Chilly

I haven’t taken any interesting pictures lately, so here is our living room in some rare afternoon sunlight. Ha!

It’s been cold lately. My space heater, hot water bottle, and cozy scarves are keeping me comfortable. I have been prone to being cold for most of my life, but I try not to mention it too often. One of these days that sunlight should break the chill.

Work spaces

Sometimes the simplest changes make a big difference. I have been focusing on some of my work spaces and habits.

I realized that if I sit at the kitchen table to study, I am much more likely to write notes and impressions. I am less distracted in the kitchen than when I study on the sofa, so I moved my books to a kitchen shelf for easy access. This is where I begin my day.

I have learned that a single office space for myself isn’t ideal. My adaptable study space in the kitchen is great, but I also like my secluded work space in the basement for writing (complete with a space heater). There is something powerful about a dedicated work area. At this basement desk, I have trained myself to focus on writing only. This desk has some paper, a few pens and pencils, and a stapler, and I am surrounded by books. There is nothing to set up, and I just turn on the computer and go.

I have another desk in the bedroom where I can store important papers and it’s easy to keep very tidy.

One of these days I will reclaim my sewing work area in the basement. What is it about a sewing space that invites clutter?

And yes, if you are counting, I have admitted to having 4 desks in my house. This arrangement is working really well for me right now. 😅

Old snowflakes in new places

I made these snowflakes many years ago and didn’t want to get rid of them when the season was over. They were a lot of work, so I packaged them carefully into a cabinet so I could use them another time. With the leaves gone in my backyard, I wanted a little something on my kitchen window to cheer up the view. I arranged as many as I could fit, and the effect is best at night when the dark winter night contrasts with the sparkly white designs.

I placed my best snowflakes in a floating frame on my living room wall. I can see this frame from many areas of our house, and it is surprising how I continue to feel a thrill when I see it. I am proud of these original creations, and I’m glad that I saved them!

Together

Paige and Mike arrived in town on Wednesday, and Daniel and McKenna dropped by last night. As soon as they walked in, I realized that we had all of our kids together in our home. It’s been two years and several weeks since we have enjoyed time together like this.

It was a busy evening, with a friend visiting and preparations for my parents’ anniversary party. Daniel played through a Christmas songbook on the piano, and eventually several of us sang along. Paige and Mike played a game, Tim and Richard watched a movie together, and I moved from room to room, enjoying the sight.

Alabama

Twickenham Historical District

We took a quick trip to Alabama to visit Paige and Mike and their new house. It is a beautiful house with a large yard. Their neighborhood is rural and quiet, surrounded by corn, cotton, and soybean fields. People wave to you and are very friendly, and there is a slower pace in the South which is pretty charming. Richard and Mike worked on a car dilemma and we helped select and install bathroom fixtures. Remember your first home? How exciting/daunting/fun it was to set up your own place? Well, this is where they are. What an exciting time of life. 💕

A day

Our car has been hit twice during the past two weeks, once at a stoplight where someone backed into us, and the other time, with a panel flying from a truck on the freeway. Richard was driving alone on the freeway, and was not injured. This is such a tender mercy. There is a lot of damage to the bumper and hood, and the car is being repaired. Things could have been so much worse if the debris had gone through the windshield.

The day of the accident, Richard’s burden grew with two more projects at work, and we were scheduled to host a youth activity at our house that evening. Mark and I set up the activity while Richard finished some work in his office before the boys began to arrive.

The boys chopped wood and made a fire in our solo stove, and cooked hot dogs, marshmallows, and biscuits. Happy sounds echoed through our neighborhood as the boys played kuub. Night fell too early, and soon, there were only adult voices coming from outdoors. I sat in my living room and thought about the good things that happened throughout the day.

A text from a friend.

Time with Mark.

A compliment from a young dad on our home.

A conversation with Paige as I worked in the yard.

A yard full of boys having fun.

Protection from harm. Knowledge. Peace.

Projects

At the beginning of the month, I made a general list of things I wanted to accomplish in September. Most projects are long, and can’t be done in one day or one week.

So far, I have been able to check off just one thing from the list. I play my own version of hopscotch, with sequenced, short steps to do each day for my goals. Some of this is catch-up after a rough summer. Some of this is in preparation for a busy fall ahead. Some of this is because I am in the stage of life when it’s time to part with things. Most of it is study, though. I sit at our kitchen table and read and write through the mornings on most days. Lucky me to be able to do that.

A long wait

Our carpet needed to be replaced 11 years ago when we bought this house, but we waited to make the purchase. Tonight, our kitchen is full of furniture, including our grand piano, ready for new carpet tomorrow morning.

This time tomorrow night, that old smelly carpet will be gone. Still, what did I do today? I carefully vacuumed it one last time.

Thank you, old carpet.