I'm a TV Junkie...and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Yes, with my imagination and love for well-developed characters, I easily become addicted to television series. Films are nice, but watching characters develop week after week for up to 24 episodes per season provides so much more insight into their loves and hates, their quirks and humor, than a mere two hour movie.

I remain heartbroken over the cancellation of my favorite television series of last year: Forever starred Ioan Gruffudd of Titanic, Fantastic Four, and Horatio Hornblower fame as Dr. Henry Morgan who, through a miraculous turn of fate, is immortal and has been alive for about two hundred years. Working in New York City as a Medical Examiner, he is teamed with Detective Jo Martinez (Alana De La Garza) as they solve crime. Only Henry's adopted son, played by Judd Hirsch, knows his secret. I adore the mysteries each week as well as the growing romance between Henry and Jo; the quirkiness of the characters also delighted me. The flashbacks into Henry's past were fascinating, especially those of his wife, Abigail, who had known his secret and had helped him in rescuing Abraham as an infant from Auschwitz. It was a truly riveting hour of television each week, and I practically went into mourning when I heard the cancellation news.

So crime shows and mysteries are my thing. My other favorite shows, Castle, Rizzoli & Isles, NCIS (all three), CSI, Hawaii 5-0, Criminal Minds, Elementary, Sherlock, Bones, the also-cancelled Body of Proof with Dana Delaney--all have that mixture of crime solving combined with thoughtful and detailed character study. My other top favorite show, Sleepy Hollow, combines mystery with some crime solving as Ichabod Crane and Lieutenant Abigail Mills not only solve crimes but also fight true evil as they attempt to halt the coming Armageddon. The only one of my favorite shows that doesn't have the crime/mystery component is Downton Abbey which combines character study with an amazing time in Great Britain's history, so I'm good with it, and So You Think You Can Dance is in its own category, of course.

So when browsing Netflix, I stumbled across the Australian show Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (Series 3 is now playing Saturday nights on PBS), and I was hooked. Set in the late 1920's in Melbourne, Miss Phryne (pronounced "FRY-knee") Fisher (Essie Davis) is a wealthy "modern woman" who sets up as a lady detective, at first to the annoyance of Detective Inspector Jack Robinson (Nathan Page). Later Phryne and Jack end up working together, with the assistance of Miss Fisher's companion Dot (Ashleigh Cummings) and Jack's right-hand man, Constable Hugh Collins (Hugo Johnstone-Burt).

Miss Fisher seems to pick up strays wherever she goes, from some rough-and-tumble cab drivers and her butler with WWI spy experience, aptly named Mr. Butler, to a teen runaway named Jane. Wielding a pearl-handled golden handgun with panache and accuracy, Phryne Fisher becomes deeply embroiled in various mysterious and dangerous cases with Jack while feelings slowly begin to build between them. Series 3, which is only 8 episodes (the other series are 12 or 13 episodes each), marks the end of the series...the final episode of which I watched last night on Netflix. I was sorry to see the series end, but it was an extremely satisfying ride with everything tied up quite neatly and romantically.

The costumes are simply amazing--and the characters are quirky and always doing the unexpected. The attention to detail in the sets and the lovely outdoor scenes in Australia are beyond gorgeous. I've added quite a few of Phryne's best costumes and images of the other characters to my Pinterest Board "I'm a TV Junkie" if you're interested.

Unfortunately, as I peruse the new shows for this fall, I don't see anything that particular grabs me. I'll probably just rely on my old favorites, including the final CSI two-hour special playing Sunday night (9/27) with the return of Grissom, Catherine, and the rest of the gang. Plus, the final season of Downton Abbey will be starting here in the US on January 3, 2016; I'll especially hate to bid the Crawley family, both upstairs and down, a final farewell.

And I've been promising myself to start watching Doctor Who. I've seen a few and quite like it, but no one else in the family does, so I'll be watching by myself, I guess. Sci-fi isn't really my thing, but I've heard so much about this series....

What are some of your favorite TV shows, past and present?  

Getting out the popcorn,

Thanks for your patience....

I don't usually post stuff here for contests, but I just had to do so for the chance to see Burn the Floor here in San Diego.

You see, my daughter and I have been fans of Dancing with the Stars since Season 1 and So You Think You Can Dance from Season 1 as well, and Elizabeth took ballroom dancing lessons at the San Diego Junior Cotillion years ago and now participates in the swing dancing club on her college campus.

I didn't tell her about the contest for two tickets to Burn the Floor...until I received the e-mail from Jen saying we had won the tickets!!!!

So on Tuesday night, I'll be picking up Elizabeth from campus and taking her downtown to see this amazing, incredible show!!! Yay!!!!

Doing the happy (ballroom) dance tonight,

Give Aways!

April Showers Blog Design is having a HUGE giveaway and celebrating her OPEN waiting list that starts January 1st! April not only does blogs - but also invitations, announcements, calendars, cards, business cards, custom illustrations, and so much more! Just by pasting this paragraph on my blog I'm a winner! http://www.aprilshowersblogdesign.com/

I am SO NOT a graphics person, and thus I need HELP! I would LOVE for my blog to be "a thing of beauty and a joy forever" to see. Thus I am wishing, hoping, and, yes, even PRAYING that I can somehow win a free blog design contest so that my blog can be BEAUTIFUL like those of my friends at Stars in Her Fingernails  and Holy Experience and Farming in the Shade and Kids, Twins and Laundry Bins and Conversion Diary.  At this point, I'd happily settle for a custom header -- that's where my real struggle is. My photographer husband has been helping me, but it still isn't what I know it CAN be.

And yes, if we had money, I'd pay to have it done. But with Keith's unemployment heading into Month 15 -- he's doing handyman work for family and friends, but our "health insurance" with Samaritan Ministries has lapsed and we're behind on bills still. So, obviously, there's no money for improving one's blog at hand -- I'm just praying that we can give the kids a decent Christmas with a $20 toy for each.  They were fine with that last year, and they're such good kids. Elizabeth, who has a part-time job in housekeeping at our local Bible Camp two miles away, has bought the three boys a refurbished X-Box 360 for Christmas plus several games. It's so sweet for her to spend her very hard-earned toilet-scrubbing and sheet-changing funds on her brothers, despite how much they argue with each other at home.

Perhaps I'll just settle down and try to learn how to make a custom header.

PS Yes, I changed my header, at least. Changing the whole template was too much work, especially when I love the blue and purples. So I found a public domain Advent candle photo and worked with it in PhotoShop Elements and Picnik to resize (thanks, Sarah!) and -- ouila! A header. Would still love some custom graphics, but this will do for now....

A blessed Advent to you all,

Queen of Awesumm

My new blogging friend Anne at Imprisoned in My Bones bestowed this wonderful Queen of the Day: Awesummm! award upon me last week, and I've been so busy that I haven't had the time to thank her. So, Anne, THANK YOU!

Now, two conditions accompany this award. To quote Anne's blog: "One rule is that I am to list seven things about myself that make me awesumm. This is hard, but even harder, I am to list and tag seven fellow bloggers who are also awesumm." Like Anne, I prefer to list the awesumm bloggers first and hope you run out of time or the timer on your cookies goes off or something else interrupts your reading of this post before you scroll down to the second half of the "deal"
[grin].

So, I tag the following seven awesumm bloggers -- you amuse me, challenge me, inspire me, keep me writing when I would much rather quit, and help shape me into the likeness of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. So check out these amazing, awesumm women:

1. Ann Voskamp at Holy Experience writes some of the most scintillating prose I have ever read and accompanies her words with stunning photos. She is simply incredible, and her blog is my absolute favorite at this time; I read it daily with real anticipation. Don't miss it!

2. Katharine at 10 Minute Writer gives great advice and encouragement to busy moms who attempt to write novels whilst force-feeding toddlers green beans and who compose poetry whilst teaching four levels of math at once. Her dry sense of humor makes writing/publishing while raising and homeschooling within the realm of possibility ... and, on good days, perhaps even a probability. Plus, Katharine's encouragement helped me to survive and succeed at the last NaNoWriMo. She's the real deal, Katherine is.

3. And I must present the Queen of the Day Award to the one who gave it to me -- to Anne at Imprisoned in My Bones - Releasing My Inner Jeremiah. She's absolutely wonderful -- a great writer and one who shows me who Jesus is by living out her faith so beautifully and extravagantly. Her faith is infectious -- very much so. She deserves this crown and has many more waiting for her in Heaven.

4. Sarah is a poet of depth and craft, and she writes at knitting the wind. A New Zealand home schooling mom, Sarah writes about her beautiful land, the sea, and her lovely daughter. Her writings are well-worth reading -- free verse ponderings on grace.

5. Jane at Trying to Find Me writes about her life in England as a Children's Pastor in the Anglican Church. Jane and I have a great deal in common, including our physical challenges. We also love gardening and many other similarities ... kindred spirits, we are.

6. Deborah at Journey of a Soul also relates details of her Catholic faith, deep and wide in His Holy Spirit. I'm rather new to following her blog, but every post is used by the Spirit to burrow more deeply into my soul as we walk this Pilgrim Pathway together, seeking His face.

7. And, finally, Jen at Conversion Diary, a former feminist atheist who is now a Catholic wife and mother as well as a perceptive and humorous writer. Working on a book while raising little ones, Jen writes insightful posts that help me grow my faith more deeply, anchored to the One we love and Who first loved us. And her scorpion and Yaya stories bring a little laughter into my world.

Okay, now onto the "seven awesumm things about me" --- gotta think about this for a minute or two....

1. I have an awesumm family -- a genius of a husband and four incredible children.

2. I attend two churches, Anglo-Catholic (Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity) for five years, and Evangelical Protestant (Lake Murray Community Church, Evangelical Free) for sixteen years. I love the commitment to Scripture I find in both churches, even more so in the Anglican Church much of the time.

3. Old movies are one of my passions -- give me Cary Grant, Clark Gable, or Myrna Loy any old time. Black and white movies are so cool!

4. I had my "dream job," teaching English at a Christian liberal arts university. I hope to return to college instruction sometime in the future -- perhaps after getting my doctorate, if I do.

5. I own close to 3,000 books and my husband hates the very thought of the possibility of moving. Perhaps working in bookstores for ten years wasn't the best place for a book addict to work.... ya think?

6. I am a native San Diegan -- my family came here in 1900 and designed many of the landmarks of this fine city.

7. I enjoy genealogy research -- I just filled in my chart with ALL of my great-great grandparents, born in 1850's and 1860's -- will now work on the preceding generation. :)

So now I have passed along the crown of Queen of the Day to seven worthy recipients, and I have related seven awesumm facts about me, so I think that's it. Again, I want to thank Anne for bestowing the crown upon me ... and now she has it back [grin]. Sorry, Anne, I couldn't resist....

A Few Changes

I've decided to change my blog a bit -- after seeing a few blogs that are lighter and cleaner, I thought I'd take a stab. I'm having problems getting my header set, though -- I want to use a different font than the six I have to choose from for text, but only for the header.

I've spent close to four hours trying to figure it out, so if you know how to use a separate font(s) for just the header on Blogger, please let me know.

More changes coming soon!!!!

About Blogging ...

Although I have been blogging for over two-and-a-half years (since August 20, 2006), I didn't install a hit counter until just a year ago. I was quite happy to see that over the past year, this blog has received 5,800 hits, not including me as I blocked myself so I would really know how many readers I have. Over the past year, this blog has averaged almost 16 people per day. The "page reads" are a little higher at 8,200 since March 4, 2008.

I love blogging. I have so little time for writing with all of the rush and busy-ness of my life as a wife, the mother of four young people ranging from age 9 to almost 17, homeschooling said four young people, tutoring four more on a weekly basis, teaching two co-op writing classes with a total of 15 students, working for Brave Writer where I facilitate three classes per year and am finishing up this year's monthly Boomerang subscription for a very busy Julie, volunteering with the art council in my small town, and facilitating the monthly writing group, part of the art council. Oh, and meeting with a monthly genealogy group, too, besides being actively involved in two churches.

So blogging answers a deep need for me, providing an opportunity to go beyond simple journaling and write about what matters to me: Anglican theology, writing, saints, literature, prayer, poetry, Scripture, gardening, music, U2, education, photography, the arts, etc. I look forward to blogging all day and find in the expression of my thoughts a stress-release, an unburdening of the soul, an artistic expression, a healing of body, mind, heart. And the icing on the cake is having people alongside me on my journey who read what I write and even comment upon it on occasion. One cannot ask for better than that!

I'm definitely not a Jen at Conversion Diary or an Internet Monk by any means, but I am quite happy to have some solid readers who read my blog regularly. I know some of you from "real life" and others from online and the blogosphere, but some of you I don't know at all. But to all of you, I have just one little message, right from my heart of hearts:

THANK YOU.

You guys are the best! (Excuse the Californication of "guys," but that's truly how we talk out here.) Thank you for reading and for commenting, for following my journeys in writing and in faith, and especially when they intersect. I appreciate you "guys" very much and am grateful that there are people out there who enjoy reading what I write, that may be encouraged by my journey or might think about life in a slightly different way because of something I wrote. So, once again...

THANK YOU.

Disappointment in Pittsburgh

The excitement has been building all week after the Charger's win last week. The Bolts came back from a 4-8 season to make it into the Wildcard slot, and the fact they won last week without L.T. encouraged the fans as the Bolts went to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers. The Chargers paraphernalia has been all over the city, and the blue and gold and lightning bolts were scattered all over jerseys and t-shirts at church this morning. In fact, the church business meeting tonight had a TV on hand, just in case the game went late so that people could watch the game during the potluck before the meeting.

But a win was not to be. Despite an excellent start, the third and fourth quarters were a huge disappointment. But the one time I sit down to watch a Chargers football game all season, we lose. It happens every darn time. So I am officially removing myself from watching any and all Charger games in the future so that their path to the Superbowl in 2010 may be completely unimpeded. Who am I to get in the way of success? The happiness of all of Southern California (as Los Angeles does not have a team anymore) will rest on MY shoulders next fall, so I pledge to ignore every single game and thus assure the Chargers of a Superbowl berth next January. It's a huge sacrifice, but I'm willing to do my part for the team.

Besides, I get so into Chargers games that I scream at the TV and terrify my children. I did it once today and decided to go outside to garden on a glorious winter day rather than watch the Chargers (lose, oops, I mean) play. The photo above was the final play in which the Chargers were ahead. Good memories, that score.

Happy Sixth Day of Christmas and Favorites of 2008

A Happy Sixth Day of Christmas to everyone!

As I'm taking the kids "down the hill" tomorrow to spend some of their Christmas money, today is the day that I'll look back on 2008 and list "a few of my favorite things." 2008 has not been an easy year financially (to say the least), but it's been a good homeschooling year, a good writing year, and a good friendship year.

Homeschooling has been fun -- I just love spending my days with my kids, most of the time. ;) I would love to have one day off a month to sit in a coffee shop and write, but otherwise, we're doing fine. E is a bit behind in her chemistry experiments (which she will be remedying this week), but we're up-to-date in everything else and are enjoying most subjects. I haven't yet found a solid astronomy book for the boys, and as I know little of the science myself, it's our one weak point. But the boys are always reading science books on their own, so they're doing fine.

I feel quite successful with writing this year, having a poem published, completing NaNoWriMo (50,000 words of a novel in a month), and publishing a few stories for our small town monthly newspaper. I've made little progress on my BIG work, mostly because of lack of research time. In my new Rule of Life, I'm trying to clear half an hour a day for writing, either my novel or my non-fiction work on liturgy. And blogging has been going well, with nearly 5000 hits here since last March. Not a huge readership, but I'm quite pleased to have you along on the ride and am astonished that anyone at all reads my little meditative meanderings.

Friends have been wonderful this year. Judith continues to love me, even when I had to resign my secretarial duties with MECAC (our local arts council). We celebrated 50th birthdays of Kitty and Linda, Kitty's with a day at the beach and Linda's with a lunch at Olive Garden. Our Logos Literary Group at church has been wonderfully fun as we read and discuss very divergent writings. I miss the Lady Bereans, the Tuesday morning Bible study I've participated in for years, but I've become closer friends with Dru of Alpine Anglican, plus Sheri and I have enjoyed a spiritual retreat or two. (And I still owe Kitty one in celebration of her birthday in August.) The Lake Murray Women's Retreat was a highlight of my year, as always, with highjinks and fellowship mixed with time for reflection and prayer. And Facebook brought all of my friends closer, despite the computer issues caused by viruses on my laptop that Veneta resolved for us.

But now onto some favorites of 2008. Not all of these movies, books, and music came out this year, but I experienced them this year and declare them as my favorites.

Favorite Movie: Mamma Mia!, 2008

Favorite New TV Show: The Mentalist, CBS

Favorite Returning TV Show: House, MD, FOX

Favorite Novel: Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James, 2008

Favorite Nonfiction Book: Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande, 1934

Favorite Devotional Book (besides Bible/BCP): The Divine Hours in Three Volumes by Phyllis Tickle, 2000 (link takes you to only one volume of the three)

Favorite Blog: The 10-Minute Writer

Favorite Website: Act 3 Ministries (John H. Armstrong)

Favorite Social Networking Site: Facebook

Favorite Song: "Our Last Summer" from Mamma Mia!, sung by Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan

Favorite CD: Mamma Mia! Soundtrack

What are some of your favorite things/activities/etc. of 2008? I'd love to read yours ... and get some new ideas for books to read, movies to see, devotionals and websites to check out.

A Late Spring?

Last weekend we experienced snow at my parents' cabin. After some sunshiny and warm days this week, tonight we watched fat snowflakes descend from the mottled sky above our own house.

Spring is late this year. It's funny -- winter was warm and dry; February was so unbelievably warm that I was outside gardening two months before I usually do. My birthday was sunny (never happens!) and I even got sunburned at our women's retreat in late March.

April, however, has been a different story. It's been c-c-c-cold. I've had to pull my one-gallon tomato plants off the porch and into the laundry room every night for fear of frost. And then this last weekend's and this weekend's snows ... what's up?

Our local weather forecaster claims that tonight's storm is the last gasp of winter. All I can say is that I'm totally enjoying a lovely fire in our woodburning stove tonight (thanks to Sheri for the wood!) as I snuggle under my velvety throw with Dashwood and my laptop. I wish winter (or at least a chilly spring) would last FOREVER because I'm positively dreading the 100-plus degree summer temperatures that are the norm here in the mountains.

Friendships

A photo from my 40th birthday party with friends from church: Kitty and myself


I was thinking about the idea of friendships, partially during my gardening time yesterday, and partly in response to Carrie's post about transiency in friendships (see the link to her blog under "Blogs of Interest").

I'm still in touch with my best friend from junior high, Denise; we just had a nice visit together at the end of February when our family was at Disneyland. She picked me up from our hotel, and we talked for over three hours at the California Adventure Hotel nearby.

Two of my good friends, Noko from high school and Vera from my freshman year of college, live far away: Australia and Upstate New York. It's wonderful to see each other, and we pick right back up where we left off, and we do communicate regularly via e-mail and phone calls. But long-distance friendship just isn't the same as having them in the same town, or in Vera's case, either in the upper dorm bunk or next door. Carmen, whom I met in grad school at USD, is also a long-time friend.

I'm still friends with Mr. Stan, my eighth-grade English and History teacher, as well as with several of my college professors. My favorite high school teacher, Mr. Sebastian, has passed away, but I would love to get in touch with at least one other of my high school teachers, namely, Mrs. Jordan.

I am a loyal friend and tend to keep my oldest friendships. It's the newer ones that are more difficult for me, I guess.

After being at Lake Murray for nearly 14 years, I find my closest day-to-day friendships at church. But even at church, there is the sense of transiency; twice now I've had all of my closest friends move on to other churches at once, leaving me behind with few close friendships. I still feel as though I'm in a rebuilding stage at church from the latest mass-leaving, although being part of the small and intimate Bible study on Tuesday mornings helps a great deal as I build friendships with Julie, Kim, Kitty, and Naomi.

Then there's our small town. We moved up there partially because of our friends at the Bible camp, but Shannin and family moved to Big Bear a few years ago. I made acquaintances through the library pre-school hour and then by volunteering at the elementary school when J attended there for two years. Finally out of these experiences, I made a lovely friend, Sheri, one who values the spiritual disciplines and enjoys the occasional day away in silence and contemplation. And then Kitty, a friend from church introduced me to a wonderful woman of experience here in my town, Judith, a poet and friend of the heart, someone I truly enjoy listening to and learning from and sharing with. I'm about the same age as her children, so she's a blessing to me in so many ways!

And there's always online friends. I've been a part of an amazing group of women online for eight years, frist on the Sonlight boards, then at the Trapdoor Society, and now at The Lamppost. I've met many of them face-to-face, either in my home or in theirs. I've traveled to Ohio, North and South Carolina, and Illinois in order to spend time with them, and later this month I'm returning to North Carolina for a trip to Topsail with them. These are perhaps the women who know me best, or at least know my "insides" the best. But there are the intrinsic barriers that go along with online communication: the misunderstandings, the "drama" (for lack of a better word) -- all of which are completely foreign to me in "real life" as I've don't get into disagreements with my "real life" friends. (I admit it; I hide form conflict!) It's a sometimes "squishy" thing (to steal a word from Carol) to put oneself out there online, devoid of all usual real life defenses. There have been times when I've had to leave the online community because I've felt as if I was pushed into a corner; there has been anger and tears and hurt on my part that are past describing. And there have been times of learning and understanding (which are two different things) and exuberant joy as well. I guess online friendships are much harder for an introvert like me because although I feel less vulnerable hiding behind a keyboard than I would in real life, I am also MORE vulnerable because I'm putting my emotional self on these forums, and hiding behind my shyness just isn't possible. I'm "out there," even from behind my keyboard.

Friendship is a challenge in this day and age. No one seems to have time to chat over the back fence anymore. Everyone seems to move away, either to another church or out of the area, and friendship is difficult when the friends aren't readily available. Online friendships are definitely as "real" as real life friendships, only sometimes more volatile and prone to misunderstandings with no facial expressions and body language to read. But just as valuable and sometimes of as great a comfort.

Either way, in "real life" or online, I've somehow felt like the outsider. Perhaps that's because I live 35 miles away from my church family and haven't always felt included (or have been able to include myself because of distance) in their lives. Perhaps that's because I had to leave my online community for a period of time to get healthier in mind and spirit before becoming part of what can be more "drama" at times than I can handle. Perhaps it's because the two friends closest to my heart live across the country and on the other side of the globe. Perhaps it's because I'm still a relative newcomer in my town.

Making friends has never been easy for this introvert. I can only hope it gets easier as I grow older.

Joining the 365 Bloggers

A bunch of women from my online community (The Lamp Post, see sidebar link) started 365 blog projects on January 1. Basically, they post a photo a day for a whole year and thereby have a record in photos of the year.

I, however, did not have a digital camera. Keith's is a professional-level Nikon D-70, and so for my birthday in March I asked for a small digital camera so I could join my 365 friends. Well, Keith thought that a certain Sony would work best for me, but it was last year's model and hard to find. He finally ordered it from an online place, but they let us know this week that it was "back ordered indefinitely." So much for the Sony.

So Keith came home lasy night with an Olympus Stylus 740, a very small camera with video function (great with kids), image stabilization (for my shaky hands) and 5 times zoom. Very nice! Above is a photo of my miniature bird bath in my front flower garden, where little alyssum are popping up and will conquer the entire bed by mid-July.

So now I've joined my 365 cohorts, and hope to learn a little more about the art of photography both through the process and from my dear husband. I'm more grateful than ever for his year at Brook's Institute of Photography!

So check out my photos at http://susanne365.blogspot.com/ or see the link on the sidebar.

A Simon and Garfunkel Moment....

My dear friend Kim signed to Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge over Troubled Waters" yesterday in our worship service at Lake Murray, and I found myself in tears. Sobbing, actually. Her signed songs usually make me cry as they touch my heart so deeply, but this time, even though she signed it about four years ago and I was ready with Kleenex in hand, I found myself sobbing. Yes, sobbing in church with Kitty's arm around my shoulders. Why was I crying over an old Simon and Garfunkel tune? Because the Holy Spirit was speaking to me, using the song as a promise, a benediction, an anointing.

On Thursday I received good news from Dr. Adema: the cortisol is probably the "missing link" in my treatment, and we may be able to start to lower my pain medications in a couple of months! When I asked him what he envisioned for me two years down the road, he said, "No more fentanyl. Keep on with the cortisol and thyroid meds. And you should be much improved." After more than five years of weariness and chronic pain, after five years of various diagnoses of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, and various lesser issues, what great news! What a blessing!

And the song that Kim signed spoke the same thing: the weariness, the pain, the darkness -- all being pushed aside to allow healing and newness. My "time to shine" has come and my "dreams are on their way"! A benediction indeed. And a definite easing of my mind.

Here are the lyrics:

When you're weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I'm on your side when times get rough
And friends just can't be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

When you're down and out,
When you're on the street,
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you.
I'll take your part.
When darkness comes
And pain is all around,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

Sail on silvergirl,
Sail on by.
Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way.
See how they shine.
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.

Today Is My Birthday (da da da-da da)

Today I turned 41. I woke up to birthday hugs from the boys and my girl, to handmade cards and sweet gifts from them: a dip pen and ink set from B&N from the boys and a necklace/earring set from E. Margo gave me a bouquet of yellow daffs and rosemary yesterday, along with cards from her, Judith, Denise (who shares my birthday), along with more cards from family and friends, including one from a very special friend in Australia. I also was wished a Happy Birthday from the LampPost, a very cool Internet community.

I took the boys to Healing Service at Alpine Anglican with me, then dropped them at the office to do school with Keith and E. I then ran an errand and popped over to my dear friend Kitty's house, and we went to lunch at the Village Garden in La Mesa Village. We had such a lovely time, talking literature, family, relationships, past work experience, etc. She may even have convinced me to read Shaffer's Equus. She gave me a writing desk and encouragement to keep on writing; it's perfect for storing the calligraphy inks and pens the kids gave me this morning.

After lunch, I headed to Barnes and Noble and the adjoining Starbucks, where I spent a pleasant two hours ALONE with Foster's Devotional Classics, my journals, and Judges 21 and Ruth 1 for Bible Study. What a precious time alone with Jesus! I came home to find several birthday cards in my e-mail box and a nice birthday card from my pastor, and Keith brought home flowers and a card as well.

Keith, E, and I looked for a digital camera at Circuit City; they no longer carry the one Keith wants to get me in store; we'll have to order it. We saw Music and Lyrics, which was a sweet romantic comedy and then had a late dinner at Chili's, where I splurged on barbecued ribs and a chocolate shake for dessert.

I had a lovely birthday -- simply wonderful.

A Simple Pleasure....

During our lunch hour today I stole a moment to write a letter to my eighth grade English and American History teacher, with whom the kids and I had lunch a few weeks ago. (He would be so pleased to see I used "whom" correctly and didn't end my sentence with a preposition.) He taught me grammar in such a way that I came to love the subject, and he also infused in me a passion for history that still affects me today. (That's "affect," not "effect;" one must keep those two words straight.)

Available from E's Junior Cotillion course last fall was specially ordered embossed stationery; I ordered some for E and some for myself. (Mr. Stan again would be impressed that I remembered that the stuff we write on ends in "-ery" and that stuff that stands still ends in "-ary"; what would I have done without his excellent tutelage?) As I removed the lid of the cloth-covered box this afternoon to use a card for the first time, the beauty of the experience overtook me. Moving aside the thin white tissue paper, I unearthed the stack of thick, rich, cream-hued cards, embossed in navy with my full first name, my middle initial, and my last name, in elegant script lettering. I wrote my note in blue ink to match the navy embossing, and when I had finished, I sealed it in its thick cream envelope, with my name and address again embossed in lovely raised navy script on the back flap.

What a rich experience -- an everyday ocurrence a hundred or even fifty years ago for a woman of means. But for a harried homeschool mom with an afternoon of mathematics and grammar ahead, it was a moment out of time upon which to savour and reflect. (Please pardon the British spelling, dear Mr. Stan, but at least I rewrote the last sentence so as to NOT end with "upon." And please excuse the following sentence fragment which is an example of artistic license -- I promise.)

The simple, elegant pleasures of a few moments -- nearly as restful as a hot bubble bath or European chocolate to the senses and spirit.

12/29/06: Preparations for the New Year

First of all, Happy Fifth Day of Christmas!

Well, we made my annual trek to beloved Barnes and Noble to purchase new journals, calendars, etc.

My new journal is a Shakespeare Journal! His face is embossed in gold on a burgundy leather book -- lovely! I also had to purchase "Much Ado About Nothings: Shakespearean Sticky Notes." Inside are a rainbow of small tab stickies, then medium-sized stickies with Shakespeare's signature and a dip pen, and on the other side of this mini-book are larger stickies with Shakespeare's face, signature, and dip pen. Perfect! (Question: Must I use my dip pen to write journal entries? Answer: I'll see if the ink dries sufficiently well first; then I'll decide.)

[Note to self: Remind children that the wonderful Shakespeare canvas bag at B&N was only $10 and that my birthday is in early March.]

I also nabbed the very LAST copy of the precise calendar I wanted: The Reading Woman Calendar. Nothing like beautiful paintings of women reading, especially when the art is from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston! (I shall go there some day -- I shall!)

I also bought my traditional Farmer's Alamanac Gardening calendar that we use for school. Gardening reminders are a handy-dandy thing to have on one's wall, even if it's mostly used for keeping attendance for our home school.

We trekked all over East County before locating E's Harry Potter calendar, even though we found her a beautiful antique-look red leather journal at B&N. We found a gorgeous Castles calendar for Keith's office (he is tired of Escher), and the boys discovered a hilarious calendar for their room with ferrets dressed to represent different TV shows (Lone Ranger, Miami Vice, Gilligan's Island, etc.). We are all amused.

Since Keith bought me my New Yorker 2007 Desk Diary for Christmas, I spent much time yesterday transferring all my birthday reminders for family and friends from this year's B&N Desk Diary to the 2007 New Yorker Diary. So now I am OFFICIALLY ready for the New Year, sly cartoons included.

Come, 2007! We're ready for ya!

12/21/06: Ick! Ick! Ick!!!!

I'm coming down with a nasty cold! It's a mere four days until Christmas, and I'm sucking down the Cold Eeze, spraying cherry-flavored Chloraseptic down my throat, blowing my nose into the handiest Kleenex, and resting in bed as much as possible.

I had plans today to clean the kitchen which will have to be caught up with later. My messy desk, backed up against the fridge (where I am currently sitting) is the biggest problem; I'll try to get to it tomorrow after getting home from Alpine Anglican's service, seeing my chiropractor, filling my pain prescription, and grocery shopping for Christmas Eve with Keith's family here and the pies we're bringing for Christmas Day with my family up the mountain.

I may just end up crawling back into bed when I get home tomorrow, but I hope I can at least tidy up my messy corner before nap time.

Today all I did was do laundry and take the kids to the library. At the latter, I returned my Cliff Janeway mysteries (very cool -- I enjoyed all five greatly) and picked up Chocolat to watch tonight with E as we must do something with no Survivor on tonight. T checked out more bird books so he can use the pictures as models for his owl watercolor series. J returned a cool pirate book, and B picked it right back up again. The boys also got some Bionicle, Lego, and Anasi books to read.

So I'm heading back to bed to continue rereading Dorothy Sayers' Nine Tailors. It was a wonderful read about a year ago, and I'm only up to reading something light and fun. Perhaps in the New Year I'll start biting off some of my theological books I've been collecting this year, books on Christian mysticism, Merton, contemplative prayer, etc. I just need a clear brain to attempt these, something I don't have when on these pain meds.

Got Kleenex? Check. Cold Eeze? Check. Throat spray? Check.

Okay, ready for bed. And I hope and pray I can shake this oncoming cold and be well and ready to celebrate Christ's birth with dear family and friends!

12/18/06: Go Chargers!!!!

I'm still not sure I believe it.

Are the San Diego Chargers really at 12 - 2? Whoa!

It seems like aeons ago (and it was) that the Chargers were in the Snow-Ball, playing the Bengals in blizzard conditions when I was in high school. When the Bengals pulled ahead, my brother and I suspended our stuffed tiger from the pepper tree in the front yard and played pinata with it, beating it with a black plastic baseball bat.

Then the Chargers were in the Superbowl, and we dressed E in a toddler cheerleader outfit, and she waved her blue and yellow pom poms. They lost, of course. It's been hard to be a Charger fan sometimes.

So I've been scared to watch much this season, afraid I'd somehow "jinx" my Chargers. But once I know they've won, I'm happy.

Fair weather fan? Not quite. Just a very nervous one, I think.

But I gotta say it: Go Chargers!

11/30/06: A Time for Healing

Those of you who know me "in real life" are all too familiar with my physical limitations, but those of you who know me (or not) online may not be familiar with the challenges of daily living that I experience, even in typing this blog.

I was e-mailing an e-friend about my medical history as her daughter is going through some similar symptoms. As I wrote to her, I realized that I have only alluded a few times to my illnesses here but in no real detail.

Please take this as a history only, and not a call for a pity party. It's simply what I and my family have been dealing with over the past few years.

Okay?

Nearly five years ago I started to see an excellent chiropractor, Dr. Charles Burns, for neck pain. Almost immediately he noticed that I didn't respond normally to his adjustments, and he sent me to see my regular doctor through Kaiser, our HMO. She diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. Then along came diagnoses of hypothyroid, hypoglycemia, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. I spent three years in unrelenting pain which no oral drug, not even morphine, could control. We tried more pharmaceutical medications than I can remember, along with natural remedies of nutrition, chiropractic, and acupuncture. Only chiropractic helped a little, but not nearly enough. When my Kaiser doctor, reportedly an expert in fibromyalgia, "gave up" on me and referred me to psychiatry in order to increase my access to "more drugs," I was ready to give up myself as well.

Here I was, 37 years old and in a wheelchair much of the time, unable to walk even short distances outside my home. The pain and stiffness wouldn't let up. I slept little. I couldn't exercise at all. I was too tired to do almost everything. And I was fighting depression over my physical state on a daily, if not hourly basis. I had four children to care for and teach, and I simply couldn't do it. I couldn't clean my home. I couldn't cook dinner. I couldn't homeschool. I couldn't function. So Keith took over on dinner detail, and friends from church drove up the mountain to clean my home. And my dear friend Johanna came up to help homeschool the kids. I often collapsed from weakness or dizziness, sometimes in public. Most importantly, I finally left Kaiser and sought out a new doctor.

When Dr. Burns diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis through applied kinesiology, my new doctor, a Christian osteopath, applied his RA protocol of fentanyl patches and hormonal cremes. And suddenly, something worked! The pain became manageable, and I slowly began to gain strength. I could walk a little further, cook a little in the kitchen, take the kids on a field trip if they pushed my wheelchair. My concern was with becoming addicted to the powerful narcotics, but Dr. Adema assured me that these drugs were prescribed no more than necessary and were integral for my recovery; I would be able to get off them when the cause of these disorders was discovered.

Dr. Adema was convinced that something was poisoning me. It was something more than the "homeschool mom syndrome" that he so often saw in his patients, although he thought that it was indeed part of my condition. So my chiropractor referred me to a naturopathic dentist who tested me, and we found out that I'm allergic to the metals from my dental work -- my braces from my college years, my one amalgam filling, and my root canal. So I've had all the metal removed from my mouth and am now going through IV chelation therapy. I've had almost twenty treatments, and although I've been very nauseous and weak from the treatments, I'm doing better now. I'm just extra tired for a few days after each weekly treatment. And once the toxicity levels decrease significantly, I should be able to start to ease off the fentanyl patch.

I still need a wheelchair for long shopping trips and for field trips to the museums or the zoo, but I'm doing far better overall, although I'm on more than twice the fentanyl than my mother-in-law was when she died of cancer a few years ago. I need a four-pronged cane for outside of the house, and I still have occasional weakness and fainting spells.

So that's where I am. Still struggling with some issues. Still in some pain. Still very tired. Still watching my nutrition. And still hoping that I'll continue to improve and become a "normal" mom again.

The silver lining: God has used this difficulty to draw me ever closer to Him and has given me the passion to study the contemplative traditions of the church, along with church history and Anglicanism. God has set me on a very different path in faith, a "road less taken... that has made all the difference" in my life.

And for that, I am truly grateful.

11/10/06: A Warm, Cosy Cuppa

As I pull the large burgundy ceramic mug to my lips, I inhale one of the sweetest aromas possible ... the smell of a fine British tea.

The taste is just as appealing ... not bitter, not sweet -- just smooth and rich and lovely.

I refuse to buy cheap grocery store teas. Nope, not even Twinings, which is British tea but definitely not the finest.

At the far eastern end of the picturesque cobbled main street of downtown La Mesa, California, past used bookshops and antique stores with furniture spilling out of open doors is a battered and worn Tudor-style shop. Above its simple brown walls and several bay windows is a faint name in peeling white paint: "All Things Bright and British".

This is the only place I will buy my tea.

The older ladies who run the shop never fail to greet me and B with "Good morning, dearies," spoken in a soft British accent that falls somewhere between London and Yorkshire -- probably mid-Britain, I'd guess. (I'm obviously no expert on British accents.) We pass by the British newspapers and the treacle tarts wrapped in cellophane to the tea wall, and at eye level are pastel-colored boxes of Taylors of Harrogate (Family of Fine Tea Merchants, est. 1886). I deftly remove two boxes: a pink one with gold leaf: Decaffeinated, and a blue one with gold: Scottish Breakfast.

These teas are smooth, fragrant, and luxurious. I grasp a box in either hand as I peruse the other eatables in the shop: candies and tarts, shortbread and canned goods. I mosey into the back of the shop where outrageously expensive tea sets tempt me. In the past I have purchased here a tea cosy patterned with purple pansies, a tea towel of Devonshire wildflowers, and a wooden tea tray for serving guests. I want to replace my miniature "Brown Betty" pot (I broke the spout when I dropped it last autumn) which was perfect for my daily tea, but frown at the price. Perhaps another day.

I chat about gardening with the British woman who tallies my total, slips B a small piece of shortbread, and sends us on our way with her cheery "Come again, dearies!"

So, if you ever come to my home, I will get out my large blue "Betty" teapot, my blue-and-white patterned Marywood china cups, sugar bowl, and creamer, my silver tea strainer, and my lovely wooden serving tray, and we'll have a warm, cosy cuppa REAL British tea.

Coming, dearies?

Time for a Change....

Well, here I am. I've been really, really frustrated by homeschoolblogger, with its pre-set templates and inability to add other stuff I really, really like. I haven't been able to post personal pictures unless I use Flickr or another hosting site. And I couldn't post my Library Thing there, or a counter, or anything.

So I shall slowly upload old posts from homeschoolblogger here, and we'll see how it goes. Eventually I want to start a 365 blog, even if I start two months late.

So I'll try out this template and etc., and we'll see how it grows.