It’s Tuesday, and Ruby came to visit.
She, with her deep-sea blue eyes,
her wispy strawberry blond eyelashes,
and her soft-as-silk red hair.
She came to steal my heart.
It’s been a delightful Ruby Tuesday.
Category Archives: Family File
Thoughts on family life
More Winter Than We Need
“There seems to be so much more winter than we need this year.”
– Kathleen Norris
I agree, Kathleen.
Especially today.
As the headline yesterday said, “Blizzard To Pummel State”.
Well, the pummeling has commenced.
What’s keeping me sane during this Groundhog’s Day snowstorm?
“I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don’t feel so bad.”
Today I will shut my shades, sip my coffee, and share some of the things that are saving me right now.
My own little corner in my own little room.
This is where I go to find out what I’m thinking.
I never really know for sure until I pick up a pencil and start writing.
My bullet journal/planner extraordinaire.
New in February: rainbow colors!
Raspberries and blueberries on my cereal.
I can close my eyes and taste summer.
Extra time for reading, studying, and writing on a snowy day.
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.” 1 Timothy 1:17
Waking up to this cutie every morning.
There’s nothing like the sound of her little voice calling, “Opa! Nonnie!”
Listening to the “What Should I Read Next?” podcast on my hand-me-down iPod.
And Sandra McCracken’s “Psalms”.
This is Mark. Mark the Bookmark. His feet stick out the top of the book I’m reading.
He makes me smile.
I tried to find more Marks to give as Christmas gifts, but not one could be found in the United States of America.
I saved the best for last.
These guys. Half a dozen grands. How I love these six little people.
They are wild and sweet and irresistible.
These are a few of my favorite things.
Is it still snowing?
The Gift That Keeps on Bending
What do you get the guy who has everything?
A knee joint, of course.
I gave PB a new knee for Christmas, complete with a two night stay at an all-inclusive resort, of sorts. The get-away included all the meatloaf and cable TV he wanted, loungewear with a breezy backside, and hourly blood pressure checks. The ice machine and crutches were extra, but I threw them into the package deal.
Upon checkout, PB was presented with a lovely tote bag filled with goodies — a plastic cup, a box of kleenex and a cute pair of bright yellow socks. And a bottle of pain killers.
I guess PB and I won’t be going out dancing this New Year’s Eve.
But then, we’ve never gone out dancing on New Year’s Eve.
Or any other Eve.
At least we can still kiss at midnight.
He sure knows how to close out 2015 with a bang.
Butter Disappointment
You know how it is when your toast pops up and it’s perfectly crusty — not too dark, but crisp enough to crunch?
And you grab the peach jam jar with all those little bits of sweet summer swimming in the sugary gel?
And you have the knife blade in hand, about to slather that browned bread with a base-coat of butter?
And you take the dish with daubs of divine creaminess dancing around the edge?
And then you lift the lid?
You know how that is?
Little Boxes
I love little boxes.
No, I’m not talking about those little black ones tied up with a bow and containing sparkly diamonds or shiny gold jewelry.
Instead, my heart goes pitter-pat for these little boxes.
Let me explain.
I’ve been reading up on something called a bullet journal — “The Analog System for the Digital Age”. The purpose of this journal is to organize your life and boost productivity using a good old-fashioned notebook and a pencil. It started as a simple, streamlined system created by an art director in New York City who “specializes in interactive design and usability”.
I have no idea what that means.
But then some really creative artsy people got ahold of this thing and took it to a whole new level. After perusing the “Bullet Journal Junkies” Facebook page, I got hooked.
As it turns out, there’s a whole culture of dedicated fans who have very strong feelings about the best notebooks and writing utensils to use. They also are extremely supportive of each other and offer newbies tons of encouragement.
So I dove in with a Moleskine journal and some Staedtler Triplus Fineliner pens. Now I see what this really is all about.
- This is a way to create a completely customized planner. I decide what goes in and what stays out. In other words, it’s a control freak’s dream.
- This is a glorified chore chart. I remember making job lists for my kids when they were learning to make their beds, get dressed, go to the potty. After every completed task, they got a sticker to put on the chart. A chart full of stickers usually meant a trip to town to buy a toy. It was pretty effective. Instead of stickers, I get to color in little boxes with my new pens. It’s pretty effective.
- This is an ingenious mix of a right-brain organizational tool and a left-brain creative outlet.
- Some people need a little box to color in at the end of the day to give them a sense of accomplishment.
- I am one of those people.
Here’s a peek:
See all those orange boxes? They make me so happy.
This is my habit tracker — it’s keeping tabs on my behavior, helping me stay accountable to the good habits I want to develop.
Yeah, I’m not about to disclose what those habits are — that might be a little too much accountability. I know it’s working, though, because I caught myself thinking, “If I don’t eat my 1/2 pound of raw veggies today I won’t be able to color in my box.”
I’m not much of an artist, but I can make dots and dashes and print nicely.
I already know what I want to tweak for November.
Maybe this is just another kick that will wear off by 2016.
Or maybe I will become a bullet journal fanatic.
Either way, coloring in little boxes sparks joy.
And it might give me an excuse to drive into town and pick out a new toy.
I Need Nature
I need nature more than I think I do.
I need to feel small beside a waterfall,
weak behind a boulder,
dumb before a sunset.
I need to hear the language of the loons,
the rhythm of the waves on the shore,
the chatter of leaves in the breeze.
King David was right –
green pastures and still waters
restore souls.
Meet Ruby
These Guys
These guys don’t know what’s about to hit them.
In a matter of days, their world is going to shift dramatically.
These rough and tumble boys will soon be promoted to “big brother” status.
Baby Sister is coming!
So move over Thomas the Train —
make room for princesses and tea parties and sparkly pink stuff.
Watch out cars and trucks —
get ready for hair bows and tutus and baby dolls.
Little Sissy has a lot to teach these guys —
it won’t be long now.
Vacation
Today,
I smell a yellow rose,
drink coffee from a smiley cup,
and watch PB read the paper across the table.
No deep thoughts,
no pressing demands,
no duties to perform.
I am taking a vacation
from myself.
“Come away with me to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31
Paying Respects
Last night PB and I went to a visitation at a funeral home for a dear lady that was a member of a church we used to serve. We wanted to offer our condolences to the family and support them during their time of loss. For PB, this is the equivalent of a Friday night date. I’m okay with that.
Upon entering the funeral home, I went to the guest book and started to sign our names. I glanced up at the 8×10 picture of our deceased friend and was stunned at how much she had changed in the last few years. That’s when PB whispered, “Umm…that’s not her.” Realization hit that we were at the wrong funeral home. I panicked.
Should I cross out the half-written name in the guest book? No.
Should I go ahead and finish signing our names? No.
So I took PB’s middle name and stuck it on as a last name and I hightailed it out of there.
PB was a few steps behind me because he had stopped to grab a few pieces of complimentary candy.
I sure hope no one saw us sprinting out the door and through the parking lot, exploding with laughter.
That might have looked bad.
We finally found the right funeral home and paid our respects to the right person. But every few miles on the ride home, PB and I would look at each other and start giggling.
I love going on dates with PB.
a small drop of ink 
