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No thanks having enough change in my life right now. Trying to remember what end of I-71 I am on is hard enough. There have been days that I have to purposefully decide what day it is - what city I am in and where I am going as I wake up in the morning... that my friend is way too much change for me.

At one time I had thought I wanted to do some extensive travelling - - well after this month as they say in Chicago and points North "Forget about it"

I like driving where I go. As hubby says - we can take our reality with us... So USA trips by car maybe - - short ones. Chicago was great - I love that city - Columbus - Cleveland - Logan - Newport News - North Carolina - Appalachian Mts.

These will have to be in a few years BECAUSE on January 2, 2006 I wrote down on a note card that "every day is allowed to be different" and the earth powers took me at my word. Each day has been different for sure.

I am writing for 2007 "everyday is allowed to be calm and routine" and see if the earth powers and I agree... I think that the statement that my daughter said after reading some letters I wrote home when I was first married is the truest summation of my life I have ever heard... "You have never had a dull moment, Have you?"

No dull moments....

So I am going to seek a few quiet moments with my daughters sweater, doing the front neck increases... for the first time...

Here is another picture of us at the Oirachtes in Chicago last weekend...

Oireachtas is "a feis on steroids."

Imagine: One dancer, plus a minimum of one parent, add in a few siblings and grandparents.... multiply that sum by 5 thousand and you will know how many people were at the Hyatt Regency O'Hara this weekend for the three day 2006 Midwestern Oireachtas.

There were jigs, reels, sets, choreographed dances, treble jigs, solo competitions and team competitons (names of things I can remember). The dancers started early and they stayed late. They were dancing when we arrived on Friday afternoon and were still dancing when we left on Sunday morning. This is a competition that takes dancers to the World Competition in Ireland. There is a certain joy at these events that is palpable and a certain amount of respected sorrow. This is a place where dreams are made and moved or removed.

Dancing ages begin in the U6 category and continue to the Adult category and every combination in-between.

We, Irish, have many stories and icons attached to our heritage. Cabled sweaters, Celtic roping, Celtic music and a variety of "Irish" motifed items are common forms of expression. So you can imagine the combinations of displays of art that vendors display. It is hard to stay in contact with your cash. I am not a shopper and I did not even look hard at the tables... My daughter did look and surrendered to the vendor that had "hoodie" event jackets and sweatshirts. The dancing granddaughter can now wear her Oireachtas hoodie because she earned the right to wear it. DD#3 can wear her sweatshirt as a memory of a fine time with the family support team. Laughter was in abundance as we told story after story in the true Irish tradition. Some stories true and some stories sheer spin.

The drive to and back from Chicago was uneventful "Thank You Jesus" and I still hold the belief that Chicago is one of the most amazing cities. I love Chicago a lot!

Congratulations to the dancer and her support team... I think we did marvelous and had a nice family retreat time together.

And what has been going on since I wrote last 9 November? Well there was a General Convention where our Diocese elected a new Bishop, I have been to Akron/Cleveland to begin the process of dismantling my parents homestead, I have had Thanksgiving dinner for 7 local family members, began the Supartz injections in my knee, and tried to prepare the yard for winter. No dull moments have passed these hands.

Enjoy the time you have with family. Learn to enjoy one another. You can learn much from making peace. You can learn to stay on task and focus. You can learn to keep your political views to yourself and respect what views others hold because we are all entitled to certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. What is happiness to one may be sheer torture to another - - but we can quietly respect each person and their right to go in that direction.

I can tell you that there will be a certain amount of silence on these pages. My second sweater is on hiatus for a while, my knee needs more shots and the Dentist thinks I need some work done that will lay me up for an evening and I will need a few evenings to forgive him for what he does ... It is Advent season and a time of waiting is upon us...

So respect each other. Stay the course. Be brave. Learn from each other by holding your thoughts and listening longer. There is much to be learned in the silence...

Some days are just like that...

... for no reason I was easily frustrated today.

I felt the day was wasted because I had little to do at work.

I wanted to be home. I wanted to be outside in the beautiful autumn weather.

I had no patience for any form of moderation or compromise. I wanted what I wanted and nothing more or less.

If you know me - this is not how I am.

So I am glad the day is done. I put all the frustration outside in the trash. Left it there on the curb... too much to deal with and let it go...

Tomorrow is another day and I have it all to spend outside. Leaves and gardens to clean. Say good bye to another gardening year... that will be good... Oh Lord I pray...

Sunshine, blue skies and love, L'chei-im!

Pictures of Lake Mead wetland and Red Rock Canyon - very appropriate name if you ask me and a picture of I believe that if it were not a drought there would be water aplenty - but not so much now! Still beautiful! We spent one day driving a 13 mile scenic drive and viewing several overlooks. Then driving to Lake Mead where the signs of no rain are very evident.





Here are the family pictures! My sister Bobbie, her husband Bob and their daughter Kim. John and I in matching Sun Coast sweatshirts and Bling Bling from the casino (small family joke)

And then there is the happy couple. Rob and Heather Novak! The ceremony was very nice. Heather and Rob wrote their own committment vows and you could feel the love flow one to another while they said their promises. Two readings - one from Gibran and the other the lyrics from Roberta Flak's song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Needless to say the tears were just awash on faces which was OK by me ...

The entire 5 days were beautiful. I have a whole new appreciation for the word ARID. Coming back to reality of winter weather has been a whole other story.

I did get some knitting done while in the air and hubby read two books between NV and OH.

Life continues at the warp speed we left it - but I have a warm space in my heart for the days spent with family laughing and celebrating the new life of Rob and Heather Novak. L'chei-im to life and love and health.

That is my wish for all... L'chei-im!

Moving right along...

In good times and bad - hey this could become a habit!

Did you see the Muppet Movie and have the 8 track tape? We did!

There is a loft ladder installed today... before we fill the basharn with b'sharn stuff I will take some interior shots. Hope this cold snap lets up because... it is way to early to be entertaining temps in the 20's at night and only 40 in the day time... We need that warm day - cool night thing for a few more weeks... noone likes to rake leaves and we sure do not like to rake them wearing mittens and nose warmers :O)

And so is the sweater. Tonight we are both resting!

More progress reported in a few days!

In the meantime keep a good thought!

Keep a warm thought!

Be nice one to another!

Celebrate!

Take care of your self!

Exercise and Laugh!

Almost feel that a 'Love mom' should follow right here! OOOps it did!

They all brought home winners

I try and keep up with things about me.

The Cincinnati Bengals won.

The Denver Broncos are winning at I type (sorry Cleveland).

I think I heard that Notre Dame beat UCLA..

and

The Batavia Cheetah's won the second championship game which means that next weekend they play again - GO Cheetah's!!!!!

I know that the Batavia Cheetah's won because I got a call from a star Cheetah. I went to the first game of the tournament just as they were clearing the field - had the wrong time stored in my memory bank. That was OK. Em decided that she could play Soccer better if she got her hair cut and so she did in the two hours between games. I think it is a genius of a child woman that knows a haircut can change your day! They came back and won the second game in the tournament. Seems they play faster games when it is 40 bbrrrrgrees outside.

Yesterday was a great fall day. John finished trimming the basharn and installing the lofts above the doors while I was at a Steinmart Trade In Trade Up event for Interparish Ministries.

Back of basharn all trimmed out

and here is a close up of the windows all trimmed up

Who'd a thought that such a tiny detail would make such a huge impact!

I also spent some time giving birth to Lori's sweater. Back to work for me - I am against a clock that cannot be stalled. Graduation will come and I promised a sweater for a gift of a year of dedication to school - she did her part and now I must do mine.... I may post only pics for a while as these words seem to slow me down... Stay warm

Slow and Steady will win the Race

You will see two steady things at play here. One is the start of the shoulders for Lori's sweater and the second is the soffit and facia are both complete on the holder of the tools of the trades.

This is making both workers feel good. He that in a few short days will be able to get an inspection and myself that the sweater is indeed started and I think will progress faster than the one I made myself. Learning curve is half the battle.

















The rest of the outside day was spent taking apart planters and getting stuff together for the move into the holder of the trade container.

We cannot agree on a name. BASH, Basharn and a few others I cannot remember. So I will start calling it the holder of the trade tools. It will eventually settle in with its own identity.

I think the soup is hot in the microwave and I want a salad and some tea so I had best go and make these wants a reality...

What a beautiful blessed day outside. Thankyou Jesus.

Friday the thirteenth of October

Whew! That is all I have to say about this week.

Work was WORK.

Life was LIFE.

Nothing let up, everything was at full throttle. There were no minutes of nothing at all.

Generally speaking I have a healthy family. But it seems that the occurance of lumps and bumps has increased over the last few months. I find myself holding my breath a lot while I await the results. Lord knows that cannot be healthy for me. Good thing is that all the lumps and bumps have been Be-nine!

Speaking if being nine - Emily is now 10. A decade old. Whew!

The mud in my life has put two doors on the BASH or basharn. They rise and fall beautifully! So much so that when they are open they virtually disappear!

The fiber part of my life has done the 85 stitch swatch and has one inch of the shoulder saddles finished...4 more inches and the sweater will be born. Pictures to come this weekend.

Tomorrows activities include: view and exercise with the new Cardio Pilates CD; Soccer game; basharn trim work and garden digging or a trip to Waynesville where the Saurkraut Festival is being held. So much to think about so many choices... my love of crowds tells me I am digging in the garden... I do not like crowds at all... I don't even remember when I started disliking them... humph!

I talked to my sister whose son was married in April in a Courtroom. They were sitting at dinner while he was home for a visit and she saw the wedding band and it took her by surprise. We will be together later this month to celebrate his vows and we both admitted to being the slightest bit excited!!

Day is done, gone the sun,

From the hills, from the lake,

From the sky.

All is well, safely rest,

God is nigh.

Saturday, October 7, 2006

I woke up today with the sore throat I went to bed with. I went back to bed! I did not get to see Emily win another game. It took until almost 2:30 before I felt much like doing anything. So I took pictures... see below where mud and fiber meet!

THIS IS THE "BA-SH" SO FAR - IT IS THE MUD PART OF MY LIFE - TODAY WE INSTALLED THE SPRINGS AND THE HANDLE AFTER I TOOK THE PICTURE. Of course the springs are inside and work lovely as does the lock! One more side and we can fill it up - that will be a woo hoo day for sure! WOO HOO!

THESE ARE THE 34 ANNIVERSARY CARDS THAT WERE MY PRESENT FOR MY 34TH ANNIVERSARY AND SEVERAL MADE ME CRY AND I HAVE SEVERAL THAT MADE ME LAUGH AND A FEW THAT MADE ME BLUSH - BUT AFTER ALL THAT IS WHAT

34 YEARS IS ALL ABOUT - CRYING - LAUGHING AND BLUSHING!!

Then there is the fiber part of my life. I sent this picture to Lori and she made it her wallpaper on her computer. It is the swatch that shows what the cables are and how big they are so I know how much space each will take and how many stitches each side and sleeve will need to be. Designing your own sweater is quite the task. Lot of math and lot of counting and lots of prep work... just like anything else it takes time and effort.

I talked to all my daughters and my sister today. One daughter was studying, one was getting ready to run a race, one was doing the Mom thing and my Sister was travelling to see Dad. I gave her directions left over from last weekend!! Finding your way to new places has never been my strong suit and obvioulsy not my sisters either.

I cleaned up some fall leaves and cut down about a million Black-eyed Susans. I venture to say next Spring they will be growing in the crack by the side door... just a hunch.

Laundry beckons as does the bed making exercise. Cold and snotty nose season creates lots of laundry in my house.

GO AND SIT WITH GOD

OFFER BACK WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN

BLESSINGS OVERFLOWING WILL BE YOURS IN RETURN

PEACE TO YOU THIS DAY AND ALL DAYS...

Friday and all is well in my world, or I hope it is...

Good Evening, Many things have happened since the equinox. Mostly Life has gone at supersonic speeds...

• I have been to Cleveland to visit my Dad in the Rehab unit of Rockynol in Akron, Ohio where he is recovering from a broken femur
• I have washed the sweater and now I wait for a day that is in the low 50's for which I am willing to wait
• With the cooler temps the cat has found my lap
• My pansies are growing well and all the rest of the plantings are doing well. I tried to load a picture but not so much success tonight!
• I learned the fastest way to thaw a freezer that is full of ice is to have a fan blow on it and to use a really big towel to absorb the water. I have never in 34 years of housekeeping defrosted a freezer in such short order!
• Tall Stacks Festival is downtown and the entrance gate is across the street from our office, millions of people have come already and millions more this weekend which is suppose to be a beautiful high 60's weekend
• I have been given time to think
• As a family we began letting go of the family home in South Euclid
• Life goes on and continues to have challenges
• There have been night meetings at work which are always painful for me because come dark I either like to be with my husband at home or with my husband out, but I do not like to be out alone at night
• My nephew is getting married in the Mojave Desert at the end of October and plans are finished for the trip
• I found some interesting books about feminine studies and find the reading interesting as all get out. Glad that I have the time to read and understand all the ins and out of the feminine mysteries that lie in a spiritual journey for a woman. I prefer to be a 'crone' as opposed to being called old. Crone signifies to me wisdom from the journey. Wisdom that is often called upon by others... and compassion
• The barn/shed or BASH (as I like to call it) is coming together nicely.
• There are other things on the horizon - things that are not mine to tell but of which I know.
• I have almost finished the 100 stitch swatch for Lori's sweater. There has been a rather long learning curve for this because I chose cables that I liked that reminded me of Lori. That meant just about starting from scratch and reworking all the concepts. That is OK I enjoy the learning.
• Tomorrow maybe I will watch a soccer game or go and get my throat cultured. Somehow I came in contact with some strep throat...

So friends, visit someplace that you can sit and listen to the voice in your heart. Make sure the voice in your heart and the voice in your head agree. Then ever so gently, leave those ideas at the foot of the cross and know that the Lord will take care of all your concerns. She is good at caring for your worries.

Peace to you this night and all nights...

Urban Legend and other miscellany thoughts...

It is an urban legend that only on the Equinox will and egg stand on end.

Rather harmless I would say of all the events and hoaxes out there - but a myth at best. BUSTED! Searched www.snopes.com where all good facts are found...

My egg stood until sometime Sunday morning when it became compost.

34 Anniversary Cards - how fun is that! Overwhelming and little hand written notes in some. One made tears flow alot. He trusts me with his life... that was a startling statement... always something to learn each day...

Purchased the yarn for Lori's sweater... Gingery persimmon - great color! warm and toasty looking... 3 months to complete a sweater - might me a life time best! I am all about winning the race here.

Working to finish the Shepherd's Bush Shepherd Boy that I started in March 2000. I have only a few flowers and leaves to complete and beads to sew and it will be ready for the framers. I found that when I stopped eating artifical sweetners my vision improved and I can once again see to finish this rather detailed piece.

Life also derailed my finishing this project - plaster dust and cross stitch are not compatible. Neither is moving or mud! Life had been on the wild side for these last six years to say the least! I find that I need a central peace to stitch and if anyone knows me well - the waves have been wild and crazy since I started this piece... but I will finish the boy soon and he will hang next to the herb gathering girl a perfect pair.

Sing a song of prayer and rejoice for this is indeed the day the LORD has made.

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX, September 23, 2006

LOOK MOM NO HANDS

I have always wondered about this legend. Amy Stoehr told me her girls did it one year. My e-herbal friend Michele Brown (www.possumcreekherb.com) said she had an egg on her floor standing there. Well that was all I needed. So here are my results - obviously not all eggs will stand - witness the egg I ate for breakfast on it's side.

The list is getting done!

Dog bath - check

Reservations for nephews wedding - check

laundry - always

Off to accomplish this list

Clean church

Dog food

Shower present for new baby

I have other things to do that are written down on a notecard - because my memory is short and I am so excited that the egg is standing that I can hardly think of anything else!

WOO HOO!

September 21, 2006

It has been a day or 10 in a row. The time has been full lately. No dull moments. No uscheduled time. No time for tuna sandwiches and laughter. Plenty of laughter and plenty of results from diligent work. Travel, planning, thinking, working, dancing, practicing, memorizing, sewing, cooking, loving and being loved, listening and caring. All these activities have filled the days.

John and I agree we are happy this way - full of life - full of activity - we have no clue what boredom is or what it looks like. Like Lori in her one year program - we have kept our heads down and our eyes on the goal.

Here is the sweater that I knit with a few hundred others on line with instructor Janet Szabo who has family in Ohio, but resides in Montana. Tomorrow with any luck you will see pictures of the couches that John and I have upholstered.

Like I said - no dull moments in our life and I have kept my promise to John that I made so very long ago - he is not lonely anymore....

I will get a picture of the sweater on me another day, today I thought something should enjoy the recliner because it sure was not going to be me.

Sleep well my friends

Make plans to visit your God this weekend - she has an amazing story to tell you - one of love and acceptance right the way you are - you will never be the same after you hear the story

while attending soccer practice... Ode to Emily

Mid-week and it had some high and low points I contemplated while attending soccer practice ...

I can retire at age 61 - - 5 years and 71 days but who is counting the days until attending soccer practice will be the highlight of my day!

The weather is definitely made for wearing sweaters while attending soccer practice ...

I got a nap while attending soccer practice...

I knitted a little while attending soccer practice...

Got the news that my Dad is in a regular hospital room and out of ICU while attending soccer practice...

Walked a mile while attending soccer practice...

Had soup and sandwiches for dinner after soccer practice and found out the soccer star probably had pancakes for dinner...

I finally got the last two cushions on Becky's couch correct... I think the material is on crack cocaine or something because it was non-compliant and just down right ugly to sew... I am not usually harassed by sewing - but I can tell you I had nothing nice to say about those cushions... and the material is so soft and pliable - it should not have given me the fits it did! I will appreciate sitting my arse down even more knowing what an effort that they were to sew!

I chatted with some friends while attending soccer practice at the LYS and found out the yarn I ordered is not going to give the affect I want - seems it will argue with the cables - I looked it up after I ordered it and decided that Saturday would be a day set aside to make the decision because I have the cables all worked out and I am ready to knit while attending - - - - soccer practice :O)

Seems what I have been missing was the 90 minutes necessary without distractions other worldly that attending soccer practice affords me. I have not had 90 minutes to myself in weeks and I love the solititude and time to think and sort things out.

I love attending soccer practice! Who'd a thought and I loved watching the game on Sunday also. Very relaxing and good to sit still!!!!

Who'd a thought indeed... off to rest because the bus comes in the morning oh so early and I am ready to get back on it because I had the time to contemplate just how good life really is while attending soccer practice!

OH AH - The MUD has blossomed into a star

This is what I saw when I returned from Grace Mountain Retreat III. It made me smile really large.

John and I saw these stars in Logan, Ohio when we went on vacation in April, 2006, long before we started this project in earnest. I fell in love with them immediately and we talked about when the time came to build the shed/barn there would be a star on the front end. And here you have it sports fans - a star.

So I was just plugging along and thinking about the star and purchased star lights for the deck and star candle holders for the deck - - star dishes - - stars in my eyes - - you get the idea.

It tickled me so to see it hung up already. John is pleased with his work and loves the help he has received from his children, especially when the nail gun misfires and lands in his finger. Becky and Lori unplugged the necessary items and took him immediately to the ER. They called me afterward and I left work pronto. By the time I arrived the ER doc had taken the nail out and x-rayed him again and he was ready to go - no cast - no stitches - prescriptions in hand and things to do on the list. There has been some pain involved and a HUGE bruise. Here is praying that he heals fast and true.

The Grace Mountain Conference was in Lancaster, Ohio and our Deacon, Carol Callahan, invited me to attend and speak on behalf of IPM (InterParish Ministries). All the workshops were great. A local three piece band played and there was an Appalachian author as our keynote speaker, Richard Hague. Interesting thoughts from this conference: 1.) assimilation and transformation; 2.) the ministry of presence is the seed of all other ministries. I will have to write a piece for the newsletter - and when I do - I will post it here.

Lori was in for part of the week - Tuesday nite through Sunday morning. She came by way of Megabus. I miss her a lot more after she leaves - - - alot. She got some bad news about her friend Becky Keltch while she was here. Pray for peace for Becky and a miracle of healing. I annointed Lori and Becky and prayed on them to ease the pain and sorrow.

So much to do and so little time.

I watered the grass for an hour before God kicked in with lightening, thunder and rain...

Jesus love you this I know,
For the Bible tells you so...

BEEN A LONG JOURNEY (within inches of the end)

BEEN A LONG JOURNEY ON THE BODY SHOP SEGMENT OF THIS PROJECT. Throughout this journey all the knitters that did this Follow the Leader Aran Knit (FLAK) told stories about where they were in regards to the sweater - sleeve island - body shop - and we knew what we were talking about without blinking. Lori is getting one of these as a graduation gift and we are starting the last quarter together. Me knitting and she studying - I hope to be done as she is pinned on January 7, 2007 as she graduates. I have been working on this since January 2006 and I am almost finished - how I plan on doing one in 12 weeks is beyond me - - not too many long blogs coming your way... lots of pictures saying I am here now....

Of course while I do hers I will not be sweating through a hot summer nor doing foundation work or building a shed and gardening herbs. I may actually have time to knit - imagine that.

Back at it - hope for 8 more rows tonight so I can try it on - woo hoo!

I have another daughter signing up for college - so there are more sweaters to be made for each grade completed in college.... a four year program would be 4 sweaters! WOO HOO!

Labor Day or We are always giving birth to something at my house

New patio space with a new garden along the drive way. I wanted a garden along that driveway since the day we moved in here and throughout this project it came to reality.

John and I have chatted about how you have to break an egg to make an omlette and the concept of loosing or giving away something or your talents but always gaining something even better in return. I guess if there ever was a picture to explain that concept this whole page of pictures is just that. Luke 6:35 (I think) talks about blessings overflowing in you lap... this is what this looks like in my head - blessing overflowing in my lap.




Then there is the wet dog story. Casey is allergic to summer in Cincinnati and had a severe attack early this week. There were the ususal comments about his weight and then the doctor took the flea comb and John got the dirty dog comments on top of the weight comments and the reason he went to the vet anyway.... needless to say the dog bath got lifted to the top of the pile today


Here is a view from the driveway. Looks tremendous if you ask me. If you go back and see the piles of dirt earlier in the summer and then look today - you can see the miracle.

Yep always some form of birthing going on here. Thanks Sharon for giving me that image. I can use it well over the next few months.


So friends - rest from your labors so you can enjoy what you have accomplished. The family is gathering for meatloaf and potatoe salad and kale and chocolate cake. Tomorrow Lori comes home for the week and John and her will "whip" the shed into shape - - so more birthing ahead.

It is only 11 am and I have done a ton of stuff - so after the shower I will make meatloaf and clean the kale and then knit until 3 or so and then just pop the meatloaf in the oven and toss a salad and wait for the family to arrive. Woo Hoo let the rest and enjoyment of our labors sustain us through the days and weeks ahead.

We who birthed this project should be proud of our accomplishments. Like all birthing processes we were not in this alone. John, Chris, Paul, Jenn, Becky, Felecia, Emily you can rest in knowing your prints are all over this project and that makes it shine even more than any other we have ever done. By the end Lori will have imprinted her love on it and it will be completely our own.

Rest in the love of the Lord - she cuddles real good.

bigger than a bread box and a lot smaller too

First you see what is smaller than a bread box - sprouting grass - woo hoo I say woo hoo! All week long I have been cheering it on saying "Come on grass seed you can do it, I know you can and today the cutest green haze is just peaking through the straw. WOO HOO!
Here is what is bigger than a bread box and also wetter. We sat on it for a few seconds but the rains came. Tomorrow we will sit and have our pictures taken there. Tomorrow I will show you the rest of the patio too. The picture came out a little darkish and did not improve with the auto fix button.

So sports fans this is as far as we are. Oh tomorrow I will also take a picture of my sweater because it is within 6 inches of being done. WOO HOO!

This is Labor Day weekend - let us rest from out labors.... visit your God - she is waiting for you to stop by and chat - and maybe there is another human there that just needs your smile...

"Bigger than a bread box"

"Bigger than a bread box" is a favorite game John and I have played over the years. Tonight on the way back from the pickup at the bus stop we played it again.

Tomorrow the pictures.

Tonight was knitting like the dickens and caring for the big dog because he has chewed himself raw in one spot - seems as though he is allergic to August in Cincinnati! Pictures of sweater done within 6 inches tomorrow too!

Right now rest.

Think about visiting God someplace this weekend. I know it is only Thursday night - but hey - sometimes you need enough time to talk yourself in and out of the answer... That is OK God is a patient and awesome God and I waiting for you to check in and say Hello... really...

Gnite.

The news spread fast

Many people have asked for pictures.

My family in Columbus and Cleveland have been watching very carefully as we take this journey. I can only imagine the conversations. I wonder how many times they have asked about my sanity and whether it was in tact. Without the firm conviction that this project will get finished and lots of prayers and knitting, I may well have gone off the deep end. Did I mention Jazzercise and Chocolate?

I can almost say that life is getting near the edge of normal. That alone is a very scary thought.

Without further ado I present one-half acre of newly sewn grass seed and a full 34 bales of straw that are going back to where they came from... of course this was after my Dad told me that the lawn needed 4 inches of straw cover, not the one or two that we gave it, because lawns like dark, warm (got that covered), moist (GOD is providing that nicely and is said to be providing it all week) places to germinate. I said it will be "just fine" because we did what we did and we can do no more.

This leads me to the feeling that I have delivered a baby. I cannot explain it any other way. Now I want to sit and watch the "baby" grow, but that isn't happening any time soon. Jenn and I did sit for a minute in the chairs way out back until John needed help with removal of the trailer (did you miss it?) and we had to get up.

This process has been interesting - it did tell me that sometimes when you tell the story of events to come and then live through those events that have been planned out - it is a completely different thing. You think I would have learned this from the church construction. Sometimes I am a slow learner.

Plans on paper, tons of gravel, dimensions of ditches, yards of pipe, sizes of block and brick, yards of soil and sand, earth moved, replaced, and unsuspecting things found are real pulsating things. They have a life of their own, their own mass and sense and they convert what you see as a quiet place to rest into a pseudo war zone.

At no time did I feel threatened but just the appearance of things being in such the Wrong place or not there at all was just weird. Especially the moat, that was plan bizarre, no earth at the foundation and water all around. Ladders needed to see level ground and mucky earth ready to suck you in to your knees and keep your shoes. Surreal.

It will be a story that will last into the next generation because of the fantastic help of Felecia and Emily, Jenn and Becky. That alone is enough for me right now.

Next steps, Knit like the dickens on my FLAK, pick color of Lori's graduation sweater when she comes home in a week or so - shed and deck - hot tub season is coming fast... after that, who knows?

Did you go and meet God and his family here on earth today? She was waiting for you.

I went, He was there, and I met some new family and watched as some old friends were reunited. It sure is amazing how God works, almost like watching your new sewn lawn grow in your backyard.