Da Capo al Fine

prayer is invasion

2011-12-08T17:36:00.001-05:00

"Few things have contributed to spiritual barrenness in the church Christ founded as has the idea that prayer is mere quiet, meditational passivism. There is a time to be silent. There is a time to be still. To know the awesomeness of God's person and presence. But prayer is alive. It is aloud with praise, aglow with warmth, attuned with song, aflame with power. We're under instructions to change the world. Once you have been rescued from it, you'll need power to become a threat to it. The world which contained you in its grasp until now, will not release its hold on others without a fight. Power is the key to our victory, and prayer is the pathway to power." ~Jack Hayford in Prayer Is Invading The Impossible

The Good Shepherd

2011-11-11T15:59:00.009-05:00

I am just finishing an amazing book by Phillip Keller, who was a shepherd in Africa, and his book is called, A Shepherd Looks At The 23rd Psalm. It only takes a few pages to be brought to your knees, in having your Lord shown in terms of an intimate caretaker and yourself being compared to a sheep. From seeking their own pastures, to petty disagreements within the flock, to falling down and not being able to get up on their own, to being driven to frustration and distraction by the pestilence of insects at the height of summer, one would almost think they are created solely to draw a parallel between mankind and his Savior.

The endless tasks of a good shepherd are staggering. He walks the fields, pastures, valleys and high ground, preparing the land for his sheep, noting poisonous plants, location of watering holes, the threat of dangerous animals and rich meals of grass--never taking his sheep where he had not gone before. He combs the fields day and night for storms and predators and lost sheep…He anoints their noses and heads with oil and sulfur to keep the annoying and destructive flies away, and bring comfort, he keeps them on the move to prevent over-grazing and erosion and parasitic infestation, he guides them with his staff touching their sides so they know he is there…

Despite all this, Isaiah 53:6 says we have turned each one of us to our own way! We blindly, habitually, stupidly cling to the same habits we have seen ruin other lives. Keller says, "Turning to my own way simply means doing what I want to do. It implies that I feel free to assert my own wishes and carry out my own ideas. And this I do in spite of every warning.” Turning to my own way simply means doing what Jayme wants to do?? This isn’t talking about bad people, like cheaters and liars and thieves? Then this is a serious idea that needs my serious consideration!

For me, for most people, this goes on continuously! “I don’t feel like going to the grocery store” “Carrie asked to meet for coffee, but she will talk my ear off” “I’ll just put on another pot of coffee and read one more chapter” “I’m too tired to go to the gym this morning” On it goes! The Good Shepherd says, If any man will follow me, let him deny himself daily and take up his cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34) But most of us simply don’t want to do this in the practical sense. We don’t want to deny ourselves (shut the tv off), we don’t want to give up the right to make our own decisions (Lord, can we take a family vacation to Disney this year?) and we don’t want to follow, which is to say, we don’t want to be led in paths of righteousness! Keller says, “The person who is prepared to put his personal life and personal affairs in the Master’s hands for His management and direction has found the place of rest in fresh fields each day.” That’s what I am after. This means giving him my day, every day. Lord, what would you have me do today? And then listen. Ask pointed questions. Is it okay to curl up with my book this morning? “No, you need to take the dogs to the park and then write that card to Becky.” I don't know if I should take the train into town or drive, you know my time is tight “Don’t take the train, drive and I’ll give you a parking spot” And He speaks without being consulted, “I don’t want you to get that book or that food processor or that iphone or ipad (fill in the blank)” "Yes, give her all of it” "Don't go to Indiana this weekend" These things may sound absurd, but how can we hope to hear from God in the big, life-changing things, if we haven’t practiced seeking and hearing in the little things? "My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me." (John 10:27) Have I gone overboard in my eagerness to follow? Maybe, but I sincerely doubt it. Peter literally threw himself overboard in his rush to greet the risen Lord and Jesus loved him for it. Jesus never exclaimed, “O you of too much faith!” If God is the same yesterday, today and forever, God still speaks. What is He trying to say to you? Ask him. Be specific. Be deliberate. Expect a response.

Hope deferred...

2011-10-29T20:03:00.004-04:00

I think its time to post. Its been a long five months since we moved from Boston. I didn't mean to be gone and silent. I didn't mean to be away from the thoughts and activities I record here. It hasn't been a matter of discipline, or finding time in my week, because I have had plenty of it, being yet without a job...I just didn't have much to say. Honestly, I've been doing a lot listening. And thank God, my heart has been a sponge. But I've been quiet for long enough, I think. So, I am asking God to put his words and ideas on my heart and in my mouth, so that sharing here would be edifying, which is all I'm interested in anymore, for anyone.

I read a friend's blog tonight that really moved me. She is feeling lost, emptied of the hopes she had 'once upon a time.' Her life isn't working the way she thought it would--doesn't this sound familiar?-- and I don't know the details, but I can certainly relate to this line of thinking. I could write a book on how just about everything in my life is different than I planned. But this is what I wrote to her and I thought it was worth sharing.

Hi Sarah...I sort of stumbled across your blog through Facebook tonight and I don't think it was just a coincidence. I'm sorry to hear you're having a tough time. If you don't mind my saying it, if something in your life doesn't feel like something God would do or bring, its probably from the Enemy--he wants to steal whatever he can from us and pawn it off as God's will for us. If something isn't going the way you hoped, do not conclude that God doesn't want it for you, but consider that we are OPPOSED at every turn. Make sure you haven't made any "agreements" with the Father of Lies, like "I'll never have XYZ" or "I just don't have what it takes to blank." If you have had these thoughts, you can break their power, inviting Jesus' healing, and have victory in these wounded places of your heart. Remember the JOY of the Lord is our strength! If you are blue, pray against the spirt of desolation. God loves you so much and does have a specific plan in mind for you...

Isaiah 61:1-4 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has annointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengence of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant those who mourn in Zion--to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Summer Daze

2011-07-08T10:31:00.008-04:00

I am restless. I go through my days doing what I ought--housework, grocery shopping, laundry are the obvious ones....taking care of myself, drinking lots of water, taking vitamins, taking the dogs for a walk, going to the gym....then there's calling friends, writing letters, reading blogs--all the things I do to nurture important relationships and feel a part of things...there's also singing, reading, gardening, practicing piano, going to auditions, looking for a job. I know how to fill my days, or is it daze, with things that need to get done...so why do I feel such longing? Like a pain too deep to soothe or find the source. What would make this restlessness go away? A home at last to call our own? Little feet running through it? A job in the arts? A lead role on the stage?? Somehow, I just don't think so. Instead my thoughts go to pastel sunsets on the ocean. Majestic snow-capped mountains. Flying with the birds on the heights or swimming with schools in the reef. Watching a squirrel play with his tail in the colorful leaves, sending me into fits of giggles in unguarded delight. These things make me feel like I lost something or someone somewhere along the way--something that only the heart recognizes. C. S. Lewis has this to say about it:

Even in your hobbies, has there not always been some secret attraction which the others are curiously ignorant of--something, not to be identified with, but always on the verge of breaking through, the smell of cut wood in the workshop or the clap-clap of water against the boat's side? Are not all lifelong friendships born at the moment when at last you meet another human being who has some inkling (but faint and uncertain even in the best) of that something which you were born desiring, and which, beneath the flux of other desires and in all the momentary silences between the louder passions, night and day, year by year, from childhood to old age, you are looking for, watching for, listening for? You have never had it. All the things that have ever deeply possessed your soul have been hints of it--tantalizing glimpses, promises never quite fulfilled, echoes that died away just as they caught your ear. But if it should really become manifest--if there ever came an echo that did not die away but swelled into the sound itself--you would know it. Beyond all possibility of doubt you would say, "Here at last is the thing I was made for." We cannot tell each other about it. It is the secret signature of each soul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want, the thing we desired before we met our wives or made our friends or chose our work, and which we shall still desire on our deathbeds, when the mind no longer knows wife or friend or work. While we are, this is. If we lose this, we lose all.

I weep even as I type Lewis' words. Why am I restless?? Because we all are! Or should be anyway. Should I apologize for this deep desire? Should I be more content? John Eldredge calls it a "haunting," that was designed to draw me closer to my Father, Creator and King. Perhaps the thing we all 'lost somewhere along the way' is our original glory? We long to return to the way things were meant to be...and WILL be again some day. Then, its OK. More than OK, its good. Do you feel this poignant longing? What do you do with it? Maybe you didn't know that you have it...All I can do is keep my heart open and alive to the quest. Its also known as the joy set before us...

Back in the Midwest

2011-06-11T21:27:00.006-04:00

Well, after lots of packing and unpacking, lots of exhausted driving and lots of help from friends and family, we have successfully relocated from Boston to Chicago! Although, technically, we are just outside of Chicago, in the Oak Park area. I don't have many pictures of our place because I took these off my phone, but I will load more soon. The yellow brick in the foreground is our place...

The last two weeks have been weird. We caught up on sleep and have tried to make the place feel like home, but I think we're both pining for something more permanent. And we miss Boston. Its funny to experience a little bit of culture shock coming from there to here, when I grew up here. But still. I miss the plants and trees and green EVERYWHERE. I miss the curvy, hilly streets and the crammed packed-ness that you feel in Boston. I miss our park across the street and I miss our backyard. Even Dolly was feeling depressed. Like the picture, she just laid around for days, not understanding and breaking my heart.

But.

Our new neighborhood is nicer and cleaner and our new apartment is bigger and sunnier! And thank goodness, I found a job right away and I am full time babysitting for two little cuties just ten minutes away, named Lucas and Clara. Scott has a bathroom renovation for some good friends of ours next week in Michigan City. Now if I could just find a teaching position for the fall!

Da Capo Al Fine

2011-05-28T12:04:00.002-04:00

"Pour yourself out like a fountain.
Flow into the knowledge that what you are seeking
finishes often at the start, and, with ending, begins."

When I first started this blog, summer 2007, it was because we were moving out to Boston for grad school. Da Capo Al Fine is a musical term which means to go back to the beginning, and I felt that I was returning to my music passions, by going to grad school for musical theater. Now we are returning to Chicago and much closer to home for both of us, which also feels like a Da Capo Al Fine...

Rainier Maria Rilke puts my feelings nicely...

Want the change. Be inspired by the flame
where everything shines as it disappears.
The artist, when sketching, loves nothing so much
as the curve of a body as it turns away.

What locks itself in sameness has congealed.
Is it safer to be gray and numb?
What turns hard becomes rigid
and is easily shattered.

Pour yourself out like a fountain.
Flow into the knowledge that what you are seeking
finishes often at the start, and, with ending, begins.

Every happiness is the child of a separation
it did not think it could survive. And Daphne, becoming a laurel,
dares you to become the wind.

Good bye Boston! We did a lot of growing here...

Red Sox at last

2011-05-22T19:39:00.004-04:00

Two weeks ago, on the same day, one of our friends offered us Red Sox tickets for a huge discount and my former employer got me Red Sox tickets for my birthday! After not having seen a Red Sox game the whole four years we were out here, suddenly we had two games to attend! The latter tickets were for this last Friday night against the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs haven't played at Fenway since 1918, so it was an exciting game. Not to mention the fact that we got to watch Boston play Chicago! I told Scott, if the Cubs win, we'll move back to Chicago and if the Red Sox win, we'll stay in Boston. The Sox won 15-5. So I'm going to have to cancel the moving truck for this next weekend...

Boston Bucket

2011-04-30T18:55:00.004-04:00

Hello, at long last. My good friend called me today, and among other things, gave me a swift kick in the pants about needing a new post from me, as the 12th day of Christmas is nice, but not in May. And I really have been wanting to post for a long time, but as I explained to her, two things have been preventing me: my camera broke a while back and I don't like to do posts without pictures and secondly, I have simply been lacking inspiration. That's how prideful I am, folks. If I don't have something really terrific to report or express, then I'd like to forget the whole thing. But there are also two reasons why I have been needing to get back to posting: WE ARE MOVING BACK TO CHICAGO IN ONE MONTH and secondly, I need to be actively working on our Boston Bucket List. I really hate admitting this, but we have not been to one Red Sox game in the entire four years we've lived here (yes, four.) So, that is number 1. Here's the list off the top of my head...

1. Go to a Red Sox game
2. Go to New York one more time
3. Hike Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME (again)
4. Go to Montreal, Canada
5. Go to one of Harvard or MIT's awesome museums

Well. I have to keep it short, with only four weeks to go...

On the Twelvth Day of Christmas...

2011-01-06T06:18:00.004-05:00

...My True Love gave to me.

Ever wonder where the words to this song came from? I thought I'd provide a little history lesson for you today, as I try to get back to my blogging this year.

Today is Epiphany. The twelve days of Christmas are the twelve days between Christmas Day, Dec. 25th, the birth of Jesus, and the Epiphany, Jan. 6th, the day Christians celebrate the arrival of the Magi and the revelation of Christ as the light of the world.

The song dates from a time of religious persecution and was written as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without fear of arrest - a learning or memory aid to Christians, in fact. Each element is code for a religious truth.
1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus.
2. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments.
3. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels.
5. The five gold rings recall the Hebrew Torah (Law), or the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament.
6. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.
7. The seven swans a-swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
8. The eight maids a-milking are the eight Beatitudes.
9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.
10. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.
11. Eleven pipers piping represent the eleven faithful Apostles.
12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed.

If you think Jesus being symbolized as a partridge in a pear tree sounds blasphemous, remember:
"Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so." (Luke 13:34 and Matthew 23:34)
The "true love" in the song refers to God Himself.
The "me" receiving the gifts is every Christian.
So that "silly" song we sing at Christmas time has more meaning than we thought.

http://www.holytrinitynewrochelle.org/yourti102896.html

All the world is looking fine to me...

2010-11-08T16:21:00.003-05:00

My final graduate performance has come and gone...My whole year was tumbling and racing towards the end of October, as I told my sister, and now, as suddenly as it came, it is FINALLY all over. Three years in Boston for this degree and I really finished. I'm still in denial!

I had the best actors to help make it happen. Bart and John were unbelieveably kind, sweet and talented! They portrayed Jimmy Warburg and George Gershwin perfectly. They brought my play to life, as well as my indispensable stage manager, Margaret...

I also had the joy of meeting Kay Swift's granddaughter, Katharine Weber and her conductor colleague, Aaron Gandy at my Saturday night performance. Katharine being the namesake' and trustee of Kay's estate and Aaron being a vintage Broadway musical specialist, they both loved my script and musical choices! What a shot in the arm!!

Thank you to all who had me in your thoughts and prayers. I will try to post more pictures and go into more details of the performance on another post.

Jayme Mester is Kay Swift

2010-10-01T21:54:00.000-04:00

I didn't mean to be away so long...but most of you know I have been in Thesis land the last couple of months. Last night, I had my big defense. I had to stage my entire show: acting, singing, dancing, costumes in front of the Thesis Committee and advisors to prove that I am ready to perform it in a month on October 29 and 30. The last time I did this, a year and a half ago, it failed and I was told to re-write my script and the production was arbitrarily pushed back to Fall of 2010. It was devastating in so many ways, there were months I thought the project was completely insurmountable, with no one serving as support or liason who could say, have you tried this or that? Months I thought for sure we were going to pack our bags and leave Boston and no one would have blamed me....except myself.

But last November, when Scott and I were blessed to spend an entire month on Chebeague Island, off the coast of Portland, Maine, it was there that I faced my demons and wrote an entirely new script, out in God's country or the last place on earth, with only 300 residents on the five mile long island. And Scott worked on a cabin, fortifying its 200 year old foundation. We had Thanksgiving for two, welcomed the first winterwonderland, and ushered in the Christmas season by painting wooden nutcrackers while listening to timeless Christmas music on the radio non-stop...and even that script was just a skeleton of what it has become.

The first thing the head of the program said when I finished, with a dreamy look on her face (which is never described as such) was, "This is a good script, in so many ways." After about 45 minutes of feedback and minor adjustments, I got all green lights to perform at the end of October!!! This is the first time in my life that I feel like an artist. Before I just sang other people's songs. But, now I have written a play! Now I understand the fear of the critics, the opinion of family members, the desire to resound with others. It feels exactly like serving your very heart up on a platter, and subjecting it to people's tastes, understandings, perspectives, education and bias, with no protection or recourse. Because not only did I pour myself into this piece, I love it like a parent loves a child. So if others don't love it as I do, all is lost! (not really, I'll still have my MFA!) Please come, one and all. It is for you that we write (yes, I am one of them now!) And let me tell you, this is only the beginning...

Cirque Du Soleil

2010-07-27T10:12:00.009-04:00

Last thursday, the 22nd, was the ninth anniversary of our first date. In 2001, we went to St. Joseph, Michigan, down to the water. We walked by the lighthouse and went swimming in our clothes. Then Scott bought me dinner at The Bistro. And then he was supposed to move to Alaska four days later. He told his brother if I kissed him that weekend, he would stay, and well, the rest is history! (But the truth is that we kissed each other)

To celebrate, we got tickets to see opening night of Cirque Du Soleil downtown on the waterfront.

I have always been drawn to the circus and fascinated by acrobatics. And let me tell you, you have NOT seen acrobatics until you've seen these performers! We were constantly picking our jaws up off the ground. We couldn't take pictures inside the big top, so I had to get these images online. The entire theme was based on the insect kingdom.

This performer was a spider and she was breathtaking. Here is a description from a Theatre Mania email I got, "OVO is a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem, teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop, riot of energy and movement. The insect's home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and quiet emotion."

This last picture ended up being from our favorite act of the night, and in fact, it was the closer. These performers were doing all sorts of twists and contortions on this wall. Then they would let go, drop twenty feet, landing on their backs on a great trampoline and bouncing all the way back up to step off at the top like they were getting off an elevator! We couldn't believe our eyes and we were hooping and hollaring like wide-eyed children. If you ever get the chance to see this show, don't even hesitate. I told Scott I'd like to become a groupie and see them over and over again, since they change their acts often.

Skype

2010-07-23T13:40:00.005-04:00

I love Skyping with family. Its my life line out here in Boston. I love how it gives snapshots and facets of my loved ones.

princesses in purple fur...
New front teeth...

One year olds serving up a lot of cheese...

and blowing their flat-screened aunts kisses...

Wondering, who is there to marry besides my daddy and my sister...

Prayer time shared...

Family gatherings shared...

Hugs witnessed at birthday parties...

What an age we live in to telescope our lives a thousand miles away to someone else's living room!

New Hampshire!?!

2010-07-21T14:49:00.006-04:00

I guess its high time for a more light-hearted post. I apologize for the seriousness lately. We have had a hard time the last few months, wrestling with whether or not to stay in Boston, whether or not to stay with our jobs, which both of us are beginning to hate, what IS the next step for us, etc. But there I go again, waxing serious...

So. Two weeks ago, when Scott went hiking over the Fourth, he found a really great river, a gorgeous waterfall you can play in and a quiet place to camp, that would be easy enough for the dogs to hike and it would give us the seclusion we always long for on a trip like that. Usually, we have to get dogsitters for our hikes or we end up at a campground that requires doggie certificates of health and has loud, drunken neighbors twenty yards away.

We drove into New Hampshire, into the Pemigewasset Wilderness. Our trail was an abandoned railroad, so it was very straight and flat. And long. We hiked for about three and half miles along the tracks and finally came to Franconia Falls. It was a natural water park!

That slide was so smooth and the water so deep to land in, it seemed man-made! Dolly loved to run alongside as far as possible, barking at whoever was sliding and snapping at the water like she wanted a turn.

On the last leg of the trip, we actually hiked down through the river, with slippery round rocks and a healthy current past our knees (we had to carry the dogs a few times), and we eventually found a peaceful campsite at the junction of two bubbling rivers. We spoiled ourselves on steak tips for dinner and and for breakfast: bacon, scrambled eggs and pancakes!

Round trip was about 14 miles with a lot of straight, endless railroad tracks, but it was so worth it. If you know our dogs, you can see that they were in heaven!

Dear Reader

2010-07-06T20:01:00.004-04:00

Our prayers have all been answered. I finally arrived.

The healing that had been delayed has now been realized.

No one's in a hurry. There's no schedule to keep.

We're all enjoying Jesus, just sitting at His feet.

If you could see me now, I'm walking streets of gold.

If you could see me now, I'm standing strong and whole.

If you could see me now, you'd know I've seen His face.

If you could see me now, you'd know the pain is erased.

You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place.

If you could only see me now.

-Kim Noblitt

My Aunt Bev awoke this morning in the presence of God Almighty. And no one is disappointed with Him. I had such a restless weekend, being home alone. I found this devotional yesterday afternoon in my favorite, Come Away My Beloved:

A Song at Midnight

Behold I am near at hand to bless you,

and I will surely give to you out of the abundance of heaven.

For My heart is open to your cry; yes,

when you cry to Me in the night seasons,

I am alert to your call, and when you search after Me,

the darkness will not hide My face;

it will be as the stars that shine more brightly in the deep of night.

Even so shall it be. In the night of spiritual battle,

there I shall give you fresh revelations of Myself,

and you shall see Me more clearly that you could

in the sunlight of ease and pleasure.

Man by nature chooses the day and shuns the night;

but I say to you, I shall make your midnight a time of great rejoicing,

and I will fill the dark hour with songs of praise.

Yes, with David, you shall rise at midnight to sing.

It has been written, "Joy comes in the morning,"

but I will make your song break out in the night.

For he who lifts the shout of faith and praise in the night,

to him there shall be joy in the morning.

When we don't understand, why should we allow our human experiences to alter or affect our divine relationship with the Father? Joy alone is a healer and we can have it in the darkest hour if we will force our souls to rise up and meet Him in worship and adoration. Thank you for your prayers. They were not in vain. If we think we didn't pray hard enough, then we must not agree with Paul, who said, " not of works, lest anyone should boast." Please continue to pray for the loved ones Bev had to say goodbye to--they are in so much pain.

When the answer is no

2010-07-03T22:02:00.003-04:00

I was supposed to go home to Indiana for this holiday weekend. It was going to be a surprise and I couldn't wait to see my neices and nephews dressed in red, white and blue and running in their big backyards with handfuls of sparklers. I have been dreaming and planning for over a month.

My ride texted me the night before we were supposed to leave saying that his car wouldn't start and that he would be in touch.

In my heart, I knew I had accidentally not invited God in on this endeavor. I even acknowledged this to Him a few days before and asked for His blessing and safety in spite of myself. The morning we were supposed to leave, I had not heard the diagnosis on the car, or any word from my friend, and I was beside myself with anxiety to get on the road. Not knowing if God was going to let me, I was begging Him (a little childishly, in retrospect) to speak to me, to guide my steps and give me a peace one way or the other.

He was silent ALL day and thwarted my attempts to find another way home (car rental, AMTRAK, flights). I finally asked my boss if I could go in for work after lunch because I couldn't sit around the house any longer with no answers. Later in the evening, after work, I found my Bible open on the kitchen table to James 4. It had blown open to that page, from a few pages later, where I had been reading in I Peter. I glanced at the page and my eyes landed on this verse, "Now listen you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this city or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money,' why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are mist that appears a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"

Finally, the mechanic's diagnosis came, at 7pm (after an entire day of not hearing from my friend), the starter was broken--yes! a quick and simple fix--maybe we can leave in the morning? But upon further inspection, the breaklines were so corroded, they could have given out at any moment. A "deathtrap" is what the mechanic called it and said it was a blessing the starter went out when it did, just before a cross country road trip. The repair would take the weekend.

I was so disappointed, initially, especially since Scott had a planned hiking trip to New Hampshire, meaning that I would now be home ALONE for the long weekend and away from family on a holiday--two things I really dislike. But God quickly showed me He wanted to spend time with just me.

I had recently asked myself if, when I pray for something specific, and truly expect it to be granted, am I also OK if the answer to my specific prayer is NO?

Ok, God, I can handle no. Thank you for revealing yourself to me. Happy Fourth of July, everyone, wherever you are.

What are our lives about?

2010-06-27T11:42:00.007-04:00

I'm reading this great book by John and Stasi Eldredge called Love & War. ANYONE who is married--this is a MUST read for you. And single folks--there is no reason to pass this one up; it is so full of shockingly simple truth and beauty. In chapter 7, A Shared Adventure, they challenge us to think about what fills our lives, what are our weekly routines?

"If you have been married for more than a year or two, you have probably fallen into a routine by now. She gets up at 6am; he gets up at 6:45am. She starts the coffee; he typically skips breakfast; Tuesday night you watch "your show"; Wednesday night you pay the bills; Friday night you rent a movie; Saturday you do chores; Sunday night you call your folks....You go to bed at the same time every night. You use the same shampoo and the same toothpaste for years. You get your socks from the same drawer you have been getting them for thirty years. You eat the same kind of bread and the same kind of spaghetti sauce...And then you end up surprised by the agitation and irritation of cabin fever in your marriage. It is certainly the precursor to an affair, or an addiction. This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, this little piggy ate roast beef and this little piggy went postal because this is exactly what the piggies have always done every day for the last forty-seven years."

They challenge me to want more than "making a comfortable home or life." Isn't that what we all want and think about A LOT? We waste days, week and years dreaming about a bigger house, a freshly painted kitchen, the day we can install a swimming pool and the year we pay off our school loans.
But Christ says, "do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not LIFE more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor...For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek His kingdom first and His righteousness and then these things will be given to you as well."

Wow, this sounds so simple, and yet is so difficult to put into practice. I believe too many of us don't think its referring to our own bad habits or that it is just poetic words of wisdom not really intended to be taken literally. Scott and I are SO anxious to get OUT of Boston and do some "real living," i.e. buy some property, work for ourselves, pay down school, take vacations, have a couple of kids, etc... Now, we are very lucky because we have not gotten bogged down in boring routine, as John and Stasi describe in this chapter. We actually have anything BUT routine...But in the book, they challenge us to find the mission in your marriage. What are the two of you called to together? Our hearts are made to live a life that matters, a life of epic significance. Finding THAT is real living.

What are some of your goals that are actually worth dreaming about? What are some adventurous activities you purposely plan so as not to have a boring existence?

Aunt Story II

2010-06-19T18:52:00.006-04:00

What a week. My mom, sisters and I have been in the "trenches" this week, praying for my aunt. We all feel so strongly that God wants a complete healing for her. My parents are in South Carolina right now visiting her, encouraging her, helping where they can and just loving on her. Just a couple of days after my last post, I had another ant encounter in the gardens.

I was meditating on the principle of intercessory prayer. I was asking God to help me bare my aunt up under me--making me weak to make her strong, giving me her fears, her concerns, her doubts, etc. I've known the concept forever, but I don't know that I've ever earnestly put it into practice. I was asking God for His favor, wisdom and understanding regarding being an intercessor. And He put another ant in my path. I noticed an ant hauling an insect on the sidewalk and I stooped down to see that it was not only another ant that he was carrying, but that the other ant was alive! If you're not an insect watcher, this is NOT common. They carry dead ants to burial, or dead insects to eat. They don't just carry fellow, alive ants around, at least in my observations.

They came to a crack too deep and too wide to cross easily and the one set down the other. The ant being carried unfolded himself, dusted himself off, gave a parting look over his shoulder to the other ant and began walking away. (I know you think I'm crazy) The reason the ant was being carried was that he was crippled in the back leg by a burden. The burden--get this--was another ant's HEAD clamped onto his leg. So they must have done battle and the attacker bit down on the victim's leg and somehow was counter attacked and decapitated. UNBELIEVEABLE.

But the important part was seeing the one ant intercessing for the other. I've never seen this in the insect world, but what a beautiful picture!! I knew that God was affirming my instinct and desire to intercede on my Aunt Bev's behalf. She has been wounded in her race, but not yet fatally. Scripture claims that life and death are in the power of the tongue. So we are praying that my aunt will choose LIFE and live every day as though God were going to heal her! We have seen some amazing miracles over the years. God is not the author of death and disease; it breaks His heart and He mourns with us. But He also invites us to pray without ceasing and see the wonders of His mighty hand. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. "By faith...Gideon, David, Samuel and the prophets...conquered kingdoms...shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames and escaped the edge of the sword, whose weakness was turned to strength, and who became powerful in battle...Women received back their dead, raised to life again." Heb. 11:32-35

Thank you for praying and be encouraged that we serve a terribly awesome God. We are so lucky to be soldiers in this battle, not against flesh, but against spiritual forces in the heavenly realms. He could've done it on His own, but knows our insatiable thirst for adventure and invites us to be a part of the most terrifying, exhausting and rewarding battle of all times.

Consider my aunt

2010-06-13T12:47:00.003-04:00

I was watching an ant on my lunch break a couple of days ago. The house whose garden I was working in is located on a dead end and this ant was "crossing" the pea-stone gravel street carrying something twice as big as himself, a little awkwardly, perhaps food, perhaps building materials...And as I watched him, with my lifelong, rapt insect fascination, I admired him, worried for him, cheered him on, and wanted to warn him that his burden might end up getting himself killed by a passing car, or as I have witnessed on occasion, a sparrow or robin swooping down to lunch on an unsuspecting ant crossing a treacherously barren sidewalk or street. He was so determined, with his head down, doing the work at hand, and then it occurred to me that this is how eternity looks down on the human race. And I mean the 'rat race,' the rushing towards a goal, the rushing towards tomorrow, to make preparations for something that is so temporal and potentially meaningless. And the heavenly hosts know, particularly the saints who have gone before us, the triviality of it all. But for Christ-followers, they are cheering us on, acknowledging that with Christ our burdens can be as light as the feather in this picture.

My aunt, my Dad's baby sister of 56, is near the end of a VERY short bout with pancreatic cancer. She was diagnosed right after Easter and the cancer quickly spread to other organs and her brain. On this side of eternity, we are so baffled, so grief-stricken, so wanting a miracle more than ever before. She has four grandchildren, under four, one yet in the womb, and its breaking her heart to leave them, but because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed. Our battle is not with flesh and blood. Christ already conquered death and we have the mercy of knowing that this cancer death cannot separate us one from another or from the love of God. The heavenly hosts are cheering her on to victory, knowing that her burden of pain has been made light.

I thank God for the insights he provides along this hard pea-stone gravel street we're crossing. I do continue to ask Him for a full healing of my Aunt Bev, which I know He will do in life or in death. Please pray for her and her family with me...

May Review

2010-06-07T21:37:00.002-04:00

I know I owe you guys some updating and pictures from May...

...it started out with a bang when for my birthday, Scott took me to see humpback whales out beyond Boston Harbor. I had no idea we would get to see them so up close...

Then my longest and one of my dearest friends finally became a mommy on the 8th. I have known Darleen my entire life and her little boy was LONG awaited. His name is Jayden Richard and he weighed in at 4 and a half pounds!

In the middle of May, our boss had a party at her newly renovated house in Wellfleet, on Cape Cod. This was to mark the END of the project that had Scott travelling back and forth since February 8th!!

I also had the opportunity to sing in a Broadway recital for a management company in New York City at an auditorium in Lincoln Center. It was so exhilarating! We are tempted once again, to think about living in NYC for a couple of years as our next stop....

Last week, for Memorial Day Weekend, since we couldn't find a good campground for dogs (I know, we could've if we had started looking a month ago) we decided to go to our favorite beach on Cape Ann, Wingaersheek Beach and then went to Rockport for dinner and window shopping.

It was certainly a full month and I expect June to be the same. Only I hope that I will be blogging a little more regularly. Especially if I get the camera I have been saving for....

Love you all!

ps. happy anniversary to my inlaws today and my newest nephew was born this afternoon--Hudson Joseph!!

May Day

2010-05-01T11:02:00.003-04:00

Scott is taking me down to the Boston Harbor on a whale-watching tour this afternoon! Talk about an EPIC birthday!! And tomorrow we're going to my favorite beach on the north shore, Wangersheik and then antiqueing in Rockport. What a great way to start off the warm weather!

I heart nyc

2010-04-30T17:10:00.003-04:00

I got an invitation from an agent I met last spring in New York City to come sing in a concert at Lincoln Center on May 16th! He selected some artists to put together a recital for some of his new clients as well as friends and family. I am SOOO excited to have this opportunity and to have something to work on again. I don't know what I'm singing yet. I need to send him rep ideas and then he'll pick from there...Wanna come hear me? Its free!

Secret Garden

2010-04-23T18:46:00.018-04:00

Couple of weeks ago, the landscaping company Scott and I work for installed a children's garden in a local mall as a marketing tool. A very expensive marketing tool. The idea was to make it look like the secret children's gardens of English formal gardening. To make a boxwood hedge, we had Scott build a 10' x 6' x 8' frame. We attached rigid styrofoam insulation panels to the frame and filled them with 5" twigs of live boxwood, (which took 6 people a WEEK to accomplish--I made Dolly's profile to spice up the mundane--can you even imagine pushing twigs into styrofoam all day long? and come back the next day and do it all over again??)

When it was finally ready to assemble, we had to put it up in the mall after it closed. We got there around 9:30 at night and began unloading the UHAUL we had rented which was full of tarps, tools, 2 x 4's, brochures, flowers, bricks for paving the inside and boxwood walls.

Unfortunately, no one thought about the fact that putting it up in the middle of the night would be too dark and the mall security guard was powerless to turn on the main lights. So I went home around 2 and grabbed 3 spot lights in our basement so we could fill the brand new dark garden with gerber daisies, miniature daffodils, pansies, ranunculus, lavender, ferns, muscari and hydrangea. We also filled it with toys, marbles, teddy bears, a sandbox and a tea table. It was quite magical! Eight hours later, we were pulling away around 5:30 in the morning...

The best part would have been going to work at 7:30 for some serious overtime that week. But we just couldn't pull ourselves together and took that next day off!

Wouldn't YOU like a children's secret garden in YOUR back forty?

CATS

2010-04-18T22:56:00.003-04:00

So, I went to see CATS this afternoon because my friend from the conservatory is doing a national tour right now and her company just spent a week in Boston, playing at the Colonial, (the oldest theatre in continual use, built in 1900.) Has anyone ever seen it?? Let me just tell you that it is... weird. There isn't much of a plot; the lyrics are based on the writings of T.S. Eliot. This show is the second longest running show in the history of Broadway! And since it opened it has earned 6 billion dollars and has been on tour non-stop since 1985! That's a lot of dancing cats! Can someone please explain the fascination? the draw? I loved seeing my friend play jennyanydots, but am I running out to see it again? In a word: no.

Maundy Thursday

2010-04-01T17:44:00.004-04:00

Today was weird because instead of going to work this morning, I was just coming home from work from the day before! Scott and I worked thru the night with four others, installing a children's garden at a mall in the suburbs, as a spring marketing gig for Jean Brook's Landscaping. I will do another blog just on that because it was a fun and magical project.

But it afforded me the day home today...and as I was cleaning and puttering in preparation for Easter and listening to our old worship pastor in Chicago on my computer, Take My Life and Let It Be came on--just as the golden sun was dipping out of sight and just as I was coming to the idea of pulling out bread and wine...with our chicken soup tonight. And I got very emotional. I thought about that dinner of intimate friends around sunset, the night before the worst and most magnificent death the world has ever known.

So I sang along with all my heart:

Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee

Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise

Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee

Take my voice and let me sing always only for my King

Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee

Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withold

Take my intellect and use every power as Thou shalt choose

Take my will and make it Thine, it shall be no longer mine

Take my heart it is Thine own, it shall be Thy royal throne

Take my love, my Lord, I pour, at Thy feet its treasures store

Take myself and I will be, ever only all for Thee

Frances Havergal, 1874

When will I finally give all these things up--?

Palm Sunday

2010-03-28T12:43:00.004-04:00

Can it be Palm Sunday already?? This season of Lent went by too quickly. I feel like I'm just getting on board with my thoughts and meditations, and it is Easter week. There is a great website, IBCLent, that I tuned into every day last year during Lent. I believe this year has the same entries and I have not followed it as closely, but it is so powerful. I would strongly advise you tuning in every morning of this Holy Week. They are only a couple minutes long.

Today's scripture was John 3:14-21. I love verse 18. "There is no judgement against anyone who believes in Him." I wonder how many of us truly believe that? I know I have struggled with it too many years to count. Often, with every banal action I do comes, "did I do that right?" "I should have had a better attitude," "I didn't have enough quiet time this week--He must be so disappointed in me." "I didn't stop to thank God for this beautiful day." "Why would He answer that prayer? I haven't done (fill in the blank) for Him lately." But I think one of the singular most compelling things about Christ and God the Father is their unfathomable love for us. Those of you who are parents are so lucky to have a personal portrait of it in your own life! I just finished reading a book called The Shack, by William Young. It is heart-rending in more ways than one, as well as very controversial, I'm told. But it is definitely written for people like me who wrestle with the idea of an extremely personal God and whether or not the Maker of the universe actually loves ME all that much. In a chapter called Verbs and Other Freedoms, towards the end of the book, Mack askes God if He has ever been disappointed with him, speaking about the responsibilities he feels he has as a child of God. God replies,

"I've never placed an expectation on you or anyone else. The idea behind expectations requires that someone does not know the future or outcome and is trying to control behavior to get the desired result. Humans try to control behavior largely through expectations. I know you and everything about you. Why would I have an expectation other than what I already know? That would be foolish. And beyond that, because I have no expectations, you never disappoint me.

I don't wonder what you will do or what choices you will make. I already know. Let's say, for example, I am trying to teach you how not to hide inside lies...and let's say that I know it will take you 47 situations and events before you will actually hear me--that is, before you will hear clearly enough to agree with me and change. So when you don't hear me the first time, I'm not frustrated or disappointed, I'm thrilled. Only 46 more times to go! And that first time will be a building block to construct a bridge of healing that one day you will walk across."

The love relationship portrayed in this book is literally out of this world. It is so overwhelming to me that I don't have to perform. He covers me with His love, so that when He looks on me, He does not see all of my flaws and human drama, He only sees His love! I hope you can rest in the beauty of that truth this Holy Week.

2nd day of Spring

2010-03-21T18:44:00.003-04:00

So, Happy Spring everyone! For those of you who were feeling badly for me last week, I had a great week. Amazing week. And then, as if it couldn't get better.... Scott came home in the middle of the week and surprised me! He had to come back for an important budget meeting on Wednesday. And THEN... Our boss, Brad asked me if I would like to work at the Cape with Scott this coming week, because they could really use help with sanding and painting. I think they have been feeling badly about monopolizing Scott's time for 7 weeks straight and keeping us apart, but whatever the case, looks like week three alone is not alone at all. What a blessing!

Today was a perfect second day of Spring. Yesterday we went hiking in the Blue Hills with the dogs and it was Dolly's 9th birthday. It was exhilarating and refreshing. And today I:

pruned my rosebushes
did the laundry
had a nanny interview that went really well
grilled barbeque veal and made the best fried onion rings (mine had cumin in addition)
Skyped my nieces birthday party (she's three)

I love days you can feel great about!

Rainy Days and Mondays

2010-03-15T20:04:00.005-04:00

Its been raining all day. Never. letting. up. once. Rained thru the night. Rained all day yesterday too. And the day before. Never varying in tone, pitch, intensity, rhythm, angle. Monotonous. Relentless.

So starts week two with Scott gone down to the Cape. Its getting harder, having him gone, not easier. I wanted to cry like a baby when he left this morning. Its amazing how close we can get to someone else. I consider myself very independent, but I would never choose to live like this. God has reminded me that I am His Beloved and He has asked me to come away with Him during this time alone. After all, He has asked so many to walk this road alone. I am humbled to only have to do it for a short time. It doesn't help that I have little else going on. And most people do, I suppose.

These are the daffodils Scott bought me yesterday to smile at me this week while he is gone. They were closed when I got them and they opened over night. How precious. Tomorrow, I return to gardening, after four months of not working. I have to admit I'm not looking forward to it because its just not what I want to be doing (while I wait for my thesis performance in October). I have applied for several nanny positions and administrative temp positions. Hmmm. What to do with this feeling of unfulfillment? of treading water? I long to be used in a capacity where I am truly needed. In Captivating, Stasi Eldredge addresses how every woman has something essential to offer the world. This something comes through our passions and we will find that as we draw closer and closer to God, we will discover long-forsaken dreams. Frederick Buechner describes it as, "The place that God calls us is that place where the world's deep hunger and our deep desire meet."

I spent the day in thoughtful solitude and contemplation and God met me there in such a powerful way. I can't tell you all the things He is doing in my life, but I can tell you that when we don't know where God wants us we can still do these things:

Live in the freedom of God's Love (this may sound cliche or simple, but it is not for me)
Allure those in our lives to the heart of God
Respond to the heart of God in worship (many schedule this as a daily and necessay routine)
Put on the armor of God daily (Martin Luther once said, "I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer")

Maybe I'm not the only one out there that doesn't yet know what to do with this gift: Life. But the journey is so inviting, isn't it? There is an amazing song that I am falling in love with by Kari Jobe, called My Beloved. You Tube her name and My Beloved and you will feel like the King of Creation is singing over you...

...Also, Happy Birthday John, my brother. I feel like God gave me a birthday today too...

Home Again, home again....

2010-03-06T13:08:00.003-05:00

The time came to head back to Boston. I drove 15 hours straight, just me and the dogs on Thursday. It was a beautiful day, clear roads, non-existent traffic and miles and miles of blue skies, woods and rolling hills and my worship music. Thank you God for our date!

It is weird being home. Our apartment is smaller and darker and quieter than I remember. (I haven't really been here since the middle of November) Its time to put the Christmas tree away. hahaha. And do some new routine arranging. For the next two or three weeks, Scott will continue to be gone, working on his renovation project for his boss down at Cape Cod. Where I could have stayed even longer in Indiana with my parents and adorable neices and nephews, I knew I needed to come back and embrace this time alone.

What would YOU do if you were given two or three weeks to yourself, with no job, no spouse, and no little ones grappling for your attention?

"To market, to market, to buy a fat pig

Home again, home again, jiggety-jig.

To market, to market, to buy a fat hog

Home again, home again, jiggety-jog

To market, to market, to buy a plum bun

Home again, home again, market is done."

-Mother Goose

Praise, Beauty, Love

2010-02-18T14:33:00.004-05:00

The weeks are flying. I have been lucky enough to spend my days in Indiana, because I have been unlucky enough to be laid off in Boston. The time has been used to do some house renovations for Scott's brother, catch up with old friends, help paint my sis's new house, finish some old projects and start some new ones, read some great books, work on my thesis and just soak up extra time with family. By the time I drive back to Boston in a week or so, I will have been away from home for over three months, being that November 15 - Decemeber 15 was spent working on an island in Maine! I didn't know it, but I desperately needed the break away from what had become mundane. It has been a time of working on me, and what I want my focuses to be this year. Which brings me to Lent.

Last year, admittedly, I bit off more than I could chew (or less, technically speaking) in my efforts to focus on Christ and His sacrifice for me. And instead of coming away from the season renewed or refocused, I came away feeling failure. I want so badly for the Easter season to spill over into the rest of my year. Right now, I'm reading three different books: Power in Praise, Captivating and Crazy Love. Its very interesting how they are dovetailing together, for me anyway. Because these are the three things I want to focus on right now: Giving thanks and praise for absolutely everything in my life. Things you wouldn't want to be thankful for, like the unbelief or addictions of good friends. God is using these situations to work out His will for their lives and bring them to Himself. Renouncing my wounds and the lies that I have "accepted" about myself and asking Christ to allow my beauty to point to His own. And finally, less about me and more about God. I'm a 2/5 of a second 'blip' on the screen of His history of mankind. His name comes up over and over and over again in Scripture, not mine. It doesn't matter who I married, what school I went to, what kind of job I got, or what kind of house I live in. In a hundred years, no one will remember me, and everyone I know will be gone too (this is a paraphrase from Francis Chan) But what am I doing now that will last?

I hope your days are filled with the eternal, rather than the mundane. What have your thoughts about life been lately?

Welcome, 2010!

2010-01-19T12:49:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone. I am so excited to start a new year. Last year was one of those years that felt like treading water. No relief around the corner. Nothing big accomplished. Nothing exciting in sight. Work, eat, sleep. Work, eat, sleep. Aren't I terrible? But that's how it felt. Good thing our computer was down half the year so I didn't have to blog my almost constant misery.

THIS year, I WILL finish my Thesis and finally get that expensive little piece of paper that will allow me to teach or freely pursue performing! And that means leaving Boston too. Wow. Its been hard here with no community, few friends, family far, far away, three jobs I really didn't like and a grad program that made me want to pull my hair out and run away. I do expect valleys in my life and rough patches in my marriage. They strengthen our character and determination and keep our desperation for God very real. But when the end is finally in sight, boy, am I dancin'!

I am so grateful to Scott for finding work anywhere he can and working as hard as possible just for us to survive in one of the most expensive areas in the country. I NEVER could have gotten this Master's without him. Our next step is a different one. In five years, we've never had the choice of what to do next, it was always school dictating our next move. Now we'll base the decision on beautiful country, job possibilities, and thinking more about "settling," rather than planning for just "the next two or three years."

I'm not great at New Year's Resolutions (I wonder if any of you are?) but every year, I try anyway. This year, I thought it would be wise to keep the list short:

1. Finish my Thesis and get my Master's degree

2. Get a job in the arts and start taking guitar lessons (I know that's technically two, but I'm trying to keep the list to four)

3. Establish Routine and Regularity at home (finally): preparing real and balanced meals three times a week and getting to the gym now that my dance classes are over.

4. Taking every concern to God. I hit some lows last year because I didn't feel worthy enough to ask for help or guidance, but every time I could muster a request, He was there.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T12:36:00.001-05:00

Home at last...That is Christmas.

Making my list, checking it twice!

2009-12-16T19:39:00.002-05:00

We are cleaning out the refrigerator, hauling up the paper and ribbons, signing and stamping cards, packing suitcases, confirming dinner plans, cleaning the house, changing the oil in the car, and doing last minute errands!!

Do you know WHY? Home to Indiana Friday morning!!!

A Month in Maine

2009-12-14T21:48:00.006-05:00

This is a shy attempt to come back to blogging. I never intended to leave, but our computer took a dive around graduation and we only recently replaced it. Then one camera broke in July and the other one just over a month ago. (These images are from my phone) Its just as well that I was gone, because it was a very hard year. My thesis performance was postponed to an undetermined date in 2010 and I've felt like a perfect failure all year. But with God's compassion, I am not consumed, and His mercies are new every morning. Not to mention, we are heading home for Christmas in Indiana this week!

Saturday we came back from being gone an entire month living and working on Chebeague Island off of Portland, Maine. Being that we both worked for a seasonal landscaping company this summer and fall, both Scott and I were laid off in the middle of November. About a month earlier than expected. Ouch. So Scott contacted someone he does work for every now and then and she had a project on an 1825 cabin. In the woods. On an island. Off the coast of Maine. He had to fortify the foundation...

...which was a mess...

...and we ended up staying thru Thanksgiving!

After Thanksgiving, the work still loomed large and Scott got the owner's blessing to keep working on other projects on the cabin and other house (the one we stayed in). For those who want details, he will be happy to provide, but we had a blast. I made friends with the General Store's owner and the two librarians, the Methodist minister and the neighbor down the street with a lumber mill. Our dogs thought they were in heaven and the weather was amazing until the fourth week, when we got our first snow and winter chill.

We both realized how anxious we are to get out of Boston and live in God's country. We went for a hike on Thanksgiving Day and went to the beach several times, finding shells, sea glass and even mussels to eat! One day, we saw two bald eagles fly over the cabin. After five years of living in the big city, everyone was SO nice and unpretentious and NOT in a hurry....It was pretty hard to say goodbye to such a place, such a pace, but oh, has it started a flicker, a light at the end of this tunnel called Boston...

And just like that...

2009-05-06T23:45:00.002-04:00

...its over. I finished grad school just as I was starting to get into it. Tonight was my last recital and my best by far. I have had so many "ah ha" moments this semester, that I'm ready to keep learning but instead I am being released into the wild...into the heartless world of the real. What am I supposed to do now? This is not a fun question at 31...

Two if by Showboat

2009-04-27T18:49:00.004-04:00

Scott's mom and sister came for the weekend. I was in the ensemble of the Conservatory's production of Showboat and they came to opening night. I didn't have a lot of time for them over the weekend because of the show, unfortunately, but we squeezed in some time on Newberry Street, at the Boston Commons on the Swan Boats, dinner in the North End and brunch in our back yard. It was so great to have family over from back home.

New Life Abounds

2009-04-23T16:23:00.000-04:00

The Miracle of Restraint

2009-04-05T18:31:00.002-04:00

As the last few days of Lent approach, I am trying to summarize my thoughts about my journey and what Christ's 40 days in the wilderness was really about. Why was Satan tempting Him? British poet Gerard Manley Hopkins suggests that Satan did not know for certain whether Jesus was an ordinary man or a theophany or perhaps an angel with limited powers like himself. Martin Luther suggested that Jesus conducted himself so humbly and associated with sinful men and women so often, and was not held in great esteem by so many that perhaps the devil overlooked Him and did not recognize Him. In essence, Satan was saying,"If you are God, then dazzle me."

So why didn't Jesus? Why doesn't He dazzle me? Or the people I want so desperately to come to know Him personally? It turns out, this Temptation may be about one of my biggest struggles as a Christian. Ivan Karamazov calls it “the miracle of restraint.” God simply refuses to perform and overwhelm and has granted us so much freedom that we can live as if He doesn’t exist, spit in His face, crucify Him. Philip Yancy supposes it is because no display of omnipotence would achieve the response He desires. “Although power can force obedience, only love can summon a response of love, which is the one thing God wants from us.”

During this season of self-restraint, I admit I succumbed to temptation more than once. But when I consider my success rate on this journey, I’m instantly reminded that Christ did not succumb to temptation. For Jesus to save me, He could not save himself. How humbling, this love.

O Love that wilt not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in thee,

I give thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,

I dare not ask to fly from thee,

I lay in dust life’s glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life that shall endless be.

Music - Albert L. Peace, Words - George Matheson

A Reading...

2009-03-28T19:50:00.005-04:00

I had to give a 'Reading' of my thesis project for my teachers and classmates yesterday. The purpose of a Reading is to prove to the Thesis Committee that you are ready to go with your performance, scheduled a month after the Reading. All the music had to be memorized and the scenes as close to performance level as possible. What a grueling, nerve-wracking process this has been. Who knew that a biography could be so difficult? When you're trying to put someone's life onstage, the dramatic element is king. You can't just give an expose of the person's life in monologues, you have to show it, so the audience will care about your subject. This means conjuring scenes that 'might have been.' And then, how do you cover the life of someone who has always been associated with a bigger name, George Gershwin? And how do you draw out their identity apart from this other person? These are the challenges I am faced with for the next month, until my performance, April 24 and 25.

going to the big apple

2009-03-17T21:28:00.003-04:00

Last May, on my 30th birthday, in fact, my class got together at Starbucks on Newberry Street in Boston and talked about putting together a showcase to take to New York City this spring. We figured out a theatre to rent near Broadway, got ourselves a director and musical director, helped pick out each other's best songs and outfits and have invited just about 150 major casting directors and agents to attend. I leave for the city tomorrow! On Thursday, we will have a performance at 3pm and 6:30pm.

I contacted the family in New Jersey I used to nanny for and they are coming to the 3:00 performance. Then on Friday night, I am going to Jersey to see the younger girl, Margot, perform in her high school musical, Anything Goes. Its going to be a regular reunion!

New York, here I come!

Lenten Journey II

2009-03-02T09:08:00.000-05:00

So far, in my forty days of personal preparation for the Easter Season, I have found that even in my "putting off," I have become focused on putting that thing off very well, and not very focused on Christ. I keep returning to His 40 days in the Wilderness. When was it, again, that it happened in His ministry? Right before the crucifixion? No, it was actually before His ministry began and directly after His baptism, when the dove descended on Him. Why did the Holy Spirit drive Him into the wilderness? I don't know. But there are a couple of parallels here to draw from the story of Noah, when another dove appeared, when another forty days of testing or flood waters arose.

I believe the flood represents the baptism or burial of sin, as thousands of rebellious people perished under the great waters. The ark saved the righteous inside. Was Jesus our ark in the desert of sin, taking our stains and burying them in the tumultuous waters of the wilderness? But even more intriguing is the dove. God sent a dove to Noah only after months of quieting the rebellion on earth. So the dove only appears when sin is eradicated*. Peace with God only comes when all my sin is buried. Was it the same dove that descended on Christ before he entered the wilderness and death to self? Announcing that Jesus would bury or wash all sin away and that once the sin is eradicated, there could be peace with God?

I believe these things are intentionally difficult and convoluted to piece together--Pearls of Wisdom that must be sought out. I don't have it figured out, but if Christ went into the wilderness to bury my sin, then these forty days of Lent should also be about me burying my sin. Because I must die with Christ--its not a free ride. The thing that I chose to "put off" is not a comfort that I can take or leave, but something very common, a commodity in fact, that can and often does become an idol in my life. Jesus had no idols and we are called to be like Him. So, I want to effectively, not nominally, put off these things that distract me from a blameless Christ and Holy God. Pray that I focus on Christ and not the thing I am "putting off."

"I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak to her heart." Hosea 2:14

[*inspired in part, from The Legend to the Treasure by Gwen Shamblin]

A Lenten Journey...

2009-02-25T17:52:00.004-05:00

Today is Ash Wednesday, a day especially marked on all Catholic's calendars and on many Protestant's as well. The word Lent comes from the Germanic word for 'springtime,' as people view spring as a time of growth, a period when new life emerges from the deathlike state of winter. In the early church, this period was only two or three days and primarily intended for those preparing for baptism, but by the fourth century, it had become a period of 40 days.

The number 40 has biblical significance, as Rick Warren points out in Purpose Driven Life:

Noah's life was transformed by 40 days of rain
Moses was transformed by 40 days on Mount Sinai
The spies were transformed by 40 days in the Promised Land
David was transformed by Goliath's 40 day challenge
Elijah was transformed when God gave him 40 days of strength from a single meal
The entire city of Ninevah was transformed when God gave the people 40 days to change
Jesus was empowered by 40 days in the wilderness
The disciples were transformed by 40 days with Jesus after his resurrection.

Why don't all Christian churches celebrate Lent? I think many believe that Lent places too much emphasis on sin, guilt, and wrongdoing or Christians merely don't want to participate because it is a "tradition" of the Church, that often gets reduced in our minds to just a set of rules. Sure, we don't have to obey any church authorities, but the idea of Lent, emulating Christ's 40 days in the wilderness is certainly grounded in Scripture. I think another reason, frankly is that Lent is difficult, and requires that we examine material and spiritual excesses in our lives, that most Christians don't want to be confronted with. But isn't the reality that Jesus' life was full of poverty, simplicity, and sacrifice? Ideals we should be more than happy to strive for our entire lives.

I am going to read The Jesus I Never Knew (again) over the next forty days, as well as practice some other personal disciplines. Yancy has such a way of describing a Character I am trying hard to know. As my sister Adrienne put it, "I am reminded of how much thought, preparation, and celebration goes into [Christmas]. Weeks before Christmas Day we decorate, listen to Christmas carols, bake cookies, light candles, give gifts, and think of the birth of Jesus." I long to do the same thing in anticipation of His horrific death on a cross that took the place of a wretch like me and then His Glorious Resurrection that gives me New Life.

Choosing Headshots...

2009-02-21T14:29:00.000-05:00

What. a. hassle! Who wants to stare at their own face for hours as they wade through 260 shots to find the one that "looks like" them...

I think this one captures me the best....what do you think?

Chebeague, Maine

2009-02-15T19:25:00.015-05:00

Scott took me to an island off the coast of Maine for a Valentine's Weekend! Before you're too impressed or think we robbed a bank, let me tell you how it came to be. Scott occassionally works for a woman in Lexington, Alix Bartsch, who is a lawyer and runs a Bed & Breakfast and who has many, many rental properties that Scott helps with maintaining. She has been wanting Scott to go to one of her properties in Maine, take a look around, and give her a quote for the work to be done.

We drove two hours to Yarmouth, about 10 miles outside of Portland, to a bus, which took us to a ferry, which took us to the island, where a cab was waiting to take us to the cabin.

The cab driver doesn't work after 5pm. There are 300 residents on the island. One General Store, one library, one elementary school, one restaurant, one hotel, one recreational center and one pond (used for ice skating for free in the winter)

A couple of hours after we arrived and turned on the water and electricity, the electricity went OUT. And just 2o minutes or so before dark. Very fortunately, Scott and I had come across a kerosine heater and some candles earlier, so once we had the heater going in one closed off room, we were able to warm up enough for the freezing winter night...

And we had wonderful ambiance: candles, roses, a rotisserie chicken warmed on the keronsine heater from the grocery story, chocolate truffles and a Big Band station Scott found on his hand crank radio.

Sunday morning, we made breakfast on the propane grill outside.

Just a half a stone's throw away, Alix has an 1825 cabin on the property, which Scott will probably be working on to shore up its foundation. It still has a handpump at the sink and a potbellied wood burning stove!!

Since we didn't have running water, Scott collected melting snow dripping from the roof and pots of fresh crisp snow for our coffee and heated it to boiling on the propane grill and poured it through the unplugged coffee maker...so innovative!

We had a blast and I can't wait to go back when it gets a little warmer! Thanks, Valentine!

My Handy Man

2009-02-04T16:00:00.004-05:00

Scott has created a little work space for himself in "our" basement. Part of the common downstairs has a walled off room that can be closed and locked with a padlock, so we claimed it when we moved in almost two years ago. At first, we just stored boxes down there, but over time, Scott has turned it into bachelor space. He built himself shelves and a great work bench, all from scrap wood. He has been wanting to make a toolbox for several months. He found this wood in a junk pile, but it is beautiful. He is all about recycling goods. He has a silly motto that says, "Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do or Do without." He was pretty excited that he didn't pay for anything except the stain!

New Haven, CT

2009-01-22T12:09:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, on my last day of winter break, I drove to New Haven to spend a day at Yale University's music library, the housing facility of the Kay Swift Papers. They contain writings, correspondence, articles, unpublished music, programs, biographical materials, photos, and more. It was really exciting to have my hands on her personal things.

On the way home, I went from the bottom of Connecticut (New Haven) up to Hartford, in the middle, and instead of catching 84 East to Central Massachusetts, I caught 84 West which took me an hour and a half in the opposite direction, to the southwestern tip of Connecticut, almost New York, adding three hours to my two hour commute home last night. Ugh.

Homemade Soup in Freezing Temperatures

2009-01-19T15:05:00.002-05:00

This new giant stock pot from my parents for Christmas will never be this shiny again...but boy, will it be used! Today I made Martha Stewart's Chicken and Rice Soup. There was so much room in this pot, that I put two thirds of it in the freezer for next time! My favorite ingredients are the peppercorns and parsnips...

Hiking in a Blizzard

2009-01-18T16:18:00.003-05:00

Scott and I woke up to a Winter Wonderland. By the end of the day, we will have recieved something like 16 inches! We decided to seize the moment (being home together on a weekend) and go to one of our favorite places outside of Boston, the Blue Hills in Milton.

I love the contrasts of bright white on silhouetted dark lines...

The dogs had a blast--they love to plough through the fresh, dry, cold powder.

I tried to take a picture of snowflakes up close. Not bad for my average camera.

The Long Drive Back

2009-01-06T14:43:00.002-05:00

Well, the holidays are over. Happy New Year and my apologies for such a long absence. The end of my semester was a bear and going home for three weeks doesn't make it easy to journal online regularly, even though it is one of my favorite times of the year...and I'm afraid that this new semester will have me nearly as absent...

My thesis performance has been moved from the end of February to the end of April. My colleagues and I are putting together a showcase to take to NYC for casting agents middle of March, over Spring Break. I have to find time for a voice recital at some point, perform a play with my acting class and make it to all of the various workshops concerning various topics (cabaret, auditioning, call backs, film/camera, etc). Guess I'll take it one day at a time....

This year should be an exciting one:

-Scott and I may move in Sept to a better rent situation

-I graduate in May and

-begin looking for professional work in the theatre, which means being in a two

income situation for the first time in our marriage!

What are some exciting things you are looking forward to this year?

December in Review

2008-12-31T21:51:00.013-05:00

Baking sugar cookies with Ma

Seinfeld Trivia

Great chats...
Brownie in my "ruby slippers"

Gram and Gramps dancing to "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"

Ice fishing with Gramps

Walking on water!!

Wrestling with the boys...

Chopping wood with more boys...

Palicki Christmas, with over forty people!

Silly New Year's Eve hats, silly family

Santa and his helper Dolly

Uncle Scott, meet Annabelle!

Merry Siblings!

The Ladies Tea...

A radio car in the church foyer--cool!
Grandpa never lost his marbles afterall!!

Every boy's dream...a train under the Christmas tree!

String Night in Franklin

and of course, coma-like naps...

Our First Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T23:52:00.000-05:00

This Thanksgiving was the first time Scott and I shared it with just each other. Usually, at least I make it home for Thanksgiving, but with things so tight this year, we resolved to make a special time of it together.
We took the dogs for a hike in a nearby woods, even though the sleet made it challenging. All the varieties of bright green moss, contrasting against the gray pudding rocks and small white build up of precipitation was so beautiful. After a good soaking, we came home to a warm, dry house, full of the best smell of the season: baked pumpkin.

About a month ago, when my friend Darleen came to visit me, we went to Wilson Farms, and I picked up the most beautiful pumpkin. The man told me it was called a cheese pumpkin and was good for baking. Scott found a recipe online and procurred the most vibrant glop of orange out of that unassuming, pastel gourd.

Once the sugar, eggs and spices were added, it was pretty irresistable!

I probably have enough here for three pies.

Scott went crazy over it. He had three peices and went to bed with a stomach ache!
The "rest" of the meal consisted of mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, Grandma's cran-raspberry jello, a turkey breast and home-made stuffing.

After Thanksgiving dinner, we brought the tree up from the basement and listened to Karen Carpenter and Johnny Mathis' Christmas albums while we got it lit. We'll decorate later this week.

At the end of the evening, I told Scott that it wouldn't be a real holiday without a game. We got out monopoly, which hasn't seen the light of day since the month we got married. What fun! I'll let you know who wins, because the game is to be continued...

Moustaches

2008-11-24T18:40:00.001-05:00

Scott and I went to a moustache/Italian birthday party the other day that one of his co-workers threw...everyone had to wear a moustache, so Scott shaved his beard and I grew one. We had a spaghetti feast with lots of fun-loving people.

Madelyn

2008-11-21T09:53:00.002-05:00

My how you've grown. 10 years is too unbelieveable. I love you Madelyn. Have a wonderful birthday!

Happy 75th Grandma!

2008-11-20T09:20:00.003-05:00

I sure thank God for these Sweethearts in my life. Grandma, you're the youngest 75 I've ever known. Say a prayer for Grandpa here. He fell off of a ladder in June and has been having a lot of headaches. Earlier this week, after a fifth cat scan, the doctor told him he needs to come in immediately to have his head drilled. Apparently, there has been blood on his brain from the accident that will not reabsorb. They drained 2 cups of fluid from his head! He is such a trooper. Pray for a swift healing. He'll be 80 in January!

An Invitation...

2008-11-12T17:16:00.004-05:00

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and with out cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and satisfy your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me that your soul may live.

Is 55:1-3

This is where I opened my Bible this morning. It is poignant on many levels for me, as Scott and I scrape pennies here in Boston and as I labor on my thesis, whose outline is due on Friday, and as I struggle to keep my body in the shape God made it. He invites us to His table but if we do not come, if our excuse is that we just bought a peice of land or a team of oxen and need to go look at them, He will comb the streets and invite the poor, the hungry, the homeless and the despised and our invitation will be extended no more. How alarming. Rest yourself at His bounty today.

Samaritan's Purse

2008-11-06T13:07:00.003-05:00

A few years ago, I put together a shoebox with toys and clothes for a child in a disadvantaged country for a Christmas present. We want to do it again this year. Operation Christmas Child, a program of Samaritan's Purse, is collecting shoeboxes packed with goodies for kids now until November 24. You can choose your gender and age group: 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14 and drop it off at a collection center nearest you during collection week (nov. 17-24) or send it directly to Samaritan's Purse in North Carolina:

Samaritan’s Purse

Operation Christmas Child

801 Bamboo Road

Boone, NC 28607

This is a great thing to get your kids involved with. They can pick out the items from a store of things they would like or need themselves or put old toys in it of their own. If you think about the silly little things our young ones get attached to, just imagine what one new item from The United States does for a child who has no diversion from his growling stomach! Your kids will be able to connect in a small way with the life of a poor, needy or hungry child, who is otherwise just like them.

A much needed weekend

2008-10-31T23:43:00.003-04:00

Scott and I were supposed to go to Cape Cod this weekend for a big party his work was throwing. There was going to be a costume contest, talent contest, pumpkin carving contest, oyster bar, and the list goes on. But it was all cancelled because of a death in the family.

Our weekend turned into a quiet one at home, putting our garden to rest and planting bulbs for next spring, sharing some rest and relaxation and working on my thesis...
We made applesauce and watched the Cole Porter Story, De-Lovely...harvested the last of the vegetables and admired the pretty colors happening... this is my favorite ornamental fern in front of the delicate dark green ivy we planted on the garage wall which is now turning red...
not sure what to think about this carrot...I can't even wrap my thumb and index finger around it, it was that fat...with the shortest green top. Ha!
one last, stunning pansy...
Welcome November!

A Visit from Elkhart

2008-10-26T16:04:00.003-04:00

One of my oldest and dearest friends, Darleen came for a visit! She flew in Friday morning and left this evening. On Friday, I took her to a couple of my classes and then we took the train downtown to Copley's Farmer's Market for some cauliflower and fresh mozzerella and then onto the North End for some of Mike's Pastries!
We watched Shining Through with Melanie Griffith and Michael Douglas. Saturday we drove to Salem to check out the pre-halloween witch hysteria hoopla...it was pretty lame like most festivals. We went through a haunted house, had a "pyschic reading," had lunch at Rockafellas and went on a ghostly walking tour, which ended up being a boring, chilly history lesson...

That night, Dar wanted to treat Scott and me to dinner and being that she wanted something fishy and east-coasty, I suggested my restaurant, Legal Seafoods in Cambridge. Darleen had our famous crab cake, shrimp and scallops. I had the woodgrilled swordfish--WHOA. Scott had the Salmon. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Sunday morning, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then we went to one of my favorite places in Lexington--Wilson Farms--where I was finally able to get a pumpkin, apple cider and donuts, some bulb plants for the spring and of course, caramel apples! It was a gorgeous afternoon...The weekend went way too quickly!

Razed to the Ground

2008-10-21T13:01:00.002-04:00

I came home from school to be greeted by a raped Back Forty (what we call the abandoned lot behind our little yard) Someone had come and weed-whacked EVERYTHING in sight, including my Cosmos, Four O'Clocks, Zinnias, Phlox, Tansy, Yarrow, Chicory, you name it. They also razed the baby wild cherry and mulberry trees growing volunteer here and there.

I wish I had pictures to show how overgrown this place was--you definitely couldn't see the four foot wall delineation...

I cried when I found one lone survivor....a beautiful yellow four o'clock.
I know I shouldn't grieve what wasn't mine, especially what grows wild on an abandoned property next to mine, but it was becoming mine by mere appreciation alone...

Can't wait for the spring to breathe some life back into the place...

A Wedding in Baltimore

2008-10-18T23:00:00.002-04:00

One of my best friends from college, Jess Hanel, got married to a wonderful musician named Joe Satava! They are so adorable...

As an added bonus, I got to spend the weekend with another great girlfriend from Bethel, Teri Wines...

Congrats, Jess...you were so stunningly beautiful and the wedding utterly elegant. (Her mom made her dress from a Versace design!!) Have fun in Hawaii!

Noah is 7

2008-10-16T10:50:00.002-04:00

What a difference a year makes...I guess the first picture is from last June, not October...but still! My little man is growing up too fast! Happy Birthday, Little Guy. That's probably the last time you'll let me say that...I love you!

Meet Coby Kelly

2008-10-07T22:31:00.003-04:00

Coby is the little boy I take care of on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays while his athletic mommy gets to go work out for a couple of hours. He is four months today and is the most smiley baby I think I've ever met. He has two sisters: Jaida Mae is 4 and Piper is 2. Their Daddy Shawn is head of the ER at Harvard Medical and also runs a clinic out at Cape Cod. They live just across Commonwealth from us, so it is a two minute bike ride for me! Thank you God, for wonderful people to work for!

apple pickin'

2008-10-05T22:30:00.005-04:00

We finally got around to going apple picking again, only my second time. We chose a farm in New Hampshire, but it seemed everyone else did too. By the time we got within three miles, the traffic was bumper to bumper as far as the eye could see, all in line for this farm. It added an hour to our commute! But they had everything: a pumpkin patch, cider, donuts, hotdogs, hayrides, live music. We only had time for the apples, since it took so long to get there and I had to work at Legal Seafoods in the evening. Oh well. Can't wait to go home and make apple pie and apple sauce!

Aug 11, 1916 - Sept 26, 2008

2008-09-26T22:23:00.002-04:00

My Grandpa, Johnny Boy, Yanchi Bachi, passed into eternity this morning.
It was so quiet, so unannounced, so right. I'm going to miss him.

Favorite Spots in our Garden

2008-09-13T22:29:00.002-04:00

School's back in session..

2008-09-11T22:28:00.004-04:00

I had my first full week of school. I was dreading it for quite some time, but as expected, I am already happy to be back and in love with my new classes. I am taking Script and Score, Musical Theater, Acting, Directing, Tap, Jazz and Voice. The class as shrunk from eleven to eight and we are a tight knit group. My first scene assignment is the Jealousy Duet from Threepenny Opera. Whew, that Brecht and Weill.

Happy Birthday Scott

2008-09-10T17:09:00.006-04:00

For his birthday, we thought it would be fun to get a cold together. *Sniff* As memorable and unbeatable as that is, I hope Scott also enjoys his Ghiradelli Chocolate Chip Cheesecake and Gap Sweater.

I love you Boo.

No Soup For You!

2008-09-03T14:06:00.002-04:00

I met the Soup Nazi today! Seinfeld.com is touring major college campuses promoting reruns and Larry Thomas was signing autographs and yelling at people on request down near my new job, Legal Seafoods in Harvard Square...If you are a Seinfeld fan, then you know how cool it is when I tell you that I also got to see the Pez dispenser, Fuscilli Jerry, the toothbrush, the fur hat, Cramer's fat key ring and the Estelle doll. Ha!

Moving Day

2008-09-01T13:18:00.005-04:00

Anyone who has lived in Boston at least a year knows exactly the horror I speak of when September 1st is mentioned--Moving Day.
Half the city of Boston is swapping apartments.
On any busy intersection, you can surely count half a dozen UHauls without blinking, and on any residential street, heaping trash with mattresses and couches and desks. It is MAYHEM. (that's our trash pictured--we're the only ones in our house staying put)

"Bustle, bustle, clear the way, He moves, we move, they move today;
Pulling, hauling, Father's calling, Mother's bawling, children squalling,
Coaxing, teasing, whimpering, prattling, pots and pans and kettles rattling,
Tumbling bedsteads, flying bedspreads, broken chairs and hollow wares

Strew the street--'tis moving day.
Bustle, bustle, stir about, some moving in--some moving out;
Some move by team, some move by hand, an annual collithumpian band.
Landlords, dunning, tenants shunning; laughing, crying, dancing, sighing--
spiders dying, feathers flying, shaking bed rugs, killing bed bugs,
Scampering rats, mewing cats, whining dogs, grunting hogs,
What's the matter? Moving day!"

-Peter Parley's Alamanac for 1836

Grandpa John

2008-08-31T17:58:00.003-04:00

I got to visit my Yanchi today! (that's Johnny in Hungarian) Grandpa had a heart attack back on August 17 and spent a week in the hospital. Then he went home for about a week, but last night the visiting nurse encouraged my parents to take him back because his lungs were filling up with fluid. Today, his lungs are clearing and his blood pressure, which was a concern this morning, is holding steady, so back home he goes! My sweet sister had the great idea to bring her laptop to the hospital so I could have a Skype call with him, since my parents don't have it at their house. It was so good to see him. I can't stand being away from home right now...my mom has been a superstar in giving him homecare and wakeful watches all hours of the night. I know that his years are almost used up, so I had to share this precious smile he gave me over the computer. Please keep him in your prayers...

Love Never Fails

2008-08-21T17:44:00.003-04:00

Behold, I am the Lord your God; is anything too hard for Me? I am the Light of the World, and the greatest darkness will never be able to quench the light. I will be to you a cloud to perserve you by day and pillar of fire to protect you by night. Both in sunshine and in darkness, I shall be near you. You will delight in me in your joys; and in your difficulty. My love for you shall be as inescapably real as a blazing pillar of fire. Yes, all I was to Israel and more I shall be to you. For have I not promised to give you the desires of your heart, and the nations for your inheritance (Psalm 2:8)?

Let no fear hinder you. Whoever wavers will not receive. But be single-minded and rebuke every alien thought in My Name, for it comes from the enemy. He knows full well that he has no defense against pure faith. Only if he succeeds in planting seeds of doubt can he hold back the blessing of heaven among God's people and nullify the witness to the lost. So hold fast your profession of faith, for there is great recompense of reward.

So praise Me continually, for praise works faith, and God inhabits the praise of His people. If I seem to be far from you, praise! If darkness seems to press about you, know this--you have neglected to praise Me. Love Me; pour out your adoration and worship. Be sure of this: LOVE NEVER FAILS. Loving Me never fails to bring Me to your side. He sees Me most clearly who loves Me most dearly.

From Come Away My Beloved, Francis J. Roberts

Happy Anniversary, Scott, sweet husband and friend! The past four years with you are my most cherished yet...

Wildflower

2008-08-14T09:06:00.002-04:00

These are some of the lovely wildflowers that are growing in the abandoned property behind our own backyard, affectionately known as the Back Forty. Being the only view out our back window, it is a true eyesore, with its ten dilapidated brick garages and broken doors and peppered with your typical abandoned lot trash: some glass bottles, crumbled cement, an old mattress (that we moved) and often times, dozens of vinyl records, chucked like frisbees by stupid, drunk college kids...So, these precious and colorful little lives are like a song on a breeze in this tattered neighborhood!

Wildflowers grow from mere dust to reach their full potential.
Wildflowers grow well, even in adverse soil conditions.
Wildflowers don't require late nights at the office to grow.
Wildflowers grow thick and stick together.
Wildflowers grow strong and tall.
Wildflowers display their brilliant personalities for all to see.
Wildflowers withstand drought and grow all the more beautiful when watered.
Wildflowers withstand frost and hail.
Wildflowers last late in the season, when other flowers have given up.

Are you a wildflower? --David Leonhardt

(1. Bouncing Bette 2. Tansy 3. Daisy Fleabane 4. Celandine 5. Chicory 6. Day Lily)

Summer 'Reading' Project

2008-08-13T17:19:00.004-04:00

This summer I set out to read as many plays and watch as many musicals as I could to play catch up, since I've apparently missed many a classic. So far, I have read:

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Doubt by John Patrick Shanley
A Doll House by Ibsen
The Wild Duck by Ibsen

Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon and Angels in America by Tony Kushner
are on deck...

I've watched, (and yes, these are all for the first time!):

Annie Get Your Gun
Carousel
State Fair
Sunday in the Park with George
Sweeney Todd
Jesus Christ Superstar
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Flower Drum Song
Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum
Highschool Musical

What are your favorite plays or musicals? Any good recommendations?

92 years and still going...

2008-08-11T14:29:00.001-04:00

Grandpa, your life took a new turn this year, giving up your independence by moving in with my parents and suffering from a moderate stroke in January...You are still Grandpa. Sweet as pie. I'm so glad you can rest now in my parents care and know you're getting top rate provisions. Be blessed in another year of life that God granted you with grace and love. Enjoy every minute, Yanchie Bachi. I love you.

Happy Birthday Lori!

2008-08-05T10:32:00.001-04:00

...She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and her praises her:

"Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31

Happy Birthday Dearest

2008-08-03T07:38:00.002-04:00

An excellent woman who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.

The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.

She rises while it is yet night
and provides for her household
and portions for her maidens.

She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.

She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue...

Proverbs 31

Pesto!

2008-08-01T20:44:00.001-04:00

1 large clove garlic
2/3 cup tightly packed fresh young basil
2 heaping Tsp pine nuts
1/4 grated sheep cheese
1/2 grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
6 to 8 Tsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper

(and a food processor, if you don't want to kill your
hands with mortar and pestle)

Mix with pasta of your choice and enjoy a real Italian
simple country dish!

[past blogs]

2008-07-30T16:50:00.004-04:00

Please check out 'Newport Escape' and 'a Date with Bronwen' from June and 'a Date with Madelyn,' 'Family Fun,' 'Seven Years Ago...' 'Radiator,' and 'Half Moon Beach' in July--if you are so disposed. I'm catching up folks!!

Half Moon Beach

2008-07-26T22:06:00.002-04:00

Cape Ann is Massachusetts' best kept secret! It is much closer than Cape Cod (to the north rather than to the south) and ten times more beautiful. Scott surprised me with an unexpected trip to the beach, Half Moon Beach, on July 19. We didn't get an early enough start and only had the sand for about an hour and a half before it was consumed by the incoming tide, so when our friends and old neighbors from Hyde Park came to visit us today, Marta and and her nine year old son Elias, we simply had to go back and enjoy it once again. It feels like a foreign country...so beautiful! I forgot my camera, so I'm waiting for Marta's pictures of the four of us...

My Scott

2008-07-19T19:47:00.001-04:00

My Scott is hiking in Grafton Notch, Maine this weekend. I'm so happy for the opportunity. He was supposed to be able to get away while I was in Indiana, but he got engaged for his services at Morgan's Rest, the Bed & Breakfast in Lexington, every otherwise free weekend. He is doing a 22 mile hike to his parked bike, where he will then ride back to the car. Campfires are not allowed, so he will be roughing it with fruit and granola bars. I'm so proud of him.

family recipe

2008-07-16T18:30:00.007-04:00

I've been wanting to make a family tradition and recipe that my Grandma Harriett started years ago...The best potato salad you've ever had. And we all get to partake because my mom has carried on the tradition of making it once or twice a year for family get togethers: usually Easter and mid to late summer, like the Fourth or Labor Day.

Well, I had a special hankering, so I made it, even though I've never made it. I think the years of watching mom put it together made me a bonafide pro. Mom always makes a ton (around twenty pounds) because the entire family loves it and eats it like its going out of style. Then she sends some home with each one and makes sure her two brothers get their own special delivery as well. But I made a small batch:

5 lbs. red potatoes

8 slices of bacon

1 med. onion diced

1 green pepper diced (which I omitted for sake of time)

8 dill pickles diced

4 celery stalks diced

1 doz boiled eggs quartered

3/4 cup Helman's

salt to taste

What makes it time consuming is that you have to blot all the wet items: potatoes, onion and pickle so that the salad doesn't get runny and break down after a couple of days...since, of course you make enough for leftovers for a week!

Happy Birthday, Jen

2008-07-15T14:30:00.003-04:00

Dear Jeny,

Can hardly believe another year has come and gone...You are aging as fine wine, my friend. I love who you are and who you are becoming. You are so loving, generous, compassionate, sensitive and loyal. Embrace every experience, obstacle and challenge as opportunities to season yourself and teach your children to do the same. Thanks for being my sister and my friend.

Love you,

Jayme

"One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple." Psalm 27:4

the radiator

2008-07-12T19:34:00.003-04:00

When I got home from Indiana, the car was not working again.

The radiator cracked and Scott repaired the crack with apoxy and replaced the fan and it still didn't work. So then he suspected that it might be the head gasket, but first tried replacing the entire radiator. When that didn't work he replaced the thermostat, the coolant fan switch, and the coolant temperature sensor. Success, finally!

As he was working on the car, he realized how grateful he was that this car is PAID FOR. He reveled in the joy of knowing he learned enough skills from his grandpa to have the ability to save us a load of bucks...And I am so grateful for his ability too!

Seven years ago...

2008-07-07T14:48:00.003-04:00

Scott and I re-met seven years ago today...its so hard to believe. These lyrics are taken from a card he gave to me on Valentine's last year...it means so much because I know how hard we work to have what we have...

Every time I look at you the world just melts away
All my troubles all my fears dissolve in your affections
You've seen me at my weakest but you take me as I am
And when I fall you offer me a softer place to land

You stay the course, you hold the line, you keep it all together
You're the one true thing I know I can believe in
You're all the things that I desire, You save me, You complete me
You're the one true thing I know I can believe

When I get mad so easy, you give me room to breathe
No matter what I say or do 'cause you're too good to fight about it
Even when I have to push just to see how far you'll go
You won't stoop down to battle, but you never turn to go

You stay the course, you hold the line, you keep it all together
You're the one true thing I know I can believe in
You're all the things that I desire, You save me, You complete me
You're the one true thing I know I can believe

And I promise you...

I will be the answer at the end of the line
I will be there for you while you take the time
In the burning of uncertainty I will be your solid ground
I will hold the balance if you can't look down

It if takes my whole life, I won't break, I won't bend
It'll all be worth it, worth it in the end
I can only tell you what I know, I need you in my life
When the stars have all gone out, You'll still be burning so bright

So...

You stay the course, you hold the line, you keep it all together
You're the one true thing I know I can believe in
You're all the things that I desire, You save me, You complete me
You're the one true thing I know I can believe

Adaptation of Push and Answer (2003) - Sarah McLachlan

Family Fun

2008-07-04T23:36:00.001-04:00

A date with Madelyn

2008-07-01T20:35:00.009-04:00

With each neice and nephew, I tried to do something that they requested. Something that they don't get to do very often. I asked that they choose differently from the others, so that their date would be unique and special. This may have been difficult to follow through on, as I know the others would have liked to do things like the zoo or miniature golf, but I hope they are glad they all have individual memories...

Madelyn's request was probably the most difficult: swimming. I don't like public pools and they are mostly very deep and noisy. I also discovered that as a non-resident of Mishawaka, I was going to have to pay through the nose to use one for a couple of hours. In desperation to comply with her request, I walked down the street to my former life-long neighbors and parents of my best friend, Darleen, and asked them if we could borrow their pool for the afternoon, to which they not only answered with an enthusiastic yes, but said to please come ANY time.

Dolly had fun joining us in the pool, as long as she could be dry on the sturdy raft! I think she thought it was cool to be near us, but not wet...

Madelyn had fun diving for toys and rings with a mask that made her look like a bug! A cute bug, of course...

Then we got out, pulled the cover on, dried off and hurried over to Barnes & Noble, part two of her request and had fun looking at the latest releases in popular series she is reading like the Magic Tree House Books.

After looking for a while, Madelyn finally picked out something to take home, the latest Where's Waldo, and something to read while she ate her dinner of three-cheese grilled cheese and a rice crispy treat to top it off.

All in all, I'd have to say it was the most sophisticated of my four dates, you little grown-up! I love watching you become you. Thanks for our wonderful date, Madelyn!

A date with Bronwen

2008-06-30T18:35:00.004-04:00

I took Bronwen, who is three, to Macy's Clinique counter, where I knew the women would gladly give her a little attention.

She got purple eye shadow, lip gloss and blush and was very still and serious for the nice lady.

Then we walked down to Pat's Pets and saw puppies, bunnies, snakes, birds and mice. We bought two squeak toys for Hope and her sister, Dolly.

Then we walked down to the Disney store and got a purple foldable brush on clearance...

I loved the way she was swinging her shopping bags like an old pro...

We got lunch at Chick-fil-A and played in the playground before going to Meijer to pick out some tomatoes and roses for Grandma Suzy.

I had such a special time with you, Brownie!!

My Chicago

2008-06-28T22:06:00.006-04:00

I got to spend my first three hours in Chicago with Karla. She picked me up from the train station at Randolph and we had lunch in a mall on michigan ave. Then we walked to a little park near the water tower where Jack could play. She's such a good mama.

Karla dropped me off at a Panera on Canal and Roosevelt where I met another friend, Amy Todd. She was the manager at Seattle's Best on Michigan before Starbucks closed us down. Now she has a little girl, Leah and works as a manager for Bank of America...After lunch (again) we went to DSW Shoes and I found a killer pair of ruby red Stuart Weitzman pumps, originally over $300 on clearance for $35! What fun!!

Amy dropped me back at my old office building, where I met my former colleague, Julie, from Special Counsel, to go out for dinner across the street at the Park Grill. It was great to laugh and chat together again just like old times.

Afterwards, I took a cab back down Michigan to Trish and Ryan's new apartment, where I collapsed into their guest bed and woke up to an incredible view: My Chicago.
We went to breakfast at a great new place called Yolk. Then she took me to her new favorite local chocolatier (they just moved to Chicago from Seattle in March) and had me pick out a dozen decadent truffles! I felt like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's the way we just walked all over downtown, through the Taste of Chicago, eating our box of chocolates!
We needed a place to cool down, so went into the Water Tower and got suckered into facials at a make up booth in Macy's. It felt so good and Trish bought me some honey lip balm.
As it turned into evening we made our way back towards Trish's to take care of their adorable border collie, Frankie. Then we changed our clothes and went down to Summer Dancing in the Park, not too far from her new apartment. That night was the waltz and the Cajun two-step. She is always game for letting down her hair and having fun, even though she doesn't know what she is doing! We were even asked by some sweaty, slightly drunk, older men to two-step with them--which of course, we did!!

Finally, Ryan met up with us and we all walked down to my favorite restaurant, Grand Lux and enjoyed a delicious late night dinner together. It was hard to say goodbye in the morning, but as least I was going to the arms of one more precious friend, Paula...
We have such a special connection. We also met at Special Counsel, but now she works as an attorney for Northwestern Hospital. She is Polish and Hoosier born, so maybe that's why we're two peas in a pod! We had breakfast together and she saw me off to my train back to Indiana. It was terribly difficult to walk away from each other...Love you, Girl.

Whew! Five friends in two days. Aren't you proud of me?

(Passed my old street, Hyde Park Blvd, on the South Shore heading home. It hurt.)

Sisters

2008-06-25T20:54:00.001-04:00

Jen and I seized some time to ourselves and went window shopping downtown Mishawaka. I got the idea after mom and I sneaked out of the house late last night to catch the new Get Smart movie with Steve Carrell. We had such a good time!

Jeny and I found a great little antique shop, which also serves lunch, but we had already eaten at Dr. Pierce's. The shop was called Les Deux Soeurs, The Two Sisters. How appropriate! She bought a red antique looking metal vase. We also found an art shop around the corner. She got a couple of frames on sale and I picked up some cds and a couple of disney movies for mom and the grandkids...

Then we headed over to Hobby Lobby, a favorite spot for both of us. Jen picked out silk flowers for her new vase and we found a wrought-iron looking clock on clearance for mom's kitchen...

As always, the time went by too quickly...Thanks for lunch and the fun afternoon, Sis! I love you...

A date with Chloe

2008-06-24T19:27:00.000-04:00

A trip to the Potowanami Zoo, complete with:
tigers, turtles, monkeys, kangaroos, zebra, lions, alligators, buffalo, peacocks and flamingos. But best of all, a butterfly house!!

We also had icecream on a stick and took a train ride around the zoo...

Dinner was mac and cheese at her favorite restaurant, Houlihans, because of the cool fish tank--we saw baby Nemos! (I have to say, Chloe was very sensible about ordering her food. She asked me if chicken fingers were fried and when I told her yes, she opted for the healthier route of macaroni, since her french fries were also fried)

I hope you had a memorable day, Sweetie!

A date with Noah

2008-06-23T16:11:00.003-04:00

Our date started with riding bikes together in Grandpa and Grandma's neighborhood...Noah wanted to ride to Madelyn and Chloe's house, but being that would put us on busy McKinley, we decided that might be a trip for next summer...
Then we tried to go to a bowling alley, but trying to find open lanes on a Monday around noon proved pretty difficult. After letting Noah drive around the bowling alley parking lot for a while, (he is very good--its going to be a long ten years while he waits for his driver's license!) we decided to go to miniature golf instead. Along the way, Noah spotted Dog n' Mug, so we stopped for a delicious corn dog, fries and the best root beer around!
At Putt-Putt, Noah got a hole-in-one on the thirteenth green!! (and later, again in our second round) That stinker. He wasn't even as focused as his aunt was! You should see how this kid whacks with abandon...
Thanks for our date, little buddy. I'll never forget it!!

At Last!

2008-06-21T23:36:00.004-04:00

A fairytale beginning for one of my best friends ever!!

last minute details...

2008-06-20T22:23:00.006-04:00

I had the privilege of hanging out with Caren almost the entire week leading up to her wedding.
I was able to help throw her bachelorette at Hacienda and a friend's house afterwards...

We worked on address/wedding bells favors, floral arrangements for the pews, the guest book, setting up the church's reception hall, programs and running last minute errands. We also got in some quality best girl time...

The whole week I was reliving my own wedding and planning. It never really leaves you...hard to believe it was four years ago...

Girls Night

2008-06-17T23:16:00.000-04:00

My mom and two sisters, Jeny and Christine, and I seized our opportunity and had a girls night my first day home in Indiana! Jen soaked her feet, I gave mom a back rub and painted Christine's toes. We watched a touching film called Bella. It was a wonderful evening!

Catching up...

2008-06-15T02:38:00.004-04:00

In an attempt to catch up, please watch for some May blogs entitled: Garden 2008, Cape Cod/Mother's Day, Welcome Phoebe Nies and the Green Mountains. I will be working on these when I get to Indiana for Caren's wedding next week!

Newport Escape

2008-06-14T23:40:00.005-04:00

Scott's parents came to visit us during their spring anniversary trip to Newport, Rhode Island. They spent half of their time there and half of it with us in Boston. It was a hot week, with no air conditioning!

Together, we explored the Freedom Trail and saw things like, Paul Revere's House,
the Old North Church, where the lanterns were hung, "one if by land, two if by sea," in regards to which way the Bristish were invading...
the USS Constitution, affectionately known as Old Ironsides, since it never lost a battle. It was made out of very young, green oak, so the enemy's canonballs virtually bounced off...

and Bunker Hill, in Charlestown. Much of this battle was actually fought on Breed Hill and in fact the British won, but it was the biggest loss of the entire war for the Brits and afterwards, British General Henry Clinton remarked in his diary that "A few more such victories would have shortly put an end to British dominion in America"

As a reward for so much walking that day...we dropped with exhaustion in a little out of the way restaurant in the North End, which is like a little Italy, and shared some fresh, rustic pizzas. Yum!

Moving on to Newport, this is one of many scenic shots I took when Scott's parents surprised us with a sailboat ride in Newport's famous harbour. I just love the red boat and ivy-covered stone arches under the distant bridge...
Carl got to take the wheel for a bit....he's such a natural!

I don't think I've ever been on a sailboat before. It was magical, even though there wasn't much wind and we had to use the motor...
Scott couldn't get enough of the rocky beaches and was jumping around like a mountain goat and just as sure-footed!
We took the Cliff Walk that runs at the back of all the mansion properties on the edge of the ocean. This is the Breakers, the biggest, most glorious, owned by the Vanderbilts.
this is an aerial shot of the Cliff Walk--a picture of a picture I took inside a tourist shop. The Breakers is gleaming white on the left. Newport is also where Jacquelyn Kennedy Onassis grew up. This town has some serious money.

Later that night, we returned to the hotel, which looked out over part of the harbor where fisherman were hauling in their catch all day long, and went to the roof to watch the sunset, with some wine, cheese and crackers. You could hear taps playing in the distance...

We had such a wonderful time and perhaps the best and hardest part was getting to leave with them and having to say goodbye to Scott. I will see him in three weeks!

On Sunday, Father's Day evening, we hit Ohio, and witnessed the longest, awe-inspiring sunset I've seen in a long time. A blessing at the end of day's journey...and a promise of wonderful things yet to come for my time in Indiana...

The Green Mountains of Vermont

2008-05-30T22:34:00.007-04:00

Being my first typical American camping experience, I was initially disappointed that our campsite was so small and so close to other noisy campers...the only thing I had to compare it to was the wilderness of Canada, where we had to hike and canoe to our campsites each night and where there were no camping neighbors and no running water of any kind. Where you could clap your hands together and kill five mosquitos at once and where you had to collect your own fire wood, boil your own water and eat trailmix and opposed to brats and corn on the cob...
But my spirits were soon restored on our first hike, which joined up with the Appalachian Trail. The woods of Vermont are like nothing else I've seen. Everything was so green...new plants, new flowers, new trees...

The dogs had so much fun, racing ahead on the trail they faithfully followed, sniffing new things and chasing ground squirrels.
As we got higher and higher, the vegetation kept changing and some of the terrain seemed picture perfect and planned.

Snow on the mountains in May!

When we got to the top, we realized we were on a point we had seen from the highway far below, before we ever reached our campgrounds.

Due to Scott's expertise with fires and grilling, our meals included sausage, scrambled eggs, coffee, brats, corn on the cob and of course toasted marshmallows.

We chose a very scenic route home and spotted this amazing waterfall along the way....It was full of jutting rocks, beautiful farms, rolling green hills and sprawling green mountains!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

2008-05-24T15:17:00.003-04:00

To make up for my absence, for which there is no reason other than a creative dry spell and I'm-out-of-school-and-don't-have-to-do-anything bug, I thought I'd let you all know what we are up to the next three days...(I do have some other blogs I'd still like to post from May)

Surprisingly, Scott and I are going camping together for the first time ever, in Vermont this weekend (if you don't count the fishing trip with Gram and Gramps in Canada a couple of years ago). We recently got a tent and a sleeping bag for me. Scott is still using his orange mummy from when he was thirteen. We decided that if we went inland instead of to the Cape or north towards Maine, it would be a little warmer. So I chose a campsite on my day off yesterday. Gifford Woods State Park. We are so excited. The Appalachian Trail runs through this state park and we'll be doing a lot of hiking with the dogs during the day. Happy Trails everyone!

Phoebe Nies

2008-05-12T22:33:00.002-04:00

Announcing the arrival of our neighbors little girl on May 12! She is so sweet and they are adorable first time parents. It is so wonderful to have a baby around me again!

Cape Cod

2008-05-11T22:19:00.001-04:00

Scott and I decided to go for a drive out to Cape Cod on Mother's Day. Cape Cod is the 'strong arm' shape at the east end of Massachusetts. It is not one specific town, but a region that is over a hundred miles long, with quaint little beach towns all the way up to the tip.

On the way, we stopped in Chatham to find a lighthouse and met a sweet lady who offered to take our picture for us. When I told her Happy Mother's Day, she shared with us that one year ago on Mother's Day, she lost her husband to Huntington's. She said they loved to come to the Cape, so she thought she would come this year on Mother's Day in his memory to do something special with the day. It was so hard to drive away. I wanted to ask her name and if she wanted to come to dinner with us. But she did seem at peace with it all and wished us a very happy life together...

It was a whirlwind trip because we got such a late start...but he wanted to go all the way to Province. The owners of his landscape company were planning to take the team to the Cape the next day to work on their own private property for a couple of days, so Scott wanted us to see it together first--so thoughtful!
We decided to complete the excursion with dinner at a little place called Jimmy's Hideaway, recommended by some locals. I got fish and chips, being inspired by the sea, and Scott got some chicken and fingerling potatoes in wine and rubarb reduction. Oh my.

All in all, we pretty much agreed that the Cape is not 'all that,' but neither one of us are drawn to heavy tourist attractions. I would like to give it another shot when it is more in season, since it was a bit of a ghost town in May.

Oh, and I called my mom, of course. The family took her out to eat at Olive Garden which was quite a treat for her...it kills me to be the only one not with her, but I know she knows I'm there in my heart. Love you, Mom.