My birthday weekend (shared with daughter #2 who turned 28 last weekend) was so fun, starting with our traditional margaritas on the way home from the airport.
Over the three day weekend we managed to fit in trips to the botanical garden and Grant’s Farm, lunch out and Ted Drewe’s, a night at the Sheldon with a red hot bluegrass band, plus three visits with the wee babes. We also watched Guys and Dolls (1955)! I even managed to squeeze in church–albeit the 8:00 a.m. service where I saw people I hadn’t seen in years!
This toy is too darn fun
Not to mention we enjoyed our first barbeque of the season, with cake and lots of presents!
The OM joined the TCM wine club on my behalf–It’s official: I am a total nerd.
My cup runneth over.
*It’s the oldest established, permanent floating
Crap game in New York!
Daughter #2 is flying home today on Southwest Airlines. Following the news that a passenger had been killed on a Southwest flight when an engine blew, I was heartened to read about the pilot who had saved the day and landed the plane.
Tammie Jo Shults, with her flyover name and bumped up pony-tail, is my kind of gal.
She is a true pioneer in the aviation field–a woman who broke real barriers to pursue her goals and was among the first female fighter pilots for the U.S. Navy. She did not just talk the talk, as so many feminists do. She walked the walk. I mean, a fighter pilot! She flew F-18s!
The Wall Street Journal attributes her incredible calm in the face of this emergency to her military training and this is doubtless true. However, at the end of the article, she is quoted as saying to her former track coach, that sitting in the captain’s chair gives her “the opportunity to witness for Christ on almost every flight.”
This suggests another reason for her calm. Tammie Jo Shults trusts in the Lord. There is no calm like that of the true believer.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)
I can say from experience that the more I have turned things over to God in my life and the more I trust in Him, the calmer I become and the more impervious to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.
Well, Tammie Jo, we’ll toast you tonight. God really is your co-pilot! And as I said, you’re my kind of gal.
It was a busy weekend and I feel like the wee laddie (above) at church–overstimulated and worn out.
I don’t want to give you the wrong idea though–It was a joyful and fun weekend. Daughter #1 and I managed to fit in an estate sale, margaritas, and watching Ben-Hur (1959) in its entirety. We enjoyed Ben-Hur immensely as always. Traditions are a great thing and I encourage you to start your own movie-watching ones. Teach your children (and grandchildren) to sit and pay attention to movies–I fear this is fast becoming a lost art.
We toasted Yakima Canutt, did you?
I made Episcopal Soufflé, a family favorite, for Easter brunch (because that’s what the boy always requests) and it was a crowd pleaser. The wee babes liked it too. They are little Episcopalians in the making, I tell you.
Now it is back to the salt mines and the start of a busy week. And, oh yes, did I mention a winter weather advisory?
Our bride-to-be seemed pleased with her shower and I think everyone had fun. The champagne punch was a hit.
It was a busy Saturday, but daughter #1 and I still managed to go out to breakfast and hit a couple of estate sales prior to the festivities.
We also watched two great movies over the weekend: The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming (1966)
which is a really funny movie. The screenplay is hilarious; it was even nominated for an Oscar. The movie was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Film Editing. If you have not seen it lately, treat yourself. Jonathan Winters repeatedly saying, “We have… GOT… to get organized!” is worth the price of admission alone. Also, I think I am becoming Muriel Everett.
The other movie we watched was The Quiet Man (1952)–the classic John Ford/John Wayne fantasy about Ireland–also very enjoyable.
As usual this poster shows a lot more cleavage/bosom than ever would have been appropriate in the actual film. Zut alors!
We went to the Palm Sunday service at Grace.
All went well with the Passion story as read by the lay reader stars. I was the Narrator again, which I enjoyed. But, you know, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (I Cor. 1:31)
Afterwards we went over to see the wee babes at their house before daughter #1 had to hit the road and head home to Mid-MO. It is always a joy to see the wee babes in their natural habitat.
And now it is back to the salt mine. Let’s try to keep our focus where it belongs during Holy Week!
I am so glad it is Friday and that the weekend is just around the corner. I plan to take it easy.
I’m going to clean up my kitchen after having some work done in there this week. And I’m going to start thinking about my trip east next weekend to see daughter #2. Maybe I’ll even pack!
I’m looking forward to seeing the wee babes.
It is rumored that the sun may be out this weekend, at least partially, so I’m hoping to get outside and survey the south forty.
And, by the way, Sunday is Johnny Appleseed Day.
“Oooooh, the Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the appleseed. The Lord is good to me.”
Thankfully my office is a pleasant space filled with lovely things I have brought from home.
And thankfully I like my job.
Each day I live I thank the Lord
I do the work I love;
And in it find a rich reward,
All price and praise above.
For few may do the work they love,
The fond unique employ,
That fits them as a hand a glove,
And gives them joy.
Oh gentlefolk, do you and you
Who toil for daily hire,
Consider that the job you do
Is to your heart’s desire?
Aye, though you are to it resigned,
And will no duty shirk,
Oh do you in your private mind
Adore your work?
Twice happy man whose job is joy,
Whose hand and heart combine,
In brave and excellent employ
As radiantly as mine!
But oh the weary, dreary day,
The wear and tear and irk
Of countless souls who cannot say:
‘I love my work.’
–Robert Service
And remember: “If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself, tell yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches; for to the creator there is no poverty and no poor indifferent place.” (Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet)
What a long week this has been! I am way more than ready for the weekend!
Daughter #1 is driving in from Columbia tonight and we will watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics and toast our American team.
Team U.S. Curling is ready to go!
On Saturday there is a gallery auction at the Link Auction House and we are going–how nice to have company!
Have you been looking for a copper deep sea diver’s helmet? There are two available!
Tomorrow night is the “Elegant Italian Dinner”–the annual fundraising event for our youth mission trip at church–such a major social event!
The OM will accompany me, but daughter #1 will be otherwise occupied.
And, of course, we hope to see the wee babes, those adorable goofballs.
That’s enough, don’t you agree?
“To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.”
We had more lovely warm weather this weekend and everyone was out and about. I even got the OM moving. (He usually hibernates in January.)
I also went to the church annual meeting…
…and the dedication of our new labyrinth in Albright Hall. The labyrinth is pretty cool. You will recall that the labyrinth in Christian parlance is a spiritual tool for prayer, a metaphor for your own spiritual journey–taking the next step with God. There is a famous one at Chartres Cathedral in France and they have one at Grace Episcopal Cathedral in San Francisco.
We used to have a portable labyrinth on a large piece of fabric which we would haul out from time to time. It finally wore out and, when we needed to renovate the floor in Albright Hall, someone had the bright idea of building a permanent one. Pretty clever.
Speaking of floor coverings, I rescued an amazing handmade needlepoint rug at the most recent Link Auction–for $10!
How great is that? The amount of work that goes into a needlepoint rug is beyond, you know, my comprehension. I also picked up a copy of the Women’s Exchange cookbook (Memphis, TN) from 1966 in my travels this weekend. What a classic! The recipes are all like: “Punch (My Mother’s)” with the notation that “one quart of champagne may be used instead of ginger ale.” My kind of ladies. Plus they all have names like Mrs. Stovall Jeter and Mary Chism Roberts and Mrs. Shelby Foote. There are also quotes sprinkled throughout (“Coquetry whets the appetite, flirtation depraves it” in the appetizer section). Fun to read and who knows, maybe I’ll make some of Mrs. Lucius McGehee’s Rum Mousse. I will not, however, try Mr. Johnny Jacobs’ recipe for Barbequed Raccoon.
The wee babes came over for dinner with their parents on Sunday night and we had tortellini–always a popular choice–although the wee laddie preferred the organic cheese ducks (like Pepperidge Farm Gold Fish).
I had cleaned up an old Fisher-Price horsie we found in the basement (from the 1980s) and the wee babes loved it.
Good times. (Thanks to the boy, once again, for the pictures of the babes.)
Visit then this soul of mine, pierce the gloom of sin and grief!
Fill me, radiancy divine; scatter all my unbelief;
More and more thyself display, shining to the perfect day.
–Charles Wesley, hymn #7
Boy, do I love a three-day weekend! Don’t you? Daughter #1 stopped overnight Friday on her way to Indianapolis to meet up with some old college friends who also had had exciting careers in NYC and then moved back to the midwest. Then she stopped last night on her way back to central Missouri. How fun is that? We watched The World of Henry Orient (1964)–“an Upper East Side” movie and one of our faves. It is by far my favorite Peter Sellers movie and the girls in this film are dear to my heart.
(Like all trailers, this one does not quite convey the true idea/flavor of the movie.)
In between I met with my girlfriends to plan a bridal shower in March. Bells are ringing (again)! I puttered around the house putting stuff away. This is what I do and this is what brings me joy.
We had a guest preacher at church on Sunday–the Bishop’s Deputy for Gun Violence Prevention. I thought, oh brother, are we in for it, but he actually preached on MLK (his feast day is April 4, whatever) and tied it into the OT reading. Okay, then.
The wee babes came over on Sunday night for dinner and to show us their new haircuts.
That face!
Their mother loves to take them to have their locks shorn–I’m not sure why and neither are they.
But mine is not to reason why. They are adorable regardless.
Here are a few things from the internet:
This was interesting. #6 is particularly true–especially for those of us with scary RBF**: “Remember to smile. It will brighten your aspect and your voice, and serve as a corrective to the inevitable facial droop.”
Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which Thou has given me, for all the pains and insults which Thou hast borne for me, O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and brother, may I know Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, and follow Thee more nearly, day by day.
“Out of all the things you could not have there were some that you could have and one of those was to know when you were happy and to enjoy all of it while it was there and it was good.”
Over the three day weekend we managed to fit in trips to the botanical garden and Grant’s Farm, lunch out and Ted Drewe’s, a night at the Sheldon with a red hot bluegrass band, plus three visits with the wee babes. We also watched Guys and Dolls (1955)! I even managed to squeeze in church–albeit the 8:00 a.m. service where I saw people I hadn’t seen in years!
dual personalities 