Mamacita called tonight to tell me of some thievery in the night. Some...well, I can think of no better word than JERKS stole some of her plants and planters last night, including some pots my Grammy gave her. They tried to steal a wrought iron plant stand that I believe was also my Grammy's but thankfully, my mom had asked my dad to cement the base. It proved wise and too difficult for these thieves. Apparently, they also stole 90 (yes, 90) hanging plant baskets from a greenhouse a few doors down.

I'm fairly certain this was an inside job by somebody local who knows the routine around there. It was trash night, so some things that might have been cues to my folks, the greenhouse owners and other neighbors (dogs barking, driveway alarms going off, car doors slamming), were just written off as the trash men coming & going. It bothers me that they came right up to their house - on a VERY busy road, mind you (so where was their vehicle???), and stole these things from the front yard. The FRONT YARD, for Pete's sake. I'm not concerned about someone breaking in or anything because frankly, the three ginormous dogs who reside there would literally rip someone limb from limb if someone came in unexpectedly...but I once again find myself disappointed in humankind. This is a small, quiet almost rural community. My parents take great pride in their landscaping and planting makes my mom very happy - in fact, we spent all of last Tuesday driving from nursery to nursery looking for just the right flowers. The whole thing makes me mad and sad at the same time.

Today was an odd day. I was the only one in our suite all day, which makes me a bit paranoid and slightly lonely. By the end of the day, after eating what I suspect might have been a bad corned beef sandwich, I was feeling pretty poorly. I came home and laid down a bit before home group and since I go home have been catching up on voicemails via email (because, of course, it's too late to call people back) and drowning my ink stained clothing in Lestoil. This stuff is wicked. It smells like I am pouring some high octane solvent on them. I will say that the 100% cotton clothes came out fine but some of the mixed blends are still struggling. I've doused them a second time and had them sitting in the washer for about 20 minutes now - soon to wash AGAIN in hot water in hopes of getting out the fateful ink stains for good.

I don't think I am drying anything tonight - I'm still somewhat afraid of blowing up the house since I used nail polish remover IN THE DRYER to remove the ink stains, even though I rinsed it out well and it in no way smells like nail polish remover any more. Although, technically, the Lestoil may have killed my sense of smell for all time. I think my eyes are still watering from it.

Egads.

I can't believe the long weekend is coming to a close. :(

It's been a hectic weekend to some degree (and really, it wouldn't be MY life if it wasn't!) but I had some downtime yesterday and today. Friday night Michelle & David came over for dinner on the grill then we drove up to a nearby campsite to see how much it would cost them to camp there. I said I loved it because I could come up and hang out all day but then sleep in my own bed! On the way home, we caught the annual fireworks in my town and as usual, they did not disappoint!

Saturday AM found me at a pastoral management team meeting. I ran some errands and took care of some things at home and in the evening, went with David, Michelle & their daughter Sarah & her friend Nina to see Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Gotta love Johnny Depp...and Orlando Bloom is quite pretty too! I liked this one better than number 2 but number 1 is still my favorite.

Yesterday we had Fun Day at church for all our Children's Ministry classes - moonbounce, water ice, chicken chuck, facepainting - the works! My friend's dad who is a firefighter came out as well to talk to the kids. He was a big hit! I had a nap in the afternoon and then settled in to watch the Coca Cola 600. Yay, Casey Mears!

Today got off to a slow start. My upstairs neighbor is an EMT and keeps odd hours and has, as of late, been doing his wash in the middle of the night - complete with the dryer buzzing time and time again. It's really quite maddening, especially at 4:30 AM. So I stayed in bed late this morning and then started on my lengthy to do list. I got my flowers planted, finally, and took care of a few other odds and ends. In the midst, I got another added - I left a pen in my pocket and it went through the wash and left INK all over my clothes and the dryer. I used nail polish removed to get most of the ink out of the dryer but the clothes aren't fairing as well. Mamacita said lystol is the answer, so I'll have to snag a bottle and give it a try.

Tomorrow, it's back to the grind for me. I really need a vacation - a real one!

...that I don't have anything to write.

It's that I haven't had a free moment to write. I keep thinking oh, if this happens or that, things will calm down. But then this or that happens, and it doesn't calm down - in fact, sometimes a whole 'nother maelstorm comes my way.

So, I hope I have not completely lost my five readers. I am out here and I promise a longer post soon.

Appetizer
List 3 emotions you experienced this week.

Happiness - that my friend Cindy made it home safely from her 17 day trip to Israel. And that I got to have dinner with my friend Nan on Thursday night. : )
Loneliness - after reading a new book in a series I love and reading about two of my favorite characters finally getting their dream wedding.
Frustration - with some situations at work and church.

Soup
Name a car you’d love to have.

I have the car I love - a Subaru forester. Great car!

Salad
Describe your typical morning routine.

Oversleep (yes, this is typical)
Moan & groan and finally extricate myself from the bed
Feed & water the cats
Brush teeth
Shower/dress
Give Ramona her shot
Dry hair/put on makeup
Hit the road!

Main Course
Have you ever emailed someone famous? If so, who, and what did you say to them? Did they reply?

Nope. Not terribly interested in the famous.

Dessert
Do you listen to podcasts? If so, which ones?

Not yet. I am interested in Sanjay Gupta's and Anderson Cooper's though. Does Beth Moore have a podcast?????????????????

Labels: Friday Feast

I have been feeling irritable all week. I think there are several factors contributing to this but one primary one is that I feel like I spend a great deal of time doing and caring for others, and when I am unable to do that to the same level or degree as I once could (whether permanently or temporarily, I guess either really, because I think the current situation is somewhat temporary), people are annoyed and upset with me.

The past few days, I've been likening these people and this situation to the Israelites...God rescued them, gave them the best (and everything they needed) and yet they complained and turned their backs on him, creating idols to worship instead. The Lord calls them a stiff necked people and is angry with them, saying that his anger burns against them and he wants to destroy them.

I'm obviously not going to destroy anyone (!!) but I must confess feeling angry a great deal lately. But then I think about it. Am I really in a position to liken myself, to relate to the anger, of God? For pity's sake. I think that it is really me who is stiff necked, who is forgetting what is important and real and worth it. Maybe I do need to be giving more to others than I have been able lately.

Part of it too, though, is that I am someone who needs a great deal of encouragement and I am not getting that on any front these days. I brought this up at lunch today and said just that. My friends said that everyone needed encouragement, it wasn't that I was more needy in this area than anyone else. I'm not sure of that - I feel needy - but maybe that need is because I am not getting it? I just don't know. I don't think it is praise I am seeking...but sometimes I just need someone to say I am doing a good job, that what I am doing is truly enough, and right, and good.

Remember Bill the Cat? I feel like him right about now...

Work is crazy. I stayed late and am actually still working now from home but my energy is dwindling. I am hoping I can finish my current project - or at least sketch it out so I can finish it quickly in the morning with little fan fare.

This was the view from my hotel window. I thought it was so cool that the train went through this little park, over the pond...until the train blew its horn ALL. NIGHT. LONG.



I was in town for work but decided to take the opportunity to stay for the weekend and visit the world famous San Diego Zoo. It was really amazing and this was the best part:



I was actually choked up when I went through the panda area. They are so beautiful and the zoo does such a nice job taking care of them, replicating their habitat, etc. It just made me so happy to see them and be so close to them. I know - it sounds weird - but I am such an animal lover. Which brings me to this guy, below:


I don't usually go to shows like this but I went because on a bus tour I took through the zoo first thing, they said they would have a wolf there...no wolf, but there was NORMAN. Yes, his name was Norman. And so I fell in love...and missed my own furry one.

This picture below was also a very neat experience. You could feed the giraffes biscuits. I came upon it too late and there was a terribly long line but I got some great pictures - they were up so close it was amazing. I have a great fondness for giraffes...and I was once blessed to see one born at the National Zoo in Washington.


After a looooooooooooong day at the zoo, I went back to my hotel room. I don't know if I will ever make it back to San Diego (though I dearly hope I do!) and I really wanted to see the beach at Coronado. So even though I was exhausted, I got in a cab and went over. I made it right at sunset and it was simply beautiful.




It was a great trip. I was somewhat anxious for some reason this time but I just kept focused on the wonder of all I was seeing and I am so glad I did. It was one of those rare trips where you really feel IN the moment, every moment.

Can you guess where I was???????????????? I was trying to upload some photos to give you a hint but the system won't let me do it...so I'll give you instead a few words:

Palm trees
Sandy beaches
Sunny skies
Pandas