Oh it is so pathetic! I really do want to be able to spend some time posting photos or writing and viewing the same on others' blogs. It just isn't happening. I am barely getting the needful done each day it seems and the blog feels like an unaffordable luxury.
One of these days I'll get back into a rhythm. One of these days my home will have a semblance of order ... maybe.
In the meantime I'll just have to visit periodically. Right now I need to salvage what I can from a flooded basement room. We really did need to purge after all.
Peace, peace this Advent,
Laurel
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Please come in ...
To catalog the laundry list of things that have gone wrong requiring outside service people to be called would be mind numbingly boring so I won't go there. I will say, however, that since several of these service providers have made MULTIPLE visits - I've made a few friends. Awwww.
The Mongolian Pest Man (read Knight in Shining Armor) has come at least three times to the house to deal with all manner of varmints. Anyone who gets rid of varmints for a living is my hero by definition. The only thing I wonder about is how explains it all to the guys back in the yurt in Mongolia. They are mostly Tibetan Buddhists after all who generally aren't so excited about the intentional demise of any kind of critter. Hmmm.
The Appliance Repair Guy. At least four visits. An earlier repairman said my oven couldn't be fixed. Two days before the installation of the new oven this man came to check out my broken dishwasher. While he was at it he looked at the oven and said "I can fix that". Once again, my hero. I called to cancel that oven purchase pronto-like.
The Security Alarm Service LADY. Way to break the glass ceiling. She hung out in front of the house for a minute because she KNEW I would come out begging for help to reset the code after I told her I could do it.
The Verizon Cool Dude with the Iphone. A silent multitasker. Surely it really wasn't an Iphone but some other type of gadget that he could get FREE from his employer - you know - the PHONE company? One day the exclusivity contract will end and we can all get Iphones and change our lives.
The Invisible Fence Dog Zapper. I couldn't zap my own dog so I made him do it. We had a few installation issues (see here) so he has been here juuuuust a few times. He called my dog a wuss. She is a German Shepherd. Herumph.
The plumber is coming tomorrow.
I really really should be going to bed.
The Mongolian Pest Man (read Knight in Shining Armor) has come at least three times to the house to deal with all manner of varmints. Anyone who gets rid of varmints for a living is my hero by definition. The only thing I wonder about is how explains it all to the guys back in the yurt in Mongolia. They are mostly Tibetan Buddhists after all who generally aren't so excited about the intentional demise of any kind of critter. Hmmm.
The Appliance Repair Guy. At least four visits. An earlier repairman said my oven couldn't be fixed. Two days before the installation of the new oven this man came to check out my broken dishwasher. While he was at it he looked at the oven and said "I can fix that". Once again, my hero. I called to cancel that oven purchase pronto-like.
The Security Alarm Service LADY. Way to break the glass ceiling. She hung out in front of the house for a minute because she KNEW I would come out begging for help to reset the code after I told her I could do it.
The Verizon Cool Dude with the Iphone. A silent multitasker. Surely it really wasn't an Iphone but some other type of gadget that he could get FREE from his employer - you know - the PHONE company? One day the exclusivity contract will end and we can all get Iphones and change our lives.
The Invisible Fence Dog Zapper. I couldn't zap my own dog so I made him do it. We had a few installation issues (see here) so he has been here juuuuust a few times. He called my dog a wuss. She is a German Shepherd. Herumph.
The plumber is coming tomorrow.
I really really should be going to bed.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Field Trip!
My poor dear camera must feel orphaned. What happened to it's owner? It is hard for me to justify taking time to shoot when boxes and picture hanging wait wait wait. Exhale.
I wish I had the camera today! I went with Lindsay's class to the College Park Aviation Museum and it was a great little museum! The College Park Airport is the oldest continually running airport in the world. This museum is right next to the airstrip and is the perfect scale for kids. It was interactive, interesting, well curated (like I would really know this) and best of all - no crowds and easy parking. In the DC area that is a hard combination to come by.
My mental snapshots that I wish I had to share? The kids in dress up flight outfits having fits of giggles. Each child got to "fly" an old single prop airplane - the joy, the joy in those faces! The kids playing in an outdoor area outfitted with a dozen ride-on vehicles shaped like lanes. Lovely.
I see these exhibits in such a different light as an adult. I wonder if it is just one more thing in the visual smorgasbord that is their lives or is it an exhibit like this that sparks one of their imaginations so much that they want to, say, grow up to be an aviator. All I know is that we are incredibly fortunate to have access to things like this.
The boxes and pictures call ... and my poor camera.
I wish I had the camera today! I went with Lindsay's class to the College Park Aviation Museum and it was a great little museum! The College Park Airport is the oldest continually running airport in the world. This museum is right next to the airstrip and is the perfect scale for kids. It was interactive, interesting, well curated (like I would really know this) and best of all - no crowds and easy parking. In the DC area that is a hard combination to come by.
My mental snapshots that I wish I had to share? The kids in dress up flight outfits having fits of giggles. Each child got to "fly" an old single prop airplane - the joy, the joy in those faces! The kids playing in an outdoor area outfitted with a dozen ride-on vehicles shaped like lanes. Lovely.
I see these exhibits in such a different light as an adult. I wonder if it is just one more thing in the visual smorgasbord that is their lives or is it an exhibit like this that sparks one of their imaginations so much that they want to, say, grow up to be an aviator. All I know is that we are incredibly fortunate to have access to things like this.
The boxes and pictures call ... and my poor camera.
Monday, October 5, 2009
There's Nothing Else
There is a man in my community who has been a teacher and mentor to many over the past several decades. He has risen before dawn to be alone with God for nearly fifty years. He lost his young adult son to cancer recently. He is also struggling with Alzheimers.
I heard the most moving story about him the other day.
A neighbor asked him "So tell me about your son." He looked at the neighbor, shook his head and said, "I know where he is and I know how to get there. Life is in Christ. There's nothing else".
Simple but profound wisdom from a life well lived.
I heard the most moving story about him the other day.
A neighbor asked him "So tell me about your son." He looked at the neighbor, shook his head and said, "I know where he is and I know how to get there. Life is in Christ. There's nothing else".
Simple but profound wisdom from a life well lived.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Stuff
Tomorrow 9000 lbs of who-knows-what will arrive on our doorstep. I sort of want to send it back (except for rugs and art ... and books). It will be the beginning of the end of the superficial part of moving. The emotional components will stay with us a bit longer.
This family will be going on a material goods diet! Come back and ask me about it in a few months. Please? Anyone want any JFA? (Junk From Abroad)
I'm off to bed. It has been the Perils of Pauline over here.
This family will be going on a material goods diet! Come back and ask me about it in a few months. Please? Anyone want any JFA? (Junk From Abroad)
I'm off to bed. It has been the Perils of Pauline over here.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Repatriation Blues
Someone give this woman a harmonica 'cause she's got the Blues ....
Help me! I'm dying over here! Ok - a little melodramatic but I'll tell you, international moves are just not for the faint of heart. No move is for that matter.
A few highlights of the sometimes funny, sometimes exasperating ... Repat Blues.
We moved in late (da na na). They broke antiques (da na na).
Things can be fixed (da na na), in a few weeks (da na na).
OK ... forget the song and on to prose. I have no brain cells left.
The fence people came (because of the dog) but knocked out our phone and alarm. The dog got out when the phone guy came to fix the line and ran away. We got her back and my Mom promptly arrived on our doorstep with a new id tag for the dog with our phone number (Mom is a dog lover of the highest order) just in case she should ever get loose again. This would of course need to mean that our phone was indeed - working. Two hours later I get a call (it works!) from some young women up the street who tell me they are playing with my dog on the church lawn. Exhale.
My oven went out. The repairman told me that the part wasn't available since the oven is so old so I need to buy a new oven. OF COURSE I need a new oven right now! The paycheck has wings these days.
My daughter threw up on the first day of school. Nerves or just ... sick? I don't know.
I went to the mall at 8pm to buy clothes because ... I have none. I was so busy getting everyone else packed out of Kathmandu that I neglected to pack a few things of my own for use past Labor Day. Or maybe subconsciously I felt that I NEEDED to buy a few new things given that I haven't bought fall clothing in at least 4 years?
Our sea freight is still ... at sea. There is furniture in our house ... but it echoes ... and our children are LOUD.
But really, I'm OK. Back to the harmonica.
Lightly ...
Laurel
Help me! I'm dying over here! Ok - a little melodramatic but I'll tell you, international moves are just not for the faint of heart. No move is for that matter.
A few highlights of the sometimes funny, sometimes exasperating ... Repat Blues.
We moved in late (da na na). They broke antiques (da na na).
Things can be fixed (da na na), in a few weeks (da na na).
OK ... forget the song and on to prose. I have no brain cells left.
The fence people came (because of the dog) but knocked out our phone and alarm. The dog got out when the phone guy came to fix the line and ran away. We got her back and my Mom promptly arrived on our doorstep with a new id tag for the dog with our phone number (Mom is a dog lover of the highest order) just in case she should ever get loose again. This would of course need to mean that our phone was indeed - working. Two hours later I get a call (it works!) from some young women up the street who tell me they are playing with my dog on the church lawn. Exhale.
My oven went out. The repairman told me that the part wasn't available since the oven is so old so I need to buy a new oven. OF COURSE I need a new oven right now! The paycheck has wings these days.
My daughter threw up on the first day of school. Nerves or just ... sick? I don't know.
I went to the mall at 8pm to buy clothes because ... I have none. I was so busy getting everyone else packed out of Kathmandu that I neglected to pack a few things of my own for use past Labor Day. Or maybe subconsciously I felt that I NEEDED to buy a few new things given that I haven't bought fall clothing in at least 4 years?
Our sea freight is still ... at sea. There is furniture in our house ... but it echoes ... and our children are LOUD.
But really, I'm OK. Back to the harmonica.
Lightly ...
Laurel
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Light
A new chapter in life. A new blog. I really wasn't sure I would do one this go 'round but I so enjoyed the creative outlet - even if it is blogging into the void sometimes (tap, tap - anybody there?) - that I thought it would be an opportunity to write about things I felt were outside of the scope of the Trailing Spouse. (This was because the Blog Police were going to arrest me?) Besides, how else can I enter all those I Heart Faces challenges? Smile.
So, the name. It is both figurative and literal. As I pursue photography I am forever in search of "the light, the light!!" moment. As I pursue this thing called Life I want to be all about looking and living for and in the LIGHT: the true, good, and noble and lest I sound too serious (which anyone who knows me well will tell you that I am not - hopefully thoughtful - but seldom serious) I am always trying to look at the Lighter side of life. I am also a Jesus person - the Light of The World. So there you have it. I'm chasing the Light in everyway I know how.
It is here I may ramble aimlessly. It is here where I want to post photos, talk about books, movies, miscellany and laugh a bit.
While I am fortunate to have wonderful friends with skin on - I love my bloggy buddies and hope you'll stop by periodically and COMMENT to let me know you're here.
Lightly,
Laurel
So, the name. It is both figurative and literal. As I pursue photography I am forever in search of "the light, the light!!" moment. As I pursue this thing called Life I want to be all about looking and living for and in the LIGHT: the true, good, and noble and lest I sound too serious (which anyone who knows me well will tell you that I am not - hopefully thoughtful - but seldom serious) I am always trying to look at the Lighter side of life. I am also a Jesus person - the Light of The World. So there you have it. I'm chasing the Light in everyway I know how.
It is here I may ramble aimlessly. It is here where I want to post photos, talk about books, movies, miscellany and laugh a bit.
While I am fortunate to have wonderful friends with skin on - I love my bloggy buddies and hope you'll stop by periodically and COMMENT to let me know you're here.
Lightly,
Laurel
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