Mom’s Musings

One of the classes in which I assist students is an eighth grade language arts class. Currently the students are working on personal memoirs. When they free write to come up with ideas, the result is often a running narrative: “this happened, then this happened, then this other thing happened.” Of course, the final result is supposed to focus on a “So what?” moment, something really significant to the writer. The lead or introduction to the memoir should catch readers’ attention, perhaps with action, some great descriptive language, or perhaps dialogue. I recall telling students, “Remember, you’re not writing a grocery list. Don’t just list what happened!”

Oftentimes, though, in writing a post for this blog, I do employ a list! Tonight is one of those times; I am just so pleased with all that was accomplished today. Please bear with me while I list just a few of them; then I’ll reward you with some lovely photos which Rick took as we looked around outside this afternoon:

• I ordered a shoe size measuring device (whatever they’re called!) a while back, and took it over to my mom’s. I measured her feet, and now know that her feet are two sizes smaller than she has been insisting they are, but she wins on the “extra wide” measurement. I’ll try ordering a better-fitting slipper shoe for her ASAP.
  
• After helping my mom with various things, I purchased groceries, picked up a prescription, and dashed home – to be greeted by most of the children leaving to attend a high school football game (Our guys won, by the way!). Debra vacuumed the house while I tackled the dirty kitchen.
  
• Outside, Darren and Rick had been splitting firewood, and Seth and Debra had been stacking it in the woodshed, while I had been running errands. Then, to warm my heart even further, Rick started neatening up the carport! That perennially messy-looking area has been something I’ve simply had to “let go of” in order to not fret about its “slummy-ness.” Nevertheless, I allowed myself to be pleased.
  
• Once the kitchen was neat, I proceeded to mess it up again by baking Honey Whole Wheat Bread. A Home Economics teacher in junior high once taught me that you’re not a good cook unless you clean up afterwards, so, heedful of her wise advice, I cleaned up once again, so I could mess it up once again by making two Tortilla Casseroles, one for the church potluck tomorrow, and one for the children’s dinner tonight.
  
• That was very nice of me, don’t you think, preparing a nice dinner for the youngun’s, before going out to dinner tonight? Rick and I went out to dinner with Darren and Laura to celebrate Darren finding a job so quickly after moving here from Vermont. We went to the Black Forest Restaurant in Everson – such good food! The guys enjoyed their steaks, medium-rare, while Laura and I enjoyed our schnitzel and potatoes, and red cabbage.
  
• Bunches of laundry got done, in between. Our sheets were changed.
  
• Family worship came next. We’re enjoying having Darren, Laura, little Diederick, and baby Carly. It reminds me of the old days when we had little ones (sniff!). Afterwards, the children worked on their lessons for Sunday School.
  
• I proceeded to mess up and clean up the kitchen one more time, preparing Plantation Cake for dessert for the church potluck tomorrow. Whew!
  
• To reward myself for being profitably busy today, I marched right on over to the study to do this blog post.
  

Some of Rick’s grapes, ripening on the vine, looking beautiful.

I love these zinnias. They just keep blooming and blooming. Rick planted them from seeds early in the Spring.

Here’s a photo of Rick and me, lovin’ the afternoon sun and the stroll around the yard. It’s looking so nice!