I have been wanting to go to Expensive National Chain Steak Restaurant for a while, so Mike used some of our credit card points to get a gift card for us to be able to do that. We went on Sunday. And the food was really good, though I have to say that Mike makes […]
Categories: General
This spring, I discovered that I have a special talent. If I am going up a set of stairs with a landing in the middle, I will almost certainly fall up the stairs somewhere on the second half. I don’t fall down stairs. Just up. I can’t figure out if it’s just me getting ahead […]
Categories: General
I use my own bags at the grocery store. We compost. We have a share in a farm and get most of our produce from there. We also buy a whole lot at the Farmer’s Market. From time to time, we shop at Trader Joe’s. (In fact, we have to drive to Chapel Hill to […]
Categories: Funny Stuff
“When you reread a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in yourself than there was before.” -Clifton Fadiman I hope Mr. Fadiman will make an exception in this case, because I would hate to think what seeing zombies in Pride and Prejudice might mean for […]
Categories: Books
I went through a bit of a hard time at the end of the school year. In order to keep me from being completely pessimistic, the art teacher bought me this: It says the same thing on both sides. There is no room for pessimism when it comes to our art teacher. The next day, […]
Categories: General
An announcement: “Edward Cullen, please bring Bella her sunglasses.” Right, like Edward would be at the pool. His sunbathing would be just a little bit too dazzling.
Categories: Books,Funny Stuff
At the pool, I like to watch the kids who run off the high dive and squeal with joy as they fly through the air with abandon. I myself have issues when it comes to swimming, and I haven’t yet managed to attempt a jump off the high dive. I have, however, managed to ask […]
Categories: General
My dad spoke plainly, without artifice or subterfuge. I do not think he was into poetry. But this poem describes how I feel about him and the power and influence he had on the people around him. I know it is a little long. If you can’t read it all, please at least read the […]
With apologies to Andy Samberg (that is the edited version so my mom can watch it) and Tara Leigh Cobble. Tonight was Float Night at our pool. I could not resist taking the camera. I didn’t even know there were floats like this pirate ship. I want one so bad. Also, I just can’t help […]
Categories: General
This week’s sermon was on Yertle the Turtle, not a Seuss story that I am particularly familiar with. As three of our members read some of the pertinent parts, I was struck by the idea that it was a particularly pertinent weekend to hear the story of a turtle building his kingdom on the backs […]
Categories: God
This spring I had the very great pleasure of walking our art teacher through the Harry Potter books. Oh, the texts that she sent me as she raced through them. Oh, the conversations we had. Oh, the ways I listened to her predictions and tried to keep my not-very-good poker face. I even gave her […]
Categories: Library
I had a bad Friday. Inspired by this glorious blog post, I spent some time watching clips of Julia Sugarbaker on YouTube. Julia explaining the details of the night that the lights went out in Georgia. (That one is my all-time favorite.) Julia letting everyone exactly where the world’s problems come from. Julia being a […]
Categories: General
I have not been tried by fire. No, it’s the ordinary struggles of life that challenge me and wear me down, the loss and pain that we all eventually face. And I am not sure that I am very faithful, for at the first sign of trouble, I resign myself to second-class citizenship, sure that […]
Categories: General
I keep telling Mike that being at the pool is going to give me plenty of fodder to write my Great American Novel. There are so many things to observe at the pool, so much of humanity (and flesh) on display. It reminds me that there really is nothing new under the sun. (Except possibly […]
My friend Nancy is a faster runner than I am. So when I run with her, like I did on Saturday, I always have faster finishing times. Even though I can’t quite keep up with her. I was about a minute behind her on Saturday, but 31:34 is my best finishing time yet, so I […]
Categories: General
June has been deeply unkind to me thus far, so you will have to excuse the delay. I didn’t want to think about good things. I wanted to wallow. May 1 – I made the best cauliflower side dish EVER. (Basically this without the pasta. Make sure you get it very brown and soft.) May […]
Categories: General,Good Things
Mike and I braved opening day at the pool on Memorial Day weekend. And by “braved” I mean “walked across the street for.” You don’t have to be very brave to go to the pool when it is right across the street. Except for the part where you have to put on a bathing suit […]
Categories: General