words from wendy's world

December 29, 2022

Goals and Gratitude

The week between Christmas and New Year's always feels exciting as a time of reflection and goal setting. My schedule has been so full that I haven't had a lot of time for that yet, but I had fun doing some preliminary thinking. I don't think I'll do a 23 for 23 list this year, and I'm still trying to decide if I'll have a one word theme. I've been a little disenchanted with it because of my low success, although it wasn't a complete failure. On the other hand, if I don't set goals, it's easier to float along and lose incentive.

I decided to begin with some fun reading-related challenges, and started a list that I hope to add more to. When I searched reading challenges, there were so many cheesy ones, like "read a book with a color in the title." I'm looking for more of an actual challenge! This is what I'm planning on doing so far.

1. Read a book that challenges you. I chose Crime and Punishment since it was already on my TBR.

2. Read a book published the year you were born.

3. Read a book you started but didn't finish. The Indifferent Stars Above is my choice.

My goal for this week was to finish this puzzle that has been languishing for weeks.

It's one of the harder ones I've done because of the pieces not fitting together well, making it very easy to get them in the wrong place. The border is almost all the same pattern and wasn't put together right. But I'm happy to say it's finished! I don't usually save puzzles, but this one is beautiful enough (and I don't want to do it again!) so I framed it. It looks great on the basement wall.

One of my goals for 2022 that I had success in was exercise. When I look at my stats from MapMyWalk, I've increased my walking distance by almost 50% from 2 years ago! I'm still astonished and slightly bewildered. Can I finally say I've conquered after years of trying?? I'm almost hesitant to think that, for fear of jinxing my success. But I know my mindset has changed to where exercise ranks near the top of what absolutely has to get done in a day. I don't do it every day, but 4 - 5 days a week feels realistic and attainable.

The 4:8 Principle taught that there's plenty of negative about ourselves that we could think or talk about, but why would we do that? Why give that so much space when you could instead focus on the good? So with that, I'm not going to mention the goals I didn't meet.

Awhile ago I was especially struck with the thought of how incredibly blessed I am. Sometimes I can't see it so clearly because of a stressful day at work, or not enough sleep, a headache, or a dirty kitchen. Writing thankful lists can even become routine. But at that moment it seemed crystal clear how much I've been given. From the big things, like health, family that loves each other, a comfortable home, and an income; to the little things, like a cup of hot tea. Scented candles. Books. And So. Much. Good. Food.

Goals are important, but I also want to remember how much I've already been given. There's sure to be blessings and disappointment in the new year, what will I focus on?

December 15, 2022

2022 in books

I enjoy reviewing my year in books every December, and Goodreads does a fantastic job compiling stats. What is most outstanding for 2022 is that this was a year of re-reading.

2022: Stats

Shortest book: 84, Charing Cross Road

Longest book: War and Peace

December 12, 2022

Weekly Journal Volume 7

Monday December 5

Got up and worked at my desk for awhile before school. A typical day there, after which I went to pick up new spectacles, fill the car with gas, and do grocery pickup. Started chicken enchiladas and rice as soon as I got home and listened to The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street while cooking. I'm on a roll with Christmas-themed reading right now! Guess that's my way of celebrating the season. Could've/should've worked for Gehman Accounting again this evening, but going to bed early to read for awhile had a stronger pull.

Tuesday December 6

A miserable rainy day. This kind of weather makes it easier to be content at my desk though. Started the day off with a bike ride, followed by a long cool-down period of browsing the internet, wordle, and reading devotionals on my phone. Savored my morning cup of Earl Gray while driving to New Holland, listening to When Breath Becomes Air. Wow. This is proving to be a 5 star book, not to mention stoking my medical interests! Had to switch gears to the business world and face the usual Tuesday bookkeeping jobs. Team meeting today included accounting jokes/puns. "What do you call a liability without any friends?" A loan. (Get it? Alone 😄) was my favorite. I even managed to answer "What do you call really tall expenses?" (overhead) A bit of light-heartedness was good for the brain. Didn't leave work until after 6, then pulled in for another Walmart pickup to make up for all the things my local store didn't have. Grabbed a bite from Taco Bell and drove home in the rainy dark. Cliff was already gone, working on Business Bulletin. Ended the day with Sleepytime tea and a bath.

Wednesday December 7

Stayed in bed a little longer than usual, didn't have anywhere to be today. Put a meaty ham bone and navy beans in the crockpot to make soup with another evening this week. Started work around 9:00 and kept at it until a little after 1:00, then sampled the ham & beans for lunch. Yum. Wanted to go on a walk and thought maybe the fog had lifted enough by 2:00 to go for it. I got a little way down the road and realized it was still low visibility so turned back and rode the bike inside instead. It was truly a gloomy day - very overcast and foggy. SaraBeth and the kidders came after school to cut greenery from the woods, fun to be with them for a bit. The weather felt just perfect for napping, so I laid down for awhile and may have dozed a few minutes, but felt guilty because I knew I should be working! Put in a little more time at my desk before going to Phillip and Nancy's for a delicious soup supper with the teachers, Uncle Wade's, and Jaden & Tina.

Thursday December 8

Didn't have the energy for both work and exercise before heading to school but decided exercise was more important than work. Good choice. Started packing up my stuff at school - I have to move into the music room so kindergarten can have my room. We are running out of classrooms! There has been lots of sickness going around school this week, with 14 students missing today. Cliff has had some type of cold ever since conference, but I've stayed well so far. Not sure if it's just luck or the flu shot. Left directly after school to put time in for Gehman. Worked most of the evening and Cliff had men's meeting. School is canceled for tomorrow to give everyone a chance to get better and hopefully contain the germs. I'm imagining all kinds of things I could do tomorrow instead. We'll see what happens!

Friday December 9

I must have been too excited about an extra day off, didn't even sleep late! Had plenty of time for Earl Gray and The 4:8 Principle, which really is as good as I was told. It's been very enlightening and encouraging. Knew I wanted to finish moving the stuff out of my classroom today so did that first thing before other things got in the way. Logged in to work for a little over an hour, then decided to take a deep dive into our finances and budget. As I suspicioned, expenses were greater than income. I want to get back on track with Budget Bootcamp and that involves spreadsheets and detailed recording, so I ended up working on that for several hours. Was ready for a walk and fresh air after all the number crunching. Today was wonderfully sunny and slightly chill. It was right in that zone where a coat is almost too much if you're exerting. I knew I was close to reaching 500 miles walked in 2022 and thought today's walk would get me there. When I checked afterward, I was rather annoyed to see I only needed 0.2 miles to make it! Started on supper while listening to Ben-Hur. Not sure why I've never read it before. It took me a little to get into it but now it's getting more interesting. Cooked up a huge kettle of ham and bean soup that turned out very tasty! Also made a batch of sugar cookies. Cliff took soup and cookies to the neighbors and stayed a while. I believe I was in the kitchen for 4 hours and that's more than enough for me!

Saturday December 10

Today was the long-awaited day for Dad to knock out walls in our existing kitchen/living area. Cliff did a wonderful job putting plastic up to seal off the demolition area, which confined me to the back part of the house. The only way I could get to the kitchen was to go out through the basement and in the house through the back door. We'd prepared several weeks ago by moving most of the furniture to the basement and boxing up books and kitchen supplies. I was happy to be forced into (noisy) solitude and prepared by packing a few snacks and grabbing my tea before the action started. How grand to have another leisurely morning of devotions and reading without having to be somewhere or doing something! On the list for today along with weekly wash was to put away the stuff I'd brought home from school, clean 2 pairs of boots, and finish my budget project. I was successful in that, but of course there was more on the list I didn't have time for. In between tasks I warmed up soup for lunch and went on a walk. It's astonishing how much more space the demo opened up! I'm also getting a new, bigger closet in what was wasted space above the basement stairs. A HUGE improvement even though we're still in the mess of it all. Cliff cleaned everything up very nicely and I quickly washed the kitchen floor before going to Charles's for burgers and fries with the family to celebrate his birthday. Scrumptious and fun, except I was really tired and ready to leave early.

Sunday December 11

Got up early since we planned to go with folks and Derek's to NYC for Papa Tim and Mama Anne's farewell. Mom brought along food for lunch and supper and Charles's loaned their van so we could travel together. We arrived in the city just in time for church. It was a full house today with Poughkeepsie people, new houseparents Randy & Rachel Litwiller along with their daughter Christine and Shane, and Mifflinburg teachers with Ben & Sundaymar. Sunday school was spicy with several visiting ladies and different cultures! It's good to have something different than proper Mennonite church once in awhile. The service lasted awhile with all the testimonies and tears for Tim's and welcome for Randy's. We socialized most of the afternoon before deciding to walk downtown and see Christmas lights. It was raining and cold, but we had umbrellas and enjoyed the dark, rainy city and all the colorful lights and shop windows. We watched a short light show at Saks Fifth Avenue and looped through St. Patrick's cathedral and Bryant Park. Back to the unit house for supper and final farewells with Tim's. They are such wonderful, welcoming people and were fantastic houseparents! Felt sorry for the new houseparents. It would be quite overwhelming to take on that job in such a big, unfamiliar city, but I'm sure they'll find their place and do well. Got home just as Dec 11th ended. Bed felt incredible.

November 25, 2022

less is more

The minimalist lifestyle has slowly been growing on me. My natural inclination has always leaned that way, and I routinely go through clothes, kitchen items, and home decor to discard things I don't use. Although I seem to enjoy shopping a lot less than most females, I used to not think twice about running to Amazon and clicking "add to cart".

Several years ago I was amazed to see that the numbers on our tax return should have translated into a better financial position than we found ourselves. One day I took action and enrolled in Jordan Page's Budget Boot Camp. It's intense and takes a lot of time and hard work (do not attempt if you're unwilling for this!) but we had astonishing success. One of our wins was being able to pay over $15,000 extra on a loan. I learned a lot of valuable lessons in addition to the savings, though. It wasn't really anything new, but finding it out for yourself is still an eye-opener! Since then, I've fallen back into some of my old habits, although I'm much more aware that I do not need at least 50% of the things that I might actually use. I'd like to find ways to cut back even more. Here are a few things I've learned and items I've eliminated.

- More than 1 set of sheets per bed. Simply not necessary. Wash and put them back on in the same day. No need to store extra sets. In the same line, I've eliminated extra pillows and blankets. I do have a few spare blankets, but if I need more for company, I borrow from Mom. I guess it's a good thing some people DO have extras! 😄 Granted, this particular cut-back probably won't work if you host a lot of company.

- Books that I've never read or don't really like. Although I read a lot, I decided I only need to own my top favorites. In the past, I've bought books thinking I'll read them someday, but never do. One exception for me is the books I got as a child/teenager, although I probably will never read most of them again. I kept the ones that were written inside saying who they were from, and the ones I loved most. 95% of the books I read now are from the library.

- Extra kitchen items. Serving bowls I don’t use, specialty cake/bread pans, items that were wedding gifts but I don’t really like, and such. Again, on the rare occasion I need a specialty pan (bundt cake, for example) I borrow mom's. I gave my sis-in-law Kait a splatterware pan I never used, and noticed she uses it a lot! With our kitchen remodel, I've had to box up over half my kitchen items. It's amazing how seldom I have to go dig something out! It looks like I could eliminate a lot more yet.

- Expired medicines. Just take a look at the dates in your medicine cabinet, I promise you'll be surprised! I used to not pay attention to the dates, but working in a pharmacy where we could not use outdated drugs and checked dates on everything made me hyper-aware. Although they might still be good for a couple months after their expiration, drugs do lose their potency. Buy smaller quantities so you use them up before they expire.

Be realistic, don't hold on to things you don't need for the lifestyle you have. Think about it, if you don't have much company now, will you have more in the future? Most likely not. For me, that meant I didn't need extra bedding. Likewise, don't buy things that don't fit your lifestyle. This spring I mentioned a couple times that it would be nice to have a fire ring. Cliff was ready to hit "buy now" when I put on the brakes. How often do we sit outside in the evening NOW? True, we might do it more often if we had a fire ring, but we don't really have a good place for it and we're both usually tired by evening. I don't think it would get used enough to justify the cost.

Don't buy trendy home decor. I've done this and seen my folly. No matter how "in" it is right now, it WILL become outdated. I've learned I'm happier with just a few things that I love, no matter if it's in or out of style.

DO buy quality furniture you enjoy using. Go ahead and use some of the money you save by investing in furniture that is comfortable. This might not be attainable for everyone, but don't hold on to the same couches, chairs, or beds for years and years.

Some people are happier with more, I am happier with less. I get a thrill out of discarding unused items and seeing mostly bare walls. Don't get me wrong, my definition of minimalism includes surrounding myself with a few select things I love. LESS IS MORE.

November 17, 2022

Impressions

Church of God in Christ, Mennonite

Conference 2022 - Tupelo, MS

The People:

- Some you see multiple times in a day, others you never see at all!

- Walking in to the arena and seeing home folks is a nice feeling.

- Interesting how many people you see that you know. I thought most would be strangers, but it's pretty easy to glimpse familiar faces in every direction.

- Meeting friends from youth days, how did we get so old??! Extra pounds and a few well-earned wrinkles testify that life takes its toll on us all.

Fashion:

Short, wrinkly linen dresses and old-fashioned patterns. One positive of this fad is that the rumpled look is not generally tight. Cream is the color that pops out the most in the youth girls section. Black and rust are also popular. Most people are very ordinarily dressed; more of them than the outstanding ones. Tie downs go on and off, tied and untied. Would be so nice to do away with that tradition although I see how it makes everyone look more uniform than the cap.

The Leaders:

- Sea of suits and white or bald heads on the floor. Looks like the majority are above 50, kind of a scary thought! Where are the young ones to take their places? I spot some who have labored faithfully and led bygone conferences now sitting near the back and participating quietly. Gladwin Koehn, Melvin Penner, Sam Unruh, Orie Koehn...

- The ratio of leaders to lay brethren seems disproportionate.

The Logistics:

- All I know is, the people who planned and organized this event know what they're doing.

Arena ushers in white shirts and black vests work together to find seating for all. Car ushers tell pedestrians where to walk and wave vehicles out in sync with traffic lights. There is no gridlock at dismissal time. At meal time, we go through the line, pick up our bagged lunch, and are back at our seats in under 5 minutes. I observed that sometimes it's difficult to get people to go where they should and asked one of the ushers if he ever got frustrated with them. His reply was, "They sure like to talk!"

- The guys at the sound booth are fascinating to watch. On the spot at all times, they control the big screens and messages that flash across. They focus the camera on the area of the crowd where a speaker is taking his turn and make sure the correct mic is on. Someone is in communication with the men on the podium writing resolutions and putting them on the screen at the right time. Another guy takes care of streaming the open services across the conference. Watching all this order and precision, I am awed by the God-given talent among us!

The Lectures & Discussion:

- On the first day, the chairman outlines procedure for those who voluntarily speak to keep it at 10 minutes or less. A timer sounds when someone is nearing the end of their allotted time. A few times I wished the speakers giving lectures had a timer too! The human brain can only take in so much. For the most part, the speakers stick to the point without too many introductory "glad to be here's" and "feeling small in front of this crowd's" after the admonishment on the first day. If everyone said such unnecessary words, it would take up hours of the already packed schedule.

- Most of the thoughts from the floor are sound and spoken gently and lovingly. There are a few who seem to carry their own agenda, speaking boldly and strongly. It's amazing to see how that spirit does not settle into the hearts of the listeners.

- Silence when a new resolution is posted. The men writing these must be divinely led! How terrifying to think of writing something so serious in a few minutes that can't be changed unless brought before another assembly like this!

The Food:

Jimmy John's cold subs, chicken caesar wraps, followed by chicken caesar wraps, Jimmy John's cold subs, and cold sandwiches on croissants. Included in the bagged lunch are sides of chips and fruit and a packaged sweet, with a moist towelette to clean up afterwards. Really decent food, just repetitious. Water by the pallet was always available, but no sweet beverages or coffee unless you knew where to find them in hidden nooks. Supposedly there was different food at each serving station, and if you went to the same one every time, you'd eventually get Chick-fil-A. We rarely went to the same food line though, and never got it.

General Thoughts:

We heard a lot about spirits. I wonder if these spirits could also be called demons? I get a clearer picture when thinking of it that way. I imagine Satan sending out his demons to infect us with these spirits of division, worldliness, and self-gratification.

Conference was much more inspiring than I expected it to be. I assumed I'd be tired of all the "church" and exhausted by the people long before it was over. To my surprise, I didn't want to leave early or skip a day! We'd thought of leaving Thursday, but decided we didn't want to miss the third day after being there for the first two. It turned out that the discussion on photography and recording Thursday morning was one of the better ones.

It makes a difference what you focus on. Sure, some of the youth seemed to be at conference for the purpose of being with friends and meeting new people, didn't sit in the arena during sessions, or held their own conversations during a lecture they should've been listening to. But they were by far the minority. Hundreds of youth listened intently and behaved admirably, served in food lines, and dressed nicely. Yes, some of those who spoke might be called "liberal" and others labeled "hard-liner" but the resolutions that were made found the solid ground.

At one point I felt discouraged because I realized nothing new was being said and we discuss worldliness and drifting away from God at every conference. The resolutions are all about turning back and reaffirming prior resolutions. But then I thought - Isn't that the way God works? Gently reminding, giving small course corrections along the way?

It's fascinating to observe the cycle of life. I wonder if the youth that are here today have realized that THEY will be the ones holding babies and toddlers by the hand at the next conference, carrying a few extra pounds and looking like parents!

October 31, 2022

Light & Dark

Tender compassion

and

Irritated passion

Comfortable companionship

and

Walls of misunderstanding

Laughter and fun and adventure

and

Tears and pain and trauma

The joy of living

and

The horrible bleakness of existence

The love of dear ones

and

The island of isolation

Noticing someone else's hurt

and

My own hurt blinding me

Love

and

Hate

Summer

and

Winter

Weddings

and

Funerals

Birth

and

Death

Young

and

Old

Sunshine

and

Rain

Why

and

What do I do about it

How

To live in the light

and

Not the dark

October 23, 2022

Weekly Journal Volume 6

I decided a little belatedly to keep a journal this week but didn't feel like trying to remember the details from Monday. So it begins with Tuesday!

Tuesday October 18

Set my alarm for 5:15 planning to exercise before work. But alas, the day looked too daunting and I opted for more time under the covers. I'm trying to get caught up this week with GA work that I've fallen behind on, and knew it would be a long day. In true rebel fashion, I didn't get an early start even though it would have been best. Put away wash and tidied up while listening to Quiet and getting ready for the day. Finally got on the road, but detoured past Once Mine Boutique in East Earl to drop off 2 bags of clothes. They took almost everything and I cashed out my $44.10 credit. Very satisfying to get that taken care of after the bags have ridden around in my car for several weeks! Also picked up a peppermint latte from Twin Valley Coffee before arriving at Gehman a little before 10. Another employee resignation was announced today. Know anyone who would be a solid addition to the bookkeeping team? Check out opportunities here. There's been an astonishing employee turnover since I joined - at least 12 resignations and even more new hires in one year. It might not be a good fit for everyone, but Gehman treats their employees very well! While you're on our website, check out the team and our new bio section! Ate lunch while waiting in the bank drive-through, then took a little side trip to Kauffman Kitchens to look at cabinet colors and countertops. Had my monthly check-in with Curt and Loretta this afternoon and finally headed out a little after 7. Noticed Ken's Joys was still open, so stopped on a whim but only bought a pack of stickers. Taco Bell drive-through hit the spot. Cliff went to the CO meeting at church, but got home soon after I did.

Wednesday October 19

Love my day at home in the middle of the week! Tried to stay focused and get to work before the day was half over. There's an overdue project hanging over my head that I really wanted to make headway with today. Worked on it for 6 hours but still didn't get done. It's stretching the limit of my expertise but I felt pretty good about myself. A year ago I watched someone else do it and was completely lost! At that point I didn't think I'd ever be capable of comprehending. It's nice to feel accomplished once in awhile. 😄 Took a break mid-afternoon to put chili verde in the crockpot and take a walk. It was a little chilly but so good to get out and clear my head! The varied shapes and colors of leaves on the ground were a treat for the eyes. Cliff was home by the time I got back so I worked on getting the rest of supper made. Chili Verde, rice and beans with street taco corn tortillas was quite tasty! Went back to my desk after cleaning up the kitchen, Cliff went to work on Business Bulletin. Tried to unwind later by taking a shower and using this Falling Rain shower oil from Jack's Mountain Soap. I'm loving the relaxing scent. Thanks to Sharon for the awesome hostess gift from their stay here last week over school meeting!

Thursday October 20

Up by 5:30 to get in my bike ride, then squeeze in a little over an hour at my desk. Arrived at school to find a candle from Paisley & Co on my desk! Nice surprise from Miss Dyck! It was a golden fall day, complete with the farmer cutting corn in the fields next to school. Hot lunch ladies ordered Domino's pizza for lunch today and everyone was excited! Ceasar salad and brownie sundaes finished out the meal. Delicious. Miss Eicher has a cold and weak voice so she asked if I'd read her story hour. It's fun to have different things like that thrown in my day. Miss Sensenig is gone for a few days and her substitute asked if I'd like to help the 7th graders with their math. We decided I'd teach math class tomorrow, so I brought the book home to study. Worked several hours for Gehman and got the looming project out of the way, that's a weight off my mind! Leftovers for supper, then settled in to catch up my math skills. Learned a few new concepts and made a plan for tomorrow. I feel like my brain has been exercised mightily this week!

Friday October 21

Got in a short bike ride before getting ready for the day. Arrived at school an hour earlier than usual to fit in math class with 7th. Thoroughly enjoyed teaching it! Miss Eicher has not been feeling well all week and went home after lunch today. I filled in for 5th & 6th the rest of the day, which was mostly recess and art anyway. The whole school carved pumpkins for art and some of the moms came to help also. The younger ones needed more supervision so I helped Allie and some others. It was a big, fun mess but thankfully we were able to be outside! The upper graders did a fantastic job cleaning up afterwards. I stayed a little longer than usual to finish up some checking and enjoy snack that Kaleigh brought. Came home to Dustin's work crew installing siding on the new addition and an extra window in the existing kitchen! The window makes a big difference - I wanted more light than we originally planned. Headed straight to my desk to chip away at the remaining work I had as my goal for this week. Managed 2 hours but my brain felt tired and I was making mistakes so decided it wasn't worth it. I'll put in a few hours tomorrow after I'm rested. Cliff picked up Subway for supper and I flopped on the couch immediately afterwards and stayed there the rest of the evening. I put in more time with GA this week than I have since starting at school, plus a little extra time at school, and it caught up to me. Dad and Mom came over to look at the progress made today and Cliff tackled some of the dust covering every surface. I couldn't find the energy to care about it, bless his heart.

Saturday October 22

Not much to say about today since I was very lethargic. Went to check out a local countertop store and was very happy to find I can get quartz for a decent price after all! That was a win. Came back home to work 1.5 hours, then did nothing the rest of the day. It was a warm fall day but I didn't feel inspired to go out. After coming home from work, Cliff put the walls up on his new shed then decided to go to Lowes for a few supplies. I rode along and we picked up Chick-fil-A.

Sunday October 23

A small group in church this morning and only 1 staff member out of 7! We thought Mission BBQ sounded good for lunch and decided we don't do this kind of thing very often so we'd roll with it. Came home and took naps, then I cleaned up a little and made a pan of bars. Also paid bills and got frustrated about finances. A dark, rainy evening.

October 9, 2022

Weekly Journal Volume 5

Monday October 3

The third rainy day in a row. Trying to have a good attitude but afraid I'm not too successful. Got up to bike for 40 minutes, prepped a plate of veggies and dip to take to school, ventured out in the wet and cold to pick up leaves for science project, put in an hour at my desk, and off I went. No food for Cliff's lunch but he was looking for an opportunity to get a Chicken Cordon Bleu from Tony's anyway. Must cook tonight. Today was "Wear purple for Taylor" 💜 day at school. The teachers had purple bows and glitter in their hair and the students wore all manner of purple attire. Miss Wedel drew a neat picture and message on the front door. Purple glitter found its way all over the school! The 6th graders were impressively well behaved for reading class today. We did leaf rubbings for 1st grade science. It was fun (even for me!) and they liked it. Grabbed Walmart grocery pickup before heading home, then worked for GA a mere 10 minutes before I had to get Cliff from work. Went to pick up the pickup which got inspected and repaired today. Started on cheeseburger soup when I got back, and over an hour later we finally sat down to eat. Cliff went to Phillip's to print Business Bulletin and I plodded along cleaning up the kitchen. Sat down at the desk for just a few minutes of work. Didn't get enough done today; that means more on my plate tomorrow.

Tuesday October 4

Woke up before the alarm and got a good start to the day by biking 15 miles (inside) and listening to a book. Once I had breakfast and got ready for the day, it wasn’t early anymore and I didn't arrive in the New Holland office till 9:00. I managed to stay focused without too many distractions though, and was happy with the amount of work I got done in 9 hours. Another miserable rainy day. Sorry, my tolerance for rainy days is exactly 1 day. No apologies. And it looks like this storm won't clear out for another day yet. By the time I left the office it was getting dark and I had several stops to make yet. Kohl's to return and pickup, Michael's, and Sam's for gas. It was wonderful to finally arrive home after the long, dark, rainy drive. Soon headed to bed.

Wednesday October 5

Not my usual day for school, but the fall hike is planned for Friday so I went today instead. First thing this morning I logged in to GA for 2 hours, had to rush to get to school on time! And the day continued in the same manner. Plenty of work but not enough time. Got a good lunch of soup, salad, bread, and pumpkin desserts from sewing day at church. Comfort food for another dreary day. Took some time to relax on the couch after getting home and dozed off for a bit. Woke up to discover the sun had peaked through, turning the treetops golden. Wonderful, glorious, amazing!! Had a bit of this and that for supper, then tagged along with Cliff to Charles's where he installed a faucet. I took a little walk with the girls and Drew. It turned out to be a lovely, calm evening with a bright half moon. Colored pictures with the girls and had a great time being a kid.

Thursday October 6

My morning was a repeat of yesterday, so I'll spare the details. The exception was GLORIOUS SUNSHINE!! It was a perfectly clear fall day and even got warm in the afternoon. Amazing how much brighter things look. Hot lunch at school today, so it was an all-around top-notch day. Lasagna, Ceasar salad, garlic bread, and pumpkin yummy made our bellies happy. Got the hallway almost "school meeting ready" this week, so that was an accomplishment! Took a walk after getting home from school. So wonderful to be outside again! Divided and replanted a few hostas before it got dark.

Friday October 7

No alarm this morning, how wonderful! Didn't feel very energetic about facing the day though. Proceeded to work as usual. Put in several hours before going out on a walk to soak in the bright fall day. Picked up some leaves to do more leaf rubbings. Decided I could take the time to do something I enjoyed in the middle of the day even though there was hours of work to be done. Sat down and filled 3 papers with cool leaf rubbings and hung them in the unfinished addition. So simple but so satisfying! Started on supper of Instant Pot honey sesame chicken with rice and steamed broccoli. Also molasses cookies to replenish the depleted freezer stock. A whole 3 hours later it was over and cleaned up. This is why I don't enjoy cooking. I was tired and ready to go to bed by then but forced myself to go back to my desk because I really needed to get more work done this week. Put in an hour and 45 minutes and ended up being glad I forced myself into it. Next week will be too full already to push more off until then.

Saturday October 8

A long list awaited me today, but naturally the longer the list, the more I procrastinate. Finally started on cleaning the basement around midday and knocked a few other things off the list - but not all. Listened to The Book Thief to make the jobs more enjoyable. I'll never get tired of the story and it's one of the most exquisitely written books I've ever read. It was a cool but sunny day; sadly, I gave up a walk to get more done around the house. Cliff saved me some time by getting a few groceries. Made tea and mac and cheese for supper at folks. Hamburgers and good Saturday night family time. A gorgeous full moon tonight. I brought my still blooming geranium inside to see if it will thrive in the sunny new addition. It feels like it could frost.

Sunday October 9

Happy birthday Keela! Got up to make gingerbread cake for lunch at James and Katie's. Nice full church this morning. Guests at James's were Clair & Miriam, teachers, and Parker & Jace. Toured their lovely house and outdoors. It was sunny with a chilly breeze, definitely autumn weather. I've been amazed how quickly the trees have turned golden. Yes, I can see why some people love fall. It speaks too much of loss for me, though. Came home and totally conked out for several hours on the couch. Such deep sleep is a rarity and pleasure! Opted to stay home while Cliff went to church. Still have a lot to do before school meeting company arrives on Thursday, and I'll be working every day until then. Sounds like we may even make a trip to Belleville between now and then for great-aunt Sylvia's viewing. Next week looks to be a full one but will be interesting too! Looking forward to having Chad and Keela here and hope to spend time with the 7 kids while Chad's and Charles's are at school meeting.

Off to another week!

September 26, 2022

Weekly Journal Volume 4

Monday September 19

Rode the bike indoors for an hour, first thing. Put in another hour and a half at my desk before getting ready for the day. Stopped at Boyer's for science class supplies - cheese slices to study teeth marks and goldfish crackers to observe the process of chewing and swallowing. You can keep it pretty basic for first graders and they'll still think it's great! One of my observances at school is that the 1st - 4th age group is mostly innocent enough to admire their teacher. Sixth grade reading class is more mentally stimulating but much tougher dealing with pre-teens. Back at home, put in a brief 30 minutes at my desk. My back was hurting so I laid on the couch until Cliff came home from work. Put beef and rice crisp from the freezer in the oven and heated up corn to go with it. Comfort food. The evenings are so short anymore. Supper is over and it's dark. Early to bed for an early alarm.

Tuesday September 20

Today felt like a blur, not sure why. It was an average Tuesday at the office. Gehman Accounting hosted a Business Owners Workship, so saw a few more Amish men than usual. It looked like a perfect day outside, but I didn't really get to enjoy it. The question for bookkeeping meeting was, "Excluding GA, what has been my best job, or the one that has made me come alive, or impacted me the most?" Today was also my 1-on-1. It's a scheduled check-in every month with our manager and operations supervisor. I really appreciate it because it keeps the door open to discuss anything that comes up and is a good place to give and get feedback. Lately they've assigned a spur-of-the-moment question at our 1-on-1 too. This month it was, "What is one topic you could talk about for 15 minutes?" The inequality of pay between men and women doing the same job, along with other related topics, was my answer. When I got home Dad was finishing up the door installation, so the kitchen was dirty again. I'm not going to let it bother me. Cliff met a friend for supper and I headed to bed early. Didn't have any extra gas in the tank to tackle all the things I could've been doing instead.

Wednesday September 21

Happy birthday to my wonderful dad! This was my favorite day of the week (so far). To have a day at home in the middle of the week is a pleasure. Leisurely started my morning, then put in 3 hours at my desk. Went for a walk in the sunny afternoon and had a green smoothie on the deck afterwards. It felt like my summer schedule came back, except for the sun shining at a different angle and the sounds/smells of fall. Puttered around gathering supplies for planting grass seed in science class tomorrow, washing dishes, messaging people, cleaning the new door, making tea for supper and generally rebelling against going back to work. Finally logged in again at 4:30 and worked until 6:30, when I happily left my job behind to go to folks for supper. Mom cooked an award-winning meal of grilled leg & thigh, gourmet potatoes, lettuce salad, rolls, shoo-fly and pear pie with ice cream. Derek made caramel sauce to go on top of the pear pie and a better pie would be hard to find. Of course, any pie mom makes is the best, hands-down. 😁 So blessed to be surrounded by a loving family and good food.

Thursday September 22 • First day of Autumn 🍂

Was wide awake for awhile during the night, then didn't feel like getting up early to exercise. Worked at my desk for an hour and had enough to do to keep going all day, but it was nice to switch gears and go to school. Cliff was off today, he had an appointment and graciously agreed to do my Walmart and Sam's grocery pickup. I drove the blue pickup to school so he could take the car. No, I did not use the air horn! It was a dark, rainy morning and felt cozy to be inside. Headed home after school to tackle the work still waiting. Cliff was napping in my office when I got home, so I took the opportunity to rest a little too. Needed a bit of a reset before heading to the next job, anyway! Derek came to work on wiring in the addition, so I chased Cliff out of the office and stayed there for the next 2 hours. It has cooled down quite dramatically, and certainly feels like fall tonight!

Friday September 23

Windy and chilly this morning! Got up early but skipped exercise in favor of 2 hours and 40 minutes of work. Had a nagging task I wanted out of the way. Task accomplished, and I'm not logging in anymore this week! Couldn't decide how to dress today. Leggings? Long socks? Boots? Sweater? Nothing seemed to coordinate. Do I need to go shopping? Some of my old faves are getting worn out and I can't find anything I like to replace them. Thought I might have time to work on a bulletin board during school today, but that didn't happen. I've been wanting to get one made for almost 2 weeks now and just can't seem to fit it in. I'll have to make it a priority this weekend. Didn't help that I was extra tired and slow today. Ended up leaving a little earlier than normal - finished the checking and don't have science class on Friday. Stopped at Echo Hill for spices. Decided I could afford to take a nap before the catfish supper tonight. Yes, I've been tired ever since becoming an adult. Prepped a spice rub for pulled pork that's going in the oven tomorrow and now the whole house smells like garlic. Ugh. The annual catfish supper put on by the youth was a success, as always! The menu of fried catfish, jalapeño or sweet corn hush puppies, coleslaw and baked beans seems to be a hit with everyone. Got home and rubbed the pork to flavor overnight. My bed is cold! Time to put the heated mattress pad back on.

Saturday September 24

Woke up early for a Saturday. Got the notion to go to school and start on the bulletin, so headed out at 6:30. I don't like projects hanging over my head. Did what I needed to at school and brought it home to work on this weekend. Started wash, but wasn't really ready to keep going yet, so shopped awhile. Eventually started on the looming to-do list. Put pork in the oven, balance the checkbook, keep the washer going, get houseplants ready to come inside for the winter. Finally had enough crossed off to start working on the bulletin. Later, headed out to take a walk and enjoy the clear fall air. Pleased that I finished 2 books while going about my day! Started reading through the novels of Jane Austen this summer. Finished Northanger Abbey and started Persuasion today before I was ready for something different. Downloaded The Pecan Man by Cassie Dandridge Selleck and finished it right before going to bed. An excellent Saturday read! Cliff helped me this afternoon by cleaning the car in and out and vacuuming the basement. My evening was spent pulling pork, folding and putting away wash, and working again on the bulletin. Dad and Mom stopped by to bring back the mower and Mom brought us a portion of the jambalaya she had made. Then Cliff wanted ice cream so we went to Chill n Grill. I requested a peanut butter banana milkshake and it was delightful! Picked up an order at Kohl's and filled the car with gas. Fresh sheets and my heated mattress pad feel lovely after a full day.

Sunday September 25

Got up to make black beans for lunch. We planned a get together with a few people to be with Daniel & Sharon Kaufmann from Sleepy Creek boys camp. Were hoping to go to a park but there was rain in the forecast so we switched to school. Came home after church to change clothes and grab food. Menu of pulled pork burrito bowls and fresh fruit turned out well! We were around 30 people and had an enjoyable afternoon. It did rain for awhile so we made the right call in switching location. Took a little nap before getting ready for church. Daniel gave a report on camp life. Very interesting! I'd like to learn more about some of the approaches they use to teach responsibility and consequences. The family met at folks after church for nachos, apple pie, and other goodies. Got to bed much too late.

Keeping this journal has been a fun way to start writing again, but I'm going to let it go for the next while. Life has been full and I need to focus on some extra projects now, so it seemed best to put this aside.

Happy Monday!

September 18, 2022

Weekly Journal Volume 3

Monday September 12

A relaxing weekend should have given me lots of pep for Monday morning, no? But that's not how it worked. Snoozed my early alarm and skipped exercise. Once I got up I realized it was a very bad decision. I'd forgotten about some GA work that really had to get done before school, but thankfully still had enough time to get it done. Squeezed in 2 loads of wash but didn't have time for breakfast. Felt the need for caffeine, so swung through Dunkin for an iced pumpkin spice latte. (Don't put me in the pumpkin spice fanatic category, though. I only got it because there was a deal.) Not such a great start to the day. Plus it was cloudy. I soon felt brighter after spending time with the school children, though! When the school day was over, I started tackling the backlog of GA work. Leftovers for supper. Didn't get as much work done as I would've liked, but decided to quit so that I can get up early tomorrow. I see I need a better routine. Working in the evening is too much stimulation for my brain and I can't relax when it's time to sleep. Cliff worked in the basement and Jace came over to use the flight simulator.

Tuesday September 13

Rode the indoor bike and fixed myself fried egg over toast for breakfast. Monthly staff meeting was at 8:15 but I didn't make it to the office in time so watched/listened via Teams on my way in. Started chipping away at the pile of bookkeeping that has somehow accumulated since last week. The question for today's bookkeeping meeting was "Not counting your phone app, texting apps, calendar app, email app, browser app, or Google maps, what is one other app you would hang onto if you could only have 7 apps on your smartphone? Weather was a popular choice and a few others chose audiobook apps (Libby, Scribd, Overdrive, Hoopla) like I did. Took a quick lunch break while driving client deposits to the bank. Soon it was time to leave for Derek & Camille's gender reveal! Quickly pulled into Sam's for gas and prescription pickup on the way to the flying field where we were told to meet. It was a lovely day and evening, perfect for the occasion. Folks, Charles's, Carson & Kia and Cliff & I were the observers. Derek tied smoke bombs to his RC plane and flew around until the smoke came out blue!! 💙 Incidentally, a majority of us had guessed it would be a boy. Afterwards we all headed to Derek's for a scrumptious supper of chicken and steak fajitas, black beans, rice, chips and salsa, and French silk dessert. Looking forward to my one day at home this week - tomorrow!

Wednesday September 14

Took my time getting up this morning, looked for bulletin board ideas and spent too much time procrastinating on my phone. Did a load of wash and put in an hour at work before getting ready to go on a walk. It was so good to get outside again! And this fall weather is superb. Showered, then ran to Ruthie's and Boyer's for a few groceries. Found the cutest little green pumpkins at Ruthie's! Haven't pulled out any fall decor yet, maybe I can manage that this weekend. By the time I had all the little things done it was well nigh to midday. Finally got back to my desk and realized I would not be able to get everything done this week that should be getting done unless I kept the kind of schedule I have no interest in keeping. Asked for help and hopefully I'll be able to handle what's left. Worked a few hours until getting supper ready. Wednesday is the best day for me to cook and I have to make it worthwhile! Made 7 pie pans of hash brown quiche. It freezes beautifully and I like to have it on hand. Blended orange julius to go with it for supper. Early to bed but couldn't get to sleep for a long time. Why is it I have the most energy of the day when it's time to wind down? 😩

Thursday September 15

Got an early start to the day, my brain decided it was time to be wide awake before 4 am. Rode the bike, then put in almost 2 hours at work before getting ready for school. Had an ordinary day there. Mom stopped in for a little to see how the plants she started for my classroom are coming along. They're doing great - I think the cheerful voices of the little people make them happy! My energy level was draining rapidly by the time I got home and I couldn't find the gumption to put in more than 30 minutes at my desk. Finally just lay on the couch and fell asleep until Cliff got home. He headed over to Charles's to look at something on his truck and I Wordled while mustering up the strength to make supper. Got "doubt" in 2 tries!! My stats have been dismal lately so this is surprising. Heated up meatballs in cream sauce that I pulled from the freezer this morning and made potatoes in the Instant Pot. First time I tried that. I could hardly believe 2 minutes would be long enough so I made it 3, they did need longer. But wow, that was super quick and actually pretty tasty! An early bedtime again.

Friday September 16

Just couldn't get enthused about an indoor bike ride this morning. Got up soon after Cliff and put in 30 minutes at my desk, then decided a walk was more necessary than getting work done. Had to wear long sleeves - it was in the 50's! Felt chilly at first, then invigorating. Such a nice time of day to be outside. Hot lunch at school today! The ladies were already there when I arrived. SaraBeth was one of the cooks, so I got Drew and took him in my room until Mariah and Allie came in from recess. He lit up when he saw them and they had big smiles on their faces. 😍 Lunch was baked chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, Georgia salad and watermelon, jello cake for dessert. Such a classic, tasty combination. Drew hung out with me again while the ladies were cleaning up. I took him with me for 6th grade reading class. He was entertained by watching the upper graders play softball right outside the window and was a cutie. Being an aunt is not overrated! It was a good day at school. Logged in to GA soon after getting home. I do not want to work tomorrow so had to get caught up. Put in a little over 2 hours and finished up just as Cliff got home from looking at Uncle Wade's mower after work. Heated up leftovers, then decided to go check out the 75th annual Oley Fair even though we were tired. It's something we always wanted to do and we're both off tomorrow so why not? It was quite an experience! Some very unique displays of produce, baked & canned goods, farm animals, GIGANTIC pumpkins, and much more.

The biggest pumpkin this year was 1,191 pounds. The watermelon display also caught my eye. If I remember correctly, the largest one weighed 160 pounds! The most interesting display was the people, though. I could've sat there for hours observing families, teenagers, and hair styles (the mullet is making a comeback 😄). We thought about getting some food - you can't go to a fair without eating, can you? - but we really weren't hungry and didn't feel like standing in the long lines. Left shortly before closing time at 10:00.

Saturday September 17

A lazy Saturday morning. Had a hankering for coffee cake but didn't have milk so I sent Cliff to the store. He came back with regular milk AND chocolate milk, plus candy corn. 😆 Eventually had our coffee cake close to noon. I started the wash and paid bills. Dad came to install a new door and I tried to stay out of the way. Felt tired again so took a little nap. Could've done lots of things - wash windows, work outside, make a bulletin for school - but didn't have the want-to. Besides, what is the point of cleaning in the middle of a construction project? The house only got dirtier today, not cleaner. Finally found enough energy to go on a walk in the afternoon. It was nice and warm again. The mornings and evenings have a chill these days. Dealt with all the wash after I got back. Cliff had cleaned up the worst of the construction dirt, bless his heart. It always looks overwhelming to me. We planned to go to Heisler's for food and ice cream with the family this evening. We like to make the 45 minute trip about once a year. It's a beautiful drive, and a very peaceful country location. The mountains are still looking green, not much color yet. We had our hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers, and fries, then we ladies and the kids went on a walk around the mini golf course in the back. Caught up with the men across the road at the driving range, where they were hitting golf balls. Then we were ready for ice cream! Sadly they didn't have waffle cones so I had my 2 scoops of strawberry cheesecake in a regular cone. Very delicious! We sat on benches near the mini golf course eating our ice cream and watching the kids run around. We soon needed jackets as the sun went down. Left before it got full dark, and that was the end of the day.

Sunday September 18

We were invited to Weston & Sharon's for lunch and I was bringing dessert, so got up and made peach crisp. Sam & Anna are back in Fleetwood and just crossed the 50 years married mark, so he preached on marriage this morning. Then there was a wedding announcement of two senior citizens, Sam Zimmerman and Bertha Leid. We were at Weston's with Misses Sensenig, Eicher, and Wedel, Joel & Kaleigh, Mike, and Zach & Kristy. Good food and good company. Took little naps after we got home, then proceeded to finish up the weekend chores. No church tonight. I cleaned the kitchen, did a load of wash, and got out the fall decor. Cliff vacuumed for me. The house feels a little cleaner. Got to bed late - the alarm will come too early tomorrow.

September 11, 2022

Weekly Journal Volume 2

Monday September 5 - Labor Day

Had a lazy morning, read in bed for awhile, then got ready for the day. Did a quick clean in the bathroom and walked around outside, saw the green worms were on my petunias so yanked them out. From prior experience I know there's no point trying to save them once they've attacked! Everything has the late summer, exhausted look of being past its prime. It's been dry most of the summer and brown, crunchy leaves are falling off the trees. The white begonias in my flowerbeds are finally looking nice after being chomped on by deer several times. Roses are blooming prettily yet too. We had arranged to go biking with Derek's, so got loaded up around 10:30 and headed to the Ironton Rail Trail in Lehigh County.

We'd never been there but were impressed! It's an easy-riding, entirely paved trail. There were quite a few other bikers, joggers, and walkers to navigate around though. It was a sort of oppressively humid, overcast day but the breeze made by biking was comfortable. We went almost 13 miles in approximately an hour and a half. Tried a couple places for lunch that ended up being closed since it was Labor Day, so finally settled for Burger King. On the way home we drove through rain and it continued off and on the rest of the day. I laid down for a little snooze while Cliff took a load of basement junk to the dumpster. Knew I had to tackle some GA work yet today so barely dozed before getting back up. Spent almost 2 hours at my desk but couldn't do the job I most needed to get done due to not being able to sign on to client's computer. Grrrr. More work that has to get done before Friday. We're going on a weekend vacay so I need to have my ducks in a row this week. Charles's invited us for a brisket supper and we had a good evening with Justin's and Kenny's and being entertained by the kids. Had to go the long way around to get home because a train was stopped on the tracks at all the main Fleetwood crossings. Listened to the lovely sound of rain on my windowpane while going to sleep.

Tuesday September 6

Woke up during the night and heard the rain again. Almost looked as if things were already getting greener on my drive to Lancaster County this morning! I didn't race around trying to get out the door on time. Took my time getting my indoor bike ride/strength training done, then read Messenger obituaries for awhile. Had breakfast, then finally showered and got ready for the day. Today marks one year at Gehman Accounting! Can I once again express how thankful I am that I'm no longer at LVHN?? Been remembering those days again and how miserable that was. There are things I miss but I'm overwhelmingly relieved to not be there anymore. Put in 8 hours at GA and got home after 7. Cliff found his own supper, I snacked on a variety of foodstuffs. Cliff went to help Konrad with his plane again and I got to bed in decent time.

Wednesday September 7

Skipped exercise this morning. Wednesday won't be my usual day for aiding at school but I switched because we'll be gone Friday. Had quite a few things I was hoping to get done before leaving this morning, but only crossed a few off the list. Got caught up on our finances, put in 15 minutes with GA, and that was all I managed besides getting ready for the day. It seems the children are getting more familiar with me and loosening up. I love when they tell stories or volunteer information.

"I lost a tooth today!"

"I like your dress!"

"We put a caterpillar in this jar and it made a cocoon!"

But they're also comfortable making extra noises during class or talking without raising their hand or anything to push the boundaries a little. Keeps me on my toes! Came home and signed in to GA for 3 hours, made supper in between. Spaghetti meat from the freezer heated up and poured over a fresh pot of noodles with store-bought garlic bread on the side made a speedy meal. Cliff went with Derek and Camille to purchase supplies for the gender reveal coming next week. 🤩

Thursday September 8

After a few cloudy days, the sunshine this morning perked me up. If only I could've taken a walk. It appears my walking days are winding down as my schedule gets fuller. Settled for an early hour indoor bike ride since there was a lot to accomplish today. Threw a load of wash in, showered, and stirred up pumpkin chocolate chip muffins to take along to school. Left a little early to swing by DG for science class supplies. Didn’t have any checking to do until close to noon, so studied next week's lessons in between flash card games. Kaleigh brought a delightful lunch of chicken pot pie and cinnamon applesauce jello for the teachers. Later in the day Crystal came and whipped up frappes for all of us. Bless these ladies and their awesome food! Someone else brought bars for after school, so the teachers were well fueled today! I scooted out pretty quickly after school because I had a lot to get done for GA before taking the day off tomorrow. Stayed glued to my computer for the next 5.5 hours and got a satisfactory amount of work done. Cliff was off today and worked on his basement clean-up and mowed the yard.

Friday September 9

Slept until I woke up, how nice. Got packed up and left the house around 9:30 for our weekend getaway in NY. It was a perfectly lovely day, sunny and warm but not hot. I've blogged before here about our annual trip to the Hudson River Valley and I'm not even sure how many years we've been doing this now! We do pretty much the same things every time but have never stayed at the same place. First stop today was TFS - The Filling Station in Haverstraw.

It doesn't look like such a great place when you drive up, but we have gone back there every year for their excellent burgers and fries. If you were to take the same route and do the same things we do, you might not think it's anything special. We find it very relaxing because we are the type of people who think doing nothing is fun. 😄 After lunch, we spent the afternoon at the Stony Point lighthouse, lying on blankets and reading. Cliff watched the river with his spotting scope and only occasionally mentioned the ants. The weather could not have been better!

Why we love it: restful views and surprisingly isolated in a populous community. We lay on our blankets for several hours and only a handful of people came by. Around 4:00 we decided to make our way to where we are staying, which was another hour away. Stopped for ice cream at Weir's along the way. It was a good choice! They serve multiple flavors of homemade hard ice cream along with the usual ice cream treats. My homemade peach in a waffle cone hit the spot. I tried Cliff's pralines and cream and it was top-notch too! Our Airbnb is in Walden, which isn't exactly along the Hudson but looked to be the best choice for our dates. It's a cute, comfortable apartment in the attic of our host's house. I lounged on the futon while Cliff took the chair, soon we were both napping. We stayed in all evening, briefly going outside to look at the gorgeous full moon. I wanted to nosh on something but we didn't feel like going anywhere so I settled for a bag of microwave popcorn which was enough to satisfy. Showered, read, and retired.

Saturday September 10

Slept well and started our day with brunch at Felicia's Little Diner, a homey local spot. My Benedict Arnold breakfast (poached egg, Canadian bacon, and sausage gravy over English muffin) was very tasty and Cliff's plate of a little bit of everything looked yummy too. The 40 minute drive to Poughkeepsie took us through countryside we'd never experienced yet. Farms, lots of apple orchards, wineries, and farm markets along the road made for a picturesque drive. Unloaded our bikes at the Walkway Over the Hudson and spent the next 2.5 hours biking on the paved rail trails on both sides of the bridge.

It was a super calm day and the water was smooth and clear. Every other time we've been here it was fairly windy by the middle of the bridge, but today there was barely a stir. We totaled 20 miles on the trail and it was absolutely fantastic the whole way! We were ready for food by the time we headed out. Stopped for pizza slices in a shopping center just outside of Poughkeepsie. Picked up some snacks at the grocery store nearby, then decided to check out Historic Hugenot Street in New Paltz.

There are several buildings dating back to the 1700's, a quaint village in the midst of a modern town. We noticed there was a trail nearby, so we unloaded the bikes again and checked it out. It was a more secluded trail than the one we'd been on, very peaceful. Stopped on a bridge spanning the Wallkill River and sat there awhile, just enjoying the scenery.

We only went a few miles on this trail. It's so great how you can cover a good distance and see a lot in a short time on a bike! Headed towards our Airbnb, stopping at a farmers market along the way to pick up some fresh local apples, a can of sparkling cider, and apple cider donuts. Sampled some of everything. Spent the rest of the evening lounging, on our phones and reading.

Sunday September 11

A rainy day, and time to go home. The weather this weekend couldn't have been better if we'd ordered it! We took it easy this morning and left the Airbnb a little before 11. Stopped down the street at Orange County Bagel for breakfast sandwiches on everything bagels. Took a more scenic route home through Delaware Water Gap and the Poconos, but it rained most of the way so we didn't stop anywhere. Settled in for naps shortly after getting home, a perfect day for doing nothing. Wasn't exactly ready to get back in the swing of things right away, but it had to be done. Unpack, start wash, unload dishwasher, run vacuum. Listened to church, a thought-provoking message. And just like that, a good week has ended.

September 4, 2022

Weekly Journal Volume 1

Since I haven't been in a writing mood lately, I'm going to try out this weekly journal that some of my friends do. I always look forward to getting the "news" on Monday! I've hesitated to try it myself because frankly, the meal situation in our household is pathetic and publishing the inside details is kind of embarrassing. So let's have extremely low expectations for that. I could make more disclaimers but I'm not going to. This is my life and who I am! I'm not sure how long I'll keep this up, we'll just see how it goes.

Monday August 29

My first day aiding at school! Got up earlier than I have for awhile. After walking for daily exercise all summer, used my indoor bike for the first time since June 1. Spent 35 minutes biking in Iceland and 30 minutes strength training. Did all the morning things like unloading the dishwasher, watering flowers, packing lunch. Managed to put in an hour at Gehman Accounting before leaving for school around 9:45. I have a love/hate relationship with new beginnings. They're exciting but make me nervous and I always have second thoughts when the time comes for a new start. Comfort zones are so much easier. I have a good feeling about this change, though, as I'm pretty sure my life will be enriched. The youngsters' happy faces made my day! Got home around 5 and relaxed just a bit before heading back to my desk for another 2.75 hours with GA. Cliff helped himself to leftovers then headed off to Phillip's to print Business Bulletin.

Tuesday August 30

My usual day for making an appearance at the GA office in New Holland. I wanted to go on a walk before work and since the daylight hours are lessening (sadly) I didn't get out till after 7. Consequently I got a late start to the day, but the walk was worth it. Stopped on the way to work to pick up my vacuum that was serviced and shopped a little at Ken's Joys, then arrived in the office at 11 and had a normal day of bookkeeping. Every Tuesday the bookkeeping team has a meeting and lately we've all taken a turn answering questions like, "What was the worst job you ever had?" and "What one thing should everyone stop doing right now?" It's an interesting way to get to know your coworkers a little better! Got home around 7, supper tonight was whatever you can find. I headed for bed early, haven't been sleeping well the last few nights and felt it today.

Wednesday August 31

Listened to first day of school reports from Tanner and Chelsea. 😍 Intended to get up and go on a walk but realized I likely wouldn't get any work done before book club at 11:30 if I did that. So I opted to put in 2 hours at my desk before heading to Four Twelve for our lunch meeting. I'd never been there but heard good reviews. I ordered the Garden Wafflet and lavender frozen coffee - both delightful! A fun time, as usual. Our book this month was The Eyes of the World by Harold Bell Wright. Unfortunately I didn't manage to find time to read the lovely old copy I own, although I know it would've been more charming than the audio version. It still made me happy to re-read a book I enjoyed as a youth girl and be immersed in an earlier (more innocent ? ) time. After lunch, Camille and I browsed an antique shop nearby in the old Doris Berry store - an independent women's clothing retailer I remember going to as a girl with mom! It was a lovely half-summer, half-fall day I didn't want to waste so took a walk after coming home. Back to my desk for a couple hours, then made garlic beef enchiladas and Mexican rice for supper. It was time to cook again, we need leftovers for lunches! Cliff was off today and took it easy except for going in to work for awhile and mowing the lawn. He went to fly his latest airplane at school after supper, then got ice cream from Chill n Grill and brought me a strawberry milkshake. Yummy, but not so fun to go to bed on a full stomach.

Thursday September 1

The saddest month of the year has arrived but I think I'll be occupied enough to not feel it too badly. As long as it's still summer weather, I'm good. The rapidly diminishing daylight hours bother me though. September is definitely not the "doorway to the season that awakens my soul", as it is for some! Oh well. Seasons come and go. How did we spend the day? I got up and used the indoor bike for an hour, but didn't feel any wider awake. A deep wave of sleepiness got the better of me and I ended up skipping an hour at my desk to go back to bed. Eventually got around and headed off to school. First hot lunch of pigs in a potato patch, finger jello, and angel food trifle. Very tasty! Today I got my timing figured out a little better and was able to finish ALL the checking. Of course the short time I spent with the kids was the best part. 1st - 4th come for flash cards and I teach 1st grade science and 6th grade reading. I'm with them long enough to have fun but not be responsible at all times, how great is that?! Plus, they color pictures for me. Came home and did an emergency load of wash and worked for GA an hour before getting taco salad ready for supper. Cliff went to help Konrad with his plane, I put in another hour at GA, and got some things around for tomorrow. Didn't make my goal of 9 pm bedtime.

Friday September 2

Decided to sleep later this morning and skip exercise when I realized my brain wouldn't shut down and let me go to sleep last night. Still felt tired though. GA work was left for after school. A slower day today since it was Friday, until I jumped in on Miss Eicher's class with their slime-making art. The kids should've had fun, they got to make a huge mess! Helped clean up afterwards and enjoyed a cream soda from Miss Sensenig, she treated her class with them today. On the way home I picked up leftovers from mom, which came in very handy for supper! Logged 2.5 hours for GA and I think that'll do for this week. Cliff helped Charles with his mower then went to fly his plane with Derek. Glad it's Friday night!

Saturday September 3

Can't say much for today since I had low spirits and zero energy so got by with doing as little as possible. It was a nice day, but I didn't even feel like going outside. Eventually got off the couch and ran the vacuum. Stared at cookbooks for a long time trying to find inspiration but didn't have much luck. Put in a grocery pickup at Sam's and Walmart, and heated up manicotti Camille gave me for supper. How sweet of her! Made a salad to go with it, then put pintos in the instant pot for something to eat next week. Decided to go for a walk at the last minute. It was nearly dark by the time I got home but managed to cover a little over 3 miles. Listened to War and Peace for awhile. Cliff took his flight simulator over to Jace's for the evening.

Sunday September 4

Sunday school lesson on marriage provoked a lively discussion! Tom was the only preacher in church this morning. My folks and Uncle Kendall's are in Brooksville for a Swarey siblings reunion and it sounds like they're having a good time! Tom preached on staying small in our own eyes. Adam Weaver and Teresa Koehn's (Homeworth, OH) engagement announced. We went straight from church to Walmart and Sam's grocery pickup and swung in to Arby's drive through. The people in the car in front of us were acting strangely with car doors open and feet hanging out, arguing and taking a long time ordering, then throwing litter across the parking lot. When their order total was given, the driver closed her door and turned around to her passengers, discussing something briefly. Then she took off across the parking lot, circling a couple times and eventually disappeared. The lady taking orders had a good attitude and was laughing about it when we got to the window. We asked what would happen to their food and she said she'd be looking out for someone to give it to but it would probably get thrown away. We benefitted with an extra beef 'n cheddar! Came home and put groceries away, then took naps, after which I sat on the deck and read a couple chapters of As Is. Cliff started cleaning out the utility closet in the basement, wanting to make an area he can work on planes. I'm hoping a lot of stuff goes in the dumpster! Decided to make a pan of bars and asked if Charles's and Derek's wanted to come after church but they already had plans. The bars didn't turn out anyway, so it was fine! Volunteer service tonight. Ornan gave a very interesting report on their family trip to see Casey in Zimbabwe. Gave me a hankering to re-read Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight or some other book set in that time period in Zimbabwe. Anyone have suggestions?

June 24, 2022

currently grateful

Recently a friend who knew I needed some positivity challenged me to come up with a list of 5 things I'm thankful for every day. It takes some out-of-the-box thinking to come up with 5 different things every day and I've had to skip a few days when inspiration was especially low. But I firmly believe in practicing gratitude and noticing the little things. Here's what I'm most grateful for this month.

A flexible work schedule

My work load recently got much lighter due to losing a complicated client (it really was no loss!) and I am not feeling up to taking on more right now. My manager has been incredibly understanding and supportive and I am so blessed in that! I've been going to the office 1 - 2 days a week but otherwise working from home entirely on my own schedule. I haven't put in full-time hours for several weeks now, and I'm so thankful for the extra time at home, which I've filled with...

Nature therapy

May and June in Pennsylvania is as close to perfection as you can get this side of heaven, in my opinion. There are hardly words to describe the satisfaction I get from working outside - mulching, fertilizing, pruning, planting, creating rock borders - all while listening to a book and soaking in the sunshine. Growing up, I remember Dad often saying something like "I love hard work!" so I guess I got it from my daddy. 😍 I can't think of anything I'd rather do. Walking or biking outside is a close second, though, and I've been blessed to be able to go on a long walk almost every day too. Nature: #1 therapy.

Seasonal tastes

Deep red strawberries, plump blueberries, crunchy cucumbers, sweet Georgia peaches. The intense flavor surprises me every time I take the first bite. The same fruits and vegetables out of season cannot compare.

On a more indulgent side, something about the warm temperatures makes ice cream taste even more delicious in summer. I've already had some fabulous dips of double chocolate, salted caramel, and raspberry cheescake and plan to enjoy more!

And always, there's

Books

The best book I've read so far is Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.

Here's my goodreads review.

"The audiobook is 5 stars, no question. I might not be rating it this highly if I'd read the print version, but Anxious People is the most delightful book I've listened to all year. After I finished it, I borrowed the Kindle version and highlighted as I listened again. It really is that great! The narrator voices the characters perfectly. Also, the writing is brilliant. Full of profound observations and truths about life, but highly comical."

Ever since I read Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Once Upon A Wardrobe I've wanted to read more C.S. Lewis. Here's what I've read so far. I can recommend all of them.

The Screwtape Letters

The Weight of Glory

The Great Divorce (read twice, very thought-provoking)

The Four Loves

The Space Trilogy (science fiction): Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength

Now I'm on a bit of a classics binge. It started with Middlemarch by George Eliot, which I always assumed was dry and dull but turned out to be interesting. Then I decided to re-read all of Jane Austen's books. I've finished Sense and Sensibility and am currently listening to Pride and Prejudice. Here's a review I wrote that could really apply to them all.

"Ahhhh I find Jane Austen to be somehow comforting. You can always be assured you will find flawed characters, a villain, and female airheads in the story. In between there's delightful, proper conversation and much scheming and hysterics by the ladies. It will end with a wedding (or two). Always entertaining!"