Super-quick entry here. Talked last night with TPKM, who is in Morocco. He always shares so much wisdom just in his natural course of conversation. Friends are so valuable!
Cruised three ~very different~ Halloween parties last night. One with little kids, outside, carving pumpkins with a fire in the chimnea (warmest and best pumpkins). One with older kids, carving pumpkins, keg available (most fun one), one at pastor's house in honor of his wife's 50th birthday (best conversation).
Helping friend with her business today -- gotta run for a quick shower. More later.
Saturday, October 29
Wednesday, October 26
Cooper
DS2 is visiting for a quick overnight; drove his "new" old Mini-Cooper down. HIS DS1 came with. They arrived just before time to pick up Little One from school. Sooo we took the Coop. Of course. Man, that is one fun car. This is a pic of it.
We have been sitting around on the floor building Lego spaceships and searching for cool parts in my 3 giant buckets of Legos. (Thank you, Ebay.)
Note to reader: If you buy Legos on Ebay, it's a really good idea to put them into net bags and wash them in the washing machine. Twice. Once with a weak bleach solution, then in clear water.
So today, I was the Gust of Honor at a luncheon with the local Garbage Men. Hmm. That was a typo. I swear.
They bbq'ed chicken and one of them made homemade sweet potato pies. Slaw, beans, venison, and bread. I took a pound cake. It was great fun and they keep telling me anytime I want a job, I've got one with them.
So between lunch with Solid Waste and seeing DS2, it's been a terrific day. *_*
Monday, October 24
More on NCSSM
The story ran today on the School of Science & Math. For the first time since I have been writing for the paper, the story is not available on the website. That's a shame as the kids are all out of town and I had emailed them directions as to how to access the story online.
I was interrupted several days ago when I was describing the school. Of the 6 local students, I got to meet with 4, and I could not have asked for more articulate, polite, and bright kids to work with.
Annie, a senior, is an artist, loves Japanese, and has a free spirit -- you can feel it. Her heart is on her face and she was easy to like -- immediately. Her load at school -- get this -- consists of Intermediate Japanese; Genetics, AP Calculus; AP Statistics; acrylic painting, Asia I and Microeconomics. Gee, now that I think of it, she must not be as laid back as she seems, to be doing ok in all that stuff.
Kellie, a junior, does seem a little bit driven. When I asked her if she were OCD, she smiled and said, "We ALL are." Her sense of humor is great and she hopes to become a neonatalogist.
I felt as if I got to know Brian best of all because I met his parents, and thus kind of knew him before I met him. Brian takes his being there really seriously. He and his parents are great folks and all of them made me feel quite at home.
Taylor is a little bit like me. He enjoys everything and is involved in 'way too much...just like me. It's a character flaw I've been struggling with for about 30 years, BUT I will say this: people like us have the most fun; we are exposed to more experiences; and can write more diverse things, because we have tried so many things rather that being focused on only one thing all the time. Taylor plays IM sports, is on Student Council, is into Art, and is in several clubs. All this in addition to taking a load of subjects at the toughest school in the state.
Unfortunately, I did not get to meet Alison or Britany personally as their schedules did not permit an interview on the day I visited. Both girls sent me good emails that allowed me to write about them as if I had gotten to meet them.
In case anyone thinks this is the Geek School of the Earth, check out the gallery section at www.ncssm.edu, and visit the art section. These kids create. They are in an environment that encourages them to create, think, and be all they can be. They are not wasting a minute on video games, TV, or any of the other crap we indulge in and waste our brain cells.
I am proud to have met them and I appreciate all their help in getting a good article out.
Here is 1 more of Taylor's photos:
He sent me one more but I am having technical trouble with it. There are 2 others in the earlier post about NCSSM.
Saturday, October 22
Creating
It's been several days since I last posted. Sometimes I think we forget to appreciate normal. We have had what closely approximates normalcy around here -- with the exception of DH's being home all the time.
Little One is thriving at school and at home. Her piano is going well. She is playing "Love Me Tender," "Rock Around the Clock," and my own favorite, "Beauty and the Beast." She enjoys playing and practices beyond the requisite thirty minutes.
She had a research project last week. Each of the kids was given the name of an inventor, and they had to write reports, prepare posters, and finally, dress as the inventor and give his biography in first person. LO was assigned Galileo. The required components of the poster were a timeline, pictures of the inventor, pictures of inventions, and a biopoem. The biopoem had to include his loves, his disappointments, and his general emotion. LO happily worked on this project and became acquainted with his legitimate and illegitimate children's names, his concurrence with Copernicus' theories, and his ultimate excommunication from the Church.
In the past two weeks I have finished refinishing a bookshelf for the kitchen, finished my first crocheting project, made an Indian dress, complete with leather fringe, for LO, and begun the floorcloth.
I began the crocheting on the Monday after DH's accident. Realizing I would be sitting at PT and Dr. offices quite a bit, I went to the library for a book on crochet. Fortunately the supplies were extremely inexpensive: $3 for a ball of cotton string and $1.67 for a crochet needle. The beginning project was a shopping bag resembling fishing net. Although it was a large project, and involved zillions of stitches, I believe they made it the first project because of its simplicity. Chain 5 and connect -- 4 zillion times. I made it in red and added a white horizontal stripe so I could figure out how to add a color. I worked really hard on it the past week or so as I was getting really sick of chain 5 and connect -- and needed to get it DONE. I finished it during Survivor this week and proudly tossed it across the room to DH. Now it's in the "bring your own" collection of grocery bags we have. A word to anyone reading this blog: Please accumulate your own cloth bags and use them instead of the markets cheesy plastic bags. Plastic bags are such a blight on this planet and we can all save a lot by each saving a little.
The floorcloth is 24" x 36". Last night, I completed drawing the design and painted the border. The design is six squares, two squares by three squares, and each square is a traditional American quilt block. I researched the quilt blocks on the Internet. I used all "nine-square" patterns, meaning each design is based on a tic-tac-toe type pattern. I have already thought about what colors to use, but today I will assign colors to areas for contrast and complementing.
DH is a guitar-playing maniac. It's so peaceful to be working on creative projects while he is playing his guitar or LO is playing the piano. This is what a home should be!
He has two weeks before returning to work. He is anxious to go, for a number of reasons. I really would have thought we would have gotten on each other's nerves by this time and I am pleased and surprised to report that the opposite has happened -- we are even closer through all this.
I am writing constantly now -- when I'm not in front of one of the computers, I am composing in my head so that I can put it down when I am. The process is quite consuming, and I find I am in a fog much of the time because I am so present in the imaginary world I am writing about. As I finish keying some in, I always email it to my yahoo account so that I can open a current copy of it regardless of my location. LO is very supportive of my writing and has a myriad of suggestions as to my stories: "You need to elaborate more, Nana," - "Be sure I understand the 'who,' 'what,' 'where,' 'when,' and 'why', Nana," and best of all, researches good illustrators to recommend to me. (smiling) Nice to have support!
Little One is thriving at school and at home. Her piano is going well. She is playing "Love Me Tender," "Rock Around the Clock," and my own favorite, "Beauty and the Beast." She enjoys playing and practices beyond the requisite thirty minutes.
She had a research project last week. Each of the kids was given the name of an inventor, and they had to write reports, prepare posters, and finally, dress as the inventor and give his biography in first person. LO was assigned Galileo. The required components of the poster were a timeline, pictures of the inventor, pictures of inventions, and a biopoem. The biopoem had to include his loves, his disappointments, and his general emotion. LO happily worked on this project and became acquainted with his legitimate and illegitimate children's names, his concurrence with Copernicus' theories, and his ultimate excommunication from the Church.
In the past two weeks I have finished refinishing a bookshelf for the kitchen, finished my first crocheting project, made an Indian dress, complete with leather fringe, for LO, and begun the floorcloth.
I began the crocheting on the Monday after DH's accident. Realizing I would be sitting at PT and Dr. offices quite a bit, I went to the library for a book on crochet. Fortunately the supplies were extremely inexpensive: $3 for a ball of cotton string and $1.67 for a crochet needle. The beginning project was a shopping bag resembling fishing net. Although it was a large project, and involved zillions of stitches, I believe they made it the first project because of its simplicity. Chain 5 and connect -- 4 zillion times. I made it in red and added a white horizontal stripe so I could figure out how to add a color. I worked really hard on it the past week or so as I was getting really sick of chain 5 and connect -- and needed to get it DONE. I finished it during Survivor this week and proudly tossed it across the room to DH. Now it's in the "bring your own" collection of grocery bags we have. A word to anyone reading this blog: Please accumulate your own cloth bags and use them instead of the markets cheesy plastic bags. Plastic bags are such a blight on this planet and we can all save a lot by each saving a little.
The floorcloth is 24" x 36". Last night, I completed drawing the design and painted the border. The design is six squares, two squares by three squares, and each square is a traditional American quilt block. I researched the quilt blocks on the Internet. I used all "nine-square" patterns, meaning each design is based on a tic-tac-toe type pattern. I have already thought about what colors to use, but today I will assign colors to areas for contrast and complementing.
DH is a guitar-playing maniac. It's so peaceful to be working on creative projects while he is playing his guitar or LO is playing the piano. This is what a home should be!
He has two weeks before returning to work. He is anxious to go, for a number of reasons. I really would have thought we would have gotten on each other's nerves by this time and I am pleased and surprised to report that the opposite has happened -- we are even closer through all this.
I am writing constantly now -- when I'm not in front of one of the computers, I am composing in my head so that I can put it down when I am. The process is quite consuming, and I find I am in a fog much of the time because I am so present in the imaginary world I am writing about. As I finish keying some in, I always email it to my yahoo account so that I can open a current copy of it regardless of my location. LO is very supportive of my writing and has a myriad of suggestions as to my stories: "You need to elaborate more, Nana," - "Be sure I understand the 'who,' 'what,' 'where,' 'when,' and 'why', Nana," and best of all, researches good illustrators to recommend to me. (smiling) Nice to have support!
Friday, October 14
Home Alone
I alluded yesterday to having a challenge with my routine around the house. This morning, I stayed home from DH's PT to finish a story for the paper. I am all alone in the house. At last.
The silence has many sounds. There is a train in the distance. I can hear the rush of the movement and the horn wailing in the distance. There was a great noise of birds singing a few moments ago, but now the sun is well up and their praise is diminished -- only the spontaneous burst of joy from a random bird every now and again.
The interstate highway is a mile away and in the morning there is a loud hum of cars rushing to work. At times like this I really thank God I am out of that race.
We have a few antique clocks in the house and, although you don't notice it when there are people in the house, they tick quite loudly. Then on the hour they all compete for accuracy with their striking.
The dog is on my lap, her favorite place to be. When I type, she keeps her chin on my left arm so that her nose is pointed upward. Seems to me to be quite uncomfortable, but she chooses her position. Her head bobbles up and down as my arm moves. I whisper her name, and she raises her eyebrows -- very humanlike.
One mockingbird is singing all his calls now. They are so boastful. I have to wonder if there are other, more humble, birds who can mimick, but keep their talents to themselves. Our mockingbird likes to perch on the highest point he can find to show off his reportoire. Sometimes he will stop singing and perform a little back flip in midair, just out of sheer joy at his brilliance, then resume singing again.
We will take a short trip to the mountains this weekend. I would love to blog from there but I do not believe the retreat facility has any internet connection. They don't have TV, either, except in the lobby. I guess the whole point is to get away from all technology -- but my blog has become my journal. Guess I'll have to find a leatherbound replacement for the weekend. There are enough of them around the house.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Little One is discovering Robert Frost. She asks me often to recite what I know of him -- which isn't much -- only The Road Less Traveled and Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening. This leads me to remember Thanatopsis, and The Daffodils, and Annabel Lee, oh, and The Raven!!, and the Mercy Sililoquoy (sp??) from Merchant of Venice. O Captain! My Captain!; the prologue to Canterbury Tales, in Old English; snippets of Tennyson, Mallory, Keats, more Shakespeare, Kipling, and of course, James Thurber. Most of these other recitations leave her bored and cold, but she loves to hear Frost over and over. Soon, I'm sure, she'll want to memorize him herself, and will begin to love Poe, too.
The silence has many sounds. There is a train in the distance. I can hear the rush of the movement and the horn wailing in the distance. There was a great noise of birds singing a few moments ago, but now the sun is well up and their praise is diminished -- only the spontaneous burst of joy from a random bird every now and again.
The interstate highway is a mile away and in the morning there is a loud hum of cars rushing to work. At times like this I really thank God I am out of that race.
We have a few antique clocks in the house and, although you don't notice it when there are people in the house, they tick quite loudly. Then on the hour they all compete for accuracy with their striking.
The dog is on my lap, her favorite place to be. When I type, she keeps her chin on my left arm so that her nose is pointed upward. Seems to me to be quite uncomfortable, but she chooses her position. Her head bobbles up and down as my arm moves. I whisper her name, and she raises her eyebrows -- very humanlike.
One mockingbird is singing all his calls now. They are so boastful. I have to wonder if there are other, more humble, birds who can mimick, but keep their talents to themselves. Our mockingbird likes to perch on the highest point he can find to show off his reportoire. Sometimes he will stop singing and perform a little back flip in midair, just out of sheer joy at his brilliance, then resume singing again.
We will take a short trip to the mountains this weekend. I would love to blog from there but I do not believe the retreat facility has any internet connection. They don't have TV, either, except in the lobby. I guess the whole point is to get away from all technology -- but my blog has become my journal. Guess I'll have to find a leatherbound replacement for the weekend. There are enough of them around the house.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Little One is discovering Robert Frost. She asks me often to recite what I know of him -- which isn't much -- only The Road Less Traveled and Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening. This leads me to remember Thanatopsis, and The Daffodils, and Annabel Lee, oh, and The Raven!!, and the Mercy Sililoquoy (sp??) from Merchant of Venice. O Captain! My Captain!; the prologue to Canterbury Tales, in Old English; snippets of Tennyson, Mallory, Keats, more Shakespeare, Kipling, and of course, James Thurber. Most of these other recitations leave her bored and cold, but she loves to hear Frost over and over. Soon, I'm sure, she'll want to memorize him herself, and will begin to love Poe, too.
Thursday, October 13
Hibernating
I wonder so many things about the life cycle of a trauma. It's been five weeks since The Accident. Although it happened to DH, I feel as if I am going through it, too. In reality, I guess I am... by way of "feeling his pain," trying to be supportive, being concerned, trying to be sure he doesn't fall into depression, et al.
A few days after we got home from the hospital, I explained about the four phases of loss: denial, anger, sadness, and acceptance. I wonder if I did that too soon. He has bouts of sadness now and seems so shocked that big old He could succomb to sadness. He seems to feel embarassed about being sad, which makes it that much harder to work through. I encourage him to feel it, to examine that sadness, to go through it. Only by going through it can he get to the other side.
As for me, my calendar last week was so full I couldn't squeeze anything else in the little squares. Actually ran to the market late in the evening a couple of times -- unheard of in the past year since I quit working outside the home.
So this week, I deliberately, and somewhat belligerently (sp?) kept my calendar open. The only writing on the calendar for this week are PT appts, piano lesson, swim practice, church, and the church retreat this weekend.
Today I am beginning a new project that requires the use of an opaque projector -- I am making two floorcloths (24x36) for the kitchen floor. The design is a quilt sampler. I have a teeny-tiny template of what I want to do -- maybe 2x3", and need to hang my blank, primed floorcloth on the wall and project the image onto it so I can pencil it in. The place with an opaque projector I can use, opens at 9am, and it's near Little One's school. So I am at the nearby coffee house for an hour -- an hour to myself!! Saving gas by dropping her, hanging here, then to the place with the projector.
A friend has a wonderful gift shop out in the country on the grounds of her house, with lush gardens to stroll through and areas to have tea or luncheons (she caters them). I gave her a hand a week or two ago, and one of the other girls there makes these floorcloths. Rather than making them on canvas, as I have done before, she uses the back of vinyl flooring. Lasts forever, and doesn't scoot across the floor as badly. I've got plenty of acrylic paint, and got vinyl remnants for $1 from a nearby shop. She charges $25 for hers, and I can do this virtually free. We even have plenty of poly on hand, which is nice -- I have to put on about 6 coats after painting. It's for time like this that I blocked out my calendar this week. I think our adrenalin was so high during and following the Accident, that we just need a little time to crash.
However, we have been going to the Y in the mornings, and I think it has helped DH. Well, helped both of us. Yesterday we played racquetball, well, sort of -- we hit the ball around and had a blast. I think this is a really good way to get out frustrations. It didn't seem to hurt his hand, so I plan to play again soon.
My household schedule is totally out the window. Although he does not intrude in any way, just having him around changes the whole tenor of my day. I don't know why. I have finally come to the realization that being off my normal schedule just doesn't matter in the big picture.
A few days after we got home from the hospital, I explained about the four phases of loss: denial, anger, sadness, and acceptance. I wonder if I did that too soon. He has bouts of sadness now and seems so shocked that big old He could succomb to sadness. He seems to feel embarassed about being sad, which makes it that much harder to work through. I encourage him to feel it, to examine that sadness, to go through it. Only by going through it can he get to the other side.
As for me, my calendar last week was so full I couldn't squeeze anything else in the little squares. Actually ran to the market late in the evening a couple of times -- unheard of in the past year since I quit working outside the home.
So this week, I deliberately, and somewhat belligerently (sp?) kept my calendar open. The only writing on the calendar for this week are PT appts, piano lesson, swim practice, church, and the church retreat this weekend.
Today I am beginning a new project that requires the use of an opaque projector -- I am making two floorcloths (24x36) for the kitchen floor. The design is a quilt sampler. I have a teeny-tiny template of what I want to do -- maybe 2x3", and need to hang my blank, primed floorcloth on the wall and project the image onto it so I can pencil it in. The place with an opaque projector I can use, opens at 9am, and it's near Little One's school. So I am at the nearby coffee house for an hour -- an hour to myself!! Saving gas by dropping her, hanging here, then to the place with the projector.
A friend has a wonderful gift shop out in the country on the grounds of her house, with lush gardens to stroll through and areas to have tea or luncheons (she caters them). I gave her a hand a week or two ago, and one of the other girls there makes these floorcloths. Rather than making them on canvas, as I have done before, she uses the back of vinyl flooring. Lasts forever, and doesn't scoot across the floor as badly. I've got plenty of acrylic paint, and got vinyl remnants for $1 from a nearby shop. She charges $25 for hers, and I can do this virtually free. We even have plenty of poly on hand, which is nice -- I have to put on about 6 coats after painting. It's for time like this that I blocked out my calendar this week. I think our adrenalin was so high during and following the Accident, that we just need a little time to crash.
However, we have been going to the Y in the mornings, and I think it has helped DH. Well, helped both of us. Yesterday we played racquetball, well, sort of -- we hit the ball around and had a blast. I think this is a really good way to get out frustrations. It didn't seem to hurt his hand, so I plan to play again soon.
My household schedule is totally out the window. Although he does not intrude in any way, just having him around changes the whole tenor of my day. I don't know why. I have finally come to the realization that being off my normal schedule just doesn't matter in the big picture.
Sunday, October 9
Success today
It's been four weeks since The Accident. DH has diligently worked on his PT and works his injured finger constantly. Already, his progress has amazed his therapists and surgeon.
When The Accident happened, it seemed he would never be able to play again. The damage, exposed bone, his hand was cut completely open -- it was inconceivable to me that he could ever play again like he had before.
In an earlier blog, I chronicled the day he slipped upstairs to see if he could do it, and came down the stairs, proudly playing.
Today was another milestone in the progress. He played lead guitar at church, even playing a solo on his Strat. The entire congregation was smiling ear-to-ear, except me. I was crying and crying. Had to step out afterwards to mop up my poor old wet face.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
In another bit of excitement, we had LOST KEYS before church. DH had left early to set up and practice. He specifically asked me to get there a little early so I could catch a seat near the musicians. (Seats fill up quickly in this new service.) I had gladly agreed, and then...we could not find the keys to my car.
I typically put my keys in the same place all the time. I felt DH had probably picked them up by accident, but he had not taken his cell phone with him, and usually no one answers the phone at church on Sundays; the office is locked up.
Finally, we were reaching a point in time where we had to take action if we were going to get there in time for a good seat. "Go get the bikes," I told Little One. "I'll change clothes." Thrilled, she ran to the basement and got out the bikes. I changed out of the dress and into pants.
It's only a mile-and-a-half, but uphill most of the way. I was damp and breathless upon arrival. So by the time I broke out in tears, I was pretty damp all over.
About halfway through the service, DH reached into his pocket and abashedly pulled my car keys out.
I shared this tale with a GF who is in my Sunday School class as we made coffee in the nanosecond betw church and SS. "HE OWES YOU BIG TIME!!" she proclaimed. Conveniently, DH walked into the kitchen about that time. "You OWE her!!" she squealed. "You take this girl out to dinner Monday night, and Tuesday night, and Wednesday night..." she counted off on her fingers. "By the end of the week, you might be about paid up." With that, she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, and pranced out of the kitchen. "Thanks!" I called out behind her.
When The Accident happened, it seemed he would never be able to play again. The damage, exposed bone, his hand was cut completely open -- it was inconceivable to me that he could ever play again like he had before.
In an earlier blog, I chronicled the day he slipped upstairs to see if he could do it, and came down the stairs, proudly playing.
Today was another milestone in the progress. He played lead guitar at church, even playing a solo on his Strat. The entire congregation was smiling ear-to-ear, except me. I was crying and crying. Had to step out afterwards to mop up my poor old wet face.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
In another bit of excitement, we had LOST KEYS before church. DH had left early to set up and practice. He specifically asked me to get there a little early so I could catch a seat near the musicians. (Seats fill up quickly in this new service.) I had gladly agreed, and then...we could not find the keys to my car.
I typically put my keys in the same place all the time. I felt DH had probably picked them up by accident, but he had not taken his cell phone with him, and usually no one answers the phone at church on Sundays; the office is locked up.
Finally, we were reaching a point in time where we had to take action if we were going to get there in time for a good seat. "Go get the bikes," I told Little One. "I'll change clothes." Thrilled, she ran to the basement and got out the bikes. I changed out of the dress and into pants.
It's only a mile-and-a-half, but uphill most of the way. I was damp and breathless upon arrival. So by the time I broke out in tears, I was pretty damp all over.
About halfway through the service, DH reached into his pocket and abashedly pulled my car keys out.
I shared this tale with a GF who is in my Sunday School class as we made coffee in the nanosecond betw church and SS. "HE OWES YOU BIG TIME!!" she proclaimed. Conveniently, DH walked into the kitchen about that time. "You OWE her!!" she squealed. "You take this girl out to dinner Monday night, and Tuesday night, and Wednesday night..." she counted off on her fingers. "By the end of the week, you might be about paid up." With that, she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, and pranced out of the kitchen. "Thanks!" I called out behind her.
Thursday, October 6
NCSSM
Traveled yesterday to Big City to see the School of Science & Math. Drove straight to it -- did not get lost as I had feared.
Campus has grown significantly since we visited it with DS2 in 1992. Wow. Very, very cool place.
I interviewed four students, all from this county, who are there. Met two girls who are both taking Japanese -- one is an artist, one a musician. The artist wants to be a Japanese professor and the musician wants to be a neonatalogist. Talked with two boys. One seems not to have much going on in the extracurricular arena -- coping with his advanced studies. The other loves his photography class. He gave me permission to post some of his pics here:
Blue-Eyed Photographer Boy is amazing. First of all, of course, are his blue eyes. He has handled this transition amazingly. Went from living at home with mom in small-town high school, where he knew everyone from kindergarten on, to out-of-town residential high school where he knew only one student, lives on campus, has tremendous pressures, very VERY tough classes, and handles it all with ease. Calm, content, at peace.
Oops got to run. Time to pick up Little One from school. More later.........
Tuesday, October 4
Not by name
For some reason, this Sunday's article cannot be pulled by searching on my name. Hmm. Not sure why. The title of the article is, "They trust me to do a good job," or you can search on garbage. If you search on garbage, you have to sift through several "garbage pickup days changed due to holidays" notices, but you can still find it.
Tomorrow I travel to Durham to cover the NCSSM. Photographer will come up later in the morning and, despite some differing opinions on how this all should be approached, I am confident it will all come out well.
In order to be there by 8:30 am, I am leaving at 5:45 (yikes!). I drove to this same location about 12 years ago, and I got lost then. So my trepidation at making a deadline tomorrow is understandable. Mapquest estimates the trip at 1:48. I am hoping that by giving myself 2:45, I can get lost and recover in plenty of time.
On another note, our dear friend, Kentucky Trumpet Man, has been in Morocco for several months now. He has changed his return ticket with the airlines so many times that his options ran out: fly back now or the return ticket is dead. He shared this with us on the phone last Thursday and when we hung up, I said, "He'll stay." DH said, "He'll come back."
We heard from KTM today via email. Here is a snippet:
As to my staying, it's funny Maggie, your tag line "Maius opus moveo. -- Accept the greater challenge!"
was a key motivator at that momentus decision time when the question was 'stay - or go?'
You are both such good role models for me in the sense that you do not duck the challenging
things in life, and I see how rich your lives are because of it. So, when I saw that line,
I knew I had to go through with staying even though the future is totally blind.
He goes on:
Although I knew it was going to be harder here, I knew that I needed to be and was needed here. Amazingly, I see that people are placed stragegically in my path here - just random people that I meet become v important players in my life, and me in theirs. It's as if I am a part of a giant, yet intricate clockworks, but a cog, but without me the clock would tick a radically different story of time. Maggie, it was/IS very scary being here with no material means of support and limited funds. but this is so great - look what I just THIS MOMENT got via email - a long lost client, a horse farm hopelessly in debt - I hung in there and did work even when they couldn't pay me. Just recently they started sending me payments on the debt owed...
We are so honored to have this man as our friend and even more honored that he finds some value in our friendship. Africa is fortunate to have him.
Tomorrow I travel to Durham to cover the NCSSM. Photographer will come up later in the morning and, despite some differing opinions on how this all should be approached, I am confident it will all come out well.
In order to be there by 8:30 am, I am leaving at 5:45 (yikes!). I drove to this same location about 12 years ago, and I got lost then. So my trepidation at making a deadline tomorrow is understandable. Mapquest estimates the trip at 1:48. I am hoping that by giving myself 2:45, I can get lost and recover in plenty of time.
On another note, our dear friend, Kentucky Trumpet Man, has been in Morocco for several months now. He has changed his return ticket with the airlines so many times that his options ran out: fly back now or the return ticket is dead. He shared this with us on the phone last Thursday and when we hung up, I said, "He'll stay." DH said, "He'll come back."
We heard from KTM today via email. Here is a snippet:
As to my staying, it's funny Maggie, your tag line "Maius opus moveo. -- Accept the greater challenge!"
was a key motivator at that momentus decision time when the question was 'stay - or go?'
You are both such good role models for me in the sense that you do not duck the challenging
things in life, and I see how rich your lives are because of it. So, when I saw that line,
I knew I had to go through with staying even though the future is totally blind.
He goes on:
Although I knew it was going to be harder here, I knew that I needed to be and was needed here. Amazingly, I see that people are placed stragegically in my path here - just random people that I meet become v important players in my life, and me in theirs. It's as if I am a part of a giant, yet intricate clockworks, but a cog, but without me the clock would tick a radically different story of time. Maggie, it was/IS very scary being here with no material means of support and limited funds. but this is so great - look what I just THIS MOMENT got via email - a long lost client, a horse farm hopelessly in debt - I hung in there and did work even when they couldn't pay me. Just recently they started sending me payments on the debt owed...
We are so honored to have this man as our friend and even more honored that he finds some value in our friendship. Africa is fortunate to have him.
Monday, October 3
Garbage Story Ran Today
Please note. This photo is copyrighted and belongs to Local Paper. I believe as long as I am not making profit on it, I can post it here...
The garbage story (heavily edited for space) ran today in the local paper. To read it, click on www.salisburypost.com. In the "search" window, key in my first and last name, and click on "find." A whole list of my articles will come up -- click on the garbage story to read it.
To DH's mom & stepdad: you have a copy in the mail. It should arrive by Tuesday. If you'd rather read it on paper, you can wait for the real thing.
Many of my words were left out. I am in the process of trying to compare my original version with the edited one to see what I can learn from the editing. My usual editor typically edits very little if anything at all. Her co-editor did it this time and she really moved things around and omitted not only isolated words, but entire paragraphs and concepts. Yet, this is the first article I've written that prompted a call from Usual Editor just to say what a good job it was. Sigh. I am a little confused but trying to learn from it all.
Maybe I need to just roll along. Trip to NCSSM is on Wednesday. Yea!
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