Let me preface by saying we fully intended to honor our nation's fallen heroes at the cemetary memorial service this weekend. Then….stuff….happened. A couple unnamed children decided to camp out the night before. At 3:30am I got a text from the neighbor explaining child one had an intestinal upset and was coming home. At 4:15am child two bailed. You can apparently be scared…..um… "witless" in a tent in the dark even if you are used to RV-ing all over. So these tired parents stayed home Monday but made a great day of it. On to the update…..
Outside: Sun, sun, sun. We are into the upper 80's once more. The yardwork has begun for the season. The first load of landscaping dirt has filled in the eroding bed in front of the house and more will follow. Lots more. So much dirt. I have high hopes this dirt will net us both an updated tidier landscape and with any luck – ground something can grow in.
In other outdoor news we have given the hand me down patio furniture a fresh coat of paint. New $5 and $8 (I swear, yes!) cushions from Walmart made me super happy. There are so many fabulous colors to choose from today! In the end I got primary colors since they go well with our dishes and inexpensive party supplies.
Creating: Birdhouses. It's been a slow project like many of our projects go BUT this one is nearly done. Just waiting for sealing now. The children picked up the Home Depot kits at the environmental field trip a few weeks ago. I came home one evening to find them hammering away with their dad outside. And Monday, we painted.
Wearing: my reading glasses. Truth be told I have had them for several years now. Initially they mostly came in handy when in dimly lit scenarios, to read labels or thread a needle. This morning as I sat down to the computer I found them to be especially helpful. There are wonderful tools for this natural consequence of aging. We are lucky to have them. Yet, moments such as these are unavoidable reminders of the relentless passing of time.
In other 'wearing' news I've purged my closet once again. The sewing machine is making a more regular appearance and hemming and altering is in full swing. Today's outfit – chambray tie top, black knit skirt, black sandals.
Listening to: piano practice. Abbie Rose is calling out "B! G! A!" Tess has her first and possibly last piano competition under her belt now. She is naturally fearless and was not the least bit nervous. She also was not terribly driven to perfect a piece she didn't love and wasn't any more compelled to "beat" anyone else. The evaluation was helpful however, upon reading her marks and comments, she and we all remarked that there were no surprises there. She memorizes well, has her techniques down, needs more metronome work, and should strive to play more dramatically. Her lack of passion for the piece and for the event was evident. She absolutely adores playing the piano however. This seems to be another in a long string of lessons for our family that our passions need not commercial nor competitive to be validated. Her momma is working on learning this one as well.
From the kitchen: lots of fresh food and grilled entrees are saving me right now. Chopped salads, roasted veggies, melons, and chicken or beef or sausages on the grill are staple dinners.
From the learning room: two finished their curriculum early, two running late, one is about on target. Even in a large family no two students are just exactly alike. They are all on their own journey. This was especially pressed on my heart this weekend talking to one of my adult children. This child, who was not an avid pleasure reader growing up, came to me to express regret over years spent doing only light reading and requesting some titles to ease into more sustantial works. It was one of the best gifts I've ever received. You truly cannot predict how your kids are going to grow and change.
Thinking about: Aaron Ames' article in Circe, because I am often thinking about articles from Circe. Much food for thought relating to the principle of delight and the principle of efficiency. Of utility versus community. (Comunity can and ought to also refer to the community we build in our family)
"For the adult, work is not play, but for the child, play and work might as well be the same thing. The child relishes the opportunity to work, even calling this play, but the adult relishes the opportunity to play, if only he can manage to take a break from work."
His thoughts echoed our own as we discussed what was lost by the adult child who could not see a way to marry academic and income earning productivity with literature and by the mother (me) who gets caught in assigning restorative and challenging creative opportunities to others while diving further into utilitarian tasks herself.
"Milton counseled us generations ago that our ever-increasing lust for utilitarian productivity and self-sustaining independence would be our destruction."
Reading: I read Jane Eyre this month. I have shuddered and wept and rejoiced. I have mulled over the similarities and differences between Jane and Kristin Lavransdatter from last year's reading. Similar themes in some ways – desire, self government, morality. Similarly meloncholic but devout and introspective women. Similarly intense male characters. Both reflect on the will of God – how we honor it, where we go astray, and the very real consequences of both. I am sure I will be thinking deeply about all of this for some time to come.
Towards wellness: Talking T-Tapp with friends. I wrote this off some twenty years ago but am revisiting after a host of biohacker and paleo folks have discovered these old school exercises. There is plenty of opportunity for cardio around here in summer. For the next several weeks I am taking 15 minutes a day to strengthen and tone. The muscle isolation work hurts like heck fwiw.
Plans for the week: Another road trip. This time we are blessed to be heading to the meeting ground for east coast and west coast friends. It is a beautiful thing when your long time 'virtual' friends become dear 'in person' friends.
Starry Sky Journal 