They killed him

They killed him off

I can't believe it.

After 300 pages of near misses, and chance meetings, and true love, and miscommunication, and the final big We-can't-go-on-like-this-so-I'm-ending-it-now, he finally gets it together. He can let go his wife who died tragically years ago. He wants to move on. He writes one last letter-in-a-bottle to his wife to say goodbye, and mails another to the woman he wants to be with. Then he goes out in a boat to throw away the Last Bottle. A storm comes up. Faster than he expected. And he dies.

And she's left where he was in the beginning. Writing love letters to the deceased.

Usually my favorite books aren't the ones with pat endings. Lord of the Rings comes to mind. Or Peter Pan. But this is going a bit too far.

I'm off to find some Happily Ever After now.

Power Outage

Unexpected Break

A power outage forced the shop to close for an hour and a half this afternoon. It was lovely. Except I sent the help home. Now the power is back on, and only two hours are left in the work day. Lovely!

Thomas A Kempis

Not as to What We Have Read

What does it avail to discourse profoundly of the Trinity if you are void of humility and are thereby displeasing to the Trinity? Surely profound words do not make a man holy and just; but a virtuous life makes him dear to God. I would rather feel contrition than know the definition thereof. If you knew the whole Bible by heart, and the saying of all the philosophers, what would all that profit you without love (I Cor. 13:12)?

Truly when the day of judgment comes, we shall not be examined as to what we have read, but what we have done (Matt. 25); not how well we have spoken, but how we have lived.

Thomas a Kempis

Sorry I've been laid up

Been Laid Up

Flat on my back for the last few days with a back injury. Or rather an older injury which keeps getting re-injured. I went to the doctor Friday morning and was told that my car wreck three years ago all-but-obliviated the curvature in my lower spine. So I'm going to keep hurting myself unless I'm very careful. She gave me a lovely brace to wear at work, and a baggy of sample Aleve. Those did nothing, nor did the at least half dozen Ibuprofin I had on top of that.

Spent Friday night awake trying to find a way to sleep that wasn't agony. All of the pain killers only made me noxious. So, thank God, mom came over yesterday bringing food, different pain killers, and took care of me all afternoon. She also cleaned my room for me which was getting a bit out of hand, but I couldn't do anything about it from flat on my back in bed.

Today finally I'm feeling a bit better. After a lovely breakfast of chocolate fondue-d bananas, Murder Must Advertise, and a shower, I'm up to a brief blog.

The bright spot in all this was the Mission when I moved in being unable to find a regular bed for me. Instead I have a medical bed, complete with all the bells and whistles. So, by playing with the remote controls I'm able to raise and lower the head and foot of the bed until I'm comfortable at night.

I'm off to have some stew Mom made last night and back to bed again. If I keep off my feet today, I may be able to be of some use at work tomorrow...

Lesson Plans

Preparing Lesson Plans.

Tell you why later.

Candlemaking

Did you ever wonder where all the half burned candles go? That's right. To us. And tonight I'm taking a bunch of half burned white and yellow candles and half a bottle of vanilla scent and making new candles with empty candle-company jars.

The first one is a bit yellow, but at least I remembered to put scent in it.

My favorite days are when people send us half burned scented candles. I take those upstairs and use them up. Right now I have French Vanilla, Sugar Cookie, and Cinnamon Vanilla burning. When those are empty. I'll melt some more down and refill them. I LOVE this place!

Pounding pt. III

A little more Pounding

I have a lead again. So another resume has been printed and rearranged. Now I'm off to try to land a few more hours a week. Thursday I have the Wycliffe meeting, and the interim music leader has asked me to join the worship team. I don't want to very badly, but they need people. I warned him I'm looking for a second job, so I don't know how much time I'll have, but I'll do it for the summer.

Stop Buying New

Stop Buying New Things...
Except Underwear!

There is no reson on earth why we couldn't stop buying new until we've worn out/used up the old. So many things are being thrown away that can be reused, recycled into something new, or used up. Take clothes for instance. Tons of clothing gets donated, much of it little worn. The next time you need something, consider looking around for a good quality used item at a thrift or second hand store. Not only can you find name brand clothes for a fraction of the cost (We have Givenchy Sport in the shop for $2), these clothes are hardly worn!

How many times have we crafters started a project and run out of steam midway. What do we do with it? Either move it with us in the hope of finishing it *someday* or giving it to Goodwill, or throwing it out. The next time you want to try a new project, consider checking for ones that have been bought and unfinished. It's far cheaper. And if you don't, you can donate it back without feeling guilty for all the money you invested.

Books. I am guilty of spending small fortunes on my book library. I'm trying to check the library first, and borrow those I can't wait for (The new Harry Potter is being mailed to me once my sister finishes it). But some entire book collections get donated from estate. Lots of New Releases are read and discarded.

What about housewares, dishes, furniture, the dreaded knicknacks that some can't live without? You don't even want to know how many older sewing machines are brought in that function very nicely.

I fear I may be going off the deep end. I get depressed in malls. All of this time and energy and resources used to make *stuff* that we don't need, won't want in five minutes, and throw away. What if we all stopped for a while. Just stopped buying and buying and buying and throwing out. We should stop and go see what's still good. If you're tired of things, donate them so someone else can have a go, and find someone else's used that they can't stand anymore.

Crafty Things that I didn't know not to buy new:

1. Crochet Hooks and Knitting Needles (compare at $7, used $.10-.25)

2. Yarn, Thread and Embroidery Floss (Here: $.25 a skene)

3. Patterns. (Cost $3-12, used $.25)

4. Pillow Forms (The fabric may be passe, but the insides are good)

5. Decor and Couture Books ($25-$30 hardcover, Here $1)

Be mindful of your surroundings Obi Wan

Be mindful of your surroundings Obi Wan...er...I mean Bruce

I just saw Batman. I liked it! Especially Inspector Gordon. And Michael Cain as Alfred. And the wussy guy wearing all the blush and mascara.

I had my doubts at first about Christian Bale. He's a great actor, but I'll always picture him running around in his underwear and sneakers with a chainsaw. Thank you American Psycho.

Liam Neeson did a great job. A few of his lines were a bit Qui Gon. The battle scenes were hard to tell who was kicking whose butt. And there was no, "Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" But they threw the Joker in, so all is well.

I loved Morgan Freeman, as usual.

Lots of fun. Thanks Eric for taking me! And letting me drive the Miata. Especially after my Dad yelled as we pulled out, "She's already totalled one and a half of mine!" Very trusting.

Another nutty day

Another Nutty Day

My boss is sick, all our help leaves by 1:30, leaving me to run the store. It's going to be a long day...