saturday snapshot...

This was taken on our trip home from our Clarks Fork fishing trip. These hills are near Muddy Gap, WY, which happens to be the setting of my current novel. Carin was gracious enough to stop for a few minutes, but I kept taking pictures as we drove down the road--which is why you can see the reflection of the camera in this shot.

photo tag...

Holly tagged me a few days ago, but this is the first time I've been at MY computer with my photo files.

So the deal is, you open your "photo file" and post the fourth picture. I'm a bit befuddled since my files all are tucked into folders--so I'm trying to decide if I should open the fourth folder, or the first folder and the fourth picture--I have options!
















Okay--so I went with the first folder that had pictures I own in it. Apparently I have several folders with pics I've snagged from other people and from the internet!

This was taken in 2005, in Peru. I was visiting a Compassion project. These kids wanted to be in a picture, so we took one :) . Fond memories.

And I tag--Sarah and Sarah and Dianna...

saturday snapshot...

I was playing around with this fun flower and a mirror--

Sorry this is so late--this is the first time I've had to get online today!

what a hoot...

Last night we had our staff Christmas party for the church staff. It was "tacky Christmas sweater" night, with promised prizes for the best outfits. The night was a pot luck, and someone thinks we eat a lot, so there was way too much food. But everything tasted great, and the entertainment, well, we made our own!
Our Christmas sing-along quickly took a nosedive into a karaoke night. And I'm pretty sure someone spiked Jessica's punch. That girl was on fire! At one point, Scott was laughing so hard he had to quit playing the piano. Didn't stop us, we kept on singing.

And then, there was the gift exchange, done in true White Elephant form. The gift I took sparked a cat fight between two of the pastor's wives--never saw that coming!

Bonnie and Steve always make a cute couple!

Overall, the evening produced many laughs, a few bad outfits, and an emotional scar or two. What more can you ask from a party?

saturday snapshot...

That's Namibian dish soap for you...

the most wonderful time...

It's that time of year again. Holiday time, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year. A time when we celebrate and give thanks and gifts.

Usually, I get into the season. I love it. I'm a huge fan of giving gifts. I like the lights and the festivities.

But this year, I'm just not feeling it. I don't know why. But the whole joy of the season isn't happening for me. I'm trying. I'm even going willingly to parties. That says a lot.

Maybe I can find a little Christmas around the corner...

Where do you find Christmas cheer?

saturday snapshot...

Ack, it's December! And I forgot that I only set these up through November :P . So pardon the lateness. Little known fact: we get some amazing sunrises in Colorado!

a good day...

Yep, it's a good day.

First, Dara and her mom stopped by the store while I was working. It was great to see her again--she is looking amazing. Africa really agreed with her!

Then, I got some super deals. By combining coupons and sales, I got about $45 worth of product for $4. So now I have a neck warmer, a reed diffuser and some presents. Got to love it!

As I drove home, the sunset was amazingly beautiful. Lots of pink and purple and gold, all sneaking around the mountains. Really awesome.

Then, I stopped and got a free cheesecake from HoneyBaked, compliments of the real estate agent who sold dad the house 12 years ago. She sends us a coupon every year for a free pie.

For dinner, I got Chick-Fil-A. More coupons. Free food.

So yeah, it's been a good day. I'd even venture a great in there!

sixteen things...

1. I am an introvert. Most people don't believe me when I say this, but my last three MyersBriggs tests confirm that not only am I an introvert, but I am quickly moving away from the center line. I do recharge by being alone, and given the choice, I will always pick alone over a big group of people. I like people, but they wear me out.

2. I've competed in a National History Day competition. And by that, I mean at the national level. In D.C.. It was a blast.

3. The first guy who proposed to me has been in a movie (13 Going On 30) and on the show Monk. Steve--it still would never work, but I love you anyway :P

4. Growing up, I always wanted a dog. And I never got one. I had a cat. Now, I want a cat and I end up babysitting my sister's dog.

5. I've developed an allergy to dogs.

6. I was in the Peace Corps for one month before deciding that Namibia wasn't the place for me to serve.

7. I've written a screenplay.

8. There are three evil foods, they are of the devil. Corn. Strawberries. Sauerkraut.

9. My best friends all share similar names. We are Sara (me), Sarah P, Sarah B, and Dara.

10. I love Mt. Dew. It's my version of coffee.

11. My favorite color is purple, and that's what I painted my room.

12. I wear glasses except for when I'm only working on the computer. My up-close sight is fine, so fine that wearing the glasses makes it harder to see close objects.

13. I've received three marriage proposals. Sadly, none of them were overly legit.

14. I am a second born, middle and oldest child, all wrapped into one. And now you all understand my deep psychosis.

15. I despise spiders. If they are in my space, they must die. If they are outside, I will stomp at them until they run far, far away.

16. I drink only loose leaf tea--yes, I'm a tea snob.

because it's pretty...

saturday snapshots...

I have a thing about stairways--this one is found at Bear Trap Ranch in the mountains above Colorado Springs.

why I don't shop on black friday...

Today is the biggest shopping day of the year.  And I won't be participating.  I have several good reasons.

1. I prefer to sleep.  I haven't found a sale yet worth getting up early for.  Sleep is a precious commodity and I like to invest in it--especially in the early hours of the morning.

2. I hate crowds.  I'm an introvert.  Crowds, especially crazy mobs, are a total turn off.

3. I work retail.  Yes, I have to work on Friday.  I have to get up at the crack of dawn (when I should be sleeping, see #1) and be at work at absurd hours so that crazy, frantic, cranky (they didn't get enough sleep, either), rude, impatient people can spend a few less dollars.  After working one season of retail on a Black Friday, I swore that even if I was tempted, I wasn't going to ever shop on Black Friday.

To all of you who ARE going out today--please please please remember to be nice to the people who are working.  Smile.  Don't raise your voice.  Be patient.  Understand you are the 500th person to ask the same question, and our voice is slipping away from answering.  Do not get snippy with us, do not get huffy when we point to the back of the line half a block away.  You made the choice to shop on this hellish day, you could have been smart and stayed home.  I'm sure the few dollars you save would be worth your sanity.  I know it's worth mine.

finished!

So on Saturday night I trudged to Panera and made myself sit there until I passed the 50K mark. Not only did I pass the mark, but I wrapped up the novel. That's rare for me to wrap it up so quickly, but this year, I had to really stretch the final bit to get enough words.

In order to help out the Colorado Springs regional word count (we are hovering between 50th and 55th place), I'm going to explore a few of the scenes from other view points. My entire novel is written in first person POV. Tabitha, my main character, is sixteen. So I'm interested in seeing how some of the events play out in someone else's mind.

I can't verify the novel until later today...but soon I shall have a purple bar on the NaNo site. I live for the purple bar!

saturday snapshot...

This is a shot of my "current project" board from summer 2007--I'm glad to say that some of these projects are finished--the others, well, they are on the back burners now!

can't say no...

I don't know how many of you have ever used eHarmony, but I found this a bit shocking. Apparently, businesses no longer have a right to refuse service to somebody. Apparently, if you get upset, you can force a business to serve you, even if it goes against everything they stand for.

I'm tired of groups wanting equality and wanting everyone to be accepting, and then those same groups turn around and are unaccepting of those who are different than them. Perhaps we need to start a revolution that shouts for freedom to be ourselves, to not have our beliefs questioned, to be able to do what WE want.

I know one thing, if I were still a member of eHarmony, I would cancel over this. Just because I think it's weak to give in when refusing to provide a service is something that we should be able to do under the name of freedom.

I wonder when this nation will realize that we are in a handbasket that is flying down a road paved with good intentions...

Monday, Monday...

For the first time in a long time, I got to sleep in. I've been fighting allergies and a cough that just wouldn't go away.

I'm almost to 40,000 words. This is pretty early, but my story just seems to write itself. I love writing in first person, it just comes out easier, and I think it's more fun to read.

I have things to get done today, so I suppose I should get to it. But it's been nice taking it easy this morning.

How is your Monday going? Off to a good start? Tell me about it!

saturday snapshot...

A shot of Yellowstone Lake, taken several years ago when we visited on our annual summer trip to Wyoming. I just like how the whole picture is blue--but there is so much color and depth!

I find it a bit hypocritical...

that the same people who have spent a majority of the last eight years whining, complaining, protesting against our government, smack talking and so on are the same people who now say we should all unify.

I have no desire to unify with any group that is only interested in being unified under their rules, under their leader. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise. These are the same people who want to celebrate diversity as long as that doesn't include the right wing, gun owners and Christians.

I love them because they are human, but I sure don't like they way they think.

the reasons I hate love November...

November is a great time of year. Fall has arrived (in Colorado, that means snow, usually), Thanksgiving produces lots of leftovers, and I get to write a novel.

But with that, there comes a whole slew of other factors, some of which make life more difficult. Last year, I was starting a new job (not to mention the one I started in October!). This year, I'm house-sitting for over half the month. Throw in the fact that my family shows no appreciation for my non-financially rewarding pursuit, and things can get a bit stressful.

I am thankful for having a wonderful group of writers this year--not only are they writing like the lean mean NaNoWriMo machines that I knew they could be, but they show up for write-ins and they say thank you. It's heart-warming.

And my dearest and best friend (the one NOT doing NaNo this year), Dara, did ask about how my novel was going. All the way from Ghana. It means the world to me that she remembers such things, even though she's half a world away and trying to finish up her Peace Corps service.

And since you asked (or you would, if we were face to face now), I'm doing very well on my novel. Yesterday I netted 6,000 words. That might be a personal one day best! My total word count is 27,000. That puts me well past the halfway mark--and it's not even the 15th yet!

Okay, I have some writing to do. So do you. Leave me a comment. What do YOU love about November?

saturday snapshot...

I caught this storm coming in over the mountain at the beginning of October...

quiz oh quizical...

Because Holly said I had to consider myself tagged if I read hers...

wine OR beer: neither--mixed drinks!
coffee OR tea: tea
night gown OR pajamas: pj's
bath OR shower: mostly shower, with an occasional bubble bath
lefty OR righty: mostly righty but I can do a lot with my left hand...
cake OR pie: pie, but not a huge fan of either
pumpkin pie OR pecan pie: pecan
one story OR two story: why can't I have lots of stories?
dog OR cat: cat, don't have one, but want one. Not so much a dog person
early bird OR night owl: night owl baby
sport utility OR car: drive a car, want a Jeep
vanilla OR chocolate: mint?
scrambled OR over-easy: depends on my mood
dress OR pants: pants, usually
mustard OR ketchup: mustard, not a big fan of ketchup
red OR green: green
laptop OR desktop: lappy
coke OR pepsi: coke
flats OR high heels: flats
fiction OR non-fiction: fiction, hands down
pulp OR no pulp: no pulp
hugs OR kisses: um, going with hugs for now
will YOU play along OR won't you?

I will tag Miss Pottenger, because I know she can't resist--and Aimee, because I know she updates her blog on a regular basis :P

woeful wednesday...

I'm sad. Not just because of the elections (though that plays a part), but because there is nothing wacky going on in my world. So you get a screen shot of my current word count:

I can safely say I've never been so far along on in just four days of writing. I haven't even done my words for today. My goal is to be over 12,500 by the time I go to bed. Maybe I should challenge myself and shoot for 15,000. I could do it. If I wanted...

the toss up...

I have some choices as to what to do tonight after I get off my shift at the mall. I could come home and watch the election coverage. Or there is House marathon. Then there is the Panera choice--a write-in!

Seeing as I hate watching coverage of most anything on tv (because let's face it, there is only so much you can say about the same piece of information, and I get tired of sweet nothings fast), that brings me to two options. As much as I adore House (and oh, I do adore him!), I have a novel to write.

So I'm going to spend election night at Panera with other people who are more focused on writing a work of fiction than watching one unfold on tv :P .

Happy writing--and go vote!

avoiding the bust...

It's November. And that means 50,000 words. We started off the month with a twelve hour write-in at Panera. Over 21 Colorado Springs writers came out to join us. It was a blast. I got just over 5,000 words on Saturday. And I added another 2,000 some yesterday. So I'm sitting pretty at 7,275. Not bad.

I should be writing right now.

saturday snapshot...

Maybe this view is in our near future?

friday free-for-all...

It's here again. Friday. Most beloved day of the week. And today, you get an extra special treat. A poem. From me. Written by me. Not about me :P

This is a sestina--one of my all-time favorite forms. It hinges on the repetition of six words (I like to use nouns myself) in a given order through the first six stanzas. Then they combine in three short lines in the last stanza. The repetition gives this form a rhymth and flow that is unique (and not drive by meter, I might add!).

The way I like to write sestinas is to have random people give me a noun (now you know why I ask!) and then use those to write the poem. Yes, this means I have less control. It also means that I sometimes have to tie together ideas and objects that no sane person would put together. But that is part of the fun.

This particular sestina was written as a challenge between some friends. We all used the same six words and each wrote a sestina. It was a blast! And here is the result:

Elegy for Constantinople

Dream with me of Istanbul-
of Constantine eating licorice,
a culture in generation,
shrouded by one man’s nebula.
Byzantium hears its epilogue
played over and over on the piano.

In these Turkish streets, my footsteps piano—
I tread ever lighter through Istanbul
searching for the epilogue.
Wedged in cobblestone, the blue-flowered licorice
pulls me into a botanical nebula
and I am anchored by a deep-rooted generation.

Will I ever see my own generation?
A child of mine, sitting at this piano—
sent across space from a sparkling nebula,
whispering the secrets of Istanbul,
sneaking twists of licorice—
Will I ever see my own epilogue?

Pinpoints of prophecy litter the epilogue—
Hints to a wiser generation,
advice sweetened with the root of licorice,
rings through time, hitching a ride in the notes of the piano.
It warns of crusaders sacking Istanbul
and the serendipity tucked within the nebula.

Time wraps this world in nebula—
withholding clarity until the epilogue
as it paces the shores of Istanbul.
Waltzing along the final generation,
minutes trip through, like scales on a piano,
or a nymph feasting on licorice.

From seed to pod to bean to candy delight, licorice
dances in a course nebula,
bowing and blushing, displaying piano
as it delivers a one-word epilogue.
Flora and fauna continue generation,
overtaking the streets of Istanbul.

Let the taste of licorice be this dream’s epilogue
and the nebula of the last generation.
I will play life’s piano and dance on rooftops in Istanbul.

curls and nonsuch...

I finally got curls. Lots of curls.

I've been waiting for a year now to get another perm. Curls help keep me from hating my ever so straight and ever so flat hair. But curls also cost money. Thanks to a dear friend who took some B&BW stuff off my hands, I had some extra cash. And Shelly told me about the Salon Professional Academy where they do perms for considerably less than most places (and the students are checked every step of the way, so a mishap is no more likely than with any other place).

So I have curls.

But I also have chemical smell.

I don't recall a perm ever being so very smelly before. I didn't sleep a wink last night because the chemicals were so overwhelming. I rinsed my hair this morning just to help (plus, it was frizz city and I can't handle frizz!). I have to hold out until tomorrow to wash it--pray for me!

(photos to come when I have a) someone to take the picture and b) my laptop to upload said picture.)

a mesage from my sponsors...you!

It's almost November. That means I'll be writing a novel. Again.

I've written three NaNo novels over the last four years (I took off the year I went to Africa). I love the rush and the frenzy.

And this year, I'm looking for sponsors. The organization that puts on National Novel Writing Month (NaNo) does this as a non-profit. This is their 10th year hosting the event--and they have almost 60,000 people registered to write this year. They even have a Young Writer's program that is encouraging youngsters to write and flex their creative story-telling muscles. And I'm asking you to support me in supporting them.

So if you would like to sponsor me. You can make a one time donation or sponsor me per 1000 words. Just visit here to make a donation. It's safe, secure and you are helping a great cause.

And check back often in November as I post my running total word count!

saturday snapshot...

This is from the Thanksgiving feast that I enjoyed in Nambia, 2006. I love the colors in that bowl.

friday free-for-all!

Okay--new feature. A "when I feel like it but always on Friday" feature!

It's when I get to do something fun that I don't normally do. Maybe it will be a review, or a poem I've written or a guest blogger. You'll just have to tune in on Friday's to find out.

Today, you get a book review...

As many of you know, I have a goal to read 100 books in 2008. I'm close. This book, The Third Angel, by Alice Hoffman, marks my 90th book! Here's the review I posted on www.goodreads.com and on CleanPlace:

Wow. Double wow. This was a great book. I wasn't so sure at first--I was a bit nervous because the story was just so so. But as the story developed it became this beautiful, sparking spider web of lives and loves and hopes and pains that I just couldn't tear myself away. I read 2/3rd of the book in one night--and only stopped because I had to get up in a few hours. I could have read this one in a single sitting if time had permitted.

When I finished, I really wanted to sing "It's a Small World After All" but with a mellow undertone and in a minor key--because that was how the story made me feel. The cool thing, I think, about this book, is that one of the characters in it writes a book that can be read front to back or back to front--and you get a different story. This book works a bit the same. If you read part 3 then 2 then 1, you would get a different effect of the story--but still the same words.


And a fun trivia fact, Alice Hoffman is Jodi Picoult's favorite writer--and with good reason!

some days it is worth it...

to get out of bed. I haven't been having the best week so far, and honestly, I just wanted to stay warm and blissfully unaware today (which means staying in bed). But I got up. And I came to Panera to be productive. And I was early enough for souffles.

And as it turned out, my souffle was free because it was about to "expire". That just means they had held it to max hold time and would throw it out. Since it was just expiring, I didn't mind. So I got my favorite breakfast for free.

Now if only the creepy old guys by the window would understand that it's rude to lift the shades and allow all the glares off the cars parked outside in--then we would be having a perfect day!

(I'm sad to report that I've seen nothing wacky this week--nothing. The lack of strange and bizarre things is starting to concern me.)

things I just don't get...

* why people WON'T hire you for being well qualified. Don't they understand that just because you CAN do more doesn't mean you always MUST do more? And that sometimes you just want to get a foot in the door and are happy to start at the bottom?

* why I can't use shampoo and conditioner at the same rate.

* why the floor is always 5 degrees colder than the top of the room (okay, I do understand this one, I just fine it odd that it's always 5 degrees).

* why I didn't know how cool forensics were in high school or early college when I might have had a chance to get a degree in it.

* why Sprint thinks that their "product placement" commercials would make anyone want to buy their phones.

* why ANYONE would watch Celebrity Rehab--honestly, I don't like these people anyway, why do I want to watch them act like spoiled children.

saturday snapshot...

I love this friendly face. Kisses anyone?

well burst my bubble...

I've been house-sitting since the first of October.  It's a great house in Black Forest.  The dog is well-behaved, they have a hot tub and deer visit me during diner.  It's lovely.

But it's not home.

And for the last two days, I've been hanging on the thought that tonight would be my last night.  That Friday night I would be tucked snugly in my own bed at home with my room-darkening shades and my alarm clock ready to lull me out of sleep with my favorite cd.

And then tonight I pull out my calendar to see what time I work Saturday and the evil truth leaps from the page.

Friday is not the 18th.

The owners don't return until the 18th.  

And in that moment, I deflated.  I was crushed under the weight of cruel reality.

And all I wanted was to go home.

lack of whack...

This week, sad to report, has been alarmingly whack free.  Nothing weird or unusual happened.  The only thing that remotely qualified was the drastic plunge of gas prices from $3.19 to $2.96 in less that 24 hours (I know, I almost had a heart attack!)

But I can report that the 90's Trivial Pursuit game has shown us (us being Scott, Shelly, Steve and Betsy, along with myself) that the 90's was a rather trivial decade.  But I did answer the first question for our team without a moment hesitation.  The question was something like (I don't have a direct quote here!): "What TV character travels around in a telephone booth that is much larger inside than it appears on the outside?"  

Oh yeah.  I knew it.

Miss Pottenger would have been proud.

So, keep your eyes open and watching for wacky--I need your help to find it!

things I can't do on the mac...

I'm house-sitting in Black Forest for this amazing house. In the backyard there are two ponds and a man-made stream. Yes, there are koi in the pond, but I rarely see them. This couple owns 10 acers and I've seen deer walking by as I ate dinner. It's lovely, really. Even if the dog tried to give me a heart attack yesterday and the smoke detector attempted to damage my hearing for good.

The major drawback to staying at this place is that they don't have wi-fi. There isn't a wi-fi signal in the area to even mooch off of. What do they have? Internet on a Macintosh desktop computer.

While I think Apple does fun commercials--I'm very unconvinced that Macs are better. In fact, after the last two weeks, I'm pretty sure I won't buy one. Ever.

PC's, for all their instability and failings, seem to work logically. I can find stuff and make programs work like they should. They have multiple buttons on the mouse to give you options, including the amazing scroll bar. When I tell my PC to copy something, it does it. It doesn't pretend to copy. The PC also knows the difference between a backspace and a delete. They are not the same thing.

So, I've been having to schlep my way to Panera every few days to get things done online. It's a tad annoying, considering that it means less time by said pond and woods!

If I ever live in such a lovely place, I'm totally having wireless internet so my friends won't suffer!

saturday snapshot...

Round Four! This is one of my favorite places in the world--in my hammock! I don't get to use it often, but when I do, it restores peace and tranquility to my life.

close call...

So on the way to Panera this evening the driver in the car behind me starts flailing his arms just after I came to a stop. Turns out, the two cars behind HIM rear-ended each other and he got caught as well.

That was close.

Some days we don't know the angels that keep us from harm. Today, I know there were angels between my car and the one behind me. I'm every so thankful!

worship part two...

I told you that I had revelations on Sunday--more than one.  I did.  Sunday evening I went with the Myers clan to Street Church.  

Let's just say, Street Church is way out of my comfort zone.  And the funny thing about it is that it isn't the poverty and homelessness that I struggle with.  It's the having to talk to total strangers.  I know that some of you are under the impression that I'm an extrovert.  You're wrong.  I'm rather introverted and I really don't enjoy talking to people I don't know.  When the person in line behind me at Walmart strikes up a conversation, I'm the one who becomes intensely interested in my green beans.  I hate calling for pizza (and I am ever so thankful for internet ordering) because I hate having to interact vocally with someone I don't know.

So you can see why Street Church might be difficult for me.  

But I went.  I never would have gone without Scott and Shelly.  And thankfully, Scott is really good at networking and meeting people.  In turn, he would introduce me and give us something to talk about.  It goes like this.  Scott meets Dennis and they talk for a few minutes.  I come over and Scott says, "Dennis, this is my friend, Sara.  Sara, this is Dennis.  He's an artist."  From that point, I have some point of knowledge that I can hide behind until I've gotten to know Dennis.

I did meet Dennis and he is an artist.  He sells his work on craigslist.  I also met John and Issac.  Issac didn't want to talk, which was sad because he was the one that pricked my interest the most.  

Back to worship.  I've always been a fan of "alternate worship": dancing, art, serving, etc.  I just haven't gotten to stretch myself as of late.  Street Church tugged my worship this week.  I'm sure I'll be going back in the future (as long as I have friends like Scott and Shelly to encourage me!) and I look forward to a time when I will know the people there and not be the introverted wallflower.  Then, we'll be worshiping together--and that's what it is all about.

whacky wednesday...

Here we are for the second round of Wacky Wednesday! This week's offering is a observation and photo proof. While waiting for my brother to arrive at a restaurant for dinner, I was hanging out outside. Next door is a liquor store and several 15 minute parking spots. Of the eight or so vehicles that pulled in, at least half had dogs. I'm not sure what caused the run on the store on a Tuesday night (they were doing some good business, judging by traffic), and I'm not sure why so many customers had dogs, but they did. And now, here's the best photo...

who is driving this crazy thing?

Two for the price of one...

What sort of wackiness did YOU see this week?

worship...

Sunday brought an interesting set of revelations to me.  I got to attend all of worship in our service (something that I don't get to do often due to working in the nursery and not being able to attend the worship service that I fit into best).  Since Shelly was singing, I stood with Kayla (who is 4).  Sometimes, Kayla will let me hold her during worship.  Sometimes she sings, and other times she just rests her head on my shoulder.  This weekend she was a bit tired and spent several songs with her head tucked up against mine.  

And I realized that THAT is my favorite way to worship.  Holding Kayla helps me connect with God--hearing her tiny voice singing along spurs me closer to the Father.  I've known for a while that being around Kay and her brothers is good for me, I just never realized how much I love to worship with her.  I love this little girl's heart!

stay tuned for an important announcement...

I have several things I want to blog about--what I did this weekend, the place I'm staying at, the fact that NaNo is coming up--but I also want to put some pictures with those thoughts and since I don't have wireless service out here in the woods, I can't access the pictures on my laptop.  (For those of you who are now scratching your heads, wondering how I'm posting, it is called non-wireless internet connection--I'm at a desktop, a Mac at that.  Don't get me started on the evils of this thing!)  

Anyway, in the meantime, let's play Q&A.  I ask you a question, you leave a comment with your answer.

Question: What is your favorite fall memory?

saturday snapshot...

Take three! This week, I'm going with something that makes me every so happy...garlic cheese bread from Old C's!

returning...

Life is full of comings and goings. Two years ago, one of my bestest friends went to Ghana to serve in the Peace Corps. Dara is amazing and over the last few years, she has really worked to achieve this dream. It was hard to let her go (and that was made even more difficult by my own return from PC service since we thought we would at least be on the same continent for a while). But this December she is coming back. I would say home, but I have a feeling that right now, Ghana is home for her. Home is a funny word and one that I know I can't pin down--so I won't attempt to do so for another person.

I can't wait for Dara to be back. I miss hanging out with her. She is the all-time best person for me to watch movies with because she gets my quirky humor. We are the sort of friends that will go out for a "quick" dinner and still be at the restaurant hours later, deep in conversation. I appreciate Dara's outlook on life, her artist eye and her amazingly generous heart. She is a true blessing in my life.

And in two months, she will be back here, in Colorado. When she left, I told her that the balance of the world was now off-kilter. I'm anxious for it to stabilize again!

wacky wednesday...

Ever notice how wacky the world gets sometimes? Or just the fun things, the odd, the bizarre? Well, now we can share. Through the week, I'll be watching and waiting for something wacky. And then on Wednesday, I'll post my find. Join me and leave a comment with your wacky (or funny, odd and bizarre) find!

This week, the thing that made me go "huh?" was the Domino's pizza guy in the drive through line at Chick-Fil-A. I wish I'd gotten a picture, but I had no camera with me :( .

making pie...

I'm not a cake person. I don't like to eat cake. It just doesn't taste good to me. I'm okay with cookies and I love brownies. Pie, however, doesn't usually tempt me. Now, pecan pie is always good, but other than that, there are few pies that I can't pass up. Until now.

Miss Pottenger introduced me to chess pie not so long ago. It's like pecan pie but not quite so sweet and you can use walnuts rather than pecans. I love it. When I first made one, I had some extra filling and extra dough, not to mention a mini pie pan, so I made a little one.

It was scrumptious.

And I can't wait to make another one...

spun gold...

On Saturday, Carin, Vicky and I drove up to Cripple Creek. Fall here in Colorado means the aspen leaves turn from green to gold. I love to go out and see them--the sight is breathtaking. Here's a few of my favorite shots from this year...




Rumplestiltskin eat your heart out!

saturday snapshot...

Here's the second in my Saturday Snapshot...

This was taken at the Denver Aquarium when Carin and I took the Myers kids. These were just beautiful and I was intrigued. Let me know what you think!

welcome Taytum Marie!

A few days ago I told you about my friend Deb, who was waiting to deliver her second daughter. Well, yesterday afternoon around 3:00 she went to the hospital. And sometime around 6, Taytum Marie made her grand entrance.

I went to see her today and Taytum is adorable. Just over 6 pounds, dark hair and the longest toes I've ever seen on a newborn. But talking doesn't do much--here's the photos! (I didn't take many because Trey, her proud daddy, handed her over to me shortly after we got there--and I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to hold the bundle of cuteness!)

Here's me with Taytum...


And her proud daddy...

Shelly showing Taytum off to Will and Kayla...

And the cute girl all by herself...

(I didn't take any pictures of Deb because women who have just given birth shouldn't have cameras stuck in their faces. Not to mention that between Shelly and I, we held Taytum almost the whole time.)

when I'm in the market...

Some days, I just want to move. I'm not too picky--just somewhere with more space, less people, thicker walls. I was looking through Carin's pictures recently and found the perfect home for me...Think the owners are willing to sell?

I thought not.

(I'll have to check with Carin, but this is some house in England. She visited there recently. Must be great to work for the government!)

reading my way through '08...

Remember way back in January? I know, it's been a long while, but try. I announced I was going to attempt to read 100 books in 2008. Well, it is September and the year has made the turn towards the end. So far, I've finished 80 books. That's 5 more books than I read in 2007! And this year, the books have been a bit longer and a bit harder (not all of them, but last year, I did read a few that were hardly considered books).

So far, I'm happy to say I've discovered a new author that I love. Her name is N.M. Kelby and she has four books out. I've read three of them, In the Company of Angels, Whale Season and Murder at the Bad Girl's Bar and Grill. Kelby is quirky and fun. Check her out! Here's her very happy picture from GoodReads.com (where she is a friend of mine!)

saturday snapshot...

Okay, I've decided to do something fun. Every Saturday, I'm going to post a picture I've taken. Just something random or fun. Maybe next year I'll even do Project 365 (where you take a picture every day of the year, which I suppose this year should have been called Project 366, but no one on the naming committee was paying close attention to the calendar!).

Anywho, here is your first Saturday Snapshot!

This is a picture of the first African sunset I ever saw. Taken from my hotel room in Joburg, South Africa. It was rather lovely, don't you think?

crawling...

Several of you know that back in May I applied for a job as a department assistant. While I didn't get that job (because, I was told, I was over qualified and would be tired of it in a month), I did strike the fancy of the VP I interviewed with. He had a job he wanted to create and he thought I'd be perfect for it.

It's now September (breathe...I know, you are asking yourself how it got to be September already, I totally understand!) and I'm still in waiting for this new position. But there is good news on the horizon. The position was approved by the board and now the job description just needs to be written and approved by HR.

So I don't have a start date yet, but within a few weeks, hopefully I will. Keep praying (if you've been praying with me--I SO appreciate it!) or start praying that things will continue to work out. I'm really excited about this position and the way it will use my skills and talents!

shadows on the wall...

I took this picture a few weeks back as an experiment. And when I was showing some friends my pictures from camping, they all liked this one. It befuddled them; they had no idea what it was. So I'm sharing this photo with you, for your enjoyment and amusement.

It's a picture of the curtains in my room and the lovely shadows of the tree just outside. And no, it isn't on black and white film--the curtains are just white and the shadows are just dark!

coming soon...

I just spent the evening with my friend Deb and her daughter, Mayce. Deb is pregnant and ready to have a baby any day now. She went to the doctor's this morning and wasn't feeling so great so instead of babysitting Mayce, I just went to hang out. We did some fun pampering--hand scrub and lotion, foot lotion and soft socks. After that, we went for a walk.

Baby Girl isn't any closer to showing her face, but Deb and I had a good time hanging out. Guess it's time to go work on the blanket so when baby gets here, she'll be kept warm.

communication issues...

Last night, dad and I went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner. He wasn't feeling great, so we got a booth and then I asked him what he wanted so I could go order. He said, "Eight nuggets, lemonade and make the fry big." So I repeated, "An eight nugget combo with lemonade and the fry made large." He nodded and I went to order.

And I got him the eight nugget combo with lemonade (medium) and fries (large). So I bring the drinks back to the table and he looks at it. "That's not a large drink, is it?" I blink. "You didn't ask for a large drink," I said.

He shrugs and I go to get the food try. Once sitting, we start in on dinner and he eats his fries first. Then he opens his nuggets. He looks at me and says, "eight is the big pack?".

My somewhat snippy reply was, "No. The twelve pack is the big one. The eight pack is what you asked for."

Somehow, he just didn't get out what he really wanted last night. Next time, he can come up and order with me!

remember...

Because if we forget the things that have happened, we will allow them to repeat--

everything except...

The kitchen table.

I've amassed a lot of belongings over the years. I have a bed, a poof chair, two popasan chairs, bookcases, dressers, side tables, televisions, lamps. But the one thing I DON'T have is a kitchen table. I've wanted my own kitchen table for a long time. I've come close to getting one a few times. Yet the table still eludes me.

Somehow, the table has become sort of a marker to me. I think when I finally get one, it will signify something major in my life.

Or it could just be a kitchen table.

pictures from heaven...

Okay, so we go camping every year up near Yellowstone. This year we tried a new spot and it was lovely. Here are some pictures...


We saw some great sunsets...
And here is my tent--I was right on the river so I was lulled to sleep every night!We went up to the Crandle one day, here is dad fishing and a shot of the river--
I was obsessed with taking pictures of berries and other small objects this trip...


I was fascinated with this tree...

Here's a close-up of the moss...

Hope you enjoyed those bits of heaven!