Year in Review

Ah, the things that pass through the blogs... This was Sharon's idea, except not really. She got it from another person, who got it from another person, and so on. It amused me. And so here, without the month headings, are the first sentences from the first posts of each month of the previous year. Pictures do not count as sentences, of course. I'm not sure exactly what the first sentence was with the DDR one, but I put down my best guess. Ooh, wait; instead I'm going to just use parts of sentences -- everything up to a dash, colon, or ellipsis; or, failing that, a period. It's funnier that way.


I want to be a translator -- warning: peaceful yard. Today I tried making pizza (from scratch, except for the dough, which was Pillsbury) for the first time. Every now and then I post quotes from books, just to make you smile. You know a DDR song is hard when... a long, long, long time ago on this blog (6-2-05 to be exact) I said that I had an unspoken prayer request. I found LibraryThing. I'm putting off what I need to do... "Leaves are falling, and something's calling me here." I want this T-shirt... Later I may post a few of these pictures individually (with more comments and edits), but for now here's an album of the trip John and I took out to Wheaton to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family.

Oh wait, that was the first parts of sentences of the last posts of each month. I forgot that everything's backwards. Now for the same thing, only different.

These are blurry, but I think they capture her spirit. No, I am not obsessed. Disclaimer: today I tried making pizza (from scratch, except for the dough, which was Pillsbury) for the first time. That's right -- ...and the Angels are playing the Devil Rays. I read Song of the Wanderer and wrote this back in January, but here it is now. It’s been a while since I’ve written poetry, and I'd planned to write a real updatey sort of post next (and soon), but this one just sort of happened. I discovered the reason LibraryThing won't let you see my "date read" and other such things is that when you're logged out, you see any catalog you look at in one of the LibraryThing default views -- "Leaves are falling, and something's calling me here." I was browsing through my blog archives, because that's something I like to do, especially after I've caught up on all my friend's blogs... ...you write yourself a check, go deposit the check, and then receive the paid check back in the mail and file it?

Hallelujah

John helped me to figure out how to get the heater up and running over the phone. (He's in Wheaton, having driven out Saturday to help Stephen move. Oh, and yes, the heater is slightly complicated. It's not automatic.) My toes are not going numb as I work and the citrus-crop-killing weather can't have me. I miss John, but now at least I'm not frozen and missing him.

A customer tells me it's unseasonably warm on the East Coast somewhere, up in the 60's.

Troublesome

I just noticed the Spanish instructions on a box of chicken pot pies at my parents' house. They don't translate the word "pie." It just stays pie. The only problem: pie means "foot" in Spanish. As in, "Saque el pie de la caja y de la envoltura para microondas" or, "Take the foot out of the box and the microwave wrapper."

Adds new meaning to the expression.about putting one's foot in one's mouth. "Primero, abra la boca."

Elsi meets her unicorn

Here and there I've been working on a story called, for now, Aedhira. I want to be kept accountable to keep writing, but most of what I have right now is either back story stuff or extremely rough, not yet to be shared. However, now, to prove that I really am writing... or something... I will post one very small scene. Names may be changed later. It's from quite a ways in, so it's a spoiler in a way, if one cares. Again, this is a rough draft, so critique (as much as you can when you don't know what's going on in the story... sorry...), but please keep that in mind. Oh, and, of course, I retain copyright.

Elsi’s face was aglow. “Tessa, it’s a unicorn!”

Tessa gasped. It was indeed. Elsi had not spoken for many years. If the Aedhira could heal her of that, she was grateful to them, despite their inability to give her what she herself lacked.

The unicorn and Elsi slowly approached each other, until they stood face to face. Tentatively Elsi reached out and embraced the unicorn’s neck. The unicorn made no move to stop her. Tears streamed down Elsi’s face, and she closed her eyes and hugged the unicorn tightly.

“And you,” a voice said, behind her. Tessa turned to see Tidhana standing there, watching. “When will you speak again?”

“Me? I speak. In several languages, in fact.”

“And yet you do not speak in any of them.”

Tessa paused. “Some things are too encompassing for a fake unicorn to heal.” She spoke quietly, out of her mood, but also to be sure Elsi, entranced with her unicorn, would not hear.

“Is that all we are to you?”

Tessa looked down, a little ashamed. “No, I know you are magical, and what you have done for Elsiana is beautiful, and very kind. But… it cannot help me. I know too much, I am too wise.” She laughed, devoid of humor.

Tidhana’s eyes were infinitely gentle. “Have hope. Things are not finished yet.”

Tessa was not sure how Tidhana could know that, but she let her walk away without trying to question her further. She was tired, and with her heart dead, why should she care about hope? There was a little life in her heart yet, true; but it was only just enough for Elsi. Some things just were. Hoping for anything different would not change a thing. She had gotten more than she had hoped for when the Kivan slaves had freed her, but then she had found herself still trapped, still dirty.

Christmas Day

I couldn't sleep. I didn't feel all that excited, but apparently I was, since I only slept from about 11:30 to 4:00. I think this year I was almost more excited to read the Christmas Scripture reading than I was about presents. It was my first Christmas using The Book of Common Prayer. I was very aware this year of the change from the Advent to Christmas season. And I was all in favor. (=

Not that I'm this super spiritual person who is always thinking of the true meaning of Christmas (but surely one need only read all my wish list posts to see that!). Reading the passages The Book of Common Prayer recommends every day just changes things, somehow. I'm glad. And incidentally, the Christmas season isn't over yet -- remember that! It won't be until January 6th.

I liked my Christmas presents. Many thanks to everyone who gave them. I love you all! Highlights at the moment are the iPod Shuffle John's parents gave me (hooray for music!) and Fruits Basket 15 from Andrea, which I read yesterday. Good book. Fruits Basket is just so warm and fuzzy. Volume 16 comes out in April. I really liked all my presents, though. I'm so blessed in so many ways... Thank You, God, for Your many gifts to me and to all of us.

Thanksgiving

I originally wrote this on November 25th. I post it now for your reading pleasure.

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone, one more year. My vacation is about to end. I had a really good time up here in Wheaton, though. I will look forward to Christmas.

I really felt a part of John's family on this trip. I've felt that before, and known I was a part of the family before, but this time it seemed especially real. It was nice.

And then, of course, there's the place itself. California, even Southern California, does have seasons, despite what people say. They are subtle, and they are different than most of the rest of the country, but they do exist. Watch a completely wild, abandoned lot, and you'll see them (unless you're really unobservant). But, all that said, it was nice to be around picture book seasons. The houses in Wheaton are old and beautiful, and combined with all the leafless trees, it's really quite charming around here right now. Especially after seeing it in the summer as well, so lush and green.