Just For Today...Monday, October 10, 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 6:40 am and still dark. Where did our sunny, early mornings go? The calendar seems to be in a tailspin this year. Blink twice and a month has vanished! It is supposed to rain today and then be sunny the rest of the week. Sounds good to me! It is definitely autumn here now and I love it. It is the quintessential, cool, crisp, exciting and beautiful.
From the learning room...I have had a major break through in my understanding of how to organize my genealogical research, and store my findings in places where they can be found quickly, etc. What I learned was that in order to understand something the way your brain works, you have to know the right questions to ask. You have to have someone to mentor you and teach you one on one sometimes. It takes years off the learning curve. Then once you gain the knowledge you are seeking, you need to be that mentor to someone else and pay it forward.
I Am Reading..."Rutka's Notebook" (The Polish Anne Frank.) And The Secret Code of Success by Noah St. John. One page at a time I might add. I just cannot seem to sit still with a book right now. Did not turn a page this week but the light is dawning on my Family History project so I have high hopes to get back soon.
From the kitchen...I did my shopping over the weekend to have a Monday that is totally free for other things. Tonight for dinner, either tacos or sun-dried tomato pesto. Haven't decided just yet. It's hard for me to think about dinner when the sun isn't even up yet. But the cupboards and frig are all set for whatever I choose later.
I am wondering...why I am falling in love with Italy all over again? There are several reasons; for one I have been listening to a lot of beautiful Italian music. Music always seems to stir something so deep within. I thought we had been to Italy enough when we returned last time but...now I want to go back again. I want to learn some Italian so I can better read the documents regarding our family history. And I want to go back to Northern Italy and walk the street where our ancestors walked once again at the very least. And this morning the thought of serving a mission there in Caserta seemed quite appealing.
I am missing...a chance to hug Robert one more time before he goes to the middle east for 14 months. I am going to miss him so much while he is away. And a chance to stand beside our daughter and grandsons and reassure them that all will be well when he leaves. We are so blessed to have him in our family and Laura really got herself a prize in that young man. Honestly, I could have searched the whole world over for the perfect match for her and not found one that could be better that her Robert! What a tremendous blessing, what more could any parent of a beloved daughter ask for than that?
I am hearing...beautiful, Italian, instrumental music that takes me right there! The mandolin belongs to the high, rugged cliffs and emerald seas of the Amalfi Coast. And also visions of Luciano Pavarotti singing his beautiful rendition of Caruso from one of these windows in the foreground and thoughts of romantic love and life. Ahhh! La Dolce Vita!
Internet photo someone sent me,sorry no attribution
I am quoting..."Real Love begins when nothing is expected in return." Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Thank you, Marie, for sharing this on Facebook. I was looking for something that expressed this sentiment exactly. Love is about what you give, more then about what you receive. Although both are lovely! ;-)
Somethings that made me especially happy this week...Overcoming a big hurdle in genealogy, finding my "lost" files on my computer of many cherished family recipes, unexpected electronic postcards from my friend that is traveling, and a new waffle iron the first one we have ever owned! It is the kind that you pour the batter in and then rotate the iron 180 degrees, for perfect waffles every time. You may have seen them at continental breakfast bars in places like The Comfort Inn in your travels. Love it!
I am going... to go to two classes tomorrow at the Family History Center totaling 3 hours and then work an eight hour shift, so a very long work day for us again this week. Then on Saturday Jim and I are going to an all day seminar on Family History so I am looking forward to learning a lot this week.One of my guilty pleasures...fried calamari. I rarely eat any fried food, so I only have it about once a year but, I do hope it is soon! We love to go to Scott's Seafood restaurant on very special occasions. I am going to have to think up a very special occasion so we can get over there. Also want to get over to the Cliff House in SF for lunch one day soon. That is one thing that is on our Bucket List and I am sure they have calamari, so may be able to kill two birds with one stone!
Pet Peeves...getting home from the grocery store and having forgotten something important, even when it is on my grocery list. Or even worse yet, writing my list and then leaving it at home! Argh!
One of my favorite things...keeping things under control. I hate chaos! I need all my little duckies in a row.
An enjoyable movie I have watched lately...One of the ten best movies I have ever seen, Il Postino. It is an Italian movie and just precious. Some people don't like to read their movies but I don't mind and this movie is worth the effort. EXCELLENT!
If I could change one thing it would be....that our dear Robert would not have to go to the war at the end of this month....sigh.
A few plans for the rest of the week...work and classes tomorrow, Wednesday feeding the missionaries and possible day trip, Thursday, another trip to our optometrist . After sitting in traffic for 45 minutes they called and cancelled our appointment due to a power outage last week. Bummer, we were one exit before our arrival. Friday s funeral at 11:30 for a friend that passed away last night. In the afternoon, free as a bird which means work on my folders and files and blogs. Saturday all day seminar. Sunday the usual church meetings and whatever else comes up. It is going to be a busy week. Am also hoping to squeeze in some visiting teaching, but it does not look promising for this week.
Here is a photo and some thoughts I am sharing with you...
This is a beautiful place we saw on the banks of a small island, while we went on a water tour of some of the famous light houses in Maine. I seem to be so nostalgic about that trip and have such tender feelings as I have looked through these photos. I am afraid I will not find it so beautiful in winter. (I put the phrase about faith on the bottom of the photo for Laura.)
Our trip will be here before we know it...about ten weeks. ( It is a good things since I seem to be having feelings of wanderlust between Italy and New England.) What will make it so lovely is to go to New England at Christmas time and being with our sweet kids. They have had to spend so many Christmases alone as they have traveled all over creation serving our country. We are not going to do a lot of traveling on this trip coming up as we cannot depend on good weather. We are just going to chill and be together and have a great celebration of our Savior's birth on that beautiful island. If we are snowed in for three weeks, I am OK with that. Just being with them is enough.
A Blog post that I found very fascinating this week...If you want to learn something special about Yom Kippur from a Christian point of view, click over to Delia's blog entitled Eve Out of The Garden. E-mail subscribers click the link below. This is really a good read!
http://www.eveoutofthegarden.com/2011/10/yom-kippur-for-mormon.html
And there you have it, another daybook entry about life in our times.
Here is a photo and some thoughts I am sharing with you...
This is a beautiful place we saw on the banks of a small island, while we went on a water tour of some of the famous light houses in Maine. I seem to be so nostalgic about that trip and have such tender feelings as I have looked through these photos. I am afraid I will not find it so beautiful in winter. (I put the phrase about faith on the bottom of the photo for Laura.)
Our trip will be here before we know it...about ten weeks. ( It is a good things since I seem to be having feelings of wanderlust between Italy and New England.) What will make it so lovely is to go to New England at Christmas time and being with our sweet kids. They have had to spend so many Christmases alone as they have traveled all over creation serving our country. We are not going to do a lot of traveling on this trip coming up as we cannot depend on good weather. We are just going to chill and be together and have a great celebration of our Savior's birth on that beautiful island. If we are snowed in for three weeks, I am OK with that. Just being with them is enough.
A Blog post that I found very fascinating this week...If you want to learn something special about Yom Kippur from a Christian point of view, click over to Delia's blog entitled Eve Out of The Garden. E-mail subscribers click the link below. This is really a good read!
http://www.eveoutofthegarden.com/2011/10/yom-kippur-for-mormon.html
And there you have it, another daybook entry about life in our times.
2 comments:
I loved your thoughtful morning post...As my husband and I serve in the temple, we are over the baptistry and we are seeing many youth come in who have found their ancestors, by themselves, and they are so happy to be there to do their work for them, it's awesome! :D
OUTSIDE...clear skies after 2 1/2 days of tropical rains! Some areas even had results you would find from a hurricane!!
THANKFUL...That I didn't have to have my lab mix (13 years old) put down this week! He's back to eating and getting up on his own. LEARNING ROOM...that a person's brain is of one shape or another. Scientists have found that each human being has a brain that has an extended "flap" that curls under the front of the forehead OR they do not. Those that have the "flap" have a more accurate recall of past events where those that do not have the "flap" tend to remember things the way they wanted it to be.
READING...scriptures for my daily Bible reading and those scriptures for Wednesday's morning's Bible Study.
KITCHEN...not much this week!
WONDERING...why people either live in the past or leave the past behind!
MISSING...a lapel pin. I have no idea what I did with it.
HEARING...the mewing of new kittens that a ferrel cat brought to my back door!
WEARING...my green Timbercrest Elem. polo shirt and brown pants.
QUOTING..."...I am a stranger on earth" Psalm 119:19
ESPECIALLY UNHAPPY...our autumn fest had to be cancelled due to the tropical downpour! GOING...crazy when doing the sound system. There are always people you can never satisfy! There are some things we have no control over! (Stage amplifiers, etc.!)
GUILTY PLEASURE...Wendy's Chocolate Frosty (I may have said that before!)
PET PEEVE...that if everyone would treat others as they would treat themselves, we wouldn't have the ongoing conflicts that occur.
FAVORITE...being retired! I didn't know how truly rewarding it is!
MOVIE...I can't remember the title, but it was one of Clint Eastwood's movies! When I remember it, I'll let you know!
CHANGE...it would be to stop all of the construction on new shopping centers when we have so many now that have been abandoned!
WEEKLY...relaxation. Not much to do this week but my midweek Bible study, hair appointment and...
Love to you and yours,
Susan
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