Random Musings

To do: mow & till the garden Aim: to cut down any remaining plant remnants, remove weeds, and add nutrients to the soil in preparation for next spring's garden Result: untied plants from stakes, picked remaining tomatoes, took tomato stakes down, tomato plants sprouting new roots clipped to be potted in the house, opened little shed to get out pots and soil only to fight ants instead, then get pots and find there's no soil; get a shower while supper is cooking, eat, head to Target then Lowe's in search of Potting Soil, come home, pot & water plants, clean up 99% of the mess. Analysis: the garden is still not mowed, tilled and mulched But I did conquer and divide the amaryllis plants! We want talk about the lilies along the back ramp.

This coming Tuesday is election day for Wake County...again. We election officials will arrive at our polling precinct at 6am and scramble for the next 30 minutes to do all the last minute jobs (pull out ballots, set up the automark counting machine and ballot holder, mark off the 25ft no campaigning line, etc). At 6:30am, the polls open, and our LONG day begins. It's not a hard day. The job itself is relatively easy. The Board of Elections provides us with a very nice indexed binder in case we forget something from training, and we also have these nifty little flow charts to help us with almost any scenario. In the event something goes wrong, we have a phone number to call the Wake County BOE for answers. The job is fairly straightforward and simple. At approximately 9am, our trickle of voters will stop. From 9am to about 3pm, we'll have an occasional voter. (In all, we'll process maybe 300 people...and that's a high estimate.) And the rest of the time we are s...

There's a HUGE clock on the wall in the gym where I take aerobics. I can almost always tell when we've been going for 10-15 minutes without looking at the clock now...that's when I hit the "I'm never going to get through this whatever possessed me have I lost mind" wall. Then somewhere between 8:30 and 8:45 my blood starts pumping and it stops being quite so tortuous. I can set the alarm clock 15 minutes early and still just get Bobby out the door on time. I can start a project a week before its due and create multiple layouts and samples, then 2 hours before its due get a cool, brand new idea and complete the whole project and feel like its worthwhile. Someone can hand me a project the night before its due and I can finish in ample time, but feel rushed and think the job is only half-way done. I can leave clothes in the ironing basket for months upon end and never feel that they've sat there too long. A pile of dirty laundry can sit in a basket for one ...

Bobby and I spent the day at the fair yesterday. I think it was our 3rd time to go, but it was the first time we went during the day and had nice weather. If we ever go again, we will certainly go during the day again. We arrived shortly after the gates opened, it was easy to find handicapped parking, and wasn't quite so crowded. The crowd started picking up around noon, so we had several hours at exhibits before it became hard to keep up with each other. I think the last time we went it was an evening, wet, cold, and packed with so many people you could hardly walk. So this year's daytime trip was great. Highlights: Ostrich burger - we split one for lunch. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't place it in my "gotta have again" category. It tasted somewhat like deer meat. The cake burger - my niece had told me if I didn't see anything else, we needed to see the cake decorating exhibit. So we stayed a little longer than we planned just to see this cake dec...

My husband came in from getting the paper with a sad expression this morning. I asked him if everything was okay and he just nodded. After a minute he informed me we had our first frost last night. And as the sun came up, sure enough, the grass was white. I thought I had a few more weeks, but thankfully I heeded his advice and had picked all of the green tomatoes off the vines. I guess it is truly time to mow down and plow up the garden. Meanwhile, I need to find out if there's a special way to keep the chickens' water from freezing, other than changing it out several times a day. Here's a sample of our latest produce: We know half of our chickens are laying (the large dark brown eggs, the light brown, small eggs, and the blue/green eggs) but there may be a fourth one, for sometimes we get light brown eggs with dark brown speckles. I like to think we have four of the six laying and the other two will start next spring, but who knows? So far there doesn't seem to...

Saturday we had the privilege to see Bobby's niece, Martha, get married. The new couple exited the sanctuary to "So This is Love" (from the Cinderella movie) and it has been stuck in my head ever since! The Bryan's are like my family: large in number and spread out, so when everyone is actually together it's a very special occasion. Left to Right: Brad & Martha Mitchell, Brad's daughter (I thought it was neat that she and Martha had their hair fixed identically, and was also impressed at how thrilled she seemed to be a part of everything, but yet was willing to stand back and watch. She did a great job, and I think Martha's going to be a great Mom.) Brenda lighting Bryan's memory candle (Martha's brother who died at 17), and my favorite picture: Bobby's three sisters: Susan, Pat, and Brenda. While all three are great about being there when needed, it's seldom I get to see the three of them together at such close proximity. And I also...

I worked 2 days this week, but thought it wouldn't be too big a deal as I'm home and "free" all next week. Bobby's niece is getting married tomorrow, and some family we don't get to see very often came in town a few days earlier than I anticipated. So instead of catching up on things last night, we spent the time visiting, which was fun. And then my cousin facebooked me, saying her husband is in training in Cary, and she's flying up to join him this weekend and wants to know if I'll be free next week. Miss up a chance to see someone who I normally see only once a year? Not on your life! So I only have half of my house cleaned and the project for my sister is still undone as well as another project that needed to be done by what I thought was Sunday night, but that's okay. My "free" time is now family time, and what doesn't get done simply will not get done. Meanwhile, my chores await.

The problem I have with reading non-fiction is that it makes me think too much. Last night I was determined to finish reading Chapter Three in the Book Club's book ( Because He Loves Me by Elyse F.) I was making good progress, dotting some things, underlining others, until I hit this paragraph that talked about gifts. I read it, thought some, read it again, then woke Bobby up from his half-slumber to discuss it with him. I left a question mark by that section. It's very possible that I am just a vile and selfishly, wicked person for whom there is no hope in sanctification this side of heaven. I love to give gifts. I like thinking about people and what they enjoy and finding a bargain on something that will thrill them. (Maybe I should just say I like to shop.) That's why I usually start my Christmas shopping very early. One year I even started shopping for the next year with the after Christmas sales. But I most certainly don't expect people to look at their gifts and ...

I LOVE the rain, especially when I can be inside (like 2/3 of today) and work on things. I had the opportunity to work at my old job today, and other than the minor computer quirk of not being able to get into the system for a while, things went rather smoothly. I accomplished a little over 1/2 of what needs to be done there this week, and hopefully I can be in and out in a few hours tomorrow. Meanwhile, I am enjoying being at home and for the moment, out of the rain. Now if the geese and chickens and dogs would simply tilt their mouths backward and fill up on rainwater, I would be set. Alas, I don't think they'll comply.

The definition of racism is having the power to enforce one's prejudices that ultimately are negative to the person or population against which the attitude is directed. ~ Eleanora Tate Several years ago I had the privilege of listening to a lecture by a published author. Her name was Eleanora Tate, and I was so impressed not only with her lecture (that particular conference had a few lectures I felt wasted my time), but also with her kindness in talking with attendees afterward. I had heard stories of arrogance and condescension from editors and published authors, but found Eleanora to be very friendly and helpful to all of us attendees totally new to the world of publishing. Eleanora's speciality is historical fiction, specifically about African-Americans. I found it commendable that instead of bemoaning her childhood and the lack of books dealing with her culture, she is researching and writing to fill that gap for today's children. There's no self-aggrandment ...

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. ~ Newton's 3rd Law of Motion Today is the day the Wake County Board of Elections certifies the election results. All our monotonous work last Tuesday will be legally finalized. Today will determine whether or not District 2 (Garner's education district) will have a run-off in November (which for election officials determines whether or not we have to contend with 2 ballots: one for those in the town limits and those like me outside of the town limits). The sad thing is on our October election only 10% of our precinct turned out to vote. This election ushered in a round of conservatives onto the Wake County School Board, and the main issue at stake, depending on who you ask, is either diversity or busing. In actuality, it eventually all boils down to the same thing. I don't know what the results of this election will bring. Proponents of neighborhood schools cheer - this was the candidates' promise. Civil rights ...

If it weren't for procrastination, I'd never get anything done. Yep, you read that correctly, and I didn't mistype. You see, if I never, ever procrastinated, then I would never start a new project. I would methodically finish whatever I was doing at the time, instead of being awed by the creative thought of something new. If I never, ever procrastinated, then my time would be spent cleaning every nook and cranny of the house ALL the time, and I would never tackle wonderful projects, such as quilts, or yard work, or chicken pens, etc. If I never, ever procrastinated, that would mean I would probably have a better sense of time and wouldn't over commit myself, which would again mean I wouldn't get as much done. So procrastination, at least in my world, means I get more accomplished. It also means I'm suddenly finding myself very, very busy this month. Crunch time is upon us, and I can feel the blood flowing and my creative juices warming up. I don't know wh...

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ~ Hebrews 4:12 My toes are still achy from the sermon yesterday morning. Yet I also think it is SO neat how when we are facing (or refacing) an obstacle in our life, and sometimes not handling it quite so well, that God's Word and the Holy Spirit searches our heart and gives us EXACTLY what we need. It may not be what we want, but what we need. I think of that verse that talks about seeing ourselves as in a mirror for just a moment, and sometimes I fear that is how my Christian walk is. It's like waking up in the morning, seeing a big zit on your face when you look in the mirror, then getting busy when you burn breakfast and are running late with no time to clean up the kitchen or make up the bed and the absolute last thing on your mind is that hor...

One of the nice things (in a warped sort of way) about exercising is that my muscles are often sore. So when I stop at Target on my way home from the gym, even when I browse every single candy aisle and my mouth waters a little bit at all the sale items, my muscles wouldn't let me buy a single thing. Every move of my arms said, "Uh-uh...we hurt too bad...and you want to cause us MORE pain?" Counting calories has helped me to be more stingy with what I eat. I need all the energy I can get, and eating a piece of dessert means eating healthier items (like green beans, broccoli, or steamed cabbage) to make room for that piece of apple pie. If nothing else, this 10 for 10 challenge has really forced me to evaluate how out of control I've allowed my eating to become. Instead of me controlling my food, I've allowed it to control me. I keep telling myself that I didn't put all this weight on overnight, and it's not going to come off overnight, either. AND fo...