you buy better, more nutritious foods.

I am wondering...how bad the traffic is out on the freeways around here today. We are not doing it today. Maybe we will have our little holiday another day this week. There are just too many cars and too many cool places to go around here so everyone is out there today.

I am missing...The Ocean, The Bay, The Water...have been in the desert most of the summer and need some H2O time.

I am hearing...Crazy by Patsy Cline. Sweet!

I am wearing...My pjs but I have the distinct prompting to be getting dressed immediately as it is bound to be the day someone drops over. But I'd much rather sit here and do this so I might just tempt my fate for a few more minutes.

I am quoting..."It is hard to hit the bull's eye with the first arrow."

Something that made me especially happy this week...Spencer and Ross have returned to school after three years of home schooling. By sheer blessings and a lot of work and prayers they both got into this wonderful private school in RI that will be beyond beneficial for them. The fact that they are happy and excited about it is a big hurdle over their fears of going back. Leaving mom as their teacher has been pretty hard. But this will be wonderful for her too. Home schooling is so much work for the parents. This can only make a parent and grandparent happy, right? A win/win for them all.

I am going...move along with my projects and goals and think positively and when I get discouraged I will ask myself why I know I can do this? Sometimes asking the right questions of yourself changes how you think.

One of my guilty pleasures...singing, it just makes you feel good!

Pet Peeves...that just when you feel like you can settle down and start saving money something happens. We had to buy two major things this week and a new oven was one of them. Argh!

One of my favorite things...being without our oven for a week or so is no big deal during the summer!

An enjoyable movie I have watched lately...Jim and I are watching the series North and South (not the British one) right now. It fits in perfectly with all the things we learned about Abraham Lincoln at Education Week. Patrick Swayze is brilliant in it.

I am curious about...what we would do without electricity and our electronic devices. Shudder to even wonder. We depend on it all way too much, don't you think? But it does makes life so compelling on so many levels to be able to communicate world wide in an instant, watch wonderful films any time, flip a switch and everything turns on. I guess we could learn a lot from those in the east that are still without power or who have just recently gotten it back. How can we ever stop thanking God for all we have been blessed with at this time in history is my curiosity today.

If I could change one thing it would be....the unrealistic expectations we have of others sometimes that cause us great angst and often sorrow. We have to learn to see others as just struggling human beings like we are. We are all on a journey to becoming better humans but no one is perfect. Why do we hope they will be in most situations? That is setting ourselves up for continual disappointment. Dumb! Let's stop doing that for a better, happier world!

A few plans for the rest of the week...bills, appointments for hair and nails, work tomorrow, maybe a day out with James if he can, usual date night, blogging, genealogy, keeping up with the kids and my brother, clean this house and the porches. I never run out of things to do but it all seems like just normal stuff this week. I am glad of that.

Here is a photo and some thoughts I am sharing with you...

I just love this photo of Connor. Something about all our grandsons is that none of them like to get their pictures taken and consequently the photos rarely show how cute they really are. But I think this one caught Con off guard. No forced smile or grin and bear it type look on his face, just the real him. It looks just like him!

Connor is growing up to be a very sweet and considerate person. He has made lots of friends wherever he goes because he is so funny and bright and fun to be with. We love this big guy with all our hearts and delight in being his grandparents. He will have a great sixth grade year and make new friends. He was sad to be in a different class than all his good friends, but I know he will just gain more good friends. He'll be 12 in December, it doesn't seem possible. We love you, Connor George! He reminds me of his Daddy in the photo. It takes me right back to when Chris was this age. Love that! Instant anti-aging for him and us.