1 year ago
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Nature in the city
This morning Mom opened my door and said, "You have to look out the bathroom window if you can see through the trees." Intrigued, I followed her into the bathroom. Far away on our terrace three deer sat in a row staring at the house. Mom said when she'd opened the shades in the kitchen all three were looking right at her. Then when we pulled up at church there was a very large turkey standing by the road. He was gobble-gobbling and nearly got run down by a car because he was too busy talking. Seriously, though, he was huge! When you live in the city you don't necessarily expect to encounter nature in such proximity. Not too long ago we had a beautiful red fox sniffing around the backyard. I like being reminded of God when I see unexpected nature sightings.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Road Weary
Two comments that brought a smile to my face this week:
He started out well. He knew his beverages. (In reference to a poor dining experience.)
For a hypochondriac, the view of a hospital is calming. (In reference to a window view.)
Yesterday I made my first trek up to see the boyfriend in his new place. The drive is right around a 6-hour round trip. Accomplished in one day, it is a bit tiring. However, it was worth it. Plus, I was able to help me bring some order into the chaos of moving in and I do love bringing order.
As I neared his place yesterday morning, an accident blocked all 4 lanes of the road I was travelling and all traffic was being directed onto a narrow, snow-covered street for a brief detour. While I don't enjoy detours in general, this time it was made worse because of the many, many semis that were joining all of us in this pass-by parade (traffic from the other direction was detoured through the same area, so we were passing on those narrow streets). I try to be an equitable driver and when a semi needed to turn the corner at a stop sign, I kept my car back from the intersection so he had room to turn. As he turned, his back wheels dipped into a ditch and I saw the truck sway my direction as if it wanted to tip over right onto the hood of my car. He kept turning and all of a sudden I realized that I was going to be crushed if I didn't start backing up really fast down that slippery road. Thankfully the person behind me wasn't very close. I narrowly escaped collision and then watched horrified as two more semis basically took advantage of my position and ran the stop sign, also coming very close to hitting my little Honda. I couldn't move. Then as a van turned I moved my car forward so I could continue on this unhappy, nowheart-pounding detour. But to no avail, another semi just blew through the stop sign and turned. I stared at the guy, threw up my hands, and talked loudly at him within my car as I backed my car up once again. He yelled out his window at me as if I was in the wrong and ridiculous for even thinking I should have any sort of right of way. I only made it through the intersection after that guy (who I glared out quite soundly), because the truck behind him had slid a slightly into the ditch and stopped all the traffic behind him. It was a bit disastrous.
Thankfully my drive home was much less eventful. It was dark and boring, but I did glimpse beautiful, soothing, twinkling stars. I even opened my moon roof cover and glanced up, but then I realized that the boyfriend would be horrified if he knew that I was looking up while driving at night, so I slid the stars out of view. But while I drove I pondered such things as the difference between picaresque (of or describing witty, amusing rogues or their adventures) and picturesque (visually charming as if resembling a painting). Lest you think these thoughts would more than likely put me to sleep rather than invigorate my mind, please realize I was also sporadically singing along with my iPod.
He started out well. He knew his beverages. (In reference to a poor dining experience.)
For a hypochondriac, the view of a hospital is calming. (In reference to a window view.)
Yesterday I made my first trek up to see the boyfriend in his new place. The drive is right around a 6-hour round trip. Accomplished in one day, it is a bit tiring. However, it was worth it. Plus, I was able to help me bring some order into the chaos of moving in and I do love bringing order.
As I neared his place yesterday morning, an accident blocked all 4 lanes of the road I was travelling and all traffic was being directed onto a narrow, snow-covered street for a brief detour. While I don't enjoy detours in general, this time it was made worse because of the many, many semis that were joining all of us in this pass-by parade (traffic from the other direction was detoured through the same area, so we were passing on those narrow streets). I try to be an equitable driver and when a semi needed to turn the corner at a stop sign, I kept my car back from the intersection so he had room to turn. As he turned, his back wheels dipped into a ditch and I saw the truck sway my direction as if it wanted to tip over right onto the hood of my car. He kept turning and all of a sudden I realized that I was going to be crushed if I didn't start backing up really fast down that slippery road. Thankfully the person behind me wasn't very close. I narrowly escaped collision and then watched horrified as two more semis basically took advantage of my position and ran the stop sign, also coming very close to hitting my little Honda. I couldn't move. Then as a van turned I moved my car forward so I could continue on this unhappy, nowheart-pounding detour. But to no avail, another semi just blew through the stop sign and turned. I stared at the guy, threw up my hands, and talked loudly at him within my car as I backed my car up once again. He yelled out his window at me as if I was in the wrong and ridiculous for even thinking I should have any sort of right of way. I only made it through the intersection after that guy (who I glared out quite soundly), because the truck behind him had slid a slightly into the ditch and stopped all the traffic behind him. It was a bit disastrous.
Thankfully my drive home was much less eventful. It was dark and boring, but I did glimpse beautiful, soothing, twinkling stars. I even opened my moon roof cover and glanced up, but then I realized that the boyfriend would be horrified if he knew that I was looking up while driving at night, so I slid the stars out of view. But while I drove I pondered such things as the difference between picaresque (of or describing witty, amusing rogues or their adventures) and picturesque (visually charming as if resembling a painting). Lest you think these thoughts would more than likely put me to sleep rather than invigorate my mind, please realize I was also sporadically singing along with my iPod.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Childhood hobbies collide in dream.
Anyone who knows the boyfriend knows that he loves comic books. Anyone that doesn't know the boyfriend, but reads his blog knows that he loves comic books. This is just an important facet of who he is and readily apparent when any time is spent with him. He collects posters of comic characters and many of them are framed. His old place held many posters on its aging walls. His new place is as yet undecided for decor. Truly, that is off subject, though. So, back to where I was planning to go.
The boyfriend loved comic books as a kid and still finds enjoyment in them. I loved dolls as a girl, and while my love of them has completely changed, I still have a soft place in my heart for them and still own a lot (too many, I'm certain). One day the boyfriend told me he was rather creeped out by my dolls (I have a mere 4 on a shelf in my room, the ones that wouldn't fit into my box). I had/have no plans of decorating my home with dolls, but I do want to be able to pass them along to daughters or nieces some day. Last night as I tossed and turned in bed I dreamed that I made a trip to the frame store to pick up yet another framed poster for the boyfriend (I did actually pick up a Superman frame on Tuesday after work). Upon arriving the clerk handed me a doll with comic pictures framed into its legs. The irony of the meshing of comic books and dolls was not lost on me even in my dream world. I was certain, though, that the boyfriend would be less than thrilled with the new frame. Still it makes me laugh. What amazing ideas our brains ponder even in our sleep!
The boyfriend loved comic books as a kid and still finds enjoyment in them. I loved dolls as a girl, and while my love of them has completely changed, I still have a soft place in my heart for them and still own a lot (too many, I'm certain). One day the boyfriend told me he was rather creeped out by my dolls (I have a mere 4 on a shelf in my room, the ones that wouldn't fit into my box). I had/have no plans of decorating my home with dolls, but I do want to be able to pass them along to daughters or nieces some day. Last night as I tossed and turned in bed I dreamed that I made a trip to the frame store to pick up yet another framed poster for the boyfriend (I did actually pick up a Superman frame on Tuesday after work). Upon arriving the clerk handed me a doll with comic pictures framed into its legs. The irony of the meshing of comic books and dolls was not lost on me even in my dream world. I was certain, though, that the boyfriend would be less than thrilled with the new frame. Still it makes me laugh. What amazing ideas our brains ponder even in our sleep!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Driving Thru
This small pass-through town that I live in holds little to excite. The main drag (which is really all there is besides the side streets of houses and neighborhoods) is lined with gas stations, liquor stores/bars, car related businesses, and churches. There is, however, a Dairy Queen. A couple years back it burned and the old was replaced with a nice and shiny building. During the summer months the parking lot is frequently full, but the winter months are, unsurprisingly, harder on the ice cream business. To entice passing drivers the DQ sign offers deals on Dilly Bars throughout the cold months. The vacillating numbers I've noticed over the last couple months are: buy 6 dilly bars get 10 free; buy 6 dilly bars get 6 free; buy 6 dilly bars get 10 free; and this weeks deal, buy 6 dilly bars get 4 free. Why would someone who actually pays attention want to get 10 dilly bars for the price of 6 when in a couple weeks he'll be able to buy 16 for the price of 6? Honestly, I wonder if people actually take advantage, or if we've all become so accustomed to the words on the sign that we ignore the sign altogether. Maybe the management should switch up the option a little more.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Saturday & Sunday Nights
Last evening Sister 1 & husband, Sister 2 & husband, Brother 1 & fiance, the boyfriend & I went to P.F. Changs for a celebratory, farewell dinner for the boyfriend. Although we had to wait 20 minutes past our reservation time before we were seated, we had a pleasant, relaxing meal with amazing food. Lots of talking and laughing. We finished with chocolate pies made by Sister 1. Delicious!!! I enjoy the companionship of my siblings and thank the Lord we've been able to transition into bringing the significant others into that camaraderie.
Tonight I was in nursery at church. Sometimes this is a very laid back time, other nights it is very interactive. Tonight I had the interactive kid. He wanted to play chase (he was Superman chasing me) and ride on my back and generally boss me around in an endearing sort of way. The activity heated me up and late into our time I shed my cardigan. I was wearing a feminine, cap-sleeved top that I don't wear particularly often. The little guy stared at me, gave me a once over and said, "Put your shirt on." (As if I'd done something offensive.) I assured him I had a shirt on, I'd only taken off my sweater, just like he'd taken his sweater off earlier when he'd been hot. He looked at me very seriously and said, "No, that's a bra." I'm pretty sure a look of shock crossed my face and I exclaimed, perhaps a little too emphatically for a 3-year-old, "This is not a bra, it's a shirt. All I took off was my sweater!" And without another comment we returned to our Superman chase game. You never know what's going to come out of a kid's mouth.
Tonight I was in nursery at church. Sometimes this is a very laid back time, other nights it is very interactive. Tonight I had the interactive kid. He wanted to play chase (he was Superman chasing me) and ride on my back and generally boss me around in an endearing sort of way. The activity heated me up and late into our time I shed my cardigan. I was wearing a feminine, cap-sleeved top that I don't wear particularly often. The little guy stared at me, gave me a once over and said, "Put your shirt on." (As if I'd done something offensive.) I assured him I had a shirt on, I'd only taken off my sweater, just like he'd taken his sweater off earlier when he'd been hot. He looked at me very seriously and said, "No, that's a bra." I'm pretty sure a look of shock crossed my face and I exclaimed, perhaps a little too emphatically for a 3-year-old, "This is not a bra, it's a shirt. All I took off was my sweater!" And without another comment we returned to our Superman chase game. You never know what's going to come out of a kid's mouth.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Saturday
So it's been a week since my last post which puts me back to the "in the trenches" Saturday. Although it was hectic, I spent most of the day looking forward to being picked up by the boyfriend, who I haven't seen since Wednesday. And, indeed it's been the highlight of my day so far. And the evening will just get better, I'm certain. How it that for optimism?
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